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NFL Preseason Week 2 Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from every game
By Nathan Jahnke

PFF's fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2026.

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Las Vegas Raiders @ Houston Texans

Tre Tucker is the Raiders' top receiver: Tucker was among the Raiders' wide receivers who didn’t play in this game, suggesting he is the top wideout on the pecking order.

Tucker was the Raiders' top wide receiver last season once the team traded Jakobi Meyers. He was their Z receiver, while Tyler Lockett played in the slot, and Dont’e Thornton Jr. and Jack Bech both played X. The Raiders shook up the wide receiver room, adding free agent Jalen Nailor as their X receiver, not re-signing Lockett and moving Bech to the slot, where many anticipated he would play when coming out of college. That is how Las Vegas used its three receivers in the first preseason game.

It was debatable which of the wide receivers was considered their top option, with Tucker having the earlier ADP on ESPN and Nailor having it on Yahoo!, and experts being divided on which wide receiver to rank higher. The fact that Tucker rested with the starters while Nailor played into the second quarter suggests that Tucker should be the top option, and the one ranked higher.

It was also notable that sixth-round rookie wide receiver Malik Benson took Tucker’s spot at Z, rather than Bech. Nailor left the game before the rest of the players who started this game, and when that happened, Bech started seeing more playing time outside. This suggests that even if Tucker were to suffer an injury, Bech wouldn’t see an increase in playing time. That will make it very difficult for Bech to find fantasy value this season. 

Thornton missed multiple practices with an undisclosed injury. He missed the first preseason game and was able to do some agility work early in the week. However, Benson has played well enough in training camp to suggest he might be ahead of Thornton on the depth chart at this point.

The Raiders signed veteran wide receiver Noah Brown this past week to add depth to the wide receiver room. He also primarily plays on the outside. Considering Tucker appears locked in as the Z receiver and Benson appears to be a player on the rise, Las Vegas made this move either because they it wasn't entirely happy with Nailor or with Bech. We could see Brown cutting into either player’s playing time at some point this season.

If you wanted to spend a late-round pick on a Raiders wide receiver, Tucker appears to be the clear option at this point.

The Texans adjust without Jayden Higgins: Their up-and-coming second-year wide receiver tore his ACL in practice and will miss the season.

Last season, Houston had Nico Collins as its X receiver, Higgins and Xavier Hutchinson in a rotation as the Z receiver and Christian Kirk in a rotation with Jaylin Noel in the slot. Houston allowed Kirk to leave in free agency, while Tank Dell, who tore his ACL, MCL and LCL in 2024, is expected to be ready to play sooner rather than later. Dell also primarily played the Z receiver role in the past, so Hutchinson was seeing more time in the slot, as was Higgins.

Houston was without most of its receivers for this game. Collins was among the starters who rested, while Dell is still being eased back into action. Noel returned to practice this week after missing nearly three weeks due to hamstring and finger injuries. Although he returned to practice, he was held out for this game. 

While Hutchinson was the only top-five wide receiver playing, it was worth noting he played on the outside for seven of his eight snaps, with his one snap out of the slot coming out of 12 personnel. Last week, there were four plays out of 11 personnel where Hutchinson was lined up in the slot. Justin Watson was the slot receiver with the starters in this game. C.J. Stroud was pulled after the first drive, as were Hutchinson and running back Woody Marks. Every other wide receiver outside of Hutchinson who played on the first drive carried on with the backups on the second drive.

This suggests Hutchinson was going to play more in the slot, but the injury to Higgins will likely return Hutchinson to his Z position. He will likely start there in Week 1, and will rotate with Dell throughout the season. This is good news for Noel once he’s healthy, as he might have the slot role to himself and not need to rotate with Higgins or Hutchinson. If he rotates with anyone, it will likely be Watson.

A wide open competition for the backup tight end spot: Houston heavily invested in the position this off-season.

Dalton Schultz has been the clear-cut lead tight end for Houston since 2023, and he suddenly becomes a top sleeper option with Higgins' injury. He was among the veterans who sat out this game. Houston struggled at the backup tight end position last year, with Brevin Jordan missing the season and Cade Stover being sidelined for half of the year. Houston brought in reinforcements this offseason with second-round rookie Marlin Klein and Foster Moreau.

Houston had a clear-cut rotation last week, with Klein as the lead tight end, with Moreau joining him in 12 personnel and taking three of the 11 snaps out of 11 personnel. Then Klein exited the game, and Stover took over on the third drive, leading to three possessions with Stover and Moreau splitting snaps. This suggested a clear hierarchy of Klein, Moreau and Stover.

This week, that pecking order was out the window. All three tight ends played on the first drive, with each receiving at least one snap in 11, 12 and 13 personnel. The three carried on throughout the first half, with Moreau being the most common tight end out of 11 personnel, and Stover as the most common in 12 personnel. It’s unclear if Jordan will complicate this situation given his injury.

The second tight end in Houston won’t have any fantasy value as long as Schultz is healthy. Unless one of these players emerges as the clear backup in passing situations, it’s unlikely one will carry fantasy value even if Schultz suffers an injury this season.

Miscellaneous Notes

San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Chargers

Oronde Gadsden II becomes undraftable: Gadsden did not receive a snap on the Chargers‘ first two drives.

Los Angeles added Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator and made significant changes to its tight end room. The Chargers added former Browns starting tight end David Njoku as well as Baltimore Ravens run-blocking tight end Charlie Kolar. They join Gadsden.

McDaniel consistently had a three-man tight end rotation in Miami, with players like Julian Hill as a blocker, Durham Smythe as a well-rounded tight end and names like Jonnu Smith, Mike Gesicki, Tanner Conner, Greg Dulcich and Darren Waller taking a receiving role at various times. Gadsden appeared like the tight end most similar to his receiving tight ends, which made it seem like he had the most fantasy value.

In the first preseason game, Kolar and Njoku rested with the starters, while Gadsden played with the rest of the backups. This week, the Chargers used Kolar and Njoku on two drives. They exited the game after those two series, with Gadsden starting to play on the third. On those two drives, Kolar took every snap in 11 personnel, the two shared the field on 12 personnel and Njoku played more than Kolar in 21 personnel.

There is at least a small possibility that Gadsden is still the primary receiving tight end on third downs and two-minute drills. There were three third downs on the first two drives, and they were all for 3 yards or fewer. It’s common enough for a team to use its heavy personnel in those situations. However, looking at the past few years, McDaniel has often kept the receiving tight end on the field in these situations.

This not only makes Gadsden not draftable, but it also makes it possible Kolar is a sleeper tight end. It could be hard to draft him without knowing how much Gadsden might play in obvious passing situations. However, this could be a two-man tight end room, with Njoku as the blocking tight end. In that case, Kolar could be in an excellent situation to have fantasy value.

Keaton Mitchell remains the RB2: Mitchell took every snap on the second and third drive before Kimani Vidal played his first offensive snap.

The Chargers had a strong one-two punch at running back last season in Omarion Hampton and Vidal when both running backs were healthy. Los Angeles added Mitchell in free agency on the suggestion of offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. Mitchell is the running back in the league most similar to De’Von Achane in terms of size and speed, and Achane was among the league’s top running backs in McDaniel’s offense.

It’s unclear exactly how snaps will be distributed between the running backs, but it’s becoming more likely this is a two-man rotation instead of three. In the first week of the preseason, Mitchell and Hampton both rested with the starters, while Vidal played. This week, Hampton started and played each of the three snaps. Ideally, we would have seen a longer drive to see how early in the drive Mitchell may have rotated in. It also could have been nice to see a third-and-long situation to see who was on the field, but we didn’t get a glimpse of that either.

