NFL Preseason Recap: Week 2 Snaps, Routes & Personnel Usage

The second week of NFL preseason action, like the first, saw an array of approaches to playing/resting starters. Some teams played all of their healthy starters, including star veterans, while others held out all of their first-stringers and most of the second-stringers.

A lot of the players that impressed last week — be it in terms of role or performance — didn't play at all this week, which in some cases is a promising sign in terms of Week 1 playing time expectations.

What you'll find below is a recap of everything worth knowing (for fantasy football) from the 15 preseason games this past weekend. Some teams have crucial stuff to analyze, e.g., a QB job battle or a new injury to a starter, while other teams may have only provided information on things like WR4 and RB3 competitions. Nearly everything will be covered below, including the stuff that only matters for super-deep leagues, but I'll put most of my time and energy into the teams that actually played starters (or at least some fantasy-relevant rookies).

I mostly look for hints about personnel usage that might carry over to the regular season; keeping in mind that nothing we see in exhibitions should be extrapolated as a certainty into games that matter. It's just one small piece of the puzzle, but those hints occasionally prove valuable, especially for late-round picks and bench management in deep formats or dynasty leagues.

Performance doesn't concern me as much as those depth chart hints, in part because the games don't count and in part because we're always dealing with small samples. Nearly all of the guys on an NFL roster are capable of looking great or horrible over a span of 10 snaps, and in most cases their coaches put more emphasis on practices anyway. There are exceptions, of course, such as neck-and-neck QB job battles like the ones we (maybe?) have in Indianapolis and New Orleans right now.

We'll cover all that and more below, including key injuries and circling back on last week's standouts. Now let's dig in.

Titans (23) @ Falcons (20)

Titans

• The Titans played Cameron Ward for three drives, which spanned just 12 plays. He completed only two of seven pass attempts for 42 yards — thanks in part to Van Jefferson's drop on a beautiful downfield pass — after going 5-of-8 for 67 yards in the preseason opener.
  • Ward has looked good this preseason, repeatedly attempting difficult throws without putting the ball in places where it can be intercepted, but it's hard to say how much that means when his offensive linemen have been giving him a ton of time against second- and third-string pass rushers. On the other hand, Ward's pass catchers did him no favors Friday night, struggling to get separation and failing to make a couple of tough-but-not-impossible catches. His only truly bad throw was a misfired screen pass.
• RB Tony Pollard, WR Calvin Ridley and WR Tyler Lockett were rested, unlike the previous week, while TE Chig Okonkwo played the first two drives with Tennessee's starters but not the third. The early hook is another good sign for Okonkwo, who played every snap with the first-team offense in the preseason opener.
  • Okonkwo has never quite been a three-down TE, playing 65.9 percent of snaps in 2023 and 60.8 percent in 2024. That may not change now... or it might just be a preseason blip.
• Last week, the Titans had Ridley, Lockett and Van Jefferson as the main WRs with the first-string offense, with Elic Ayomanor subbing in for a handful of plays and fellow rookie Chimere Dike taking a couple snaps.
  • This week, the two rookies joined Jefferson as regulars on the first three drives, with Bryce Oliver subbing in for a few plays (and catching a screen pass).
  • Jefferson, Ayomanor and Dike all continued playing with the second-stringers, which is fine for the rookies but probably not a great sign for Jefferson... potentially opening the door for Ayomanor, who finished Friday's game with two catches for 47 yards and one "carry" for two yards (it was a backwards screen pass). If we count the screen, Ayomanor saw three of Ward's eight throws, including the completion on an intermediate crossing route that accounted for 35 of Ward's 42 yards. That doesn't necessarily mean Ayomanor will be ahead of Jefferson come Week 1, but it's a possibility.
• With Pollard and Tyjae Spears (high-ankle sprain) both held out, Julius Chestnut got the start and took five touches for 22 yards.
  • Rookie sixth-round pick Kalel Mullings also got some work with the first-string offense and ultimately took six carries for 20 yards. He's competing with Chestnut for the RB3 job, which would be the No. 2 role in Week 1 if Spears isn't ready.
• Rookie TE Gunnar Helm was the second TE with the first-team offense for a second straight week, and he also played a bunch with the second-stringers, making a 25-yard TD catch in double coverage en route to 4-48-1 on four targets. It seems like Helm quickly surpassed 2023 fifth-round pick Josh Whyle, and the rookie might threaten Okonkwo soon enough if my optimism about Okonkwo's playing time doesn't lead to solid results (a definite possibility, given his mixed track record and rookie QB).

How do these players stack up against the rest of the NFL? Visit our fantasy football rankings for a list of the top players for the remainder of the season.

Falcons

• The Falcons rested all of their projected starters, plus a lot of second-stringers, for the second straight week. They're largely using the preseason to evaluate the bottom of the roster.
• Atlanta beat writers made note of healthy wideout Casey Washington being rested. He's a 2024 sixth-round pick who played nine snaps on offense and 47 on special teams last year, never threatening KhaDarel Hodge for the No. 4 WR job. But it sounds like there's a chance Washington does that now, and at a potentially favorable moment when Darnell Mooney (shoulder) is uncertain for Week 1.
  • There's not much of interest in Washington's prospect profile. He came into the league at age 23, after just 1,508 receiving yards and four TDs in five seasons at Illinois, with a 4.46 40 time (pro day) at 6-foot-1, 201 pounds. That's probably not who you want as your top backup, especially for a team that uses a ton of three-wide formations and is already stretched thin with Ray-Ray McCloud as one of the worst No. 3 receivers in the league.
• The RB3 role is up for grabs, with four young, undrafted players in the mix. 
  • Carlos Washington (hamstring) was arguably the favorite but hasn't played this preseason. 
  • Nathan Carter started this week and played into the third quarter, putting up a 9-67-1 rushing line behind a 43-yard TD. He also had a 20-plus-yard run called back on a holding penalty. Carter seems to have moved ahead of Dotson, if not Washington.
  • Elijah Dotson started last week, when none of the RBs did much of anything. This week, he didn't get a carry until late in the third quarter and finished with four touches for nine yards.
  • Jashaun Corbin split snaps with Dotson in the fourth quarter and took six carries for just seven yards. 

