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NFL Preseason Week 1 Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from every game
By Nathan Jahnke
  • Tyler Allgeier and Jeremiyah Love split first-quarter carries: The Arizona Cardinals were one of a few teams to play their starters on Thursday night. Love got the first nod, but Allgeier also saw three carries on their first drive.
  • Injured running backs return to the lineup: Cam Skattebo and Quinshon Judkins were unable to finish their rookie seasons due to injury, but both have recovered enough that their teams were comfortable playing them in a preseason game.

Detroit Lions @ Cincinnati Bengals

Colbie Young plays with the starters: Young took two snaps on the first two drives in place of Tee Higgins while Joe Burrow was still playing.

The Bengals spent the last two seasons with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins as their top two receivers, with Andrei Iosivas joining them in three-receiver sets. The Bengals are one of the top teams in 11-personnel usage, leading to Iosivas playing over 75% of snaps each of the last two seasons. His snap rates have been helped by Higgins missing a few games each of the last two years.

Young was drafted in the fourth round, and appears to have already passed players like Mitch Tinsley on the depth chart. One of Young’s snaps with the starters was in 11 personnel, but he also took a snap in place of Higgins in 12 personnel, rather than Iosivas taking the 12 personnel snap. Often, when starters leave the game, key backups are included. The Bengals' top two running backs and top two tight ends left the game, but Iosivas kept playing with the backups.

This suggests Iosivas' job as the third wide receiver might not be secure. If Young plays well enough and Chase or Higgins suffers an injury, it’s possible that Young, instead of Iosivas, could be the player to pick up off the waiver wire.

The Detroit Lions reworked their wide receiver room: The Lions' backup wide receiver room looks very different from last season.

Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are locked in as the top two wide receivers on the Lions' depth chart, and they were both among the starters who didn’t play in this game. Last season, Isaac TeSlaa, Kalif Raymond, Tom Kennedy, Dominic Lovett and Jackson Meeks were the top backups. Raymond is now with the Chicago Bears, while free agent addition Greg Dortch was expected to take his place. The Lions added to that depth by adding veteran Cedrick Wilson in May after not adding to the room in the draft.

It was no surprise that TeSlaa was one of the primary receivers for this game, but Wilson appears to have overtaken all of the other backups, as he played all 15 snaps on the first three drives. Detroit used 11 personnel for all 15 snaps and deployed a rotation of Dortch and Meeks for the third spot. Both Wilson and Dortch stopped playing at the end of the first quarter, making it seem like their roster spots are secure. TeSlaa played on the first drive of the second quarter, which was odd considering he’s the favorite for the third spot, and two other receivers already stopped playing. Kennedy and Levett, who were two of the top backups last season, didn’t suit up until the middle of the second quarter, suggesting their roster spots are in jeopardy.

While TeSlaa is still the clear favorite for the third receiving spot, the fact that he played so much in this game while other starters didn’t suggests his role isn’t as locked in as it could be.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Detroit didn’t play most of its starters, including quarterback Jared Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams and tight ends Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright.
  • The Lions were without running back Isiah Pacheco with an MCL sprain, but he is expected to be ready for the start of the season. Projected third-string running back Sione Vaki suffered a broken nose and eye injury a week ago, which has held him out of practice.
  • The Bengals used running backs Chase Brown and Samaje Perine over the first two drives. Their usage was extremely similar to last season, with Brown playing more on early downs and Perine more on third downs. Brown took a third-and-short snap, and Perine received some time on early downs during a long drive. Neither of those exceptions was abnormal.
  • While Bengals tight end Erick All is expected to be ready for Week 1, he was held out for this game. All missed all of last season, but should see significant playing time, replacing Noah Fant as an early down tight end for Cincinnati.
  • Cam Grandy took All’s place in this game, with Drew Sample playing his usual early-down blocking role, and Mike Gesicki continuing his third-down role. It is very unlikely that Gesicki will see enough playing time to be fantasy-relevant this season if he wasn’t playing in early downs even with All out.

Green Bay Packers @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Matthew Golden plays in 12 personnel: Golden took both snaps out of 12 personnel with the starters over Jayden Reed.

Green Bay had a crowded receiver room when everyone was healthy last season, with Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks and Golden typically working outside. Reed has spent his entire career in the slot in 11 personnel, rarely taking snaps in other groupings. Doubs signed with the New England Patriots and Wicks was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Packers made no significant additions this offseason, instead letting Savion Williams and Bo Melton move up the depth chart. That led to speculation Reed could see more work in 12 personnel, or even start over Golden.

The starters played one drive and largely stuck with 11 personnel, with Watson and Golden outside and Reed in the slot. The Packers ran only two snaps of 12 personnel, and Reed was off the field for both. Williams took one snap with the first unit, replacing Watson in 11 personnel rather than appearing in the heavier grouping. That makes Reed unlikely to be the primary receiver in 12, which caps his ceiling, though it doesn't rule out more of those snaps than usual. Watson and Golden should both play more than they have in the past, but neither is likely to hold above 90% of the offensive snaps, which leaves Reed in position to be the first man off the bench for either.

Starting in 12 personnel helps Golden's fantasy ceiling. He is likely fourth in the target order behind Watson, Reed and tight end Tucker Kraft, but there is room to climb if he plays well.

Pat Freiermuth remains in a tight end rotation: Freiermuth played less than half of the offensive snaps with the starters, primarily playing in passing situations.

Freiermuth was a top-10 fantasy tight end as recently as 2024, but the emergence of Darnell Washington mixed with the addition of Jonnu Smith led Freiermuth to play 50.6% of snaps last season, culminating in a TE25 performance. Smith is no longer on the Steelers, and Pittsburgh didn’t make a significant addition to its tight end room. Reports suggested the Steelers wanted to make an effort to get Freiermuth more involved in the offense this season.

He and Washington played two drives with the starters, with Washington playing more on early downs, and Freiermuth more on third downs. Unlike last season, Pittsburgh has a fullback in fifth-round rookie Riley Nowakowski, leading to a notable decrease in 12 personnel usage relative to last season. Washington was used in a mix of run and pass situations, while Freiermuth was only on the field in more obvious passing situations.

While it’s possible for a tight end to become a fantasy starter in this kind of rotation, it typically needs to be in a better offense. While Freiermuth could be a bye-week replacement, it’s unlikely he has a significant bounce-back this season.

Germie Bernard makes a case for the third wide receiver spot: Bernard was the Steelers' primary source of offense throughout the first half.

D.K. Metcalf has been the top Steelers wide receiver since last season, while Pittsburgh traded for Michael Pittman Jr. to be the second option. When Bernard was drafted in the second round, it was generally expected he would win the third spot. Throughout training camp, third year receiver Roman Wilson has been playing ahead of Bernard.

Metcalf and Pittman have been missing practices due to injuries and didn’t play in this game. This means we didn’t find out which of Wilson and Bernard are currently ahead, as they were the two primary receivers. One hint that Bernard might be further in the pecking order is that he played more than twice as many snaps as Wilson out of the slot. Both Metcalf and Pittman have spent their careers as outside receivers, so it’s likely that Bernard or Wilson will play primarily out of the slot this season.

Bernard caught four passes for 51 yards, while Wilson only caught one pass for 7 yards, although they were catching passes from backup quarterbacks instead of Aaron Rodgers. The fact that both receivers played the entire first half after several starters exited the game suggests there is no clear winner at this point.

