NFL Preseason Recap: Fantasy Winners and Losers This Preseason

This will be somewhat shorter than our recaps the past two weeks, mercifully, as only a handful of teams played their starters on the final weekend of NFL preseason games. Before we get started on the 16 game recaps, I'll list of my 'winners' and 'losers' from the preseason as a whole.

In most cases, we're talking about nuggets of information that help us sort out preferences among late-round fantasy picks, not anything that's likely to reveal the next breakout superstar. There were also a few big names whose preseason usage merits mention, although that doesn't necessarily mean rankings or projections ought to be adjusted. In some cases, injuries are also at play, like with the RB rooms in Miami, Green Bay and Indianapolis.

There are also cases where no news is good news, e.g., Chase Brown, whose ADP has risen this August in the absence of other Cincinnati RBs mounting a challenge. Brown remains fascinating, with his second-round ADP being expensive relative to his talent level but cheap relative to his expected Week 1 role (in a likely top offense).

To be clear, we're just talking about preseason games here, not necessarily covering every development from the summer. Daniel Jones, for example, won't be listed, even though he obviously gained value upon being named as a Week 1 starter for Indianapolis. I'll also avoid listing back-of-roster players who improved their standing this summer but still aren't worth drafting even in deep dynasty leagues.

Preseason Winners

QB Jaxson Dart - 7.9 YPA, four TDs (one rushing), no turnovers

QB Tyson Bagent - 5:1 TD:INT / Keenum banged up

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RB Chase Brown - Dominated first-team RB touches in first two games

RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt - Rested for preseason finale after Robinson trade

RB Dylan Sampson - Started and split snaps with Ford alongside Flacco/Jeudy/Njoku/etc.

RB Javonte Williams - Rested all preseason, unlike Sanders and Blue (both now injured)

RB Ollie Gordon - Achane/Wright/Mattison injuries

RB Will Shipley - Worked ahead of Dillon, then rested for preseason finale

RB Blake Corum - Worked ahead of Hunter, then rested in preseason finale

RB DJ Giddens - Worked ahead of Goodson; both Herbert and Goodson injured now

RBs Emanuel Wilson & Chris Brooks - Lloyd injury

RB Kendre Miller - Started all three games, didn't get hurt

RB Zamir White - Worked ahead of Mostert in preseason finale, gained 42 yards

WR Emeka Egbuka - Played with starters + McMillan injured + Godwin still out

WR Ricky Pearsall - Everyone else hurt / Caught three passes on Purdy's only drive

WR Marvin Mims - Near-every-down role with starters in both games they played

WR Dont'e Thornton - played every non-GL snap with starters + caught TD from Geno

WR Isaac TeSlaa - three TDs

WR Kayshon Boutte - Played/rested with starters

WR Malik Washington - Worked with starters, scored TD, on track for No. 3 role

WR Elic Ayomanor - Ran with 1st- and 2nd-stringers / 35-yard catch from Ward

WR Jaylin Lane - Got first-team snaps in the second game, then rested for the third

TE Tyler Warren - Near-every-down role with starters in both games they played

TE Mason Taylor - Played/rested with starters

TE Chig Okonkwo - Near-every-down role with starters all three games

TE Theo Johnson - Played/rested with starters

TE Harold Fannin - Played/rested with starters + scored TD

Preseason Losers

QB Hendon Hooker - 3 INTs, 4.7 YPA / seemingly lost backup job to Kyle Allen

QB Joe Milton - 55.4% completions, 6.1 YPA, 2:2 TD:INT

RB Jarquez Hunter - Worked behind Corum / Played in all three preseason games

RB Raheem Mostert - Worked behind Zamir White on Saturday / said to be on bubble

RB Miles Sanders (shoulder) - Played when Javonte was rested (and got hurt)

RBs Tyler Goodson (shoulder) & Khalil Herbert (undisclosed) - Behind Giddens + hurt

RB Elijah Mitchell - Consistently behind Pacheco, Hunt and eventually Brashard Smith

RB MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring) - Hurt again, likely out for Week 1 (and beyond?)

RB AJ Dillon - Worked behind Shipley / Played all three games

WR Jermaine Burton (knee) - No work with starters, then re-injured his knee

WR Diontae Johnson - Played when other vets rested / 19 yards in three games

WR Jalen McMillan - Out until mid-season with neck injury

WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling - Played deep in final game with third-stringers

TE Josh Whyle - No first-team work / behind both Okonkwo and Helm

TE Noah Fant - only played in two-TE sets even with Mike Gesicki (hamstring) out

How do these players stack up against the rest of the NFL? Visit our fantasy football rankings for a list of the top players for the remainder of the season.

Patriots (10) @ Giants (42)

Patriots

• The Patriots really left this one for scrubs, holding out most of their second-stringers in addition to the starters. Rookie wideouts Kyle Williams (undisclosed) and Efton Chism (foot) might not have played even if they'd been healthy (OK, Chism probably would've).

