Preseason Week 3 Game Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from every game

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• Brashard Smith sees snaps with the starters: The Kansas City Chiefs‘ seventh-round running back was the second back on the field on the first drive, which included two targets.
• Cole Kmet plays ahead of Colston Loveland: Kmet received the start over Loveland and took most of the snaps with the starters.

• Chris Olave takes snaps out of the slot: The New Orleans Saints had their top three wide receivers for the first time, with Olave playing as the primary slot receiver.

• The first look at the Cleveland Browns‘ running back rotation: Dylan Sampson and Jerome Ford were both playing in a preseason game together for the first time, giving us a first glance at how they might rotate in the regular season.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Carolina Panthers

The Steelers use a surprising running back rotation: Jaylen Warren started the game, while Kenneth Gainwell played on third downs.

Most fantasy managers assumed that third-round rookie Kaleb Johnson would be the Steelers’ early-down back this season, while Warren played passing downs. The first two weeks of the preseason showed that Gainwell is clearly in their plans. He was the starter in the two preseason games, while Warren was among the veterans who had the day off.

The Steelers have had a pretty clear rotation in recent seasons. Najee Harris played on early downs and Warren played on third downs, serving as Harris’ backup on early downs. In this game, Warren played in Harris’s role, while Gainwell played in Warren’s role. Gainwell was a third-down back at times with the Philadelphia Eagles. Johnson took over on the third drive, while other players who started the game were still playing.

This is good news for Warren and Gainwell’s fantasy value and bad news for Johnson. A combination of eight wide receivers and four tight ends either were resting starters or played on the first two drives. Johnson is the Steelers’ only skill player who is expected to make the roster but didn’t play until the third drive. While we could reach some point of the season where Johnson is playing 50% of the team’s offensive snaps, it seems like we are at least a few weeks away from that point. Before, the general thinking was that Warren wasn’t going to play more than 60% of the snaps, so Johnson would have a safe 40%. Now, he would need to beat out Warren for any early-down snaps. Anyone drafting Johnson should not expect him to be in their fantasy starting lineup this month.

On the flip side, Warren seems in store for double-digit carries early in the season, as well as a decent amount of work in the passing game. Gainwell is typically going undrafted in fantasy leagues. His upside isn’t all that high, but he could be a borderline fantasy starter in this role in larger leagues.

The Steelers’ receiving room remains unsettled: Pittsburgh used six different wide receivers on the first drive in a unique rotation.

D.K. Metcalf is locked into the Steelers’ X receiver spot. Calvin Austin III is expected to be the second receiver, but he has also missed the entire preseason due to an abdominal muscle injury.  Everyone else is fighting for the third job and the rest of the roster spots, while some players who played on the first drive today will get cut. One of the several wide receivers fighting for a spot on the depth chart is Ben Skowronek, but he missed his second-straight preseason game due to a toe injury. He will likely make the 53-man roster as a backup wide receiver, but that isn’t guaranteed.

Roman Wilson and Brandon Johnson started the game. Wilson played the most snaps after each of the first few drives and is the favorite to be a starter. Johnson only played the first five snaps. It’s possible he suffered an injury at that point, or he was pulled from the game earlier than the rest of the starters. Lance McCutcheon was the next man up on the outside for Johnson, while Robert Woods was Wilson’s backup. Either Johnson or McCutcheon will be the backup X receiver. Skowronek is typically a slot receiver, and Scott Miller and undrafted rookie Max Hurleman rotated as the slot receivers for this game. At least one of them will make the roster, while the other two fight with Woods for the last roster spot. Given that this room is so unsettled, it’s also possible the Steelers add a player or two, leaving even more of these players off the roster.

Brycen Tremayne potentially locks in a roster spot: The former Washington Commanders wide receiver was among the Panthers’ wide receivers who had the night off.

Carolina rested starters and key backups, which included the three starting wide receivers Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette and Adam Thielen. Jalen Coker also appears locked into a roster spot. He played this week, which usually wouldn’t be the best sign for his playing time, but he missed last week’s game due to an illness, so this was an opportunity to get him ready for Week 1, while other key players got prepared last week.

While the Panthers have several other noteworthy wide receivers, including David Moore, who played 569 offensive snaps for the team last year, Hunter Renfrow, and sixth-round rookie Jimmy Horn Jr., Tremayne was the fourth wide receiver who had the night off.

Tremayne spent two seasons on the Commanders’ practice squad, getting elevated for two games where he caught one pass. He signed a futures contract with Carolina this offseason. In the first preseason game, he primarily played in the third quarter with Moore and Horn, while Renfrow was out injured. Last week, he took one snap for Legette on the opening drive. He played two snaps with the starters on the first two drives and then played with Moore and Renfrow starting on the fourth drive.

While it seems unlikely Tremayne will have fantasy value this season without multiple injuries, this does mean at least one, and likely two, of the other noteworthy wide receivers won’t make the roster. Carolina kept five to six wide receivers on the roster last season, so it’s also possible all three don’t make it, or there will be a surprise with the top four.

Miscellaneous Notes

New England Patriots @ New York Giants

Multiple Patriots wide receiver spots secured: Eight different wide receivers didn’t participate in this game for New England.

Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins are four wide receivers who were healthy enough to play in the game Thursday night, but the Patriots rested them. Diggs hasn’t played at all this preseason, but reportedly been ramping up practice, looking ahead to Week 1. Douglas appears to be the slot receiver, while Boutte and Hollins have fought for the other starting spot. The fact that none of them played Thursday when they could have suggests their roster spots are secure. Third-round rookie Kyle Williams has missed some practice this week, which has led to him not playing. His spot is also safe.