It’s unlikely the winner of this battle will have much fantasy value this season, unless injuries continue to impact Metcalf or Pittman. In that case, one of these receivers could finish second on the team in targets.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs is dealing with a groin injury, which will keep him out at least this week. Backup Chris Brooks recently returned from a hamstring injury, he was held out of this game.
  • MarShawn Lloyd started for Green Bay, took every snap on the first drive and played every snap on the second drive with the backups. While this doesn't mean much in terms of where he sits relative to Brooks on the depth chart, it was good to see him used on all three downs.
  • Packers backup tight end Luke Musgrave remains on the PUP list. While Tucker Kraft is no longer on the PUP list and he has been practicing, he was held out for this game.
  • Josh Whyle was the Packers' primary tight end on the first drive, only sitting out the first play in a run situation. He didn’t play with the backups, suggesting Green Bay views him as a key member of the offense. Reports suggest Whyle could be the second tight end on the depth chart, ahead of Musgrave.
  • Pittsburgh chose to sit quarterback Aaron Rodgers as well as running backs Rico Dowdle and Jaylen Warren, but most other healthy starters on offense and defense played.
  • 2025 third-round pick Kaleb Johnson didn’t receive his first offensive snap until the middle of the third quarter, playing well behind both Travis Homer and Lew Nichols, making it seem very unlikely Johnson makes the 53-man roster.

Indianapolis Colts @ New England Patriots

DeMario Douglas is locked into the third wide receiver spot: Douglas was among the starters who rested, while others ahead of him on the depth chart last season played.

The Patriots had a crowded wide receiver room last season, with Kayshon Boutte as the X receiver, Mack Hollins as the Z and Stefon Diggs in the slot, while Kyle Williams and Douglas were the top backups. New England released Diggs, signed Romeo Doubs in free agency and traded for A.J. Brown. In practice, Brown has been the primary X receiver, Doubs the Z and Douglas the slot. There has still been some rotation, including Boutte coming in at X, allowing Brown to move around.

While Boutte and Hollins were starters last season, they had to play with Williams and Efton Chism III among the backups in this game. This suggests that Douglas is the clear third wide receiver on the depth chart. Chism was consistently the slot receiver, while the other three rotated on the outside. Boutte remains the subject of trade rumors, and it’s likely that one of Boutte, Hollins or Williams won’t make the roster unless the Patriots keep seven wide receivers.

It will be difficult for any wide receiver in New England to have fantasy value this season outside of Brown, considering the depth at receiver and the likelihood that there will still be more rotation than most such rooms.

The Colts' wide receiver depth chart has a clear order: Ashton Dulin was among the Colts starters who didn’t play in this game.

Indianapolis’ wide receiver room has been straightforward in recent seasons, with Alec Pierce at X, Michael Pittman Jr. at Z and Josh Downs in the slot. Pittman was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, opening the door for Downs to play more snaps, but also for a third receiver to emerge in 11 personnel. Indianapolis didn’t make any significant additions to its wide receiver room, adding Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in free agency and Deion Burks in the seventh round of the draft.

The Colts rested their starters in this game, including both Downs and Dulin. This suggests Dulin might not be competing for playing time at this point. His primary competition was expected to be Laquon Treadwell and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Both Treadwell and Westbrook-Ikhine started this game, with Treadwell at X, Westbrook-Ikhine at Z and 2025 undrafted player Coleman Owen joining in the slot. Treadwell was taken out after one drive, while Westbrook-Ikhine kept playing for an additional two possessions, suggesting Treadwell is ahead of Westbrook-Ikhine.

There has been rampant speculation the Colts will add a free-agent wide receiver, with Keenan Allen at the top of the wish list. This game doesn’t rule out the possibility Indianapolis adds someone, but it also suggests the team is reasonably happy with Dulin and Treadwell.

Miscellaneous Notes

Arizona Cardinals @ Las Vegas Raiders

Jeremiyah Love makes his NFL debut: Love played 16 of 22 snaps over two drives.

Arizona drafted Love third overall but also signed free agent Tyler Allgeier in free agency. Allgeier was listed first on the unofficial depth chart, and head coach Mike LaFleur has made it clear he doesn’t want to overwork one running back, preferring to keep his backs fresh. This has led to some concern about whether Love would see as much playing time as a typical early first-round running back.

Love started this game, suggesting he is already ahead of Allgeier on the depth chart. He took each of the first six snaps before Allgeier replaced him and ran the ball on three straight plays. Love then returned to finish the first drive. Arizona took out most of its starters after the opening drive, but both running backs continued to play. Love dominated the snaps on the second drive, eight to three. Love continued playing for a third drive, while Allgeier’s day was done after two. Love played eight of 10 snaps on that drive, while Bam Knight played the other two.

The fact that Love started despite the unofficial depth chart was encouraging. He played 75% of the offensive snaps over the first three drives, which is on the high end of the typical snap-rate range for a starting running back. However, it would have been nice to see Love pulled from the game at the same time as Allgeier — or, better yet, at the same time as the other starters. For a coach who doesn’t want to overwork his running backs, giving Love 14 touches in a preseason game was surprising. It’s possible Allgeier cuts into Love’s playing time a little more in the regular season and Arizona simply wanted to give its rookie an extended first look at the NFL.

If anything, this game should help Love’s ADP rather than hurt it.

Michael Wilson played only seven of 11 snaps with the starters: Wilson played fewer snaps than free-agent addition Kendrick Bourne.

Wilson emerged as a breakout star last season, scoring six touchdowns over his final five games and recording two games with more than 140 receiving yards in the second half of the season. He has typically played the Z receiver role, but much of his breakout came at X receiver while Marvin Harrison Jr. was injured. Arizona strengthened its wide receiver room in the offseason by adding Bourne, who spent four seasons working with new Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur with the San Francisco 49ers.

Arizona played Harrison, Wilson and Bourne together for one drive before taking all three out of the game. Harrison lined up at X, Wilson at Z and Bourne in the slot. Surprisingly, Wilson played only seven snaps, with Jalen Brooks replacing him for four plays. However, it’s worth noting that Wilson caught a pass early, came out for one play shortly afterward and then made an 18-yard catch before taking a few running plays off. While Bourne played more snaps, all of his playing time came in 11 personnel.

While it would have been encouraging to see Wilson play X more frequently, his snap count in this game shouldn’t concern fantasy managers. It would become more noteworthy if Wilson continues to come off the field more often than he did last season.

The Raiders’ new wide receiver rotation: Las Vegas has a clear plan for its wide receiver rotation after making several changes at the position this offseason.

Las Vegas’ only constant at wide receiver last season was Tre Tucker in the Z role. Rookie Dont’e Thornton and Jack Bech split time at X, with neither able to secure the job. Jakobi Meyers served as the primary slot receiver until he was traded, after which veteran Tyler Lockett took over the role. Lockett was not re-signed this offseason, while Las Vegas added Jalen Nailor from the Minnesota Vikings.

Nailor took over as the X receiver for this game, while Bech moved into the slot. Thornton has been missing practice due to injury, but it appears unlikely that he will be among the starters. Bech was better suited to play at Z or in the slot coming out of college and was playing out of position at X last season, while Thornton’s natural fit was at X. Nailor and Tucker played in both two- and three-receiver sets and rotated in 13 personnel, while Bech was limited to 11 personnel.