Giants

• RB Cam Skattebo made his pro debut, coming back from a hamstring injury to start the preseason finale alongside second-string quarterback Jaxson Dart.
  • Skattebo stayed on the field for all 10 plays on the first two drives, gaining four yards on each of his three carries, before calling it a night and giving way to Dante Miller.
    • Tyrone Tracy is headed for the Week 1 start, with Devin Singletary potentially also having a role. That doesn't mean Skattebo will be a total non-factor, but please don't count on him as a fantasy starter in September. The hope is that he emerges (due to injuries or Tracy struggling) later on and is able to corner both the RB targets and the goal-line carries.
• Dart was sharp again, completing six of 12 passes (with at least 2-3 drops) for 85 yards and a TD, plus 23 yards on his lone rush attempt.
  • He did have an injury score on his fourth and final drive, exiting after a hard hit to be checked for a concussion. He cleared protocol but didn't return to the game; coach Brian Daboll said afterward that Dart merely had the wind knocked out of him.
  • Dart's impressive preseason means any struggles for Russell Wilson will lead to calls for the rookie to take over.

Steelers (19) @ Panthers (10)

Steelers

• The Steelers rested QB Aaron Rodgers and WR DK Metcalf but played most of their other starters, giving Mason Rudolph three drives behind the first-string offensive line (resulting in two punts and an INT).
• RB Jaylen Warren got the start and rotated with Kenneth Gainwell on the first two drives. Warren got two carries and two targets, with Gainwell getting two carries. Both RBs had a carry wiped out by a penalty; in Gainwell's case it erased a 24-yard scamper.
• RB Kaleb Johnson then came in for the third and final drive with the first-team offense, gaining seven and eight yards on his two carries. He finished with five carries for 24 yards and one catch for two yards, playing some with the second-stringers as well.
  • This may not end up meaning much in the big picture, but it looks like Warren is on track for the Week 1 start and Gainwell on track for at least a small role, leaving Johnson with a modest workload production. The rookie is great for a bench still, not just for a Week 1 lineup.
• WRs Roman Wilson and Brandon Johnson were the starters and got most of the snaps initially, but a slew of other wideouts ended up playing on the first three drives, including Robert Woods, Scotty Miller and Lance McCutcheon.
  • Calvin Austin (abdomen) wasn't available, but he did return to limited practice participation last Monday, suggesting he's on track for Week 1. He'll likely be the No. 3 in the sense of only playing in three-wide formations, but Austin could be No. 2 in terms of targets. Wilson is the favorite to be the other regular alongside DK Metcalf, although a rotation is also possible.

Panthers

• The Panthers rested their projected starters and some veteran backups, including RB Rico Dowdle.
• Rookie fourth-round pick Trevor Etienne got the start and broke a tackle on his first run to get into the open field for a 28 yard gain. He got just two more carries, stuffed both times, before giving way to Raheem Blackshear and others. Etienne looks on track for the No. 3 WR job.
• The Panthers used Jalen Coker, David Moore and Hunter Renfrow as their WRs at the start of the game, although coach Dave Canales suggested this week that Coker might've been rested if not for missing the previous preseason game with an illness (he cited 'conditioning' as the reason for Coker playing).
  • Adam Thielen trade rumors open up the possibility of Coker (or maybe even Renfrow?) getting slot work at the start of the season. Coker spent some time there last year, with modest success, before switching to the perimeter later on to accommodate Thielen.

Eagles (19) @ Jets (17)

Eagles

• The Eagles held out most of their starters and second-stringers, largely using players that won't make the team. Undrafted rookie RB Montrell Johnson ran for 15-57-1, perhaps making a bid to overtake AJ Dillon for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart (or at least doing enough to stick around on the practice squad, presumably).
  • Dillon, Will Shipley and Saquon Barkley all were held out.
• Newly acquired WR John Metchie caught one of two targets for 14 yards. I'm guessing he'll stick around as the No. 4/5 wide receiver, especially after Johnny Wilson's season-ending knee injury last week. The Eagles don't have much behind Jahan Dotson, who is shaky in the first place as a No. 3 receiver. None of which matter when AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith are healthy, but it starts to be a problem if/when one of the two misses time.

Jets

• The Jets also rested most first- and second-stringers, including RB Braelon Allen. Fellow running back Isaiah Davis is dealing with an ankle injury, though he might not have played Friday anyway.
• Undrafted rookie wideout Jamaal Pritchett caught four of seven targets for 54 yards and returned three punts for 63 yards. Meanwhile, incumbent return specialist Xavier Gipson has been dealing with a shoulder injury, and 2024 third-round pick Malachi Corley finished without a reception on two targets. 
• WRs Garrett Wilson, Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson all rested, after working as the top three wideouts (in that order) with New York's first-string offense in the previous preseason games.
  • Rookie fourth-round pick Arian Smith is presumably safe for a roster spot but won't necessarily have a Week 1 role, leaving a slew of other players to compete for what likely will be two spots (Nos. 5/6). It doesn't look good for Corley, notably.
• Rookie second-round pick Mason Taylor was the only healthy tight end that didn't play, after starting and taking most of the first-team snaps the week before. He's on track for the Week 1 start, and possibly even an every-down role, if only because Gang Green's main alternatives are Jeremy Ruckert and Stone Smartt.

