We are just 10 days away from football, and the preseason has given us plenty of clarity about how backfields and depth charts are shaping up across the NFL. My rankings have completely shifted over the past two weeks, and if you’re drafting soon, these are the biggest takeaways you need to know to crush your fantasy draft.
Steelers Backfield: Kaleb Johnson Falls Behind
Most fantasy managers entered preseason assuming rookie Kaleb Johnson would slot into the early-down role in Pittsburgh, leaving Jaylen Warren as the primary passing-down back. That’s not how things have played out.
Warren opened with the starters, while Kenneth Gainwell handled third downs and mixed in as part of the regular rotation. Johnson didn’t take the field until the third drive, long after most starters logged meaningful snaps. That usage suggests he’s currently behind both veterans.
Fantasy Impact: Johnson is not startable out of the gate and may take weeks to earn consistent work. Meanwhile, Warren projects for double-digit carries and passing game usage, while Gainwell could be a sneaky late-round option.
Cowboys Backfield: Javonte Williams is the RB1
The Cowboys’ running back room is one of the murkiest in the league. Javonte Williams has yet to play this preseason, but is expected to open the year as the starter. Miles Sanders rested in Week 3 due to an injury, but has opened as the starting running back in the other preseason games
That leaves rookie Jaydon Blue, who finally debuted after missing time with an ankle injury. He rotated heavily in the second and third quarters, which would typically be a red flag, but the team likely wanted to see extended reps after his missed practice time. Blue scored a touchdown but was not efficient in his debut.
Fantasy Impact: Javonte Williams is the clear lead back to open the season for the Cowboys and will take on a hefty workload to open the season. While Miles Sanders appears to be the RB2, Jaydon Blue is the higher upside option worth taking a flyer on at the end of your drafts to win this backfield down the stretch.
Chiefs RB Depth: Brashard Smith Rising
Kansas City’s backfield still belongs to Isiah Pacheco, who played the bulk of snaps with the starters. However, Brashard Smith surprisingly mixed in early, running routes and earning targets on the opening drive—jumping past Carson Steele and Elijah Mitchell on the depth chart.
Kareem Hunt remains Pacheco’s direct backup, but Smith now looks like the RB3, with a chance to earn a passing-down role as the season progresses.
Fantasy Impact: Draft Pacheco confidently, like we did in 2024 before the injury. He will have a 65% snap share and his expected to play on passing downs as Smith develops. Smith has upside on the waiver wire to start the season as he starts to work his way into the Chiefs offense as the season goes on.
Bears Offense: Swift Dominates, Burden Slips
The Bears’ offense showed a few clear signals:
- D’Andre Swift played 20 of 21 snaps with the starters.
- Cole Kmet started over rookie Colston Loveland, though the two appear to be in a near 50/50 split.
- Olamide Zaccheaus worked as the clear WR3 in 11 personnel, ahead of rookie Luther Burden III, who logged just one snap with starters.
Fantasy Impact: Swift looks like a three-down back right now with Roschon Johnson and Kyle Monangai injured. Swift has not been a target of mine this offseason due to his struggles overall, but the potential volume to open the season is intriguing. As far as the Bears’ rookies go, I have my concerns. Burden has some ways to go to crack the lineup with how Zaccheaus played this preseason; meanwhile, Loveland appears to be stuck to splitting snaps with Kmet. Both players have fallen off my draft boards.
Commanders: RB Battle and Jaylin Lane’s Rise
With Brian Robinson Jr. traded to San Francisco, Washington’s RB rotation is wide open. Rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez are battling for early-down work, while Austin Ekeler is clearly locked into the passing-down role.
Meanwhile, rookie WR Jaylin Lane has emerged as a sleeper with Noah Brown injured. Lane didn’t play in the latest preseason game while Luke McCaffrey did, a clear sign Lane has pulled ahead in the WR pecking order.
Fantasy Impact: Croskey-Merritt is the most hyped late-round sleeper during this year’s draft process. He has a chance to immediately get some snaps in week 1, but will have to split with Rodriguez to start the season. Meanwhile, Lane should be watched closely as a waiver wire pickup.
Browns Backfield: Draft Dylan Sampson
The Browns’ running back situation is one of the messiest in the league. Quinshon Judkins was drafted to be the eventual lead back, but he has yet to sign his rookie deal or practice with the team. While he isn’t facing criminal charges, potential league discipline has stalled contract talks. Until that is resolved, Judkins is a stash-only option.
