Another week of preseason action has wrapped, giving us more info to dissect as Week 1 approaches. Per usual, a good chunk of the data here is courtesy of PFF’s Nathan Jahnke, who catalogs every snap of the starting offenses during the preseason. Be sure to check out his articles for other nuggets. My preseason recap from last week also has plenty of actionable info.
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Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons rested their starters. Zachariah Branch took the field with the backups, meaning he is still behind Olamide Zaccheaus and Jahan Dotson on the depth chart. Dotson appears to be locked in for a starting outside role. Zaccheaus will man the slot, but will likely lose snaps to Branch out of the gates. The big question will be if Branch can fully supplant him at some point this year. For now, there are equal or better picks than Branch going later in drafts.
Baltimore Ravens
Ja’Kobi Lane played all 19 snaps with the starters—Baltimore’s second-team offense—and then got the rest of the day off. DeVontez Walker and LaJohntay Wester were on the field for an additional three drives and rookie Elijah Sarratt didn’t see the field until nearly the end of the third quarter. To no one’s surprise, Lane has all but locked up a starting role.
Buffalo Bills
Buffalo didn’t play any starters in this contest. Ray Davis saw every running back snap with the starting offense (read: second unit). Ty Johnson was banged up and didn’t play, but Davis does appear to be the clear RB2, as expected.
Carolina Panthers
Chuba Hubbard remains sidelined with a hamstring issue. Jonathon Brooks got the start and played 12-of-13 snaps with Bryce Young on the field. Trevor Etienne took the pitch for a single passing play. It’s a small sample, but this is the same split we saw in Carolina’s previous preseason game. If Hubbard misses time, it looks like the Panthers trust Brooks to shoulder the bulk of the backfield opportunities.
Chicago Bears
Chicago’s starters got one drive, though several big names were absent for this game. Kalif Raymond would normally be competing for the team’s WR3 job. Given that Luther Burden and Zavion Thomas—another WR3 candidate—were both out, it was surprising to see Raymond get just three snaps with Caleb Williams. Kaden Davis and JP Richardson both saw more reps with the 1s than Raymond. The Bears also used 12-personnel for exactly half of their passing plays. With an extra tight end looking like the answer at WR3, the top two receivers and Colston Loveland will be funneled targets this year.
Cincinnati Bengals
Samaje Perine rested with the other starters while Tahj Brooks played for the Bengals’ first five drives versus Chicago. The good news for Brooks is that he out-snapped all other Cincy backs 26-9 and then left the game for good. Brooks turned five touches into 36 yards. Perine is the clear RB2 and should have a stand-alone role after Chase Brown gets his touches. If Chase Brown were to miss time, Perine would likely split work with Brooks.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns named Deshaun Watson their Week 1 starter after giving him and Shedeur Sanders each a start during the preseason. Watson started with the first-team offense two games ago while Sanders’ start came with the backups this past weekend. That split tipped the Browns’ hand early, so today’s news shouldn’t come as a big surprise.
Since 2022 when he joined Cleveland, Watson ranks 64th out of 71 qualified quarterbacks in EPA per dropback. Sanders ranks 68th. By that single measure, this is maybe a slight win for the Browns’ pass-catchers, though I suspect Watson will eventually get benched for Sanders.
Dallas Cowboys
Malik Davis started with the second-team offense and rotated with Jaydon Blue. Blue was the starter last week, though it was again the second-team offense taking the field. He ultimately played more snaps with the second unit than any other back in both games. Phil Mafah played ahead of Davis last week, but that was flipped versus Arizona. If Blue is going to be involved in the backfield this year, it will be as a pass-catcher. On the other hand, the Cowboys are still looking for a more traditional backup between Davis and Mafah. If Javonte Williams misses time this year, we’re likely looking at a backfield by committee in which Blue is not the lead runner. Having already steamed up draft boards, Blue’s lack of contingent value makes him a hard sell at an RB54 cost.