While Brock Bowers is expected to lead the team in targets, either Nailor or Tucker could emerge as a fantasy-relevant option if the Raiders’ offense exceeds expectations.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Cardinals star tight end Trey McBride and Raiders star tight end Brock Bowers each played the first offensive snap for their respective teams before calling it a day. It’s not uncommon for star players to make a brief, one-snap appearance in a preseason game.
  • Arizona backup running backs James Conner and Trey Benson missed the Hall of Fame game, and both are still out with injury.
  • Rookie quarterback Carson Beck didn’t play in this game due to a rib injury.
  • Cardinals backup tight end Tip Reiman remains on the PUP list.
  • Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty played the first seven snaps of the game before his day ended, departing before the rest of the Raiders’ starters. The game didn’t reveal much about how frequently Mike Washington Jr. could rotate in during the regular season, but it did help confirm that Washington is the No. 2 running back on the depth chart.

Los Angeles Chargers @ Houston Texans

Good news and bad news for Oronde Gadsden: The Chargers tight end was active, while newcomers Charlie Kolar and David Njoku didn’t play.

Gadsden served as Los Angeles’ primary receiving tight end for most of last season, while some combination of Tucker Fisk, Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly handled early-down snaps. None of those three tight ends were retained this offseason, while Kolar and Njoku were added. The Chargers also brought in new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, who consistently utilized a three-man rotation as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. The general expectation is that Kolar and Njoku will play more on early downs, with Gadsden seeing more work in clear passing situations, but the rotation appears to remain fluid.

Ideally, Gadsden wouldn’t have played in this game if the Chargers already viewed him as an established starter. However, it’s worth noting that Los Angeles has only five tight ends on the roster, including two undrafted free agents, so it’s understandable that the team wanted three tight ends active for this game. Gadsden is also the youngest of the group and is likely to benefit most from the additional experience.

Notably, much of that needed experience comes as a run blocker. Gadsden was used primarily in passing situations, both during the regular season and in the preseason last year. He played on each of the Chargers’ first three drives in this game, marking the first time he has been used in all situations. Gadsden’s floor remains very low this season, as Los Angeles could settle on a two-man rotation featuring Kolar and Njoku. However, if Gadsden improves as a blocker, he could earn more playing time than he saw last season. Still, it will be difficult to draft Gadsden in most standard-sized leagues until there is some indication that he will play beyond clear passing situations during the regular season.

Kimani Vidal plays while Keaton Mitchell rests: While Mitchell and Vidal appeared to be in a competition for the second running back spot, Mitchell appears to be in second.

The Chargers leaned heavily on both Omarion Hampton and Vidal last season before adding Mitchell in free agency. Mitchell has been among my top sleepers because of his strong play with the Baltimore Ravens and his similarities to Mike McDaniel’s former running back, De’Von Achane.

The fact that Mitchell didn’t play while Vidal did suggests Vidal is a clear third on the depth chart. Unlike at tight end, where Los Angeles had only three players active, the Chargers had four healthy running backs and could have gone into the game with only three if they wanted to. Vidal played every snap on the first two drives before his day ended, earlier than several other players who started the game. While Vidal could see some work in clear passing situations this season, it seems unlikely that he will be a significant part of the rotation. Overall, this game was slightly encouraging for fantasy managers drafting Hampton or Mitchell.

Jaydin Higgins sits while Xavier Hutchinson plays: The two spent all of last season rotating as the Texans’ Z receiver.

Houston had a crowded wide receiver room last season, with Nico Collins at X, Higgins and Hutchinson at Z, and Christian Kirk and Jaylin Noel rotating in the slot. Higgins has been viewed as a breakout candidate this season, but for him to reach his potential, he needs to consistently hold down the Z role.

While it remains unclear how much Tank Dell could stand in the way of a Higgins breakout, Hutchinson may not pose as much of a threat. Hutchinson playing in this game suggests he is further down the depth chart than Higgins, and he also ran more routes from the slot than any other receiver on the first drive. There have been reports that Hutchinson could see more work in the slot, and his usage in this game lends some support to that possibility. The complication is that Houston used all three of its wide receivers in the slot on the opening drive, so Hutchinson doesn’t appear likely to play there exclusively.

It will be difficult for fantasy managers to go all-in on Higgins until there is more clarity on Dell’s role this season, but this game was a slight positive for the former second-round pick.

Miscellaneous Notes

Tennessee Titans @ San Francisco 49ers

Tyjae Spears out-snaps Tony Pollard: The running back rotation in this game suggests the Titans could be moving closer to a 50-50 split after two seasons of Pollard leading the backfield.

Pollard and Spears have shared the Titans’ backfield for the past two seasons. Last season, when both were healthy, Pollard played roughly 70% of the early-down snaps, while Spears handled roughly 80% of the third-down and two-minute-drill snaps. The two split short-yardage and goal-line situations. They remain the top two running backs on the depth chart this season, but they are now playing under a new coaching staff. New offensive coordinator Brian Daboll has typically utilized a running back rotation outside of his time with a healthy Saquon Barkley.

Pollard started this game and played six snaps on the first drive, while Spears played five. Spears then took all five snaps on the second drive before the two split the third drive with three snaps apiece. There was no clear early-down or third-down back like there has been in the past. Both running backs recorded four carries, with Spears breaking off a 25-yard run and Pollard scoring a touchdown.

Teams don’t always rotate their running backs the same way in the preseason as they do in the regular season, so Pollard could still lean more toward early-down work and Spears toward third downs. Still, the frequency with which they rotated — combined with both leaving the game at the same time — suggests this backfield could be much closer to a 50-50 split than it has been in past seasons. Spears’ consensus ADP is 92 picks later than Pollard’s, but based on this game, the gap between the two should be considerably smaller.

Carnell Tate takes the Z receiver role: Tate had been expected to serve as the Titans’ X receiver this season.

The Titans revamped their wide receiver room this offseason, drafting Tate with the fourth overall pick and adding Wan’Dale Robinson in free agency. Calvin Ridley is also back healthy, pushing Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike from starting roles into backup spots. The general expectation was that Tate would play X, Ridley would line up at Z and Robinson would operate out of the slot.

Robinson played in the slot as expected, but on the first drive, Ridley primarily lined up at X and Tate at Z. Ridley played only the first seven snaps before his day ended ahead of the other starters, with Ayomanor taking over at X for the remainder of the starters’ playing time. The starters played three drives in total, with Dike also mixing in exclusively in place of Tate at Z.

The amount that Ayomanor and Dike mixed in with the starters is somewhat concerning for the fantasy value of the Titans’ receivers. It was particularly notable for Robinson, who played exclusively in 11 personnel. All four other receivers logged multiple snaps in two-receiver sets. Robinson played in 12 personnel for most of last season, so he is expected to see a decline in routes this year. While Tate lining up at Z was somewhat surprising, it’s notable that Malik Nabers played the same role in the Giants’ offense when Brian Daboll was head coach. If that usage carries over to Tate, it could be a positive sign for his fantasy value.

Slow the hype on Gunnar Helm: The second-year tight end split playing time with Daniel Bellinger tonight.