Vikings (13) @ Titans (23)

Vikings

• The Vikings didn't play anyone of interest, except arguably WR Lucky Jackson, who is seemingly competing for the No. 4 receiver job (which could mean making a Week 1 start). Of course, Minnesota is also trying to trade for Adam Thielen, reportedly, and might go after a different WR if things don't work out with Carolina.
• Undrafted rookie quarterback Max Brosmer completed 15 of 23 passes for 161 yards and a TD, making a case to stick around as Minnesota's No. 3 QB after a strong preseason. He might even challenge Sam Howell, who was held out Friday but struggled in the previous exhibition.

Titans

• QB Cam Ward started for a third straight week, playing with a mix of first- and second-stringers. RB Tony Pollard and WR Calvin Ridley both sat for a second straight week, after playing in the preseason opener.
  • Five of Ward's first six drives this preseason ended with punts, even though he mostly looked sharp (Van Jefferson had a couple drops, and penalties were a recurring theme as well). He finished on a high note, leading a 13-play, 90-yard TD march on his seventh and final drive of the preseason, albeit against third-stringers and practice-squad guys on Minnesota's defense.
• RB Julius Chestnut got the start and shared snaps with Kalel Mullings for the first two drives. Chestnut took five carries for 26 yards and a TD, with his final carry being a one-year scoring plunge on Ward's final snap.
  • Mullings, a sixth-round pick, continued playing after Ward and Chestnut were done, but the rookie then left early with a lower-body injury. The Titans already have Tyjae Spears questionable for Week 1 due to a high-ankle sprain, potentially opening up some snaps and touches for Chestnut early on.
    • Spears was still using a protective boot as of Friday.
• TE Chig Okonkwo started for a third straight week and played nearly every snap on the first few drives for a third straight week. TE Gunnar Helm was also technically a starter and got a lot of snaps alongside Okonkwo in multi-TE formations.
• WRs Van Jefferson and Elic Ayomanor were the starters, with Tyler Lockett coming on as the third/slot WR.
  • Lockett also worked with the starters in the preseason opener, before resting in the second game. He'll presumably be the slot specialist come Week 1.
  • Ayomanor caught all three of his targets for 25 yards, including two receptions on passes from Ward, giving him a 5-72-0 receiving line on nine targets this preseason (while playing with both the first- and second-string offenses). The rookie fourth-round pick has a chance to be a Week 1 starter over Jefferson...
  • Jefferson blew up for 3-102-1, but only one of the completions (for 17 yards) was from Ward, and it's not a great sign for a 29-year-old to be playing well into the second quarter of the final preseason game. Jefferson did work with the starters a lot this summer, and his strong showing Friday perhaps gives him one final argument for a top-three role (or at least a timeshare, rather than being outright supplanted by Ayomanor).
  • Fourth-round pick Chimere Dike had one catch for two yards, finishing the preseason with two receptions for eight yards on six targets. He'll be on the team but may not have a Week 1 role on offense, as he only got a couple snaps with the first-stringers Friday even though Ridley was held out. Kick returns might be his best chance at early touches.

Falcons (13) @ Cowboys (31)

Falcons

• The Falcons largely used players on the roster bubble or who won't make the team.
• Undrafted rookie Nick Nash, a favorite of some dynasty players, caught six of nine targets for 87 yards. He finished the preseason with 12 receptions for 136 yards on 20 targets, presumably earning a practice-squad spot, at the very least.
  • In terms of potentially having a Week 1 role, however, Casey Washington is the winner for Atlanta at wide receiver, having been rested the past two weeks. Washington could get snaps in the opener if Darnell Mooney (shoulder) isn't ready.
• RB Jashaun Corbin got the start and took 11 carries for 51 yards, with Elijah Dotson adding 12 carries for 74 yards, while Nathan Carter took just four totes for 10 yards. All played deep into the second half, and there's no real hint of who will be the No. 3 RB to start the season (maybe someone not currently on the team?)

Cowboys

• The Cowboys held out starters and key backups, but they did play rookie RB Jaydon Blue, who returned from a foot injury and scored a TD but then left the game with an ankle injury. The replay didn't look great, but Blue downplayed his injury after the game.
  • Javonte Williams was rested again, while Miles Sanders was out with a shoulder injury. Williams is on track for the Week 1 start, but the extent of his workload is hard to project. Preseason signs are promising at least, with Williams being rested while Sanders seemingly lost ground and Blue missed time.
  • Blue took nine carries for 25 yards and a TD, with Mafah getting two carries for 16 yards and a TD. The Cowboys may keep both rookies, which would be bad news for Sanders.
• QB Joe Milton had a strong finish to an uneven preseason, throwing for one TD and rushing for another. Will Grier doesn't seem to have made a push for the No. 2 QB job, in any case.

