NFL Analysis
8/20/24
5 min read
Buying or Selling 2024 NFL Preseason Breakout Performers
After months of waiting, football is finally back, and two weeks of the preseason have already passed. One of the most difficult parts of the preseason is trying to decipher what is real and what is not.
Last year, the high-flying offense of the Steelers in the preseason dominated airways. Only for Pittsburgh to have one of the league's worst units. Kenny Pickett looked like a future superstar in the preseason. But by the end of the season, he was benched for Mason Rudolph.
So, which preseason superstars should we be buying into this time? And which ones should we be selling? Here are our thoughts on some of the biggest breakout performers of the preseason:
>> READ MORE: Preseason Week 2 Winners, Losers
Buying or Selling Top Preseason Performers
Buy: Caleb Williams, QB, Bears 
We’ve been tricked into believing that Justin Fields and Mitchell Trubisky would be star quarterbacks for the Bears after the way they performed in the preseason. But something feels different about Caleb Williams.
Maybe it’s his moment skills in the pocket. Or maybe it’s his playmaking ability. However, there is something unique about Williams that makes his eventual dominance feel inevitable.
Williams needs to do a better job of not holding onto the ball, as every play can’t turn into backyard football. Still, he has shown enough through two preseason games to get everyone around the league excited.
It feels like it's only a matter of time before Williams is one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
>> READ MORE: Grading Every Rookie QB's Preseason
Sell: Tre Tucker, WR, Raiders 
Tre Tucker has made at least one massive reception in each preseason game for the Raiders. The former third-round speedster from Cincinnati has had a fantastic preseason and certainly looks like an improved player from last season.
While there is no doubting Tucker’s improvement, it’s fair to wonder how much it might matter in 2024. The Raiders have several outstanding playmakers in the passing game, including Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, Michael Mayer, and now Brock Bowers. The Raiders want to be a 12-personnel team (one running back, two tight ends), which means Tucker won’t be on the field often.
Even when Tucker is on the field, the mediocre quarterback play could limit his production. Neither Aidan O’Connell nor Gardner Minshew are known for their ability to make plays down the field, and that just so happens to be where Tucker thrives.
Tucker is going into Year 2 and should see an uptick in snaps and targets this season, but expect his overall production to be modest despite an awesome preseason.
BUY: Xavier Worthy, WR, Chiefs 
While Tucker has several outside factors that could suppress his production, that’s not true for Xavier Worthy. The first-round pick from Texas is in the perfect offense for his skill set with a play caller who loves to design routes for speed receivers.
And oh yeah, Worthy just so happens to play with the best quarterback in the league, who loves nothing more than showcasing his arm talent.
Another advantage for Worthy is that he should see plenty of snaps right away after the shoulder injury to Marquise Brown. It’s unlikely that Brown will be ready for Week 1, which could push Worthy into the starting lineup. Worthy is extremely young, but his speed and ability to win after the catch make him a perfect fit in Kansas City’s offense.
We aren’t saying that he’s the next Tyreek Hill, but DeSean Jackson? Maybe.
Sell: Bo Nix, QB, Broncos 
There is no question that Bo Nix has looked fantastic in the preseason. He's carved up two defenses and has looked incredibly confident in both contests.
However, most of his passes have been close to the line of scrimmage against second and third-team defenses. That doesn't take away from what he's done, but it's also not overly impressive either.
Nix has done enough to warrant more looks and should get a chance to start early in the 2024 season. But don't expect him to light the world on fire out of the gate, either. Sean Payton is keeping the offense simple, and it's working against vanilla defenses. Color me skeptical that he's going to look THIS good right away.
BUY: Tyler Guyton, LT, Cowboys 
The Cowboys selected Tyler Guyton in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft with the hopes that he could eventually replace Tyron Smith at left tackle. However, Guyton was a right tackle at Oklahoma, and making the switch to the left side is usually difficult, especially for someone who didn't have many college starts.
However, Guyton has looked awesome at left tackle in the preseason, shutting down every defender who has lined up across from him. The competition will obviously be stronger in the regular season, starting in Week 1 against Myles Garrett and the Browns.
However, the reason for buying Guyton's stock is his work ethic and the Cowboys' track record when it comes to developing offensive linemen.
Since being drafted, Guyton has regularly worked with Duke Manyweather, an offensive line guru. His improvement in footwork and technique is night and day from the Senior Bowl, which shows how far he's come.
Guyton will certainly struggle some as a rookie, but expect him to be the answer at left tackle for Dallas.