Helm spent last season as a backup for the Titans, but his playing time increased as the season progressed. Tennessee didn’t re-sign Chig Okonkwo, suggesting Helm could emerge as the clear starter this season. However, the team signed Bellinger, who has spent his entire career playing under Brian Daboll.

The two shared the field in 12 personnel, but only for five plays. This appears to be an offense that will utilize 11 personnel more frequently than most teams. In 11 personnel, there was a general tendency for Helm to play in passing situations and Bellinger to handle more blocking work, but Helm was still on the field for only 64.3% of the Titans’ passing plays.

It’s possible for a tight end to be fantasy-relevant with that level of playing time, but it generally requires a high target rate and a productive offense. Helm hasn’t shown that he can consistently command targets at a high rate, and there are still questions surrounding the Titans’ offense. For now, Helm should be left undrafted in most redraft leagues.

De’Zhaun Stribling shines over three drives: Stribling caught seven passes for 63 yards on 15 routes.

The 49ers drafted Stribling in the second round, and there has been significant speculation about how he could be used this season. His most natural position appears to be at X, where Mike Evans is expected to play. The 49ers’ biggest need may be in the slot, so Stribling has also seen some practice time there. With Ricky Pearsall out for the season, there has also been some speculation that Stribling could play at Z, even after the addition of Deebo Samuel.

Most of San Francisco’s key players were out for this game, either due to injury or because the team elected to rest them. Even so, we received some indication of how Stribling could be used this season. He lined up in the slot on 14 plays compared to just eight out wide, suggesting his most direct path to playing time could be overtaking Demarcus Robinson and Christian Kirk for the slot role. When Stribling lined up out wide, he played more at Z than at X. However, he caught three passes for 47 yards on only five routes from an outside alignment, compared to four receptions for 14 yards on 10 routes from the slot.

This game was encouraging for Stribling simply because of how heavily he was featured. His usage could also be good news for Evans, who may not have to worry as much about Stribling cutting into his playing time this season.

Miscellaneous Notes

Denver Broncos @ Atlanta Falcons

Jahan Dotson is the Falcons’ second wide receiver: The former Philadelphia Eagles receiver played 100% of the snaps with the starters.

Eight different wide receivers drew a target for the Falcons last season, and only Drake London and backup Dylan Drummond remain on the roster. Atlanta replenished the position by signing Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency and drafting Zachariah Branch in the third round.

Reports throughout OTAs and training camp indicated that Dotson was the favorite for the No. 2 wide receiver job, and this game provided further evidence. He played every snap with the starters over two drives, lining up primarily at X. Zaccheaus joined him for every snap in 11 personnel, typically operating out of the slot. London played the first two snaps before exiting ahead of the other starters. Chris Blair replaced London, suggesting he could be London’s primary backup and a potential waiver-wire option if London misses time this season. Blair also has the most similar measurables to London among Atlanta’s other wide receivers.

Branch played one snap with the starters, joining Dotson in 12 personnel. He returned with the backups and primarily lined up in the slot. If Branch earns significant playing time during the regular season, it will most likely come at the expense of Zaccheaus. That leaves Dotson not only firmly in a starting role but also facing minimal competition for playing time.

Dotson hasn’t produced much over his NFL career, but his opportunity in Atlanta gives him a chance to put together his best season yet. He is worth a late-round pick in deeper leagues.

Jonah Coleman is already third on the depth chart: The fourth-round rookie was listed sixth on Denver’s unofficial depth chart.

Denver utilized a three-man running back rotation last season, with J.K. Dobbins handling the early-down work, RJ Harvey serving as the primary backup and Tyler Badie operating as the third-down back. All three remain on the roster, but Denver added Coleman in the fourth round to shake up the rotation. Unofficial depth charts can often be misleading, and the Broncos’ was particularly deceptive, with all of their rookies listed at the bottom.

The Broncos played three drives with their starting offensive line. Harvey handled all six snaps on the opening drive and the first five snaps of the second before his day ended. Coleman replaced him to finish the drive and then played all 11 snaps on the third. Jaleel McLaughlin became the primary running back from that point forward, with Badie mixing in.

This game offered little indication of how Denver will divide its backfield work during the regular season, but it did provide evidence that Coleman is already ahead of both McLaughlin and Badie. That was expected to happen at some point before the season, but seeing Coleman already occupy that spot in the pecking order is an encouraging sign.

Pat Bryant is ahead of Troy Franklin: The Broncos were without Jaylen Waddle and Marvin Mims Jr., but this game still provided some clarity on the wide receiver rotation.

Waddle hasn’t been practicing due to muscle tightness and didn’t play, while Mims has also been dealing with an undisclosed injury. That left Denver with a clear top three for this game in Courtland Sutton, Bryant and Franklin. The trio played together for the first two drives, taking all five snaps in 11 personnel. In 12 personnel, Sutton and Bryant were always the two wide receivers on the field, while Bryant and Franklin split snaps opposite Sutton in 21 personnel. Bryant frequently lined up in the slot, with Franklin and Sutton primarily playing outside.

While several starters remained in the game for Denver’s third drive, Sutton and Bryant were done for the night. Franklin continued playing alongside Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Cam Ross and Dane Key.

That usage suggests Bryant is ahead of Franklin on the depth chart and should see significant playing time in three-receiver sets alongside Sutton and Waddle. Sean Payton has historically utilized a deep wide receiver rotation, however, so Franklin should still have a role. There is also a chance Bryant cuts into Sutton’s playing time, as both are natural X receivers. The fact that Sutton and Bryant exited the game at the same time is at least an encouraging sign for Bryant’s standing in the offense.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Denver’s tight end rotation looked similar to last season, with Evan Engram seeing more work in passing situations and Adam Trautman handling more snaps on rushing plays. However, Engram played more frequently in 12 personnel over the first three drives than he did last season, an encouraging sign that his overall playing time could increase this year.
  • The Broncos’ preseason rotations under Sean Payton have often been poor indicators of how players will be used once the regular season begins. Last preseason, for example, J.K. Dobbins primarily handled third-down work before becoming an early-down back in the regular season. The same disconnect has shown up at wide receiver. Marvin Mims Jr. played 37 of 40 snaps with the starters last preseason, well ahead of Troy Franklin at 20 and Pat Bryant at two. Two years ago, Tim Patrick played 26 of 32 snaps with the starters, only to be released on cutdown day. Samaje Perine was used as the third-down and two-minute-drill back that preseason and was also released before the season.
  • While it was a small sample size of eight plays, it was reassuring to see Kyle Pitts play 100% of snaps with the starters, with Charlier Woerner only playing in 12 personnel.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New York Jets

Breece Hall handles an impressive workload: The Jets’ lead running back played 10 of 11 snaps on New York’s opening drive.

Head coach Aaron Glenn emphasized last offseason that the Jets wanted to utilize all three of their running backs. That approach was evident in the preseason, when Hall played only 16 of 28 snaps with the starters, as Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis rotated in. The committee carried over into the regular season, with Hall playing fewer than 60% of the offensive snaps in two of the first three games. However, a season-ending injury to Allen eventually opened the door for Hall to take on a larger role.

This offseason, New York appears more focused on making Hall the focal point of the running game. That was apparent on the first drive of this game, as Hall carried the ball four times over 11 plays and came off the field just once, on a third-and-long. More importantly, he remained on the field for two other third downs after not playing a single third-down snap with the starters last preseason.

