2013 NFL Preseason Recap and Fantasy Football Notes: Week 3

49ers 34, Vikings 14

Colin Kaepernick has barely played this preseason, so 49er fans must have been looking forward to seeing him on the field for some extensive action for a change. Kaepernick’s rust showed early on; he began the contest 1-of-7 for just four yards, including a near-interception by Jamarca Sanford on an attempt to Marlon Moore.

Just as San Francisco fans were beginning to get restless and worried, something clicked and Kaepernick was suddenly unstoppable. He completed his next six passes for 68 yards, ultimately leading his team into the end zone.

Here were Kaepernick’s targets:

Vernon Davis: 3
Chad Hall: 1
Marlon Moore: 4
Quinton Patton: 2 (1 end zone)

Marlon Moore led all 49ers in targets from Colin Kaepernick against the Vikings. Moore isn’t some scrub who’s randomly playing with the starters; with Michael Crabtree out, Moore has been in the starting lineup every preseason game thus far. He finished with three catches for 32 yards. He’s someone to consider in the final couple of rounds.

Quinton Patton is another 49er receiver to look out for. Kaepernick threw to him twice, including once in the second quarter for a touchdown. Patton, a fourth-round rookie with tons of skill and enthusiasm, led the team with four receptions for 35 yards. He could be worth drafting in 2014. For now, his progress is worth monitoring.

Anquan Boldin didn’t receive a single target from Kaepernick, but I’m not going to downgrade the veteran wideout because the two apparently have been clicking in training camp.

Jon Baldwin, recently acquired from the Chiefs, saw some action in the second half, finishing with two grabs for 23 yards. The only player currently ahead of him at his position is Marlon Moore, so he could contribute.

Frank Gore carried the ball just two times. The first running back off the bench was Kendall Hunter, who looked very quick on a 15-yard scamper. LaMichael James also was on the field with the first-team offense, but he’s behind Hunter on the depth chart.

Like the 49ers with Kaepernick, the Vikings were starting a player who hadn’t done anything this preseason. Adrian Peterson suited up for the first time this summer, but he wasn’t a factor at all. He was on the field for two snaps and didn’t touch the ball. He didn’t even block anyone. There was no point in having him play, but it’s not like he needed any carries in these meaningless contests.

Christian Ponder, meanwhile, had to get tons of snaps. He went 17-of-23 for 116 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, but he wasn’t as good as those numbers indicate. He missed an open Greg Jennings deep on the first drive and nearly tossed another pick. He also was strip-sacked on the initial first down. A bulk of his yardage came against San Francisco’s backups.

Here were Ponder’s targets:

Stephen Burton: 5
John Carlson: 3
Toby Gerhart: 2
Greg Jennings: 6 (1 end zone)
Zach Line: 1 (1 end zone)
Cordarrelle Patterson: 3
Kyle Rudolph: 2 (1 end zone)
Jerome Simpson: 2
Joe Webb: 1 (1 end zone)

Greg Jennings saw a team-high six targets at San Francisco, but managed only two receptions for 24 yards. He did draw a pass-interference flag in the end zone, but the fact remains that Jennings is going to have a lot of these 4-48 (doubling up the stats) types of contests with Christian Ponder as his quarterback. There’s absolutely no upside with Jennings, who should be avoided in all fantasy drafts because he’s being picked way too early.

Cordarrelle Patterson didn’t start, but he saw some action with the first team on the third drive. He was involved on a trick play and then made a first-down reception. Patterson saw three targets, catching two balls for 11 yards.

Stephen Burton was second on the team with five targets. He logged three receptions for 31 yards, but was responsible for Ponder’s interception because he quit on a route. Burton should be ignored for fantasy purposes because he’s not a good player.

There was a scary moment for the Vikings in the third quarter when stud defensive tackle Kevin Williams was down for a while. Fortunately, he walked off on his own power.

There were no homer announcers to make fun of, but Al Michaels did call Chad Hall “Chad Hill.” Michaels may have made some other mistakes… but maybe he made no errors… I don’t know anymore. I’m in a complete daze – I’ve watched seven complete football games today because some a**hole decided to schedule 10 exhibition games on Saturday. The person responsible for this is my new sworn enemy.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Buccaneers 17, Dolphins 16

The Miami announcers revealed that this was the first preseason contest that the Dolphin coaches game planned for. The coaches may have been prepared for Tampa’s personnel, but they definitely didn’t account for their own players screwing up.

The Dolphins had so many miscues in this contest, including:

– Left tackle Jonathan Martin was beaten by Adrian Clayborn in the red zone; Clayborn forced an incompletion. Martin later was not lined up on the line of scrimmage, resulting in a 5-yard penalty.

– There were at least three drops, including two in the end zone by Brandon Gibson and Brian Hartline.

– Ryan Tannehill was at fault for some missed touchdowns as well; he threw behind Hartline in the end zone on the first drive. Tannehill also took a sack because he held on to the ball too long.

– Tannehill nearly tossed two interceptions as well, both of which were to Charles Clay. Having said that, Tannehill did some good things in this contest. One of his best throws was an 11-yard laser to Hartline along the sideline on a 3rd-and-10. Tannehill’s final numbers were 17-of-27 for 150 yards and a touchdown.

Here were Tannehill’s targets:

Charles Clay: 6 (2 end zone)
Brandon Gibson: 9 (2 end zone)
Brian Hartline: 5 (1 end zone)
Marvin McNutt: 1
Lamar Miller: 1
Daniel Thomas: 2
Mike Wallace: 4

Brandon Gibson, playing out of the slot, saw a team-high nine targets against the Buccaneers. He caught five of them for 43 yards and a touchdown. He also dropped a second score. Gibson isn’t much of a fantasy option unless you’re in a PPR league. He can be a decent backup in that format.

Mike Wallace caught three of his four targets for 31 yards. There’s not much to say about him; he’s still being way overdrafted.

You may have noticed that Charles Clay was second on the Dolphins with six targets. Don’t bother with him. Clay, who’s getting more action with Dustin Keller out, is a horribly inefficient player. He caught just one of his targets for five yards and was responsible for two of Tannehill’s near-picks.

Lamar Miller started the fourth preseason game, but he and Daniel Thomas shared about the same amount of carries. However, Miller outplayed Thomas by a wide margin. Whereas Thomas gained just three yards on seven carries, Miller totaled 35 yards on eight attempts. What’s even more important is that Miller did a great job of picking up the blitz. I’m not sure what Miami’s obsession with Thomas is all about, but there’s no doubt that Miller is the better player.

While Miami struggled at times, the Buccaneers couldn’t really do anything offensively. Their 10 points came off Miami turnovers, and their first-team offense couldn’t move the chains against the Dolphin backups.

Josh Freeman had issues with pass protection once again. Donald Penn, who looks terribly out of shape, surrendered two sacks. But even with that in mind, it doesn’t excuse Freeman’s stat line: 6-of-16, 59 yards and a lost fumble. He had terrible accuracy issues, as he overthrew receivers on nearly every drive.

Both the Miami broadcasters and Ronde Barber (who talked to analyst Nat Moore) stated that Freeman just doesn’t look sharp this preseason. Freeman is dealing with personal issues again, so he and his teammates are in for a long season.

Here were Freeman’s targets:

Vincent Jackson: 5 (1 end zone)
Mike James: 1
Brian Leonard: 1
Kevin Ogletree: 4
Mike Williams: 7

Vincent Jackson saw five targets in the third preseason game, but managed only one catch. He dropped a pass, but the rest was on Josh Freeman, who was woefully inaccurate. Expect more of this throughout the entire season. Freeman is dealing with personal issues and will likely struggle for a while. I’d recommend staying away from all Buccaneers (save for maybe Doug Martin) in fantasy this year.

Speaking of Martin, he was out once again because of that injury he sustained last week against the Patriots. He’ll be ready for the season opener.

There’s not much else to say about the Buccaneers, who are just going to be dreadful, so let’s get to the good stuff. I was so stoked to hear Miami’s broadcast because Bob Griese and his team are prone to saying incoherent things. Unfortunately, Griese was inexplicably sharp this evening. The analysts did, however, invite people to tweet at #finschat. I checked it out, and some of the things said in the “chat” were pretty funny:

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Saints 31, Texans 23

The Saints have been playing with a sense of purpose this preseason, probably because they learned that they took winning for granted prior to Sean Payton’s suspension. Drew Brees was very sharp in his first two outings, but he didn’t get much of a chance to show off his ability in this contest.

Brees went 4-of-6 for 104 yards and a touchdown. About half of his yardage (51) came on an intermediate pass to Pierre Thomas. The running back did the rest. The one concern with Brees is his pass protection. Inept left tackle Charles Brown nearly surrendered a sack/safety on the first drive.

Here were Brees’ targets:

Jimmy Graham: 1
Mark Ingram: 1
Lance Moore: 1
Pierre Thomas: 1
Nick Toon: 1
Ben Watson: 1

Pierre Thomas opened the game as the starting running back, taking two carries on the first series. Thomas gained 19 yards on four attempts with that aforementioned 51-yard touchdown. As for Mark Ingram, he mustered 24 yards on four tries, though all but one of his yards came on a single scamper.