Denver Broncos
RJ Harvey started once again. Just like last week, he got the first drive before giving way to rookie Jonah Coleman. The two rotated on the second drive and then Coleman got the entire third drive a week ago. Denver skipped the rotating phase this time around, giving the second of two starters’ drives to Coleman. Harvey looked great as a pass-catcher and will likely see more designed targets than most non-bellcow running backs this year.
First TD at @EmpowerField this preseason 🙌
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 22, 2026
📺: 9NEWS pic.twitter.com/5eeoi4Hy7f
On the other hand, the fact that he is already losing work to Coleman is a serious red flag at his RB33 price tag.
Denver’s starting wideouts only played on the first drive. Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle played every snap while Pat Bryant earned 5-of-6 reps, leaving the field when the team wanted a heavy personnel grouping. Sean Payton’s receiver rotations are the stuff of nightmares for fantasy managers, but it does look like Bryant is pulling away as the clear WR3.
Detroit Lions
Isaac TeSlaa once again played with the backups. TeSlaa is only in his second season, so he may simply need the reps more than any starter, but it’s still concerning to see him treated like a backup. The WR3 job in Detroit wasn’t a highly-coveted job in the first place. Drawing targets alongside their stacked cast of pass-catchers is nearly impossible. But now that TeSlaa may not even have that low-wattage role in the bag, he is off my draft boards entirely.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers played their starters, but Jayden Reed sat for unknown reasons and Josh Jacobs remained out with a groin injury. As expected, Christian Watson and Matthew Golden played primarily on the outside as the team’s top two wideouts. Without Reed in the mix, there weren’t many takeaways from the receiver room.
MarShawn Lloyd made another start, splitting reps with Chris Brooks this time around. Lloyd out-snapped him 9-5 and out-carried him 4-1. Lloyd was also the only running back to see a target with the starters. He converted it into an 11-yard score.
THINGS YOU LOVE TO SEE!
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 22, 2026
📺: Packers TV Network pic.twitter.com/9mk7y1ry1o
Lloyd wouldn’t see every carry if Jacobs misses time, but he would be the clear lead back. He might have even played himself into a part-time role with Jacobs healthy.
Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud played in this game, but Nico Collins, David Montgomery, and Dalton Schultz all got the night off. Tank Dell and Jaylin Noel also sat for injury reasons. Xavier Hutchinson played 8-of-10 snaps with Stroud on the field and was second on the team in receiver routes last year. Hutchinson is still in the mix for a starting job, and his case grows stronger every day that Noel and Dell fail to practice.
Indianapolis Colts
Seth McGowan once again got all of the snaps with the starting unit (Indy’s second-string offense). DJ Giddens is banged up and appeared to be ceding the RB2 gig to McGowan before suffering a hamstring injury. It looks like McGowan has taken advantage of the opportunity and is penciled in as Jonathan Taylor’s backup.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest.
Kansas City Chiefs
Just like last week, Kenneth Walker played a handful of snaps with the starters but left the field early. Brashard Smith was the next man up last time. It was Emari Demercado this time around. Demercado was the fourth running back in the prior game’s rotation. It seems like the Chiefs want a pass-catching complement to Walker but haven’t settled on a winner yet.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders rested their starters. That included Tre Tucker but not Jalen Nailor. Since entering the league, Nailor ranks 130th in targets per route run and 93rd in yards per route run. Tucker isn’t much better, but his numbers have risen throughout his career while Nailor’s have declined. By the looks of it, the Raiders have checked the spreadsheets and are not all that interested in giving Nailor a starting role.
Mike Washington Jr. once again operated as the clear top running back sans Ashton Jeanty. He ceded three snaps to Dylan Laube while playing with the second-team offense. All three were passing plays. Jeanty had a massive injury scare in practice yesterday, though it’s “only” an ankle sprain according to early reports. It’s possible the issue still costs him time early in the season, making Washington the priority handcuff in fantasy drafts.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers gave their first-team offense one short-lived drive. Quentin Johnston and Tre Harris sat with injuries. Brennen Thompson was the next man up, meaning he is the best bet for WR4 duties in LA. With the Chargers likely to lean on 12 and 21-personnel looks under Mike McDaniel, that’s not a particularly appealing role, but it’s something.