Davis didn’t play because of a knee injury. He served as the Jets’ primary third-down back last season, but Hall’s usage in this game suggests he could handle more of that work this year. Hall enters the season as a high-end RB2 with a path to RB1 production if the Jets’ offense exceeds expectations.

Omar Cooper Jr. doesn’t play with the starters: New York’s rookie wide receiver appears to be fourth on the depth chart.

New York’s wide receiver room was in constant flux last season, particularly after Garrett Wilson suffered a season-ending injury. The Jets’ primary additions at the position this offseason were Cooper through the draft and veteran Tim Patrick in free agency. The Jets opened this game with Wilson and Adonai Mitchell as their top two wide receivers, which has been the expectation throughout OTAs and training camp. Mitchell was already worth a late-round pick before this game, and his usage on the opening drive further solidified his role.

Isaiah Williams served as New York’s slot receiver in 11 personnel. Williams has been a standout during training camp and is expected to maintain a role in the offense during the regular season. Wilson, Mitchell and Williams all left the game after the first drive. Cooper took over in the slot on the second drive, with Patrick and undrafted rookie Malik McClain lining up outside. Notably, Cooper remained on the field in 12 personnel.

Even if Cooper eventually overtakes Williams as the primary slot receiver, it will be difficult for him to earn enough playing time to become a reliable fantasy option. He remains a late-round possibility, but several wide receivers being drafted after him have clearer paths to significant playing time this season.

Don’t read into Sean Tucker’s extensive playing time: The Buccaneers rested nearly all of their fantasy-relevant players, with Tucker being a notable exception.

Tampa Bay rested its top two running backs, Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell. Tucker recorded 86 carries last season and saw significant work near the goal line, helping him score seven touchdowns. Given that role, his extensive playing time in this game might initially appear to be a negative sign for his involvement this season.

However, the Buccaneers have only five running backs on their roster. Every other team outside of Tampa Bay and the Las Vegas Raiders has at least six. Teams typically use at least four running backs over the course of a preseason game, but with Irving and Gainwell resting, Tampa Bay had only three available. That context helps explain why Tucker, despite entering his fourth season, was still on the field alongside undrafted rookies.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Jets starting quarterback Geno Smith did not play due to foot soreness, which was announced roughly an hour before the game. Smith had been expected to play before experiencing the soreness and would have suited up had it been a regular-season game, according to Mike Garafolo on NFL Network’s pregame show.
  • Mason Taylor, a second-round pick of the 2025 draft, served as the Jets’ primary tight end with the starters, sitting out just three plays. Two of those came in 12 personnel, with Jeremy Ruckert and Jelani Woods taking the field instead.
  • First-round rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq also didn’t play as he continues to recover from a hernia procedure in May. He took a step forward in his recovery this week, as he was spotted running on the side during practice.
  • Third-round rookie Ted Hurst III received significant playing time in the first half with five of the team’s other top six wide receivers sidelined. Hurst projects primarily as an X receiver and spent most of his snaps there, though he also saw considerable work in the slot.

Miami Dolphins @ Washington Commanders

The Dolphins have their wide receivers: Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington were the clear top two wide receivers with the starters.

Miami moved on from longtime wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle this offseason. Washington was the primary holdover, while the Dolphins added free agents Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell and drafted Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman. Two months ago, the competition appeared wide open.

Since then, Douglas and Washington have received the most praise throughout training camp. Miami’s starters played one long drive and utilized a variety of personnel groupings. Douglas and Washington played 100% of the snaps in 11, 12 and 21 personnel, while Douglas also played both snaps in 22 personnel. Washington’s usage was particularly noteworthy because he played 93.4% of Miami’s 11-personnel snaps last season but only 37.6% of the snaps in two-receiver sets, often competing with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Cedrick Wilson Jr. in those groupings.

It was surprising to see Jalen Reagor serve as the third wide receiver in 11 personnel. The former first-round pick spent his first two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before bouncing between three teams over the next three seasons, recording single-digit receptions each year. He spent part of last season on the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad and didn’t sign with Miami until June 2.

Tolbert and Atwell took over on the second drive, with Tahj Washington joining them in 11 personnel. Considering the opening drive lasted 16 plays, it would have been understandable for Miami to give Douglas or Washington a play or two off. Instead, both remained on the field throughout the drive, suggesting there is a sizable gap between them and the rest of the wide receiver room.

Both Douglas and Washington are worth late-round picks, as one of the two will likely lead Miami in targets this season.

Don’t give up hope on Greg Dulcich yet: Dulcich has been a popular late-round target, but his usage in this game initially appeared concerning.

Miami re-signed Dulcich to a $3.25 million deal this offseason while moving on from Darren Waller, Julian Hill and Tanner Conner. The Dolphins replaced them with Ben Sims and rookies Will Kacmarek and Seydou Traore. Dulcich played a part-time role last season, but his 2.31 yards per route run ranked third among tight ends. The turnover in the tight end room, combined with uncertainty at wide receiver entering the offseason, made Dulcich a prime sleeper candidate.

Dulcich played only eight of a possible 14 snaps with the starters, fewer than Kacmarek, but the raw snap count is less concerning once you look at how Miami deployed them. Dulcich was also wearing a red non-contact jersey last week because of a hand injury before returning to full practice this week.

More importantly, Dulcich played 100% of the snaps in 11 and 12 personnel, while Kacmarek played 100% of the snaps in 12, 21 and 22 personnel. Those roles continued after the starters left, with Cole Turner joining Kacmarek in 22 personnel. Because 21 and 22 personnel are typically more run-heavy groupings, Dulcich’s role should keep him on the field for a high percentage of Miami’s passing situations. The Dolphins experimented with a variety of personnel groupings and ran both pass and run plays from each with the starters, which likely made Dulcich’s overall snap rate look worse than it would under typical regular-season usage.

There are still reasons for concern. Miami’s wide receiver hierarchy appears more settled than it did earlier in the offseason, and there are rumors that Jonnu Smith could return to the Dolphins. Still, Dulcich’s usage in passing-oriented personnel groupings leaves a path for him to emerge as one of this season’s top sleeper tight ends.

Kaytron Allen plays ahead of Jerome Ford: Allen handled the early-down work, while the two split opportunities on third downs.

The Commanders made several changes to their running back room this offseason. They retained Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols, added free agents Rachaad White and Ford, and drafted Allen in the fifth round. Of those five backs, only Allen and Ford played in this game.

Allen played 100% of the first- and second-down snaps with the starters. Washington faced three third downs during that stretch, including one third-and-short when both running backs were on the field. Allen and Ford split the other two third-down snaps.

This usage suggests Ford could be on the outside looking in for a roster spot. White is expected to handle third-down work, while McNichols filled that role last season. Washington has little need for three backs who specialize in passing situations, potentially leaving Ford and McNichols competing for the fourth running back spot. Even if Ford makes the roster, his path to fantasy relevance appears limited, even if injuries strike elsewhere in the backfield.

Allen has a clearer path to playing time, although he will still need to compete with Croskey-Merritt and potentially White for early-down work. The buzz surrounding Allen has also quieted during training camp after he impressed during OTAs.

Early leaders emerge in the Commanders’ wide receiver battle: At least six wide receivers are competing for playing time behind Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs.