Kenny Stills appears to have locked up the No. 3 receiver job. The fifth-round rookie caught two balls for 54 yards and a touchdown, including a 40-yard bomb that he made over Kareem Jackson. Both receptions came from Luke McCown.

There’s not much else to say about the Saints, who didn’t use their starters for very long. Will Smith suffered an injury in the second quarter. The FOX announcers – more on them later – talked up rookie safety Kenny Vaccaro, stating that Sean Payton said he’s the most impressive rookie he has coached since Jeremy Shockey with the Giants in 2002.

Unlike Brees, who spread the ball around, Matt Schaub focused on targeting four specific players. Outside of one pass attempt to Ben Tate, only four Texans saw the football.

Despite this, Schaub had a solid performance, going 15-of-26 for 213 yards. His numbers could’ve been much better because he suffered through two drops, one of which was a potential touchdown by Owen Daniels. Then again, Schaub nearly tossed a pick in the second quarter, also while targeting Daniels.

Here were Schaub’s targets:

Owen Daniels: 7 (1 end zone)
Garrett Graham: 4
Andre Johnson: 8
Keshawn Martin: 3
Ben Tate: 1

Andre Johnson just turned 32 last month, but he looks as young and spry as ever. He saw eight targets against the Saints, hauling in seven of those balls for 131 yards. He remains a low-end WR1.

One player you might see who’s missing in Schaub’s target list is DeAndre Hopkins. He sustained a mild concussion last week, so that would explain his absence.

Owen Daniels was thrown to seven times, a total that was one short of Andre Johnson’s team-leading mark. Daniels logged four receptions for 47 yards, but missed out on a touchdown that he dropped on the second drive.

Arian Foster was out again, allowing Ben Tate to shine against the Saints. Tate showed some nifty moves and broke numerous tackles, gaining 74 yards and a touchdown on just 11 carries. With Foster due for a decline in touches, Tate is poised to break out. Tate struggled with injuries last year, but now looks completely healthy. He’s worth drafting in the eighth round or so.

FOX has a national broadcast, so you’d expect their announcers to be more competent than the local guys. Then again, this telecast included Brian Billick, so anything was possible.

Someone made a mistake when FOX displayed a graphic saying that Schaub made the Pro Bowl in 2009 and 2012. As this graphic was up, the play-by-play announcer said, “You may remember that Matt Schaub won the Pro Bowl MVP in 2010.”

Uhh… awkward.

The play-by-play guy also called Justin Forsett “Justin Dorsett.” Meanwhile, Brian Billick came up with this gem: “Duane Brown will take care of Matt Schaub’s backside.”

Ahhhhhh, I have so many ways to make fun of this that I don’t even know where to start!

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Cowboys 24, Bengals 18

The Cowboys have been up to their old antics this preseason. They’ve looked good in between the 20s but have continuously self-destructed once they’ve reached the red zone. I was looking for them to put a solid game together in their dress rehearsal.

Dallas began by switching things up on the offensive line. The team moved Doug Free to right guard and inserted Jeremy Parnell at right tackle. As a result, Romo was sacked on the first play. However, Romo was able to rebound from that, going 13-of-18 for 137 yards and two touchdowns. The scores are important, as the Cowboys’ first-string offense failed to find the end zone in the first two exhibition contests. Romo’s only real blunder was taking a sack in the second quarter to move his squad out of field goal range.

Here were Romo’s targets:

Miles Austin-Jones: 6 (1 end zone)
Dez Bryant: 8 (1 end zone)
DeMarco Murray: 1
Phillip Tanner: 2
Terrance Williams: 1
Jason Witten: 2

Dez Bryant looks like he’s ready to have a monstrous season. He saw eight targets come his way versus Cincinnati, catching six of them for 54 yards and a touchdown. He also drew a pass interference. He should be the second receiver drafted after Calvin Johnson.

Miles Austin-Jones struggled early with a drop in the third exhibition contest, but ultimately hauled in four grabs (off six targets) for 59 yards and a touchdown. Austin-Jones is going way too late in fantasy drafts, so he makes for a nice value pick.

DeMarco Murray lost a fumble inside his own 10-yard line and was benched until the third quarter. Jason Garrett made Murray play with the second team as punishment. Murray finished with 51 yards on 12 carries.

Despite DeMarco Murray being benched for fumbling, Joseph Randle was nowhere to be seen until the third quarter. Phillip Tanner was the first running back off the bench, tallying 39 yards on 14 carries. Randle (16-66) continues to play behind both Tanner and Lance Dunbar, who should be back soon.

Rookie corner B.W. Webb intercepted an Andy Dalton pass. He jumped in front of Mohamed Sanu to make the pick.

Dalton’s interception was pretty much his only error of the evening. He went 12-of-16 for 113 yards and the turnover. Having A.J. Green in the lineup for the first time certainly helped.

Here were Dalton’s targets:

Giovani Bernard: 3
A.J. Green: 5 (1 end zone)
Jermaine Gresham: 4
Marvin Jones: 2
Mohamed Sanu: 3

A.J. Green didn’t have a special game or anything, but he looked good for this first appearance. He caught three of five targets thrown his way for 42 yards. He nearly hauled in a touchdown, but couldn’t get both feet in because a Dallas defender pushed him out of bounds.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis started, but outside of a nice, 6-yard run, the Law Firm lost a yard on his other five attempts. Giovani Bernard, who was on the field on the first drive at Dallas, was much more impressive than his plodding teammate. He registered 39 yards on six carries to go along with two catches for 17 receiving yards. Bernard, who made an unbelievable juke to dodge J.J. Wilcox in the third quarter, is second on the depth chart, but that won’t be the case for very long.

It was awesome to see Jerry Jones’ precious scoreboard backfire on the team. The Cowboys punted in the first quarter, but the ball hit the scoreboard. They had to punt it again, which led to a return touchdown by Brandon Tate.

The Cowboy announcers didn’t make any egregious errors, but only because they spent 20 minutes talking about how stupid mock drafts are because Travis Frederick wasn’t slotted in the first round. They sounded like they had some major sand in their vages. It’s a shame too because a color analyst named Babe (not that there’s anything wrong with that) said that Julio Jones was picked seventh overall in 2011. Jones went sixth. Babe had so much potential to make more factual errors, so it sucks that he spent the entire time whining and complaining.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Titans 27, Falcons 16

Last week, I wrote the following about Jake Locker’s solid outing: “Locker has always had issues with consistency, so it’ll be nice if he plays well again next week.”

Locker opened this contest with a lost fumble (after a great job of eluding Thomas DeCoud for a potential sack) and then nearly tossed a pick by throwing late over the middle across his body. It appeared as though Locker would have a rough game, but he rebounded and finished strongly. Locker went 11-of-13 for 133 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 22 yards on three scrambles.

Once again, Locker has tons of potential, but he needs to remain consistent. He was very lucky to avoid that aforementioned near-interception. Better defenses will take advantage of that opportunity, so Locker needs to cut down on his mental errors.

Here were Locker’s targets:

Kenny Britt: 4
Chris Johnson: 1
Craig Stevens: 1
Taylor Thompson: 3
Nate Washington: 4 (1 end zone)
Damian Williams: 1

Nate Washington continued to serve as Jake Locker’s preferred target, tying the Tennessee starters with a team-high four targets against the Falcons. Washington hauled in all four grabs for 70 yards and a touchdown. He’s on my Fantasy Football Sleepers list because Locker simply loves throwing the ball to him.

Kenny Britt had a decent outing. He came up with three grabs for 42 yards. He tied Washington for the team lead with four targets.

Chris Johnson ran well yet again, gaining 65 yards on 11 carries in this contest. The discouraging thing if you’re a Johnson owner is that Shonn Greene took the field on most short-yardage opportunities. In fact, the one exception was when Greene left the game with a mild ankle sprain. Johnson did convert the 3rd-and-1 try with a 20-yard burst, so perhaps the coaching staff will let him stay on the field.

Rookie receiver Justin Hunter didn’t play at all with the starters, but he caught a touchdown on the first drive in which Ryan Fitzpatrick took the field. That was his only catch of the evening, however.

Defensive tackle Jurrell Casey has been dominating the line of scrimmage all preseason. He registered 1.5 sacks in this contest, as Tennessee’s front mustered four total sacks on Matt Ryan. Casey could push for a Pro Bowl spot if he keeps playing like this.

As for the Falcons, Matt Ryan had to be pleased that Tony Gonzalez was on the field for the first time in the preseason. Ryan was missing Roddy White, however, which may have impacted the team’s red-zone offense. Atlanta failed to score a single touchdown when the starters were on the field.

Ryan went 11-of-19 for 138 yards. Not included in that stat line are two pass interferences that Julio Jones drew on Alterraun Verner. Ryan also saw Jones drop two passes.

