Here are 28 players or situations to monitor across the 14 remaining Week 1 preseason games.
The first week of preseason football officially got underway Thursday night with a pair of games, and the rest of the weekend presents 14 more exhibition games prime for overreactions.
Starters don't typically play more than a few plays or series in the preseason, which was shortened to three games last year under the 17-game schedule, so these games present opportunities for lesser-known or inexperienced players to get some burn against opposing defenses.
Here is one early-career player (or general situation) for fantasy managers to monitor for each team in Week 1 of the preseason:
Falcons vs. Lions
Friday, Aug. 12, 6 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Falcons WR Drake London: It was a bit of a surprise that London was the first receiver selected in April's draft, and perhaps even more so, Atlanta was the team to grab him in the top 10. The 6'4" target has fared well in camp, though, and he's strung together plenty of highlight plays. Eager fantasy managers now want to see how he fares in a game, especially given Atlanta’s quarterback situation.
Lions K Riley Patterson: Neither of the Lions' offensive rookies—receiver Jameson Williams and tight end James Mitchell—are healthy for preseason Week 1. While not as exciting as the highlight plays Williams is bound to make when he returns, the legitimate kicker competition in Detroit between Austin Seibert and Patterson does matter for a team with an improved offense. Seibert has the edge, so the preseason is important for Patterson.
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Browns vs. Jaguars
Friday, Aug. 12, 7 p.m. ET
Browns WR David Bell: Cleveland’s third-rounder out of Purdue was recently activated off the PUP and may make his preseason debut against Jacksonville. With the team’s top two targets from 2021 gone, Bell has the chance to see a sizable workload immediately in the slot as he takes the place of Jarvis Landry.
Jaguars RB Travis Etienne: A foot injury kept Jacksonville's 2021 first-round running back off the field for his entire rookie season, and he did not play in last week's Hall of Fame Game. Etienne is set to play against Cleveland, and he has the chance to impress coach Doug Pederson with third-year player James Robinson out. Keep an eye on Snoop Conner as well.
Jets vs. Eagles
Friday, Aug. 12, 7:30 p.m. ET
Jets WR Garrett Wilson: The Ohio State product landed on a team that has invested a lot of high-value picks in its offense in recent years. That second-year receiver Elijah Moore is already established in New York puts a bit less pressure on Wilson, but forming a connection with quarterback Zach Wilson is important in the preseason.
Eagles RB Kenneth Gainwell: The second-year back is dealing with a hip injury that might keep him from playing against New York, but he's been one of the more interesting upside players to target this offseason. As a rookie, he had a nose for the end zone and could end up competing with Miles Sanders for more touches this season.
Cardinals vs. Bengals
Friday, Aug. 12, 7:30 p.m. ET
Cardinals RB Eno Benjamin: The 2020 seventh-round pick is expected to have a role in Arizona’s offense this season. With Chase Edmonds out of the picture, it could be Benjamin, who has 40 career touches, spelling James Conner. Of course, he’ll have to compete with free agent acquisition Darrel Williams for backup touches, which is why the preseason is important for Benjamin.
Bengals RB Chris Evans: Evans didn't touch the ball much as a rookie in 2021 behind workhorse Joe Mixon, but he could compete for Cincinnati's RB2 spot in his second season. He averaged better than 10 yards per catch and scored twice on just 15 receptions. The backup running back for the Bengals is nothing more than a handcuff, but Evans' pass-catching could prove valuable for Joe Burrow and Co.
Packers vs. 49ers
Friday, Aug. 12, 8:30 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Packers WR Romeo Doubs: Could a Packers rookie receiver actually make an impact? Yes, and it might not be the one Green Bay drafted early in the second round. Doubs, a fourth-round rookie out of Nevada, has drawn glowing reviews from Aaron Rodgers. That’s a rarity, and we should all heed the words of the back-to-back MVP in an offense where plenty of high-value targets are up for grabs.
49ers QB Trey Lance: San Francisco is now Lance's team. The 2021 third-overall pick played sparingly as a rookie, but Kyle Shanahan is moving on from Jimmy Garoppolo to the dual-threat playmaker. Due to his rushing upside alone, Lance has a high floor. Hopefully, he shows a glimpse of what his ceiling could look like in a rematch of last year's divisional round.
Chiefs vs. Bears
Saturday, Aug. 13, 1 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Chiefs RB Isaiah Pacheco: The hype for the seventh-rounder out of Rutgers is reaching a breaking point. He still has an uphill battle toward any substantial work in the regular season in a running back room that includes former first-round selection Clyde Edwards-Helaire, offseason free-agent addition Ronald Jones, and veteran Jerrick McKinnon. Live action in the preseason is the perfect time for the hype to translate into production (and a promotion up the depth chart).
Pass-catchers for Justin Fields: Chicago’s receiving corps is easily among the worst in the NFL, and to top it off, most of their viable receivers—Byron Pringle, Velus Jones Jr., N'Keal Harry—are hurt. Saturday's game presents an opportunity for somebody, anybody, to step up and assert themselves as a favorite target of Justin Fields and Tajae Sharpe and Dazz Newsome are prime contenders.
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Panthers vs. Commanders
Saturday, Aug. 13, 1 p.m. ET
Panthers quarterback battle: Coach Matt Rhule has not revealed whether Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold will start in the first preseason game, but their performances against the Commanders will certainly carry some weight in a true quarterback battle. Carolina acquired Mayfield, who went two picks ahead of Darnold in the 2018 draft this offseason, and he reportedly already has the inside track to the starting role.