Hampton was pulled after the first drive, along with Justin Herbert, Ladd McConkey and various other starters. Mitchell joined the game at this point and played in all situations, suggesting the Chargers are comfortable with Hampton in receiving situations more than the Baltimore Ravens were. Vidal didn’t join until the fourth drive, and continued to be the main running back for the rest of the half.

While it remains possible this is a three-man rotation, and Vidal is simply third in that order, we should expect Mitchell to see more snaps and touches than Vidal this season.

De’Zhaun Stribling pushes for a starting job: Stribling was a frequent target in the first half and is making a push for a top-three spot on the depth chart.

When San Francisco drafted Stribling, it was unclear where his easiest path to playing time was. San Francisco had Ricky Pearsall as its Z receiver, added Mike Evans in free agency to be the X and Christian Kirk in free agency to be the slot. Since then, Pearsall was placed on season-ending injured reserve, while Kirk hasn’t been able to play with a calf strain and seems unlikely to make the roster. In their place, Deebo Samuel was re-signed, and Demarcus Robinson has moved into the starting lineup.

Evans missed this game while dealing with tightness, leading to Samuel and Robinson being the starting receivers, with Stribling joining them in 11 personnel. While all three receivers netted some playing time in the slot, Stribling was lined up there more often than not. Both starting wide receivers also took a play off on the first drive. The 49ers took out some starters after the first possession, including Samuel, with Robinson and Stribling playing an additional drive. Stribling caught four passes for 46 yards over his two drives, while Robinson was held without a target.

Regardless of who the starters and who the backups are in 11 and 12 personnel, Stribling will see significant playing time in Week 1. Evans, Samuel and Robinson are all on the wrong side of 30 and will get rotated out at times. Given Evans' and Samuel’s injury history, they are likely to miss time this season. While Stribling might not make sense to have in Week 1 fantasy starting lineups, he should be drafted as he should be a significant contributor this season.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Kaelon Black missed the first preseason game with an adductor injury, but was back for this game. He was the clear starter with the first team for this game, and given his health, is now the slight favorite for the backup job.

  • George Kittle remains on the PUP list, but there is optimism he will be ready for the first week of the season. Jake Tonges was the lead receiving tight end for this game, and remains the tight end to add if Kittle misses any time due to injury.
  • Chargers wide receivers Quentin Johnston and Tre Harris both missed practice this week and didn’t play in this game. Brenen Thompson was notably the starter in this game over KeAndre Lambert-Smith, making it clear the rookie is ahead on the depth chart. However, Thompson went to the blue medical tent and then the locker room with an undisclosed injury.

PFF's fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2026.

New York Jets @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Cooper Jr. starts for the Jets: Cooper only played with the second team last week, suggesting he has moved up the depth chart.

The Jets drafted Cooper in the first round, but it has taken him some time to move up the depth chart. Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell appear set as the top two wide receivers, with Wilson playing Z and Mitchell playing X. Wilson has played every snap with the starters, while Mitchell has only missed two snaps, and only after making two nice catches.

Isaiah Williams has been ahead of Cooper in the slot. Last week, Williams played all of the 11 personnel snaps with the starters, and left the game at the same time as Wilson and Mitchell. Cooper entered after the starters left, and continued playing over the rest of the first half. This week, it was Cooper who played with the starters instead of Williams. Later in the drive, when Mitchell took two plays off, Cooper received one snap in 12 personnel, while Williams garnered one snap in 11 personnel.

The Jets switched to backups on the second drive and Cooper wasn’t on the field, but Cooper returned for the third possession to play more on the outside. While it could have been nice to see him leave at the same time as the rest of the starters, it’s better to see him getting snaps on the outside, which he did on and off throughout the rest of the first half.

If Cooper only plays in 11 personnel in the slot this season, it will be difficult for him to be fantasy-relevant, particularly when the Jets could use a lot of 12 personnel after drafting Kenyon Sadiq. His clearest path to being valuable in fantasy is also taking snaps on the outside in 12 personnel.

While it doesn’t appear like Cooper is close to consistently taking snaps from Mitchell, this game was still a nice step in the right direction for the rookie. He is a fine late-round dart throw.

A quieter day for Germie Bernard: While Bernard started, he was held without a catch and played more on the outside.

Both starting wide receivers DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr. missed last week’s preseason game, leading Bernard and Roman Wilson to be the Steelers' starting wide receivers. The two are competing to be the third wide receiver in three-receiver sets. Last week, Bernard was typically the wideout lined up in the slot, which was a big deal because Metcalf and Pittman traditionally play outside, so whoever wins the job will need to play significantly out of the slot. Bernard also caught four passes for 51 yards.

This week, Wilson and Bernard started again, but Bernard was consistently lined up on the outside. Wilson was the primary slot receiver, with Ben Skowronek also seeing some work in the slot. The Steelers had three drives with the starters, and then turned to backups at running back and tight end. The two wide receivers kept playing further into the first half.

This suggests there is no clear favorite for the third spot, and if anything, Wilson has a slight lead given his playing time in the slot this week. The fact that it’s so close could lead to both wide receivers splitting playing time. It’s unlikely one of these wide receivers will be fantasy-relevant only playing in 11 personnel, and it will be impossible if they are splitting work. Unless Metcalf's or Mitchell’s injuries linger on into the regular season, it’s unlikely Wilson or Bernard will see fantasy value anytime soon.

Don’t read much into the Steelers' backfield rotation: Jaylen Warren started over Rico Dowdle, but the rotation in this game is unlikely to be the mix the Steelers use in the regular season.

The Steelers moved on from Kenneth Gainwell and added Dowdle this off-season. Both Warren and Dowdle have experience being early-down backs as well as third-down backs, but neither has experience as an every-situation back, making it very difficult to project how snaps will be distributed between the two.

In this game, Warren took the first drive, and Dowdle handled the second. Warren started the third drive and played five snaps, followed by six by Dowdle, and then Warren closed out the possession. It is common for teams to play a running back for several plays in the preseason with no regard to the situation, but it’s very rare for that kind of rotation to continue once the regular season starts.

The fact that Warren got the start over Dowdle could be a good sign for his fantasy value, but it could also simply be giving preference to the returning player rather than the new player, which is also common in the preseason. This game should not change anyone’s opinion on how this backfield will look in the regular season.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Pittsburgh continued to use a two-man rotation at tight end with the starters, with Darnell Washington playing more on early downs and Pat Freiermuth more in passing situations, but it wasn’t a strict rotation. This is how the tight ends were used last week. This suggests Washington will play more snaps this season, but Freiermuth will run more routes. This is probably a situation to avoid given the split.

  • The Jets didn’t have running backs Breece Hall (groin), Isaiah Davis (knee) or rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq (hernia). There is optimism all three will be ready for Week 1.

  • Mason Taylor unsurprisingly started with Sadiq’s absence. After the starters left the game on the first drive, including running back Braelon Allen and wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell, Taylor kept playing into the second possession. This suggests his role isn’t as secure as other starters.

  • Jets undrafted rookie Malik McClain has played with the second team in each preseason game. If New York keeps six wide receivers, he appears to be the favorite for the sixth spot.

Carolina Panthers @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Jonathon Brooks continues in a featured role: Brooks played all but two snaps with the starters.

Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard is dealing with a hamstring injury and isn’t expected to return until Week 1 at the earliest. This has opened the door for Brooks to be the Week 1 starter, and potentially keep the role for the season. His ADP has skyrocketed, but he still might be a value at his current ADP.

In the first week of the preseason, Brooks was taken out for a third-and-4 for Trevor Etienne, suggesting Etienne would be the passing-down back if Hubbard misses time. This week, Brooks was taken out for one play when the team wanted to try a four-wide receiver, one-tight-end set. He and Etienne split the two third-and-medium plays this week, suggesting Carolina might even be comfortable with Brooks in passing situations.