Chiefs (16) @ Seahawks (33)

Chiefs

• The Chiefs used a lot of starters, including on the offensive line, but they rested QB Patrick Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce. Their starters were QB Gardner Minshew, RB Isiah Pacheco, WR Rashee Rice, WR Xavier Worthy, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster and TE Noah Gray.
  • WR Hollywood Brown (ankle/foot) didn't play.
  • The Chiefs used a slew of players on the opening drive, quickly taking out Worthy and Rice in favor of Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Royals and even Skyy Moore.
• Pacheco also came out after three plays, replaced by Carson Steele, with Elijah Mitchell then playing a couple of snaps later on the opening drive. Steele also entered before Mitchell the week before, but it was about the same as in Friday's game, with the former coming in shortly after the latter and then rotating.
  • Kareem Hunt was out with a quad injury, after being second through the RB rotation (behind Pacheco) in the first preseason game.
  • Steele was stuffed on a 4th-and-1 on the opening drive, and took three carries on the following series before calling it a day. He may be ahead of Mitchell, who was tackled in the end zone for a safety and finished with four carries for nine yards, playing until early in the third quarter.
  • Rookie Brashard Smith took over for Mitchell early in the third quarter and had a 3-22-0 rushing line and 2-16-0 receiving line, plus work on kick and punt returns.

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Seahawks

• The Seahawks played starters, but not Kenneth Walker, who has been on an every-other-practice routine since missing a few days of camp with a foot injury. He's a good player, and it's telling that they want so badly to keep him healthy, but it's even more telling that he's 24 years old and already has a record of lower-body injures that inspires special treatment during camp and preseason.
• The skill-position starters were QB Sam Darnold, RB Zach Charbonnet, FB Robbie Ouzts, TE AJ Barner, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba and WR Cooper Kupp.
  • Charbonnet took every snap on the opening drive, with five carries for 45 yards and a TD. He didn't play after that, nor did Darnold, JSN and Kupp, although the Seahawks left their first-team offensive line in a bit longer.
• The Seahawks mostly used a fullback or multiple tight ends on the opening drive, running only a few plays with three WRs on the field. That's not a great sign for Marquez Valdes-Scantling, nor is the fact that he got just a couple of snaps on the opening drive, with Tory Horton, Jake Bobo and Dareke Young also subbing in.
  • Horton and MVS then got most of the WR snaps on the first couple drives with the second-team offense. Horton caught one of two targets for 12 yards, while MVS finished without a target. Meanwhile, Young put up 3-52-0 on three targets, and Bobo scored red-zone TDs on both of his catches. 
  • Horton and Young both have received glowing reviews from training camp, potentially creating stiff competition for whatever WR snaps don't go to JSN and Kupp (that may not be many snaps). Horton, at least, is a name to keep in mind in case JSN or Kupp misses time this year.
• Rookie TE Elijah Arroyo came on as the second TE for a couple of snaps on the opening drive, including a nine-yard catch in the flats off play-action. Barner caught a pass for five yards earlier on the drive, with JSN and Ouzts accounting for Darnold's other two passes (he went 4-of-4 for 34 yards).
• RB George Holani replaced Charbonnet for the start of the second drive with QB Drew Lock and ripped off a 30-yard run on his first snap.
  • Holani took five carries for 49 yards over a snap of six plays before giving way to Damien Martinez, who immediately added a 19-yard run and finished with 11-50-1 on the ground (plus 2-14-0 receiving). Their RB3 battle won't get much attention given the two guys ahead of them, but Holani is probably one of the best UDFA backs of recent years, and Martinez among the better seventh-round picks (many expected him to go in the middle rounds this April). The Seahawks already lost last year's No. 3 RB, Kenny McIntosh, to a season-ending injury, yet still have some of the best backfield depth in the league.
    • I'd nonetheless recommend caution when it comes to the current excitement over Seattle's running game (see below). I'm a fan of Klint Kubiak, but Seattle's offensive line probably isn't good enough to support a dominant running game, unless maybe we're talking about Jalen Milroe replacing Sam Darnold under center at some point. The backfield talent and scheme should make it a solid rushing attack, but ultimately there will be weeks when the opponent's defensive line is just too much for Seattle's blockers to handle even if the playcalling is clever.

