Chris Carson

Ezekiel Elliott's return to the Dallas Cowboys has generated plenty of buzz, but by the time Week 1 ends, another one of the team's young stars could land in the spotlight. 

Dak Prescott achieved success in both games against the New York Giants in 2018, and he could be poised for another big performance Sunday. 

More importantly, the fourth-year signal-caller could provide value to your DraftKings or FanDuel lineups since he comes at a cheaper price than others. 

With that comes a larger budget to work with when gobbling up skill position players to fill out your lineup.

                                 

Top Picks and Lineup Advice

Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas

Value: FanDuel: $7,500; DraftKings: $5,900

A year ago, Prescott totaled 547 passing yards and five touchdowns in two clashes with the Giants. 

In his career, the Mississippi State product is 4-2 versus his NFC East rival with 1,539 yards through the air and 10 scores. 

Additionally, the 26-year-old averaged 221.6 yards in his first three season openers, with his best performance of trio occurring against the Giants in 2017. 

New York is coming off a season in which it conceded the sixth-highest yards per pass and the 10th-most gains in the passing game. 

Prescott could also benefit from Elliott's appearance in the lineup. Giants defensive coordinator James Bettcher is preparing for the running back to be in use, but he is not sure of the workload, per The Athletic's Jon Machota. 

The Giants have reason to worry about Elliott because he possesses an average of 21.3 carries for 85 yards versus his divisional foe. 

If Bettcher's unit focuses too much on stopping Dallas' ground game, it could open up for space for Prescott to link up with Amari Cooper and others. 

Since he resides in the middle of the value chart on both DraftKings and FanDuel, Prescott is a solid play. 

Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson and Baker Mayfield could all produce solid numbers, but in order to maximize the results up and down your lineup, you can't afford to spend every cent on a quarterback. 

If you select Prescott, it could open up close to $1,000 to utilize at other spots. 

                      

Chris Carson, RB, Seattle

Value: FanDuel: $6,600; DraftKings: $5,700

Chris Carson falls into the same category as Prescott as a value pick with a favorable matchup.

Seattle enters its matchup with Cincinnati as a 9.5-point favorite, per Caesars, and the running back is looking to extend his 100-plus-yard streak to four. 

Two of those triple-digit totals occurred at CenturyLink Field against Kansas City and Arizona, with the highest one coming in Week 17 versus the Cardinals. 

Arizona ranked five spots below Cincinnati in yards per attempt, and the Bengals let up the fourth-highest overall total on the ground. 

The 24-year-old is 17th on the DraftKings running back rankings and 20th on FanDuel, per ESPN's Mike Clay. 

Instead of throwing trust in the top-tier players, Carson saves you around $3,000 to spend on wide receivers and tight ends.

                      

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston  

Value: FanDuel: $9,000; DraftKings: $8,200

The money you save by taking Prescott or Carson can be spent on DeAndre Hopkins. 

The top receiver on both sites rarely had a bad game in 2018, as he caught fewer than five balls on two occasions and was held under 50 yards once. 

Hopkins also found the end zone on a consistent basis with 11 touchdowns, four of which occurred in a pair of multi-score games. 

The 27-year-old plays Monday against a Saints defense that gave up the fourth-most passing yards and fifth-highest per reception. 

On the road, Hopkins produced triple-digit receiving totals versus five franchises, including Philadelphia, Indianapolis and Tennessee.

In fact, five of his top seven performances came on his travels, with two of them happening in September. 

While there are cheaper options on the market, Hopkins has proved he is well worth the high price tag in daily fantasy contests. 

Until he proves us wrong, the Houston wideout is a must-start, which is something that can't be said about many players across all positions.

                       

Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia

Value: FanDuel: $7,100; DraftKings: $6,100

Zach Ertz also opens the 2019 campaign with a matchup that could be beneficial to him. 

The 28-year-old has 71 receptions for 718 yards and a touchdown in 12 career games versus the Washington Redskins. 

In the last two seasons, the Eagles have been the dominant side in the NFC East rivalry with two sweeps to their name.