In the meantime, Cleveland rolled out Jerome Ford and rookie Dylan Sampson in an even 50/50 split. Sampson, a player the Browns specifically targeted in the draft, got the start, and both backs rotated evenly through the first two drives. Neither has established himself as the clear third-down or early-down back. While Ford has been serviceable, Cleveland already knows what he is. Sampson has the higher ceiling and is the one more likely to steal meaningful work as the season progresses.
Fantasy Impact: Sampson is the back-to-target. He was one of the two backs the Browns targeted in the draft and is battling with Jerome Ford for snaps to start the season. Sampson is currently valued at the end of drafts and has a clear opportunity for snaps to start the season.
Jaguars: Bigsby and Etienne in a Split
For months, fantasy managers debated whether Travis Etienne would continue dominating touches or if Tank Bigsby would finally carve out a role. The preseason answered that question: Jacksonville is heading toward a split. Bigsby handled most early-down work while Etienne slid into more of a third-down role.
Etienne still flashed the dynamic ability that makes him appealing, but Bigsby’s workload looks legitimate. Given that Etienne’s ADP is still a few rounds higher, the value play here is Bigsby, especially since the Jaguars appear comfortable using him on early downs to open the season
Fantasy Impact: Bigsby is undervalued at his ADP, while Etienne may be slightly overpriced. Both should be viewed as flex-level plays to start the season.
Texans: Chubb the Handcuff to Own
Joe Mixon has been sidelined all preseason with a foot injury and is missing the first four games of the season. That opened the door for Nick Chubb to take the reins. Chubb operated as the primary running back with the 1st team and is likely to take on more of a third-down role to start the season. Dameon Pierce still has a role, but his inconsistent preseason usage raises questions about how the split will look in-season.
Behind them, Dare Ogunbowale continued his usual third-down duties, while rookie Woody Marks is still a developmental piece. For now, Chubb is the handcuff to own and a target at the end of drafts with the uncertainty surrounding Mixon’s foot injury.
Fantasy Impact: Chubb is the priority handcuff while Mixon is out. Marks is more of a long-term dynasty stash.
Broncos: Harvey and Mims Trending Up
Across three preseason games, RJ Harvey has handled 34 of 40 early-down snaps with the starters, while playing 0 snaps on third down. J.K. Dobbins has rested a majority of the preseason and looks like he will operate as the primary third-down back in Denver. Sean Payton’s offense ranked 8th in RB opportunities last season, and a 50/50 split means both guys can still be viable in fantasy.
Another quiet but significant development in Denver is Marvin Mims. The second-year wideout has firmly secured the WR2 job opposite Courtland Sutton. He and Sutton led the team in snaps, while both of them rested together when the starters missed time. Mims broke out towards the end of last season and is a late-round sleeper to target in every format.
Fantasy Impact: Based on their current ADPs, Dobbins and Mims are good values with their roles in an improved Broncos offense. Don’t shy away from RJ Harvey; he is going to have a significant role for this team, and it will be on early downs.
49ers: Ricky Pearsall is Breaking Out
With Brandon Aiyuk sidelined and Jauan Jennings still out, Ricky Pearsall has become an every-down starter. He caught three passes for 42 yards with the first-team offense and looks like a locked-in weapon until the receiving corps gets healthy.
The 49ers lost Deebo Samuel this offseason and also have Demarcus Robinson suspended to start the season. The former first-round pick, Pearsall, will slot in as one of the team’s most valuable pass catchers in Week 1 alongside George Kittle
Fantasy Impact: Pearsall should be targeted within the top 28 receivers in drafts right now. The 49ers will have an improved offense in 2025, and one that we should be investing in heavily in all of our drafts.
Other Key Notes
- Chase Brown handled over 75% of RB snaps with Cincinnati’s starters and looks like a Round 2 steal.
- Ollie Gordon played 100% of snaps with Miami’s first team due to injuries, making him a rising late-round sleeper.
- Dont’e Thornton has secured a starting role in Las Vegas and could push for 8+ touchdowns as a rookie.
- The Jets’ backfield is a frustrating three-way split with Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, and Isaiah Davis. Hall is overpriced at his ADP.
- Carolina is trending toward a two-man committee with Chuba Hubbard on early downs and Rico Dowdle on passing downs.
Notable Players with Impressive Preseasons
Many of the following players had either a good training camp or preseason performances that caused them to rise up my rankings. The big-name rookies showcased their talents in limited action, while some of these late-round guys balled out, potentially working their way into starting lineups. Below are all of the players that rose up my draft board from their preseason performances.
- TreVeyon Henderson
- Tetairoa McMillan
- Matthew Golden
- Tyler Warren
- Jaxson Dart
- Elic Ayomanor
- Isaac TeSlaa
- Keaton Mitchell
- Travis Hunter
- Tory Horton
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