Charlie Kolar and David Njoku both saw two snaps with Justin Herbert. They played one more drive and Kolar finished the game with an 8-5 snap advantage. Oronde Gadsden did not see the field until the third drive and played much later in the game. I still believe in Gadsden as a player, but he should not be in a starting fantasy lineup in Week 1. He might not be startable all year.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest.
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins did not play their starters, but rookie Caleb Douglas made an appearance with the second-team offense. He was on the field for one drive before the coaches had seen enough. Jalen Tolbert and Kevin Coleman Jr. also started but played deeper into the game. Tutu Atwell got into the mix from the second drive onward. Coleman opened the game in the slot and stayed there even as new faces rotated into the lineup. He is likely the direct backup to Malik Washington. Rookie Chris Bell was taken off the NFI list this week and has a shot at playing in Week 1. Jalen Tolbert’s job is his to take, and he should do so early in the season.
Minnesota Vikings
I noted last week that Tai Felton played ahead of Jauan Jennings, but that was also a situation that could have been affected by the absence of Justin Jefferson. The Vikings came to their senses this week and rested Jennings—along with the rest of the starters—and played Felton with the backups. Felton appears to be the WR4 in Minnesota, but it doesn’t look like he is in the running for a starting job.
New England Patriots
The Patriots did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest. Second-year wideout Kyle Williams played 29 snaps with starter Tommy DeVitto on the field. He is buried behind Kayson Boutte, Mack Hollins, and Pop Douglas, all of whom got the day off.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints rested rookie Bryce Lance with the starters last week and played Barion Brown with the backups. They flipped that this time around, keeping Brown on ice while playing Lance with Zach Wilson under center. Lance played all 26 snaps with Wilson. This is a weird situation to parse with Chris Olave and DeVaughn sitting, plus Jordyn Tyson out for multiple months because of a nagging hamstring issue. Saints reporter Jeff Nowak points out that it could simply be workload management for a receiver room already light on bodies because of the Tyson injury.
The WR rest schedule has been interesting. Seems like there’s been an extra emphasis on making sure guys aren’t overworked at that position.
— Jeff Nowak (@Jeff_Nowak) August 22, 2026
- Bryce Lance didn’t play in the preseason opener
- Barion Brown isn’t playing today
- Devaughn Vele rested Tuesday, no preseason action…
Brown looked like a return specialist and designed touches WR4 coming out of college while Lance was more of a traditional starting boundary receiver. For now, I’m penciling in Lance as the team’s WR3 until Tyson returns, but this is a situation to monitor.
New York Giants
Darnell Mooney was absent from this game for personal reasons but has also been the subject of recent trade rumors. Darius Slayton and Malachi Fields started as outside receivers with Calvin Austin manning the slot. Fields was done for the day after just two drives while Slayton and Austin played the entire first half. Fields is locked in for a starting role while Austin may have the edge for the third spot in 11-personnel looks because of his slot specialization.
The Giants signed Najee Harris this week on the heels of a botched pass-protection rep from Tyrone Tracy. The missed block resulted in a brutal Jaxson Dart sack and subsequent concussion evaluation. Devin Singletary started over him this week, though the two rotated drives during the first half. Tracy played much more than Singletary and committed a ghastly red zone fumble.
The @MiamiDolphins jump on the loose ball!
— NFL (@NFL) August 22, 2026
NYGvsMIA on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/wWvUOIfffY
It’s hard to imagine John Harbaugh sticking with Tracy as the team’s RB2 following multiple blunders in the preseason.