Bears (29) @ Chiefs (27)

Bears

• QB Caleb Williams and most other healthy starters played, with Williams ultimately playing four drives after the first two ended in quick punts (the third went 61 yards for a FG, and the fourth went 78 yards for a TD).
• WRs DJ Moore, Rome Odunze and Olamide Zaccheaus again dominated first-team snaps, all playing through the end of the second quarter alongside Williams.
  • Odunze was the star, with 3-45-1 on five targets, while Moore caught his lone target for 14 yards and Zaccheaus put up 3-37-0 on three looks.
• TEs Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet rotated with the first-team offense again, also playing some snaps together. The overall split was slightly in Loveland's favor this week, after being closer to 50/50 last week. The rookie caught his lone target for four yards, while Kmet wasn't targeted.
  • Kmet got most of the snaps on the first two drives, both of which were short. Loveland then was the primary TE on the starters' last two drives, which were longer. I don't think anything from the preseason split allows us to know what the Week 1 workloads at tight end will look like. Nothing would really surprise me there, apart from one of the two being marginalized entirely. Given the uncertainty, Loveland is best paired with someone like David Njoku, who projects to get off to a fast start with Joe Flacco starting for the Browns in September.
• RB D'Andre Swift came out after the third drive, but he played 19 of 20 snaps before that, with seven carries for 28 yards and one catch for six yards.
  • Brittain Brown was the next RB into the game, but that doesn't mean much with Roschon Johnson (foot), Kyle Monangai (undisclosed) and Travis Homer (calf) all unavailable Friday night. Their absences may also explain why Swift so thoroughly dominated backfield work on the first three drives; he probably won't be a workhorse in the regular season.

Chiefs

• The Chiefs also used most of their top guys, including Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy.
  • Mahomes completed eight of 13 passes for 143 yards and a TD, with highlights including a 58-yard bomb to Tyquan Thornton, a 20-yard connection with Kelce and a four-yard TD to rice on a fade route.
  • Kelce was the only player with more than two targets from Mahomes, although Rice had two targets (both caught) and also drew a DPI penalty to wipe out another would-be target.
• RB Isiah Pacheco got the start and the first carry, with Brashard Smith and Kareem Hunt both subbing in on the opening drive. Hunt took a carry from the 3-yard line, which set up Pacheco for a two-yard TD on the next play. Hunt then handled most of the second drive, but Pacheco continued playing on the third series and had a 13-yard run to set up Rice's TD.
  • Neither Pacheco nor Hunt played with the second-stringers. Brashard Smith was next into the game, followed by Elijah Mitchell in the third quarter.
  • Pacheco finished with 3-21-1 rushing, and Hunt added 3-15-0.
  • Smith's usage early in the game, and overall lack of playing time, suggests he's on track for a roster spot, which likely leaves one final job up for grabs between Mitchell and Carson Steele. KC beat reporters seem to view Steele as the favorite.
• WR Jalen Royals (knee) didn't play, nor did Hollywood Brown. The first-team WR snaps mostly went to Rice, Worthy and JuJu Smith-Schuster, but Thornton made an impact on his limited snaps as well.

Ravens (30) @ Commanders (3)

Ravens

• The Ravens held out projected starters and a lot of backups, including RBs Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell.
• Sixth-round pick Lahjontay Wester got the start and caught both of his targets for 28 yards early in the game. He seemingly locked up a roster spot earlier this preseason with a punt-return TD, but it doesn't hurt to show well on offense too.
• RB Rasheen Ali, a 2024 fifth-round pick, put up 7-32-1 rushing and 3-13-0 receiving, while veteran D'Ernest Johnson also scored a TD. The Ravens may only keep three running backs, in any case, but one of the two should get a spot on the practice squad.

Commanders

• The Commanders rested a ton of players, including  RBs Austin Ekeler and Jacory Croskey-Merritt, but not Chris Rodriguez, who responded with five carries for 34 yards on the opening drive before handing things over to Jeremy McNichols.
  • Resting is a great sign for Croskey-Merritt, one day after the Brian Robinson trade, but I think Rodriguez will also have a role. McNichols may also be in the mix, depending on who you ask, but I don't think he'll play much unless Ekeler misses time (and he may not even have a spot on the Week 1 roster.
• TEs Zach Ertz and John Bates were rested, while Ben Sinnott played
• Rookie WR Jaylin Lane rested, while Luke McCaffrey, K.J. Osborn and others played. That's a good sign for the  fourth-round pick, who might even have a sizable Week 1 role if things don't work out for Terry McLaurin (contract) and/or Noah Brown (undisclosed injury). Lane has 4.34 speed, with the main knock being his modest production in lousy Virginia Tech passing games the past two years.

