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TREFF
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We all are aware that week 3 of the preseason is the big dress rehearsal, the one that, if you're not going to watch preseason games, you're going to watch this one. I thought I'd share my thoughts, some "to do's" and "don'ts" if you will.
- First and foremost, get a DVR, a hopper, or a subscription to whatever streaming service you like, so that you can actually watch the games.
- Whatever you do, DO NOT simply look at box scores and assume player X is having a good preseason (or a bad one). One or two big plays that could easily be the result of poor fourth string defense can easily inflate your opinion of someone.
- If you can't or won't watch the actual games, do your best to find online footage of the players you're tying to form an opinion on. DO NOT watch highlight reels. Again, a "highlight reel" is just that, a highlight. There's no context, no what was going on in the game at that time. Just one look from one angle of a play. Maybe the highlight doesn't show Ralph the week one grocery shelf stocker falling down and dropping coverage. . just the long, pretty, wide open pass.
- Don't just focus on watching position battles. Yes they are important, no doubts. But equally important are seeing who comes in to spell the starters, what the game situation is when they came in, and of course, how they perform. Often times the guys who spark a little in these roles are the ones who end up being the "surprises" mid season and often are credited with being the reason you win your league. Identifying them now and possibly even rostering them before they become that surprise and avoiding that waiver battle, is a key to many a fantasy title.
- DON'T just watch the ball. Watch the lines.. especially those teams with questionable olines. Are they opening holes, are they getting to the second level, are they statues in pass pro?
- Watch the RB's on pass protection. Watch the receivers on running plays, especially those fighting to win a starting job. Sometimes the ability to block can be the difference between a guy being the 3rd or 4th WR, and the starting outside guy.
- Pay attention to special teams. Strong special teamers often progress to strong offensive contributors as the season plays out and injuries mount. Gems can be found who only make the team because they we're a stand out on special teams during the preseason. Names to stick on your watchlists at the least.
- Take everything you see with a nice big grain of salt. Its still preseason, defenses will be mostly vanilla, as will most offensive gameplans. There will still be numerous instances of receivers being force fed the ball in as effort to acclimate them to the QB and/or the system. There will still be instances of teams basically running practice plays regardless of situation in the game, as the coaches aren't trying to win, they're trying to evaluate their rosters. So don't get all twitterpated when you see Tyler Boyd's and Tajae Sharpe's getting 12 targets, its isn't a sign of things to come, it was an attempt to see if they could be the guy opposite AJ Green, and R. Mathews, and that can't be determined without throwing them the ball in game situations.
