It’s Great To Have Actual NFL Football Games Back. But For Fantasy Purposes, Let’s Not Get Carried Away

I’ve immersed myself in NFL preseason games over these past few days.

It’s meaningless right now, but it’s just nice to see the players back on the field in live competition. It’s cool to get a look at Vick, Brees, Rodgers, Peterson, Calvin, etc. It’s neat to check out all of the players sporting new colors. So far, Matt Hasselbeck in a Titans jersey has been the strangest look for me to get accustomed. And it’s good to get a first glance at some of the high-profile rookies.

It’s meaningless right now, but jobs are at stake. Depth charts need to be solidified. Players are coming back from injuries and/or trying to prove to us that they’ve still got something left in the tank. Quarterback competitions are on the stove. Unknowns may pop out of nowhere to claim starting gigs.

But … oh yeah, it’s meaningless right now. I’m writing this post for one reason: It seems like everyone wants to build narratives on players after just one preseason game. Mike Vick was outstanding. Ray Rice got stuffed.

Colt McCoy was “near perfect.”

The 49ers’ defense stopped the Drew Brees-led Saints cold.

Tim Hightower was impressive versus the Steelers.

And the new folk hero, Stevan Ridley, is already the subject of articles with really bad puns.

There are so many similar stories floating out their over the past 72 hours, and you know what you should take away from all of it?

Nothing.

It’s week one of the preseason. Some veterans, such as Charles Woodson, got the night off. Some players just aren’t playing as hard as to save their bodies from injury. We still have about a month to go before everything matters. So much can change, it’s just way too soon for anyone to be using these preseason performances to foreshadow possible regular-season success. For me, that should come no earlier than the third preseason game for each team, when the first-stringers will play about a half before letting the backups and fodder take over.

Until then, enjoy looking at the post-lockout action, the rookies, the fantasy studs, the old faces in new places. And pray against injuries.

Just please don’t put any stock into what these guys do in these games for at least a couple of more weeks.

And really, you’re smarter than to trust a single Mike Shanahan running back.