Dolphins (24) @ Lions (17)

Dolphins

• Miami rested most starters, including De'Von Achane, who is dealing with an unspecified soft-tissue injury (first reported Saturday). Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said the injury isn't severe, but with just three weeks to go until the season opener, it's nonetheless a major concern for fantasy. McDaniel also said Achane and DE Zach Sieler (undisclosed) will be out "between days and weeks"... which doesn't sound great to me.
  • RB Jaylen Wright got the start and the first four carries, but he fumbled on the fourth of those (Miami recovered), with about two minutes remaining in the opening quarter. He continued playing well into the second quarter but didn't get any more official touches — a target and a carry were wiped out by penalties — and finished with just the four carries for three yards. You might say it's a bad sign he was even playing when Miami held most other second-stringers out, but that's probably not fair given how depleted the team's backfield has become, with just two healthy guys that have been on the team for more than a week. And Wright did convert a 3rd-and-1, albeit barely.
  • RB Ollie Gordon, meanwhile, got his first carry midway through the second quarter, en route to a 10-50-0 rushing line and 2-9-0 receiving line. The one-time college superstar looked good Saturday, and he's locked in for a roster spot after Alexander Mattison's season-ending injury last week. The questions now: 
    • A) Can Gordon push Wright for the No. 2 job?
    • B) Will Achane be ready for Week 1?

Lions

• The Lions also rested nearly anyone we'd care about for fantasy, including some veteran backups, with the main developments thus being the progression of rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa (promising) and the No. 2 QB battle between Kyle Allen and Hendon Hooker (advantage: Allen).
• TeSlaa put up 4-41-1 on five targets, all in the first half. He now has an 8-105-2 line on 11 targets in three preseason games. The third-round rookie still needs work on his route-running, but he's definitely a big, fast guy with good hands. The Lions may be on to something, even though TeSlaa's lack of college production is jarring compared to other Day 2 picks.

Panthers (3) @ Texans (20)

Panthers

• Carolina played starters for a second time in as many weeks, albeit with QB Bryce Young and others making early exits after just six plays (a pair of three-and-outs).
  • The six plays were two incompletions, two Chuba Hubbard carries, one sack and one short scramble. There was also a deep INT cancelled out by a defensive penalty, adding insult to injury for Young and Co.
• RB Rico Dowdle came in for the two third-down snaps on those first two drives, and then got a bit of work with the second-string offense, but it was mostly rookie Trevor Etienne who took second-team snaps (and then played into the third quarter with the third-stringers).
  • Etienne finished with just 25 yards on eight touches.
• WRs Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette and Adam Thielen all started for the second straight week. In the previous game, Legette got ejected for fighting and was replaced by Jalen Coker, who then scored a TD. In this game, Coker was absent due to an illness. Thielen came out after two drives, while McMillan and Legette took a few snaps with the second-stringers before calling it a night.
• TE Ja'Tavion Sanders came off the field once, but he got most of the first-team snaps and one of Young's two targets. Sanders also started and got most of the first-team snaps the week before. Granted, there's not much competition, with fellow tight end Tommy Tremble (back) still on the PUP list and thus uncertain for Week 1. Rookie fifth-round pick Mitchell Evans has been subbing in for Sanders this preseason with the starters.
  • Keep in mind that the Panthers don't roster a fullback, so their lack of TE depth suggests heavy, heavy use of three-wide formations, which means Thielen could be on the field a ton even if he's technically the No. 3 receiver (in the sense of not having a role in two-wide sets). There is some chance that struggles from Thielen (or the team) would open up an opportunity for Coker, however, considering the 2024 UDFA worked both inside and out during a promising rookie season.
• QB Andy Dalton suffered an elbow injury. He doesn't think it's serious but is scheduled for testing.

Texans

• After resting starters last week, the Texans used everyone who was healthy Saturday, including QB C.J. Stroud, WR Nico Collins, DE Will Anderson and CB Derrick Stingley. The first-team offense played two drives, with the first being a three-and-out, and the second culminating with a Stroud-to-Collins touchdown (more of those on the way soon).
• RB Nick Chubb and Dameon Pierce reportedly split first-team reps in practice last week, but the Texans held Pierce out Saturday (he missed the first couple weeks of camp with an injury), leaving Chubb to get all five carries with the first-team offense (and gain 25 yards).
  • RB Dare Ogunbowale replaced Chubb on a few pass plays, including a third down and fourth down, but didn't get any carries. 
  • Rookie RB Woody Marks then came in with QB Davis Mills and the second-string offense. Marks played into the third quarter with the third-stringers, taking seven carries for 40 yards and one catch for no gain, before handing things over to J.J. Taylor, Jawhar Jordan and British Brooks.
    • Chubb, Marks and Ogunbowale all look good for roster spots, while Dameon Pierce is arguably in the mix for a Week 1 start and arguably also in danger of not making the team. This all assumes Joe Mixon (foot) isn't ready by Week 1, of course. If he surprises seemingly everyone and makes it back, the Texans likely would cut Pierce or Ogunbowale.
• WRs Christian Kirk and Xavier Hutchinson dominated the first-team snaps alongside Nico Collins, albeit with rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel subbing in for a couple of plays apiece.
  • Hutchinson wasn't targeted, while Higgins caught a 14-yard pass from Stroud (before seeing a pair of incomplete targets with the backups). This is one where I'd simply ignore the preseason alignments, because Higgins is not only a much earlier draft pick than Hutchinson but also plainly superior in terms of both natural talent and skill level. Even if Hutchinson starts Week 1, he won't stay ahead of the rookie for long.
  • Noel didn't see any targets from Stroud and finished with one catch for two yards on two targets. He and Higgins both had a pair of short catches the week before.
• TEs Dalton Schultz and Cade Stover split snap with the first-team offense, also sharing the field for a few plays, and both then played a couple of drives with the second-stringers.
  • That's not a great sign for the 29-year-old Schultz, who has 72 NFL starts to his name but just had his worst receiving line (53-532-2) since 2019, despite playing all 17 games in an offense that dealt with a slew of WR injuries. Stover, a 2024 fourth-round pick is both bigger and faster, although Schultz has a massive experience advantage (and a fully guaranteed $11 million salary). FWIW, Schultz has just one season and no guarantees remaining on his contract after 2026. 
  • The Colts traded WR John Metchie for TE Harrison Bryant after this game, and they also have Irv Smith and seventh-round rookie Luke Lachey on the roster at tight end, after losing Brevin Jordan to a season-ending knee injury (his second in as many years) last week.

