We’re back with more preseason reactions. I had my full team-by-team takeaways from Week 1 of the preseason here, and I’ll update this week’s action after watching the All 22 throughout the next couple of days. I have my own fantasy football draft this weekend with the boys in San Diego, so my reactions will be more delayed this time around. Expect a big update on Monday. Thanks for hanging in there.
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49ers: Shanny dunking on spreadsheets with Stribling & Black tape
Some key starters rested, but Brock Purdy and the starting offense had a 10-play drive to start the game. Deebo Samuel Sr. and Demarcus Robinson opened in 2-WR sets, while De’Zhaun Stribling played in 3-WR sets initially. He once again dominated targets. Stribling had a great comeback route, a quick out against off coverage and was on the receiving end of a perfect rep on a dig route where he snapped things off cleanly before hands catching the pass in stride while in traffic. If he would’ve caught his stutter-and-go touchdown up the sideline from the slot, Stribling would’ve been a Round 6 selection in a hurry. There’s overwhelming evidence that the 49ers love him. He has already won the inside-outside hybrid Jauan Jennings role, and there’s room for him to quickly be a 2-WR set starter and fantasy-relevant player early on. Samuel hasn’t stood out. His ADP is at 123.7 (up 13.3 spots over the last seven days).
Kyle Shanahan was roasted for taking Stribling where he did (33rd overall), but he was also questioned for drafting RB Kaelon Black in the third round. Well, Black was excellent on Thursday, to the point that I believe he’s already won the valuable Christian McCaffrey backup role. Black had two key pass protection reps versus blitzers, and this is something that also stood out on his college tape at Indiana. He also was flawless in picking the right hole with the right pacing on his rush attempts. His play speed is better than his time speed because he makes confident, quick decisions. He also finished a couple of runs by flattening defenders. We’ll see if Jordan James can return from injury in time to make this a real competition, but for now, Black looks like a draftable player in fantasy football. If you think CMC is missing time, you should be drafting Black. It’s as simple as that.
Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, Mike Washington Jr. get 5 drives
The starters rested, and the second-team offense had extensive run (26 snaps). Of note, WR Tre Tucker was included with the resting starters, while offseason signee Jalen Nailor needed to play the first three drives. As I wrote last week, Tucker was the starter in their 1-WR set look as well, so it’s probably time to simply rank Tucker ahead of Nailor as the more proven outside receiver. Meanwhile, Jack Bech was even more buried. He only played four snaps in the first three drives with Nailor, and in total, he played 11-of-16 snaps in the slot. It’s possible that a majority of his playing time will come in the less valuable 3-WR sets.
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Mendoza had good and bad moments. He operated a different-styled offense as the one he excelled in at Indiana, and there will be growing pains for years to come as he gets more comfortable with dropping back from under center, turning his back to the defense and learning the quick game while closer to the line of scrimmage. The best throw was a dart over the middle that was fit in versus sitting zone defenders, but Mendoza also had a pick-six when he and fellow rookie Mike Washington Jr. weren’t on the same page. It looked to be more Washington than Mendoza in terms of blame. It’s not enough to rule Mendoza out starts before Halloween. There are reasons for excitement still. He physically looks the part.
But that’s burying the lead. Washington was awesome again. He immediately reeled off an explosive that was not created by elite run blocking up front, but instead by out-classing the defense with rare athleticism. He can fight off arm tackles and hit the gas in a hurry. If I’m the Raiders, I’m giving him 5+ touches per game in the regular season. He’s good enough for them, and it’ll keep Ashton Jeanty‘s abrasive style a little fresher. Win. Win. More important than his tape, Washington’s role as fantasy insurance is more than confirmed. He played 22-of-26 snaps with Dylan Laube barely playing with this unit. If Jeanty is out, Washington will be a bellcow. That’s draftable in all 12-team leagues.
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Texans: Woody Marks has his best run ever
Some of the starters played, but Nico Collins and David Montgomery weren’t included. C.J. Stroud had a 10-play first drive, and RB2 Woody Marks played on 100% of those snaps. He had the best run of his NFL career for a touchdown, prompting some Texans’ beat reporters to tweet out that this could be a 50/50 split between Monty and Woody. That’s music to my ears as a 2026 Monty fader. There are worse RB4 clicks than Marks right now. He’s one of the few RB2s who could realistically overtake their backfield via performance rather than injury.
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It wasn’t a run, but Marks also stood out on pass protection. On a 3rd-and-4, the Raiders had both of their off-ball LBs up in the a gap, so Marks was also aligned in the A-gap at the snap. Those backers dropped into coverage, but they sent the CB on a blitz. Marks got his eyes around in time to pick up the blitz, and then stonewalled him, allowing the offense to pick up a first down. This is what it’s all about, folks. This is why we should project Marks to play real snaps at the expense of Monty.
We didn’t get information about Jaylin Noel‘s role without Jayden Higgins, as he’s still working back from a hamstring injury. Last week, coach DeMeco Ryans said Noel was a couple of weeks away, and he’s at least back on the practice field for individual drills. I don’t believe he’s practicing in full yet. Speaking of not practicing, Tank Dell is still not in team drills while he comes off the most serious injury in sports (knee dislocation). Some Texans beat reporters do not believe he will play for months, and that checks out to me given the extent of this injury. The easiest answer for now is Xavier Hutchinson‘s experience and physicality will win out in Week 1 for those 2-WR sets. Noel, Dell or a veteran via trade or waivers will have to take Hutchinson’s job during the season. That’s not a high bar to clear, but it would require Noel escaping this slot-only profile. I’m not stoked about any of them in 12-team redraft leagues. I’d be more open to it if it’s Kayshon Boutte via trade.
Chargers: Charlie Kolar is the starting TE
They opened in a 2-TE set with Justin Herbert under center, and it was Charlie Kolar and David Njoku in it, rather than having pass-only Oronde Gadsden II in. This backs up what we’ve heard from training camp and shouldn’t be shocking if you’ve seen the latter block. Kolar was a receiving prospect out of college and mixed in next to prime Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely with Jim Harbaugh’s brother in Baltimore. He has real fantasy appeal, despite what the spreadsheets say. He will be the Chargers’ leader in TE snaps.
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SEC dominator Brenen Thompson started next to Ladd McConkey but continued playing with the backups. It’s encouraging to see him ahead of KeAndre Lambert-Smith, though Quentin Johnston and Tre’ Harris didn’t suit up. Thompson will be the rotational deep threat WR4. This was just another reminder that this Chargers offense will be amongst the lower in 3-WR sets this year. The battle for those valuable 2-WR set snaps between McConkey, QJ and Harris is on.
Omarion Hampton played the first three snaps with the first-team offense, and his day was done. Keaton Mitchell played next, well ahead of Kimani Vidal. Mitchell caught two passes; a wheel route up the seam and a checkdown where he made a defender miss. I’m #nooticing that his alignments are funky when he’s on the field and that OC Mike McDaniel appears to be having fun with how he’ll use him as a receiver, in addition to giving him pitches and stretch runs. Mitchell is a near lock to have a career-high in receiving this year, and I’m drafting him aggressively while fading Hampton inside the top-15. This could be an interesting tandem rather than pure bellcow backfield.
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Unfortunately, the Chargers interior OL looks really bad. Rookie C Jake Slaughter had negative moments, and the LG doesn’t look athletic enough to be a quality starter. Then there’s RG Cole Strange. If LT Rashawn Slater doesn’t return to practice and get back to his normal self, then the Chargers’ OL might be underwhelming versus expectations a month ago.