The Patriots kept six wide receivers last season. Mike Vrabel’s teams of the past have at times kept five. This means there is potentially one more roster spot, or two if they really want to keep two more.

Kendrick Bourne has also sat out the entire preseason due to a leg injury. The Patriots still list him as a starter on the unofficial depth chart, but many believe he might not be on the roster by this time next week. Undrafted rookie Efton Chism III has been the talk of training camp. He is dealing with an undisclosed injury, which has left him unable to play. He and Douglas are the only players mentioned so far who have seen double-digit snaps in the slot, and it seems likely to make the roster, which would leave Bourne on the outside looking in. Former fourth-round pick Javon Baker started against the Panthers and also seems unlikely to make the roster. He was one of just four wide receivers for New England active for this game, so he played significantly.

Former second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk will reportedly have season-ending shoulder surgery. This will land him on injured reserve, and he will need to fight for his roster spot next season.

Cam Skattebo makes his New York Giants debut: Skattebo had missed the first two preseason games due to injury.

Skattebo was a fourth-round pick and was expected to fight for significant playing time during training camp. Unfortunately, he missed a little over two weeks of training camp due to a hamstring injury. He played every snap on the first two drives and his day was done before the rest of the Giants players who started in this game. This game doesn’t give us any indication of how much playing time he will get, but it was good to see he is healthy enough to play, so we know we can expect him to play in Week 1. It was also good to see him playing on every down, rather than the Giants restricting him to a specific situation. 

Miscellaneous Notes

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Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Jets

Good news for Mason Taylor: Taylor was among the Jets starters who rested, while his primary competition did not — a strong sign for his role heading into the season.

A second-round pick expected to replace Tyler Conklin (who is now with the Los Angeles Chargers), Taylor missed the first preseason game due to injury but returned in the second, playing 13 of 18 snaps with the starters. He shared the field with Jeremy Ruckert, who logged 10 snaps but continued to play with the backups.

That snap pattern suggests Taylor is in the lead for the starting role. While Ruckert may still rotate in on early downs, Taylor’s snap share has room to grow. At the very least, this game did nothing to hurt his outlook. He remains a viable late-round dart throw at tight end in fantasy drafts.

The Eagles trade for John Metchie III: The Eagles stocked up on their backup receiver room after losing Johnny Wilson for the season.

The Eagles have three clear starting wide receivers in A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Jahan Dotson, but the backup spots are wide open. Last week, Johnny Wilson led the reserves with eight snaps over the team’s first two drives, followed closely by Terrace Marshall Jr. (seven), Ainias Smith (six) and undrafted rookie Darius Cooper (five).

Unfortunately for Philadelphia, Wilson suffered a training camp injury that will require season-ending surgery. He was officially placed on injured reserve today, thinning the Eagles’ depth and opening up more opportunities for the remaining backup receivers.

Philadelphia traded for John Metchie III this past week to take Wilson’s spot on the roster. Metchie has a chance to emerge as the Eagles’ top backup wide receiver. His addition is interesting, as he primarily played in the slot with the Houston Texans last season—similar to the Eagles’ top returning backup, Ainias Smith, who has also mostly worked from the slot in his career.

Metchie started tonight on the outside opposite Darius Cooper, with Smith entering in three-receiver sets as the slot option, consistent with his usage in previous preseason games. Terrace Marshall Jr. saw only one snap across the team’s first four drives, making him the likely odd man out. Cooper, meanwhile, is trending toward making the roster if the Eagles keep six receivers.

Both Metchie and Smith will likely see limited offensive snaps each week. If one of the top three wide receivers goes down, they would likely split time in three-wide sets. It would take two injuries for either player to become fantasy-relevant—and even then, their target volume may be limited.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Eagles added running back A.J. Dillon to their growing list of healthy players who rested in this game.

• Backup running back Isaiah Davis has missed his second straight preseason game due to an ankle injury and is in danger of missing the start of the regular season.

• Wide receiver Allen Lazard also missed his second straight game due to a shoulder injury. Fellow backup Xavier Gipson has yet to play on offense in the preseason after missing the first week and getting injured on special teams the second week.

• Wide receiver Irvin Charles remains on the PUP list for the Jets.

Atlanta Falcons @ Dallas Cowboys

Jaydon Blue plays but doesn’t start for the Cowboys: The Cowboys’ rookie running back missed the first two games due to an ankle injury but made his debut with the team in this game.

The Cowboys enter the season with one of the NFL’s most uncertain backfields. Javonte Williams, expected to start, hasn’t played this preseason, leaving questions about his workload. Free agent addition Miles Sanders was also a question mark earlier this offseason, but his absence from this game — alongside other veterans — suggests his roster spot is secure. He’s likely to factor into the rotation.

Deuce Vaughn started the game and played the first, fourth and fifth drives with the starters. Nathaniel ‘Blue’ took over on the second and third drives, then played the entire third quarter and into the fourth. It’s not surprising that a fifth-round rookie like Blue didn’t start over a veteran in his debut. While playing into the fourth quarter would typically be a red flag for a rookie with fantasy relevance, Blue’s extended action is likely tied to the time he missed earlier in camp—suggesting the team still expects him to play a significant role.

Blue is worth a late-round pick in fantasy drafts, but it’s risky to start any Cowboys running back in Week 1 given the uncertainty surrounding the backfield rotation.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Wide receiver Casey Washington has joined that group for the last two games, suggesting his roster spot is secure.

