In the world of fantasy football, the preseason provides a valuable opportunity for players on the fringes to showcase their skills and potentially rise to must-draft status. As NFL teams gear up for the upcoming season, a few emerging stars have caught the attention of fantasy football enthusiasts during the first week of the preseason. The article below highlights three such players who have made a significant impact and should now be targeted as high-upside, late-round picks in both half-points-per-reception (half-PPR) and PPR scoring formats.

One notable name is wide receiver Andrei Iosivas from the Cincinnati Bengals. With the departure of veteran slot receiver Tyler Boyd to the Tennessee Titans, the role of the team's primary slot receiver is up for grabs. Iosivas has been making waves and is currently positioned as the favorite to fill that role in Week 1. His impressive performance during the weekend has solidified his position, outshining fellow rookie wide receiver Jermaine Burton. Iosivas has shown promise and is expected to potentially take over as the team's No. 2 wide receiver by the end of the season.

Iosivas' performance on the field has been noteworthy, with his PFF slot-receiving grade ranking 12th among rookie wide receivers with at least 25 slot-receiving snaps in 2023. This puts him ahead of Burton, whose PFF slot-receiving grade ranks significantly lower at 84th among Power Five wide receivers with at least 55 slot-receiving snaps in the same year. With Boyd's departure and the potential departure of Tee Higgins after the 2024 season due to recurring hamstring injuries, Iosivas has a clear path to fantasy relevance.

Another player making headlines is running back Jordan Mason from the San Francisco 49ers. Mason has been stuck in the No. 3 running back role since joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2022. However, a series of soft tissue injuries suffered by the team's top running backs has opened the door for Mason to step up and claim the primary backup role. Mason's impressive PFF offense grade of 93.0 from 2022 to 2023 ranks first among all NFL running backs with at least 180 offensive snaps during that period.

Incumbent No. 2 running back Elijah Mitchell has been plagued by injuries over the past three seasons, including recorded hamstring strains and multiple knee injuries. According to DPT Edwin Porras' "Injury prone draft guide and season long playbook," running backs with hamstring strains experience a weekly recurrence rate of 24.0%, while knee injuries carry a season-to-season recurrence rate of 21.0% at the position. With Mitchell's injury history and his PFF offense grade ranking 27th among qualifying running backs over the last two seasons, Mason's opportunity to shine has arrived.

Mason has reportedly impressed during training camp and has taken advantage of the first-team preseason opportunities. He has averaged an impressive 5.7 yards per rushing attempt and has forced one missed tackle while picking up two first downs and a short-yardage touchdown on six rushing attempts. Among NFL preseason running backs with at least five rushing attempts, Mason ranks second with an impressive PFF preseason-rushing grade of 85.2. His performance has shown that he can excel even with limited opportunities, making him a valuable asset for fantasy football teams.

These emerging stars have demonstrated their potential during the first week of the NFL preseason and should be closely monitored by fantasy football enthusiasts. With their impressive performances and favorable situations, they are poised to make significant contributions to their respective teams and provide high-upside value for fantasy football owners.