Preseason Week 1 Game Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from every game

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Estimated reading time: 80 minutes

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.

Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens

Tyler Warren makes his Indianapolis Colts debut: Warren was the Colts’ top target when he was on the field.

The Colts have utilized a ridiculous rotation at tight end in recent seasons. Last season, Mo Alie-Cox, Andrew Ogletree and Kylen Granson all played between 430-475 offensive snaps, but none of the three exceeded 200 receiving yards on the season. The tight end room will look very different this season after the Colts used the 14th overall pick in the draft on Warren, a well-rounded tight end who should be capable of playing in any situation.

Warren played all 20 snaps on the Colts’ first three drives. This was a clear difference from their tight end usage last season. In the three snaps Indianapolis used two-tight-end sets, Ogletree was also on the field. Warren caught three passes for 40 yards and had a fourth reception called back due to an ineligible man downfield. It’s not surprising he received so many targets considering the Colts’ top three wide receivers didn’t play in this game. Once he left the game, Ogletree started playing more frequently, while Will Mallory became the second tight end. Warren played 16 snaps from a traditional tight end alignment in addition to two snaps in the slot and two out wide.

It’s worth noting Mo Alie-Cox was among the Colts veterans who sat out this game, but he is unlikely to be a threat to Warren’s playing time, particularly in passing situations.

While we can’t take much away from his stats in this game, we can be more confident that Warren will see play significantly more snaps than past Colts’ tight ends this season. We can also expect him to align as a traditional tight end more often than most fantasy-relevant tight ends. This isn’t surprising given his strong run blocking. If anything, this game was more positive than negative, but it mostly confirms what we already expected out of Warren this season.

The Colts’ backup running back battle intensifies: The Colts rotated between Tyler Goodson and D.J. Giddens at running back throughout the first half.

The Colts have gone through several backup running backs over the years behind Jonathan Taylor, including Nyheim Miller-Hines, Zack Moss, Trey Sermon, Deon Jackson and Jordan Wilkins. None of those players is currently on the roster. The Colts retained Goodson, signed veteran Khalil Herbert from the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency and drafted Giddens in the fifth round in an open competition. Taylor has missed three-to-seven games in each of the last three seasons, so there is a chance whoever wins the backup job will hold fantasy value this season.

With Taylor sitting this game out, Goodson started. Goodson played the first drive and most of the fifth drive, while Giddens played the rest of the first-half snaps. The fact that Giddens is near even with Goodson is a good sign that he could become the primary backup this season. Typically, Day 3 running backs are buried on the depth chart this early in the preseason. It’s also good to see him playing every down rather than focusing on passing situations. 

Herbert was listed fourth on the team’s first unofficial depth chart. While we typically can’t take much stock in the unofficial depth charts, Herbert didn’t play a single snap with the offense in the first half, but he started the second half. The fact that the Colts rotated running backs, and Herbert wasn’t part of that rotation, is not a great sign for Herbert’s chances of being the primary backup this season. Typically, we see veterans ahead of rookies at this point in the season, so Giddens playing ahead of Herbert is pretty significant. 

Keaton Mitchell was the focal point of the Ravens’ offense: Mitchell performed very similarly to his rookie season.

Mitchell was excellent over a six-game stretch in 2023 as a rookie, averaging 8.4 yards per carry over 47 carries. He suffered a gruesome knee injury, including an ACL tear, near the end of 2023 and returned less than 11 months later, but he wasn’t the same player. There has been a constant positive buzz around Mitchell this offseason, as his speed is back.

Mitchell started the game for Baltimore due to Derrick Henry and Justice Hill sitting out. Mitchell played 100% of the first- and second-down snaps on the first two drives, while Rasheen Ali took the third-down role. He ran five times for 53 yards and a touchdown on those drives. Mitchell continued to work in throughout the first half because Baltimore only had three active running backs who had been on the roster for at least a week. He continued to rotate out on third downs. Ali wasn’t nearly as effective despite his significant carry total. While the level of talent he’s facing wasn’t as good as an NFL regular-season game, this helped reinforce Mitchell as the clear third running back on the depth chart, as he displayed what he can do when he has space to run.

It will be near-impossible for Mitchell to have fantasy value this season as long as Henry is healthy. Still, if Henry were to suffer an injury, Mitchell could be a must-start, as Hill would likely remain the receiving back while Mitchell receives most of the carries.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Colts’ head coach Shane Steichen announced earlier in the week that Anthony Richardson would start at quarterback and play a quarter and a half, while Daniel Jones played the rest of the half. Next week, the plan is for the roles to be reversed.
• Richardson was injured on an unblocked sack on the second drive, leading to Jones taking over at quarterback sooner. He appeared to suffer a hand injury.
• The Colts rested a few key starters, including running back Jonathan Taylor, wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce and Josh Downs, and tight end Mo Alie-Cox.
• Colts backup running back Salvon Ahmed didn’t play after suffering a serious leg injury earlier in the week during practice. He was unlikely to make the roster before the injury.
• The Ravens rested running backs Derrick Henry, Justice Hill and Patrick Ricard, wide receivers Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins, and tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. The Ravens similarly rested their starters and key rotational players throughout the preseason last season, so we shouldn’t expect them to play this preseason.
• Likely is dealing with a foot fracture, and it is questionable if he will be ready for Week 1.
• Ravens tight end Charlie Kolar typically only plays in blocking situations, but he was an every-down tight end in this game.
• Baltimore sixth-round rookie wide receiver LaJohntay Wester achieved an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown. That could help him earn the punt return job in the regular season. Deonte Harty, Tylan Wallace, Steven Sims and Desmond King II all returned punts for Baltimore last season, but none of them had 87 punt return yards total last season.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Philadelphia Eagles

Samaje Perine mixes in with the Bengals’ starters: Perine returned to his usual role as the Bengals’ third-down back.

Chase Brown ended last season consistently playing over 80% of Cincinnati’s offensive snaps once Zack Moss was injured, and the team didn’t have faith in Khalil Herbert or the other backups. The Bengals surprisingly moved on from Moss last week despite restructuring his contract three months ago. Cincinnati brought in reinforcements this offseason, bringing back Perine, who had served as a passing-down back under this regime from 2020-2022, and sixth-round rookie Tahj Brooks.

Brown started the game and played 12 of 16 snaps with the starters. Perine took the only third down of more than one yard, as well as three other plays in clear passing situations. Brooks did not play with the starters, but he was the clear runner with the second team. Perine continued to play sparingly with the backups on third downs.

This was largely good news for fantasy managers, except those expecting production out of Perine. It was clear Brown wouldn’t play as much this season, and losing snaps on third downs, where he would rarely get targeted, is the ideal case. The other possibility was him losing snaps on early downs, which would lead to more lost touches. This also confirms that Brooks is already Brown’s handcuff. Brooks probably won’t have fantasy value this season without a Brown injury, but the preseason usage suggests Brooks would be a one-for-one replacement for Brown if he suffers an injury.

Will Shipley was ahead of A.J. Dillon tonight: Shipley played in each of the team’s first 14 snaps tonight.

The Eagles’ backup running back spot is up for grabs. Longtime Eagle Kenneth Gainwell left for the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency. The competition is between 2023 fourth-round pick Shipley, who didn’t play as much on offense as a rookie, and former Green Bay Packers running back A.J. Dillon.

Shipley played the first two drives before being replaced by Dillon, who has reportedly been ahead of Shipley at times during training camp. Dillon is known for being an early down back, and Shipley is known for his receiving, so if Saquon Barkley suffers an injury, this could be a two-man backfield. Throughout Nick Sirianni’s time with the Eagles, he’s rotated running backs by drive during the preseason but not by situation, unlike how he uses running backs in the regular season. We’ve also seen the order of the rotation change from one week of the preseason to the next.

It is too early to take anything away from the running back rotation tonight. If Shipley continues to play ahead of Dillon in future preseason games, we can be more confident that Shipley is ahead of Dillon on the depth chart.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Tight ends Mike Gesicki, Noah Fant and Erick All Jr. did not play for the Cincinnati Bengals. Gesicki is dealing with a minor injury and would have been questionable had this been a regular-season game. Fant has only been on the team for a week and is still learning the playbook. All suffered an ACL tear last season. He’s expected to miss the season, but the Bengals placed him on the physically unable to perform list instead of injured reserve, so it’s not guaranteed he’s out for the year.
• Tee Higgins took a few plays off on each of the two drives. Andrei Iosivas took over in two-receiver sets and Charlie Jones did so in three-receiver sets. There isn’t much to read into because this is the preseason, but it’s worth monitoring.
• Second-year wide receiver Jermaine Burton has received some buzz during training camp, but he didn’t play any first-team snaps, and Jones played well with the second team at wide receiver. That isn’t a great sign that Burton will play many snaps this season, but it is good news for Jones.
• Eagles wide receiver Jahan Dotson only played on the Eagles’ first drive. His night was done before the rest of the Eagles’ starters from this game.
• The Eagles’ Grant Calcaterra is currently holding off new challengers for the Eagles’ backup tight end job. He played seven of eight snaps in 11 personnel on the first two drives while sharing time with free agent addition Harrison Bryant in two-tight-end sets. Fellow free agent addition Kylen Granson didn’t play his first offensive snap until the third drive.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Seattle Seahawks

Jack Bech is clearly WR4 for now: Dont’e Thornton Jr. started for the Raiders, while Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker only played one drive.