Here were Ryan’s targets:

Drew Davis: 3
Harry Douglas: 2 (1 end zone)
Tony Gonzalez: 3
Steven Jackson: 3
Julio Jones: 11
Jason Snelling: 1

Julio Jones had an eventful game. He saw 11 targets (eight more than any other Atlanta starter), but caught only four balls for 81 yards. The reason for the seven non-catches were three pass interferences (two called on the defender; one on Jones) and a pair of drops. Still, Jones looks like a beast and is poised for a big season.

As mentioned, Gonzalez made his first preseason appearance. He had a quiet night, snagging two of the three balls thrown to him for 21 yards.

Steven Jackson looks comfortable in Atlanta’s offense. He gained 51 yards on just 12 carries and also caught three passes for 15 receiving yards.

Rookie corner Robert Alford, a second-rounder out of Southeast Louisiana, was picked on all evening by Locker and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Locker actually went out of his way to target Alford, and then Fitzpatrick torched the rookie with a deep pass. Alford redeemed himself later on by intercepting a Fitzpatrick pass by jumping the route.

Tennessee’s announcers are good for some laughs. Check out this graphic of the Titans’ preseason rankings:

First of all, I’ve never seen any broadcast list preseason rankings. Exhibition games are mostly played by practice-squad scrubs, so who cares? And second, Keith Bulluck commented, “I hope this carries over into the preseason!”

Uhh… it is the preseason, bub.

Bulluck later had the following weird exchange with the play-by-play guy after a bank advertisement:

Play-by-Play Guy: Bank like a Titan!

Bulluck: Some Titans…

Play-by-Play Guy: I know two Titans who got bank!

Bulluck: I know some who don’t!

What a strange thing to say. But this is all nothing compared to this fantasy football advice:

Umm… how about Chris… Johnson…? I wish @TitanNewsRumors could be in all of my fantasy leagues, though I suppose I’d feel bad for constantly stealing his money.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Chiefs 26, Steelers 20

Jamaal Charles saw his first action since he suffered what many feared to be a serious foot injury in practice. Charles gained just 10 yards on seven carries against the Steelers. He also caught two balls for four receiving yards. He looked tentative and a bit slow. He also dropped a pass. Even though his foot injury was seen as minor, he could be suffering some lingering effects from it. I’m a bit concerned about Charles, but I’m not going to bump him down my rankings. He should be 100 percent soon.

Alex Smith went 17-of-24 for 158 yards and a touchdown. The stats are misleading, as he made some poor throws, particularly to Donnie Avery. He also seldom looked downfield; there was one instance that sticks out where Smith immediately checked it down on a 3rd-and-10 at the end of the first quarter. He didn’t even attempt to look for a first down.

Having said that, Smith put together a nice touchdown drive at the end of the first half. He also had a 38-yard scamper to set up a field goal.

Here were Smith’s targets:

Donnie Avery: 8
Dwayne Bowe: 6
Jamaal Charles: 3
Anthony Fasano: 2
Junior Hemingway: 3 (1 end zone)

Dwayne Bowe caught all six of his targets from Alex Smith for 73 yards. He later dropped a pass (typical for him) from Chase Daniel. As mentioned, Smith rarely looks downfield, so Bowe’s potential is capped.

Donnie Avery led all Chief starters in targets (8) at Pittsburgh. He hauled in six of those balls for 54 yards. He could emerge as a decent WR3/flex in PPR leagues. Don’t expect him to score much though; in addition to his small frame, Avery will also have to deal with Alex Smith’s poor red-zone efficiency.

Knile Davis is not a good runner, and it showed in this contest. He gained just 12 yards on five carries and also lost a fumble. Davis did score on a 109-yard kickoff return in the third quarter, but he earlier made a poor decision by taking a kickoff attempt out of the end zone and failing to reach the 15-yard line.

Some stupid decision-making from Andy Reid: For some reason, Reid thought it was a good idea to go for it on 4th-and-1 on his own 21-yard line in the first quarter. He called a run for Charles, who was stuffed. Later, in the second quarter, Reid opted to kick a field goal on fourth-and-goal on Pittsburgh’s 1-yard line. Reid typically does a good job of preparing his teams to play, but he’s prone to dumb moves like this. Reid is an awful game- and clock-manager, so it’s something Kansas City fans will have to get used to.

While Alex Smith’s numbers are misleading, Ben Roethlisberger was better than his stats indicate. Opening up with a 49-yard bomb to Antonio Brown, Big Ben finished 13-of-19 for 166 yards and a touchdown. Two of his incompletions were dropped, including a potential 34-yard touchdown to Emmanuel Sanders. Roethlisberger also had a 25-yard conversion to Brown nullified by a bogus chop-block penalty.

Here were Roethlisberger’s targets:

Antonio Brown: 5
Jerricho Cotchery: 4
Jonathan Dwyer: 3
Will Johnson: 1
David Paulson: 3
Emmanuel Sanders: 3 (1 end zone)
Markus Wheaton: 1

Antonio Brown showed great chemistry with Ben Roethlisberger in the third preseason game. He beat Sean Smith for a 49-yard bomb to open things up. He saw five targets go his way, catching three of them for 61 yards. Brown also had a 25-yard reception wiped out by a chop block. That’s not bad for one half of action.

Markus Wheaton, who should be starting across from Brown in the future, didn’t enter the game until the end of the second quarter. However, he immediately snagged a 12-yard reception, beating Brandon Flowers. Wheaton later hauled in a 34-yard touchdown bomb from Bruce Gradkowski, as he ran by double coverage.

Le’Veon Bell will be out until Week 6 at the earliest. Isaac Redman also missed this contest with a stringer. That left Jonathan Dwyer and Felix Jones in Pittsburgh’s backfield. Dwyer started and ran pretty well, gaining 25 yards on eight carries. He also logged three catches for 20 receiving yards and a touchdown. The only negative was when he failed to pick up the blitz, resulting in a Roethlisberger sack. Jones, meanwhile, managed 29 yards on eight attempts. He didn’t see the field until the middle of the second quarter.

Jarvis Jones flashed in this contest. He batted a ball away and then beat Branden Albert for a quarterback pressure at the end of the first half. He picked off a pass in the fourth quarter, but suffered a chest injury in the process.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Colts 27, Browns 6

Even though Andrew Luck and Brandon Weeden are six years apart, the two were first-round quarterbacks chosen in the 2012 NFL Draft. Luck was selected before Weeden, so it’s only natural that he outperformed his counterpart – and he did so by a wide margin.

Luck went 16-of-25 for 164 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in his third preseason outing. The pick wasn’t his fault; he hit Stanley Havili in the red zone, but Havili bobbled the ball and tipped it into the air, allowing Tashaun Gipson to come up with the turnover. Luck was better than those numbers indicate, as he was extremely sharp all evening. He was hurt by two drops (Havili’s miscue included), and he also rushed for 20 yards on four scrambles. Luck has a very good chance to finish as a top-six fantasy quarterback.

Here were Luck’s targets:

Vick Ballard: 1
Donald Brown: 1
Stanley Havili: 3
Darrius Heyward-Bey: 3
T.Y. Hilton: 4
Dominique Jones: 2
Reggie Wayne: 11

Andrew Luck’s first, second and third reads are Reggie Wayne, Reggie Wayne and Reggie Wayne. The veteran receiver, who has shown no signs of aging, was targeted a whopping 11 times against the Browns – that’s seven passes more than the next-most-targeted Colt saw go his way. Wayne caught seven balls for 79 yards. With Luck improving, Wayne is a strong WR2.

Darrius Heyward-Bey was inexplicably efficient versus Cleveland. He caught all three targets thrown to him for 33 yards. He’s a starter in a high-powered offense, so he’s worth a look in the later rounds.

Ahmad Bradshaw was out again, but will be ready for the season opener. Vick Ballard started and was pretty mediocre, gaining 33 yards on 10 carries. He also caught one pass for four more yards.

The Colts incurred one potentially major injury in this contest when left tackle Anthony Castonzo exited in the first quarter. He was diagnosed with a knee sprain, so it’s unknown how long he’ll be out. Someone named Joe Reitz took his place, and the Colts had to help him out with another blocker on most plays.

I didn’t watch all of his snaps, but Bjoern Werner didn’t look like anything special. I didn’t see him pressure Brandon Weeden at all; instead, Werner was actually pushed around by Jordan Cameron on a running play.

As for the geriatric quarterback from the 2012 NFL Draft, Brandon Weeden had his worst outing of the preseason. Weeden went 12-of-25 for 105 yards. Two passes were thrown away and one was dropped, but Weeden looked a bit skittish in the pocket. He also made the mistake of staring down some of his receivers. He was nearly picked off twice, including once against the Indianapolis backups. He couldn’t muster a single point against the Colt starters.

