Will Grier, Julius Chestnut, Austin Watkins, and Travis Vokolek. These were the top producers last preseason at QB, RB, WR, and TE, respectively. For every Jaleel McLaughlin -- a guy whose summer breakout carried over into the regular season -- there were plenty of Kristian Wilkersons, Chris Brooks, and Dorian Thompson-Robinsons.
It's not just last year. In 2022 we witnessed dominant preseasons from Lance McCutcheon, Alex Bachman, and yes, Sam Howell. Those were the top four fantasy producers that summer, and we know what happened next. Rhamondre Stevenson was the real deal in 2021 -- both the preseason and the regular season -- but no other preseason top 10 helped fantasy managers.
This past weekend Eric Gray, one of my favorite lottery tickets last summer (and obviously he never panned out), netted a 4-52-2 rushing line and 4-46 receiving line. He's competing with rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. for the handcuff role behind the severely overvalued Devin Singletary. Clearly he did everything he could to remain in the conversation. He's actually the same age as Tracy. Both are turning 25 in November, which is one reason why Tracy fell to the fifth round in the NFL draft.
The point is that if Gray breaks through this year, he'll be a statistical outlier, because most preseason stars fade to the background before (and after) Week 1. And Tracy reportedly has the edge. So this could all be moot. However, what makes the Gray-Tracy battle so interesting/unusual is how identical they are. In addition to their age, Gray is 5'10" and 210 pounds, while Tracy's 5'11" and 209 pounds. Gray was the 172nd pick in the 2023 draft, while Tracy was the 166th pick this past draft.
Gray has slightly bigger hands, which he showed off in college while reeling in 99 catches. Tracy is more athletic, with a faster 40-yard time and slightly better vertical and broad jumping.
There are plenty of RB battles to watch, including bigger names in Tennessee, Washington, and Cincinnati. The Chargers have gone all in on an injury-prone tandem. Discussed Miami the other day: a deep, talented collection of backs.
But the Giants backup situation matters more than the market suggests. Tracy's overall ADP is 192, while Gray's is 285 (and climbing, thanks to his recent performance). In three of his five seasons, Singletary has played for a top-3 offense (based on points per game). That doesn't include last year, when he regressed statistically while enduring the worst broken-tackle rate of his career. Sure, the overall numbers looked good, and the Giants gave him a nice payday. But that doesn't mean he'll build off of his career-high 216 carries last season.
So Gray-Tracy deserves at least a little more attention. The only other rostered RB is 25-year-old rookie Dante Miller, who also played well this weekend but isn't a legit threat to claim the #2 spot.
If you're all in on Singletary, great. I'm not. He's ranked #147 on my board compared to a 94 ADP. I'd rather swoop in later and grab Tracy, and also Gray if the latter keeps pushing for a regular-season role.
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