Washington has used mid-round picks in each of the past three drafts on receivers who can play in the slot, selecting Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane and Antonio Williams. The Commanders have also taken chances on several veteran receivers, including Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson. For most of the offseason, it appeared those six were competing for two open roles at Z and in the slot. The recent addition of Diggs, who can play both positions, has effectively reduced that competition to one open spot.

Washington opened the game with Brown at X, Burks at Z and McCaffrey in the slot in 11 personnel. None of the other three receivers played on the first two drives. That gives Burks and McCaffrey an early edge to join McLaurin and Diggs in three-receiver sets. Neither would carry much fantasy value while the starters are healthy, but either could emerge as a waiver-wire option if Diggs misses time. Brown appears to be the favorite to back up McLaurin, which makes sense given his experience at X. He would be the most logical pickup if McLaurin were to suffer an injury.

McCaffrey moved outside to X for his third drive, with Jefferson at Z and Lane in the slot. Williams appeared to be a favorite for a prominent role early in OTAs, but the buzz surrounding him has faded. He didn’t enter the game until later in the second quarter. There is still plenty of time for Williams to move up the depth chart, and he appears likely to make the roster, but his early-season playing time could be limited.

If Washington keeps six wide receivers, McLaurin, Diggs, McCaffrey, Burks, Williams and Brown currently appear to have the inside track. That could leave Jefferson and Lane on the outside looking in.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Ben Sinnott served as Washington’s primary tight end throughout the first half. There had been some speculation that Sinnott could also see time at fullback this season, but Washington consistently used only one player in the backfield during the first half.
  • Commanders backup running back Jeremy McNichols did not play due to a quad injury. He is competing for one of the backup running back spots on the roster.
  • Miami’s third-round rookie wide receiver Chris Bell remains on the non-football injury list as he recovers from the torn ACL he suffered last December at Louisville. Bell isn’t expected back anytime soon, and while he is expected to return at some point this season, Miami will likely ease him into action once he is cleared.

Minnesota Vikings @ New York Giants

Vikings have unexpected wide receiver usage: Tai Felton played ahead of Jauan Jennings, while Jordan Addison spent more time in the slot.

Last season, Justin Jefferson served as the Vikings’ X receiver, with Addison at Z and Jalen Nailor joining them in the slot in three-receiver sets. Nailor left for the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, leading Minnesota to eventually sign Jennings. While Jennings most recently played X for the San Francisco 49ers, he began his career in the slot, making him a logical candidate to replace Nailor there.

Jefferson had the day off, and Felton replaced him at X in both two- and three-receiver sets. The 2025 third-round pick caught only three passes as a rookie, so seeing him play ahead of Jennings was somewhat surprising. That doesn’t necessarily mean Felton is ahead of Jennings on the depth chart, as Felton continued playing with the backups while Jennings’ day was done. It does, however, suggest Felton is Jefferson’s direct backup, meaning Jennings might not see a significant increase in playing time if Jefferson misses time.

Minnesota spent most of its time in two-receiver sets, with Jennings joining Felton and Addison when the Vikings went to three receivers. Surprisingly, Addison moved into the slot more often than not, while Jennings lined up outside. Addison has averaged 1.19 yards per route run from the slot in his career compared to 1.66 out wide. Jennings has averaged 1.86 yards per route run from the slot over the past three seasons compared to 1.55 out wide. However, this came over a sample of only four plays, and the Vikings weren’t entirely consistent with their alignments during those snaps.

This will be a situation worth monitoring throughout the preseason, as a shift into less familiar roles could impact the fantasy production of both Addison and Jennings.

The Giants’ committee at running back: Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary all received work with the starters.

New York retained the same top three running backs from last season despite bringing in a new coaching staff. While many expected Skattebo to emerge as the clear lead back, head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy have long histories of utilizing committees at the position. That uncertainty was reflected on the Giants’ first unofficial depth chart, where both Skattebo and Tracy were listed as starters.

Skattebo started the game and played the first two snaps before Tracy took over on third down and remained on the field for the final four plays of the drive. Singletary opened the second drive with the starters, followed by Tracy and then Skattebo, with all three rotating heavily for the remainder of the drive. The one consistent trend was Skattebo coming off the field on third downs, but he still played only five of 12 early-down snaps.

Skattebo is returning from a season-ending injury, and a new coaching staff has reason to give all three backs opportunities during the preseason. There is still plenty of time for him to establish himself as the clear lead option on early downs. However, there is also a chance Skattebo won’t be fully back to form this season, and this rotation raises the possibility that none of the three backs will consistently play more than 50% of the offensive snaps. That uncertainty makes Skattebo difficult to justify at his current ADP, particularly when other players in the same range have more secure roles in their offenses.

The Giants’ wide receiver room is wide open: New York made several changes at wide receiver this offseason, but it remains unclear who will be in the starting lineup in Week 1.

New York retained Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton from last season but added free agents Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III early in the offseason, followed by Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster and Braxton Berrios later in the offseason. The Giants also drafted Malachi Fields in the third round.

The Giants were without Nabers (knee), Smith-Schuster (knee) and Jalin Hyatt (leg) for this game. Of those three, Nabers is the only one assured of a starting role when healthy.

New York used a consistent four-man rotation of Slayton, Fields, Mooney and Austin with the starters. Austin played exclusively in 11 personnel and typically lined up in the slot. The other three receivers all saw snaps at X, while Mooney also played five snaps from the slot. That leaves several possibilities once Nabers returns. Any of Slayton, Fields or Mooney could start at X, while Austin or Mooney could handle the slot role. If Nabers isn’t ready for Week 1, any of the four could also line up at Z.

All four receivers remained in the game for the third drive, when Beckham and Berrios began to mix in. That suggests Beckham and Berrios are no higher than sixth on the depth chart at this point. Smith-Schuster and Hyatt appear to face an uphill battle to make the roster, as their injuries have prevented them from competing for spots during the preseason.

Until the rotation becomes clearer, Nabers is the only Giants wide receiver worth drafting in most fantasy leagues.

Isaiah Likely’s troubling playing time: Likely played only six snaps with the starters, all in 11 personnel.

Likely spent the first four seasons of his career in a tight end rotation with the Baltimore Ravens — where Mark Andrews was typically the primary receiving tight end, and Charlie Kolar handled much of the blocking work. Likely followed John Harbaugh to the New York Giants, where he was expected to emerge as the primary tight end. However, New York retained Theo Johnson, its top receiving tight end from last season, as well as its top blocking tight end in Chris Manhertz.

The Giants ran 10 plays out of 11 personnel, with Likely playing six and Johnson playing four. All six of Likely’s snaps were pass plays, while three of Johnson’s four were runs. Johnson and Manhertz handled both snaps with two tight ends on the field, while Manhertz was the primary tight end in 21 personnel. That usage suggests Likely could remain in a rotation similar to the one he experienced in Baltimore, except he would now occupy the Andrews role, with Johnson filling something closer to Likely’s old role.

