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Arizona Cardinals
Rondale Moore played zero snaps.
We’ll get to the more interesting stats soon, but sometimes the best preseason usage is none at all. As a rookie, Moore topped a 50 percent snap share just four times because Kliff Kingsbury hates fun. Moore played no snaps this preseason like the rest of Arizona’s starters. With Christian Kirk gone and DeAndre Hopkins serving his suspension, Moore could start the season in an every-down role.
Atlanta Falcons
Marcus Mariota was PFF’s No. 1 graded quarterback.
It’s just preseason, but Mariota looked good on his 12 throws. He averaged 12.3 yards per attempt with a 14 aDOT. Mariota also scrambled three times for 25 yards and a score. Having experience in Arthur Smith‘s system from their days in Tennessee, Mariota could get out to a “hot” start as a viable QB2 or streaming option.
Baltimore Ravens
Isaiah Likely led all tight ends with 12 catches for 144 yards.
He did this while appearing in just two games. Likely was also playing in only the first half of these games. With how weak Baltimore is at receiver, Likely could function as the team’s de facto WR3.
Buffalo Bills
Devin Singletary played all 10 snaps with the starters in the Bills’ second preseason game.
Buffalo only gave their starters meaningful run in Week 2 of the preseason, but Singletary showed he will be their primary back early in the year. That could shift as rookie James Cook gains reps, but Singletary should be a strong RB2 for the first month of the season.
Carolina Panthers
Chuba Hubbard out-snapped D’Onta Foreman 49-39 throughout the preseason.
Although Hubbard exits the exhibition games with a slight edge, it doesn’t look like he is the clear backup to Christian McCaffrey anymore. Should CMC go down, the backfield will be a full-blown committee.
Chicago Bears
Justin Fields threw three touchdowns and no interceptions.
All three scores came in his final preseason outing where he demolished the Browns for a handful of drives. Fields improved his yards per attempt by 2.5 and his competition rate by 15.5 percent versus his 2021 preseason debut. With an offense catered to his skills, Fields has QB1 upside.
Cincinnati Bengals
Samaje Perine played zero snaps.
Perine also sat out in Week 18 last year when Cincinnati rested most of their starters. For now, the Chris Evans dream appears to be dead.
Cleveland Browns
David Bell turned seven targets into five first downs.
The rookie had an aDOT of 10.2, putting him in CeeDee Lamb/Brandin Cooks territory instead of the Keenan Allen or Jarvis Landry range. He has a long way to go to be on the level of any of those players, but he projects as the chain-mover of Cleveland’s passing attack.
Dallas Cowboys
Jalen Tolbert played 61 percent of his snaps from the slot.
Tolbert either started when the first team got the night off or took the field with the backups during the preseason. However, he profiles as the team’s best option out of the slot when they are in three-receiver sets. Noah Brown and CeeDee Lamb will play on the outside.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos threw to their running backs on 23 percent of their attempts.
That number was 18 percent for all teams during the preseason. Last year, the Seahawks’ passers targeted running backs at a 14 percent clip. Both Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon should have strong roles through the air.
Detroit Lions
D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams split the starters’ snaps 60/40.
This was on a 10-snap sample in Detroit’s first preseason game. Williams averaged 12.4 touches per game through seven weeks, then injuries picked apart the Lions. Things appear to be marching toward a committee in Detroit.
Green Bay Packers
Romeo Doubs was targeted on 38 percent of his routes.
Antonio Brown led the NFL with a 31 percent target rate last year. It’s easy for a starter-caliber player to look like a target hog when fighting for looks with Samori Toure and Juwann Winfree. Still, it’s a damn impressive showing from the rookie and should earn him plenty of reps in Week 1.
Houston Texans
Dameon Pierce led all running backs (min. 10 attempts) in yards after contact per attempt.
Pierce was a committee-back in college, but his competition for touches is just Rex Burkhead. He is a strong bet to dominate Houston’s carries as a rookie while giving way to Burkhead on passing downs.
Indianapolis Colts
Deon Jackson caught six passes for 47 yards.
Jackson made the roster as the Colts’ third running back. He peaked at 847 yards in a single season at Duke, but caught 61 passes during his college career. He won’t see any time in Week 1 but is a name to know should anything happen to Jonathan Taylor.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Christian Kirk was targeted eight times in the Jaguars’ penultimate game.
All eight targets came from Trevor Lawrence in just the first half of the contest. Kirk earned a 38 percent target share on Lawrence’s throws. The former Cardinal is easily the WR1 in Jacksonville.
Kansas City Chiefs
Jody Fortson caught two of Patrick Mahomes’ three touchdown passes.
Fortson (6'4/226) didn’t get much run in college because of injuries but has the size to be a rotational player for the Chiefs. Fortson earning more snaps could also mean Skyy Moore and Mecole Hardman are relegated to smaller roles.