• David Sills V, who only played one drive last week, was added to the list of players who didn’t play in this game. He appears to be the sixth wide receiver on the team.

Minnesota Vikings @ Tennessee Titans

Elic Ayomanor leads the Titans’ wide receiver room: Ayomanor and Van Jefferson served as the primary outside wide receivers for the Titans in Week 3 of the preseason.

The Titans were without Calvin Ridley in this game, as he hadn’t been practicing earlier in the week. In his absence, Elic Ayomanor and Van Jefferson served as the primary outside receivers, with Tyler Lockett operating in the slot. In the first preseason game, Ridley and Jefferson handled the outside roles while Lockett played exclusively in three-wide sets. This usage suggests that even if one of Tennessee’s outside receivers suffers an injury, it likely wouldn’t result in an increased snap count for Lockett.

Although Ayomanor played a few more snaps than Jefferson, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s won the starting job. The starters played two drives, after which Jefferson and Lockett exited the game, while Ayomanor stayed in for an additional drive with the backups. One notable development was Chimere Dike taking two snaps from Jefferson — one in a two-wide receiver set and another in a three-receiver formation. Dike lined up on the outside for both, despite primarily playing in the slot this preseason. That suggests he may not be limited to backing up Lockett in the slot and could also earn some outside reps.

Lockett remains a high-floor, low-upside late-round pick in deeper leagues, while Ayomanor is a viable dart throw in case he secures a starting role.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Chig Okonkwo has played more snaps with the starters this preseason than he did last year, a trend that has held steady through all three games. He remains a strong sleeper target at tight end.

• Running back Ty Chandler joined the Vikings on the list of players not playing. Typically, this is a good sign that he will make the roster. However, there has been speculation that he might not. It’s at least possible that the team is considering trading him and didn’t want to get injured. It’s also possible he’s dealing with an undisclosed injury.

• Justin Jefferson returned to practice earlier this week after missing time with hamstring tightness. Jalen Nailor remains day-to-day with a hand injury.

• Third-round rookie Tai Felton, who played in the first two preseason games, sat out this preseason game due to injury.

• Sixth-round rookie tight end Gavin Bartholomew has spent the entire preseason on the PUP list.

• The Titans have played most of their starters throughout the preseason, with the exception of running back Tony Pollard and wide receivers Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett last week. Pollard and Ridley didn’t play again this week.

• The Titans used a constant rotation between Julius Chestnut and Kalel Mullings for the third running back spot. One of them could see significant playing time early in the season if Spears misses the start of the season.

Chicago Bears @ Kansas City Chiefs

Brashard Smith moves up the Kansas City depth chart: Smith received two targets with the Chiefs on their first drive.

Smith didn’t appear to be a major part of the Chiefs’ plans through the first two preseason games. He played in the third quarter as the team’s fifth running back in the opener, and he didn’t see the field until the second quarter in the second game, still working as the fifth back on the depth chart.

In this game, Isiah Pacheco started as usual on a longer opening drive. Smith played two second-down snaps and was targeted deep on both, recording a 13.0-yard average depth of target. He dropped the first pass but hauled in the second. Kareem Hunt, returning from a two-week absence due to a quad contusion, also played a snap later in the drive.

Kareem Hunt played every snap on the second drive, reinforcing his place as the No. 2 back despite Smith’s earlier involvement. The Chiefs returned to Pacheco on the third drive, continuing the alternating pattern they used last season. Smith took the fourth drive with the backups, indicating he may now be third on the depth chart, leapfrogging Carson Steele and Elijah Mitchell. That shift makes Mitchell a long shot to make the 53-man roster.

Kansas City has traditionally deployed a designated third-down back but hasn’t used one this preseason. That role likely won’t be clarified until the regular season begins.

Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet continue to rotate: Cole Kmet operated as the primary tight end on the first two drives, while Colston Loveland saw increased usage over the next two.

Last week, Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland rotated almost interchangeably. They shared five snaps in 12 personnel, each played three snaps in 11 personnel on early downs, and Kmet saw a slight edge on third downs, playing two snaps to Loveland’s one.

This week, Kmet started and played nine of the first 10 snaps across the opening two drives. Loveland joined for two snaps in 12 personnel and took just one snap in place of Kmet. A false start on the game’s second play may have contributed to Loveland’s limited early usage. He bounced back on the following two drives, logging 17 of 18 snaps, while Kmet played eight. Loveland finished the half with more snaps and routes, though that edge was largely a product of longer possessions, including a two-minute drill.

At this point, Cole Kmet and Colston Loveland appear locked into a true 50/50 split, with both likely to surpass a 50% snap share due to the team’s frequent use of 12 personnel. Their interchangeable usage is notable—Loveland has already earned the staff’s trust in all situations, which gives him a path to increased playing time at any point this season. That sets them apart from most tight end tandems, where one typically leans more as a receiver and the other as a blocker, limiting the receiving threat’s snaps on early downs.

Luther Burden III plays one snap with the starters: Burden remains a clear fourth on the Bears’ depth chart.

Luther Burden was projected to be one of Chicago’s top three receivers, but summer injuries delayed his training camp progress. That opened the door for free agent Olamide Zaccheaus, who has taken over as the third wideout in 11 personnel. In the first half, D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze played every snap, while Zaccheaus joined them in three-receiver sets. Zaccheaus aligned in the slot on half of those plays, with Moore and Odunze rotating into the slot on the rest. Moore also lined up in the slot on five plays from 12 personnel.

