Preseason Week 3 Game Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from Friday's games

Brashard Smith sees snaps with the starters: The Kansas City Chiefs‘ seventh-round running back was the second back on the field on the first drive, which included two targets.
Cole Kmet plays ahead of Colston Loveland: Kmet received the start over Loveland and took most of the snaps with the starters.
Subscribe to PFF+: It’s quick and easy. You’ll unlock industry-leading rankings, unlimited Fantasy Mock Draft Simulator use, Live Draft Assistant and weekly our Start/Sit Optimizer. It’s time to win.

Editor's note: Enjoy this PFF+ article and explore others free until Aug. 29.

PFF's fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2025.

Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Jets

Good news for Mason Taylor: Taylor was among the Jets starters who rested, while his primary competition did not — a strong sign for his role heading into the season.

A second-round pick expected to replace Tyler Conklin (who is now with the Los Angeles Chargers), Taylor missed the first preseason game due to injury but returned in the second, playing 13 of 18 snaps with the starters. He shared the field with Jeremy Ruckert, who logged 10 snaps but continued to play with the backups.

That snap pattern suggests Taylor is in the lead for the starting role. While Ruckert may still rotate in on early downs, Taylor’s snap share has room to grow. At the very least, this game did nothing to hurt his outlook. He remains a viable late-round dart throw at tight end in fantasy drafts.

The Eagles trade for John Metchie III: The Eagles stocked up on their backup receiver room after losing Johnny Wilson for the season.

The Eagles have three clear starting wide receivers in A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Jahan Dotson, but the backup spots are wide open. Last week, Johnny Wilson led the reserves with eight snaps over the team’s first two drives, followed closely by Terrace Marshall Jr. (seven), Ainias Smith (six) and undrafted rookie Darius Cooper (five).

Unfortunately for Philadelphia, Wilson suffered a training camp injury that will require season-ending surgery. He was officially placed on injured reserve today, thinning the Eagles’ depth and opening up more opportunities for the remaining backup receivers.

Philadelphia traded for John Metchie III this past week to take Wilson’s spot on the roster. Metchie has a chance to emerge as the Eagles’ top backup wide receiver. His addition is interesting, as he primarily played in the slot with the Houston Texans last season—similar to the Eagles’ top returning backup, Ainias Smith, who has also mostly worked from the slot in his career.

Metchie started tonight on the outside opposite Darius Cooper, with Smith entering in three-receiver sets as the slot option, consistent with his usage in previous preseason games. Terrace Marshall Jr. saw only one snap across the team’s first four drives, making him the likely odd man out. Cooper, meanwhile, is trending toward making the roster if the Eagles keep six receivers.

Both Metchie and Smith will likely see limited offensive snaps each week. If one of the top three wide receivers goes down, they would likely split time in three-wide sets. It would take two injuries for either player to become fantasy-relevant—and even then, their target volume may be limited.

Miscellaneous Notes

The Eagles have rested quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley, wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert throughout the preseason. Running back Will Shipley, wide receiver Jahan Dotson and tight end Grant Calcaterra joined them over the last two games.

The Eagles added running back A.J. Dillon to their growing list of healthy players who rested in this game.

The Jets played their starters in the first two games but rested them for this game. That included quarterback Justin Fields, running backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen, wide receivers Garrett Wilson, Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson, and tight end Mason Taylor.

Jets backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor has missed all three preseason games after having knee surgery.

Backup running back Isaiah Davis has missed his second straight preseason game due to an ankle injury and is in danger of missing the start of the regular season.

Wide receiver Allen Lazard also missed his second straight game due to a shoulder injury. Fellow backup Xavier Gipson has yet to play on offense in the preseason after missing the first week and getting injured on special teams the second week.

Wide receiver Irvin Charles remains on the PUP list for the Jets.

Atlanta Falcons @ Dallas Cowboys

Jaydon Blue plays but doesn’t start for the Cowboys: The Cowboys' rookie running back missed the first two games due to an ankle injury but made his debut with the team in this game.

The Cowboys enter the season with one of the NFL’s most uncertain backfields. Javonte Williams, expected to start, hasn’t played this preseason, leaving questions about his workload. Free agent addition Miles Sanders was also a question mark earlier this offseason, but his absence from this game — alongside other veterans — suggests his roster spot is secure. He’s likely to factor into the rotation.

Deuce Vaughn started the game and played the first, fourth and fifth drives with the starters. Nathaniel ‘Blue’ took over on the second and third drives, then played the entire third quarter and into the fourth. It’s not surprising that a fifth-round rookie like Blue didn’t start over a veteran in his debut. While playing into the fourth quarter would typically be a red flag for a rookie with fantasy relevance, Blue’s extended action is likely tied to the time he missed earlier in camp—suggesting the team still expects him to play a significant role.