The Raiders seemed to have the least depth at wide receiver last season after they traded Davante Adams. Meyers was the clear star of the group, while Tucker turned into an every-down starter, and playersl ike D.J. Turner and Terrace Marshall Jr. played some of the snaps in three-receiver sets. The Raiders reloaded at the position in the draft with Bech in the second round, Thornton in the fourth and Tommy Mellott in the sixth. It’s possible that whoever wins the second wide receiver job will have value this season.

Immediately after the draft, it seemed like Meyers and Bech would be the top two wide receivers, but early reports suggested Thornton was ahead of him on the depth chart. Thornton is a clear X receiver, while Bech is more of a Z and slot, similar to Meyers.

The Raiders started the game with Thornton as the X receiver, Tucker as the Z, and Meyers in the slot. After the first drive, Bech replaced Tucker as the Z receiver, and Alex Bachman took over in the slot. Thornton was taken out after the third drive, while Bech played the rest of the first half. While Bech has some experience in the slot, he was very consistently playing on the outside. This suggests Thornton’s starting job is secure, so Bech is competing with Tucker for snaps. We have seen several rookie wide receivers fourth or lower on the depth chart in the first preseason game who reach the starting lineup by Week 1, so it’s still possible Bech earns a role in three-receiver sets.

Even if Bech does become a starter, he might not play much in two-receiver sets. The Raiders lived in 11 personnel in this game, but Brock Bowers only played one snap. We don’t know how much 12 personnel the Raiders will run this season with Bowers and Michael Mayer.

The Raiders’ backup running back spot is wide open: Ashton Jeanty is the clear Raiders starter, but the backup spot isn’t fully decided.

The Raiders’ backfield was ever-changing last season, as Alexander Mattison, Ameer Abdullah, Zamir White and Sincere McCormick all played significant snaps. Las Vegas moved on from the two veterans, added Jeanty with the sixth overall pick in the draft and added veteran Raheem Mostert, who has a history with new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.

Jeanty started the game and played the first 10 plays. That was a little longer than most of the Raiders’ starters on offense, but it’s not that odd considering he is a rookie. Mostert finished off the second drive, while White took the third drive. McCormick started the fourth drive, while both White and Mostert came back into the game. Any one of the three could win the backup job, the third string job, and it’s possible any one of the three could be off the roster if they only keep three running backs.

When you consider the order of the running backs from oldest to youngest, which is common for the preseason, we probably can’t read much into the order in which these running backs played. It’s also possible that if Jeanty suffers an injury, the Raiders use a committee to replace him, making it so none of the backups can have fantasy value this season.

Seahawks tight end battle becomes more complicated: Eric Saubert was the Seahawks’ starting tight end, rotating with Elijah Arroyo.

The Seattle Seahawks utilized a three-man rotation at tight end last season, including Noah Fant, fourth-round rookie A.J. Barner and Pharaoh Brown. Brown left in free agency and Fant was released two weeks ago, while the team drafted Arroyo and signed Saubert for new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Saubert played under Kubiak in 2022 with the Denver Broncos.

Barner had the night off, while Saubert and Arroyo rotated by situation. Saubert was an early-down tight end and Arroyo played on passing downs, while the two were often on the field together for two-tight-end sets. Kubiak has experience with both every-down tight ends like Tyler Conklin in 2021 with the Minnesota Vikings and George Kittle in 2023 with the San Francisco 49ers. He also has experience with this kind of rotation that they used in this game. Last season with the New Orleans Saints, Foster Moreau played more on early downs while Juwan Johnson played on passing downs. Similarly, his 2022 Denver Broncos had Saubert and Eric Tomlinson as blockers, and Greg Dulcich as a receiver.

Saubert stopped playing at the end of the first quarter, which isn’t surprising considering his experience. Arroyo was used in some plays out of 21 personnel in the second quarter. It was good to see the Seahawks getting him experience in those situations because his best-case scenario is being an every-down tight end as a rookie rather than just a passing-down specialist.

Anything is possible by the end of the season, but it would not be surprising if this is an ugly three-man rotation to start the season. Barner is clearly at the top of the depth chart at the moment, but it could be similar to Moreau being on the top of the Saints’ depth chart last season. It’s also possible that Barner is the every-down tight end. The rookies were relatively low on the depth chart, so there is still time for Arroyo to work his way up. 

If anything, this game should be a reminder that it’s not just Barner and Arroyo competing for playing time, and that Saubert, who already has familiarity with Kubiak, could play significant snaps as a blocker this season.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Seahawks rested several players on offense. This included running backs Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and tight end A.J. Barner.
• The Seahawks’ rookies are generally further down the depth chart than we would expect in Week 1. This includes Drew Lock playing ahead of Jalen Milroe, George Holani playing ahead of Damien Martinez, Valdes-Scantling resting despite Tory Horton recently playing ahead of him in practice, and Eric Saubert and Barner ahead of Elijah Arroyo.
• The Seahawks used a variety of personnel groupings in the first quarter, calling seven plays out of 11 personnel, five out of 12 personnel, five out of 21 personnel and three out of 22 personnel. The Seahawks ran 11 personnel on 77% of their offensive snaps in the first quarter of games last season, so this is potentially cutting their 11 personnel usage in half this season.
• While the Raiders played their starters, tight end Brock Bowers only played one snap. It was oddly the second play rather than the first, but it’s not unheard of for a player to play just one snap in a preseason game. Geno Smith, Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker only played one drive.

Detroit Lions @ Atlanta Falcons

Isaac TeSlaa scores for the Lions: TeSlaa continues to show he deserves at least some playing time with the starters once the regular season hits.

The Lions rested their top four wide receivers on the depth chart for a second straight week. Similar to the Hall of Fame game, TeSlaa and Tom Kennedy were the two primary receivers. TeSlaa again played the X receiver role, while Kennedy played both the Z role and the slot. Seventh-round rookie Dominic Lovett was the slot receiver last week, but an injury is expected to cost him time. This left Kennedy moving to the slot more often, while undrafted rookie Jackson Meeks took over as the Z in three-receiver sets. Meeks made the most of his playing time with a 68-yard pass, but TeSlaa also showed up on the scoreboard with a touchdown near the end of the half. It’s unlikely we’ll see how much TeSlaa might play in the regular season until Week 1 hits. The Lions might play their starters one or two drives this preseason. If TeSlaa does earn playing time, it will likely come at Tim Patrick‘s expense.

The Falcons rested most of their team: Most players expected to make the team did not play, but the Falcons will need a third running back.

Atlanta’s coaches have adopted the Sean McVay approach of resting all their notable players in the preseason. The Falcons also spent their 2025 draft class on defense, meaning there is a lack of notable rookies to keep an eye on in their offense. The most remarkable part of the Falcons’ offense is the battle for the third running back spot. Atlanta has four undrafted free agents currently below Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier on the depth chart.

Carlos Washington Jr. is the favorite for the job because he spent Week 18 on the Falcons’ active roster, playing 11 snaps on special teams. However, he hasn’t been practicing for an undisclosed reason and wasn’t in uniform for the game. Elijah Dotson started the game and rotated with undrafted rookie Nathan Carter. The two combined for seven carries for four yards in the first half.

While there is a chance the person who wins the job could be fantasy-relevant if Robinson and Allgeier both suffer an injury, it’s likely the Falcons would add a veteran free agent rather than rely on the third back.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Atlanta Falcons rested running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, wide receivers Drake London, Darnell Mooney,  Ray-Ray McCloud III and KhaDarel Hodge, and tight ends Kyle Pitts, Charlie Woerner and Teagan Quitoriano. The Falcons similarly rested not only their starters but key backups during the preseason last season. We shouldn’t expect any of them to play in the next two preseason games.
• Mooney is also dealing with a shoulder injury and is expected to miss another few weeks of practice. There is still optimism around him playing in Week 1.
• Veteran D.J. Chark didn’t play until the second half, but it’s understandable he’s low on the depth chart considering he’s been on the team for less than two weeks.
• The Lions rested running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick and Kalif Raymond, and tight ends Sam LaPorta and 
• Brock Wright both last week and this week.
• Lions’ second-year running back Sione Vaki was dealing with a hamstring injury. While he’s returned to practice, he’s yet to play in a preseason game.
• Lions backup quarterback Kyle Allen played the first half of the Hall of Fame game, and Hendon Hooker played the second half. This week, Hooker started, while Allen took over late in the second quarter.

Cleveland Browns @ Carolina Panthers

Tetairoa McMillan is already the top Panthers wide receiver: McMillan caught two passes for 43 yards in his limited time with the starters.

The Panthers spent last season using Xavier Legette, Adam Thielen, Jalen Coker and David Moore, depending on who was healthy. All were best suited for a Z or slot role, leading the team to spend a top-10 pick on Tetairoa McMillan while adding veteran Hunter Renfrow. While McMillan is expected to lead the receiver room, it’s conceivable that any of the other receivers could emerge as the clear second passing option in the offense and potentially become fantasy-relevant.