Burden played just one first-half snap, replacing D.J. Moore late in the second quarter. He’s rotated between the slot and out wide throughout the preseason, but with the Bears’ wideouts frequently shifting formations, Burden would need to leapfrog a teammate on the depth chart—something that doesn’t appear imminent.

Burden saw extended action in the third quarter, which is telling. Since the NFL moved to a three-game preseason, only four rookie wide receivers drafted in the first three rounds have logged 15 or more second-half snaps in a preseason game: Tutu Atwell, Danny Gray, Amari Rodgers and Jermaine Burton. Those four combined for just nine receptions as rookies. While Burden projects for a more productive season, he’s not someone fantasy managers should rely on early in the year.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Chiefs traded Skyy Moore to the San Francisco 49ers earlier this week, making it increasingly likely that Tyquan Thornton secures a spot on Kansas City’s 53-man roster. Thornton played a few snaps with the starters and recorded a 58-yard catch on the Chiefs’ second drive.

• Swift played in 20 of 21 snaps on the first three drives, with Brittain Brown taking the fourth drive. While we don’t have any great sense of how the Bears will rotate running backs in the regular season, it was a positive to see Chicago comfortable using Swift in all situations.

• The only Chiefs fantasy-relevant players who rested last week are quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce. Both played in this game.

• Kelce left the game three plays earlier than the rest of the starters. He played in 14 of the first 18 snaps, which is a relatively normal snap rate for Kelce.

Baltimore Ravens @ Washington Commanders

Jacory Croskey-Merritt rests for the Commanders: Washington rested more than one-third of its roster, including the en vogue seventh-round rookie.

The Commanders traded former starting running back Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers, opening the door for a new lead running back to take the reins on early downs. While it’s possible Austin Ekeler will take some of those snaps, he is also the Commanders’ early-down back and a kick returner. At his age, it makes sense for the team to limit his snaps and give the early downs to another player.

Throughout the preseason, those two players have been Croskey-Merritt and Chris Rodriguez Jr., while Jeremy McNichols has primarily been the backup receiving back. In the first preseason game, Croskey-Merritt played in the first half and Rodriguez started to mix in during the second quarter. In the second game, Rodriguez received the start, with a more frequent rotation by drive.

The fact that Croskey-Merritt was among the key players who didn’t play in this game, while Rodriguez played, suggests Croskey-Merritt is at the top of the early-down depth chart.

Croskey-Merritt’s upside is limited since he’s in an offense that has a third-down back, a backup running back on early downs and a quarterback who is capable of running the ball. Typically, a player in that role doesn’t have a lot of fantasy upside, but the fact that he plays in an offense that should be among the highest scoring in the NFL gives him potential RB2 value. His consensus ADP is currently RB48, making him a big value, but we also expect his ADP to continue to rise by multiple rounds between now and the start of the season.

Jaylin Lane also receives the day off: Lane may have leapfrogged enough wide receivers on the depth chart to receive significant playing time in Week 1.

The Commanders’ top three wide receivers are expected to be Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel and Noah Brown. The problem is that McLaurin is currently holding out and Brown has missed the past two months with an undisclosed injury. This opens the door for a backup wide receiver to see significant playing time.

Lane started the preseason far down the depth chart but was among the top three wide receivers during last week’s preseason game, with Samuel playing in the slot and Lane and Luke McCaffrey playing out wide. Lane joined only in three-receiver sets, suggesting — at the time — that McCaffrey was ahead of Lane. The fact that Lane didn’t play in this game and McCaffrey did indicates that Lane is now ahead.

McCaffrey spent most of the preseason playing as an outside receiver, despite playing primarily in the slot last season. K.J. Osborn has been the Commanders’ primary slot receiver with the second team in the preseason. However, in this game, it was McCaffrey playing in the slot with Osborn out wide. This suggests McCaffrey could be the top backup slot receiver after losing the primary backup outside job to Lane.

While Lane might not be high enough on the target priority list to be draftable in fantasy, he is worth keeping an eye on as a waiver-wire target at the next sign of positive news.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Commanders rested 33 players for this game, including quarterbacks Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota, running backs Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Austin Ekeler, wide receivers Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, Noah Brown and Jaylin Lane and tight ends Zach Ertz and John Bates.
• The Ravens didn’t play quarterback Lamar Jackson, running backs Derrick Henry and Justice Hill, fullback Patrick Ricard, wide receivers Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins and tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, as they’ve done all preseason.
• Fourth-string Tylan Wallace and tight end Charlie Kolar played in the first two preseason games in the first quarter, but they both also had the night off as key backups.
• Ravens third-string running back Keaton Mitchell missed his second straight preseason game with a hamstring injury, but the team is confident he will be ready for Week 1.

Los Angeles Rams @ Cleveland Browns

The first look at the Browns’ running back rotation: Jerome Ford made his preseason debut but didn’t start for Cleveland.

Quinshon Judkins is expected to be the lead running back for Cleveland at some point, but he has yet to sign his rookie contract or practice with the team. While Judkins is not facing criminal charges, the NFL could still discipline him. His contract is unlikely to be agreed upon until that is resolved. This leaves fourth-round rookie Dylan Sampson and Ford as the top two running backs on the depth chart.

Sampson got the start. He and Ford rotated every few plays, with both players taking five snaps on the first two drives. Both received a third-and-long snap, suggesting there is no current clear third-down back or early-down back between the two. Ford caught a pass to begin the third drive, with Pierre Strong Jr. taking over after that point. Both Sampson and Ford were done on offense by then.

