9 Position Battles To Watch For in 2018 Fantasy Football

Training Camps are officially underway across the NFL. Fantasy football owners are preparing for their drafts, trying to get a leg up on their competition. The preseason reveals a great deal of information that is imperative for fantasy football. Injuries, a return from injury, holdouts, and most important position battles.

Position battles are the most important part of the preseason. Almost every team has a group of talented players vying for a few coveted spots in a team’s offensive rotation. It’s important to know who the team trusts and why fantasy owners should rely on to get them to a championship.

Like I said, there are a ton of key position battles happening across the NFL, but we are going to take a look at nine of the most important position battles to follow this preseason. Let’s take a look…

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Position Battles To Watch During The Preseason

Arizona Cardinals – Wide Receiver:

This is Larry Fitzgerald’s team, and David Johnson is his second in command. It gets awfully bleak after that though in the Cardinals offense. They had 243 targets walk out the door this offseason via free agency and the Cardinals will need someone besides Larry Fitzgerald to catch the ball.

Christian Kirk, Arizona’s second-round pick, is likely to command plenty of snaps and playing time, but he is a slot receiver folks. Last time I checked, so is Larry Fitzgerald. Kirk was third in receiving yards (891), and fourth receptions (67) among all college slot receivers last season, so that is where he is comfortable. It’s possible he could start on the outside until Fitzgerald retires, but we will just have to see how the playing time shakes out.

Chad Williams, a third-round pick from last season, did not play a great deal in 2017. Likely due to not seeing eye to eye with Bruce Arians, the former head coach. This year, Williams has looked sharp in practice and appears to have brought a new work ethic with him. He should be a favorite to line up as the WR2 or WR3 for the Cardinals.

Cardinals WR Chad Williams worked with Chad Johnson this offseason https://t.co/c5d1lgL9Bd

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 23, 2018

Brice Butler hasn’t shown the ability to produce on a consistent level but should get a chance to earn the WR3 job after signing a two-year contract with Arizona in April.

J.J. Nelson is still around too folks, and he wants a spot just as bad as anyone. If he can turn himself into a more complete receiver, and not just a deep threat, we can maybe see him make some noise this preseason.

The Bottom Line

Head coach Steve Wilks says it’s a “wide-open competition” for the WR2 spot, and it certainly looks that way. Sam Bradford’s health will have a lot to say about these wide receivers fantasy ceiling, but they will first need to earn the job first.

Cleveland Browns – Running Back:

The Cleveland backfield is vastly improved from 2017. The Browns are now armed with proven veteran Carlos Hyde, talented rookie Nick Chubb and the returning PPR specialist Duke Johnson. Carlos Hyde will get the starting role Week 1 but may be on a short leash with Nick Chubb eagerly awaiting his chance. Hyde has rushed for over 900 yards over the last two seasons and has averaged over four yards-per-carry in every season up until last year.

Nick Chubb is the Browns’ running back of the future, it’s hard to imagine him taking the starting job away from Carlos Hyde after the Browns signed the veteran early in free agency. Still, Chubb is very talented, and the Browns drafted him for a reason.

Baker Mayfield hits Nick Chubb in the flats. Could be something you hear for years to come. pic.twitter.com/nG9Dm6ille

— 247Sports (@247Sports) July 26, 2018

The Bottom Line

The preseason may play a critical role in how the market share in the backfield works. Hyde appears to be the early-down back, and Duke Johnson seems to have third down locked in. Where does this leave Nick Chubb? He is certainly not going to sit on his hands and watch. We may be seeing an interesting time split, some two-back sets, or even a weird “shift” strategy. The only thing for certain is, this situation is a mess for fantasy football and bears watching for clarity.

Dallas Cowboys – Wide Receiver:

This is not an exciting group of players to follow. However, someone has to fill Dez Bryant and Jason Witten’s roles in the Dallas market share. Tavon Austin was acquired in a trade with the Rams during the draft, while Michael Gallup was selected in the third round in April. In addition, Allen Hurns and Deonte Thompson were also brought in to join Cole Beasley and Terrance Williams in a boring and unpredictable fight for supremacy in one of the worst wide receiving corps in the NFL. Like I said though, someone has to be the WR1, and someone is going to catch a lot of passes.