New York Jets
Omar Cooper Jr. only ceded one snap to Isaiah Williams while playing with the starters. He was still the WR3 behind Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell, but it doesn’t seem like the Jets are even toying with the idea of Williams playing ahead of Cooper Jr. anymore. Ricky Pearsall is the only first-round rookie wide receiver to be drafted lower than Cooper Jr. since 2022, and he was recovering from a gunshot wound. This is the cheapest talent bet drafts have given us in a half-decade.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest. Tank Bigsby also rested, confirming his role as the only game in town for the backup running back job.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Michael Pittman and DK Metcalf are still hurt, and neither of Pittsburgh’s top two quarterbacks played. The starting tight ends and running backs did suit up. Unlike last week, Roman Wilson played primarily out of the slot in this contest while Germie Bernard was relegated to outside receiver duties. The Steelers’ third starting receiver spot will largely be a slot role, which could mean that Wilson remains the favorite for WR3 duties in Week 1.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers gave their starters one drive, though not everyone was available, namely Mike Evans and Christian McCaffrey. Demarcus Robinson, Deebo Samuel, and De’Zhaun Stribling were the team’s trio of starting wideouts. Stribling played one of seven snaps in 12 and 13-personnel. Demarcus Robinson led the team with 10-of-10 reps with the starters. Stribling posted another strong preseason line of four catches for 46 yards. He is still the favorite for WR3 duties in San Francisco, but that could be a very limited role early in the season.
Kaelon Black played all 10 snaps with Purdy. He also looked great.
49ers 3rd-round rookie Kaelon Black won the RB2 job with his performance in Preseason Week 2. He had two great pass protection reps versus blitzers. His vision stood out between the tackles. He flatten a few guys on contact.
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) August 21, 2026
Shanny *cooking* spreadsheets with Strib & Black. pic.twitter.com/V06HP46BEp
Jordan James is back at practice, but Black has likely pulled ahead as the RB2 in San Francisco.
Seattle Seahawks
George Holani rested alongside the expected Seattle starters. Emmanuel Wilson and Jadarian Price are both banged up, but it’s still a good indicator that Holani is in the team’s plans for Week 1.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs played their starters, but all three starting wideouts were unavailable and Bucky Irving was pulled before the end of the first drive. Without any of the top three receivers or a normal backfield rotation, there simply isn’t much to gather from their bout with the Chiefs.
Tennessee Titans
Calvin Ridley was subbed out for Elic Ayomanor again this week, though only for 2-of-19 snaps. He could come for Ridley’s job this year, but that won’t happen in Week 1.
Daniel Bellinger and Gunnar Helm continued to split snaps versus Seattle. Helm got 12 snaps with the starters but ran five routes to Bellinger’s six. By EPA per play, Cam Ward was the NFL’s worst quarterback (min. 300 plays) in 2025. He was unlikely to provide enough passing output to make a full-time tight end viable for fantasy managers. It would be stunning for him to elevate a part-time tight end to even TE2 numbers.
Tyjae Spears out-snapped Tony Pollard for the second straight week. Spears held an 11-8 edge this time around, bringing the running total to 24-17. Both backs have six carries and Spears has four targets to Pollard’s one. Like most people, I assumed Pollard would handle the bulk of the carries this season with Spears playing mostly on passing downs. It looks like they could be in more of a true committee, though I don’t want to change my priors too heavily based on preseason running back usage. Coaches tend to play things closer to the vest at RB in these games, meaning they aren’t always a good indicator of regular season splits.
Washington Commanders
The Commanders let their starters take the field for a single, three-play drive before pulling them. Treylon Burks was the third starting wideout alongside Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs. Burks may not be able to hold that job for the entire year, but it’s not clear who would take it from him either. Third-round rookie Antonio Williams played after the second group of wideouts got theirs, as did Jaylin Lane. Luke McCaffrey ran with the second-string offense and is a former second-round pick. He could be in line for more work if Burks doesn’t pan out. The WR3 situation in Washington is unlikely to provide fantasy managers with any value.