Blue is worth a late-round pick in fantasy drafts, but it’s risky to start any Cowboys running back in Week 1 given the uncertainty surrounding the backfield rotation.

Miscellaneous Notes

The Falcons have rested quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins, running backs Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier and Carlos Washington Jr., wide receivers Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Ray-Ray McCloud III and KhaDarel Hodge and tight ends Kyle Pitts Sr., Charlie Woerner and Teagan Quitoriano throughout the preseason.

Wide receiver Casey Washington has joined that group for the last two games, suggesting his roster spot is secure.

David Sills V, who only played one drive last week, was added to the list of players who didn’t play in this game. He appears to be the sixth wide receiver on the team.

Jamal Agnew has missed the entire preseason due to an oblique injury.

The Cowboys have rested quarterback Dak Prescott, running back Javonte Williams, wide receivers CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and KaVontae Turpin, and tight end Jake Ferguson throughout the preseason.

Dallas added running backs Miles Sanders and Hunter Luepke, wide receiver Jalen Tolbert, and tight end John Stephens Jr. to that list tonight.

Backup wide receiver Jonathan Mingo is expected to start the season on injured reserve due to a recent PCL sprain.

Cowboys backup tight end Luke Schoonmaker was the Cowboys' primary tight end in the first two preseason games, but missed this one as he’s in the concussion protocol.

Third-string tight end Brevyn Spann-Ford has missed the entire preseason due to an ankle injury.

Minnesota Vikings @ Tennessee Titans

Elic Ayomanor leads the Titans' wide receiver room: Ayomanor and Van Jefferson served as the primary outside wide receivers for the Titans in Week 3 of the preseason.

The Titans were without Calvin Ridley in this game, as he hadn’t been practicing earlier in the week. In his absence, Elic Ayomanor and Van Jefferson served as the primary outside receivers, with Tyler Lockett operating in the slot. In the first preseason game, Ridley and Jefferson handled the outside roles while Lockett played exclusively in three-wide sets. This usage suggests that even if one of Tennessee’s outside receivers suffers an injury, it likely wouldn’t result in an increased snap count for Lockett.

Although Ayomanor played a few more snaps than Jefferson, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s won the starting job. The starters played two drives, after which Jefferson and Lockett exited the game, while Ayomanor stayed in for an additional drive with the backups. One notable development was Chimere Dike taking two snaps from Jefferson — one in a two-wide receiver set and another in a three-receiver formation. Dike lined up on the outside for both, despite primarily playing in the slot this preseason. That suggests he may not be limited to backing up Lockett in the slot and could also earn some outside reps.

Lockett remains a high-floor, low-upside late-round pick in deeper leagues, while Ayomanor is a viable dart throw in case he secures a starting role.

Miscellaneous Notes

Chig Okonkwo has played more snaps with the starters this preseason than he did last year, a trend that has held steady through all three games. He remains a strong sleeper target at tight end.

The Vikings have rested running back Aaron Jones and Justin Jefferson throughout the preseason, with quarterback J.J. McCarthy, running back Jordan Mason, fullback C.J. Ham, wide receivers Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor, and tight ends T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver joining them for the last two weeks.

Running back Ty Chandler joined the Vikings on the list of players not playing. Typically, this is a good sign that he will make the roster. However, there has been speculation that he might not. It’s at least possible that the team is considering trading him and didn’t want to get injured. It’s also possible he’s dealing with an undisclosed injury.

Justin Jefferson returned to practice earlier this week after missing time with hamstring tightness. Jalen Nailor remains day-to-day with a hand injury.

Third-round rookie Tai Felton, who played in the first two preseason games, sat out this preseason game due to injury.

Sixth-round rookie tight end Gavin Bartholomew has spent the entire preseason on the PUP list.

The Titans have played most of their starters throughout the preseason, with the exception of running back Tony Pollard and wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett last week. Pollard and Ridley didn’t play again this week.

Receiving back Tyjae Spears has missed the last two games with a high-ankle sprain.

The Titans used a constant rotation between Julius Chestnut and Kalel Mullings for the third running back spot. One of them could see significant playing time early in the season if Spears misses the start of the season.

Chicago Bears @ Kansas City Chiefs

Brashard Smith moves up the Kansas City depth chart: Smith received two targets with the Chiefs on their first drive.

Smith didn’t appear to be a major part of the Chiefs’ plans through the first two preseason games. He played in the third quarter as the team’s fifth running back in the opener, and he didn’t see the field until the second quarter in the second game, still working as the fifth back on the depth chart.