McMillan started for Carolina and played every snap on the Panthers’ first two drives as their X receiver. Typically, early first-round wide receivers are immediate starters, so this isn’t too much of a surprise, but it is positive news for those who have or will draft McMillan. Legette started at the Z receiver spot and played each of the first six snaps with the starters before a fight led to him getting ejected from the game. Coker took his place for the rest of the time with the starters. Thielen played 100% of the snaps when the Panthers were in 11 personnel, but he played no snaps in two-receiver sets. This is similar to how Legette was used last season.

McMillan and Coker continued playing once Andy Dalton entered the game, while sixth-round rookie Jimmy Horn Jr. took over as the slot receiver.

The only wide receiver with a secure job is McMillan. It appears Legette and Coker are competing for the Z role. While Legette started this game with the lead, getting ejected and Coker immediately scoring a touchdown on the same drive could close the gap. Thielen only playing in 11 personnel isn’t great for his value, and he could potentially lose time to Renfrow, who primarily played out of the slot earlier in his career. He missed this game due to a hamstring injury. He’s already running and cutting, but it didn’t make sense for the Panthers to play him in this game.

Rico Dowdle factors in significantly with the starters: Dowdle played more snaps with the starters than Chuba Hubbard, but that shouldn’t be too concerning for Hubbard’s fantasy value.

The Panthers brought in reinforcements to the backfield this offseason with Jonathon Brooks out for the season and Miles Sanders signing with the Dallas Cowboys. Carolina brought in Dowdle from the Cowboys and drafted Trevor Etienne in the fourth round of the draft.

Hubbard played five of the first seven plays of the game, while Dowdle took each of the first two third-down snaps. Dowdle continued to play for another five consecutive plays, while Hubbard took the final snap on third-and-goal from the five-yard line. Dowdle continued playing once the other starters left the game. It’s unlikely this is a 50-50 split once the regular season begins, as it’s relatively common for a team to pull their running back before other starters in a preseason game. It’s also not concerning that Hubbard came back after Dowdle played six straight plays.

The usage over the first seven plays suggests Dowdle will take the lead on third-down snaps. Last season, Hubbard played roughly half of the snaps on third-and-3-plus yards to go, while Sanders took most of the other half. Hubbard only caught six passes for 27 yards and ran seven times for 19 yards in those situations last season. He will still likely play in some of those situations this year, so even if it goes 75-25 in Dowdle’s favor, it won’t significantly hinder Hubbard’s fantasy value.

Etienne didn’t enter the game until late in the second quarter. It’s not surprising for a Day 3 rookie to be lower on the depth chart this early in the season, so we can’t read much into how he might mix in this season.

The Browns’ third wide receiver spot remains open: The Browns’ top two contenders for the third receiver spot had quiet nights.

The Browns’ wide receiver room is led by Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman, who were both among the starters not playing in this game. Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore were the other wide receivers who played significant snaps for Cleveland last season, but neither is on the roster. The Browns signed Diontae Johnson after Johnson was under contract for four different teams last season and have 2024 fifth-round receiver Jamari Thrash competing for the third receiver spot. Thrash was listed as a starter on the Browns’ unofficial depth chart. 

Both started this game. Thrash played primarily out of the slot, which further suggests he’s the favorite to be the third wide receiver, as Jeudy and Tillman primarily play outside. While Johnson was at his best as an X receiver, he played the Z receiver role in this game. We may see plays this season with Johnson at Z and Jeudy moving to the slot.

However, while they played, Kaden Davis, who scored a touchdown, and undrafted rookie Gage Larvadain, who took some snaps from Johnson, led the team in receiving yards early on. It’s possible that the player who becomes the third wide receiver isn’t on the roster, or they could rely on a rotation to fill the third receiver spot.

Miscellaneous Notes

Washington Commanders @ New England Patriots

The Patriots’ crowded wide receiver room: New England has potentially eight wide receivers fighting for three starting jobs.

The Patriots have significant competition for their wide receiver spots. DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne, Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker all return from last season, while the team added Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency, and Kyle Williams in the third round of the draft. The Patriots are expected to have a better offense this season, and Drake Maye should be able to support at least one, if not two, fantasy-relevant wide receivers. Diggs and Douglas are expected to be starters. Bourne was listed as the third starter on the unofficial depth chart, but Boutte, Hollins and Williams have all received notable first-team reps.

Diggs and Bourne were among the players who didn’t play in this game, likely due to being cautious with injuries. Diggs is returning from an ACL tear, while Bourne was injured a week ago during a scrimmage.

Douglas, Hollins and Boutte were the three primary receivers on the Patriots’ opening drive. New England ran one play out of 12 personnel on the drive, and Douglas and Boutte were the two receivers on the play. This is significant because Douglas was rarely, if ever, playing in two-receiver sets last season. This wasn’t the case during his rookie season. This should allow Douglas to play more snaps this season than last, potentially making him a fantasy starter. However, on the Patriots’ second drive, they played two more snaps out of 12 personnel, and Hollins and Boutte were in for those plays. Williams replaced Boutte for a few plays on the second drive.

It’s not surprising Williams is a few spots down the depth chart at this point in the preseason, but it was good for him to play some snaps with the starters. It remains possible that any one of Boutte, Hollins, Bourne or Williams could earn the third spot, and it could very well be a rotation.

Both Polk and Baker didn’t start playing until the Patriots’ third drive with the backups. Undrafted rookie Efton Chism III started rotating in at the same time. That is not a great sign for either player that Williams has already surpassed them on the depth chart, and that an undrafted rookie is being used along with them. Polk injured his shoulder on an end-around, which also doesn’t help his case to make the roster.

TreVeyon Henderson plays significantly with the starters: Henderson was already clearly ahead of Antonio Gibson on the Patriots’ depth chart. 

The Patriots’ backfield had a major shakeup this offseason, with the Patriots drafting Henderson early in the second round to join veterans Rhamondre Stevenson and Gibson. Henderson has a RB26 consensus ADP, while several experts rank him even higher. My ranking on Henderson is relatively low due to Josh McDaniels. In 18 seasons as an offensive coordinator or head coach, the running back who has his team in third-down snaps has been different from the running back who leads the team in carries in 17 seasons. The one exception was Steven Jackson during his peak with the St. Louis Rams, which McDaniels inherited after Jackson had already made three Pro Bowls.

Stevenson started the game for the Patriots and played the first three snaps, while Henderson took the next three. On the second drive, Henderson took the first two snaps, followed by five by Stevenson. One of those plays included both running backs on the field. Henderson played the final snap of the drive, which meant he took both of the third downs with more than one yard to go for a first down.

While everyone expected Henderson to surpass Gibson on the depth chart by Week 1, it’s noteworthy that it’s already happened. Henderson did not play with the backups, while Gibson was the primary running back with the backups. Henderson was thrown to three times on his snaps and ran the ball once. Stevenson ran the ball well during his opportunities and ended the day with seven carries. It still wouldn’t be surprising for Stevenson to lead the team in carries while Henderson leads in third-down snaps. The mix of Henderson’s talent and opportunities should be enough to make him a borderline fantasy starter, but he will need to run the ball more often than he did during his two drives in this game to consistently be a fantasy starter.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt starts for the Commanders: Croskey-Merritt has already worked his way up multiple spots on the depth chart.

While the Commanders don’t have a star running back, they have more depth than most teams. Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler were the main running backs last season, but whenever one of them was hurt, Jeremy McNichols or Chris Rodriguez Jr. graded well. The Commanders added to the room with Jacory Croskey-Merritt in the seventh round of the draft. Croskey-Meritt has drawn significant attention during training camp.

Both Robinson and Ekeler had the night off, like most starters, but Croskey-Merritt started over both McNichols and Rodriguez. In the first quarter, Croskey-Merritt played all of the normal early down snaps, while McNichols played on third downs as well as a second-and-15. Rodriguez didn’t play his first offensive snap until the second quarter. Croskey-Merritt continued to play significantly in the second quarter. Typically, it takes more time for a third-day running back to surpass established veterans on the depth chart, so the fact that he is past two players for early down work is impressive.

This usage suggests Croskey-Merritt will be Robinson’s direct backup, while McNichols will be Ekeler’s backup. Rodriguez seems unlikely to make the roster. If Robinson suffers an injury this season, then Croskey-Merritt would be the player to pick up based on how the running backs were used last season. It’s at least possible that Croskey-Merritt could take playing time away from Robinson and possibly surpass him on the depth chart at some point this year.

Commanders’ surprising wide receiver usage: K.J. Osborn might end up as the Commanders’ fourth wide receiver this season.

The Commanders had Terry McLaurin as their leading wide receiver last season, while Noah Brown and Dyami Brown often played as the other outside receiver. Olamide Zaccheaus played both inside and out, and third-round rookie Luke McCaffrey was a backup slot receiver. The Commanders added Osborn once he was released from the New England Patriots, but he only spent one game on the active roster and didn’t register a target. Washington lost Dyami Brown and Zaccheaus in free agency, traded for Deebo Samuel and drafted Jaylin Lane in the fourth round.

McLaurin, Samuel and Brown didn’t play. They were the three wide receivers listed on the first team on the depth chart and will likely be the three receivers leading the team in snaps. However, none of them are primarily slot receivers, and the team liked utilizing a rotation last season. This seemed to open the door for a slot receiver to play significant snaps. McCaffrey played there last season, and Lane played almost exclusively out of the slot during his last two seasons at Virginia Tech.