While it would be okay if Brooks doesn’t typically play on third-and-long from a fantasy perspective, it would be helpful if he plays during two-minute drills. The fact that Jacksonville trusted Brooks with that kind of situation, despite playing a lot of early snaps, suggests it could be comfortable with Brooks in other clear passing situations.

For the second straight week, Etienne kept playing once the backups entered the game. Brooks is someone to continue targeting in drafts.

CJ Williams gets a shot in the slot: The Jaguars' sixth-round rookie wide receiver has a chance to be the primary slot receiver.

Jacksonville rested its starters for a second straight game, which included Parker Washington, Brian Thomas Jr., Jakobi Meyers and Travis Hunter. That has left Williams, fellow sixth-round rookie Josh Cameron and Austin Trammell as the primary backups. It’s unlikely any of these three wide receivers has a shot at fantasy value if there is an injury, and an injury to Parker Washington might be most significant. Liam Coen’s slot receivers have consistently found success from a fantasy perspective.

The most likely scenario would be either Jakobi Meyers or Travis Hunter moving to the slot if Washington is sidelined, but there is always the possibility of multiple injuries. Trammell was the clear primary slot receiver in the first week of the preseason, with Williams only seeing four snaps out of the slot. The Jaguars used much more of a rotation this week, with Williams hitting four slot snaps in under 10 minutes. Williams has also seen the most targets out of the three receivers through two preseason games.

Hopefully the Jaguars' wide receivers are able to stay healthy this season, but if injuries become a problem, Williams could be a name to remember.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard is dealing with a hamstring injury and isn’t expected to return until Week 1 at the earliest. 

  • Wide receiver Xavier Legette got rolled up on during Wednesday’s practice, leading him to miss this game. There was some optimism he would be able to play, suggesting this is a short-term injury. Brycen Tremayne took his spot in three-receiver sets this week.

  • The Panthers signed tight end Darren Waller earlier in the week. Since he just joined the team, he did not play in this game.

  • The Jaguars didn’t have third-down back LeQuint Allen as well as wide receiver Parker Washington due to injuries. Washington is expected to return to practice next week, but Allen is out for the rest of camp. It’s unlikely either would have played if they were healthy.

Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos

Jaylen Waddle makes his Broncos debut: Denver’s new top wide receiver played on one drive, and then his day was done.

The Broncos had a complicated wide receiver rotation last season, with Courtland Sutton as the lead wide receiver and Pat Bryant, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr. and Lil’Jordan Humphrey all seeing significant playing time. Denver traded its first-round pick for Waddle this offseason while retaining all five other wide receivers. Mims has been dealing with an undisclosed injury and was dressed in uniform for this game, but didn’t play. Otherwise, we received a first look at the Broncos' pecking order.

Waddle and Sutton played an every-down role on the first drive, with Bryant joining them in three-wide receiver sets. Waddle and Sutton were taken out after one drive, with Franklin, Bryant and Humphrey rotating throughout the second series. Franklin and Humphrey continued to play over the rest of the half with backups. This reinforced the idea that Waddle and Sutton are the top wide receivers on the depth chart, followed by Bryant, but didn’t give us a great indication of how they might rotate in the regular season.

Sean Payton has a long history of rotating wide receivers more than most teams, and also has a pattern of not following that order in the preseason. In fact, the preseason sequence has also been misleading at times, with Mims serving as the clear second wide receiver in last year's preseason, followed by a part-time role, and Tim Patrick starting in the preseason before his release.

In this case, it’s clear Waddle will be first given how much Denver has invested in him, and we can expect Sutton to be second given his long history with the team. But, we should still write the Broncos' depth chart in pencil, not pen.

Evan Engram sees an increased role: Engram played a clear majority of snaps with the starters, unlike past games.

Engram had a long history of being an every-down tight end over five years with the New York Giants and three with the Jacksonville Jaguars. For example, in 2023, he averaged 78.6% of offensive snaps. When he joined the Broncos, he became a part-time player.

Sean Payton has a long history of utilizing a tight end rotation, with the only exception being Jimmy Graham during his elite seasons. Since Payton joined the Broncos, Adam Trautman has been his early-down tight end. Engram averaged 42.1% of snaps last season, peaking at 55.6% of snaps. This led to a disappointing fantasy season.

Davis Webb is the new offensive coordinator for the Broncos. He was a third-round rookie by the New York Giants in 2017, the same year Engram was their first-round pick. Their friendship has led some to believe Engram could have a bigger season this year. Engram played 12 of 14 snaps with the starters this week after playing 15 of 25 last week. Last season, he played 33 of 54 snaps during the preseason, so this has been a step in the right direction. Engram played on the first drive with the backups, while Trautman played the rest of the half, further suggesting Engram might be pulling apart from Trautman.

Engram is unlikely to move up the rankings enough to make him worth drafting in most drafts, but he is a name worth monitoring early in the season, as he could become a popular waiver wire target if all goes well.

MarShawn Lloyd shares the backfield with Chris Brooks: Lloyd remains in the lead for the Packers backup job.

Packers running back Josh Jacobs returned to practice on Tuesday with his groin injury but didn’t play in this game. Brooks and Emanuel Wilson were the Packers' backup options last season, but they opted not to retain Wilson and didn’t make any significant additions to the backfield. This left Lloyd, who has barely played in his two NFL seasons, and Brooks in contention for the backup job. Brooks was unable to participate last week, so Lloyd played every snap over the first two drives and then his day was done.

Lloyd started this game and played each of the first four snaps. Green Bay had a 14-play drive to begin the game, with Lloyd playing nine snaps to five by Brooks. 

Green Bay pulled its starters after the first drive, which included taking out wide receivers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden and tight end Josh Whyle, but the running backs kept playing. After three drives, Lloyd had tallied 16 snaps to seven by Brooks, with a tendency of Brooks playing more on third downs. Brooks continued to play on the fourth drive and began rotating with Pierre Strong.

This strongly suggests that Lloyd will be the primary backup on early downs, while Brooks may be the backup on third downs. There were reports earlier in the offseason that Brooks may see time at fullback, but that didn’t happen in this game. Lloyd remains a late-round dart throw, but the Packers could still add another running back after cut-down day, complicating the backup situation.

Miscellaneous Notes

  • The Packers mostly played their healthy starters, but Jayden Reed sat out for an undisclosed reason.

  • Skyy Moore was the backup slot receiver for Green Bay in Reed’s place, while Bo Melton and Savion Williams were the secondary wide receivers. Williams stopped playing after his two snaps, so it’s possible he suffered an injury that has not been reported as of this article being published.

  • Tight end Tucker Kraft is still being eased back into action. He’s returned to team drills, but not 11-on-11 practices, and he was held out of this game. Backup tight end Luke Musgrave remains on the PUP. Josh Whyle is the likely second tight end option this season, and would be someone worth considering if Kraft isn’t ready for Week 1.

  • Similar to last week, J.K. Dobbins didn’t play, RJ Harvey started the game and Jonah Coleman entered not long after. This gives us no indication on how the Broncos‘ running backs might rotate once the season begins.

Washington Commanders @ Detroit Lions

The Commanders' wide receiver depth chart takes shape: All of Washington’s top wide receivers were active for this game, providing the clearest look yet at how the depth chart is taking shape.

Terry McLaurin leads a crowded receiver room. Washington has spent mid-round picks in each of the past three drafts on slot receivers Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane and Antonio Williams. The Commanders have also added several veterans over the past year, including Stefon Diggs, Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson.

