Fantasy football stocks are on a wild ride, and Week 2 of the preseason just dropped some seriously valuable intel. With teams finally showing something close to their real lineups, we saw exactly who stepped up and who didn’t. Right now, everyone’s chasing that next big value, and a few names are booming so loud you gotta pay attention.
Matthew Golden’s Sophomore Surge in Green Bay is UNDENIABLE
The Packers are all in on Matthew Golden, and it’s not hard to see why. They broke tradition last year, snagging him 23rd overall in the first round, and then went full send this summer, clearing the path by trading Dontayvion Wicks and letting Romeo Doubbs walk. Golden is paying them back big time. His rookie season was quiet, sure, but he exploded in the Wild Card Round, pulling in four catches on five targets for 84 yards and a score. And his lone preseason target? Flawless. He snatched a 19-yard pass from Jordan Love on 4th-and-1, absolutely schooling lockdown corner Patrick Surtain II in the process. Coach Matt LaFleur isn’t holding back, telling reporters, “I think he has elite hands. That catch he made in Denver on the crossing route that kind of showed to it. It was a good savviness by him, he felt an underneath defender and he bled up the field… to make that catch and not lose stride, a low hands catch, I think that speaks to just how good his hands really are.” Green Bay is clearly betting big on a sophomore leap, and they’re setting him up for every opportunity to make it happen.
Bo Nix Back From Injury, Feeling “Exactly Where I Left Off”
Remember that ankle fracture Bo Nix suffered back in January? Yeah, me too. He rolled into his preseason debut with a ton of questions hanging over him: would he be limited? Would he be rusty? Nope. So far, so incredibly good. Nix, who’s looking like a total steal at his average draft cost of QB15 per FantasyPros, went 6-of-9 passing for 76 yards and a touchdown. He fired off a killer 35-yard catch-and-run with newcomer Jaylen Waddle and dropped a 21-yard touchdown dime to RJ Harvey. The man himself told reporters, “I felt like it (was) exactly where I left off. I felt better… I felt pretty good, as good as I’ve felt in a long time.” Through two NFL seasons, Nix has piled up 7,706 passing yards with 54 touchdowns against 23 interceptions, plus another 786 yards and nine scores on the ground. If he’s feeling this good, with Waddle in the mix, that Broncos aerial attack could absolutely hum.
Rookie De’Zhaun Stribling is Demanding Targets for the 49ers
It’s still early, but De’Zhaun Stribling keeps flashing signals that he’ll be that rare rookie receiver to grab a heavy-usage role in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. This kid’s name has been buzzing all through camp, and Week 2 just cranked the volume to eleven. He hauled in four of his five targets (three from Brock Purdy) for 64 yards, running routes all over the field. Purdy himself was hyped, saying on The Pat McAfee Show, “Obviously, really excited about him. He’s a smart kid. He’s come in, learned our offense. He’s got strong hands, great route runner, all the things,the reasons why we drafted him. He’s showing it and proving it.” With Ricky Pearsall out for the season, George Kittle working back from a torn Achilles, and most of San Francisco’s playmakers “on the wrong side of 30,” Stribling has a real shot to be a featured part of that passing attack. His stock is flying, but at ADP: WR50 in PPR leagues, it’s still way too low.
The regular season is right around the corner. Keep an eye on these three. Their early preseason performances are screaming that they’re ready to make a huge impact when the games really count.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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