Osborn, McCaffrey, and veteran Chris Moore were the starting wide receivers, but Osborn consistently played from the slot while McCaffrey was consistently out wide. This included Osborn only playing in three-receiver sets. He’s played significantly both outside and in the slot during his career, and 2022 was his only season as a primary slot receiver.

McCaffrey left the game earlier than other wide receivers, suggesting his spot on the roster is safe, but he’s unlikely to see much playing time this season as an outside receiver. When Lane entered the game, he played out of the slot as Osborn’s backup. There is still time for Lane to surpass Osborn on the depth chart and be the top backup on the team out of the slot, but it seems like McCaffrey is unlikely to have that role.

Miscellaneous Notes

New York Giants @ Buffalo Bills

Wan’Dale Robinson was used in different ways at wide receiver: Robinson is the Giants’ slot receiver but started this game as an outside receiver for New York. 

Robinson missed part of training camp with a leg injury, which made it somewhat surprising that he played in this game. However, the Giants might want to make him a more well-rounded wide receiver. Last season, Robinson played almost exclusively out of three-receiver sets, playing less than 10% of 12 personnel snaps and never in 21 personnel. He also played 78.2% of his snaps out of the slot, which is among the highest rates in the league. His 5.1-yard average depth of target was the lowest for wide receivers with at least 50 targets last season.

In this game, Robinson’s only target was 12 yards down the field. Half of his snaps occurred when lined up out wide, and he played in three of the six first-team snaps out of 12 personnel. This could lead to Robinson being the clear second wide receiver on the team, with more playing time and more downfield targets, giving him a better chance of being fantasy-relevant this season.

The Bills’ tight end rotation remains unchanged: The Bills continued to rotate Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid, similar to last season.

Buffalo has used a two-man rotation at tight end, where Dawson Knox generally played more on early downs, while Dalton Kincaid played more on late downs, and the two played together in two-tight-end sets. Kincaid played 55% of the Bills’ first downs, 65% of the second downs and 74% of the third-down snaps last season, excluding games where he missed significant time due to injury. On the first two drives of this game, Knox played five snaps to Kincaid’s four. As usual, the Bills tended to pass when Kincaid was on the field and run when Knox was in.

Kincaid had missed some practice earlier in training camp due to knee soreness, which could have impacted his playing time. Kincaid stopped playing after two drives, while the rest of the Bills’ first team offense, including Knox, played a third drive. In the past, Knox typically left the preseason games before Kincaid. This suggests the Bills still think highly of Kincaid relative to the other healthy skill players in their offense, which would be good news for his potential fantasy production this season.

Regardless, it seems unlikely Kincaid will play significantly more snaps to start the season. While an increase in routes would help, Kincaid had one of the highest uncatchable target rates last season, and if that changes, Kincaid would score enough to be a fantasy starter with this rotation. It’s possible the situation evolves as the season progresses, similar to Jonnu Smith with the Miami Dolphins last season. Anyone drafting Kincaid will want to draft at least one other tight end, particularly early in the season.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Giants wide receivers Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt all missed this game due to various reasons. Nabers has been dealing with a toe injury, which has left him limited in practice. Slayton missed practice on Thursday for an undisclosed reason. There was no indication prior to this game that Hyatt was injured, but he also didn’t play in this game. They are expected to be three of the top four wide receivers on the depth chart.
• Giants fourth-round rookie running back Cam Skattebo has missed a week of practice with a leg injury and didn’t play in this game.
• Giants backup running back Eric Gray remains on the physically unable to perform list.
• While Devin Singletary received more snaps with the starters, Tyrone Tracy Jr. was simply taken out of the game earlier. He played each of the first four snaps and then returned for one other play. There is nothing to read into regarding this running back situation from this game.
• Bills running back James Cook has been holding out in hopes of a new contract. This led him not to play in this game. However, he did get in uniform and warmed up with the team for the game.
• The Bills’ top wide receiver, Khalil Shakir, is dealing with a high ankle sprain. He will miss all of the preseason, but there is optimism he will be ready for Week 1.
• Top backup receiver Curtis Samuel has missed significant time with a hamstring injury. While he started running again earlier this week, he wasn’t ready to play in this game.
• This left the Bills with Keon Coleman at the X receiver spot, Joshua Palmer at Z, and Elijah Moore in the slot in their three-receiver sets for this game. While this game helped confirm there isn’t a sixth wide receiver in the mix for significant playing time, it will be challenging to know how much these players will rotate until Shakir and Samuel are healthy. 
• The Bills’ snap count chart was cut off after two drives when Dalton Kincaid stopped playing. On the third drive, Bills receiving down back Ty Johnson played every down, while the rest of the starting rotation remained the same as the first two drives.
• Coleman, Palmer, Kincaid and Knox all were done playing after the third drive, while running back Ray Davis and Moore kept playing on the fourth drive.

Houston Texans @ Minnesota Vikings

The Texans’ crowded wide receiver room remains complicated: Houston rested its top two wide receivers and used six different players on the team’s first drive.

The Texans spent the offseason retooling their wide receiver room, as Tank Dell is likely out for the season, and Stefon Diggs is now on the New England Patriots. Houston retained Nico Collins, John Metchie III and Xavier Hutchinson, drafted Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel on the second day of the draft, traded for Christian Kirk, and added Braxton Berrios and Justin Watson in free agency. Collins, Kirk and Higgins were listed as the starters on the Texans’ unofficial depth chart. It is particularly noteworthy that Higgins has already surpassed the returning veterans on the depth chart, which is rare for a second-round rookie this early in August.

During the first two drives with the starters, Higgins and Hutchinson were the primary outside wide receivers while Metchie and Watson were the backup outside receivers. Noel didn’t play in two-receiver sets, but he was on the field for five of the six snaps in 11 personnel. Berrios was the backup slot receiver but scored on his one play with the starters on the first two drives. On the third drive, Noel played a few snaps in two-receiver sets with Higgins.

We expect Collins to start, while Kirk plays on the outside in two-receiver sets and in the slot in three-receiver sets. A complicating factor is that Collins, Higgins and Hutchinson are naturally X receivers. Collins is very likely to play the X receiver role in the regular season, as that’s where he has excelled. In this game, Higgins was consistently playing the X role when he was on the field, while Hutchinson was the Z. If the plan was for Higgins to play the Z role in the regular season, he presumably would have been used in this role in this game.

Hutchinson’s spot on the roster appears to be secure, while Metchie, Watson and Berrios are all on the roster bubble. It will be hard to trust any wide receiver in this offense, outside of Collins, early in the season, but it’s fine to take shots on Kirk, Higgins and Noel, as this offense should be able to support two fantasy-relevant receivers, as long as there isn’t too much rotation of players.

Lucky Jackson currently holds the WR4 job in Minnesota: The former D.C. Defenders wide receiver played significant snaps with the starters.

Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor are locked into the top three spots for the Vikings, but the top backup spot is particularly important because Addison is missing the first three games of the season due to suspension. The Vikings added Rondale Moore in free agency and Tai Felton in the third round of the draft, and they were expected to be the primary players contending for that role.

Jefferson was among the few starters who had the day off, and Jackson took snaps in three-receiver sets during the one drive with the starters. Jackson played for Western Kentucky from 2015-2019, played in The Spring League in 2021, the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League in 2022, and the D.C. Defenders of the XFL in 2023. This led him to the Vikings’ practice squad for the last two seasons. He played in three games to end 2023 with the Vikings, playing mostly on special teams with three offensive snaps.

On the second drive, the Vikings replaced some of the starters, including Addison. Felton took his place. There is plenty of time for Felton to surpass Jackson on the depth chart and have a significant role in the first three weeks of the season. Still, it’s also possible that it’s Jackson who has some fantasy value in very deep leagues during the first three weeks of the season. 

Moore was injured on his first punt return attempt for the team, and it took significant time for him to get carted off the field. As always, we hope Moore’s injury isn’t as bad as it appeared, particularly after missing all of 2024 with a knee injury.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Houston rested a number of its veteran players, including running back Nick Chubb, wide receivers Nico Collins and Christian Kirk and tight end Dalton Schultz.
• Texans lead running back Joe Mixon has been sidelined all of training camp due to an ankle injury and missed this game. He remains on the non-football injury list. Dameon Pierce only recently returned after missing most of spring and all of training camp due to a quadriceps injury. The Texans held him out, given his limited practice time.
• Ideally, Woody Marks would have started over Dare Ogunbowale for Marks’ potential fantasy value, but there is still time for Marks to work his way up the depth chart. It’s likely that Ogunbawale or Marks will play on third downs for the Texans this season.
• Texans tight ends Cade Stover and Brevin Jordan were largely used interchangeably with the Texans’ first team. The one exception was 21 personnel, where Stover was consistently on the field. Stover’s run blocking will likely lead him to see more playing time this season. If Schultz misses time at tight end, it’s possible that both tight ends would replace his playing time.
• Minnesota rested a few of its top starters, as it did all of last preseason. This included running back Aaron Jones Sr. and wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
• The Vikings only played some of their starters on the first drive of the first preseason game last year, so this could be the last we see of any Vikings’ starters this preseason.
• Jordan Mason played 100% of the snaps on the Vikings’ one drive with the starters, including third downs. While Mason isn’t expected to be the primary running back playing on third downs, the fact that he was used there today rather than a backup or C.J. Ham slightly increases his odds of taking some third-down snaps this season.
• T.J. Hockenson played 80% of the snaps in 11 personnel, 100% in 12 personnel and 0% in 21 personnel on the first drive of this game. His 11 personnel usage was 90% in 2023 and 80% in 2024. While his usage in 11 personnel resembled 2024, it was on a sample size of five plays. The important part is the 100% of 12 personnel snaps, as he only played 58% of those snaps last season because Johnny Mundt took several of those snaps. Mundt is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the Vikings don’t have a TE3 they are currently comfortable with.
• Vikings sixth-round rookie tight end Gavin Bartholomew remains on the physically unable to perform list.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Travis Hunter plays significantly with the first team offense: Hunter played every snap with the Jaguars’ firs-team offense when it utilized three-receiver sets.