Hurns is three years removed from his only 1,000-yard season, and little suggests he has it in him to have another one aside from a lack of competition. Hurns’ playmaking ability in both the slot and the outside put him a tier above the rest and should make him the Cowboys’ top receiver this season.

Michael Gallup may stand as the favorite for WR2 in Dallas. The rookie appears to have developed a strong bond with Dak Prescott and could be a guy to keep an eye on in fantasy drafts.

Terrance Williams is highly valued for his blocking abilities, not that fantasy owners care. This should keep him involved, but not enough to shine with guys like Gallup and Beasley around.

The Bottom Line

It remains to be seen how the market share will develop between Williams, Beasley, and Gallup. This is where these wide receivers become fantasy relevant or waiver wire fodder. This situation can go in any direction.

Denver Broncos – Running Back:

The Denver backfield is wide open heading into the 2017 season. C.J. Anderson packed his bags for Carolina, and Devontae Booker is now joined by incoming rookie Royce Freeman. In 2017, Booker rushed 79 times for 299 yards and a touchdown. Royce Freeman was drafted out of Oregon and many expect him to get the start Week 1. A strong offensive line, along with incoming free-agent quarterback Case Keenum, could make this backfield a dark horse to do some damage.

The Bottom Line

Freeman is the more talented running back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Denver went with a committee. The bottom line for me is that Booker has had his chances to win this role in the past, and now it is Freeman’s time to shine. Both running backs need to be owned, but Freeman is the clear favorite to win out.

Green Bay Packers – Running Back:

This very well may end up being a running-back-by-committee, but the Green Bay Packers could easily have an RB1 if they picked one person. All three running backs have pros and cons in regards to winning the starting role. Jamaal Williams is the best pass-blocker of the three, which is sadly a huge factor, and earned double-digit carries in his last eight games. Unfortunately, he only was able to turn out 3.6 yards-per-carry. Williams is easily the least talented of the backs in Green Bay.

Ty Montgomery worked on getting stronger this offseason but failed to tally over 60 rushing yards in any of his eight games last season. This was mainly due to the fact that Mike McCarthy did not want to push Montgomery’s ribs knowing he had other reliable options.

Aaron Jones also bulked up a bit this offseason and maintained 5.6 yards-per-carry last season before his season-ending injury. Jones is easily the premier back in Green Bay, he just needs to prove it again. Sadly, Jones has been suspended for the first two games off the season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy and will miss valuable time to claim his territory early on.

Both Aaron Jones and Ty Montgomery saw more defenders in the box on average than Williams yet both were more efficient. If we’re hanging our hats on “he’s a good pass protector thoooooo” I think that narrative will be irrelevant by week 1

— James Koh (@JamesDKoh) July 17, 2018

The Bottom Line

Packers coach Mike McCarthy has stated that Green Bay will deploy a running back by committee, and that is likely what will happen to begin the season. However, if someone were to shine above the rest, I am sure a shift in roles would occur. Honestly, any of the three backs could lead the Green Bay backfield in fantasy points come to the end of the season. I would bank on Aaron Jones, simply because cream rises to the top and he is the most talented runner. It would be hard to rely on any of three to carry you into 2018 as a starter on your squad. That being said, all three need to be selected in fantasy drafts, because if a “winner” is named in this committee they would be awfully valuable.

Indianapolis Colts – Wide Receiver:

Andrew Luck is back. Who’s excited? I will tell you who, T.Y. Hilton. Hilton is locked in as the Colts WR1, with a chance to bounce back as one of the best wideouts in the NFL with a healthy Luck behind center. It’s tough to say who will start opposite Hilton, but whoever it is will stand to gain significant fantasy value. The early favorites are veterans Ryan Grant and Chester Rogers.

Grant famously signed a pricey long-term contract this offseason with the Baltimore Ravens, only to see it torn up due to a failed physical. Well, the Colts did not have an issue with his physical which led to him signing a one-year pact with Indianapolis. If he is able to earn the WR2 role he could be looking at a monster season with Andrew Luck tossing him the ball.