It will be difficult for either one of these running backs to be in fantasy starting lineups with this 50-50 split, given the offense and offensive line. However, since they were used interchangeably, it’s possible that one player starts outplaying the other and gains more playing time. Given that the Browns have seen a lot of Ford in recent years, it’s more likely that Sampson, a rookie, takes time away from Ford than the other way around.

Browns’ receiver room remains unsettled: Five different wide receivers competed for playing time in the regular season.

Jerry Jeudy is Cleveland’s top wide receiver. He played the first three snaps in this game, and then his day was done. Cedric Tillman missed this week due to a thumb injury, but his preseason usage in Week 2 suggests he is safe as the second wide receiver. Beyond that, it appears to be a wide-open competition.

Jamari Thrash seemed to be the favorite to win the Browns’ slot receiver role. In the first two preseason games, he played 32 snaps in the slot, compared to 10 out wide. He was consistently on the field in three-receiver sets. However, in this game, he was in a rotation with newly signed Isaiah Bond. One of the two was almost always on the field with the starters, but never at the same time. They were no longer consistently lining up in the slot, with nearly every receiver seeing a few snaps there. Thrash also continued to play with the backups. This suggests Thrash’s spot as the third wide receiver isn’t safe.

Diontae Johnson has also seen significant playing time with starters in the preseason, but he was in a rotation with undrafted rookie Gage Larvadain. While Johnson led the rotation, the fact that he was rotating and kept playing with the backups isn’t a good sign. Once Jeudy left the game, Kaden Davis took Jeudy’s spot and was the only receiver consistently on the field with the starters.

It’s also worth noting that DeAndre Carter and David Bell have missed the entire preseason. When either one is healthy, they could also enter the conversation.

If anything, this is good news for Harold Fannin Jr., who was the second tight end in this game after David Njoku. The Browns frequently used 12 personnel, and they seem to trust Fannin more than any of their wide receivers outside of Jeudy and Tillman. While it’s rare to see two tight ends have fantasy value on the same team, Fannin should score more points than most teams’ second tight ends.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Browns slowly took starters out of the game on offense, which included removing tight end David Njoku three plays before Joe Flacco. He played 12 of the first 14 plays.
• The Rams rested running back Kyren Williams, wide receivers Puka Nacua, Davante Adams and Tutu Atwell and tight ends Tyler Higbee and Colby Parkinson, as they’ve done throughout the preseason.
• Rams running back Blake Corum played in the first two preseason games but sat this week, suggesting he is still the second running back on the depth chart, ahead of Jarquez Hunter.
• Similarly, wide receivers Xavier Smith and seventh-round rookie Konata Mumpfield didn’t play, suggesting they are safely locked into the fifth and sixth roster spots.
• Terrance Ferguson sat out the first two preseason games with a groin injury. The fact that two tight ends didn’t play and Ferguson did would usually suggest Ferguson is third on the depth chart, but it’s also fair that the Rams wanted to give their rookie some experience before his first regular-season game. Regardless, the fact that Parkinson sat throughout the preseason indicates we could see all three tight ends play significantly this season.

Indianapolis Colts @ Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals’ backup receiver group appears to be taking shape: Charlie Jones and Mitchell Tinsley were both held out, an indication that their roster spots are likely secure.

Last season, the Bengals’ top backup wideouts were third-round rookie Jermaine Burton and Trenton Irwin. Irwin signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in the offseason, opening the door for others to step up.

Charlie Jones, a 2023 fourth-round pick, saw limited action as a rookie due to a lingering groin injury that sidelined him for half the season and affected him in the second half. This preseason, he was the first backup receiver on the field in the opener and played only in the first half last week, both signs that his roster spot is secure. Though he played primarily in the slot last year, he’s lined up more frequently out wide this preseason.

Mitchell Tinsley, an undrafted rookie in 2023, spent his first two seasons on the Washington Commanders’ practice squad. He appeared in two games last year, but he played less than 10 snaps. Last week, he caught five passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns — all within a 20-second span — effectively locking in his roster spot. He’s shown versatility, playing both outside and in the slot.

That pushes Jermaine Burton to sixth on the depth chart at best. While he could still see occasional snaps, including some downfield targets, he’s unlikely to carry meaningful fantasy value this season.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Colts rested quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson Sr., running back Jonathan Taylor, wide receivers Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, Josh Downs and Ashton Dulin, and tight ends Tyler Warren and Mo Alie-Cox.
• While quarterback Riley Leonard played throughout the first half, running back D.J. Giddens, wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and tight end Drew Oglree all stopped playing at the end of the first quarter. Their spots on the depth chart are secure.
• The Bengals rested quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Jake Browning, running backs Chase Brown, Samaje Perine and Tahj Brooks, wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Andrei Iosivas, Charlie Jones and Mitchell Tinsley, and tight ends Drew Sample, Mike Gesicki, Noah Fant and Tanner Hudson.

Houston Texans @ Detroit Lions

The Texans‘ running back depth chart becomes clearer: Nick Chubb was among the veterans who were resting, suggesting he will be the Week 1 starter.

Joe Mixon has spent the entire preseason on the non-football injury list. The updates on Mixon’s injury have been minimal, making it uncertain when he might be ready to play. At this point, Week 1 seems unlikely. Chubb was the Texans’ lead running back last week. He didn’t play this week, suggesting he would be the top running back while Mixon is out.