Browns (22) @ Eagles (13)

Browns

• The Browns held out a lot of starters, although RB Pierre Strong got extended run (after not playing the week before) and took 12 carries for 89 yards, reminding everyone that he might actually be a half-decent option if everything else fails in the Cleveland backfield this year.
• WR Cedric Tillman started and played well into the second quarter, catching his lone target for an 18-yard gain. It's maybe not the best sign that he played so much, but the Browns still don't really have anyone else at WR besides Jerry Jeudy, making Tillman a potential every-down guy come Week 1.
  • Diontae Johnson started and played a lot for the second straight week, but he caught just one of three targets for seven yards. 2024 fifth-round pick Jamari Thrash had far more success while mixing in, mostly out of the slot, catching all four of his targets for 43 yards. I think he'll be the No. 3 receiver to start the year, with Johnson either on the bench or released.
• QB Dillon Gabriel got the start and moved the ball with ease, but he also threw a dumb pick-six and lost a fumble on a poor hand-off. After missing the preseason opener with a hamstring injury, he played the entire first half Saturday and finished 13-of-18 for 143 yards (and one INT).
  • Tyler Huntley then handled the second half, with Kenny Pickett (hamstring) and Shedeur Sanders (oblique) both unavailable. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Sunday that he's optimistic Sanders and Pickett both will increase their practice workloads this week.
• TE Harold Fannin and RB Dylan Sampson both were rested, after coming out of the game early last week. The lack of preseason action with backups suggests both are on track for Week 1 roles on offense, although not necessarily large enough roles to matter for fantasy.
• BTW, QB Joe Flacco will be the Week 1 starter, if you haven't caught on yet. How long he lasts is another matter.

Eagles

• The Eagles didn't use projected starters and also held out some key backups.
• Last week, RB Will Shipley got the start, ahead of AJ Dillon. This week, Shipley was rested and Dillon got the start (though Dillon didn't play much before handing things over to undrafted rookie Montrell Johnson).
  • Shipley appears well on his way to the No. 2 RB role, with Dillon perhaps needing to fend off an RB3 challenge from Johnson, who took six carries for 20 yards. (Dillon's three carries yielded seven yards.)

Patriots (20) @ Vikings (12)

Patriots

• QB Drake Maye played two drives for a second straight week, but RB Rhamondre Stevenson (undisclosed) wasn't available due to injury, while TE Hunter Henry seemingly was just rested. (WR Stefon Diggs also sat out, again, as expected coming off ACL surgery.)
• RB Antonio Gibson technically got the start, not TreVeyeon Henderson, but the latter ended up playing more snaps with the starters and scored a TD on his fourth and final carry (to finish at 4-20-1, plus an incomplete target).
  • Henderson didn't play after the second drive, while Gibson got some work with the second-stringers.
• WRs Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins were the starters, with DeMario Douglas coming on for three-wide formations and Kyle Williams subbing in some on the perimeter.
  • Hollins, Boutte and Douglas all came out at the same time as Maye, while Williams unsurprisingly continued playing, alongside hyped UDFA Efton Chism, who put up 6-71-1 (all in the second quarter).
  • Diggs, Douglas, Hollins, Boutte, Williams and Chism look on track to make the team, leaving Javon Baker, Ja'Lynn Polk (arm/shoulder) and Kendrick Bourne (leg) on the outside looking in, although I'm guessing the Pats will use one of those injuries to put a guy (probably Polk) on an injury list and keep him around.
  • Hollins caught three passes for 38 yards, accounting for nearly all of Maye's yardage. With Douglas presumably in the slot and Diggs seemingly on track for Week 1, it probably comes down to Boutte vs. Hollins for the final starting job. Whoever wins it will need to play well, as Williams is also a candidate to take over at some point.
• K Andy Borregales missed a 57-yard attempt, by a lot, after John Parker Romo hit one from the same distance the week before. Borregales did make a 51-yarder, however, plus both of his PATs.

Vikings

• The Vikings held out starters and a lot of key backups, leaving RB Ty Chandler and rookie wideout Tai Felton as the only semi-interesting guys for fantasy.
  • Felton, a third-round pick, caught both of his targets for 32 yards, but he also fumbled on special teams, which was seemingly his more realistic path to a meaningful Week 1 role, at least until recently...
    • Jordan Addison (suspension) is out for the first three weeks, and Jalen Nailor (hand) is being evaluated for an injury. Even if we assume Justin Jefferson's hamstring isn't a real concern, the Vikings may be awfully thin at WR early in the season. Lucky Jackson has been ahead of Felton all summer, but there's some chance necessity puts the rookie on the field this September anyway.

