Home > News > College Football > Best Ball Risers and Fallers: Takeaways from NFL Preseason Week 3

Best Ball Risers and Fallers: Takeaways from NFL Preseason Week 3

Published: Aug 28, 2023 · 2:16 PM EDT

The NFL preseason is officially over! The regular season kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 7, when the Detroit Lions visit the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

That means we’re getting down to the wire when it comes to season-long NFL best ball contests. If you haven’t gotten your final drafts in, you’ll want to do that soon!

What last-minute information should you consider before your next best ball draft? We’ll break down 3 players who stood out in Week 3 of the NFL preseason and 3 players who saw their stock take a hit.

Ready to get started with your best ball contests? Check out our Underdog Fantasy Promo Code and get a first-time deposit match of up to $100 today! Click here or visit the link below to sign up:

Risers

1. Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pickett has been absolutely incredible this preseason, and that continued in a shutout win over the Atlanta Falcons. Pickett went 4-for-4 for 86 yards in very limited action this week. But he’s shown signs of being able to drastically outperform his current draft status. He’s currently going as the QB21 on Underdog (150.7 average draft position). He has shown the ability to potentially finish as a top-15 QB if all goes well this year.

2. Travis Etienne, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

There has been a lot of Tank Bigsby hype in Jacksonville this preseason. I think Bigsby will have a significant role in the Jaguars’ offense this fall, but he didn’t leave a good lasting impression in the Jags’ final preseason game. He fumbled on the goal line and was then replaced by Etienne, who ran for a touchdown:

Tank Bigsby fumbled at the 1 yard line.

Travis Etienne gets the next goal line carry and converts it ? pic.twitter.com/P10b8Lio2T

— Underdog Fantasy (@UnderdogFantasy) August 26, 2023

Bigsby had a fine game otherwise, but not being able to trust a rookie on the goal line could lead to more opportunities for ETN to score. I’d give him a slight boost in the rankings.

3. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

Aaron Rodgers doesn’t like working with young receivers. That’s been the rap on the former Green Bay Packers QB in recent years. Well, Garrett Wilson could be the exception to the rule. It sure looks like Rodgers likes throwing to Wilson:

OOOOOWEEEEE@AaronRodgers12 to @GarrettWilson_V for six!

? #NYJvsNYG on WNBC + NFLN pic.twitter.com/wR4gAhVlBT

— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 26, 2023

Maybe it’s the No. 17 jersey that has Rodgers thinking he’s still throwing to Davante Adams, but it’s clear there’s chemistry between quarterback and receiver. Wilson is currently going just outside the first round on Underdog (14.1 ADP). I’d take him at the end of the first round based on some of his preseason highlights.

Fallers

1. Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears

I’m not saying you shouldn’t draft Justin Fields in your best ball drafts. If you need a quarterback and the top options are off the board, Fields still has the potential to post a top-5 QB season in 2023. But, wow, that offensive line was bad this week. Fields had no time to throw, and when he did throw the ball, it wasn’t very pretty. He connected with new WR1 DJ Moore for a nice 40-yard play, but other than that, his day was mostly bad. That’s not on him entirely. It’s mostly a concern about the Chicago offensive line. Fields is currently being drafted as the QB5 on Underdog (42.4 ADP). I’d at least consider taking guys like Joe Burrow (48.0 ADP), Justin Herbert (51.0 ADP) and Trevor Lawrence (62.0) ahead of Fields.

2. James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills

Cook should still be a major contributor for the Bills, but I’m worried about his ability to score touchdowns. With the Buffalo first-team offense on the field last week against the Chicago Bears, Cook ran for 23 yards on 5 carries, but then Damien Harris came in for the goal-line carries and scored a touchdown. If Harris is indeed Buffalo’s goal-line back, it hurts Cook’s value. He’s currently going as the RB23 on Underdog (72.6 ADP). He’ll struggle to live up to that draft status if he can’t work his way into more scoring opportunities.

3. Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Rice is a receiver I’ve been taking in the later rounds of some of my best ball drafts, hoping he could emerge as a reliable target for Patrick Mahomes. Well, this preseason has made me think Rice might not be ready to be a contributor at this level. He had multiple drops on Saturday, including one that would have been a touchdown. If you can take a flyer on Rice in the last round of your draft, he might still be worth it. Any earlier than that and you aren’t getting great value with your pick.

Remember to use our Underdog Fantasy promo to get a first-time deposit match of up to $100! Also, if you want to learn more about best ball contests, visit our Best Ball Fantasy Football Guide.

Adam Spencer

Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.