The Jaguars spent the second overall pick of the NFL draft on wide receiver and cornerback Travis Hunter. Hunter notably played both wide receiver and cornerback throughout college, and it’s been clear ever since Jacksonville drafted him that he would be playing on both sides of the field. He initially started learning the wide receiver position and was listed as a starting wide receiver and backup cornerback on the official depth chart.

Hunter started the game for Jacksonville and played in 11 of 12 snaps with the starters. The one play he missed was a two-wide receiver set with Brian Thomas Jr. and Dyami Brown on the field. If this ends up being how he’s used in the regular season on offense, he can be a consistent fantasy starter. Several borderline fantasy starters only played in three-receiver sets last season, including Jayden Reed, Josh Downs, Khalil Shakir and Adam Thielen. The differences are that Hunter is more talented and the Jaguars should stay in 11 personnel for most of the game. Head coach Liam Coen’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers ranked eighth in 11 personnel usage last season at 71.9%, despite multiple wide receiver injuries. His 2022 Los Angeles Rams led the league at 90.9%. On the first drive, the Jaguars used it 91.8%.

Coen also commented that they have focused at 11 personnel, and that he’s learning 12 personnel, so he could also start seeing snaps in 12 personnel in the upcoming weeks.

One surprising part of his usage is that Hunter lined up in the slot on five of his 11 snaps, tying Thomas at five of 12 snaps. Thomas was expected to be the primary slot receiver after leading the league in yards per route run out of the slot. Hunter played significantly out of the slot in 2023, but in 2024, he only lined up in the slot 36 times compared to 736 snaps outside. This is significant because Coen’s top wide receivers, from a fantasy perspective, have primarily played out of the slot. This includes Chris Godwin averaging 19.7 PPR points per game last season, which ranked second-most in the league, and Cooper Kupp leading the league in 2022 at 22.4. This is enough reason to raise expectations for Hunter this season while somewhat dampening expectations for Thomas.

Hunter didn’t play the first drive on defense, but he played left cornerback on the Jaguars’ second and third drives, playing all eight snaps on those drives. Tyson Campbell was one of multiple Jaguars defenders who only played the first drive. Jarrian Jones started the game at left cornerback and switched to right cornerback when Hunter entered. Jourdan Lewis, who joined the Jaguars from the Dallas Cowboys, played as their slot cornerback, even though Jones held that position last season. If Hunter plays on defense in the regular season, it would likely be at Jones’ expense. This wouldn’t necessarily need to be in any particular personnel groupings. 

While he might eventually gain more playing time on defense, for now, it appears offense is his primary focus. At Hunter’s current ADP, is he a value.

Travis Etienne Jr. starts for the Jaguars: Etienne played 100% of the Jaguars’ offensive snaps on their first drive.

Jacksonville has a four-man competition at running back, including its two-man committee from last season in Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne, as well as fourth-round rookie Bhayshul Tuten and seventh-round rookie LeQuint Allen. 

Etienne played every snap on the first drive, followed by Bigsby playing on the following two drives with the backups. There have been several instances in the past of teams using a running back by drive in the preseason and then used a rotation by situation once the regular season started. This will likely be the case for Jacksonville, where Bigsby ends up playing more on early downs and Etienne plays more on later downs.

Allen played his first offensive snap before Tuten, which was noteworthy, while Allen had one play late in the first quarter. Tuten didn’t play his first offensive snaps until late in the second quarter. Typically, rookies will start further down the depth chart in early August. This is particularly true for Tuten, considering he missed some time during training camp due to injury. There is still time for either Allen, Tuten, or both to complicate this backfield.

Kenneth Gainwell complicates the Steelers’ running back room: Gainwell started tonight over Kaleb Johnson, while Jaylen Warren had the night off.

The Steelers made significant changes to their running back room, retaining Warren, not bringing back Najee Harris or Cordarrelle Patterson, and drafting Johnson and signing Gainwell. It’s not all that surprising that Johnson is currently third on the depth chart, as most teams typically have their rookie running backs move up the depth chart throughout August. It’s OK to expect Johnson to receive more carries than Gainwell once Week 1 begins. 

However, Gainwell only played on the first four snaps before his night was over before the rest of the offense. This speaks to how highly the Steelers view Gainwell. He’s not quite at the same level as the players who got the night off, but it’s relatively close. This means we should expect Gainwell to play a significant amount of snaps this season. Ideally, it will be in two-back sets, similar to how Patterson often lined up at wide receiver. Gainwell probably won’t play enough to be a viable fantasy option, but he could play enough to complicate Johnson and potentially Warren’s fantasy value.

The battle for the third receiver spot in Pittsburgh: The Steelers used several wide receivers with their first-team offense, showing how wide open the competition is.

The Steelers made several changes to their wide receiver room compared to last season. They added D.K. Metcalf in George Pickens‘ place, and brought in veteran Robert Woods while moving on from veteran Van Jefferson. They also retained Calvin Austin III, Scotty Miller, Ben Skowronek, Brandon Johnson and 2024 third-round pick Roman Wilson, who spent most of last season injured.

Metcalf and Austin both sat out this game. Wilson played the most over the first two drives, followed by Johnson, while Lance McCutcheon, Miller, Woods and Skowronek all mixed in. Wilson, Skoronek and Miller all played significantly out of the slot. Johnson was typically the X receiver when he was on the field. While this means he’s unlikely to be a top-three receiver on the team, as that’s D.K. Metcalf’s role, it does mean he could be more likely to hold a roster spot than most other players.

This also points to Wilson being the most likely third wide receiver, or potentially second if he can overtake Austin. This means Miller, Skowronek, Johnson and McCutcheon are all fighting for one or maybe two roster spots.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Mike Tomlin stated earlier in the week that quarterback Aaron Rodgers, running back Jaylen Warren, wide receiver D.K. Metcalf and tight ends Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth wouldn’t play in this game.
• Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III is dealing with an undisclosed injury, which caused him to miss this game. He is currently listed as the second wide receiver on the Steelers’ unofficial depth chart.
• Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange played the clear majority of snaps with the Jaguars’ first team while not playing with the second team. He took three plays off later in the drive, which was understandable given the drive took half the first quarter. While his role in this game is unsurprising given the Jaguars’ depth chart and all the talk around Strange in the offense, it was still good to receive further confirmation that Strange will play as much as we expected this season.

Dallas Cowboys @ Los Angeles Rams

A potential leader for the Cowboys’ third receiver spot: KaVontae Turpin was among the Cowboys veterans who had the night off, while Jalen Tolbert played throughout the first three drives.

When the Cowboys released their unofficial depth chart earlier in the week, both Turpin and Tolbert were listed as starters for one spot, while CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens took the other two starting spots. However, Turpin may be in the lead, given he didn’t play in this game, while Tolbert did. He and Jonathan Mingo played throughout the first three drives, and Jalen Cropper joined them. This is not great news for Jalen Brooks and Ryan Flournoy, who both started playing later in the second quarter. 

The Cowboys will probably use a rotation in the third spot like they have in recent years, but this still suggests an uptick in playing time for Turpin, who only played 27% of Dallas’ offensive snaps last season.

Bad news for the Rams’ backup running backs: Generally, the Rams rest anyone who they expect to play significant regular-season snaps throughout the preseason, but that wasn’t true for their backup running backs in this game.

The Rams’ running back situation has been a roller coaster in recent years. They consistently have one lead back in the run game, meaning whoever the starter is very fantasy-relevant. Kyren Williams ran for 1,144 yards in 2023 and seemed like the future at the position, but then the Rams drafted Blake Corum in the third round last season. Williams ran for another 1,299 yards last season, but then they drafted Jarquez Hunter in the fourth round.

Williams received some much-needed security this week, securing a three-year, $33 million contract extension, which ensured he would not be traded this season and was unlikely to lose his starting job. Williams received more security Saturday because Corum and Hunter both played. Last season, Williams, Corum and Ronnie Rivers sat out the entire preseason. Similarly, in 2023, both Cam Akers and Williams didn’t play in the preseason. This was the first time the Rams only rested one running back in the preseason since 2018, when Todd Gurley II was RB3, and Malcolm Brown and C.J. Anderson were the backups.