Colts (41) @ Bengals (14)

Colts

• The Colts rested their projected starters and some backups, including QB Anthony Richardson.
• RB DJ Giddens started and took six carries for 22 yards over the first two drives, before handing things over to some guy named Ulysses Bentley.
  • Giddens was second through the rotation the week before, behind only Jonathan Taylor, and ahead of Tyler Goodson, who then left early with a shoulder injury. (Khalil Herbert was out with an undisclosed injury.)
  • Goodson and Herbert didn't play Saturday, but they weren't necessarily rested — both are dealing with injuries. Giddens has a good shot at the No. 2 RB role and handcuff status.
• WR Adonai Mitchell played, but was outproduced by Anthony Gould and Laquon Treadwell. The week before, Mitchell had penalties that wiped out two long gains, including one by Gould, who seems to be making a late charger for a backup role.
  • I don't think the Colts would cut Mitchell, at least not yet, but he's seemingly lost ground compared to the other backups this spring, rather than challenging Alec Pierce for a starting job the way some had hoped. Mitchell can be dropped in shallow dynasty leagues and is ranked well outside the Top 200 for redraft.

Bengals

• The Bengals rested projected starters and some key backups, after giving most of those guys a bunch of snaps in the first two preseason games.
• RBs Chase Brown, Samaje Perine and Tahj Brooks all were rested.
• WR Jermaine Burton caught one of four targets for 16 yards and suffered a knee injury on a punt return. His presence on the field Saturday suggests he won't have much of a role on offense Week 1 against Cleveland, even if his knee is fine.

Rams (17) @ Browns (19)

Rams

• The Rams rested starters and key backups. The noteworthy thing here is that RB Blake Corum was rested while Jarquez Hunter played — and that's after Corum was first through the rotation (ahead of Hunter) in the first two preseason games.
  • It looks like Corum, a 2024 third-round pick, has successfully defended his RB2 role against Hunter, a 2025 fourth-rounder, at least for now.
• TE Terrance Ferguson, a rookie second-round pick, made his preseason debut and caught two passes for 48 yards in the first half. He reportedly was dealing with a groin injury earlier this preseason, not being rested.
• WRs Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington both were rested for a third straight week. There hasn't been much intel this summer on which guy is ahead for the No. 3 receiver job. I'm a fan of Whittington, but could see how they prefer Atwell's speed alongside big bodies Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
  • WR Konata Mumpfield, a seventh-round rookie, was also held out. He's had some camp/preseason hype and appears locked into a roster spot, though likely just as the fifth/sixth receiver.

Browns

• The Browns played their healthy starters, including QB Joe Flacco.
• RB Dylan Sampson started over Jerome Ford, but they shared snaps for two drives before handing things over to Pierre Strong for the third and final series with the first-string offense.
  • Sampson had two carries for three yards and a catch for 14 yards, with Ford taking two carries for 14 yards and two catches for five yards. Ford's second catch was on the first snap of the third drives, after which Strong came in.
    • Sampson made a nice play on his catch, breaking a tackle to convert a third down (a situation where we might've expected Ford to be on the field... granted, it's the preseason and the Browns may just be testing Sampson).
• TEs David Njoku and Harold Fannin both got a bunch of first-team snaps, with Njoku coming out a few plays before other starters but taking most of the snaps before that. Fannin also took over half of the first-team snaps, and caught a 15-yard TD from Flacco in the process. Njoku and Fant each got two targets from Cleveland's starting QB.
  • I don't think Fannin will immediately steal enough routes/snaps to prevent Njoku from being a solid fantasy starter, but it could become an issue, especially if the QB situation deteriorates and they end up with someone like Dillon Gabriel instead of Flacco.
    • Note that Fannin and Sampson both were rested along with starters earlier this preseason. All signs point to both having Week 1 roles, and possibly even being nominal starters (even if they're not full-time players, or close to it).
• WR Jerry Jeudy started but came out after one drive, leaving Isaiah Bond and Diontae Johnson as the WRs at the beginning of the second drive. (Cedric Tillman is out with a minor injury). Johnson is on the roster bubble. 
  • A slew of WRs got snaps with the starters, including Jeudy, Johnson, Bond, Jamari Thrash, undrafted rookie Gage Larvadain and Kaden Davis. Things look wide open behind Jeudy, with Tillman a favorite for the No. 2 job and Thrash perhaps a slight favorite to start the year as the third/slot WR.
  • Bond, if you're not familiar, is the one-time top prospect who went undrafted after a disappointing finish to his college career and a domestic-violence allegation. After charges were dropped, the Browns signed Bond to a contract that's in line with rookies drafted on Day 2.
• Starting center Ethan Pocic left early with a knee injury. 
  • O-line injuries have been a theme for Cleveland in recent years, leaving the team with poor blocking even though they have highly regarded veterans on the roster.
• QB Shedeur Sanders played the first five drives of the second half, going third through the rotation after Flacco and Dillon Gabriel (12-of-19 for 129 yards and a TD). Sanders' five drives featured a grand total of one first down, all ending in punts.
  • Kenny Pickett (hamstring) didn't play. It's still unclear how Cleveland's depth chart shakes out beyond Flacco — a sentiment Stefanski reflected after Saturday's exhibition, saying he's "just not there" when asked about naming a backup QB for Week 1. It does seem Pickett is an option, having returned to limited practice participation last week.

