Sam Wallace breaks down a few key performances from the Hall of Fame Game.
We made it.
The NFL season is finally upon us, and we had the fantastic opportunity to watch live football in front of a real crowd last night. While starters on both sides were used sparingly, as was expected, it was fun to see fantasy-relevant players involved throughout the first half.
Nothing in your preseason rankings should change after this game. It’s difficult not to make tweaks here and there, but this was, by all means, a meaningless game from a fantasy perspective. However, I want to highlight a few performances from a handful of players on each team and see if any of our prior notions were justified.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Najee Harris
The most anticipated player to take the field was undoubtedly rookie running back, and 24th overall pick Najee Harris. The hulking, three-down back out of Alabama brings a much-needed boost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last season, this offense tied for the league in passing attempts/game with 41 while also finishing near the bottom of the league in rushing attempts/game with 23.
Harris can bring balance to this team. To say that he dominated in college would be a massive understatement. He profiles as a strong, physical runner but is an above-average receiver as well. He had the opportunity to flash his skill-set as a receiver in his final two years of college.
If there is a knock on his profile, it’s his age. At 23 years old, he’s beyond a critical window based on Blair Andrews’s work on breakout rate among running backs.
However, Harris is not your run-of-the-mill running back. He should receive as much volume as he can handle, and this offense, despite its offensive line struggles, should be effective. Harris totaled seven rushing attempts and hauled in his lone target. For his first real action, he looked impressive.
Chase Claypool
Wide receiver Chase Claypool has quickly risen up my rankings this offseason. A physical specimen drafted in the second round last year, he tested taller and heavier than D.K. Metcalf while clocking a 4.42 40-yard dash at the combine. His Freak Score puts him in interesting company.