It’s worth noting that the Giants ran only one play out of 12 personnel, making it difficult to draw firm conclusions about Likely’s role in that grouping. New York also rotated heavily at running back and wide receiver, so plenty could change between now and the start of the regular season. One encouraging sign was that Likely’s day ended after two drives alongside several other starters, while Johnson and Manhertz remained in for the third. Still, this is a situation worth monitoring, and it would have been more encouraging to see Likely on the field more frequently with the starters.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Jaxson Dart exited the game for two plays after taking a big hit, but he was able to return to the game and complete the Giants’ second drive.
  • The Vikings rotated Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason every one or two plays, regardless of situation. We occasionally see this kind of rotation in the preseason, but rarely in regular-season practice. We can generally expect Jones to play more in passing situations and Mason more in rushing situations once the regular season starts, with this game giving us minimal indication how close to 50-50 that split will be.
  • Minnesota’s tight end rotation largely resembled last season, with T.J. Hockenson playing in 11 personnel, Josh Oliver playing in 21 personnel, and the two sharing the field for 12 personnel. There was one exception with Oliver playing in 11 personnel on a run play.

Los Angeles Rams @ Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs wide receiver depth chart takes shape: Kansas City appears to have a clear top five wide receivers, with players fighting for playing time.

Kansas City had five different wide receivers play between 350-650 snaps last season in Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Hollywood Brown and Tyquan Thornton. Smith-Schuster and Brown left for the NFC East in free agency. Kansas City is replacing them by expecting 2025 fourth-round pick Jalen Royals to be a part of the rotation as well as fifth-round rookie Cyrus Allen, who has received significant praise throughout training camp.

Rice and Worthy sat out this game, leading Kansas City to use Thornton and Royals on the outside, and Allen in the slot on its first drive. After the first possession, Kansas City subbed out some key players, including Thornton and tight end Noah Gray. It appears Kansas City is already comfortable with Allen in the slot, because after the first drive, he started playing specifically in 12 personnel on the outside to give him more experience in those situations. Royals continued to play with the backups, but only in 11 personnel. 2025 undrafted wideout Andrew Armstrong joined them on the outside, while Nikko Remigio played in the slot. Allen started seeing more playing time again in 11 personnel in the slot closer to the two-minute drill.

The Chiefs' wide receiver rotation was a little unique, as most teams will just play some players and then move on to players further down the depth chart. Of the three wide receivers who played in this game, Allen has the most upside. While it would have been nice to see him exit the game after one drive with the starters, it’s understandably rare for a fifth-round rookie to already be held in that high regard after one preseason game. It was good to see Kansas City use Allen in different roles on offense, suggesting the team could see him play multiple roles in the regular season. However, both Allen and Royals continued to play into the third quarter, which is longer than you would like to see for players who might have fantasy value this season.

An initial pecking order for the Kansas City backup running backs: Brashard Smith played with the starters, while Emari Demercado didn’t play until the fourth quarter.

Kansas City completely re-worked its running back room this offseason, adding Kenneth Walker and Demercado in free agency, drafting Emmett Johnson in the fifth round and retaining 2025 seventh-round pick Smith. Walker is undoubtedly the lead back who will see a high percentage of snaps. Chances are, there will be some plays, particularly in passing situations, where Walker will need a break. There is a question to who will be that receiving back, which all three other players could fill, as well as who would be the lead back if Walker suffers an injury.

It’s unlikely we will have a great answer heading into the season. Under Andy Reid, Kansas City has consistently played its running backs in all situations in the preseason, playing one player for some snaps and then moving on to the next. Smith and Johnson spent the first three quarters taking a drive or two at a time. Demercado was playing on special teams throughout the game, and didn’t see his first offensive snaps until the fourth quarter. This would suggest that Demercado is a distant fourth on the depth chart. However, he was listed on second on the unofficial depth chart, putting some doubt in the order of the running backs.

It’s worth noting we saw Isiah Pacheco high on the depth chart for a preseason game in his rookie season, and that didn’t play out until the middle of that year. Last year, Elijah Mitchell was high on the depth chart in the first week of the preseason, and Carson Steele was the primary backup to Pacheco in the second game.

None of these backup running backs should be drafted in most redraft leagues. Whoever has the most early down snaps outside of Walker in Week 1 could be a sneaky waiver wire pickup.

Xavier Smith could fall down the Rams depth chart: Smith was the one notable Rams skill player who played in this game.

The Rams largely kept the same skill players from last season. The only players who played a snap who are no longer on the roster are sixth-string wide receiver Tutu Atwell and fifth-string tight end Nick Vannett. Every other player who took a snap was among the Rams players who were resting, except for Smith.

Smith was rarely involved in the offense early in the season, or in their 13- or 12-personnel packages, but from Weeks 13-17, he played 63.1% of snaps in 11 personnel. Los Angeles drafted CJ Daniels in the sixth round, and Daniels joined Smith in the starting lineup for this game. This opens the door for Daniels to surpass Smith on the depth chart.

Anyone who rests for Los Angeles in the first week of the preseason typically rests for the other two games, with a few names joining that list as the preseason goes on. It will be interesting to see if Smith or Daniels join that list at some point this preseason, which would likely secure their spots on the roster.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • 2025 fourth-round running back Jarquez Hunter remains fourth on the depth chart, and he appears to be a distant fourth considering Rivers is among the players who didn’t need to play.
  • Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes didn’t play because the team is being cautious about his knee after tearing his ACL and LCL last season.
  • Running back Kenneth Walker only played on the first play of the game, and then his day was done.
  • The only skill player to not dress for this game due to injury was backup wide receiver Jimmy Holiday.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ New Orleans Saints

First look at the Jaguars' rookie tight ends: Nate Boerkircher and Tanner Koziol have already worked their way to second and third on the depth chart.

Brenton Strange was the Jaguars' starting tight end last season, but they had a few veteran backups in Johnny Mundt, Hunter Long and Quintin Morris, with none maintaining a consistent role. Jacksonville saw the success of the Los Angeles Rams using multiple tight end sets and wanted to replicate some of that, by adding Boerkircher and Koziol in the draft.

Boerkircher and Koziol were the only skill players in this game who are likely to see significant playing time this regular season. This gave us a look at how the Jaguars might use their tight ends in the regular season, particularly if Strange were to miss time due to injury.

The Jaguars ran seven plays out of 11 personnel, nine out of 12 personnel and one out of 13 personnel with the starters. The two rookies were joined by Hunter Long in 13 personnel. The two played most 12 personnel snaps together, with Long taking one snap from Koziol. In 11 personnel, Boerkircher played five snaps to two by Koziol. Koziol spent more time lining up in different positions, including one snap in the backfield, one out wide and three in the slot. Both tight ends continued to see playing time after Nick Mullens was done, with Koziol starting to see more opportunities.

We should expect Boerkircher to join Strange in 12 personnel in the regular season, but it’s unlikely he will have much fantasy value. If Strange suffers an injury, it will be debatable which of the two rookies has more fantasy value with this usage. Boerkircher would likely run more routes, but Koziol would see more targets per route.

Oscar Delp makes his Saints debut: New Orleans also added a rookie tight end, who could see value if there is an injury to Juwan Johnson.

The Saints similarly have a lead tight end in Juwan Johnson, but opted to make several changes to their backups. They added veteran Noah Fant and drafted Delp in the third round.

This led Delp and 2025 seventh-round pick Moliki Matavao to be the two tight ends for the Saints in this game. Over the first three drives, Delp played more in receiving situations and Matavao more in blocking scenarios, although this left a few passing plays where Delp was off the field. Delp spent a third of his snaps lined up in the slot, which is similar to the rate of Johnson last season.