Dameon Pierce was the Texans’ primary running back to start this game. We have yet to see Chubb and Pierce in the same game, so the preseason has given us no indication of how much Mixon and Pierce might rotate. Once the first quarter ended, Pierce and wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson stopped playing, while other players who began the game kept playing. At this point, Woody Marks took over. Dare Ogunbowale played on third downs throughout the first half, as he did on third downs with the team last season.

While we don’t know how trustworthy Chubb will be for fantasy purposes at the start of the season, it seems unlikely that Marks will have an immediate impact on offense. There was some thought he could take on the third-down role from Ogunbowale, but there has been no evidence that the Texans plan on using Marks in this way to start the season.

Miscellaneous Notes

• Quarterback Kyle Allen, running back Craig Reynolds, wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa and tight end Shane Zylstra all left after the first quarter, suggesting their roles on the depth chart are secure.
• The Texans rested quarterbacks C.J. Stroud and Davis Mills, running back Nick Chubb, wide receivers Nico Collins and Christian Kirk, and tight ends Dalton Schultz and Cade Stover.
• The Lions rested quarterback Jared Goff, 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, as they’ve done all preseason.

Denver Broncos @ New Orleans Saints

Chris Olave takes the slot role: The Saints played all three of their top wide receivers for the first time this preseason.

Brandin Cooks played in the Saints’ first preseason game, while Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed suited up for the second. Across both outings, there was no clear answer as to who would handle slot duties. Cedrick Wilson Jr. served as the primary slot receiver in each game, suggesting Cooks may be viewed more as a depth piece than the team’s No. 3 option.

In this game, the Saints used Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and Brandin Cooks exclusively over the first four drives. The trio shared the field for 11 snaps in 11 personnel. In 12 personnel, Shaheed played all five snaps, Olave played four and Cooks just one. Notably, Olave lined up in the slot on all 11 snaps from 11 personnel. That’s a shift from his typical usage—he’s played just 33% of his career snaps in the slot, including only 21% last season and 20% last week. Until now, it appeared he’d remain primarily an outside receiver.

This development could have a significant impact on Olave’s fantasy value. Over the past three seasons, he’s averaged 2.23 yards per route run from the slot compared to 2.16 out wide. New head coach Kellen Moore has a history of slot-heavy production — his primary slot receivers have averaged between 15.3 and 21.5 PPR points per game over the last three seasons. In contrast, most of his outside receivers in three-wide sets have lacked fantasy viability, with A.J. Brown last season being the major exception.

While the quarterback situation and Olave’s concussion history remain red flags, he has a chance to finish as a top-20 fantasy wide receiver in this role if he can stay healthy. The only potential problem is that the Saints traded a fourth-round pick for Devaughn Vele earlier in the week, and he primarily played in the slot for Denver. If he can surpass Cooks on the depth chart, Vele may become the Saints’ top slot receiver, pushing Olave back out wide.

Saints running back depth chart takes shape: For the first time this preseason, the Saints had their full running back group available.

Saints running back Alvin Kamara played the opening snap before calling it a day. While Kellen Moore’s exact usage plan remains unknown, it’s clear Kamara is the starter and positioned for a significant workload.

Kendre Miller, who started the first two preseason games, was next in line and appears locked in as the No. 2 back. Over the past two weeks, Cam Akers had handled third-down duties, but in this game, Miller stayed on the field for those situations. If Kamara were to miss time, Miller would be the top waiver wire target and is worth a late-round pick in deeper fantasy leagues where most handcuff backs are typically drafted.

Miller exited in the first quarter, with Clyde Edwards-Helaire taking over. While Edwards-Helaire and Cam Akers had previously rotated in the first two preseason games, Akers appeared clearly behind in those outings, and his late-game usage in this one suggests he may not make the roster.

Sixth-round rookie Devin Neal was next up. He missed the first two preseason games with a hamstring injury but took meaningful snaps ahead of Akers. Velus Jones Jr. also rotated in with Neal, while Akers didn’t see the field until late in the third quarter. The Saints could opt to keep four running backs, with Neal likely holding that final spot. There’s even a chance they carry five if they value Jones’ versatility and special teams contributions.

R.J. Harvey’s role remains clear: While J.K. Dobbins hasn’t played in the last two preseason games, Harvey’s role has remained consistent.

The Broncos opened with three drives featuring Harvey and Tyler Badie, while J.K. Dobbins and Jaleel McLaughlin sat out. Denver’s preseason usage patterns have been unconventional, but Harvey has consistently served as the early-down back, with Badie handling third-down duties. In this game, Harvey played 12 of 15 early-down snaps, while Badie took all five on third down.

Through three preseason games, Harvey has logged 34 of 40 first- and second-down snaps with the starters and none of the 11 third-down snaps — a clear signal that he’s locked into early-down duties. Dobbins, who handled third-down work in the first preseason game, is expected to maintain that role and mix in on early downs as well. How many early-down snaps he’ll take remains unclear, as the Broncos appear focused on evaluating Harvey rather than revealing their regular-season rotation.

Early-down usage typically holds more fantasy value than third-down work, as early downs offer more run-heavy looks and higher odds of a running back touch. Even in a potential 50/50 split, Harvey appears poised to handle the more valuable half.

The Broncos’ receiving room without Devaughn Vele: The Broncos traded Vele to the Saints earlier in the week, freeing up more room for their other wide receivers.

Through two preseason games, the Broncos’ wide receiver roles appeared fairly defined: Courtland Sutton held down the starting X role, Pat Bryant backed him up, Marvin Mims Jr. started at Z and Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele were competing in the slot. Trent Sherfield Sr. was the next man up across multiple spots.