Ertz is expected to be one of Carson Wentz's top targets in an offense loaded with playmakers, and he could be in line for a second straight 1,000-yard season. 

There could be some concern that Wentz struggles in Week 1 after not taking any preseason snaps, especially after Mitchell Trubisky stumbled through Thursday night. 

But that sample size is too small to make any general conclusions about how that will affect quarterbacks across the NFL. 

Ertz comes at a high price, but he is worth the value Sunday at a position that can sometimes be tough to figure out once you get past the stars. 

                           

Cleveland Browns Defense/Special Teams

Value: FanDuel: $4,300; DraftKings: $3,400

Cleveland is one of a few solid defensive options Sunday. The Browns host the Titans, who will be without Taylor Lewan due to a four-game suspension.

The defensive line could exploit Lewan's absence and get to Marcus Mariota, who was sacked on 42 occasions a year ago. 

Myles Garrett, who had 13.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in his sophomore campaign, earned high praise from new teammate Olivier Vernon, per Nick Shook of the team's official website. 

"What have I not seen from him? Explosive," Vernon said. "His ability to bend that corner, man, I haven’t seen nobody bend the corner like that. Especially at his size. But he comes in every day and he works hard. Always hungry." 

Mariota threw five interceptions on the road in 2018, including four in a pair of two-pick outings. If Damarious Randall and Co. can take advantage of his bad decisions, the Browns could come up with extra fantasy points through turnovers.

Cleveland held half of its opponents under 20 points at home in 2018, while Tennessee reached 20 on one occasion on its travels. 

If those trends continue, the Browns should hold the Titans to minimal points and could add a turnover or two to boost their fantasy value. 

Since Cleveland is a viable option, you do not have to overspend on a defense by choosing the Los Angeles Rams, Dallas or Philadelphia, which opens up a bit more money for high-end players. 

                        

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference  

Typically, teams use Week 3 of the preseason as a simulation of a regular-season game. Starters take a significant number of snaps to knock off the rust before wins and losses count. As a result, it's common for fantasy football commissioners to wait until after that dress rehearsal contest to conduct drafts, which would help managers to avoid potential injuries to key players.

With all but one Week 3 preseason contest in the books, we will take a look at an abbreviated three-round mock draft through the scope of a 10-team point-per-reception league.

In addition to a realistic mock, take a look at a few draft tips that will point you in the direction of fantasy football dominance. Which running back with an average draft position in the third round deserves top-10 pick consideration? Are experts too high on another starting running back?

Let's start with the three-round PPR mock draft.

                         

3-Round Mock Draft

Round 1

Team 1: RB Saquon Barkley, NYG

Team 2: RB Alvin Kamara, NOR

Team 3: RB Le'Veon Bell, NYJ

Team 4: RB Christian McCaffrey, CAR

Team 5: RB Ezekiel Elliott, DAL

Team 6: RB James Conner, PIT

Team 7: WR DeAndre Hopkins, HOU

Team 8: WR Michael Thomas, NOR

Team 9: WR Julio Jones, ATL

Team 10: RB Chris Carson, SEA

          

Round 2

Team 10: WR Tyreek Hill, KC

Team 9: RB Dalvin Cook, MIN

Team 8: RB Joe Mixon, CIN

Team 7: RB David Johnson, ARZ

Team 6: WR Odell Beckham Jr., CLE

Team 5: WR Antonio Brown, OAK

Team 4: WR Davante Adams, GB

Team 3: RB Nick Chubb, CLE

Team 2: RB Todd Gurley, LAR

Team 1: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT

              

Round 3

Team 1: RB Damien Williams, KC

Team 2: WR Mike Evans, TB

Team 3: TE Travis Kelce, KC

Team 4: RB Devonta Freeman, ATL

Team 5: RB Kerryon Johnson, DET

Team 6: RB Josh Jacobs, OAK

Team 7: RB Mark Ingram, BAL

Team 8: RB Duke Johnson, HOU

Team 9: RB Aaron Jones, GB

Team 10: QB Patrick Mahomes, KC

                       

Heighten Expectations for Chris Carson

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will work with limited weapons on the perimeter. Wideout Doug Baldwin's apparent retirement leaves Tyler Lockett as the top playmaker at the position, and he's coming off his first season as a full-time starter.