Packers (23) @ Colts (19)

Packers

• The Packers rested their starters, most of whom are injured anyway (at the skill positions). RB MarShawn Lloyd got the start over Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks, but all three got playing time early in the game, until the 12-minute mark of the second quarter when Lloyd suffered a hamstring injury at the end of a 33-yard reception on a wheel route.
  • Packers coach Matt LaFleur already said Lloyd is "going to miss some time," which has been the theme of his NFL career so far — unable to stay healthy even while just practicing.
  • Wilson is the likely No. 2 back for Week 1, with Brooks perhaps having a small role (or just playing special teams).
• LT Jordan Morgan, a 2024 first-round pick, is having a great preseason and pushing incumbent starter Rasheed Walker for the starting job. Regardless of who wins, it's a positive development for Green Bay to potentially have three starting-quality OTs. They can kick one inside (likely Morgan?) if guards Aaron Banks or Sean Rhyan don't work out from a performance or health standpoint.

Colts

• QB Daniel Jones got the start, leading an offense with mostly first-stringers, and started off poorly by overthrowing an open Tyler Warren on a third down. Jones bounced back with completions of 22 and 25 yards to set up a short field goal on the next drive, plus he had a third long play on a shorter pass wiped out by a penalty.
  • QB Anthony Richardson then took over for the third drive and led a 12-play, 90-yard TD march, but he gained just one first down over two subsequent drives. Colts coach Shane Steichen will name a starter soon, and I honestly have no clue who it will be. My gut says Jones, FWIW (not much).
• RB Jonathan Taylor started and played a bunch of snaps, but he got just one carry. Rookie DJ Giddens got the handful of first-team snaps that Taylor didn't play, with Tyler Goodson then entering with the second-stringers and scoring a TD (but exiting not long after due to an elbow injury).
  • Giddens took six carries for 28 yards and caught one of three targets for nine yards. His stock is trending up, after Goodson worked ahead of him in the preseason opener. The combination of the rotation changing and Goodson suffering an injury is best-case scenario for Giddens' fantasy value, though he's still just a handcuff and not a guy with any chance at stand-alone value when JT is healthy.
• Josh Downs (hamstring) and Alec Pierce (groin) didn't play, allowing Adonai Mitchell and Anthony Gould to get most of the first-team WR snaps alongside Michael Pittman.
  • Mitchell caught his lone target for eight yards, but he was penalized twice, both times wiping out long gains by Gould, who officially finished with 3-30-0 on three targets (plus 61 yards cancelled out). It's also not a great sign for Mitchell that he played through the end of the first half alongside a lot of players who won't make the Week 1 roster.
• TE Tyler Warren played all but one snap with the first-team offense, and not at all thereafter, finishing with one catch for 25 yards on three targets. It was his second straight week in an every-down role with the starting offense, and this time he didn't continue playing with the backups. I think he's going to be featured in the Colts offense right away, drawing targets that might otherwise go to Pittman and Downs.

49ers (22) @ Raiders (19)

49ers

• The 49ers played Brock Purdy and a lot of other starters for one drive, moving 61 yards in 12 plays for a field goal.
• Starting RG Dominick Puni suffered a multi-week PCL injury, putting him in doubt for Week 1.
• With Christian McCaffrey resting and everyone else banged up, RB Patrick Taylor got the start but left early due to a shoulder dislocation. The 49ers later lost UDFA Corey Kiner to a high-ankle sprain, leaving McCaffrey, Ke'Shawn Vaughn and Jeff Wilson as the only healthy running backs on the roster.
• TE George Kittle played every snap on the opening drive, and none thereafter.
• WRs Demarcus Robinson and Ricky Pearsall got most of the WR snaps on the opening drive, with Russell Gage (remember him?) coming on for three-wide sets and Isaiah Hodgins making a cameo.
  • Pearsall caught three of four targets for 42 yards on the opening drive, and didn't play thereafter. Robinson continued playing with the second-stringers, finishing with 3-44-0 on four targets.
  • Robbie Chosen ('member him?) Put up 5-92-0 on seven targets, playing deep into the second half. He might have a shot at a Week 1 roster spot, but only because so many other guys are injured for San Francisco. Gage has been working ahead of Chosen, and seems more likely to benefit from a role early in the season.
• Reminder: Brandon Aiyuk (ACL) is unlikely to play in September. Robinson may be suspended for the first three games or so. Jauan Jennings, Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing all have multi-week injuries (although Cowing returned to practice in a limited capacity last week).
• K Jake Moody had a wild day, missing a 51-yarder and nearly missing a chip shot, only to bounce back with a walk-off winner from 59 yards. He finished 5-of-6 on field-goal attempts, with 49ers beat writers suggesting he'll keep the job again (Kyle Shanahan had nice things to say as well). The Niners released Greg Joseph a couple weeks ago, but they can always bring in someone else to challenge Moody.

Raiders

• The Raiders used most of their starters for two drives, resulting in a TD and a FG.
• RB Ashton Jeanty played 14 of 15 snaps with the first-string offense, taking eight touches for 35 yards and a touchdown. 
  • Raheem Mostert subbed in for one play with the starters, catching a pass for four yards on 3rd-and-8. He's not really someone you think of as a third-down back, but maybe that's how the Raiders will use him, just to take Jeanty off the field occasionally on plays where he's probably not getting the ball anyway.
• TE Brock Bowers rotated with Michael Mayer, but I don't think we should care at all about that kind of thing when discussing someone on Bowers' level. 
  • Is it possible Bowers only plays 70 percent of snaps? I guess, but he'd still probably end up running routes on a higher percentage of his team's pass plays than all but a handful of tight ends... and likely with per-route production unmatched by all besides George Kittle and Trey McBride.
    • It's also possible Bowers is an every-down player, or close enough to it as to not matter. There are plenty of good reasons to rotate him with Mayer in a preseason game. 
• WRs Dont'e Thornton, Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker were the only WRs to get snaps with Geno Smith, staying on the field for every play until the Raiders reached the goal line and used heavy formations.
  • Thornton saw two incomplete deep targets, while Meyers and Tucker made short receptions on their only targets. None of them appeared to play with the second-stringers; that was left for second-round pick Jack Bech, who caught two of three targets for 21 yards.
    • I still think Bech, not Thornton, is the one with fantasy upside. Thornton is on track for the Week 1 start but will likely be running a lot of empty clear-out routes, whereas Bech could potentially replace an injured Jakobi Meyers as the WR who catches a lot of short and intermediate passes.
• Mostert continued playing with the backups, sharing snaps with Zamir White and Sincere McCormick for the rest of the first half and into the third quarter.
  • Not a great sign for Mostert to still be playing so late in the game, although the Raiders had a lot of second-stringers in the game still, including Bech and QB Aidan O'Connell.