A recent trade most directly benefits Mims. He played both inside and outside last season, with stronger production—measured in yards per route run—coming from the slot. His main issue was playing time; he didn’t top a 50% snap share in any regular-season game outside of the playoffs. This preseason, he’s clearly elevated—Mims was a locked-in starter in the opener and played every snap with the starters in this game, signaling a shift to full-time usage. With Vele out of the picture, Mims and Franklin may now share slot responsibilities. Mims remains one of the top wide receiver sleepers.

The move also helps Franklin. Rather than splitting slot reps, he played the majority of three-wide sets, increasing his path to snaps and targets. He may still fall short of weekly fantasy relevance, but the role gives him a real shot to carve out more volume.

Conversely, the trade had minimal impact on Bryant. Despite being the primary backup to Sutton at X, he didn’t play a single snap with the starters. Instead, Sherfield Sr. handled five snaps in 11 personnel. While the Broncos have shown flexibility at Z and slot under Sean Payton, Sutton has held a firm grip on the X role, which limits Bryant’s path to playing time unless he expands his versatility or Sutton misses time.

Evan Engram plays in less than half of the Broncos’ snaps: This game gave the clearest look at why Engram will be inconsistent for fantasy managers this season.

The Broncos have used both Engram and Adam Trautman together for all three games. Throughout the preseason, they’ve entered and exited the game on the same drives, sharing the field in two tight end sets, with a general tendency for Trautman to play more on early downs and Engram to play more on passing downs.

This game provided a better look at how the tight ends might rotate, as the Broncos had a blocker. Both fullback Michael Burton and tight end/fullback Nate Adkins have missed the entire preseason due to injury. However, the Broncos signed fullback Adam Prentice, with whom Payton had experience in New Orleans, this past week. The Broncos used 21 personnel only twice with the starters, but Trautman (unsurprisingly) took both of those snaps.

Trautman and Engram split 11-personnel snaps with nine each. Engram ran a route for seven of nine plays, while Trautman ran a route for only four of nine. Engram ran a route on eight of 15 pass plays. We can expect him to run a route on closer to 60-65% of routes once the regular season hits. While Engram has been part of the Broncos’ plans in the passing game, this will likely make his fantasy value inconsistent. He should have a number of weeks as a top-10 fantasy tight end, but there will also be weeks where his fantasy production is minimal.

Miscellaneous Notes

Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers

The Packers handcuff to consider: Chris Brooks played only a handful of plays before his day was done.

The Packers spent a third-round pick on MarShawn Lloyd in 2024, but he spent most of his rookie season injured. He missed the first preseason game and played in the second, but he is now dealing with another injury. His hamstring may prevent him from playing in the season opener. Once he’s back, he might not earn the primary backup spot.

Josh Jacobs played one snap in the first preseason game, and he took the second week off. And this week, he played only two snaps. Brooks took over, played the next seven snaps, and then his day was done. He and Emanuel Wilson shared the backup job last season, but Brooks has been clearly ahead of Wilson in each of the last two preseason games. Wilson took over once Brooks was done.

While Wilson’s roster spot appears more secure due to Lloyd’s injury status, Brooks looks like the primary backup to Jacobs and the most likely candidate for increased usage if Jacobs were to miss time.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Packers announced before the game that quarterback Jordan Love, running back MarShawn Lloyd and wide receivers Dontayvion Wicks, Jayden Reed, Savion Williams and Christian Watson would not play in the game. They are all dealing with injuries.
• Tight end Tucker Kraft played eight of the first nine snaps for the Packers, and then his day was done earlier than the other Packers starters.
• It was surprising to see Romeo Doubs play the entire two drives, given his 28 starts over the past two years, while Kraft, Josh Jacobs and Chris Brooks all stopped playing several plays earlier. This could have simply been due to the Packers’ limited number of wide receivers today, but it could also be a sign that Doubs’ playing time could be in danger once more wide receivers are healthy.
• The Seahawks rested quarterback Sam Darnold, running backs Kenneth Walker III, Zach Charbonnet and George Holani, fullback Robbie Ouzts, wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, and tight ends A.J. Barner, Eric Saubert and Elijah Arroyo.
• Most notable is Holani, who has been leading the seventh-round rookie for Damien Martinez for the third running back spot. While there is a chance both running backs make the roster, it appears Holani will make it.
• Wide receiver Tory Horton missed this game due to injury. While many expect him to become the Seahawks’ third wide receiver sooner rather than later, this game is not an indication he has reached that spot.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Miami Dolphins

Ollie Gordon II starts for Miami: The Dolphins are down multiple running backs and could require reinforcements.

Gordon opened the preseason as Miami’s fourth running back, but a season-ending injury to Alexander Mattison pushed him up the depth chart. De’Von Achane has also missed time with a mild calf strain, and Jaylen Wright was unavailable this week due to a leg injury. Before Wright’s injury, he had been splitting snaps with Gordon, setting up a potential competition for the No. 2 role.