Las Vegas Raiders
Ameer Abdullah played two snaps in the Hall of Fame game before resting the remainder of the preseason.
The Raiders would eventually cut Kenyan Drake. All signs point to Abdullah playing on third downs and in passing situations for the Raiders. For ZeroRB teams, he could offer some easy RB3 points in PPR leagues.
Los Angeles Chargers
Joshua Kelley was the only LA back to average more than three yards per carry.
That includes Sony Michel‘s weak preseason stat line of nine carries for 13 yards while in Miami. Kelley had an edge over rookie Isaiah Spiller throughout training camp and should enter the season as the Chargers’ RB2. He could have some deep FLEX value if he is used to relieve Austin Ekeler.
Los Angeles Rams
Lance McCutcheon led the NFL with 259 receiving yards.
Most importantly, McCutcheon made the team’s final roster. LA didn’t play any of their starters, so there’s not much to look at here. If Van Jefferson is out for Week 1, McCutcheon could see run as the team’s WR4. He’s only worth looking at in NFL Showdown contests.
Miami Dolphins
Chase Edmonds played 10 consecutive snaps with the starters in Miami’s final preseason game.
He left the field three snaps before the rest of the starters. Sony Michel, who is no longer with the team, got the final reps. Edmonds looks like much more than just a committee back and has pass-catching upside.
Minnesota Vikings
Alexander Mattison played 16 snaps.
All 16 came with the starters of the first and second games. Those starters were Minnesota’s second-stringers, but Mattison appears to have the backup gig locked down. He remains one of the best handcuff backs in the league.
New England Patriots
Pierre Strong led all Patriots backs with four targets.
With Ty Montgomery banged up, there’s a chance for Strong to emerge as the team’s next James White. Strong caught 62 passes in four years at South Dakota State and was also an elite runner. He’s worth a stash in deeper leagues.
New Orleans Saints
Jameis Winston completed all four of his attempts for 59 yards.
All four throws came on the first drive of the Saints’ final preseason game. Winston completed three passes of at least 15 yards and had an aDOT of 13.5. The team is stocked with talent and Winston looks dialed in.
New York Giants
Wan’Dale Robinson had a negative aDOT in the preseason.
He also earned one carry. Robinson played both running back and receiver in college. He profiles as a slot receiver for New York but could be relegated to a role that is only valuable in PPR leagues if he isn’t used far beyond the line of scrimmage.
New York Jets
Breece Hall played 30 snaps and was not targeted once.
Of those 30 snaps, 10 were charted as routes by Pro Football Focus. Michael Carter earned three targets. Carter showed well as a pass-catcher in his rookie season and the coaches have consistently talked about him playing a larger role this year. Hall has a higher ceiling but the two could be in an even split for Week 1.
Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia threw on 57 percent of their plays.
Eagles players have been discounted in drafts because of Philly’s ground-heavy approach over the second half of the 2021 season. Their actions in the offseason suggest that will change in Jalen Hurts’ second season as the starter.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Jaylen Warren led all current Steelers running backs with 48 rushing yards.
Benny Snell ran for 15 yards at 1.9 yards per carry, proving once again to be a plodder at the NFL level. Warren showed some burst in college, can catch passes, and now has the inside track on the RB2 job in Pittsburgh.
San Francisco 49ers
Trey Lance completed 69 percent of his passes at 8.8 yards per attempt.
Preseason will never give us a large sample of attempts on starting quarterbacks, but it was a promising showing from the second-year passer. Lance also made few mistakes, taking just two sacks without throwing an interception. If Lance can combine competent passing with incredible rushing, he will be a lock for an elite fantasy season.
Seattle Seahawks
DeeJay Dallas led the Seahawks with seven receptions.
Dallas finished sixth on the team in offensive snaps, making his reception total even more impressive. Reports from camp had Dallas as the team’s third-down back. He could offer some low-end PPR value and will at least stifle the upside of Rashaad Penny and Kenneth Walker.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs passed on 80 percent of their plays during Tom Brady‘s only drive of the preseason.
Brady had been away from the team for a few weeks, so it made sense to give him as many attempts as he needed to get in rhythm for the season. However, it can never hurt to remember the Bucs were one of just two teams with a pass rate over expected great than five.
Tennessee Titans
Treylon Burks was upgraded to a starting role in the Titans’ final preseason game.
Burks had been taking the field with the backups until the final week of the preseason. All reports have painted Burks’ offseason as disastrous, but he posted a 3/33/1 line with the starters to close out the exhibition games. It’s possible the hate has gone too far.
Washington Commanders
Jahan Dotson played in two games.
That’s a stat. It has a number in it. Dotson started in Washington’s first two preseason games and, like the rest of their regular season starters, he was rested for the finale. He also played on two-receiver sets over Curtis Samuel. First-round rookies immediately earning an every-down role are easy bets in dynasty and season-long leagues.