Ravens (31) @ Cowboys (13)

Ravens

• The Ravens rested starters and a lot of backups again. 
• 2024 fourth-round pick Devontez Walker caught six of eight targets for 61 yards, making his case for the No. 4 WR job (behind Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins). Tylan Wallace had the role last year and was pulled from this game before Walker.
• Tyler Loop made five of six field-goal attempts, with John Harbaugh declaring Loop to be the winner of the team's kicking battle after the game. Even if he's not especially good, Loop should see enough volume to have fantasy value for as long as he keeps the job and Lamar Jackson stays healthy.

Cowboys

• The Cowboys also rested most starters, making it noteworthy that Miles Sanders got the start and played a bunch (seven carries for 15 yards) while Javonte Williams was rested for a third straight week.
  • RB Jaydon Blue (heel) was unavailable. Last week, none of the three played, although only Williams was healthy.
• WR Jalen Tolbert played early in the game, while KaVontae Turpin was held out. Tolbert could just be their WR4 this year, or maybe it's just that Turpin is considered more important because of his value in the return game.
• WR Jonathan Mingo started and made a 49-yard catch but left early due to a PCL injury.
• The Joe Milton fan club seems to be shrinking. He made a couple of great throws but ultimately completed just nine of 18 passes for 122 yards, with no TDs and one INT. He led a pair of field-goal drives to close things out, but only after producing zero points on his first seven drives (with one turnover and a safety).
  • The good news for Milton? Will Grier looks even worse, and isn't half as talented.

Chargers (22) @ Rams (23)

Chargers

• The Chargers played QB Justin Herbert and most of their other starters for one drive, going 51 yards in nine plays for a field goal.
• RB Omarion Hampton played every snap on the opening drive, and not at all thereafter, which is exactly what you want to see for fantasy purposes, although it matters less when Najee Harris (eye) isn't available. We still have no idea really what's going on with Harris and when he might be ready to play football, so there's a very real chance of Hampton handling a massive workload come Week 1.
  • Kimani Vidal replaced Hampton for the second drive and took 10 carries for 16 yards, while Hassan Haskins didn't play (maybe a good sign for him... or just a minor injury) and Raheim Sanders got most of his work late in the game. 
• Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen were the WRs on the opening drive, until Johnston took a huge hit and left early. KeAndre Lambert-Smith came in for Johnston and kept playing with the second-stringers, putting up 2-66-0 on six targets to continue his summer hype.
  • Fellow rookie Tre Harris, drafted much earlier, didn't play at all with the starters, but he did go ham with the backups, catching six of eight targets for 85 yards. 
• TEs Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin rotated on the opening drive. Rookie Oronde Gadsen played with the backups, catching one of two targets for 12 yards. This seems like a TE committee that won't yield much fantasy value unless injuries thin out the room... and even then, there's not much upside beyond what Dissly did at one point last season.

Rams

• The Rams rested starters and some veteran backups again.
• RB Blake Corum worked ahead of Jarquez Hunter for a second straight week, taking four carries for 22 yards on the opening drive before exiting the game.
  • Hunter then played 
• Second-round pick Terrance Ferguson was rested for a second straight week, but so were Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson.
• WRs Jordan Whittington and Tutu Atwell were also rested for a second straight week. They're said to be competing for the No. 3 receiver job, albeit in an offense that may not be as three-wide-heavy as in past years (thanks to improved TE depth, although who knows, really?).
• Seventh-round pick Konata Mumpfield started and played a lot for the second straight week, catching two of four targets for 12 yards and a TD. There's been some hype around him this summer, but he'll likely just be fifth or sixth on the depth chart even if he survives cutdown day.
• QB Stetson Bennett played the entire game and threw for 328 yards and three touchdowns, with just one sack (for no loss) and one interception. There were a few lucky plays along the way, but it was still encouraging for the Rams. The bad news? (See below.)

Jets (12) @ Giants (31)

Jets

• QB Justin Fields played for a second straight week, mostly handing off to Breece Hall and Braelon Allen over two drives that spanned 19 plays but produced just three points.
  • Fields finished 1-of-5 for four yards, with one carry for five yards, after running for a TD on his lone drive the week before.
• RB Breece Hall got the start and played 11 of 19 snaps on the first two drives, taking seven carries for 26 yards and coming out of the game at the same time as Fields. 
  • In the Jets' first preseason game, Braelon Allen and Isiah Davis both got 2-3 snaps on the opening drive. In this game, Davis (ankle) was out, and Allen subbed in on the opening drive for the second and third carries of the game. Hall and Allen then shared snaps and carries on the second drive. Allen took five carries for 24 yards with the starters and added two rushes for 10 more yards with the second unit.
• The Jets opened in a two-TE formation, with Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert, Garrett Wilson and Josh Reynolds as the starters (alongside Fields and Hall).
  • Wilson played every snap with the starters, and Reynolds only came off once, but there was more of a rotation at tight end, with Taylor and Ruckert sharing snaps.
    • It was Taylor's preseason debut, following an ankle injury earlier this summer. He has a shot at an every-down role, IMO, even if it isn't happening this preseason.
  • Tyler Johnson was the No. 3 receiver and didn't get a target from Fields.
  • Wilson accounted for three of Fields' five targets, but Taylor had the lone catch.

