It may be easy to forget now, but veteran Marlon Mack actually started at running back for the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 of the 2020 season, a bad loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, even though rookie Jonathan Taylor was the highly regarded second-round pick from Wisconsin a few months prior and, to everyone's eyes, clearly the better player. Mack earned seven touches on 11 snaps before tearing his Achilles tendon in his lone game of the season. His injury opened the door for Taylor to garner more than 1,400 scrimmage yards and much love from the hearts of many a fantasy football manager.
Pardon me if I couldn't help but see a similar situation brewing for the beleaguered Houston Texans this past weekend, though hopefully without the major injury, of course. Mack, the early leader of the running back depth chart based seemingly on veteran status, started for his new franchise in Saturday's preseason opener and totaled 6 yards on three carries. It's just the preseason, but Mack, who rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and achieved 18 touchdowns during the 2018-19 seasons in Indy, seems to lack the same burst as prior to his major injury. He's 26 and kind of ordinary, as running backs go. Hotshot rookie Dameon Pierce, however, looks awesome.
Pierce, the recent fourth-round selection from Florida, entered Saturday's game in the second quarter and shined immediately, eclipsing 6 or more yards on each of his five rushing attempts, including a 20-yard jaunt to start things off. Pierce is a physical, tackle-breaking runner and agile and fast enough to find and attack holes. The Texans need a player such as this on their rather moribund offense. Mack and fellow backfield mate Rex Burkhead have had their NFL moments for sure, but c'mon, Texans, you know what you must do. Unleash the budding superstar and fantasy find. He may not be Jonathan Taylor, but he will be relevant in fantasy.
Most relevant players that fantasy managers will rush to choose in the early -- and really, the middle rounds, too -- of pending drafts don't even take the field in preseason contests. The stories for us tend to be about rookies and injuries, and we tend to overrate both, really. A first-year player breaks a big run or scores a fancy touchdown and he moves up draft lists, even with little hope of September playing time. A minor injury may foolishly remove a player from our lists, too. Preseason games and the statistics therein get absolutely blown out of proportion.
Still, some interesting things did occur in this first full weekend of preseason games, and Pierce's outing, along with the assumption that even the Texans cannot mess this one up, has me moving Pierce up in the rankings. He's not quite in RB2 range for standard formats quite yet, since some accomplished veterans with the promise of touches occupy those spots, but it may not be long before it happens. Other rookies shined as well and there was a rather relevant injury to a second-year quarterback that matters, too. Here are some of the players that moved in my rankings.
Zach Wilson, QB, New York Jets: Surgery is pending on Wilson's right knee after he suffered a bone bruise and meniscus tear Friday. The Jets do not know -- or are not telling anyone -- how much time he will miss, but regardless, this popular sleeper must slide down in the rankings. Ignore him in standard one-QB leagues. Prior to the weekend, I regarded Wilson and Jaguars sophomore Trevor Lawrence quite similarly; their organizations buoyed their offenses with playmakers, better offensive linemen and reasonable coaching, and breakouts seemed likely. Wilson may still break out, but we have to wait a bit and since quarterback is so deep, just look elsewhere for now.
Joe Flacco is actually still an active NFL player and will likely start Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, his former club. Drama! Fantasy managers may overreact and move wide receivers Elijah Moore, Garrett Wilson and Corey Davis down their draft sheets, but I think that is a mistake. Flacco isn't really that bad. He threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns in his lone 2021 start, and Moore had 141 receiving yards and a 62-yard touchdown that day against Miami. Don't rely on Flacco in fantasy, of course, but don't bypass the electric Moore. I think Garrett Wilson is a bit more buried on the depth chart than other rookie wide receivers, so you were going to have to be a bit more patient there to start with.
Trey Lance, QB, San Francisco 49ers: Lance was the No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft, behind Lawrence and Wilson, but didn't get much of a chance to play in his first season. It was tough to evaluate him for fantasy purposes, though I would argue the same holds true for Lawrence and Wilson, who were placed in impossible situations to succeed. Regardless, Lance played this past Friday against Green Bay and led the offense to a pair of scoring drives, looking composed out of the pocket. We know he can run and boasts QB1 upside thanks to his legs (think Jalen Hurts), but we need to see him throw. He threw on Friday. One of the throws was a 76-yard touchdown to rookie Danny Gray. I still think Jacksonville's Lawrence breaks out as well, but Lance can obviously do more things for a fantasy manager.
George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: The retooling Steelers went with QB Kenny Pickett in the first round and Pickens, the speedster from Georgia, in Round 2. Pickens is far more likely to hold fantasy relevance this season, especially in September. Sure, starting wide receivers Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool did not play Saturday versus Seattle, but Pickens has to see targets from whoever is slinging the football. He's that good. Pickens hauled in a fancy 26-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone in the opening quarter, ran precise routes and certainly created separation with defenders. Pickens is not among the first 50 wide receivers going in ESPN ADP, nor among the first five rookie receivers either, but that may be a mistake.
Rachaad White, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Leonard Fournette still leads the running back depth chart here and perhaps that will not change anytime soon, but White, the third-round pick from Arizona State, has to be next in line. Fournette was fantastic last season, but he also came to training camp with myriad extra pounds on his frame, and he sure has had a rather inconsistent career. White is the wise insurance back here, not Ke'Shawn Vaughn or aged receiving back Giovani Bernard. White rushed for 32 yards Saturday, caught two passes and looked good returning two kickoffs. The Buccaneers have to find a way to use his skills. Breece Hall of the Jets is the lone rookie running back going in the first 12 rounds of ESPN ADP, with Pierce soon to join him. White and Seattle's Kenneth Walker III need to be in the top 100 as well.