🏈 5 Lessons from the Preseason

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1. Ricky Pearsall Positioned for a Breakout Season

The 49ers may have limited their starters to just one drive this preseason, but that single appearance against the Las Vegas Raiders revealed everything fantasy managers need to know about Ricky Pearsall's potential. The second-year receiver was electric, hauling in three catches for 42 yards, highlighted by an impressive 21-yard reception over the middle.

What makes this performance even more significant is the current state of San Francisco's receiving corps. With Jauan Jennings sidelined by a calf injury that could keep him out of Week 1 and Brandon Aiyuk missing the season opener, Pearsall has a clear pathway to the WR1 role. Reports from the offseason consistently identified him as the team's most impressive wide receiver, and he's now positioned to capitalize on that momentum when it matters most.

2. Kaleb Johnson Requires Fantasy Patience

The third-round rookie out of Iowa has generated considerable buzz as Najee Harris's replacement in Pittsburgh, but preseason action suggests fantasy managers should temper their immediate expectations. In the Steelers' final preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, Johnson found himself third in the pecking order. Jaylen Warren took the starting snaps, and Kenneth Gainwell earned first backup duties.

Johnson's struggles with pass protection during training camp appear to be the primary factor limiting his early opportunities. With Aaron Rodgers and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith potentially prioritizing reliability, the rookie will likely need several weeks to fully earn their trust and secure a more prominent role in the offense.

3. Jacory Croskey-Merritt's Rapid Rise

No player has experienced a more dramatic surge in fantasy relevance than rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The Commanders back has climbed 13 spots in WalterPicks’ rankings and has seen his ADP skyrocket following Brian Robinson Jr.'s surprising trade to San Francisco.

Washington's backfield competition now features the rookie against 30-year-old Austin Ekeler and a former sixth-round pick who has just 86 career carries in Chris Rodriguez. Croskey-Merritt's 46-yard, one-touchdown performance in the team’s second preseason game, followed by his rest alongside the starters in the preseason finale against the Baltimore Ravens, suggests the coaching staff views him as a legitimate contender for the starting role.

4. Marvin Mims Jr.'s Expanded Opportunity

After two seasons of frustratingly limited usage, Marvin Mims Jr. appears poised for a significant role in Denver's offense in 2025. The Oklahoma product was confined to under 50% of the team’s offensive snaps in every game in 2024 while managing just 2.9 targets per game and ranking as WR141 in route participation (27.5%).

However, his preseason usage tells a different story for 2025. Mims ran routes on nine of Bo Nix's 11 pass attempts in the preseason opener against San Francisco, and then ran a route on all 15 of Nix's dropbacks in the final preseason contest. If this increased involvement carries into the regular season, the third-year receiver could emerge as one of the year's most valuable sleeper picks.

5. Jacksonville's Backfield Chaos Continues

The Jaguars' running back rotation remains frustratingly unpredictable heading into the regular season. Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby, and Bhayshul Tuten have all received varying workloads across the preseason, creating uncertainty for fantasy managers.

In the preseason opener against Pittsburgh, Etienne drew the start and handled the first drive before Bigsby took over for drives two and three. Tuten then cleaned up the next four series. The second game saw Bigsby starting and playing early downs while Etienne handled third-down duties. Despite not starting that second preseason game, Etienne was on the field for six of eight snaps in the team’s second drive of that contest.

Although there is some uncertainty at the top of this Jacksonville running back room, it appears Tuten is the clear RB3 in this backfield. He was completely absent from the primary rotations in both preseason games. For fantasy purposes, this Jaguars backfield is one of the most challenging to navigate in 2025.

Other Lessons Learned:

• Braelon Allen is going to be involved in the run game

• JK Dobbins will likely be Denver’s starter

• Ollie Gordon II is the clear RB2 in Miami