On the first drive, McLaurin lined up at X, Burks at Z and Diggs in the slot in 11 personnel. Diggs had historically been an every-down receiver, but he played only 54.7% of the snaps last season with the New England Patriots. His usage in this game suggests he could again be limited primarily to 11 personnel, which would put a ceiling on his fantasy potential. Diggs’ slot role also increases the likelihood that Burks sees significant playing time rather than one of Washington’s younger slot receivers.

On the second drive, Brown took over at X, Burks remained at Z and McCaffrey played in the slot in 11 personnel. Jefferson also took two snaps in place of Burks at Z. On the third drive, McCaffrey moved outside to X, Jefferson played Z and Williams and Lane rotated in the slot.

That usage suggests Lane could be the odd man out if Washington keeps only seven wide receivers. It also indicates that Williams is unlikely to see much, if any, playing time early in the season.

Chig Okonkwo plays 12 of 14 snaps in the first quarter: Washington’s new lead tight end appears poised for a larger role than he ever had with the Tennessee Titans.

Washington used a three-man rotation at tight end last season with Zach Ertz, John Bates and Ben Sinnott. Ertz tore his ACL late in the season, and Washington opted not to re-sign him, instead bringing in Okonkwo. Okonkwo has posted impressive advanced metrics at times but never developed into a consistent fantasy starter in Tennessee, where he often worked in a rotation and played just 63% of the offensive snaps last season.

Okonkwo and Bates were among the starters who rested in last week’s preseason game, and they were the only two tight ends to play on the first two drives this week. They shared four snaps in 12 personnel, while Okonkwo played eight of 10 snaps in 11 personnel. Both exited after the second drive, with Sinnott, Colson Yankoff and Lawrence Cager taking over on the third drive.

That usage suggests Okonkwo and Bates are well ahead of Sinnott on the depth chart, while Okonkwo is positioned for a significant increase in playing time compared to his tenure in Tennessee. He should be one of the top sleeper tight ends this season and an excellent target for fantasy managers who wait at the position.

Isaac TeSlaa plays with the backups: The Lions rested their starters for a second straight week, but TeSlaa remained in the game until midway through the second quarter.

Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams have been locked into Detroit’s top two wide receiver spots. Last season, TeSlaa competed with veteran Kalif Raymond for the third receiver role in 11 personnel. Raymond left for Chicago in free agency, seemingly opening the door for TeSlaa to take over those snaps.

If the Lions fully trusted TeSlaa in that role, however, he likely would have rested with the starters in at least one of the first two preseason games. Detroit’s depth chart behind him remains unsettled, and ideally, those receivers would receive more playing time to help determine who makes the roster. Instead, TeSlaa played not only with the second-team offense that started the game but also alongside the third-team quarterback and offensive line. Greg Dortch and Cedrick Wilson Jr. appeared to be his closest competition last week, while Tay Martin was heavily involved this week.

TeSlaa should still receive significant playing time this season, but he is unlikely to have much fantasy value unless St. Brown or Williams misses time. Even in that scenario, Detroit could look to add a wide receiver via trade rather than significantly expanding TeSlaa’s role.

Miscellaneous Notes
  • Lions backup running back Isiah Pacheco (MCL sprain) and starting tight end Sam LaPorta (hip) did not play due to injury.

Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland Browns

Denzel Boston is the Browns’ only offensive starter to play: Cleveland’s second-round rookie played throughout the first quarter despite the Browns resting the rest of their offensive starters.

Boston has secured Cleveland’s X receiver role after he, Jerry Jeudy and KC Concepcion started the first preseason game. Uncertainty remains about how snaps will be distributed in 12 personnel, as Cleveland has shown a willingness to use Concepcion in those formations despite his primary role in the slot.

Boston surprisingly played despite Cleveland resting its starters. The Browns have a legitimate quarterback competition, and having Boston on the field gave Shedeur Sanders another weapon as he made his case for the job. That provides a reasonable explanation for Boston’s usage, although it was unusual that he played only the first and last snaps of the second drive and none in between. He finished with a 75% snap rate over the first two drives before exiting ahead of the other Browns who played. His usage isn’t a major red flag, but his playing time in Week 1 will be worth monitoring.

Boston opened the game alongside Isaiah Bond, with Gage Larvadain joining them in three-receiver sets. Bond split his snaps between the slot and outside after playing almost exclusively in the slot last season. He appears to be the top backup at all three receiver spots and would be worth considering off the waiver wire if one of Cleveland’s starting receivers suffers an injury.

Don’t read into which Bills played: Buffalo rested its starters and key backups, which made it somewhat surprising to see Ray Davis and Jackson Hawes on the field.

Buffalo rested most of the players fantasy managers would recognize, with multiple undrafted rookies from the 2025 and 2026 classes playing on the opening drive. Davis and Hawes stood out among that group. Davis has been the primary early-down backup to James Cook III, while Hawes was part of a three-man rotation at tight end throughout last season.

However, the Bills had limited options at both positions. Buffalo has only five halfbacks on its roster, with Cook resting and third-down back Ty Johnson injured. That left only three running backs available. Resting Davis would have left Buffalo with two for the entire game, an unrealistic option given their additional special teams responsibilities and the possibility of an injury.

The situation was identical at tight end. Buffalo has five tight ends on the roster, with Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox sitting out. Hawes is clearly the third option, but resting him as well would have left the Bills with only two available tight ends.

Veterans playing alongside backups in these situations can typically be a red flag, but the circumstances suggest that isn’t the case with Davis or Hawes.

Miscellaneous Notes
  • The Browns were without running back Quinshon Judkins, fullback Michael Burton, wide receiver Cedric Tillman and tight ends Joe Royer and Dea’Quan Wright. They were listed out for personal/health reasons, though the specific reasons for their absences have not been disclosed. Todd Monken said Judkins is dealing with “a little something nagging, nothing big.” Tillman’s continued absence will only fuel speculation that he could be released.

Atlanta Falcons @ Indianapolis Colts

Zachariah Branch plays a limited role: The third-round rookie primarily played in 11 personnel in this game.

The Falcons remade their wide receiver room this offseason, retaining Drake London, signing Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency and drafting Branch in the third round. At 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, Branch’s size could limit his fantasy upside.

Atlanta rested its starters, so Branch opened the game with the second-team offense. He played alongside Dylan Drummond and Chris Blair, who were the primary receivers in 12 personnel. Branch mostly joined them in the slot when Atlanta moved to 11 personnel. He has played exactly one snap in 12 personnel in each of the Falcons’ first two preseason games. While it wasn’t surprising that Branch would primarily be limited to 11 personnel, more preseason work in two-receiver sets would have increased the possibility of an expanded role if injuries strike during the regular season.

Branch played only the first two drives and exited before the other receivers, suggesting his spot in the rotation is secure.

While several third-round wide receivers are worthy of late-round fantasy picks this year, Branch shouldn’t be one of them because his upside appears limited. His best-case scenario is overtaking Zaccheaus as Atlanta’s primary slot receiver, but that role is unlikely to provide enough volume for him to become a consistent fantasy starter.

Laquon Treadwell locks into a roster spot: Treadwell played only one drive before exiting ahead of the rest of the Colts players who started the game.

The Colts’ top four wide receivers appear set when healthy, with Alec Pierce at X, Keenan Allen at Z, Josh Downs in the slot and Ashton Dulin as the top backup. It remains unclear whether Pierce will be ready for Week 1, as he hasn’t practiced in months. If he is unavailable, Dulin is the most likely candidate to take over at X, though that is no guarantee.

Treadwell has been the top X receiver among the backups throughout the preseason. He appeared to be competing with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for playing time and potentially a roster spot, but Treadwell appears to have pulled ahead. He exited after one drive, while Westbrook-Ikhine remained in the game.