Here were Weeden’s targets:

Jordan Cameron: 4
Josh Cooper: 4
Kellen Davis: 1
Josh Gordon: 5
Brandon Jackson: 1
Greg Little: 6
Owen Marecic: 1
Chris Ogbonnaya: 1
Trent Richardson: 1

Trent Richardson, the other first-round rookie from the 2012 NFL Draft, was dominant when he was on the field at Indianapolis. He rushed for 31 yards on just seven carries. He also had a 10-yard reception. He should be locked in as a top-five fantasy pick.

Josh Gordon had a poor performance in this game. He dropped a pass and struggled to get open against Vontae Davis. Gordon has been awesome the rest of this summer, so I’ll chalk this up as a mulligan.

Jordan Cameron was also disappointing. He caught two of his four targets, mustering only nine yards. There will be games where Weeden struggles, so if you’re a Cameron owner, you’ll have to live through those weeks.

Rookie cornerback Leon McFadden, chosen in the third round, was picked on a bit by Andrew Luck. However, McFadden made a nice play in the second quarter to knock away a pass intended for Wayne.

I’m not sure why, but NFL.com aired the Indianapolis broadcast in the first quarter and the Cleveland telecast the rest of the game. Both teams made mistakes. The Colts’ announcers called Jordan Cameron “Jordan Chambers” and Darrius Heyward-Bey “Harrius Heyward-Bye.”

The Browns’ play-by-play announcer, who talks so quickly that it sounds like he’s on speed, called Dominique Jones “Donald Jones.” Also, on a 3rd-and-4 play, he shouted, “They need about six for the first down!”

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Chargers 24, Cardinals 7

The third preseason game was a bloodbath for the Cardinals in terms of injuries. Starting nose tackle Dan Williams’ knee buckled on a non-contact play, and it was ultimately determined that he had an ankle injury.

Rashard Mendenhall also got hurt. He sustained some sort of knee injury. A group of shady Cardinal personnel were surrounding him on the sideline, preventing the Chargers’ cameraman from getting a good look. Mendenhall couldn’t reenter the game, though he was walking on the sideline afterward. Still, this is a reminder that Mendenhall is extremely injury-prone and should be avoided in fantasy drafts. It’s a shame because Mendenhall had been running well beforehand, gaining 47 yards on six carries.

The worst injury the Cardinals suffered in this contest was Jonathan Cooper’s fractured leg at the beginning of the third quarter. Cooper, the seventh-overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, was expected to be a huge upgrade in the interior of Arizona’s offensive line. He could be out for the entire season.

One player who will really miss Cooper will be Carson Palmer, who needs all of the protection he can get because he’s so immobile. Palmer had a decent evening, going 12-of-23 for 122 yards and a touchdown. Palmer’s numbers could’ve been much better, but he suffered through three drops, including one in the end zone by Rob Housler.

Here were Palmer’s targets:

Jim Dray: 2
Larry Fitzgerald: 7
Michael Floyd: 4 (1 end zone)
Rob Housler: 2 (1 end zone)
Patrick Peterson: 1
Andre Roberts: 3
Alfonso Smith: 2
Kory Sperry: 1
Stepfan Taylor: 1

Larry Fitzgerald continues to show strong rapport with Palmer. He saw seven targets, catching four of them for 34 yards, including a one-handed snag. Fitzgerald also had a 15-yard reception wiped out by a Levi Brown holding penalty.

Michael Floyd didn’t have a big third preseason game, but he made an impressive toe-tapping touchdown catch in the third quarter. He caught two balls for 21 yards and the score.

Meanwhile, Rob Housler struggled once again. He dropped a touchdown against the Chargers. He made just one catch for eight yards in the third quarter, but sustained a minor injury in the process and had to permanently leave the game. Housler has been a major disappointment this preseason.

Patrick Peterson was involved on two offensive plays. Palmer targeted him on a deep pass that fell incomplete. Peterson yelled at the officials for pass interference, and he probably should’ve gotten it. The other play was an end-around for a loss of yardage.

Peterson also performed well defensively, but the same can’t be said for the other cornerback, Jerraud Powers. The former Colt was whistled for a whopping three pass interferences.

Powers’ ineptitude obviously helped Philip Rivers, who went 10-of-18 for 71 yards and an interception, which was the result of Tyrann Mathieu hitting his arm as he threw. Rivers spent much of the first quarter yelling at the officials to call holding or pass interference, and his pleading helped, as Powers was ultimately flagged three times.

Here were Rivers’ targets:

Seyi Ajirotutu: 5
Keenan Allen: 2
Ronnie Brown: 1
Vincent Brown: 3 (1 end zone)
Antonio Gates: 6
Ryan Mathews: 1 (1 end zone)
Danny Woodhead: 3

Seyi Ajirotutu led all San Diego wideouts with five targets, but don’t pay attention to this. The only reason he was in the starting lineup is because Malcom Floyd was out. Floyd might be ready for the season opener.

Vincent Brown saw three targets. He caught one ball for nine yards, though he did draw a pass-interference flag in the end zone and catch a 15-yarder that was wiped out by a King Dunlap hold. Brown has been given the opportunity to shine this preseason, but he hasn’t really done much.

Ryan Mathews continued to have a strong exhibition campaign. He rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, though he did fumble while trying to leap into the end zone at the end of the first half. Mathews has been running very hard all summer. If he can stay healthy – a big if – he’ll be a strong RB2.

Oh, and Mathews will likely be forgiven for the fumble, especially considering the Chargers scored on the play because Arizona safety Rashad Johnson tossed a careless lateral that was scooped up by San Diego tight end John Phillips. The Cardinal color analyst on the lateral: “That’s as bone-headed as bone-headed gets. That’s caveman bone-headed.”

This was yet another game in which I heard both broadcasting teams for some reason. I had the Chargers’ telecast in the first quarter, so I got to hear Dan Fouts say that Rashard Mendenhall had “two thousand 1,000-yard rushing seasons in Pittsburgh.” Damn, that’s pretty impressive.

The NFL used replacement refs in the second half of this contest. Jerome Boger handled the officiating duties prior to halftime, but he handed over the reins to a chubby black man resembling Byron Leftwich following intermission. This guy screwed up terribly. Andre Roberts fumbled on one play, and the Chargers picked up the football. It was ruled incomplete. San Diego head coach Mike McCoy challenged the play. The chubby ref ultimately ruled it a catch and a fumble, but said “Arizona made a clear recovery.” That wasn’t the case at all, and even the homer Cardinal announcers were extremely confused by this.

So, in other words, the Chargers won a challenge to help the Cardinals. Ah, replacement refs, I missed you so.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Eagles 31, Jaguars 24

Blaine Gabbert was out for the Jaguars, so this was a true dress rehearsal for only one team. QB Eagles No 7, fresh off two strong performances this season, was a bit shaky early on. He took a sack and then made a high throw after he showed hesitation in the end zone. QBDK later missed Brent Celek for a potential score and tossed an interception off his back foot while he was under pressure.

However, QBDK did a number of positive things and ran the offense well. He went 15-of-23 for 184 yards, one touchdown and an interception. He also rushed for 53 yards on seven scrambles. He has upside as a QB2, but he will be injured by Halloween.

Here were QBDK’s targets:

Jason Avant: 3
Brent Celek: 7 (1 end zone)
Riley Cooper: 2 (2 end zone)
Zach Ertz: 2
DeSean Jackson: 4
LeSean McCoy: 2
Chris Polk: 1

Brent Celek saw a team-high seven targets in this contest, hauling in four of those balls for 54 yards. This was an unexpected output, as Celek is being phased out of the offense with Zach Ertz and James Casey on the team. Don’t read too much into this.

Speaking of Ertz, the rookie tight end dropped a pass. He caught his only other target for 13 yards. He’s not worth drafting this year.

Jason Avant isn’t much of a fantasy player, but he made an outstanding catch in this game. QBDK tried to get the ball to Avant in the flat, but the pass was tipped. The ball sailed away from Avant’s body, yet the slot receiver somehow hauled it in with one arm – he had to extend for it – all while maintaining his balance with the other arm.

Bryce Brown was outstanding in this contest, gaining 92 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. His superior running ability was obvious. Unfortunately, he fumbled the ball into the end zone at the beginning of the third quarter, giving Jacksonville a touchback. Brown was holding the ball quite carelessly, which is discouraging because he has apparently learned nothing.

As mentioned, Gabbert sat out, allowing Chad Henne to play more than a half. Henne was pretty accurate throughout the evening, as he marched down the field on Philadelphia’s starting defense on the opening possession. As the Eagles’ broadcasters said, “Chad Henne looked like Tom Brady on this drive.”

Henne went 11-of-18 for 106 yards, two touchdowns and an interception that was a very athletic play by newly signed linebacker Connor Barwin.

Chad Henne spent the majority of the opening drive of the third preseason tilt targeting Justin Blackmon, who had his way against Bradley Fletcher. Blackmon notched four receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown, though he dropped a pass from Matt Scott in the third quarter. Blackmon is out for the first four games of the season with a suspension, but he’s worth stashing because he can produce like a WR3 beginning in Week 5.