Commanders receivers: Washington's first-round wideout Jahan Dotson has already been labeled a starter on the depth chart, so he will likely be used sparingly in the preseason. Also, keep an eye on 2021 second-rounder Dyami Brown. The Commanders have a talented, young group of receivers who will all be trying to establish chemistry with new quarterback Carson Wentz in the preseason.
Colts vs. Bills
Saturday, Aug. 13, 4 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
WR Alec Pierce: Indianapolis upgraded at quarterback by swapping Wentz for Matt Ryan, but receiver remains a point of concern beyond Michael Pittman Jr. Pierce, a second-round pick from Cincinnati, has been dubbed a starter already, and it will be important for him to come on early for the Colts. He's already flashed in training camp.
Bills RB James Cook: Buffalo's offseason pursuit of J.D. McKissic is a good sign for Cook's role in one of the most electric offenses in the NFL. The second-round selection out of Georgia profiles as a prolific pass-catcher behind Devin Singletary, and he's also shown burst as a runner. Dalvin Cook's younger brother could be a steal in the later rounds of fantasy drafts.
Seahawks vs. Steelers
Saturday, Aug. 13, 7 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Seahawks RB Ken Walker: Seattle starter Rashaad Penny is dealing with a groin injury, which opens the door for Walker, a second-round pick and the first running back taken in April’s draft, to see plenty of preseason work. The Seahawks backfield is an interesting situation to monitor, with Walker and Penny going near one another in the later rounds of fantasy drafts.
Steelers WR George Pickens: Did the Steelers draft yet another star receiver? Probably. Pickens, a second-rounder from Georgia, has dominated training camp and could start as a rookie alongside Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool with JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Washington no longer in Pittsburgh. The Steelers also threw another dart at the position in the fourth round at Calvin Austin III out of Memphis.
Dolphins vs. Buccaneers
Saturday, Aug. 13, 7:30 p.m. ET
Dolphins running backs usage: Miami doesn’t have many unproven offensive rookies or second-year players to wonder about, but the touch distribution for the running backs is an intriguing storyline. The Dolphins brought in three new backs—Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert and Sony Michel—and last season’s leading rusher, Myles Gaskin, is also back in the fold. You can follow the money and see that Edmonds will be the lead, but their usage is worth a follow in the preseason.
Buccaneers RB Rachaad White: The pass-catching back for Tom Brady is always an enticing role, and it seems that job could belong to Tampa Bay's third-round pick. He caught 43 balls for 456 yards in his final season at Arizona State and rushed for over 1,000 yards. He won't be catching passes from Brady this weekend as he's currently away from the team, which puts the spotlight on 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask.
Saints vs. Texans
Saturday, Aug. 13, 8 p.m. ET
New Orleans WR Chris Olave: The Saints moved heaven and Earth to move up to draft Olave, so they clearly think highly of the former Ohio State receiver. He's been showing out in training camp and could be due for many opportunities in New Orleans' offense this season.
Texans RB Dameon Pierce: Houston's third-round running back has drawn rave reviews for his training camp performance and aggressive run style. Pierce didn't get a lot of tread at Florida, but he's graded out well and is a late-round rookie to watch for as he could take over the Texans backfield.
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Cowboys vs. Broncos
Saturday, Aug. 13, 9 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Cowboys WR Jalen Tolbert: Dallas’ third-round receiver from South Alabama has already been named a starter. With Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson out of the picture and offseason acquisition James Washington injured, more responsibility than originally expected falls to Tolbert. WR1 CeeDee Lamb has been talking up Tolbert as well.
Broncos TE Greg Dulcich: Albert Okwuegbunam truthers beware: Dulcich, the rookie tight end, has had a very impressive camp. Coach Nathaniel Hackett said the third-rounder from UCLA had a little bit of a setback, so that could keep him off the field this weekend. There are targets to be had in this Russell Wilson-led offense after Tim Patrick’s season-ending injury.
Rams vs. Chargers
Saturday, Aug. 13, 7 p.m. ET
Rams RB Kyren Williams: The former Notre Dame running back was removed from the PUP list (foot) earlier this week. He’s buried on the depth chart behind Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson Jr. and even Jake Funk, though he’s still a name to monitor throughout the preseason if and when he makes his debut.
Chargers RB Isaiah Spiller: The Texas A&M product ran for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons and is primed for a role behind Austin Ekeler, who’s coming off the heaviest workload of his career. Spiller doesn’t necessarily present standalone value in redraft, but he’s a worthy handcuff in a high-powered offense.
Vikings vs. Raiders
Sunday, Aug. 14, 4:25 p.m. ET (NFL Network)
Vikings RB Ty Chandler: Minnesota didn't invest much into Chandler, who finished his five-year college career at North Carolina with more than 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns. Dalvin Cook's backup, Alexander Mattison, is already a must-draft player every season, given the time Cook usually misses, so Chandler's path to regular-season work is difficult. Preseason is the perfect time for him to shine.
Raiders RB Zamir White: The fourth-rounder made his preseason debut last week in the Hall of Fame Game and certainly made a case for himself. He received a team-high 14 touches and turned those into 75 yards, doing his work on the ground and through the air. The Raiders running back usage last week confused many after Josh Jacobs saw a surprising amount of work, so Las Vegas' RB split is worth following again.
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