This suggests Delp will be a direct backup to Johnson, while Fant will likely join Johnson in 12 personnel. It’s also possible Matavao or a different blocking tight end could take Johnson’s place in 12 personnel. Johnson will be turning 30 before the start of the season, and Johnson’s PFF grade has been 67.0 or less in each season of his career. There is an opportunity for Delp to take over as the lead receiving tight end if he plays well enough, but that is unlikely to happen in 2026.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Saints backup wide receiver Mason Tipton remains on the PUP list. Tipton is currently recovering from tibia surgery.
  • Fourth-round rookie wide receiver Bryce Lance was also among the players not playing. Typically, this would mean Lance is simply fourth on the depth chart and was among the key players not participating. However, healthy Day 3 rookies typically suit up in the first week of the preseason no matter how highly they are thought of.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Baltimore Ravens

Eli Stowers starts fourth on the depth chart: Stowers appears unlikely to make a significant impact as a rookie.

Philadelphia drafted Stowers in the second round with the expectation that he could become its tight end of the future. Dallas Goedert is 31 and restructured his contract this offseason, ensuring he will remain with the Eagles this year, but he is entering the final season of his deal. Ideally, Stowers would have positioned himself to contribute as a rookie before potentially taking on a larger role next season.

The buzz surrounding Stowers has been relatively negative since the draft, as he hasn’t made much of an impact during OTAs or training camp. He is known primarily as a receiving tight end, which makes his path to the No. 2 job more difficult because backup tight ends often need to contribute as run blockers. There is still room for Stowers as a receiving-oriented third tight end who could serve as Goedert’s backup, but he doesn’t appear to have secured that role yet.

Philadelphia rested Goedert for this game, along with Mundt, who has spent much of his career in a blocking role. Grant Calcaterra was also retained and played well ahead of Stowers. Calcaterra logged 12 of 13 snaps over the first four drives, compared to five for Stowers. Stowers replaced Calcaterra for one snap in 11 personnel, while Cameron Latu replaced Stowers for one snap in 12 personnel. Calcaterra’s day ended after that stretch, while Stowers continued playing into the second half.

There is still plenty of time for Stowers to move ahead of Calcaterra on the depth chart, but his dynasty value will continue to trend downward until he starts making more of an impact in training camp or preseason games.

Ravens wide receivers compete for playing time: Rookie Ja’Kobi Lane and Devontez Walker both received significant playing time in the first half.

Baltimore retained its top two wide receivers from last season in Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. The Ravens opted not to re-sign veterans DeAndre Hopkins or Tylan Wallace, opening the door for a new No. 3 receiver to emerge. Walker, a fourth-round pick in 2024, 2025 sixth-round pick LaJohntay Wester, and 2026 mid-round picks Lane and Elijah Sarratt have all been in contention. Walker and Lane were listed with the second team on the unofficial depth chart, while reports from training camp have suggested Lane has begun to separate himself.

With Flowers and Bateman out, Lane and Walker opened the game as Baltimore’s top two wide receivers, with Wester joining them in three-receiver sets. Lane primarily lined up at X, while Walker spent more time at Z. Although Tyler Huntley played only two drives, Baltimore kept the same three receivers on the field for each of its first four drives. Sarratt didn’t enter until the fifth drive, suggesting he is unlikely to have a significant role early in the season.

This game didn’t provide a definitive answer on Baltimore’s No. 3 receiver, but it did make clear that Lane and Walker are the primary contenders. Both caught three passes, with Lane adding a touchdown, while Wester was held without a reception. Ideally, Baltimore will play more of its starters later in the preseason, giving us a clearer indication of whether Lane or Walker has the edge for the third receiver job.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Second-string running back Tank Bigsby played three snaps on third-and-5 or longer with the starters, matching his total in those situations from the entire 2025 regular season.
  • Free-agent addition Hollywood Brown played on the first two drives before leaving ahead of the rest of the Eagles’ starters, providing further evidence that he is fourth on the wide receiver depth chart.
  • Backup running back Rasheen Ali and undrafted rookie wide receiver Octavian Smith were also sidelined by injuries.
  • While it may have been surprising to see rookie Josh Cuevas and Matthew Hibner still playing in the fourth quarter, they were the only two tight ends active. Baltimore has only four tight ends on its roster, with Andrews and Smythe both resting.

Dallas Cowboys @ Seattle Seahawks

Jaydon Blue appears locked into the backup running back role: Blue dominated the first-half snaps, suggesting the No. 2 job is his to lose.

When Blue was drafted in the fifth round last season, there was some thought that he could compete for the starting job with veteran free-agent additions Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. Instead, Blue began the season as a healthy inactive, with Williams and Sanders atop the depth chart and fullback Hunter Luepke capable of handling halfback duties in an emergency. Blue received opportunities after Sanders suffered a season-ending injury, but Malik Davis eventually emerged as the primary backup.

Dallas didn’t re-sign Sanders and largely kept the same group of backups, including 2025 seventh-round pick Phil Mafah, who missed nearly all of last season due to injury. Although Davis finished last season as the primary backup, the Cowboys have made it clear they want Blue to win the job. Blue played 20 of 26 snaps in the first half of this game, coming off the field only for stretches of longer drives when Mafah rotated in. Davis didn’t enter until the second half.

Williams remains the unquestioned starter, but Blue appears to have established himself as his primary handcuff. In deeper leagues where most backup running backs are rostered, Blue should be drafted. In typical redraft leagues, he is right on the fringe of being worth a pick in the final rounds.

Elijah Arroyo is closer to a breakout: Arroyo saw time in both 12 and 22 personnel with the starters in this game.

AJ Barner won the starting tight end job last season and remains firmly atop the depth chart, leaving Arroyo in a backup role. Seattle also retained its top three tight ends from last season, including blocking specialist Eric Saubert. Saubert’s presence has limited Arroyo’s opportunities, but Arroyo has consistently made plays throughout training camp.

Barner was among the starters who rested in this game, giving Arroyo opportunities in situations he typically wouldn’t see during the regular season. Saubert remained the primary tight end in 21 personnel and handled a few early-down snaps in 11 personnel, but Arroyo played in passing situations while also seeing significant work on running plays. The less encouraging sign was that Saubert exited after the first quarter, while Arroyo remained in the game throughout the second quarter in an every-down role.

It will be difficult for Arroyo to become fantasy-relevant as long as Barner is healthy, but this game provided a glimpse of the role Arroyo could inherit if Barner misses time. If that happens at any point this season, Arroyo would immediately become a priority waiver-wire target.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Backup tight end Luke Schoonmaker played each of Dallas’ first eight offensive snaps before exiting ahead of the rest of the Cowboys’ starters.
  • Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet remains on the PUP list after tearing his ACL in the divisional round of the playoffs. He is reportedly ahead of schedule in his recovery but is still expected to miss the start of the season.
  • Wide receiver Tory Horton has returned to practice after ending last season on injured reserve, but he didn’t play in this game.

Table Notes

• Snaps include plays called back due to penalties, such as offensive holding or defensive pass interference. The other three stats exclude these plays.

• Targets may differ from official NFL sources. The most likely discrepancy is a clear thrown-away pass, where the NFL may give the target to the nearest receiver, while this data will not.

• Carries are only on designed plays. Quarterback scrambles won’t count for the total number of carries in the game.

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