Corum started the game and played nearly every snap on the first drive. He and Hunter two split snaps over the next several drives, and Hunter tended to play more in passing situations while Corum was on the field in rushing situations. While one of these two backs will likely have significant value as a handcuff in case Williams suffers an injury, we shouldn’t expect either to start taking snaps away from Williams anytime soon.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Cowboys had several notable players miss this game due to injury, including running back Jaydon Blue with a heel bruise, Miles Sanders with a bone bruise and starting tight end Jake Ferguson with an back injury that isn’t expected to be serious.
• The Cowboys also rested key players on offense, including quarterback Dak Prescott, running backs Javonte Williams and Hunter Luepke, wide receivers CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and KaVontae Turpin and tight ends Jake Ferguson and John Stephens.
• While Phil Mafah is potentially part of the Cowboys’ running back competition, he played behind Deuce Vaughn in this game. The two could be competing for one roster spot.
• The Rams rested running back Kyren Williams, wide receivers Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Tutu Atwell and Jordan Whittington, and tight ends Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson and Colby Parkinson. We shouldn’t expect any of them throughout the preseason.

Tennessee Titans @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Monitor Tyjae Spears’ health: The Titans’ backup running back was carted off the field due to a lower leg injury.

The Titans had Tony Pollard play every snap on the first drive and most snaps on the second drive, while Spears took three snaps in the middle of the drive, and then Spears played every snap on the third drive. The Titans did something similar to this in one of their preseason games last season. If Spears is healthy, we can still generally expect Pollard to play more on early downs while Spears plays more on later downs, rather than this rotation.

However, Spears suffered an injury, which could be significant. The Titans have made minimal investments at running back outside of Pollard and Spears, as sixth-round rookie Kalel Mullings was the third-string back. When Spears missed four games in the middle of the season, Pollard saw his playing time increase from 60-67% of Tennessee’s offensive snaps in most games to 82-94% of the offensive snaps. He ran the ball at least 16 times in each of those games, including two blowout losses. 

If Spears misses multiple months, the Titans may add a veteran in free agency or find a trade partner to ensure Pollard isn’t overworked this season. If the injury is serious and the Titans stand pat, then Pollard would be a top-20 fantasy running back this season.

The first look at the Titans’ new receiver room: Tennessee spent the offseason completely transforming its wide receiver room.

The Titans completely reworked their wide receiver room from last season, while Calvin Ridley was the only returning player near the top of the depth chart. The Titans added veterans Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson while drafting Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor in the fourth round of the draft.

The three veterans played the entire first quarter, and the two rookies worked in a little bit during the end of Cameron Ward’s time in this game. The team largely stayed in 11 personnel. Jefferson was the X receiver, Ridley was the Z, and Lockett aligned in the slot. All three primarily played the Z-receiver role with their respective teams last season, but this was their most likely usage based on their past. When the team moved to 12 personnel, Ridley and Jefferson were the two receivers. Two of Ayomanor’s snaps came as the lone wide receiver in 13 personnel, while another two were in Ridley’s place. Dike’s one snap was in Lockett’s place.

Once the backups entered the game, Ayomanor continued to primarily play the Z-receiver role and Dike was in the slot, while Bryce Oliver became the new X receiver. While many thought Jefferson would be the most likely veteran of the three to get benched, he is also the veteran who has the least competition from a rookie based on how they lined up.

We should see the two rookies play some snaps each week, but it might be some time before one of the rookies starts in this offense.

Changes to the Titans’ tight end room: Chig Okonkwo played every snap with the starters while Josh Whyle fell to fourth on the depth chart.

Last season, the Titans had Okonkwo and Whyle rotate in passing situations, while Nick Vannett was their blocking tight end. As the season progressed, Okonkwo earned more playing time while Whyle’s playing time dipped. The Titans didn’t retain Vannett, but they drafted Gunnar Helm in the fourth round. When the Titans released their unofficial depth charts earlier in the week, Helm had already surpassed Whyle.

Okonkwo played all 15 snaps on the Titans’ first two drives. He is on the smaller side for tight ends and has always been part of some rotation. Last season, he was also rotated out significantly with the starters in the preseason. He was already a sleeper tight end in deeper leagues, but now, he might be at a point where he’s worth drafting in a typical league.

Helm joined Okonkwo in two-tight-end sets, and 2024 undrafted tight end David Martin-Robinson joined them in three-tight-end sets. Helm became the primary tight end on the third drive, while Martin-Robinson joined Helm in two-tight-end sets. Whyle didn’t play his first offensive snap until the kneel down to end the half. This suggests Whyle won’t make the roster unless they keep four tight ends.

Monitor Rachaad White’s health: The Buccaneers’ backup running back suffered a groin injury and didn’t return.

Bucky Irving is the Bucs’ clear starter and had the night off. This left White as the Bucs’ starting running back in this game. White played the first 10 snaps for the Buccaneers offense over their first drive and the start of their second drive. He left the game and was ruled out, although anyone who suffers any kind of injury in a preseason game typically doesn’t return, particularly when your roster spot is secure like White’s. Sean Tucker took over at running back once White left the game. If the White injury happens to be serious, then Bucky Irving would likely see his ADP rise. Irving should play the vast majority of snaps on early downs, in short-yardage and goal-line situations. However, if White misses time, that could mean more snaps on third downs and during the two-minute drill.

Emeka Egbuka makes his Buccaneers debut: Egbuka and Jalen McMillan were the Buccaneers’ primary outside wide receivers to begin the game.

The Buccaneers had a deep receiving room last season, and they brought in more competition. Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and McMillan were the starters, while Sterling Shepard, Trey Palmer, Rakim Jarrett and Ryan Miller all played a notable amount of snaps. The Buccaneers spent their first-round pick on Egbuka and their seventh-round pick on Tez Johnson. This means at least two of these players will be left off the roster, if not three. Any team looking for a wide receiver on cut-down day should be looking at who the Buccaneers release.

Evans had the night off while Godwin is still recovering from his 2024 injury. Egbuka and McMillan were the two primary wide receivers over the first 10 plays, while Shepard joined them in three-receiver sets. While Egbuka was known as a slot receiver in college, he was playing the X-receiver role in this game, which is typically Evans’ job. McMillan played his usual Z role, while Shepard played in the slot, as he did last season when Godwin was injured.

This was a little surprising, as Godwin is expected to miss the start of the season. It would make sense for Egbuka to practice more in the slot if that’s where he will play to start the season. It had seemed like the Egbuka addition would only hurt Godwin or McMillan’s fantasy value, but now there is a chance Egbuka could take some snaps from Evans.

The White injury may have spooked the Buccaneers, as the three wide receivers and left tackle Charlie Heck all exited the game at the same time White did. Rakim Jarrett, Ryan Miller and Kameron Johnson became the primary receivers at this point.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Buccaneers didn’t play their top starters, including quarterback Baker Mayfield, running back Bucky Irving, wide receiver Mike Evans and tight end Cade Otton.
• Buccaneers star wide receiver Chris Godwin remains on the physically unable to perform list. There is a strong chance Godwin missed the start of the regular season.
• Buccaneers backup wide receiver Trey Palmer missed this game due to a hamstring injury.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Arizona Cardinals

Arizona’s potential new WR2: Zay Jones played more offensive snaps with the first-team offense than Michael Wilson.

The Cardinals kept the same top four wide receivers as last season. Marvin Harrison Jr. and Wilson were the two every-down receivers. Greg Dortch started the year as the team’s slot receiver while Jones was suspended. Jones played more as the season progressed. Harrison and Wilson both played around 80% of Arizona’s offensive snaps over the course of the season. Jones played around 37% of the snaps by the end of the season despite only catching eight passes for 84 yards on the year, while Dortch was down to 25%, catching more than eight passes in December alone.

In this game, Harrison and Wilson played 100% of Arizona’s snaps in 11 personnel, while Jones took four of six, and Dortch played two of six. Jones overtook Wilson with 12 personnel. The team played 11 snaps out of 12 personnel with the starters. Harrison played all 11, while Jones played seven, Wilson played three, and Dortch played one. If this kind of usage carries on into the regular season, we can expect Wilson and Jones to be close to even in terms of playing time. Wilson was a late-round option at wide receiver, given his playing time, but this makes it even harder to consider Wilson in fantasy drafts.

A potential new member of the Chiefs’ wide receiver rotation: The wide receiver usage in this game suggests Skyy Moore might not make the roster this season, while Tyquan Thornton will.

Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is dealing with a minor groin injury, which kept him out of this game. Hollywood Brown has been missing practice due to a lower-body injury. This meant Xavier Worthy and JuJu Smith-Schuster were two of the starters for the game Saturday. Both stopped playing by the middle of the first half. The third starter was Thornton rather than Moore. Thornton had signed to the Chiefs’ practice squad last November, when he was released by the New England Patriots.

Veteran Jason Brownlee also played a snap with the starters. Once the second team began playing, fourth-round rookie Jalen Royals was the next wide receiver on the field. Skyy Moore was the sixth wide receiver to enter the game, suggesting he is currently eighth on the depth chart. To be fair, Moore has been dealing with a hamstring injury. However, typically, an injury means a player either isn’t playing in the preseason or is playing fewer snaps. Moore simply played later in the game. Rice, Worthy and Brown’s spots on the roster are secure as the starters, as is Royals’ spot given his rookie status. Smith-Schuster appears to be a lock after getting pulled at the same time as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. This leaves, at most, one roster spot, or two assuming Rice is suspended for a few games. That spot appears to be going to Thornton, or potentially Nikko Remigio, for his return abilities.

Chiefs give minimal insight into their backfield: The Chiefs used a rotation by drive rather than by situation, largely relying on seniority.

