Fantasy: Takeaways from Friday's preseason games

Get ready for your season with theScore's 2018 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.

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

Hyde stands alone

It's only the second week of the preseason, but we already have a clear winner in the Browns' backfield competition. Congratulations, Carlos Hyde.

Hyde took advantage of a weak run defense against Buffalo, amassing 64 yards and a score on nine carries. He was quick and decisive, bouncing an early run outside before laying down a nasty stiff arm for a 26-yard gain.

The reason we can award the job to Hyde wasn't just his performance, it was also the snap distribution with Tyrod Taylor and the first-team offense. Hyde saw 17 snaps with the top group, pass-catching specialist Duke Johnson took eight, and rookie Nick Chubb saw zero work during that time.

Chubb eventually got his shot later in the game and played much better than last week. The rookie racked up 53 yards on 11 carries while breaking off a couple nice runs, including this 17-yarder to set up his one-yard TD:

My prediction for this backfield remains the same. Hyde will get the early season nod and hold the lead role until injuries strike.

The veteran has been plagued by injuries every season of his career, either forcing him to miss time or sapping his effectiveness. When that happens, Chubb will get his shot. A timeshare doesn't appear to be coming, so at their current ADPs, both Hyde (7th round) and Chubb (9th round) are nice fantasy values with RB2 upside. If you're struggling to make a decision, scoop up both running backs and secure the Browns' backfield in your lineup.

Mahomes taking chances

Patrick Mahomes isn't going to be a safe fantasy quarterback to own. The Chiefs' sophomore passer is one of the top fantasy breakout candidates entering the 2018 season, but he isn't interested in taking the easy approach. Mahomes' style veers away from what Alex Smith made a career on for years in Kansas City.

The result will be euphoric highs and devastating lows.

We caught a glimpse of his ceiling and floor on Friday against the Falcons. Early in the second quarter, Mahomes was nearly intercepted in the end zone while targeting Sammy Watkins. On a later drive, he stared down Watkins again deep downfield, allowing the safety to come across for an easy pick. Mahomes also lowered his shoulder to take on a defender while scrambling, which is a questionable decision in the preseason.

However, the good might far outweigh the bad, and we witnessed Mahomes' full potential on a 69-yard bomb to Tyreek Hill late in the first half.

On theScore Fantasy Football Podcast, I stated Mahomes' best-case scenario is a top-five fantasy finish if everything goes right this season. He's a first-round talent with one of the best supporting casts in the league. He's well worth the risk in the 11th round as the QB16 in drafts, just be prepared that the ride will be fun and frustrating all wrapped into one.

McCaffrey the workhorse?

I'm starting to come around on the idea that Christian McCaffrey will see a significant workload under new offensive coordinator Norv Turner.

We all know McCaffrey is capable of highlight-reel plays, like Friday's 71-yard TD that started through a hole in the interior of the line and ended with the second-year back hitting another gear as he pulled away.

Despite the issues on their offensive line, the Panthers' rushing attack was humming against the Dolphins, with McCaffrey turning his nine touches into 120 yards and a score.

The team's offseason addition of C.J. Anderson posted a respectable 48 yards on 10 touches, but it's McCaffrey getting all the early work. And maybe it shouldn't be a surprise given that Carolina invested the eighth overall pick in him a year ago.

The coaching staff's comments about McCaffrey seeing more volume in 2018 might turn out to be a blatant fantasy tip we were all disregarding.

Instant Impressions

• It's a shame Mark Ingram will be suspended for the first four games of the regular season, because he was running well on Friday. His 5.1 yards per carry against the Arizona Cardinals was made possible by some decisive runs where he showed an impressive burst. Maybe theScore’s David P. Woods is onto something with his bold prediction that Ingram will be traded. Jonathan Williams could help make a move like that possible if he continues to perform as well as he has in the preseason. He continues to establish himself as the replacement to own in New Orleans and is worth considering in the late rounds as an early-season fantasy option. Alvin Kamara will get the bulk of the touches, but Williams has the physical style to complement him during that first month and maybe beyond.

• You don't need me to tell you to draft David Johnson in fantasy. That doesn't mean I'm not going to spend a bullet point talking about how amazing he looks so far in the preseason. After rattling off back-to-back 14-yard runs in last week's game, Johnson followed it up with a pile-pushing 9-yard touchdown this week. The play required incredible lower-body strength as Johnson drove a mass of NFL players to the end zone. DJ is back.

• Calvin Ridley stood out for the Falcons on Friday, contributing as a receiver and a returner. His three-catch, 49-yard, one-touchdown night was promising, though he did it without Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman in the lineup. Ridley has the skills to develop into an NFL star, but re-draft owners might be disappointed by his 2018 numbers as he tries to carve out consistent targets in an already loaded offense.

• The Lions' backfield is one of the more difficult situations to decipher this preseason. Ameer Abdullah got the start on Friday, which could've been an attempt to showcase him for a trade. Unfortunately, he fumbled on the second play of the game. Kerryon Johnson, who had a breakout preseason performance last week, managed just nine yards on four carries while adding one reception for 10 yards. Complicating matters was the fact that Johnson was also used as a kick returner, an odd choice if the team views him as a potential lead rusher. LeGarrette Blount and Theo Riddick played their usual roles as a low-yardage thumper and a dynamic receiving back, respectively. Johnson remains the Lions runner to target, and with his all-around skill set, he should be able to overcome the possible running back-by-committee many fear in Detroit.

• Bills QB AJ McCarron reportedly suffered a hairline fracture of his collarbone on Friday, which increases the odds of rookie Josh Allen starting in Week 1. For all the negativity surrounding Buffalo's first-rounder, Allen has actually delivered a pair of encouraging outings. His apex this week was a 15-play, 80-yard scoring drive, which ended with Allen avoiding the rush, stepping up in the pocket, and finding Rod Streater in the back of the end zone for a touchdown. The previous four drives for the Bills, with McCarron at the helm, resulted in 12 plays for 22 yards, as BuffaloBills.com's Chris Brown pointed out. Allen isn't someone you should be considering in fantasy, but he offers the best chance for guys like Kelvin Benjamin or Corey Coleman to return value.

Previous Takeaways

• Thursday, Aug. 16 (3 games)
• Saturday, Aug. 11 (2 games)
• Friday, Aug. 10 (2 games)
• Thursday, Aug. 9 (12 games)