Texans (26) @ Lions (7)

Texans

• The Texans rested veteran starters, including RB Nick Chubb, while Dameon Pierce got the start in his first appearance of the preseason (after missing most of camp with a quad injury).
  • Pierce started and got all seven carries in the first quarter, gaining just 17 yards. He didn't get any touches after that, with rookie Woody Marks coming in and scoring a nine-yard TD shortly thereafter. Marks and Dare Ogunbowale both got playing time throughout the second quarter, with Jawhar Jordan and deep reserves taking over after halftime.
    • Assuming Joe Mixon (foot) isn't ready, I think the Texans will keep Chubb, Marks, Pierce and Ogunbowale, although the last two aren't locks. Chubb is the favorite to be the Week 1 starter, although it won't necessarily be a great role for fantasy, and Pierce might ultimately still prove more explosive than late-stage Chubb.
• WRs Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel and Xavier Hutchinson all played. They're competing for snaps alongside Nico Collins and Christian Kirk, who were rested. It'll likely be Higgins getting most of those snaps at some point, if not immediately, while Noel is more likely to step up later on if Kirk misses time or struggles in the slot.
• TEs Dalton Schultz and Cade Stover both were rested, after splitting snaps with the first-string offense the week before. A timeshare is possible to start the season, making Stover a smart add in deep dynasty leagues or TE-premium formats. Schultz should only be started Week 1 in truly desperate situations, given his lack of production last year in a full-time role. The possibility of Stover replacing him gives Schultz a low floor to go with his low ceiling.

Lions

• The Lions rested projected starters and many veteran backups.
• WR Isaac TeSlaa scored his third TD of the preseason, striking from 33 yards out on a go route. He hasn't even had to show much from a route-running standpoint this preseason, instead jumping over and running by opponents.
  • I dismissed him as a reach in the third round due to modest college production and already being 23 years old, but I'm rethinking it after seeing how easy it was for TeSlaa to beat up on backups this preseason. The rookie could push Tim Patrick and/or Kalif Raymond for WR snaps soon, if that isn't already happening.

Broncos (28) @ Saints (19)

Broncos

• The Broncos used their starters and played most of them into the second quarter, including QB Bo Nix and WRs Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims.
  • Denver opened in a three-wide formation with Sutton, Mims, Troy Franklin, RB RJ Harvey and TE Adam Trautman. FB Adam Prentice replaced Franklin for the second snap, with Franklin and Evan Engram then coming on for third down.
• Mims was a full-time player with the first-team offense for a second straight preseason game, rather than subbing in and out the way he did last year when his production surged.
  • That doesn't mean he'll be an every-down guy in the regular season, but between this and the Devaughn Vele trade, things are looking up for Mims' projected playing time. It looks like he's the No. 2 receiver and Franklin the No. 3, with rookie Pat Bryant as the No. 4. 
    • Reports from camp/preseason had Bryant mostly working as Sutton's backup, in the X role, but the rookie might also take snaps from Mims/Franklin.
    • Trent Sherfield could also have a small role. He got a handful of snaps with the starters Saturday, and he's a veteran with a reputation as a smart, tough player and good blocker.
• Sutton caught four of seven targets for 83 yards and a TD, accounting for three-fourths of Nix's passing yards. Mims, on the other hand, wasn't targeted, finishing with just one carry for no gain despite playing a lot of first-team snaps (Mims was also quiet the week before, and finishes the preseason with one target).
• RB RJ Harvey started and took the first carry, while J.K. Dobbins was rested. 
  • Harvey got most of the snaps on the first two drives, taking four touches for five yards, with Tyler Badie subbing in some for passing situations (mostly third downs).
  • Harvey got more first-team work than Dobbins in the preseason game they both played, but I'd caution against making assumptions about their Week 1 roles, even if I agree that Harvey is ultimately likely to be the lead runner. This is another one where nothing would really surprise me — Dobbins leading, Harvey leading, 50/50 — except for one guy being totally unused.
    • Also keep in mind that Sean Payton likes to use a lot of different players and personnel packages, which can mean lighter-than-normal workloads for nominal starters and/or a hyper-specific roles for someone like Badie/McLaughlin.
• RB Audric Estime made his case for a depth role, taking eight carries for 45 yards and a TD, although Badie (eight touches for 45 yards) was the one who mixed in with the first-team offense on third downs.
  • Jaleel McLaughlin was away from the team due to the birth of his baby. I'm not sure how the final spot or two at RB shakes out between McLaughlin, Badie and Estime. Saturday's usage for Badie doesn't mean much with both McLaughlin and Dobbins absent.