Maurice Jones-Drew started and looked pretty good. He gained 28 yards on seven carries. He can be safely drafted in the second round.

Two notes on Jacksonville’s offensive line. Guard Will Rackley had to be helped off the field after the first offensive play from scrimmage. Meanwhile, rookie right tackle Luke Joeckel, who has missed some time with a hip pointer this preseason, was beaten by Clifton Geathers for a pressure in the second quarter. Joeckel was removed from the game shortly after that. Eugene Monroe and the other starters were still on the field at that point, but I couldn’t find a reason why Joeckel disappeared.

The officials really screwed up one play in the third quarter. The Jaguars were in the red zone. Henne attempted a pass that fell incomplete, but his target was interfered with. The Eagles’ broadcasters thought they’d pick up a flag because the ball was uncatchable. The official, however, gave the following announcement: “Pass interference, on the defense. The penalty is declined. First down!”

Gus Bradley was completely confused why his team would decline pass interference, and he was told that the pass was complete. It definitely was not because the ball bounced about five yards to the side of its intended target. It wasn’t even close to a reception. The Eagles had to challenge, and even though they won a review that took six minutes for some reason – the officials ended up ruling the pass incomplete – Jacksonville still earned a 1st-and-10 because of the pass interference. So inept.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Jets 24, Giants 21

The Jets are a complete mess for many reasons, one of which is the muddled quarterback situation. Mark Sanchez has been considered the favorite to start the regular-season opener, but Geno Smith got the nod in this contest. Smith started with a batted ball and a skipped pass, but then did a good job of leading his team down the field, culminating the first drive with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Ben Obomanu.

Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there. Smith was responsible for three interceptions. The first occurred because he stared down his receiver (a common issue for him) and then threw it behind Ryan Spadola. His second pick was an egregious overthrow to Kellen Winslow. The third was the product of another stare-down. Smith didn’t see Justin Tuck, who dropped in coverage. Smith later nearly tossed a fourth interception to Prince Amukamra, prompting some boos from the crowd. And to top it all off, Smith stepped out of the back of his own end zone for a safety.

Smith finished 16-of-30 for 199 yards, one touchdown and the three picks. He did some good things, but he’s clearly not ready to start in the NFL.

Here were Smith’s targets:

Tommy Bohanon: 1
Jeff Cumberland: 1
Clyde Gates: 1
Stephen Hill: 5
Chris Ivory: 2
Jeremy Kerley: 4
Mohamed Massaquoi: 1
Ben Obomanu: 4
Bilal Powell: 5
Ryan Spadola: 1
Kellen Winslow Jr.: 6

Despite Geno Smith’s poor performance, he may have to start Week 1 because Mark Sanchez sustained a shoulder injury. I’m not exactly sure why Rex Ryan had Sanchez on the field late in the fourth quarter behind a backup offensive line, but the foot-loving coach put his projected starter into the game under those conditions. Following a bobbled shotgun snap, Sanchez was blasted by Marvin Austin. He grabbed his right shoulder in pain and had his arm wrapped up as he headed to the locker room.

Smith doesn’t have much of a chance because of his anemic supporting cast. I asked the Jet fans in the forum, “Why the hell is Ben Obomanu playing offense?” Obomanu saw four snaps, tying for fourth with Jeremy Kerley. Stephen Hill, meanwhile, was targeted on five occasions. He managed to haul in four grabs for 56 yards, but had a pair of bone-headed plays. He was whistled for a personal foul when he shoved a Giant in the helmet. He then lost a fumble in the fourth quarter.

Kellen Winslow Jr. saw more targets than any Jet (6) against the Giants. Winslow can’t move at this point of his career, but the state of New York’s receiving corps is so bad that Winslow happens to be Geno Smith’s best option. Winslow caught four balls for 35 yards. He’s just a mediocre TE2.

Bilal Powell started over Chris Ivory for the second week in a row. Neither back ran well (Powell: 11-16, TD; Ivory: 8-15), but the coaching staff once again ran direct snaps for Powell. This happened on two occasions, one of which resulted in a touchdown. I’ll reiterate what I said last week: The fact that Marty Mornhinweg has specific plays planned for Powell indicates that Ivory, at best, will have to share touches with Powell. As of right now, I’d say Powell is the favorite to lead the Jet running backs in carries.

One of the Jets’ first-round rookies had a solid evening. Sheldon Richardson overpowered Giants’ lineman Jim Cordle for a sack.

As for the other team from North Jersey, Eli Manning’s stat line doesn’t look very good: 8-of-20 for 83 yards. However, keep three things in mind. First, Victor Cruz was out with an injured heel. He’s expected to be ready by Week 1. Second, not included in the numbers are two pass-interference penalties that Hakeem Nicks drew down the field. And third, Manning should’ve thrown a touchdown to Nicks, but the receiver lost the ball in the lights.

Here were Manning’s targets:

Andre Brown: 1
Jerrel Jernigan: 4 (1 end zone)
Brandon Myers: 1
Hakeem Nicks: 8 (3 end zone)
Bear Pascoe: 1
Rueben Randle: 4
David Wilson: 2

Hakeem Nicks saw a team-high eight targets against the Jets, but managed to haul in a single (one-handed) pass for 34 yards. However, he gets a stock up because three of those targets resulted in pass interferences on Kyle Wilson (one declined). Nicks also saw three balls come his way in the end zone. He should’ve caught one, but he lost the ball in the lights.

David Wilson started the third preseason game and took his first carry all the way into the end zone for an 84-yard touchdown, as anemic safety Antonio Allen failed to set the edge. Wilson finished with 92 yards and a score on just five attempts. The Giants will have to keep him on the field because of his unbelievable play-making ability.

Andre Brown wasn’t nearly as spectacular as Wilson. He managed 17 yards on seven attempts, including one failed try on a 3rd-and-1 in the middle of the second quarter.

The Giants suffered what could be a potential major injury in this contest when safety Stevie Brown, who broke out last year, grabbed his left leg after picking off a Geno Smith pass in the second quarter. He couldn’t put any weight on it as he was helped off the field. Multiple sources report that he has a knee sprain.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Broncos 27, Rams 26

Peyton Manning’s dress rehearsal was highly anticipated – but that was before it was announced that Wes Welker wouldn’t play with a minor foot injury. As a result, we were able to see pretty much the same offense as last year, so it’s no surprise that the unit clicked.

Manning went 25-of-34 for 234 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Manning was sharp, save for three throws. He missed an open Demaryius Thomas on a deep pass during the opening drive. He later nearly threw a pick in the end zone (Alec Ogletree got a hand on it) and then he actually tossed an interception to Ogletree. Still, Manning had a decent outing. The only reason the Broncos mustered only 10 points in the first half was because of turnovers. In addition to Manning’s pick, one of the running backs lost a fumble.

Here were Manning’s targets:

Montee Ball: 2
Andre Caldwell: 4 (1 end zone)
Eric Decker: 7
Ronnie Hillman: 2
Knowshon Moreno: 1
Jacob Tamme: 4 (1 end zone)
Demaryius Thomas: 6 (1 end zone)
Julius Thomas: 7

Eric Decker tied the team lead with seven targets. He was featured so prominently because Welker, as mentioned, was out with a minor foot injury.

Julius Thomas, a young, athletic tight end, tied for the team lead with seven targets against the Rams. He caught four balls, but for only 18 yards. However, the important development is that Thomas saw this much action despite Jacob Tamme returning to the lineup. Tamme saw four passes fly his way.

Ronnie Hillman started the third preseason contest. He looked good early on, gaining 34 yards on six carries, but once again fumbled – the third time he’s done so in two weeks. Hillman was nowhere to be seen after that. John Fox may have had enough with Hillman’s ball-security issues.

Montee Ball saw most of the action once Ronnie Hillman was benched for fumbling against the Rams. He had some nice runs, mustering 43 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. However, he dropped a ball in the red zone, and it’s clear that John Fox still doesn’t trust him in pass protection because Knowshon Moreno played on third downs. Ball will be in some sort of time share.

Knowshon Moreno didn’t see the field in the preseason dress rehearsal until the middle of the second quarter. He played on third downs after Ronnie Hillman was benched for fumbling. He fared well in pass protection, as usual, and he gained 33 yards on five carries. He ran with fire, as he looked like he wanted to prove that he deserves to be the starting running back. Moreno is the most reliable back on Denver’s roster, so he’ll get his touches.

As for the Rams, Sam Bradford went 9-of-16 for 110 yards and a touchdown. One of his incompletions was dropped. Bradford spent the entire evening trying to get Jared Cook involved.

Here were Bradford’s targets:

Tavon Austin: 1
Jared Cook: 6 (1 end zone)
Chris Givens: 3
Cory Harkey: 1
Austin Pettis: 4 (2 end zone)
Daryl Richardson: 2

Jared Cook was barely targeted in his first two preseason games, but that certainly was not the case at Denver. Cook saw six targets come his way. He dropped one and caught four others for 50 yards and a touchdown. Cook is highly athletic and has all the potential in the world, but he needs to be consistent for the first time in his career. He’s very risky as a TE1, but has great upside as a TE2.