The Seahawks don't expect DK Metcalf to miss extended time after undergoing knee surgery, but he must put his growing on-field rapport with Wilson on pause. According to Joe Fann of NBCS Northwest, wideout David Moore will sit out for an indefinite period with a shoulder injury:

This is big. Moore will be out “awhile” which means he won’t be ready for the regular season. IR candidate for sure. Hurt his shoulder late in practice Thursday.

— Joe Fann (@Joe_Fann) August 23, 2019

Seattle may have to rely heavily on the ground game until the passing attack finds its groove. That's good news for running back Chris Carson, who was featured in the team's No. 1 rushing offense last year. He listed fifth leaguewide in yards (1,151) in 2018.

The Seahawks allowed Mike Davis to walk in free agency, and Rashaad Penny remains unproven as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. He logged just nine receptions for 75 yards during his rookie campaign. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer wants to see Carson involved in the passing game:

Brian Schottenheimer said he wants Chris Carson’s targets to be in the 50 range. #Seahawks

— Joe Fann (@Joe_Fann) August 13, 2019

Furthermore, because of lackluster preseason performances, Fann sees a widening gap between Carson and Penny. "...I'm seeing a guy fall further behind Chris Carson, who has established himself as Seattle's clear No. 1 option," he wrote.

All signs point to Carson maintaining his stronghold on the lion's share of the rushing workload and adding a receiving component to his fantasy resume. He has a 3.09 average draft position, but managers can feel comfortable with him at the end of the first round.

                     

Don't Go All-In on Nick Chubb

Cleveland Browns running back coach Stump Mitchell made comments that added some intrigue to Nick Chubb's fantasy outlook, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. 

"I think he's going to be special like he was last year," Mitchell said. "He'll be used a little more in the passing game than he was last year. Nick just continues to improve on the skillset that he has, and I think he has a fantastic skillset."

In addition to running back Duke Johnson's departure, Chubb seems like he could creep into the first round in some leagues. Unlike last year when he took a backseat to Carlos Hyde through Week 6, the Georgia product will open the 2019 campaign as the lead ball-carrier with opportunities to tack on receptions in the aerial attack.

Nonetheless, managers should consider running back Kareem Hunt a wild-card variable in the Browns offense. Just two years ago, he logged 1,782 yards and 11 touchdowns from scrimmage with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Once Hunt returns from an eight-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy, which stems from shoving and kicking a woman at a Cleveland hotel, he could take a decent number of touches from Chubb.

Ideally, you want less uncertainty surrounding picks in the first and second rounds. Managers who take Chubb as a foundational asset on their roster should proceed knowing his second-half production may taper off.

                  

Don't Pass on a Stack with Patrick Mahomes

In fantasy football terms, stacking refers to drafting a quarterback and a running back, wide receiver or tight end on the same team. It's a risky strategy that can pay off with an explosive passing offense.

In 2018, the Chiefs finished with the No. 1 scoring offense, quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 5,097 yards, 50 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. His top two pass-catchers, wideout Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce, each logged at least 1,300 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. 

Mahomes won't have Hunt in the backfield for 11 games like the past season, but Damien Williams proved he's a dual-threat asset as well. He logged 397 yards and six touchdowns from scrimmage in the past five games of the 2018 campaign.

In most leagues, Mahomes will be one of the top two quarterbacks to come off the board. If you select Hill, Kelce or Williams, as Team 10 did above, draft the Chiefs quarterback for a strong stack.

Mahomes' growing connection with his pass-catchers should yield high fantasy point totals on both ends. As the lead wide receiver and one of the top pass-catching tight ends in the league, Hill and Kelce will have productive seasons if they stay healthy.

During the weeks when Kansas City's offense threatens to score 35-plus points, a roster with Mahomes and one of his pass-catchers would be hard to beat.