Treadwell could see significant playing time in Week 1, particularly if Pierce isn’t ready. The Colts have enough positional flexibility among their top three receivers that Treadwell could enter the game whenever one of them needs a break in 11 personnel. That would also leave him one injury away from a starting role.

Miscellaneous Notes
  • Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. continues to be eased back into action and didn’t play in this game.
  • Rookie Seth McGowan may win the backup running back job by default with Giddens sidelined. McGowan was the focal point of the Colts’ offense early in the game.

Baltimore Ravens @ Minnesota Vikings

More evidence that Ja’Kobi Lane is the Ravens’ WR3: Lane appears poised for a significant role in Baltimore’s offense this season.

Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman have been the Ravens’ top receivers in recent years. Baltimore didn’t re-sign DeAndre Hopkins, creating a wide-open competition for the third wide receiver spot between Lane, fellow rookie Elijah Sarratt and recent draft picks Devontez Walker and LaJohntay Wester. Last week, the Ravens rested their starters, and Lane, Walker and Wester started while Sarratt worked with the backups. Sarratt did not enter the game until late in the third quarter, after Xavier Guillory and Chris Moore. That usage suggests he is well down the Ravens’ wide receiver depth chart.

The Ravens rested their starters again this week, with Lane and Walker serving as the primary wide receivers for the first four drives and Wester joining them in three-receiver sets. Lane’s day ended after the fourth drive along with quarterback Tyler Huntley, while Walker and Wester continued playing with Joe Fagnano. That usage suggests Lane is ahead of both on the depth chart. That was already the expectation based on Lane’s draft capital and reports from beat writers, but his preseason usage provides further confirmation.

Lane could even be elevated to the No. 2 receiver role after Bateman was arrested Friday on charges of family violence. It remains unclear how Bateman’s legal situation will affect his availability this season, but the possibility of him missing time only increases Lane’s chances of playing a notable role.

Lane is a worthwhile late-round dart throw, and his ADP is likely to rise.

Demond Claiborne locks into the RB3 spot: Claiborne is no longer rotating with Zavier Scott, suggesting he has secured the Vikings’ No. 3 running back job.

Claiborne was a sixth-round pick by Minnesota in this year’s draft. While Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason were locked into the top two spots, Claiborne was still competing with Scott last week. Scott appeared in 16 games for the Vikings last season, recording 32 carries and 14 receptions.

Last week, Jones and Mason played early in the first quarter before Claiborne replaced them late in the period. Scott began rotating with Claiborne in the second quarter, and both continued to play throughout the second and third quarters, with Scott remaining in the game briefly into the fourth. This week, Minnesota rested its starters, allowing Claiborne to start. He played every snap in the first quarter before Scott took over in the second.

It remains unclear how much Claiborne will play on offense during the regular season, but his spot as one of Minnesota’s top three running backs appears secure.

Miscellaneous Notes
  • While Tai Felton played more snaps than Jennings last week, that was because the Vikings view Felton as their backup X receiver and Jefferson did not play. It did not necessarily indicate that Felton is ahead of Jennings on the depth chart.
  • Most of those absences were expected, as they are veterans near the top of the depth chart. Ali has not been practicing for an undisclosed reason, explaining his absence. It is unclear why Randall is not playing. Considering he is a mid-round rookie and Baltimore played its other rookies who are expected to have larger roles, it is more likely that Randall is dealing with an undisclosed injury than receiving veteran-style rest.

New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles Rams

The Saints’ backup running back situation heats up: Kendre Miller and Devin Neal were both available after missing last week.

New Orleans has six notable running backs on the depth chart: Travis Etienne Jr., Alvin Kamara, Miller, Neal, Audric Estime and Ty Chandler. At least one, if not two, will likely be left off the roster when cuts arrive. Kamara has a sprained MCL and could miss Week 1, so the Saints will likely keep four running backs on their initial roster. Kamara missed this week, as did Estime, who suffered an ankle injury last week. Etienne rested with the other starters.

The Saints used a wide-open rotation throughout the first half. Miller started, with Neal rotating in on the first drive. Miller, Neal, Chandler and undrafted rookie CJ Donaldson each played two snaps on the second drive. Miller handled most of the third drive, with Chandler mixing in, before the two rotated on the fourth drive.

Miller ultimately played the most snaps of the group and appears to be the favorite for the No. 3 running back job. However, there was enough rotation throughout the first half that plenty could change over the next week.

Barion Brown sits for the Saints: The sixth-round rookie was among several Saints players who sat out this week.

Brown has been one of the most talked-about rookies in Saints camp, making several big catches and earning work with both the first- and second-team offenses. He started last week, though five of the top six wide receivers on the depth chart were unavailable, and played on and off throughout the game.

This week, the Saints were still without their top three wide receivers in Chris Olave, Jordyn Tyson and Devaughn Vele. Their top veteran backup, Mason Tipton, remains on the PUP list. Fellow rookie Bryce Lance, who was unavailable last week, returned to action this week.

It’s possible Brown is dealing with an undisclosed injury or that the Saints simply didn’t want to overwork him after he logged so many snaps last week. However, it’s also possible New Orleans views Brown as an important enough player to rest. With Tyson expected to miss roughly two months because of a hamstring injury, Brown could see significant playing time in 11 personnel early in the season.

Brown is worth adding in dynasty leagues wherever he remains available. In redraft leagues, it’s probably best to leave him on the waiver wire until there is more clarity on where he sits on the depth chart.

Xavier Smith sits for the Rams: Smith was the only Rams skill-position player who played last week but sat this week.

Every team approaches the preseason differently, and the Rams take one of the league’s most conservative approaches with important players. Los Angeles typically rests all of its starters throughout the preseason, along with key backups, and tends to hold out even more players as the preseason progresses.

It was noteworthy that Smith played last week because he was the only skill-position player with a significant role last season who saw action. His absence this week makes it clear that his roster spot is secure.

Still, it’s unlikely that any Rams wide receiver outside of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams will have fantasy value unless injuries significantly alter the depth chart.

Miscellaneous Notes
  • The only Rams skill-position players who played today and are expected to make the roster were 2025 fourth-round running back Jarquez Hunter and rookies CJ Daniels and Max Klare. It’s possible none of the three will be active on game days.
  • The Saints were without running back Alvin Kamara (sprained MCL) and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring), both of whom are expected to miss the start of the season. Mason Tipton remains on the PUP list.
  • The Saints were without running back Alvin Kamara (sprained MCL) and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (hamstring), both of whom are expected to miss the start of the season. Mason Tipton remains on the PUP list.
  • Saints rookie tight end Oscar Delp played 13 of the first 18 snaps before exiting ahead of the other Saints who played in the game.

New York Giants @ Miami Dolphins

The Giants’ running back battle heats up: Devin Singletary started ahead of Tyrone Tracy Jr. in what could ultimately become a four-man rotation.

New York surprisingly rotated all three of its top running backs last week. Cam Skattebo started, but Tracy also played on the first drive before Skattebo reentered and shared time with Singletary. All three were finished by early in the second quarter, suggesting there wasn’t a significant gap between them on the depth chart. Head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy have generally favored two- or three-man backfield rotations.

New York signed Najee Harris earlier in the week, but he didn’t play in this game. He will need time to ramp up and might not play next week, either, though he reportedly expects to have a significant role in the offense.

Skattebo was among the starters who rested this week, leaving Singletary and Tracy to rotate throughout the first half. While New York could keep four running backs, Singletary and Tracy are likely competing for playing time, and Singletary appears to have the edge. Tracy notably struggled in pass protection last week, while Singletary has graded well in that area in recent seasons. That could leave the Giants with a three-man rotation of Skattebo, Harris and Singletary in Week 1.