It was disappointing that Tavon Austin saw just one target in this contest. However, he took a first-quarter punt return 81 yards all the way down to the Denver 3-yard line, setting up a Bradford touchdown pass to Cook.

Daryl Richardson saw all of the first-half touches, but didn’t do much with them. Five of his carries went for 10 yards. He also had one catch for five yards.

Rookie linebacker Alec Ogletree had an up-and-down performance. He was beaten on some plays early on, as Manning targeted him in the first quarter. However, he eventually made some big plays. He returned Hillman’s fumble for a touchdown. He also intercepted Manning and nearly had a second pick.

I’m not sure if Dan Dan Dierdorf has been hanging out with Matt Millen lately or not, but Dierdorf definitely had a Millen-esque moment at some point during the evening when he shouted, “You have to finish the guy off, come on!”

No doubt Millen finishes off lots of guys with his kielbasas.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Redskins 30, Bills 7

No one ever wants to see an injury in the preseason, especially if it involves one of the NFL’s most exciting players. C.J. Spiller scored a touchdown in the first quarter, but collapsed on the ground in pain. He tried to get up and head back to the sideline, but he was limping around. He then fell down again. Spiller owners and Buffalo fans had to be terrified, but Spiller walked off on his own power minutes later. Even better, Spiller reentered the game in the second quarter. The Bills obviously dodged a huge bullet, as a Spiller injury would’ve completely ruined their 2013 campaign.

Spiller ultimately finished with 39 yards and the aforementioned touchdown on just eight carries. His best play involved a nifty juke move to evade David Amerson.

Kevin Kolb, who started the game for E.J. Manuel, wasn’t as fortunate. He took a knee to the helmet in the first quarter and left the game with concussion-like symptoms. Kolb struggled prior to that injury, going 2-of-4 for 16 yards. There was one negative play that stood out. He was skittish in the pocket despite not having very much pressure in his face. He scrambled right and tripped over Redskin linebacker Brandon Jenkins, who was on the ground. Chg commented on this: “Kevin Kolb just got sacked by a guy who was already laying down on the ground. But on the other hand, at least he didn’t get injured.”

At least he didn’t get injured yet, would be more appropriate. Kolb is pathetic and should be released. Jeff Tuel is more than capable of being the No. 2 quarterback.

Here were Kolb’s targets:

T.J. Graham: 1
Stevie Johnson: 1
C.J. Spiller: 1
Robert Woods: 2

As for Tuel, the Washington State rookie went 10-of-17 for 63 yards. Not included in this stat line is a long pass interference that T.J. Graham drew on Amerson. Tuel is poised beyond his years and is pretty accurate with a decent arm. He could start for some team down the road, but for now, he’s fine as Buffalo’s No. 2 signal-caller. I’d trust him more than the Human Concussion.

Stevie Johnson hauled in four passes for 28 yards, but had some “Stevie moments,” as he dropped a ball and lost a fumble in the second quarter. He’s a WR3.

Colin Brown, starting this year at left guard in place of the departed Andy Levitre, didn’t do so well. He allowed a sack in the second quarter in which a Washington defender blew by him without much resistance.

The Redskins were missing both Robert Griffin and Kirk Cousins, so there’s not much to say about them. Tight end Fred Davis, coming off a torn Achilles, made a big catch against the Bills for 31 yards, as corner Aaron Williams lost him in coverage. That was his only reception, but starter Rex Grossman can be blamed for that. It’s promising that Davis looks mostly healthy.

Alfred Morris looks ready for the regular season. He gained 16 yards on four carries. It’s worth noting though that Roy Helu (13-70) played on third downs.

Redskins’ second-round rookie corner David Amerson had a rough outing. He was completely embarrassed when trying to tackle the elusive Spiller and then was whistled for a long pass-interference penalty.

I really hate the NFL Network sometimes. Prior to kickoff, Lindsay Rhodes warned those in Buffalo and Washington, “Viewers in those markets could be subject to blackouts, so check local listings!”

That’s fine, but why should it affect people in Philadelphia? I live right outside of Philly, yet I didn’t have this game on TV. Fail, NFL Network.

I had no choice but to tune into Preseason Live on NFL.com, so I missed the Redskin telecast. It’s a shame because, as Chg wrote, “According to Joe Theismann, every single Redskins player has stood out this preseason.”

The Bills’ homer announcers that I heard were just as brutal. They spent 15 minutes chiding senile official Walt Coleman for missing a false start. I’m not exaggerating. That’s all they talked about, save for two mentions of the Bills’ Wall of Fame. One of the Buffalo homers even said that he wished he had a challenge flag so he could throw it at Coleman. These idiots need to calm down. It’s just the freaking preseason.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Bears 34, Raiders 26

There was only one real NFL team playing in this game, so I’m going to spend the majority of this capsule talking about them. The Bears looked extremely sharp in their dress rehearsal, and that includes Jay Cutler, who was 12-of-21 for 142 yards and a touchdown. His completion percentage should have been much better, as his supporting cast dropped a whopping five passes. With stronger weapons surrounding him, Cutler is a higher-end QB2.

Here were Cutler’s targets:

Kyle Adams: 1
Martellus Bennett: 3
Matt Forte: 2
Alshon Jeffery: 8
Brandon Marshall: 4
Fendi Onobun: 1
Marquess Wilson: 1

Alshon Jeffery saw way more targets than any other Chicago starting wideout in the third preseason game. Eight balls came his way, and he managed to snag seven of them for 77 yards. His most memorable moment was when he caught a back-shoulder throw and made a juke move for a 22-yard gain. He nearly scored a touchdown as well, but had the misfortune of being tackled at the 1-yard line. Jeffery is in great shape this season and is shaping up to be a sound WR3. He’s one of my favorite 2013 Fantasy Football Sleepers.

Brandon Marshall had a disappointing outing. He saw four targets, but didn’t come up with a single reception because he dropped two passes. I’m not going to downgrade him because he’ll get his act together.

Martellus Bennett continues to struggle. Jay Cutler targeted him thrice in the dress rehearsal, but all the tight end could manage was one 16-yard reception, thanks to a pair of drops.

Matt Forte had a monstrous performance in the third preseason game. Oakland’s pathetic defense had a lot to do with this, but Forte rushed for 76 yards on just six attempts and also caught two balls for 33 receiving yards and a touchdown. New coach Marc Trestman has big plans for Forte, who should be considered a high-end RB2.

Jon Bostic is projected to be Chicago’s new middle linebacker. He made a great play in the second half of this contest, staying with the elusive Terrelle Pryor on an attempted scramble. He later hit Pryor along the sideline and prevented him from securing a first down. Bostic has made some mistakes this August, but the positives have definitely outweighed the negatives.

Oh, and about what I said earlier… The Raiders are not a real football team. I don’t think it’s a question of whether they’ll go 0-16 this year. It’s whether they’ll lose all 16 games by double digits. They’re that bad.

Oakland has such lacking talent at quarterback that Terrelle Pryor may have won the starting job in the dress rehearsal. Pryor went 7-of-9 for 93 yards and a score, but his key play was an amazing 25-yard scrambling touchdown. Raider fans were excited about this, but Pryor did this against the second-team defense. He’s a dumb quarterback who will easily be confused by basic blitz schemes. He’s also inaccurate; he had what should have been an interception on an overthrow dropped by Chris Conte. Having said that, he has QB2 potential in fantasy because of his rushing ability.

Matt Flynn, meanwhile, was absolutely dreadful. He went 3-of-6 for 19 yards and two interceptions, and he was even worse than those numbers indicate. One of the picks was the result of poor arm strength, which is a reason other teams avoided signing him. Flynn could have easily tossed a third interception, but a Chicago defender dropped the ball.

Here were Flynn’s targets:

Jacoby Ford: 1
Rashad Jennings: 1
Denarius Moore: 3
Mychal Rivera: 1

Not that it’ll matter because Pryor will probably start, but the only receiver Flynn targeted multiple times was Denarius Moore. Moore had just one catch for nine yards, but hauled in a 23-yard reception that was wiped out by illegal formation.

Darren McFadden sat out. Rashad Jennings started instead. I was disappointed that Marcel Reece didn’t get any touches. Perhaps offensive coordinator Greg Olson is saving his Reece packages for the regular season. Getting the ball to Reece as much as possible would be wise.

Rookie cornerback D.J. Hayden broke up a pass intended for Brandon Marshall on the first drive. Hayden covered Marshall well the entire first half.

I’m not sure why, but I heard both feeds while watching this game. I had Chicago’s broadcast in the first half, so I had the pleasure of hearing their play-by-play guy call Rashad Jennings “Rashard Jenkins” four times. This guy’s job is talking about football players, yet he can’t get the names correct. How does this happen? How do inept announcers like him continue to keep their jobs?