The first two weeks of the 2019 NFL preseason are complete, which means if you haven't done your fantasy draft yet, you're likely to do so soon.

Of course, two weeks still remain, which means the fantasy picture isn't yet as clear as it could be. Will Ezekiel Elliott and Melvin Gordon report to their respective teams? Will Andrew Luck start in Week 1? Who the heck is going to play quarterback for the Miami Dolphins?

These are all questions that remain unanswered, and that could affect your fantasy season. Factoring in what we do know, let's take a look at how the early rounds could unfold.

Here, you'll find a four-round, 12-team mock draft, along with some tips to help maximize your value.

      

2019 NFL Mock Draft, PPR

Round 1

1. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

2. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers

3. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

4. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

5. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers

6. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans

7. Le'Veon Bell, RB, New York Jets

8. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons

9. Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints

10. James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

11. Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams

12. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Round 2

1. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

2. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

3. David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals

4. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

5. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

6. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

7. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

8. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns

9. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

10. Antonio Brown, WR, Oakland Raiders

11. T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts

12. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Round 3

1. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

2. Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings

3. Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys

4. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

5. Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

6. Kerryon Johnson, RB, Detroit Lions

7. Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

8. Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

9. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

10. Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons

11. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

12. Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Round 4

1. Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots

2. Damien Williams, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

3. Kenny Golladay, WR, Detroit Lions

4. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears

5. Brandin Cooks, WR, Los Angeles Rams

6. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers

7. Robert Woods, WR, Los Angeles Rams

8. Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans

9. Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts

10. Josh Jacobs, RB, Oakland Raiders

11. Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

12. O.J. Howard, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

    

Pay Attention to Player Situations

Knowledge is the biggest weapon you can carry into your fantasy draft. Knowing how players have performed in the past is helpful, but knowing what situations players are in can give you an edge over the competition.

Everyone in your draft is likely to know that Elliott and Gordon are still holding out. They may also know that Luck appears increasingly likely to miss Week 1. They may not know, however, that Keenan Allen is dealing with an ankle injury or that Odell Beckham Jr.. dealt with a hip injury during the early preseason.

Not all notable situations are negative, either. Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson, for example, appears poised to see more work in the passing game this season.

"That's something that we went to right after the season ended and said, 'Hey, look, Chris can help us win games a lot of ways and one of [the] ways that he wasn't last year was in the passing game,'" offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said, per ESPN's Brady Henderson.

When a player is set to see an uptick in workload, he should also see an increase in fantasy value.

     

Be Wary of Positional Runs

If knowledge is your biggest draft weapon, then patience is probably your second-biggest asset. Don't panic and take a player at a particular position just because other managers have started a run.

If, for example, Patrick Mahomes comes off the board in Round 2 and several other quarterbacks soon follow, there's no reason to grab a signal-caller before you've filled out other stating roster spots. Every time a quarterback gets selected, it means a valuable running back or receiver is left there for the taking.

You can wait on your quarterback. Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff, for example, holds an average draft position (ADP) of 100.1. You should have no trouble landing two starting backs, three starting receivers and perhaps even a tight end before grabbing a guy like Goff.

By the way, Goff racked up 4,688 yards and 32 touchdowns passing last season.

Don't pull the trigger too early on a tight end, either. There could be an early run after guys like Zach Ertz, George Kittle and Travis Kelce get selected. Don't be a part of it. There isn't going to be a major gap in production between players like O.J. Howard (ADP of 52.8) and, say, Kyle Rudolph (120.3).

        

Remember That This is Your Draft

It may sound like a simple concept, but it's important to remember that you're the one drafting here. Mock drafts, ADPs and fantasy rankings are all guidelines, not fantasy law. It's not always smart to take a player just because he's the "consensus pick" on your draft board.

Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson, for example, currently has an ADP of 6.5. Should you really take him in the middle of Round 1 just because it's where he's trending? After watching him struggle to find running room in the preseason—he's carried six times for 10 yards—probably not.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler holds an ADP of just 107.3. If you believe that he's primed to be L.A.'s starting running back this season, don't wait until the ninth round to pull the trigger.

