This article is part of our NFL Barometer series.
RISING
Travis Kelce, TE, KC
Anthony Fasano technically remains ahead of Kelce on the depth chart in Kansas City, but there's no way to justify such an arrangement at this point. Kelce has impressed this preseason, catching six passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns, and Fasano is one of the worst receiving tight ends in the NFL. Fasano finished 2013 with an average of 6.1 yards per target, and somehow finished 2012 with an impressively bad average of 4.9 yards per target. Kelce boasts 4.60 speed on a 6-foot-5, 260-pound frame and has a history of making plays, on the other hand. The Chiefs are more desperate for pass-catching threats than any other team, and Kelce is too obviously part of the solution for the Chiefs to not feature him in 2014.
Malcom Floyd, WR, SD
San Diego Union-Tribune writer Tom Krasovic called Floyd the MVP of San Diego's training camp, "in a runaway," moreover. Health was the only real question with Floyd - his scary neck injury from last year seemed career-threatening not long ago - but it's somewhat surprising to hear that the 32-year-old wideout might be making more waves than dynamic, younger talents like Keenan Allen and Ladarius Green. The 6-5, 225-pound receiver has been very efficient in the last four years, though, totaling 142 catches for 2,536 yards and 16 touchdowns in his last 39 games. Projected over 16 games, that's roughly 58 catches for 1,036 yards and seven touchdowns. He's extremely cheap in most fantasy drafts but could push WR3 value if he stays healthy.
Mark Ingram, RB, NO
Ingram's career has been a disappointment so far, but it looks like the pieces might finally fit together for the 2011 first-round pick as he heads into a contract year. Darren Sproles' exit leaves a lot of passing-down work up for grabs in New Orleans and, despite catching just 24 passes in his first three seasons, it appears that Ingram might be part of the replacement plan. He's expressed a desire to take on a larger role in the passing game, and he caught a 23-yard touchdown reception against Tennessee on Friday. Considering Ingram caught 53 passes in his final 25 college games, he might handle himself surprisingly well in passing situations.
FALLING
Johnny Manziel, QB, CLE
After seemingly closing the gap on Brian Hoyer in the Browns' quarterback race with a 7-of-11 preseason effort against Detroit, a middle finger and 7-of-16 showing against the Redskins on Monday evidently did Manziel in, as the Browns named Hoyer the Week 1 starter Wednesday. Hoyer hasn't been any better than Manziel in the preseason and probably won't last long as a starter since he's a career backup returning from an ACL tear, but Browns coaches seem sincerely invested in him for any reason. Or maybe they just have a distaste for Manziel. Either way, Manziel is a shaky second-QB investment for anyone whose starting quarterback has a bye before Week 5 or so.
Trent Richardson, RB, IND
Preseason production doesn't necessarily mean much, but it's hard to ignore the fact that Richardson's preseason numbers look an awful lot like the miserable numbers he posted with the Colts last year. He has 34 yards on 14 carries for a 2.4-yard average that is similar to last year's regular-season 2.9 YPC. Even Colts management is starting to get a bit critical of Richardson - GM Ryan Grigson was quoted as saying, "Trent, he needs to answer the bell and do his job to the best of his ability. We're all accountable here."
Odell Beckham, WR, NYG
The fact that Beckham is a rookie made his odds of making a 2014 impact bad to begin with, but throw in Eli Manning's poor quarterback play and a persistent hamstring injury, and now it looks like Beckham's rookie year could easily end up a waste. Beckham left practice Monday with an issue with the same hamstring that was bothering him in spring, and by now it looks like he might miss Week 1. Dynasty formats are likely the only leagues where Beckham has a hint of value.