Saints

• QB Spencer Rattler started and led the Saints to a pair of long field goals on three drives, completing five of eight passes for 43 yards, with one sack and one rush attempt (an unsuccessful fourth-down QB sneak on his final snap).
  • Tyler Shough completed 12 of 20 passes for 102 yards, with two carries for 20 yards and a TD, but the rookie also lost a fumble. 
  • The QB battle had no clear winner this preseason, but reports out of camp hint at Rattler being the Week 1 starter. Either way, Shough will make starts this year... ready or not.
• WRs Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed each accounted for three of Rattler's targets. Brandin Cooks was the No. 3 WR, while Devaughn Vele didn't get to face his old team just a few days after being traded. Vele may replace Cooks soon enough, but not necessarily for Week 1.
• With RB Alvin Kamara rested, Kendre Miller got the start and took all three RB touches on the first two drives, before Clyde Edwards-Helaire came in for Rattler's third and final series.
  • Miller took three carries for 15 yards, and saw one incomplete target.
• Rookie RB Devin Neal came in with Shough for the fourth drive, making his first preseason appearance after missing time with a hamstring injury. Neal finished with five carries for 20 yards. He should have a roster spot but might be a healthy scratch for Week 1.

Seahawks (7) @ Packers (20)

Seahawks

• The Seahawks rested starters and some veteran backups, which means it probably wasn't a great sign for WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling that he was playing (and stayed in deep into the second quarter... although he at least had something to show for it with 3-33-0 on three targets).
  • Rookie fifth-round pick Tory Horton reportedly didn't take long in camp to start stealing first-team work from MVS. Horton is currently sidelined with an ankle injury, but it isn't thought to be serious, so he could still be the No. 3 receiver in Week 1.
    • Valdes-Scantling's one-year, $4 million contract has $3 million guaranteed. That's a lot to be cut, but the Seahawks seem to like Dareke Young and Jake Bobo (concussion), possibly leaving MVS as a fifth/sixth receiver who doesn't help on special teams. Then again, Young and Bobo also played Saturday, and both were quiet after putting up numbers the previous week.
• RB George Holani was rested, which is the latest hint he's on track to replace Kenny McIntosh (IR - knee) as the No. 3 RB, although the Seahawks will also try to keep seventh-round pick Damien Martinez around on the practice squad, if nothing else.
  • Martinez started Saturday and played well into the second half, with Jacardia Wright subbing in some and breaking free for a 61-yard run.

Packers

• The Packers played a lot of starters, including RB Josh Jacobs, who took one carry for five yards before handing things over to Chris Brooks.
  • Brooks took four carries for 15 yards on the second drive, with Emanuel Wilson then coming in and taking four carries for 11 yards (it was a 14-play, 96-yard drive). Wilson continued playing deep into the second quarter, finishing with eight carries for 38 yards. I'm not sure it means anything; Wilson has generally been ahead of Brooks, including for nearly all of last season. (MarShawn Lloyd is out with a hamstring injury and unlikely to be ready for Week 1.)
• QB Jordan Love (thumb), WR Jayden Reed (foot) and WR Dontayvion Wicks (calf) didn't play. Neither did Christian Watson, who presumably will be out for the first four games but apparently is making good progress and is expected to contribute by mid-season.
• Rookie WR Matthew Golden made a 39-yard contested catch — not necessarily his strength — on Green Bay's second drive. He failed to make a difficult catch on his other target.
  • Romeo Doubs, unsurprisingly, was the other regular WR for the first-team offense, with Malik Heath coming on as the No. 3. Doubs' lone target was a one-yard TD on Malik Willis' final pass attempt.

Jaguars (6) @ Dolphins (14)

Jaguars

• The Jaguars rested anyone we'd care about, including RBs Tank Bigsby, Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten and WRs Brian Thomas, Travis Hunter, Dyami Brown and Parker Washington.
  • RB LeQuint Allen wasn't on the list of players held out but didn't end up playing, which hints at the Jags keeping him around as their fourth RB (or trading Etienne/Bigsby).

Dolphins

• Miami used a lot of starters but didn't have De'Von Achane (calf), Jaylen Wright (leg), Tyreek Hill (oblique) or Darren Waller (conditioning) on Saturday.
• RB Ollie Gordon started and took every snap on QB Tua Tagovailoa's three drives, and then played one series with the backups. Gordon had eight carries for 43 yards and one incomplete target, after taking 12 touches for 59 yards the week before.
  • It looks like the one-time Heisman candidate will get Week 1 carries, if only off the bench behind Achane. Coach Mike McDaniel said Saturday that he expects Achane back in practice soon, whereas Wright is considered week-to-week.
• WRs Jaylen Waddle, Malik Washington, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Dee Eskridge all got a bunch of first-team snaps, with Washington putting up 3-41-1 on three targets thanks to some nifty work after the catch.
  • Washington may not get a ton of targets (or snaps) when everyone is healthy, but he could end up doing something like the slot-receiver version of last year's Jonnu Smith Act, drawing a lot of quick targets and piling up YAC if all else goes wrong for Miami's offense. All it took for Smith was Miami's downfield game not working and Hill being banged up. Washington probably also needs Hill or Waddle to miss time in order to achieve mainstream, redraft fantasy value. For dynasty, Washington is a great end-of-bench stash, with an argument similar to the one I've made on behalf of Jordan Whittington (YAC skills + right playcaller for the skillset + declining WR on team).

