Fantasy: Takeaways from Thursday's preseason games

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2017 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.

Every game night during the preseason, theScore gets you caught up on the most important fantasy performances from around the league.

Cutler zeros in on Parker

In his first preseason game with the Miami Dolphins, Jay Cutler played well for a guy who spent the offseason standing naked looking at the ocean. He only completed 50 percent of his passes for 24 yards, but that doesn't include a 31-yard gain to DeVante Parker that was brought back on a holding penalty.

Parker was clearly Cutler's favorite weapon on the night, which is another good sign for a potential breakout campaign from the third-year receiver. The only reception that shows up in the box score is a 16-yard catch over the middle, but Parker also had the aforementioned 31-yarder called back and was targeted again deep down the right side, but Cutler slightly overthrew him. Parker's lone blemish on the night was a dropped screen pass that was a little lower than it should have been.

After the game, Cutler referred to Parker as a faster Alshon Jeffery, something worth noting for fantasy owners, since Cutler peppered Jeffery with targets during their time in Chicago. Parker carries a lot of upside at his current ADP in the eighth or ninth round.

Job security

If you're waiting on a quarterback in your drafts, you might want to avoid Tyrod Taylor and Blake Bortles. Both passers had atrocious outings Thursday night, leading to postgame questions about how long they might remain starters for their respective teams.

Taylor was intercepted twice by the Eagles, completing 8-of-18 passes for 53 yards with a 12-yard run. The first pick was tipped at the line, but the second was a poor throw from Taylor snagged by former Bills cornerback Ronald Darby. You can't write it any better than that. Darby almost had another pick earlier in the same drive, also from a bad pass by Taylor.

The TyGod has reportedly struggled with the Bills' new offense, and if that continues, it wouldn't be surprising to see the new coaching staff turn to rookie Nathan Peterman, since the Bills aren't likely to contend in 2017. Head coach Sean McDermott said Taylor's starting spot is safe, but that could quickly change if he doesn't turn things around.

A disappointing performance from Bortles is much less surprising, but Jaguars fans appear to have had enough as they booed him on his home field. Bortles missed receivers several times while completing 8-of-13 passes for 65 yards and no scores. In a move that was apparently planned, but may have been seen as foreshadowing, backup Chad Henne relieved Bortles and got time with the first-team offense into the third quarter. Head coach Doug Marrone admitted postgame that the quarterback competition is wide open.

Even if Taylor and Bortles start in Week 1, the chances of them maintaining those jobs throughout the year is becoming less likely by the day. Taylor's rushing ability is enticing for fantasy owners, but both quarterbacks are too risky to gamble on in re-draft formats.

Instant Impressions

• Jay Ajayi caught a pass Thursday. It's only one pass, but if the Dolphins' coaching staff is ready to use him as a pass-catcher and Cutler is willing to look his way, it could be a huge boost to Ajayi's fantasy outlook.

• Terrance West and Mike Wallace both fumbled, but on each occasion the ball was recovered by their team. A fumble is a much bigger deal for West, who is trying to establish himself as the early-down back. It was an uninspiring night all around for West, who rushed six times for minus-2 yards, including one play where he ran directly into a teammate and was taken down.

• Doug Martin still has to serve a three-game suspension, but he's looked revitalized in the preseason and there's little doubt he'll be able to recapture the starting job when he returns in Week 4. Martin had 30 yards on five carries, adding two receptions for 11 yards. If you can grab Martin in the middle rounds and pair him with Jacquizz Rodgers late in your draft, you might end up with a low-end RB1 on the year.

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2017 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.