This is your fantasy team, and you should approach your draft as such. Sure, it always hurts when you miss on a player or pass on a breakout star. However, it's less painful to admit you made a mistake than to kick yourself for listening to someone else.

The ultimate goal of fantasy is to have fun, and your season will be much more enjoyable if you make it your own.

          

*Average draft positions via Yahoo Fantasy

In point-per-reception leagues, running backs fly off the board early, leaving committee tailbacks beyond the fourth round. Fantasy managers can make life harder for competitors who pass on lead ball-carriers.

If you start the draft with a pair of running backs, keep your eyes on leftover players at the position. Perhaps you can grab a high-end flex option, starting three high-volume tailbacks in most weeks.

Early in the draft, you can address the flex spot after filling the running back, wide receiver and tight end positions. Instead of cycling through quarterback options, circle back to the other three offensive positions to land a potential breakout player.

A manager's decision to focus on the flex slot could separate their lineup from the competition. Just imagine what a third productive running back, a top-20 wide receiver or an elite tight end could do for overall point totals—in some cases, salvage a bad week or win a high-scoring battle.

Let's take a look at the top 50 flex options. In addition to the rankings, we'll go through clever team names, dissect running back holdouts, players who deserve a boost in your draft queue and a potential fantasy sleeper.

        

Team Names

Shanahanigans

The Bear Mitch Project

Touchdown Breesus

Forgive and Fournette

Sony Side Up

Hit me with your Prescott 

Hot Lockett

Green Eggs and Cam

       

Top 50 Flex Player Rankings

1. RB Saquon Barkley, NYG

2. RB Christian McCaffrey, CAR

3. RB Alvin Kamara, NOR

4. RB Le'Veon Bell, NYJ

5. RB David Johnson, ARZ

6. RB Ezekiel Elliott, DAL

7. WR DeAndre Hopkins, HOU

8. RB James Conner, PIT

9. WR Julio Jones, ATL

10. WR Davante Adams, GB

11. WR Michael Thomas, NOR

12. WR Odell Beckham Jr., CLE 

13. WR Antonio Brown, OAK 

14. WR Tyreek Hill, KC 

15. WR Mike Evans, TB 

16. RB Chris Carson, SEA 

17. RB Joe Mixon, CIN

18. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT

19. WR Adam Thielen, MIN 

20. RB Devonta Freeman, ATL

21. RB Dalvin Cook, MIN

22. WR T.Y. Hilton, IND

23. TE Travis Kelce, KC

24. RB Josh Jacobs, OAK 

25. TE George Kittle, SF

26. RB Mark Ingram, BAL

27. RB Todd Gurley, LAR 

28. WR Keenan Allen, LAC

29 RB Nick Chubb, CLE

30. RB Kerryon Johnson, DET

31. RB Damien Williams, KC 

32. WR Amari Cooper, DAL

33. WR Stefon Diggs, MIN 

34. RB Marlon Mack, IND 

35. WR Tyler Lockett, SEA

36. RB David Montgomery, CHI

37. TE Zach Ertz, PHI 

38. RB Leonard Fournette, JAC 

39. WR Brandin Cooks, LAR

40. RB Tevin Coleman, SF 

41. RB Aaron Jones, GB

42. WR Calvin Ridley, ATL

43. WR Kenny Golladay, DET 

44. RB Melvin Gordon, LAC 

45. WR Julian Edelman, NE

46. TE Eric Ebron, IND

47. WR Chris Godwin, TB

48. RB Phillip Lindsay, DEN

49. RB Sony Michel, NE 

50. WR Robby Anderson, NYJ

*Note: Rankings based on author's opinion

         

Draft CheatSheet: Flex Rankings

How to Handle Ezekiel Elliott, Melvin Gordon Holdouts 

Last year, managers rolled the dice on Le'Veon Bell and paid for the gamble. He didn't suit up for the Pittsburgh Steelers and sat out an entire season because of a contract dispute.