Bills (23) @ Buccaneers (19)

Bills

• The Bills held out starters and veteran backups.
• WR Elijah Moore started and played deep into the first half, catching three of four targets for eight yards. He's in danger of being released.

Buccaneers

• The Bucs rested starters but did play Sean Tucker, who took four touches for three yards and then called it a night.
• Rookie wideout Tez Johnson caught each of his eight targets for 58 yards and a touchdown, all in the first half. 
  • He caught four of seven targets for 24 yards the week before, and also saw work as a punt returner. He'll likely be on the Week 1 roster, and might even get a few snaps given Tampa Bay's WR injuries.

Chargers (23) @ 49ers (30)

Chargers

• The Chargers rested starters and key backups. The most interesting guys to play were QB Trey Lance, WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Oronde Gadsen, although Lance didn't produce any points on his three drives and KLS finished with just one incomplete target.
  • Gadsen, on the other hand, caught three of four targets for 46 yards and a touchdown. Playing deep into the game isn't a great sign for his Week 1 role, but we kind of already knew that, and his strong showing could give the coaches something to think about down the road when Tyler Conklin inevitably still isn't good.
  • Lambert-Smith also played well into the first half, alongside QB Taylor Heinicke in addition to Lance. While he may have done enough this summer to lock down a job, Lambert-Smith probably isn't in the mix for a significant role on offense Week 1, unless Quentin Johnston's concussion lingers.
• RB Kimani Vidal didn't play, while Hassan Haskins took a few snaps but no touches. I'm guessing the Chargers keep both around, even though they keep saying optimistic things about Najee Harris (who nonetheless remains in danger of being traded to Tampa Bay as the new mascot).

49ers

• The 49ers rested most of their clear starters but started a few notable names, including RB Isaac Guerendo (out with a shoulder injury the past two games) and WR Demarcus Robinson (suspended Weeks 1-3).
  • Guerendo got the start and the first four carries but ultimately managed just 14 yards on nine touches. He at least didn't play in the second half... silver linings?
  • Jeff Wilson started mixing in after Guerendo's fourth carry and ultimately put up 11-41-1 on the ground, playing well into the second half and splitting carries with Ke'Sahwn Vaughn. 
• WR Jacob Cowing will be out for at least six weeks with a hamstring tear. It won't be surprising if the 49ers end up putting him on season-long IR and have the 2024 fourth-round pick focus on getting right to compete for a job next year. He might've had a role early this season, if only due to the team's other WR injuries.
• K Jake Moody shanked an extra point. The 49ers sound committed to him, again, but it'll probably remain a chaotic experience — one they may bail on mid-season.

Raiders (10) @ Cardinals (20)

Raiders

• The Raiders played most of their healthy starters for one drive, spanning nine plays and 60 yards for a touchdown.
• RB Ashton Jeanty got the start and the first two carries, with Zamir White then subbing in for the final four carries of the drive (gaining 19 yards).
  • Jeanty got nearly all the first-team snaps the week before, ceding just one third-and-long to Raheem Mostert, who worked behind White in this one and seems to be on the roster bubble.
    • White took nine carries for 42 yards, with Mostert toting nine times for 32 yards.
• WRs Jakobi Meyers, D'Onte Thornton and Tre Tucker were on the field for every snap, while TE Brock Bowers only got a few plays. Michael Mayer took most of the snaps, even though the Raiders were in 11 personnel for every play.
  • I still don't think preseason usage/role matters at all for someone on Bowers' level. Sure, there's some chance his Week 1 route share disappoints, but I'd imagine that means something like 70-75 percent, not a complete disaster, and it probably wouldn't last throughout the season. There's just no way this Raiders team is good enough to avoid peppering a player like Bowers with targets. They'll be better than last year, no doubt, and especially in the run game, but they're still often projected to finish fourth in a tough division.
  • Thornton had a 17-yard TD catch from Geno Smith and then a nine-yard grab while running with the backups. Thornton was a constant presence with the first-string offense throughout camp and the preseason, seemingly setting him up for a starting job Week 1, although I still suspect he'll run a lot of clear-out routes and have too low of a target rate for much fantasy value. It's nonetheless a great sign for nearly any rookie to win a starting job so quickly. 
• Backup QB Aidan O'Connell suffered a fractured right wrist, ruling him out until at least October. Rookie sixth-round pick Cam Miller was the only other QB on the roster behind Smith, as of Sunday.

Cardinals

• The Cardinals held out starters and key backups. RB Michael Carter made one last case for a roster spot with five carries for 47 yards, or at least showed enough to win a job with another team after the Cardinals cut him (in favor of players that add more on special teams).
• RB Zonovan Knight (remember him?) had a 67-yard rushing TD. I don't think he was in the mix for a roster spot, but hey, nice run.

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