Rogers is entering his third year in an uneventful career with the Colts, having never surpassed 25 receptions in a season. To me, Grant looks like the easy winner here and should prove so in camp. However, like many of these position battles, we still need to keep an eye on this over the next month. Andrew Luck has the ability to elevate a wide receiver to new heights. It’s just a matter if someone will step up and take that role.

Reece Fountain and Deon Cain are two rookies that are also in the mix and looking to make an impact.

The Bottom Line

Anyone locked into getting consistent targets from Luck should be on your Fantasy radar. We just have to wait and see who clicks with him.

Colts community excited about Chester & the rookies but defs think Ryan Grant flying under the radar. https://t.co/DtPnCgtON6

— Guzman Wye Gomez (@jwyeNFL) July 26, 2018

Jacksonville Jaguars – Wide Receiver:

The Jaguars signed former Indianapolis Colts’ receiver Donte Moncrief to a one-year, prove-it style deal worth $9.6 million. Now, most people tend to disregard “prove-it” deals as anything that guarantees playing time, however, the price tag on Moncrief’s contract is simply too large for him not to have a significant role in the offense. Mark it down. Donte Moncrief is a lock for WR1 or WR2 on the Jaguars.

Jacksonville used their second-round pick in the NFL Draft on LSU receiver D.J. Chark. Chark, to be blunt, has a lot of holes in his game. However, he has amazing skills and a 40″ vertical. That allows him to have a game-changing ability to control contested catches. This does not guarantee Chark playing time by any means, but if he shows growth in training camp he could be someone to watch.

This leaves us with the returning Jaguars receivers Marquise Lee, Keelan Cole, and Dede Westbrook. Cole, an undrafted receiver out of Kentucky, led Jacksonville in receiving yards last season with 748, averaging 17.8 yards per catch. Cole has essentially erased Westbrook’s role on the team as their deep threat and should jump ahead of him on the depth chart when all is said and done.

Lee appears to be Blake Bortles’ most trusted weapon, seeing a team-high 96 targets in 2017. Granted, most of the routes are in short yardage situations and across the middle of the field. Lee should remain the chief target and WR1 for the Jaguars.

The Bottom Line

This battle comes down to Donte Moncrief, Keelan Cole, and Dede Westbrook. Moncrief has an incredible leg up due to his contract, but it should be a solid competition for those WR2 and WR3 spots.

New England Patriots – Running Back:

Rex Burkhead, James White, Jeremy Hill, Mike Gillislee, and rookie Sony Michel are all on the Patriots roster. As far as NFL position battles go, this is a cluster. So who should we be looking at? Everyone.

White will continue to fill the role as New England’s third-down back. Rookie Sony Michel should be one of the more dynamic players out of the backfield for the Patriot. However, his role has yet to be defined. It looks right now as if Rex Burkhead may be the first man out in the huddle when the first quarter starts. Overall, this is an open competition.

The Bottom Line

New England will likely go with a committee, so I would stay away from the Patriots backfield for now. The market share for carries is too up in the air to invest a high draft pick on a Patriots’ bacs right now. That being said, if you can get Rex Burkhead at an ADP discount, it would not be a bad idea.

Seattle Seahawks – Running Back:

The news out of Seattle is that Chris Carson is slated to be the started running back to begin the season. This is counter-intuitive considering an undrafted free agent should never start over a first-round draft pick. I am of course taking about Rashaad Penny, whom Seattle actually traded up nine spots in the draft to select. Reports or not, this job looks like a competition between Carson and Penny, with C.J Proisse watching from the back on third down.

It’s true that Chris Carson did not start many games for the Seahawks last season, but he looked great when given his opportunity.  Carson was 2nd in the NFL with 6.8 evaded tackles per game in 2017, trailing only Kareem Hunt.

New offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will not do much to enhance the value of either back. His history producing top fantasy running backs is inconsistent at best (see chart below). He produced one QB1 in his tenure, and that was Thomas Jones in 2008-09.

The Bottom Line

The Seahawks haven’t had a running back rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season since Marshawn Lynch in 2014. It is very unlikely to change this year. Most expect Penny to take this job sooner or later. However, I fear we may be in for a 2017 Joe Mixon situation. Too many cooks in the kitchen, too many mouths to feed. Fantasy owners should hope that either Penny or Carson run away with the gig to give some clarity.

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