Malachi Fields may have won a starting job: The third-round rookie played only the first drive before exiting ahead of the rest of the wide receivers.

New York made several changes to its wide receiver room this offseason, retaining Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton, signing Calvin Austin III, Darnell Mooney, Odell Beckham Jr., Braxton Berrios and JuJu Smith-Schuster, and drafting Fields. The Giants released Smith-Schuster this past week. Nabers is unlikely to play in the preseason, but there is optimism that he will be ready for Week 1.

New York used Fields, Austin, Mooney and Slayton in a four-man rotation early last week, with players lining up at various positions. Beckham and Berrios eventually joined the rotation.

This week, the plan was much more straightforward. On the first drive, Fields lined up at X, Slayton at Z and Austin in the slot in 11 personnel. Slayton has typically played X for the Giants, so lining up at Z represented a change for him. On the second drive, Beckham replaced Fields at X, and the trio of Beckham, Slayton and Austin played the rest of the first half. Beckham remained in the game with the backups to begin the second half.

That usage suggests Fields has won the starting X job, with Beckham as his backup. Nabers should start at Z when healthy, with Slayton backing him up and likely starting if Nabers isn’t ready for Week 1. Austin appears to be the primary slot receiver. Fields is now a viable late-round fantasy target, while Slayton should only be considered if Nabers is expected to miss Week 1.

Head coach John Harbaugh told reporters after the game that Mooney missed this game because he was the best man at his brother’s wedding. Mooney mostly played X and in the slot in the first preseason game. Given how little Fields played relative to Austin, it seems more likely Mooney takes time from Austin in the slot than he takes snaps from Fields at X. Harbaugh also said Berrios missed the game due to a soft tissue injury.

Jaylen Wright remains the RB2 for Miami: Wright has played ahead of Ollie Gordon II for the second straight week.

The Dolphins retained their top three running backs from last season in De’Von Achane, Wright and Gordon. Gordon was the primary backup early last season, but Wright moved ahead of him as the year progressed.

In the first week of the preseason, Wright was the first running back to enter after Achane exited. While there was some rotation, Wright’s day ended at halftime, while Gordon played into the fourth quarter. Achane rested this week, leaving Wright to start. He played 12 of the first 16 snaps over Miami’s first four drives. Wright lost a fumble during that stretch, but the Dolphins continued to use him. When he briefly left the game, he appeared to be dealing with an injury before returning rather than simply rotating out for Gordon. Gordon began seeing more significant playing time early in the second quarter.

Gordon remained in the game until late in the quarter, when he appeared to injure his shoulder while being tackled. Miami hasn’t invested much in a fourth running back, so the team could look to add one if Gordon’s injury is serious. Wright briefly returned to the game after Gordon exited.

Wright is unlikely to have much standalone fantasy value despite being the clear backup. However, if Achane misses time this season, Wright would become a priority waiver-wire addition and is worth considering as a late-round target in deeper leagues where most handcuffs are rostered.

Dolphins’ wide receiver room takes shape: The first preseason game provided clarity on Miami’s top two wide receivers. This game offered a better indication of who will fill the No. 3 role.

Miami made several changes to its wide receiver room this offseason, retaining Malik Washington, signing Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell and Jalen Reagor, and drafting Caleb Douglas, Kevin Coleman Jr. and Chris Bell. Last week, Washington and Douglas dominated snaps with the starters, with Reagor joining them in three-receiver sets. Tolbert and Atwell were the primary backups, while Coleman was sidelined by an injury. Bell was activated from the NFI list earlier this week after tearing his ACL in December.

This week, Washington was one of the few starters who didn’t play, providing further evidence that his starting role is secure. Douglas played only the first drive before his day ended, similarly solidifying his place among the starters. Tolbert was the other starting receiver, suggesting he has moved ahead of Reagor on the depth chart. He played two drives before exiting ahead of the rest of the receivers and should be considered the favorite to play Z in 11 personnel in Week 1.

Coleman made his preseason debut after missing last week and consistently lined up in the slot in 11 personnel. Atwell replaced Douglas on the second drive, while Reagor replaced Tolbert on the third. Tolbert returned later in the second quarter, however, suggesting his lead over the other receivers isn’t particularly secure.

Washington and Douglas remain interesting late-round dart throws in fantasy drafts.

Miscellaneous Notes
  • Tight ends Theo Johnson and Chris Manhertz played only the first drive before their days ended. Both are expected to see significant playing time this season.
  • Miami tight end Greg Dulcich played two of the three snaps on the first drive before his day ended. He was off the field for the first snap out of 21 personnel, a grouping he isn’t expected to play in often this season.

Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati Bengals

Colston Loveland plays eight of nine snaps with the starters: Loveland continued to see a snap rate similar to what he had late last season.

Loveland spent most of his rookie season in a part-time role alongside Cole Kmet, playing between 52% and 66% of the offensive snaps in most weeks. That changed over the final three weeks of the regular season and the first week of the playoffs, when he played more than 80% of the snaps. He scored more than 21 PPR points in three of those four games.

There has been little doubt that Loveland would continue to have a significant role in the offense, as he is the consensus TE3 by ADP and rankings. Part of that confidence stems from the Bears trading DJ Moore and not making as significant an investment in their third wide receiver, suggesting they could use more two-tight-end sets.

Loveland’s playing time matched expectations, although it was somewhat surprising that Chicago used 12 personnel on only four of its nine snaps with the starters. His only snap off the field came on second-and-4 on the second play of the game. That allowed Kaden Davis and JP Richardson to get some work with Caleb Williams, so this small sample might not be indicative of how often Chicago will use 12 personnel during the regular season.

Fantasy managers can draft Loveland with slightly more confidence after this usage, but it shouldn’t meaningfully affect his ADP.

Erick All Jr. returns to the Bengals: All tore his ACL midway through the 2024 season and missed all of 2025.

The Bengals typically use two early-down tight ends and a receiving tight end, with the receiving option playing primarily in obvious passing situations. That leaves one of the early-down tight ends with a decent amount of receiving volume, but the rotation makes it nearly impossible for any Bengals tight end to sustain fantasy value. During All’s rookie season, he was the early-down tight end who contributed as a receiver, while Mike Gesicki filled the receiving role and Drew Sample served as the other early-down option. With All sidelined last season, Cincinnati added Noah Fant to fill his role.

Gesicki and Sample both rested for this game, while Cincinnati used plenty of 11 personnel early to give its young wide receivers more playing time. All started and immediately returned to his usual early-down role. Unfortunately for his fantasy prospects, the Bengals maintained their typical rotation even in the preseason, so All never played on third-and-medium or third-and-long.

That usage suggests All will step right back into his rookie-year role, but it is unlikely to be large enough to make him fantasy relevant. He would need opportunities in obvious passing situations, and Cincinnati showed no indication that it plans to use him that way. Tanner Hudson handled the most obvious passing situations in this game, while Cam Grandy played in other passing situations. If Gesicki misses time this season, Hudson would likely take over that role rather than All, consistent with how Cincinnati has rotated its tight ends in recent years.

All played only one drive, which makes sense both because this was his first game back and because he has the largest expected regular-season role among the Bengals players who suited up.

Fant finished as TE37 last season, while All was TE38 over the first nine weeks of 2024. A similar finish is a reasonable expectation for All this season. Unless you’re in a league where roughly 40 tight ends are rostered, he shouldn’t be drafted.