In this game, Gordon played 100% of the snaps with the starters. He briefly limped off near the end of the first quarter, raising concern, but returned at the start of the second. Miami recently signed veterans Mike Boone and Aaron Shampklin, who played with the backups. Still, the Dolphins are likely to explore other options—via trade or waiver claims—once teams trim rosters on Tuesday.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The Jaguars announced before the game that quarterback Trevor Lawrence, running backs Tank Bigsby, Travis Etienne Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten, wide receivers Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, Dyami Brown and Parker Washington and tight ends Brenton Strange, Johnny Mundt and Hunter Long would not play.
• While seventh-round rookie running back LeQuint Allen Jr. wasn’t listed among the players, not playing, he didn’t start on offense. The Jaguars rotated between two running backs, so Allen was presumably the emergency running back in case one of the two suffered an injury.
• Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill remains out with an oblique injury.
• Tight end Darren Waller was activated off the PUP list and participated in pregame warmups, but he did not play in the game. Julian Hill didn’t play for an undisclosed reason.

Buffalo Bills @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Elijah Moore starts for the Bills: While the Bills rested several starters and key backups, Elijah Moore was among those who saw playing time.

Several teams rested their starters and key backups today, a positive sign for those held out, and often a warning flag for those who played. While the Bills didn’t rest as many players as most, it was still notable that Elijah Moore was among those who saw the field. Buffalo has typically rotated players across its skill positions, including running back and tight end, but everyone expected to be part of those regular-season rotations was held out.

Curtis Samuel and Moore appear to be the top backups. Samuel has missed the last two preseason games with a hamstring injury and illness. Compared to last season—when Amari Cooper was a backup and Mack Hollins a starter—there’s now a more defined gap between the starters and reserves. The emergence of Keon Coleman and the addition of Joshua Palmer have helped widen that separation. That bodes well for the fantasy value of both Coleman and Palmer, but it also suggests the Bills may look externally for help if a starter goes down.

Miscellaneous Notes

Los Angeles Chargers @ San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers trade for Skyy Moore: The 49ers were desperate for help in the wide receiver room, leading the team to trade for Moore.

Four of the top six wide receivers on the 49ers’ projected depth chart—Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins—are currently dealing with injuries. As a result, the team has auditioned multiple veterans in recent weeks. Russell Gage Jr., Isaiah Hodgins, and Robbie Chosen were three of the five receivers who played in the first half last week. Gage, however, suffered an injury and was unavailable for this game.

Ricky Pearsall was among the starters given the day off, leaving Demarcus Robinson as the only expected roster lock to start this game. Chosen started alongside him, with a recently acquired receiver—Moore—joining them in three-wide sets. Acquired via trade just three days earlier, Moore played primarily in the slot for San Francisco, despite lining up out wide more frequently the past two seasons in Kansas City.

Pearsall and Robinson are likely to be two of the 49ers’ top three wideouts entering Week 1. The third spot remains up for grabs, with Moore among several contenders.

Miscellaneous Notes

• The 49ers rested quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Mac Jones, running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall and tight end George Kittle.
• San Francisco traded for running back Brian Robinson yesterday, but he unsurprisingly did not play.
• Running back Jordan James didn’t play in this game due to injury, but it was good to see Isaac Guerendo back in uniform after also missing time due to injury.
• The Chargers rested quarterback Justin Herbert, running backs Omarion Hampton, Najee Harris and Kimani Vidal, wide receivers Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Keenan Allen and Tre’ Harris, and tight ends Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin.
• Vidal is the most notable name on the list, as it likely ensures him a spot on the roster. He could see notable playing time in Week 1, assuming Harris is still not ready to play.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Arizona Cardinals

The Raiders continue their tight end rotation: Brock Bowers drew the start for the Raiders, but Michael Mayer led the tight end group in offensive snaps.

Earlier this week, I detailed why Bowers fell in my rankings based on everything that’s happened this offseason, along with his preseason usage. This game was more of the same. Bowers rotated in and out with Michael Mayer, typically playing a snap before Mayer took two or three, then reentering. The Raiders stuck with 11 personnel while the starters were on the field—an approach that’s unlikely to carry over into the regular season. The team also didn’t face a third-and-long situation with the starters, a scenario where Bowers is expected to see more consistent usage.

Over the past three weeks with Geno Smith under center in 11 personnel, Michael Mayer has logged 14 snaps to Brock Bowers’ eight. They’ve split first-down usage evenly with five snaps each. On second downs, Mayer has played seven snaps, while Bowers hasn’t seen any. On third downs, Bowers has played four snaps compared to two for Mayer.

During the regular season, both tight ends are expected to see more playing time, especially with increased usage of 12 personnel. The team should also face more third-down situations, and Bowers figures to be heavily involved in two-minute drills and comeback scenarios. Still, this usage trend suggests Mayer will continue to take snaps from Bowers in neutral 11 personnel sets, potentially limiting Bowers’ route volume and making it harder for him to match his 2024 target total.

The Raiders’ new backup running back: Zamir White appears to have surpassed Raheem Mostert on the Raiders depth chart.

Ashton Jeanty started the game for the Raiders and played four offensive snaps before his day was done. In the first two preseason games, Mostert was the next man up behind the starter. He was the only other running back to see snaps with Geno Smith but rotated with others. In both games, Zamir White and Sincere McCormick took their first offensive snaps before Mostert logged his final one. This week, White was the clear No. 2 — finishing the first drive with the starters, then playing the entire second drive and the start of the third.

That usage suggests White has overtaken Mostert on the depth chart, pushing Mostert to the No. 3 spot. Raiders insider Vinny Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal recently left Mostert off his projected 53-man roster. If Las Vegas opts to keep a third back with more special teams value, Mostert could be the odd man out. While it’s easy to speculate a reunion with the Dolphins—given their current injuries at the position—there’s no indication Mostert would be interested in returning to Miami.

Miscellaneous Notes

This news was originally published on this post .