The Raiders, meanwhile, have three 80-year-olds on their telecast. They spent a good five minutes discussing how 50-yard field goals were seldom attempted when they played. “When I played football, no one ever attempted 50-yard-field goalsh,” one geezer said.

I have no idea how these old men made it through this game without falling asleep, but they lasted long enough to produce one of the greatest homeristic statements you’ll ever hear:

“Jerry Jones likes to bill his team as America’s Team, but as we know, the Raiders are the World’s Team.”

I’m really going to miss these clowns come September.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Seahawks 17, Packers 10

The Packers looked pathetic trying to stop Colin Kaepernick in last year’s divisional-round playoff loss. With Kaepernick and Robert Griffin being the first two quarterbacks they’ll battle this season, I was curious to see how they’d handle another scrambling signal-caller in Russell Wilson.

Things didn’t look too promising when Wilson ripped off a 13-yard scamper on the first play. He led the Seahawks down the field and into the red zone, firing nothing but completions. However, the Packers would go on to sack him four times. They also forced him into two interceptions and nearly picked him off a third time. One take-away was tipped by Nick Perry, but the other was a blatant overthrow intended for Doug Baldwin.

I’d say that Green Bay did a decent job on Wilson overall. Wilson finished 11-of-17 for 126 yards and the two picks.

Here were Wilson’s targets:

Doug Baldwin: 3
Jermaine Kearse: 2
Marshawn Lynch: 1
Sean McGrath: 1
Golden Tate: 4
Robert Turbin: 2
Stephen Williams: 2
Luke Willson: 2

It’s difficult to find a fantasy receiver or tight end on Seattle’s roster that I really like because Wilson does such a good job of spreading the ball around. Golden Tate, who had one catch for four yards to go along with a drop, led the team with just four targets. This was fitting, as Jermaine Kearse, Tate and Baldwin now lead the Seahawks in targets this preseason from Wilson with seven, seven and six, respectively.

Marshawn Lynch entered the game with just two carries in this entire preseason, so his three attempts more than doubled his workload. He gained eight yards on those attempts. He also caught a 23-yard screen pass. Robert Turbin (9-43) saw most of the work, but that won’t be the case once the regular season begins. Meanwhile, Christine Michael, who was dominant in the exhibition opener, gained 97 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. He’s going to be a fantasy stud in the future.

Starting guard Junior (JR) Sweezy had a rough night. He was called for two holding penalties and an unnecessary-roughness infraction in the first half alone. This is poor timing for the Seahawks, who just traded guard John Moffitt to the Broncos.

The oft-injured Michael Bennett, acquired this offseason from Tampa Bay, was down for a while, but walked off the field on his own power. Hopefully it’s not serious.

Aaron Rodgers barely played, which was disappointing. He was on the field for just one drive, going 4-of-7 for 41 yards. The announcers said that Rodgers “knew he was ready,” so he gave way to Grahan Harrell, who played with the first team.

Here were Rodgers’ targets:

Jermichael Finley: 2 (1 end zone)
James Jones: 3
D.J. Williams: 1

James Jones led the Packers in targets from Aaron Rodgers against the Seahawks. He saw three balls come his way on the first drive alone. Jones is a decent WR2 who is going way too late in fantasy drafts.

The Packers have talked up Jermichael Finley this offseason because he’s been in terrific shape. That apparently hasn’t had much of an effect on his hands, unfortunately. Finley dropped two passes against the Seahawks, including one touchdown. The other was thrown right into his chest, but he couldn’t hang on to the ball. Let someone else draft this bum.

I’m not sure why Eddie Lacy didn’t start this contest, but DuJuan Harris lined up with Rodgers in the backfield. Harris (3 carries, 2 yards) suffered an injury early in the second quarter, giving way to Lacy. The Alabama rookie didn’t find much more running room (8 carries, -5 yards), though he did have an 11-yard gain wiped out by a bogus David Bakhtiari holding penalty. Lacy broke tackles on nearly every attempt, but simply couldn’t find any running room because he took the field when Harrell was under center. Seattle’s defense understandably did not respect Harrell’s throwing ability.

I mentioned earlier that the Packers had Harrell playing with the ones. That didn’t help his production very much. He went 6-of-13 for 49 yards. He missed open wideouts all evening. His worst play was when he panicked and tossed a careless lateral to Lacy. The rookie back had to quickly pounce on the ball to avoid a turnover.

Vince Young was much better. He nearly tossed a pick, but that was his only incompletion. He went 6-of-7 for 41 yards to go along with three scrambles for 39 rushing yards. He has sealed up the No. 2 job.

Iowa rookie Micah Hyde has done some good things this summer, but he was beaten in coverage on a Wilson third-and-long conversion to Baldwin.

This was CBS’ main broadcast of the weekend, but Jim Nantz was nowhere to be seen. Nantz, as it turns out, is covering some silly golf tournament that no one cares about. CreamRanger said it best:

“It’s the damn Barclays or whatever’s going on. How people can get excited about a bunch of rich white guys and a blasian smacking tiny balls with a stick is beyond me.”

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Lions 40, Patriots 9

The Lions failed to score a touchdown in their first two preseason contests, so this prompted the team’s announcers to say that the “city will be in an uproar” if there’s no score this week. Well, it’s comforting to know there won’t be any football-related riots in Detroit in the next few days.

Matthew Stafford, playing without Calvin Johnson yet again, went 12-of-25 for 166 yards and a touchdown. Those stats are a bit misleading because 67 of his yards came on a short Reggie Bush reception. Then again, Tony Scheffler dropped a pass and Patrick Edwards fell down in the end zone, so Stafford should have completed more than half of his passes.

Stafford hasn’t been great this preseason, but I wouldn’t be concerned. Once Megatron is back on the field, Stafford will have so many weapons at his disposal.

Here were Stafford’s targets:

Nate Burleson: 4
Reggie Bush: 7
Patrick Edwards: 4 (2 end zone)
Brandon Pettigrew: 4 (1 end zone)
Tony Scheffler: 5 (1 end zone)
Matt Willis: 1

It’s pretty evident that Reggie Bush shouldn’t be running the ball in between the tackles. The Lions tried way too much of this in the first half and weren’t effective at all, as Bush gained just one yard on six carries. However, Bush saw seven targets, catching five of them for 103 yards. His big play was a 67-yard reception in which he had a great start-and-stop move, completely embarrassing Jerod Mayo. The crowd proceeded to chant, “Reggie! Reggie!”

Bush is going to be a very dynamic weapon out of the backfield, especially once Calvin Johnson returns to the field, but Detroit would probably be better off sticking with Joique Bell (5 carries, 52 yards) as their pure runner.

One funny note on Bush. Someone in the forum asked, “Who’s Reggie Bush’s handcuff?” upon seeing him break that 67-yarder. Sancho quickly replied, “Kim Kardashian.”

The Lions need to stop utilizing Tony Scheffler on offense. He’s pretty brutal. Scheffler was thrown to five times, but managed just one reception – a 9-yard touchdown. Scheffler dropped a pass, struggled to get open and was called for offensive pass interference.

Speaking of Detroit mistakes, the Lions continue to be poorly coached. They once again showed zero discipline, as they had three personal-foul penalties in the first half alone. One was especially costly, as C.J. Mosley was called for one when Detroit recovered a fumble inside the New England 10. The most ridiculous infraction was brought to us by Willie Young, who was flagged for taunting when he pointed his finger inside Tom Brady’s helmet. Nick Fairley, who had the third personal foul, was also whislted for hands to the face on a 3rd-and-10 early on.

It’s clear by now that Jim Schwartz has no control over his players. This lack of discipline will cost the Lions a few games this season.

Two defenders who made a positive impact were Ezekiel Ansah, who had a tackle for loss on a 4th-and-1 run, and Jason Jones, who dominated the New England offensive line, recording two sacks.

Third-round rookie Larry Warford struggled; he surrendered a sack to the lazy Tommy Kelly in the first half.

David Akers handled all of the kicking duties in this contest. He went 4-of-5 with a long of 49, but was inexplicably wide left from 31.

Tom Brady has been brilliant this preseason, but he took a step backward in this contest. Missing Danny Amendola with a minor injury, Brady went 16-of-24 for 185 yards and an interception. His young receivers made mistakes, while his offensive line had major problems blocking Detroit’s front. Here were Brady’s targets:

Jake Ballard: 1
Brandon Bolden: 1
Aaron Dobson: 4
Julian Edelman: 3
Michael Hoomanawanui: 3
Stevan Ridley: 1
Zach Sudfeld: 1
Kenbrell Thompkins: 8
Leon Washington: 1

Kenbrell Thompkins saw at least double the targets (from Tom Brady) compared to any other Patriot receiver in the third preseason game. He opened this contest by beating Darius Slay for a 37-yard bomb in the first quarter. He ultimately finished with eight receptions for 116 yards. His only blemish was a dropped ball, but that can be ignored because he had so many positive moments throughout the evening. Thompkins, who couldn’t be jammed by any Lion corner, is shaping up to be a high-upside WR3 option.