The Chiefs backfield will be a subject of conversation all season. The Chiefs paired Isiah Pacheco with Kareem Hunt last season, but neither running back was particularly effective. Kansas City added former San Francisco 49ers runner Elijah Mitchell, as well as seventh-round rookie Brashard Smith. There is a chance any one of them could start at some point this season. All are more often used as early down backs rather than third-down backs, further complicating the situation.

The Chiefs simply used a rotation by drive, which is unlikely to be happen in the regular season. Pacheco played the first drive and Hunt was on the field for the second. Carson Steele, who is known primarily as a fullback who can play halfback, took the third drive, as he’s been on the team longer than the newcomers. Mitchell and Steele shared time over the rest of the first half, while Smith was the primary back to start the second half.

There is a chance Steele is a bigger part of the running back rotation this season, but nothing from this game suggests the Chiefs know who their third-down back is, or how well or how much Pacheco will play.

Miscellaneous Notes

• There should be no concern around James Conner or Trey McBride from this game. McBride played all eight snaps on the first drive, while Conner played seven of eight. Conner’s day was done before the rest of the starters after the first drive, while McBride played the first play of the second drive before he called it a night.
• Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy excelled in the playoffs partly thanks to an increased role playing in the slot. All five of Worthy’s snaps on the first and second drive of this game occurred as an isolated outside wide receiver.
• While rookie wide receiver Jalen Royals is thought to be Rice’s potential replacement while he’s suspended, Royals was primarily used as an X receiver in this game, playing some snaps out of the slot.

New York Jets @ Green Bay Packers

Breece Hall plays 50% of the Jets’ first-team snaps: Hall was the Jets’ starter, but he was immediately part of a rotation.

The Jets retained the same top three running backs as last season in Hall, Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis. The Jets have a new coaching staff, coming from the Detroit Lions, which used a two-man committee at running back. The coaching staff has also said it wants to use all three backs, and there has been recent talk of Allen having a larger role this season.

Hall played the first two snaps of the game, and Davis came in on third down. Hall returned for the fourth play of the drive but was immediately replaced by Allen for two plays. Davis played the following snap and was then replaced by Hall for two plays. Davis took the final third down of the drive. This suggests that Hall will share early down snaps with Allen, while Davis is the team’s third-down back this season. Hall is clearly ahead of the other two, as he only played on the first drive while Allen and Davis continued for the rest of the half. While Allen tends to play on early downs while Davis tends to play on later downs, this wasn’t a strict rule.

While the Jets were rotating running backs every one or two plays, this won’t necessarily be the rotation once the regular season hits. There was a game where the Detroit Lions did something similar with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs in a preseason game, and then they settled into their regular-season rotation.

There is a chance that future preseason games will give us a clearer picture of what this rotation ultimately looks like. For now, it appears the Jets will stay true to their word and give all three running backs notable playing time. It will be challenging for Hall to finish as a top-15 fantasy running back if the Jets use anything close to this rotation.

The Jets have a second wide receiver: Josh Reynolds joined Garrett Wilson as the only wide receivers to leave the game at the same time as Justin Fields.

The Jets have one of the most unsettled depth charts at wide receiver, beyond their top receiver, Wilson. The Jets added free agent Reynolds, who has familiarity with the new coaching staff, and also signed Tyler Johnson from the Los Angeles Rams. Additionally, they drafted Arian Smith in the fourth round. They join Alen Lazard, Xavier Gipson and Malachi Corley in a competition for starting jobs and roster spots.

On the first drive, Wilson and Reynolds were the only two consistently on the field. Reynolds took the X-receiver role, which he played for the Detroit Lions. Wilson lined up all over the place, including in the slot half the time when the Jets used 11 personnel. Johnson joined for all three-receiver sets that were passing plays, while Lazard joined for the three-receiver sets that were run plays. Smith’s one snap with the starters came from 21 personnel, taking a snap from Reynolds.

On the following drive, Lazard was the primary X receiver, Johnson was again at Z, and Corley was in the slot, while Smith again mixed in on the outside. Gipson missed this game due to injury, but he could also factor in.

The Jets will likely move on from at least one wide receiver. This will likely be Gipson, Corley, given his playing time in this game, or Lazard, given his salary relative to his playing time.

The first look at Matthew Golden: The Packers’ first-round pick played every snap with the first-team offense.

The Packers invested heavily in their wide receiver room in the draft with Matthew Golden in the first round and Savion Williams in the third round. They join Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks in a robust competition for playing time. Christian Watson will also join that competition at some point during the season once he’s off the physically unable to perform list.

Reed, Wicks and Williams all missed this game due to injury, so we couldn’t judge how much Golden might rotate in and out this season. However, it was good to note Golden was a clear Z receiver for Green Bay, while Doubs played his usual X role. This likely means that Golden will rotate with Wicks and Watson once he is healthy. It’s also possible one of those receivers moves from Z to X to compete with Doubs. At least for now, it appears Doubs’ spot in the Packers offense is secure.

This game shouldn’t change anyone’s opinion on Golden, but it was slightly good news for Doubs and bad news for Wicks.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor is dealing with a high ankle sprain and will miss at least some time, including this preseason game. He is currently listed second on the Jets’ depth chart, but the expectation is that he will eventually be the starter.
• Jets backup wide receiver Irvin Charles remains on the physically unable to perform list.
• Packers running back Josh Jacobs played the first offensive snap, and then his day was done. The Packers did something similar with Aaron Jones at times when he was on the roster.
• Packers backup running back MarShawn Lloyd missed this game due to a groin injury, which isn’t great considering he missed most of his rookie season due to various injuries. Emanuel Wilson was also out due to injury.
• The Packers added veteran Mecole Hardman, but he was the backup slot receiver, behind Malik Heath, who was the slot receiver with the starters. If Hardman makes the roster, it would likely be because of special teams, not because he’s making an offensive impact. He was listed as the second-string kick returner and third-string punt returner on the initial depth chart.

Denver Broncos @ San Francisco 49ers

RJ Harvey starts over J.K. Dobbins: Harvey received all of the carries with the first team, while running more routes.

The Broncos had one of the most complicated backfields last season, with Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime and Tyler Badie. The Broncos moved on from Williams but added R.J. Harvey in the second round of the draft and J.K. Dobbins in free agency.

Harvey and Dobbins played with the first-team offense, which is a generally positive sign for the regular season. Harvey played 12 of 13 snaps on first and second downs, while Dobbins took all five snaps on third downs. If it carries on into the regular season, this would be excellent for Harvey’s fantasy value this season.

Marvin Mims Jr. sees a normal starting workload: Mims played 16 of 19 snaps with the starters and left the game at the same time as Bo Nix.

The Broncos utilized a significant wide receiver rotation last season. Courtland Sutton and Lil’Jordan Humphrey often played on early downs, while Sutton, Troy Franklin, and Devaughn Vele played in three-receiver sets, and Marvin Mims Jr. mixed in more and more frequently in every situation as last season went on. The Broncos no longer have Humphrey, but they spent a third-round pick on Pat Bryant and added veteran Trent Sherfield Sr.

In 12 personnel, the Broncos consistently used Sutton and Mims, except for one play where Franklin took Mims’ spot. In 11 personnel, both Sutton and Mims played 11 of a possible 13 snaps. The other snaps were split between Vele and Franklin. Bryant’s two snaps with the starters were in place of Sutton.

Mims consistently lined up on the outside, while Vele and Franklin took the slot snaps. Mims has 2.57 career yards per route run from the slot compared to 1.57 out wide, so this was somewhat concerning. However, the increase in playing time compared to last season could make Mims a weekly fantasy starter.

The fact that Bryant only played in Sutton’s place with the starters and consistently played the X receiver role with the backups suggests he might not play much this season, except for when Sutton needs a break. Sherfield didn’t play a single offensive snap until late in the second quarter, which is also a good sign for the top four Broncos wide receivers on the depth chart.

Evan Engram makes his Broncos’ debut: Engram was part of a two-man rotation at tight end with Adam Trautman.

Sean Payton has a long history of using a rotation among their skill players, and that is typically the case at tight end. Engram played 74% of Denver’s offensive snaps with the starters, which is a slight decrease compared to what he is used to. Engram played 9 of 13 snaps out of 11 personnel, and five of six out of 12 personnel. Trautman and Engram were split on 11 personnel on first and second downs, but Engram was consistently on the field on third and fourth down. The Broncos had a higher-than-usual rate of third-and-medium or long in this game, leading Engram’s route totals to reach slightly higher rates than we should expect.

In the past, when Engram was off the field, it was typically for two-tight-end set run situations, rather than early down snaps in 11 personnel, so he will likely run fewer routes this season than in the past. Engram has a top-10 fantasy tight end ADP heading into this season. In order for him to reach that on his current playing time, he will need a very high target rate. While that is certainly possible, in this game, he was held without a target.

The 49ers’ potential new starting wide receivers: San Francisco is dealing with multiple injuries at wide receiver, which could impact the start of the season.

The 49ers’ wide receiver room is in flux after moving on from Deebo Samuel in a trade this season. Starting wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk remains on the physically unable to perform list and is expected to miss the beginning of the season. Fellow starting wide receiver Jauan Jennings has been out two weeks due to a calf injury. He is also looking for a new contract or a trade.