In this game, Isiah Pacheco started as usual on a longer opening drive. Smith played two second-down snaps and was targeted deep on both, recording a 13.0-yard average depth of target. He dropped the first pass but hauled in the second. Kareem Hunt, returning from a two-week absence due to a quad contusion, also played a snap later in the drive.

Kareem Hunt played every snap on the second drive, reinforcing his place as the No. 2 back despite Smith’s earlier involvement. The Chiefs returned to Pacheco on the third drive, continuing the alternating pattern they used last season. Smith took the fourth drive with the backups, indicating he may now be third on the depth chart, leapfrogging Carson Steele and Elijah Mitchell. That shift makes Mitchell a long shot to make the 53-man roster.

Kansas City has traditionally deployed a designated third-down back but hasn’t used one this preseason. That role likely won’t be clarified until the regular season begins.

Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet continue to rotate: Cole Kmet operated as the primary tight end on the first two drives, while Colston Loveland saw increased usage over the next two.

Last week, Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland rotated almost interchangeably. They shared five snaps in 12 personnel, each played three snaps in 11 personnel on early downs, and Kmet saw a slight edge on third downs, playing two snaps to Loveland’s one.

This week, Kmet started and played nine of the first 10 snaps across the opening two drives. Loveland joined for two snaps in 12 personnel and took just one snap in place of Kmet. A false start on the game’s second play may have contributed to Loveland’s limited early usage. He bounced back on the following two drives, logging 17 of 18 snaps, while Kmet played eight. Loveland finished the half with more snaps and routes, though that edge was largely a product of longer possessions, including a two-minute drill.

At this point, Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland appear locked into a true 50/50 split, with both likely to surpass a 50% snap share due to the team’s frequent use of 12 personnel. Their interchangeable usage is notable—Loveland has already earned the staff’s trust in all situations, which gives him a path to increased playing time at any point this season. That sets them apart from most tight end tandems, where one typically leans more as a receiver and the other as a blocker, limiting the receiving threat’s snaps on early downs.

Luther Burden III plays one snap with the starters: Burden remains a clear fourth on the Bears' depth chart.

Luther Burden was projected to be one of Chicago’s top three receivers, but summer injuries delayed his training camp progress. That opened the door for free agent Olamide Zaccheaus, who has taken over as the third wideout in 11 personnel. In the first half, D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze played every snap, while Zaccheaus joined them in three-receiver sets. Zaccheaus aligned in the slot on half of those plays, with Moore and Odunze rotating into the slot on the rest. Moore also lined up in the slot on five plays from 12 personnel.

Burden played just one first-half snap, replacing D.J. Moore late in the second quarter. He’s rotated between the slot and out wide throughout the preseason, but with the Bears’ wideouts frequently shifting formations, Burden would need to leapfrog a teammate on the depth chart—something that doesn’t appear imminent.

Burden saw extended action in the third quarter, which is telling. Since the NFL moved to a three-game preseason, only four rookie wide receivers drafted in the first three rounds have logged 15 or more second-half snaps in a preseason game: Tutu Atwell, Danny Gray, Amari Rodgers and Jermaine Burton. Those four combined for just nine receptions as rookies. While Burden projects for a more productive season, he’s not someone fantasy managers should rely on early in the year.

Miscellaneous Notes

The Chiefs traded Skyy Moore to the San Francisco 49ers earlier this week, making it increasingly likely that Tyquan Thornton secures a spot on Kansas City’s 53-man roster. Thornton played a few snaps with the starters and recorded a 58-yard catch on the Chiefs’ second drive.

The Bears were without D’Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, Kyle Monangai and Travis Homer last week. As of Wednesday, the latter three still weren’t practicing.

Swift played in 20 of 21 snaps on the first three drives, with Brittain Brown taking the fourth drive. While we don’t have any great sense of how the Bears will rotate running backs in the regular season, it was a positive to see Chicago comfortable using Swift in all situations.

Bears backup quarterback Case Keenum has missed the last two weeks due to injury. Keenum seems unlikely to make the roster after Chicago signed backup Tyson Bagent to a two-year contract extension earlier in the week.

Bears backup wide receiver Devin Duvernay missed last week with an undisclosed pre-game injury.

The only Chiefs fantasy-relevant players who rested last week are quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce. Both played in this game.

Kelce left the game three plays earlier than the rest of the starters. He played in 14 of the first 18 snaps, which is a relatively normal snap rate for Kelce.

Wide receiver Hollywood Brown missed the first two practices due to an ankle and foot injury, but returned to practice earlier this week.

Jalen Royals played last week, but didn’t play today with knee tendinitis.