Aaron Dobson saw the most targets (4) if Thompkins is excluded. He finished with four grabs for 50 yards, including a juggling, circus catch. He won’t be much of a fantasy factor, however, because he’s behind both Thompkins and Danny Amendola in the pecking order.

Zach Sudfeld cost his team with a lost fumble at Detroit. He saw just one target from Tom Brady with Danny Amendola out, so that’s not a good sign.

Shane Vereen also fumbled. He didn’t see much action behind Stevan Ridley, who couldn’t find any running room. Ridley gained just six yards on nine carries.

Two weeks ago, I made fun of the Detroit announcers because they constantly repeated the advertising slogan “Wallside Windows. We can do that. We are the factory.” They were once again guilty of doing this, but there were two other instances that showcased their ineptitude.

First, they called Zach Sudfeld “Kanoris Dee.” I have absolutely no idea who the hell Kanoris Dee is, or where they got that name from.

Second, they tried to pronounce Michael Michael Hoomanawanui. “Michael Homawanowmanea” is what the play-by-play guy came up with. If you think that’s bad, take a look at what the color analyst quipped:

“I think I’ll buy a vowel, Alex.”

You know, all of these years, I knew Alex Trebek hosted Jeopardy. Little did I know that he wore a mask while running Wheel of Fortune as well. Mind blown.

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

Panthers 34, Ravens 27

The Panthers have been sluggish offensively this August, so this was their final chance to click before the beginning of the regular season. The scoreboard may say they did just that considering they exceeded 30 points, but that’s definitely not the case. Twenty-eight of Carolina’s points came on defense or special teams. All the starting offense could muster was two field goals.

Cam Newton had a pretty unspectacular third preseason performance. His first pass was way behind Brandon LaFell. He also threw at LaFell’s feet on another occasion. He took a hit to the leg and was limping around, but it was just a knee to the thigh. Newton finished 10-of-19 for just 99 yards, though he did scramble twice for 20 rushing yards. Newton has been very disappointing this August, and I’m definitely worried about him, given that he’s being coached by a new offensive coordinator. He could struggle early on.

Here were Newton’s targets:

Kenjon Barner: 1
David Gettis: 2
Ted Ginn: 2
Brandon LaFell: 4
Greg Olsen: 7
Tauren Poole: 1
Steve Smith: 3

Cam Newton was most comfortable throwing to Greg Olsen in this contest. Olsen, who saw a team-high seven targets, snagged three balls for 44 yards.

Brandon LaFell saw four targets go his way, but he managed just one catch for 11 yards (along with a drop). Newton has to feel incredibly frustrated that his front office hasn’t been able to upgrade the No. 2 receiver position. There’s no other wideout in the NFL more mediocre than LaFell.

Speaking of pedestrian players, DeAngelo Williams gained just two yards on four carries. This includes one attempt in which he was stuffed on a 3rd-and-1 try in which he wasn’t even close. The interior of Carolina’s offensive line is pretty abysmal, so none of the running backs will be able to do anything. Avoid them in your draft.

Carolina’s offense didn’t do anything positive, but several defensive players stepped up. Second-year linebacker Luke Kuechly had a monstrous outing. He forced a fumble, intercepted a pass and was pretty much great in all aspects. However, this was expected because Kuechly had a great 2012 campaign.

The two rookie defensive tackles also dominated the Ravens. Star Lotulelei registered a sack, had several pressures and recorded two tackles for loss on Ray Rice, both of which were four yards behind the line of scrimmage. Kawann Short, meanwhile, had a sack and stuffed Bernard Pierce for a 3-yard loss.

Given that the Panthers scored three defensive touchdowns, that should be an indicator that the Ravens struggled offensively. Joe Flacco was actually pretty sharp on the first drive, leading the team down the field and into the end zone. However, the team self-destructed after that. Flacco’s first interception was Tandon Doss’ fault because the crappy wideout ran the wrong route. Pierce then had a fumble returned for six. Flacco’s next pick was his responsibility because he stared down his intended target in the red zone.

Flacco finished 18-of-24 for 169 yards, one touchdown and the two picks. Outside the second interception, he was pretty solid, especially considering the inexperienced and old receivers he was working with. Excluding Torrey Smith, Flacco’s top options in this contest were Brandon Stokley and Marlon Brown.

Here were Flacco’s targets:

Anthony Allen: 1
Marlon Brown: 4
Dallas Clark: 3
Tandon Doss: 2
Jacoby Jones: 2
Vonta Leach: 3
Aaron Mellette: 3
Bernard Pierce: 2
Visanthe Shiancoe: 3
Torrey Smith: 1
Brandon Stokley: 3

The Ravens signed two geriatric players recently: Stokley and Dallas Clark. The latter was immobile and dropped a pass, but Stokley still seemed like a functional option for Flacco. He snagged all three targets for 43 yards. He’s not a fantasy option, but he’ll be a factor in real life.

I mentioned Marlon Brown earlier – he caught all four targets thrown to him for 59 yards and a touchdown. He looked pretty good and was the only receiver not named Torrey Smith or Stokley not to screw up. He’s not worth drafting, but his progress should be monitored.

Ray Rice couldn’t find any running room in the two contests prior to the Carolina matchup, but he trampled the Panthers, gaining 62 yards and a touchdown on 16 yards. The score was important, as he remained in the game on the goal line. Bernard Pierce, meanwhile, managed just seven yards on 10 attempts. He also fumbled. I always found the notion that Rice shouldn’t be considered a top-five fantasy player because of Pierce to be a ridiculous one. Pierce is a good back, but Rice is one of the top play-makers in the NFL. He’ll get all of his touches.

Daryl Smith continued to look like a very capable replacement for Ray Lewis. He recorded a sack on Newton, who’s always difficult to bring down.

There was an incident late in the game when Panther reserve Armond Smith kicked a Baltimore player in the balls. He was ejected. This act was inexcusable, and Smith should be suspended for at least one season. That’s just something you can’t do.

Jon Gruden, King of Hyperbole, called the Panthers a “top-10 defense” prior to kickoff. This prompted the following exchange on the forum:

MD4L: Are they even a top-10 defense in the NFC?

Me: Are they even a top-10 defense in the NFC South?

Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

2013 Preseason Notes: Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
2013 Fantasy Football Stock Pages: Preseason Stock Week 4 | Preseason Stock Week 3 | Preseason Stock Week 2 | Preseason Stock Week 1 | Training Camp Stock

More 2013 Fantasy Football Articles:
2013 Fantasy Football: Home

2013 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 9/1 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings: RUNNING BACKS - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 9/2 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 6/3 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 6/3 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Auction Values - 4/24 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings - 5/5 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 8/28 (Walt)

2013 Fantasy Football Season Features:
Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings - 12/26 (Walt)
Week 17 Fantasy Football Rankings: PPR - 12/26 (Walt)
Week 17 Fantasy Football Injury Reports - 12/26 (Walt)
Week 17 Fantasy Football Start Em, Sit Em - 12/26 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Add/Drop: Week 15 - 12/9 (Walt)
Week 14 Fantasy Football Start Em, Sit Em - 12/8 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Fan Duel Picks - 11/22 (Walt)
FanDuel FanDuel $15,000 Contest - 11/22
FanDuel Exclusive Offer to WalterFootball.com Readers - 8/24
FanDuel Week 1 $500 Freeroll - 8/24

2013 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets (Printable Option):
2013 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Traditional Scoring - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: PPR Scoring - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Touchdown Scoring - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: 2-QB Format - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Downloadable Spreadsheets - 9/2 (Walt)

2013 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 12-team, 3-WR, Flex - 9/2 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 12-team, PPR - 8/29 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 12-team, Standard - 8/22 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 12-team, Dynasty - 8/15 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 14-team, PPR - 8/8 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 3-WR - 8/1 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 2-QB - 7/26 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 14-teamer - 7/19 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 7/11 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 6/29 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Four-Man Mock - 6/13 (Walt)

2013 Fantasy Football Articles:
2013 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Training Camp - 9/4 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Preseason Stock - 8/30 (Walt)
2013 NFL Preseason Recap, Fantasy Football Notes - 8/30 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Quarterback Targets - 8/30 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Sleepers - 8/28 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Busts - 8/28 (Walt)
2013 ESPN Fantasy Football Magazine: 10 Reasons Not to Buy It - 8/21 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football IDP Tips - 8/17 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Round-by-Round Strategy - 8/16 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Draft Boards for Sale - 6/13
2013 Fantasy Football All-Value Team - 6/9 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Hot Finishers - 4/24 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Quarterbacks - 4/24 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Running Backs - 4/24 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Wide Receivers - 4/24 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football: Overdrafted Players - 2/17 (Walt)
2013 Fantasy Football: First-Round Bust History - 2/17 (Walt)
Running Backs with Most Carries - 2/17 (Walt)

NFL Picks - Nov. 25

NFL Power Rankings - Nov. 25

2025 NFL Mock Draft - Nov. 20

Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4