Miscellaneous Notes
  • Chicago didn’t have Kyle Monangai (hyperextended knee) and Luther Burden III (groin), and it’s unlikely either plays in next week’s game. Zavion Thomas also wasn’t available. It’s unclear if it’s related to the knee injury he suffered two weeks ago, but he also didn’t play last week.
  • Bears lead running back D’Andre Swift also didn’t play, which appears more precautionary. He’s only had one preseason where he’s played more than six snaps.
  • Kalif Raymond is expected to be the Bears' third wide receiver. He played only the first three snaps, and his day ended before the rest of the starters. This is understandable considering he is 32.

Philadelphia Eagles @ New England Patriots

More concerns for Eli Stowers: Stowers played only a part-time role for the Eagles in this game.

Philadelphia selected Stowers in the second round with the expectation that he could become the team’s lead tight end in 2027, with Dallas Goedert entering the final season of his contract. There was at least some hope that Stowers could contribute as a rookie. He is primarily a receiving tight end, and it has become clear that Johnny Mundt will likely serve as the second tight end in 12 personnel this season.

Last week, Stowers was the second tight end in 12 personnel behind Grant Calcaterra, suggesting Stowers was fourth on the depth chart. This week, Philadelphia rested its top two tight ends, while Calcaterra was sidelined by an injury. Rather than giving Stowers an every-down role, the Eagles used him exclusively in 11 personnel during the first quarter. Philadelphia used 12 personnel on half of its plays during that stretch, with E.J. Jenkins and Cameron Latu handling the tight end snaps in those formations.

Stowers should still make the roster given his draft capital, but his preseason usage has been discouraging, and his dynasty value should continue to fall.

Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III remain at the bottom of the depth chart: The two young receivers started for New England while five other wide receivers were among the key players who sat out.

The Patriots added A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs this offseason while losing only Stefon Diggs, making it difficult for the other returning wide receivers to see as much playing time as last year, let alone expand their roles. DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins were key contributors last season who could all see a reduction in snaps this year. That has made it even harder for Williams and Chism to earn more playing time.

It’s clear through the first two preseason games that Williams and Chism sit sixth and seventh on the depth chart. In practice, Chism is the backup slot receiver and could see a notable role if Douglas were to suffer an injury. It will be much harder for Williams to find a role this season. He projects as an X receiver, which is where Brown and Boutte both play. Doubs also has experience at X, and if injuries pile up, it’s possible that Doubs would simply move back to X rather than Williams becoming a starter.

Ideally, both wide receivers would have also sat this week because their roster spots were secure. Instead, they started and continued playing deep into the second quarter. Most Patriots beat writers expect the team to keep seven wide receivers this season, so Williams and Chism appear likely to make the roster. However, it’s unlikely that either will become fantasy relevant this season.

Miscellaneous Notes
  • Third-round rookie tight end Eli Raridon was not spotted during warmups with the other starters who weren’t playing, suggesting he could be dealing with an injury. He is expected to be the Patriots’ second tight end as long as they don’t add another from a different roster.
  • First-round rookie Makai Lemon returned to practice Thursday after missing most of camp with a hamstring issue. He didn’t play in this game.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chiefs’ confusing running back usage: Emari Demercado went from playing late in the fourth quarter of the first preseason game to seeing the field on the first drive of this game.

Kansas City reworked its running back room this offseason and added Kenneth Walker to be its lead back. Brashard Smith was retained, and he is competing with free-agent addition Demercado and fifth-round rookie Emmett Johnson. All three could specialize as passing-down backs, but someone will also need to serve as Walker’s backup on early downs.

On the first drive, Walker played the first two snaps before Demercado took over on third down. One reasonable explanation is that Walker might not always play on third downs. He has an injury history, and if there is any situation where it makes sense to take him off the field, it’s on third down.

It’s also reasonable to think that Walker simply played his two snaps before his day ended early, meaning this usage doesn’t tell us anything about how he might be deployed on third downs. While most head coaches wait until the end of a drive to rotate players out of a preseason game, Andy Reid has a long history of taking players out mid-drive. He took Tyquan Thornton, Travis Kelce and Noah Gray out mid-drive at various points in this game, for example. Walker was also taken out after one play last week. Reid consistently avoids using running backs by situation in the preseason, instead giving one back a set of plays before moving on to another.

Another unique practice by Reid is changing the order in which running backs play from one preseason game to the next. Isiah Pacheco was high on the depth chart for a preseason game during his rookie season, but that role didn’t materialize until the middle of the regular season. Last year, Elijah Mitchell was high on the depth chart in the first week of the preseason, while Carson Steele was the primary backup to Pacheco in the second game.

Last week, Smith entered the game after Walker played one snap and remained on the field for the rest of the first quarter. Smith and Johnson rotated throughout the second and third quarters, with Demercado taking his first offensive snap in the fourth quarter. This week, Demercado was up first. After taking the final snap of the first drive, he played throughout the second and third drives. Johnson began seeing playing time on the fourth drive. Smith played on special teams early in the game but didn’t play on offense until the second half.

We aren’t much closer to finding out who Walker’s handcuff will be or who, if anyone, will play in certain passing situations this season. It’s entirely possible those answers change over the course of the season. It’s best to leave all three on the waiver wire and simply draft Walker early.

Tyquan Thornton remains the WR3: While Cyrus Allen has received plenty of praise during training camp, Thornton remains high on Kansas City’s depth chart.

Chiefs wide receivers Rashee Rice (knee) and Xavier Worthy (shoulder) have been practicing but are being eased back into action and didn’t play in this game. Thornton, Allen and Jalen Royals are the expected top backups, and this game further confirmed their roles. They were the only three wide receivers to play on the first three drives, with Thornton at X, Royals at Z and Allen in the slot in 11 personnel. The Chiefs typically mix up their wide receiver usage more than most teams, but that wasn’t the case on these drives. Thornton played the first snap of the fourth drive before his day ended, with Andrew Armstrong taking his place.

Royals and Allen continued playing throughout the rest of the first half, even after Garrett Nussmeier took over for Justin Fields at quarterback. The fact that Allen played so late in the first half suggests he won’t see an extensive role immediately, but he is clearly among the top five wide receivers on the depth chart.

It’s also worth noting that Allen isn’t necessarily competing with Thornton, as the two play very different roles. Thornton was among the league leaders in average depth of target last season, while Allen projects to have a much lower average depth of target. Allen’s primary path to a fantasy-relevant role this season is taking playing time from Rice.

Don’t read into the Buccaneers’ running back snap counts: While Kenneth Gainwell played more snaps with the starters than Bucky Irving, Irving received the start.

The Buccaneers allowed Rachaad White to walk in free agency and spent more on Gainwell after his breakout season with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Gainwell received significant praise during OTAs while Irving was out with an injury, but everything since then has suggested that Irving is the starter.

Irving started this game and ran the ball on each of the first three plays for 14 yards. After that, his day was done before the rest of the starters. Gainwell took over for the final two plays of the first drive, played all three snaps on the second drive and then exited along with the rest of the Buccaneers’ starters.

All this game did was confirm that Irving is the lead back. It didn’t provide much insight into what the backfield’s snap split might look like or how interchangeable the two backs could be, as opposed to Irving playing more in rushing situations and Gainwell handling more passing-down work. Their ADPs and rankings should not change based on this game.

Dallas Cowboys @ Arizona Cardinals

The Cowboys’ backfield battle takes a turn: Malik Davis started this week after not playing until the third quarter last week.

Javonte Williams was the Cowboys’ starter last season, with Davis ending the year as a backup. Fifth-round rookie Jaydon Blue spent most of the season as a healthy inactive, while seventh-round rookie Phil Mafah missed most of last season due to injury. Cowboys coaches and beat writers have made it clear that they hoped Blue or Mafah would win the backup job.