Now, we have to take running back holdouts seriously. This offseason, Ezekiel Elliott and Melvin Gordon have decided to stay away from training camp, seeking new deals. They're two of the top 10 fantasy football running backs. In 2018, Elliott finished fifth in points (290.60) and Gordon listed seventh (250.50).

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones playfully said, "Zeke who?" when asked about the star running back's contract situation. Still, he understands Elliott's importance to the offense. The 24-year-old led the league in rushing yards per game in each of the last three seasons.

No one can guarantee Elliott comes to terms with the Cowboys or reports to play on his current deal, but the team's playoff hopes would likely take a hit with the two-time rushing champion resting his legs. Dallas needs him. He's still a first-round pick. 

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Gordon would sit out the entire season if he doesn't receive a deal that satisfies his expectations.

There's one issue for the 26-year-old's camp: The Los Angeles Chargers won all four games he missed last year. Team brass would probably feel confident in Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson as a one-two punch out of the backfield. 

Gordon may not play a down in the upcoming campaign—stay away from him in the early rounds.

         

Move Chris Carson Up Your Draft Board 

Pay attention to the offseason reports: Managers should look at Chris Carson in the second round.

According to Joe Fann of NBC Sports Northwest, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer wants the running back to see about 50 targets in the passing game:

Brian Schottenheimer said he wants Chris Carson’s targets to be in the 50 range. #Seahawks

— Joe Fann (@Joe_Fann) August 13, 2019

Despite Rashaad Penny's potential for an increased role following Mike Davis' departure to Chicago, Fann still expects Carson to handle a large portion of the carries in the backfield. "I anticipate Carson taking at least two-thirds of the workload," he wrote.

Wide receiver Doug Baldwin retired, and rookie second-round wideout DK Metcalf will undergo knee surgery, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The Seahawks don't expect him to miss much time, but that doesn't bode well for his developing rapport with quarterback Russell Wilson.

In addition to Kevin Lockett, Seattle may have to lean on the running backs to move the ball through the air early and throughout the year.

Carson will lead the backfield in carries, and he may finish second on the team in receptions this year.

      

David Montgomery Could Become a Fantasy Gem

The Chicago Bears may have a three-man rotation in the backfield, featuring David Montgomery, Tarik Cohen and Davis.

Last year, Cohen ran for 444 yards and racked up 725 yards as a pass-catcher. He could see a drop-off in both categories with Davis and Montgomery in the backfield. According to Terez Paylor of Yahoo Sports, the Bears have an eye on the latter, who was a third-round pick in this year's draft:

Offensively, the Bears are in love with RB David Montgomery, who brings a professional approach that is rare for a rookie. He’s a no-nonsense guy who takes football very seriously. The Bears love that, plus his receiving skills & make-you-miss. He will help this team immediately.

— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 20, 2019

In 2018, Cohen led the team in yards from scrimmage (1,169). He'll likely maintain a solid role out of the backfield, but the Bears opened their 2019 draft with a pick for the running back position. Montgomery should handle a good portion of the snaps, contributing the ground game and aerial attack.

If the 22-year-old produces early in the season, he could see an uptick in touches as the year progresses.

Fantasy football rankings are fluid. That's as true in training camp as it will be during the regular season.

Position battles are playing out in front of us. Injuries are thinning the playing field. Contract holdouts are inching away from being talking points and toward becoming legitimate concerns.

So, after laying out our updated top 50 PPR rankings, we'll examine a few stocks that have already shifted this preseason, before pointing you in the right direction for the best possible team names.