This leaves former first-round pick Ricky Pearsall at the top of the 49ers depth chart. San Francisco added former Los Angeles Rams receiver Demarcus Robinson in free agency, and he will likely be another starter. Last year’s fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing, fifth-round rookie Jordan Watkins and seventh-round rookie Junior Bergen are competing for playing time. The 49ers have both brought in and released several veteran players over the last two weeks. Robbie Chosen is the new veteran currently on the roster.

Pearsall had the night off with the other starters. Robinson was one of the starters, taking the Z-receiver role. This could mean the starting lineup for San Francisco Week 1 is Jennings as the X receiver, where he ended last season, Robinson at Z and Pearsall in the slot. Robinson was the first wide receiver who played Sunday night to leave the game, suggesting he’s above the rest. Watkins was the X receiver for this game. It appears he would start if Jennings also misses time at the beginning of the year. Russell Gage Jr. played in the slot with the starters. Gage hasn’t played in a regular-season game since 2022, but there is a chance he makes the roster, given the state of the wide receivers on the team.

Miscellaneous Notes

Miami Dolphins @ Chicago Bears

Luther Burden III begins far down the depth chart: Burden III played throughout the first half while other wide receivers exited the game early.

When Burden was drafted, he was expected to be the Bears’ third wide receiver behind D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze. However, he missed two months during OTAs due to a hamstring injury, so he’s had a slower start than most rookies. The Bears sat starters and key backups, which included Moore, Odunze and free-agent addition Olamide Zaccheaus. It’s at least possible Zaccheaus is the Bears’ third wide receiver in Week 1.

Burden started this game along with backups Tyler Scott and Devin Duvernay. Over the first 14 offensive plays, Burden only played in three-receiver sets. Sometimes a player only plays in three-receiver sets because they are the slot receiver, but in this case, it was because Burden was lower on the depth chart. Burden was the primary slot receiver, but Scott also played multiple snaps out of the slot on plays where Burden lined up out wide. Duvernay stopped playing on offense midway through their second drive, and at that point, Burden started playing in two-receiver sets as well as three. 

There is plenty of time for Burden to work his way up the depth chart, but at this point, he needs to surpass Zaccheaus, Scott and Duvernay for playing time this season. That is certainly possible, but anyone drafting Burden shouldn’t expect immediate returns on their investment.

Malik Washington poised to make a larger impact: Washington was the focal point of the Dolphins’ offense at the start of the first drive.

Washington was the Dolphins’ clear third wide receiver last season but averaged less than two receptions per game. The Dolphins brought in competition in former Tennessee Titans’ starter Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Tyreek Hill sat out this game due to an oblique injury. Jaylen Waddle also didn’t warm up to play, although it’s less clear why he was absent. This led Washington and Westbrook-Ikhine to be the starters, with Dee Eskridge joining them for three receiver sets.

Washington played each of the first five plays, and the last three were a three-yard reception, a four-yard reception and a six-yard reception. He took two plays off, which is understandable for any receiver after multiple consecutive catches. He returned for a five-yard reception, took another play off, and then took an end-around for six yards. His day on offense was over at that point, finishing with a ridiculous five touches on seven snaps. A high usage rate with the starters won’t guarantee Washington a higher usage rate once the regular season starts, but his usage to start this game, along with an early exit roughly at the same time as De’Von Achane and before Tua Tagovailoa, certainly doesn’t hurt.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Bears rested several starters and key backups for this game. That included quarterback Caleb Williams, running back D’Andre Swift, wide receivers D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze and Olamide Zaccheaus and tight end Cole Kmet.
• Bears backup running back Roschon Johnson is dealing with a foot injury, which led him to sit out. There is some concern about the severity of the injury, considering the Bears recently brought in multiple running backs for a visit and are expected to sign one.
• Bears seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai is third on the depth chart and could move up to second. While we can’t tell his odds of moving to second on the depth chart from this game, it was at least good to see that he is clearly ahead of Travis Homer, and that the Bears are comfortable trying him in all situations.
• The Bears’ first-round pick, tight end Colston Loveland, played the first six plays before his day was done earlier than the rest of the Bears, who started this game.
• Dolphins tight end Darren Waller remains on the physically unable to perform list, but he was already listed first on the Dolphins depth chart.
• Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold also missed this game because he is in the concussion protocol.
• Dolphins running back De’Von Achane played each of the first nine offensive snaps, and then his day was done before the rest of the starters.
• While Alexander Mattison and Ollie Gordon II played late into the game, it’s still possible that one or both of these running backs make an impact this season. Miami only has four halfbacks on the roster, so it had to play these running backs late in the game. Jaylen Wright got stuffed on the goal line for three straight plays, and Mattison and Gordon are bigger backs. Mattison scored on a goal-line carry on the following drive. It’s possible one of them would take the goal-line touches once the regular season starts.

New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles Chargers

Kendre Miller remains the favorite for the backup running back job for now: Miller started and took every snap on the first two drives.

The Saints have struggled to find an adequate backup running back for Alvin Kamara since losing Mark Ingram II in his prime. The Saints retained Miller, who has missed significant time with injury, added veterans Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Cam Akers, and drafted Devin Neal in the sixth round of the draft. Unfortunately, Neal is expected to miss a few weeks due to a hamstring injury.  Missing the preseason and part of training camp will make it difficult for him to play significant snaps early in the season.

Miller started the game, running the ball six times and catching a pass. Akers took over on the following drive, and Miller returned to the game for the fourth drive. If this weren’t a competition, we would have expected Miller’s day to be done after two drives. In competitions like this, the incumbent player typically holds the lead early in the preseason. While Miller might have a slight edge for the backup job, this competition will remain ongoing.

Tyler Conklin plays but doesn’t start: The former New York Jets tight end played three of the first four plays.

The Chargers have a crowded tight end room with returning tight ends Will Dissly and Tucker Fisk, rookie Oronde Gadsden, and Conklin, who was the only one of the four to sit out the Hall of Fame game. Los Angeles rested even more players this week than in the Hall of Fame game, including running back Omarion Hampton and tight end Dissly. This made it odd that Conklin was the opposite.

Gadsden and Fisk started the game in 12 personnel, while Conklin replaced Fisk on the second play. The third play was out of 22 personnel with Fisk and Conklin as the tight ends. Conklin’s final play was out of 21 personnel. Fisk took a 21-personnel snap on the fifth play of the drive, while Gadsden played the one-third down snap. The next several drives consisted of Gadsden and Fisk rotating. Gadsden tended to play in passing situations while Fisk played in rushing situations, similar to the Hall of Fame game once Dissly left.

It’s impossible to take anything concrete out of the Chargers’ first drive from this game and the first drive from the Hall of Fame game without seeing Dissley and Conklin together, and Conklin potentially only playing the three plays Sunday, regardless of what happened after those plays. However, it’s worth noting that Gadsden has played in two of three snaps out of 11 personnel, and all three snaps out of 12 personnel during the drives where Conklin and Dissly played. The one play out of 11 personnel where he wasn’t on the field was at the six-yard line, so it’s possible they wanted a better run blocker on the field.

This suggests Gadsden will be the Chargers’ receiving tight end this season, but he would need to play in both 11 and 12 personnel to have a chance of being fantasy-relevant. This will remain a situation to watch, and ideally, we will gain more information in their preseason game next week.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Chargers rested quarterback Justin Herbert and wide receiver Quentin Johnston, as they did in the Hall of Fame game.
• Saints tight ends Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau remain on the physically unable to perform list.
• Star wide receiver Chris Olave is dealing with a minor ankle injury, which left him out of this game.
• New Orleans also rested some of their starters, including running back Alvin Kamara and wide receiver Rashid Shaheed.
• The Saints used two running backs on the field at the same time four times early in the game. Velus Jones Jr. was the second running back. Head coach Kellen Moore tried this eight times with the Philadelphia Eagles last season with Will Shipley as the second running back, and half of those plays came in Week 1 last year.
• Moore’s offense typically highlights the slot receiver, but there has been minimal discussion around who the primary slot receiver will be. It seems unlikely to be Brandin Cooks, who played on the first drive of this game and took six snaps out wide compared to two from the slot. Projected backup Cedrick Wilson Jr. played the majority of slot snaps. This leaves either Olave or Shaheed.
• Chargers running back Najee Harris remains on the non-football injury list after an eye injury from a Fourth of July incident.
• Star wide receiver Ladd McConkey has been held out of practice recently but returned on Friday. However, the Chargers still held him out of this game. Newly signed Keenan Allen also didn’t play.
• Chargers running back Kimani Vidal started the game but rotated with Hassan Haskins for the first three drives, and Nyheim Miller-Hines on the fourth drive. Vidal is the favorite for the third running back spot, but the competition isn’t over.
• The Chargers continue to use KeAndre Lambert-Smith as an X receiver and Tre Harris as a Z receiver. This suggests Lambert-Smith will be Johnston’s primary backup, while Harris will be Allen’s backup. This makes it unlikely Harris will earn enough playing time to be worth drafting in a typical redraft league.

Table Notes

• Snaps include plays called back due to penalties, including offensive holding or defensive pass interference. The other three stats have these plays removed.
• Targets may differ from official NFL sources. The most likely discrepancy would be from a clear thrown-away pass, where the NFL may give the target to the nearest receiver, while this data will not.
• Carries are only on designed plays. Quarterback scrambles won’t count for the total number of carries in the game.

This news was originally published on this post .

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