Giants

• The Giants used healthy starters, which was basically everyone at the skill position besides WR Malik Nabers (toe/shoulder).
• QB Russell Wilson led the Giants to a quick TD on their first drive but didn't put up any points on three subsequent series, ending with an interception. The four drives spanned just 16 plays, with an 80-yard completion to undrafted rookie Beaux Collins setting up Devin Singletary for a one-yard TD on the first drive (after starter Tyrone Tracy got stuffed at the 1-yard line on the previous play).
• Collins surprisingly got the most WR snaps while Wilson was at QB, with Darius Slayton, Wan'Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt also playing a decent amount. I don't think it means much besides Collins having a shot at a depth role, but it was interesting to see, and worked out quite well.
  • Collins played at Clemson and Notre Dame, recording four seasons in the range of 373-to-510 receiving yards and 3-to-5 TDs. He ran a 4.54 40 at his pro day, which probably ended any hope of getting drafted.
• RB Tyrone Tracy got most of the snaps and seven of eight carries (for 39 yards) while Wilson was at QB, with Singletary's lone first-team tote being the goal-line TD (although he also played a few pass snaps and got a target).
  • Cam Skattebo (hamstring) still isn't available.
• TE Theo Johnson played every first-team snap, including a 30-yard catch on his lone target — a play where coach Brian Daboll subbed QB Jaxson Dart in for one snap with the first-stringers (to simulate replacing an injured starter in a real game, or something like that?)
• Speaking of Dart... he was sharp for a second straight week, completing 14 of 16 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown, plus a rushing TD. Daboll confirmed that Wilson is still the Week 1 starter:

Buccaneers (17) @ Steelers (14)

Buccaneers

• The Bucs rested Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, but unlike last week, they used most of their other starters, including RB Bucky Irving and TE Cade Otton in every-down roles for the first three drives (scoring 14 points with QB Teddy Bridgewater starting).
  • Irving had nine touches for 27 yards and a Moss-like TD on the first three drives, while Sean Tucker subbed in just once for a pass snap (and then played some with the second-stringers).
    • Rachaad White (groin) started the week before but got injured, and he's uncertain for Week 1.
• WR Jalen McMillan suffered a neck/back injury and possible concussion in the first quarter. He and Emeka Egbuka took most of the first-team snaps initially, with Sterling Shepard as the No. 3 receiver. Tez Johnson then replaced McMillan, for the most part.
  • Egubka caught one of two targets for five yards and a TD while playing every snap on the first drives.

Steelers

• The Steelers rested most of their starters, including Aaron Rodgrs, Jaylen Warren, DK Metcalf, Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth.
  • RB Kenneth Gainwell, WR Roman Wilson, WR Brandon Johnson, TE Darnell Washington and TE Connor Heyward were the starters, with RB Kaleb Johnson and WR Scott Miller subbing in for over the first three drives (which spanned just eight plays) while QB Mason Rudolph was in the game.
  • The Steelers took Rudolph out after he threw a TD to Johnson late in the first quarter, rebounding from an early INT.
• RB Kaleb Johnson got all of his carries after Rudolph left the game, gaining 50 yards on 11 rush attempts and playing into the third quarter.
  • Johnson looked better Saturday, after a rough preseason debut that drew some criticism the week before. It's still not ideal that he was playing so late into the game, and after Gainwell in the rotation.

Cardinals (7) @ Broncos (27)

Cardinals

• The Cardinals rested projected starters and many key backups, including Trey Benson, who got first-team snaps the week before (after James Conner took the first few plays).
  • TE Tip Reiman was also rested, after getting some first-team snaps last week, whereas Elijah Higgins played Saturday night. I think the Cardinals are going to use Reiman a lot in two-TE formations this year; if he's any good, it'll help make up for having Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch and Zay Jones as the Nos. 2-4 WRs (in whatever order).

Broncos

• The Broncos went with a mixed approach, starting RB RJ Harvey for a second straight week but holding out QB Bo Nix, RB J.K. Dobbins, WR Courtland Sutton and WR Marvin Mims.
  • TE Evan Engram played, and had a 58-yard run-and-catch on the opening drive. He said afterward that he wanted to play because former Giants teammate Davis Webb was calling the plays for Denver. Engram certainly helped Webb look good, and the Broncos ended up scoring 24 points on Jarrett Stidham's five and a half drives in the first half.
• Harvey took most of the snaps on the first two drives, with three carries for 18 yards and a TD, plus a two-yard catch on his lone target. He looked good for a second straight week, but it's still hard to say how the Broncos will split snaps between Harvey and Dobbins come Week 1.
• Pat Bryant (4-70-0), Troy Franklin (4-67-2) and Trent Sherfield (1-5-0) got most of the WR snaps with Stidham in the first half. Bryant and Franklin looked good, on top of Franklin's camp hype, but Mims played nearly all of the first-team snaps the week before alongside Nix and Sutton (and was then rested for this one). Which isn't to say Mims will have a full-time role come Week 1, but there's at least some chance of it, whereas Bryant or Franklin need a Sutton/Mims injury to have that shot. 
  • Devaughn Vele can be another complicating factor, potentially retaining the slot/third receiver job. He was also rested Sunday, after taking most of the three-wide snaps with Nix, Sutton and Mims the week before.
• Stidham is having a great preseason, with three TDs and four incompletions.

