The Week Three preseason “dress rehearsal” games came and went, and they certainly didn’t feel like regular season action, as has been the case in past years. Perhaps teams have been spooked by some significant injuries from earlier in the exhibition season or it could be the wear and tear from what is virtually a year-round sport finally settling in. Regardless of the exact reasoning, many of the top stars simply sat out their respective team’s Week Three game, while others made a brief appearance.
Here’s a look at the top stories from the weekend’s games and other NFL news.
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Lee Suffers Serious Injury
Jaguars top WR Marqise Lee suffered a serious injury during the team’s preseason game against the Falcons Saturday night. Lee’s leg was caught between two defenders and twisted as he was tackled and he quickly released the ball as he grabbed for his leg, showing the severity of the injury. Lee had to be carted off and many teammates came to opposite end of the field to wish him well as he left the field. There has still been no official word from the Jags, but teammates comments following the game were very telling. WR Dede Westbrook suggested teammates would have to “pick up where he left off,” and WR Donte Moncrief added, “Everybody’s got to step up.”
If Lee has suffered a torn ligament, as Dr. David Chao suggested via Twitter following the game, that will open opportunity for the other members of that crowded depth chart, including Westbrook, Moncrief, Keelan Cole and rookie D.J. Chark. It is still unclear which player might benefit the most, though Moncrief saw the immediate benefit as he stepped in following Lee’s departure, catching three passes for 62 yards.
Gordon Cleared for Full Return
Just days after Browns receiver Josh Gordon returned to the team and was allowed by the league to return to team activities and meetings, he received his full clearance and can now participate in practices and games. As suggested by HC Hue Jackson last week, Gordon will now be ready for Week One, if he’s healthy, that is. On his first day back to practice, Gordon tweaked his hamstring during conditioning drills. The severity of the injury is unknown. Jackson has already mentioned that Gordon will not start right away, but rather, he’ll have to earn that honor.
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Weekend Game Notes
Vikings RB Dalvin Cook made his return to the field after suffering a torn ACL last season. Cook ran twice for one yard in his limited work…Veteran RB Alfred Morris started for the 49ers due to multiple injuries, gaining 84 yards on 17 carries. If RBs Jerick McKinnon and Matt Breida are not ready for the opener, this will be Morris’s job…With star RB Todd Gurley sitting out the entire preseason, rookie RB John Kelly has been a force. He gained 64 yards and scored twice against the Texans. If Gurley misses any regular season action, Kelly could be a week winner…The good news is Chiefs WR Sammy Watkins recorded his first catch of the preseason. The bad news is it took seven targets to get that one reception. It is fair to be concerned about Watkins 2018 production as he’s been the clear third option behind WR Tyreek Hill and TE Travis Kelce…Although he was playing with the backups into the fourth quarter, Saints rookie WR Tre’Quan Smith made a statement, catching all four targets for 29 yards and a touchdown. There is a path for Smith to eventually claim the WR2 job behind WR Michael Thomas…Three years after being chosen as a top ten NFL Draft pick, Bears WR Kevin White caught his first career touchdown. It follows some positive reports for White from Bears camp, but there is still a long road before White is the difference maker many expected him to be…Rookie WR D.J. Moore struggled, failing to catch any of his three targets and clearly playing behind veteran WR Torrey Smith. Moore still has the upside to claim a starting role and even ascend to Carolina’s top option, but that won’t happen early in the season…After being signed earlier in the week, veteran RB Adrian Peterson made his Redskins debut, rushing for 56 yards on 11 carries. Peterson has apparently already won the starting job with the season-ending injury for rookie RB Derrius Guice…Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey continued to look like a workhorse back, totaling 64 yards. CMC is averaging a ridiculous 7.2 yards per carry in the preseason…Although Ravens RB Alex Collins saw just one carry in the team’s third preseason game, this is a positive sign for Collins fantasy owners. The Ravens are treating Collins like their clear starter after being unwilling to commit to him early in the offseason…Quarterback Andrew Luck looked like his old self this weekend and new Colts TE Eric Ebron took full advantage, catching all five targets for 54 yards and a score…Ravens rookie QB Lamar Jackson played his best preseason game, passing for 98 yards, rushing for another 39 yards and accounting for two touchdowns in Baltimore’s easy win over Miami…With RB Melvin Gordon sitting out due to personal reasons, second-year backup Austin Ekeler racked up 63 total yards on just nine touches. The Chargers have often discussed the desire to take some of the workload off Gordon, which could result in standalone fantasy value for Ekeler…Another young RB who benefitted from the starter’s absence was Steelers James Conner, who totaled 70 yards in the team’s third preseason game, much of that coming through the air. Conner appears to have claimed the RB2 spot after a quiet rookie season and could be viewed as “next in line” when starter Le’Veon Bell leaves following the 2018 season…After a pair of promising outings, Titans QB Marcus Mariota struggled against the Steelers, passing for just 43 yards despite playing the entire first-half…Jets backup QB Teddy Bridgewater posted yet another solid outing and is essentially auditioning for other teams at this point, assuming the Jets are willing to take fair compensation. Bridgewater completed 11 of 15 passes for 104 yards. He’ll get the majority of the work in the Jets Week Four finale…The story was the same as it has been all offseason for the Buccaneers running game. Veteran RB Peyton Barber played well, rushing for 34 yards and a score, while rookie RB Ronald Jones struggled. Jones did make a great catch, spanning 37 yards, but he rushed for only seven yards on six carries…Likewise, Seahawks RB Chris Carson continued his strong play, totaling 46 yards and a score. Rookie RB Rashaad Penny continues to miss time with a finger injury…Panthers QB Cam Newton survived an early scare when he landed awkwardly and was forced to leave the game. Newton was tested for a concussion, but later returned to the game. He ended with 142 passing yards…Broncos veteran WR Emmanuel Sanders looks ready for the regular season. He finished the preseason by catching 4 of eight targets for 61 yards. Sanders even saw a rare rushing attempt and took it 27 yards for the touchdown.