Last week, Blue started the game, with Mafah rotating in throughout the first half. Blue was done at halftime, Mafah started the third quarter and Davis took over later. This week, Davis started, with Blue rotating in later in the first drive. This suggests Davis is currently the favorite for the backup job, but the situation is likely unsettled and could be a top storyline in the third week of the preseason. It’s also possible the Cowboys add a running back after the third week of the preseason.

Blue was worth drafting in the late rounds when it seemed clear he was on track to win the backup job, but this is now a situation to avoid.

Bam Knight sits along with other key players: Corey Kiner and Evan Hull were Arizona’s primary running backs for this game.

Knight was the Cardinals’ starting running back for half of last season, but it seemed like his job was in jeopardy a few months ago. James Conner and Trey Benson were expected to return, the team signed Tyler Allgeier in free agency and then drafted Jeremiyah Love. This presumably put Knight fifth on the depth chart.

There were rumblings at the start of the preseason that Knight could make the roster ahead of Conner, Benson or both because of his ability on special teams. Knight’s chances of making the roster have continued to increase, as Love suffered a high ankle sprain that will keep him out until the start of the season, Conner is still dealing with a foot injury and Benson is dealing with a knee injury.

Those chances appear even higher now, as Knight didn’t play in this game. While Knight could be injured, the more likely scenario is that Arizona wanted to keep its second-best healthy running back out of harm’s way. Benson is unlikely to make the roster at this point, and there is a good chance the Cardinals keep four running backs given Love’s injury.

It will take an injury to Allgeier, along with the other running backs remaining sidelined, for Knight to have fantasy value this season, but stranger things have happened.

Miscellaneous Notes
  • Jonathan Mingo appears to be the favorite for the fifth wide receiver spot after starting both preseason games and catching a long touchdown pass. Undrafted rookie Camden Brown played in the first quarter last week and appears to have overtaken veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the depth chart.
  • Wide receiver Tyler Johnson and tight end Zack Kuntz played only in the fourth quarter last week but saw significant playing time with the starters in the first quarter this week, suggesting several bottom-of-the-roster spots remain unsettled.
  • Cowboys third tight end Luke Schoonmaker played eight of the first nine snaps and left the game early, making it clear he is the third tight end. He similarly left early last week.
  • Fifth-round rookie wide receiver Reggie Virgil started the game. He drew an illegal contact penalty on the first play, hopped around shortly after the contact and then jogged off the field. He didn’t enter the game again until the second quarter.
  • Devin Duvernay was expected to make the Cardinals’ 53-man roster because of his work as a returner. He is listed first on the unofficial depth chart at both kick and punt returner. Ihmir Smith-Marsette is listed second at both spots, and he received significant playing time with the starters in the first half. It’s possible Smith-Marsette makes the roster instead of Duvernay.

Seattle Seahawks @ Tennessee Titans

Tyjae Spears out-snaps Tony Pollard with the starters again: Pollard has started both games, but Spears has been on the field more frequently with Cam Ward this preseason.

Pollard and Spears have shared the Titans’ backfield for each of the past two seasons. Pollard has played more in rushing situations, while Spears has played more on passing downs. Pollard led the team in snaps in most games, but Spears occasionally played more when the Titans fell behind early. Now, the Titans have a new coaching staff that could find a different way to rotate the two.

Pollard played the first drive this week, while Spears played the second and third. Last week, Spears rotated in more on the first drive, while Pollard rotated back in on the third drive.

This generally suggests that Pollard is ahead of Spears, but the gap between the two may be smaller than it has been in past years. If Pollard were clearly ahead, he likely wouldn’t have returned for the third drive last week and potentially would have been taken out earlier. The fact that he is playing at all is somewhat surprising, as he is one of only five lead running backs to play this week in the preseason and one of only two to play more than three snaps.

Pollard appears to be a classic dead-zone running back who, on paper, looks capable of producing RB2 numbers but could easily finish outside the top 30 fantasy running backs. There is a decent chance that Spears ends up leading this backfield in fantasy points.

Titans’ wide receiver depth chart appears set: Tennessee stuck with the same three receivers for each of the first three drives.

Tennessee’s top receivers for most of last season were fourth-round rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike. While both players remain on the roster, they have fallen behind Calvin Ridley, who spent most of last season injured, first-round rookie Carnell Tate and free-agent addition Wan’Dale Robinson. Ayomanor and Dike didn’t see significant playing time until the fourth quarter, when the rest of the backups entered the game.

For the first three drives, Ridley played X, Tate played Z and Robinson lined up in the slot. Robinson left the field in 12 personnel, which wasn’t the case when he was the lead receiver for the New York Giants last year. This lowers his fantasy ceiling compared to his time in New York. Ridley took two plays off late in the Titans’ long opening drive, with Ayomanor taking over at X on those plays.

It seems unlikely that Ayomanor will have fantasy value this season unless Ridley suffers another injury or is traded. Ridley is worth a late-round draft pick because he remains one of the top options on the team, but the Titans’ offense will need to improve for him to pay off at his ADP.

Tate played the Z receiver role last week but was subbed out more often with Ward on the field. This week, Tate was consistently on the field, which is a good sign for the rookie. However, as with everyone else in the offense, the Titans will need to play better for Tate to be worth an early pick in fantasy drafts.

Gunnar Helm leads a tight end rotation: While Helm is the lead tight end for the Titans, he is likely a player to avoid in fantasy drafts.

Helm started his rookie season as the second option behind Chig Okonkwo, but his playing time slowly increased as the season progressed. The Titans decided not to re-sign Okonkwo and instead brought in free agent Daniel Bellinger. Bellinger spent the first four seasons of his career with the New York Giants, including time with new Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

Helm played the first four snaps of the opening drive, but Bellinger replaced him on third down and played the rest of the drive. The Titans used some 12 personnel on the second drive with both players on the field, while Helm played more snaps in 11 personnel. On the third drive, both players again saw time in 11 personnel.

While Helm is still expected to be the lead tight end, he will need more playing time to earn a higher target share than he has seen in the past. He will also need the Titans’ offense to improve for him to become a top-12 fantasy tight end. Most other starting receiving tight ends have an easier path to a top-12 finish.

Elijah Arroyo plays into the second quarter: Arroyo caught a highlight-worthy touchdown, but the fact that he played into the second quarter isn’t a great sign for his fantasy value.

Arroyo was a second-round pick by the Seahawks last season but ultimately lost the starting job to AJ Barner. Barner didn’t miss a game last season, and Arroyo averaged a 39.5% snap rate. There is a chance that rate will be even lower this season, as the Seahawks have more wide receivers they can trust.

While there had been talk of Arroyo having a breakout season, this is the second straight game in which Arroyo played while the starters sat. Nearly half of the league’s backup tight ends didn’t play this week, although a few were sidelined by injuries rather than being rested. This indicates Seattle doesn’t plan to make Arroyo as big a part of the offense as the receivers who didn’t play in this game.

Arroyo will be someone to pick up off the waiver wire if Barner suffers an injury, but it’s unlikely that Arroyo has another path to fantasy value this season.

Miscellaneous Notes
  • Seattle opted to sit Jadarian Price after he missed time with upper-leg soreness. While he ramped up to padded practices this week, Seattle opted to remain cautious. Emanuel Wilson missed his second straight preseason game with an undisclosed injury.
  • Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet remains on the PUP list, so he was not eligible to play and is unlikely to be available for Week 1.
  • Seahawks backup wide receiver Jake Bobo was placed on injured reserve yesterday with a knee injury, ending his season. Second-year receiver Tory Horton will be out for “some time” with an undisclosed injury.

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 would be from 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.
Call the Right Play for Every Life Stage. Western & Southern Financial Group.
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