Jaguars (17) @ Saints (17)

Jaguars

• The Jaguars played most of their healthy starters, including QB Trevor Lawrence, who completed 8-of-10 passes for 76 yards and a TD (but was charged with a lost fumble on a play where he tripped and coughed up the snap).
• Last week, RB Travis Etienne played every snap on Lawrence's lone drive. This week was a much different story, with Tank Bigsby starting and getting the first three RB touches (including a 19-yard receptions) while Etienne came off the bench for a few pass plays on the opening drive. Etienne then got most of the snaps on the second drive, taking four touches for 32 yards, although Bigsby subbed in for ETN for two pass plays.
  • Neither Etienne nor Bigsby played after the second drive. Bhayshul Tuten took over on the third series, alongside backup QB Nick Mullens, and played into the third quarter while ceding some of the work (especially on pass downs) to fellow rookie LeQuint Allen.
    • Tuten took 10 carries for 35 yards and a TD — his second score this preseason — plus he had a six-yard gain on his lone target. 
    • Allen took two carries for 18 yards and four catches for 24 yards.
• With WR Travis Hunter nursing a minor lower-body injury and Dyami Brown either rested or held out with a minor injury, the Jags used Brian Thomas, Parker Washington and Austin Trammell as their top three wide receivers. 
  • Washington caught a TD, after subbing in for some first-team snaps the week before. He's seemingly the No. 4 WR, but with potential to play a decent number of snaps, be it because Dyami Brown isn't that good or because Hunter is busy playing cornerback.
• TE Brenton Strange played nearly every snap with Lawrence and caught both of his targets for 22 yards. The week before, Hunter Long cut into Strange's playing time more. In this one, Johnny Mundt was active and got a bunch of snaps in two-TE formations, but Strange dominated the playing time in single-TE looks.

Saints

• QB Tyler Shough played the entire first half, but that amounted to just 21 plays and four drives, producing one field goal and three punts.
  • It might've been a TD and three punts if not for Chris Olave's third-down drop.
  • QB Spencer Rattler fared better than Shough, producing two field goals, a TD, an interception and a punt on five second-half drives. WR Mason Tipton blamed himself for the INT afterwards, but a better QB probably wouldn't have attempted the throw.
  • I think they'll start Rattler in Week 1, but I'm not confident in that, and I don't think he'll last all that long anyway (not that I have huge expectations for Shough either).
• RB Alvin Kamara didn't play, nor did WR Brandin Cooks, TE Juwan Johnson and RB Devin Neal (hamstring).
  • RB Kendre Miller took most of the first-team snaps, with Cam Akers subbing in some and then sharing work with Clyde Edwards-Helaire in the third quarter.
  • Miller took six carries for 21 yards. He hasn't done much this preseason, but he was first in the RB rotation in both games, and he seems to have made it through consecutive appearances without an injury. That could make him the No. 2 RB for Week 1, although Neal may push him for it at some point.
• Olave and Rashid Shaheed both played every snap on the first three drives, with Cedrick Wilson coming on as the third receiver. Olave and Shaheed accounted for seven of Shough's nine targets.
• TE Treyton Welch, a 2024 UDFA, is apparently making a case for a roster spot (presumably as Juwan Johnson's backup in the move-TE role).
  • Welch and Jack Stoll split first-team snaps in this one.

Bills (0) @ Bears (38)

Bills

• The Bills held out most of their projected starters and some other veterans, but they did start a couple of fantasy-relevant guys — WR Joshua Palmer and RB Ray Davis.
  • Palmer has reportedly been with the first-team offense all summer, and I don't think it's anything to worry about.
  • The list of seemingly healthy players that didn't play includes QB Josh Allen, WR Keon Coleman, TE Dalton Kincaid, TE Dawson Knox, RB James Cook and RB Ty Johnson.

Bears

• QB Caleb Williams and most of the other starters played two drives, with the first resulting in a 36-yard TD to Olamide Zaccheaus and the second ending with a punt.
• TEs Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland rotated, and they also played together on a couple of snaps in two-TE formations. 
• WRs DJ Moore and Rome Odunze both played every snap with Williams, while Zaccheaus came on as the No. 3 receiver and rookie Luther Burden only played with the second-stringers.
  • Burden came on strong, however, with a 22-yard gain on his first route. He finished with 3-49-0 on three targets, and fellow second-teamers Tyler Scott added 3-54-1 on a big day for Tyson Bagent (196 yards, one TD).
    • Case Keenum (leg) was unavailable but seems unlikely to beat Bagent for the No. 2 QB job anyway.
• RB D'Andre Swift was rested, while Roschon Johnson (foot), Kyle Monangai (undisclosed) and Travis Homer (calf) were all unavailable... which mean someone named "Deion Hankins" got the start and most of the first-team snaps. Hankins took three carries for 10 yards, but he then left with a knee injury. And that set the table for Ian Wheeler to put up 19-80-2 rushing, with Brittain Brown adding 16-73-1.

Bengals vs. Commanders — Coming Tuesday!

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