Injury Updates
Giants TE Evan Engram was forced from the team’s preseason game with a concussion and was later labeled as wee-to-week. Engram was able to get some light work in with training staff at Sunday’s practice, a good sign he’ll be ready for Week One…Eagles HC Doug Pederson announced that QB Carson Wentz had not yet been cleared for contact. The idea that Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles will be starting Week One is starting to set in as time is running out for Wentz to be cleared…Browns TE David Njoku (ankle) returned to Sunday’s practice and should be all set for Week One…Browns rookie WR Antonio Callaway (groin) also returned to practice over the weekend after missing the team’s Week Three preseason contest…Lions TE Luke Willson left the team’s game with a knee injury and the severity has not yet been announced. Little known TE Hakeem Valles stepped in with a solid game following Willson’s departure and could see regular season action as the pass-catching TE…49ers LB Reuben Foster, who is suspended for the first two games of the season, suffered a concussion during the team’s third preseason game. It’s his second head injury as a pro, making it a situation to watch moving forward…Giants rookie RB Saquon Barkley (hamstring) confirmed he would be ready for Week One…Steelers TE Jesse James was forced from the game with a back injury. It puts the team in a rough spot as Vance McDonald and Zavier Grimble are also dealing with injuries. It is unclear which, if any, will be available for Week One…Ravens first-round pick TE Hayden Hurst underwent a procedure to repair a stress fracture in his foot and will be out up to four weeks. This will obviously delay the official start to Hurst’s career and could eventually earn the starting spot once he returns…Steelers rookie WR James Washington, who has had an excellent preseason, suffered an abdominal injury that put him out of the game. The severity of the injury is still unknown. Washington has seemingly locked up the WR3 spot behind starters Antonio Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster…Packers RB Ty Montgomery left the game with a foot injury, but HC Mike McCarthy later said it was “nothing of a serious nature.” That’s good news for the Packers, already missing RB Jamaal Williams, not to mention the impending suspension of RB Aaron Jones…Houston beat writers suggest RB D’Onta Foreman (Achilles) will begin the season on the PUP list, which will keep him out at least six weeks. That would leave the primary backup duties to RB Alfred Blue and might have a lot to do with RB Lamar Miller being referred to as a “three down back” earlier in the week…Dolphins rookie RB Kalen Ballage has been cleared from the concussion protocol. The Arizona State product is expected to play behind “co-starters” Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore…Texans WR Will Fuller (hamstring) missed the team’s Week Three preseason game, though the injury is not considered serious.
Quick Hits
There had been multiple rumors suggesting WR Eric Decker would not make the Patriots roster and he must have seen the writing on the wall. The veteran retired on Sunday, ending his eight-year career. The Patriots are now without Decker, along with WRs Malcolm Mitchell and Kenny Britt, who were released earlier this offseason. With veteran WR Julian Edelman suspended for the first month of the season, Phillip Dorsett looks like the favorite for the WR2 role…CB Adam Jones signed with the Denver Broncos, where he’ll reunite with his former DB coach and current Denver HC Vance Joseph…A Buffalo beat writer suggested WR Corey Coleman, whom the team traded for just a couple weeks ago, is not a lock to make the final 53-man roster…Veteran TE Julius Thomas announced his retirement from the league. He plans to pursue a doctorate in psychology, with a focus on CTE…The Jets signed former Chiefs RB Charcandrick West, released by Kansas City just last week. West will provide depth while second-year RB Elijah McGuire is out with a foot injury…The Packers acquired LB Antonio Morrison from the Colts in exchange for CB Lenzy Pipkins. Green Bay needed help at the linebacker position after sustaining multiple injuries, including a torn ACL for Jake Ryan.