                   

2019 Fantasy Football PPR Top-50 Rankings

1. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

2. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers

3. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

4. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

5. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans

6. Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints

7. David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals

8. Le'Veon Bell, RB, New York Jets

9. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons

10. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers

11. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns

12. Todd Gurley II, RB, Los Angeles Rams

13. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

14. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

15. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

16. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

17. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

18. Josh Jacobs, RB, Oakland Raiders

19. James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

20. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

21. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

22. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

23. Kerryon Johnson, RB, Detroit Lions

24. Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons

25. Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

26. Antonio Brown, WR, Oakland Raiders

27. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

28. Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys

29. T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts

30. Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

31. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

32. Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks

33. Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts

34. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers

35. Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

36. Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots

37. Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings

38. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears

39. Damien Williams, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

40. Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings

41. Brandin Cooks, WR, Los Angeles Rams

42. Kenny Golladay, WR, Detroit Lions

43. Robert Woods, WR, Los Angeles Rams

44. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

45. James White, RB, New England Patriots

46. Sony Michel, RB, New England Patriots

47. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

48. Mark Ingram II, RB, Baltimore Ravens

49. Alshon Jeffery, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

50. Josh Gordon, WR, New England Patriots

                  

Fantasy Football Stock Report

Stock Up: Josh Gordon

Josh Gordon's reinstatement to the NFL should lead to his reappearance as a legitimate fantasy option.

That's probably underselling his potential in the new-look New England offense.

Tom Brady needs a new safety net with Rob Gronkowski retired, and Gordon could feast on the targets the tight end left behind. He played three games without Gronk last season. In those contests, Gordon was targeted 28 times, tallying 13 receptions for 311 yards and a touchdown.

"Gordon was nearly a top-20 receiver from Week 5 through Week 14 last season, and he still boasts massive statistical upside, with rare size and speed for the position," ESPN's Eric Karabell wrote. "He is a perfect fit for a Patriots offense that lacks wide receiver depth and anyone reliable at tight end."

Gordon averaged a whopping 18 yards per reception last season, the second-highest mark among qualified receivers. If he plays an active role in this offense, he could put up huge numbers.

               

Stock Down: Andrew Luck

Any time injury and Andrew Luck are used in the same sentence, fantasy owners can only cross their fingers and hope for the best.

Apparently, there haven't been enough fingers crossed yet.

Two years after having a season erased by injury, Luck is again battling an ailment. This time, it's a calf and ankle problem that he's been unable to shake. While he at least got some on-field work in ahead of Saturday's preseason game, the Colts have said they'll wait until after the third preseason contest to name their Week 1 starter.

While fantasy gamblers could see buy-low potential here, most have looked elsewhere for their quarterback needs. In only a few weeks, Luck's average draft position has tumbled from the early fifth round to the end of the seventh, per Fantasy Football Calculator.

                

Stock Up: Chris Carson

If Chris Carson did nothing more than replicate his 2018 effort, he would be a bargain.

Last season, he only needed 14 games to give the Seattle Seahawks 1,151 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. He wound up 15th among running backs in fantasy scoring, per Fantasy Pros, which makes his ADP of 20th at the position a head-scratcher, especially considering he's trending up.

But Carson won't be the same player as last season; he should be better.

The Seahawks want to air it out more this time around, and they're specifically looking at their emerging running back. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said the ideal number of Carson's targets being "up around the 50s," which would rocket above the 32 he's received over his first two seasons combined.

A substantial increase in volume could boost Carson's impact, since he's already shown he will maximize his chances. For his career, he has hauled in 27 of 32 targets for 222 yards and a score.

               

Team Name Advice

Want the keys to naming your fantasy football team? Creativity and originality.

Sure, you could scour the web for others' top submissions and find more than a few options you like. Among my personal favorite finds for this season: Hot Chubb Time Machine, Guice Infestation, Turbo-Schuster and—probably because I have a toddler—DJ Chark Doodoodoodoodoodoo.

But giving your leaguemates something they haven't seen elsewhere (really, everywhere) can be legendary.

Have an inside joke that you can mold into something from the NFL lexicon? Or a way to clown your buddies while also showing you've been keeping up on your fantasy research? Those could be golden.

If not, feel free to grab one of the internet's best. Anything beats the given generic names.

The elite teams in the NFL playoffs get a week off at the start of the playoffs, but eight teams are in action during Wild Card Weekend.

The Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans get the NFL postseason started Saturday afternoon in Houston, and the Texans are a one-point favorite over the Colts, per OddsShark.

The Texans won the AFC South title, clinching the division title in Week 17 with a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Colts clinched their playoff opportunity in Week 17 with a win over the Tennessee Titans.

The Colts are the No. 2 wild-card team and the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoffs, but they should not be taken lightly, as they have won nine of their past 10 games.

If they win on the road, they will travel to face the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs for a divisional playoff game. If the Texans win, they would go on the road to face the second-seeded New England Patriots.

                        

Wild Card Weekend Schedule

Saturday, Jan. 5

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans, 4:35 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC 

Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. ET on Fox 

              

Sunday, Jan. 6

Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore Ravens, 1:05 p.m. ET on CBS 

Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears, 4:40 p.m. ET on NBC 

Where to Watch: The NFL postseason and all NFL broadcasts are available through fuboTV.

The #NFLPlayoffs are SET! pic.twitter.com/O7ytoh8Tl9

— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2018

                  

The Los Angeles Chargers travel East to take on the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, and going cross-country to play the early game is a difficult assignment for any West Coast or Mountain Time Zone team. Since 2002, those teams have been outscored 202-56 in the first half of playoff games.

The Chargers finished with a 12-4 record, the same as the AFC West-winning Chiefs. However, they had to settle for the No. 1 wild-card spot and the No. 5 seed because they lost one more divisional game than Kansas City.

The Ravens surged to the AFC North title after inserting rookie Lamar Jackson as their starting quarterback. Jackson is a much more productive runner than passer, but the team has won six of his seven starts. The Ravens have the No. 1 defense in the league, and they are favored by three points.

If Houston beats Indianapolis, the winner of this game will go to Kansas City in the divisional playoffs. If the Colts win, the winner will play at New England.

The fourth-seeded Dallas Cowboys will host the fifth-seeded Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night in the first NFC wild-card game. The Cowboys overcame a lackluster start to the season and seized control of the NFC East behind the solid one-two punch of quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott.

The Dallas offense also became more dangerous once the Cowboys added Amari Cooper prior to the trade deadline. Dallas is a two-point favorite in the game.

Seattle was expected to be little more than the third- or fourth-place team in the NFC West because of the changes in their once-formidable Legion of Boom defense. However, they still have middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, and he is a dangerous hitter and the leader of a defense that can still cause havoc.

The offense has also been better than expected. Quarterback Russell Wilson has had a sensational year and could be a dark-horse contender for the MVP award as a result of his 35-7 TD-interception ratio. He has gotten quite a big assist from the power running of Chris Carson, who has rushed for 1,151 yards and nine touchdowns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W02-6f8PMz0

If the third-seeded Chicago Bears beat the No. 6 seed, defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, the Seattle-Dallas winner will travel to face the New Orleans Saints in the divisional round. If the Eagles upset the Bears, the Seahawks or Cowboys will play the Los Angeles Rams in California.

The Bears are 6.5-point favorites over the Eagles after winning the NFC North title. They have become a creative offensive team under head coach Matt Nagy and quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. While Trubisky has had some ups and downs with his passing accuracy, he has made big plays running the ball. 

The Chicago defense has been dominant, with stars like Khalil Mack, Roquan Smith and Akiem Hicks leading the way. That unit will likely make it quite difficult for the Eagles.

Nick Foles is a proven postseason winner, and the quarterback has two excellent receivers in Alshon Jeffery and tight end Zach Ertz.

The Eagles struggled for much of the season, but they turned things around by winning five of their last six regular-season games to make the playoffs.

Chicago will go to Los Angeles if the Bears beat the Eagles, while Philadelphia will go to New Orleans if it comes up with the upset.

                   

Super Bowl Odds

Saints +250 (wager $100 to win $250)
Rams +400
Chiefs +470
Patriots +650
Bears +700
Ravens +1,300
Chargers +1,500
Cowboys +2,500
Texans +2,500
Seahawks +2,800
Colts +3,000
Eagles +3,500