The first week of NFL preseason action is in the books and it’s time to discuss key trends that could impact your fantasy teams. Now there is still plenty of time before Week 1, and in some cases especially for rookies, coaching staffs want to get an extended look at them in live game action. However, with a lot of starters not playing, it is just as important to know who is playing extensively with the second team as it is to know who looked good on the field. Yes, it’s great that rookies like Romeo Doubs and George Pickens flashed in the first game action of their NFL careers, but who they are playing with on the field might be more impactful for fantasy than beating up on backups. This is why our takeaways are more focused on who was on the field with the first team offense or who played when the starters sat.
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Travis Etienne got a lot of playing time which bodes well for how the coaching staff feels about his injury. With James Robinson not playing, Etienne operated as a three-down back and played in the red zone as well.
- Evan Engram entered the game in red zone situations and looked to be featured when the team got into scoring position. This led to a nine-yard TD in the game.
- Trevor Lawrence looked towards Zay Jones, not Marvin Jones in Christian Kirk’s absence. Currently, Zay Jones is going outside the top 200, but if this trend continues he could be a late-round sleeper.
New York Jets
- Michael Carter played more snaps than Breece Hall with the first team offense. Hall did mix in with the first team but played some snaps with the second team as well. We are still high on Hall for 2022, but we would like to see that flip prior to the season opener.
- Tyler Conklin saw a few targets from Zach Wilson and could be the safety outlet in a TE friendly offense.
- Garrett Wilson played behind Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, and Braxton Berrios! Wilson played with the second team while the other three were pulled after the second drive.
Indianapolis Colts
- Parris Campbell played in two WR sets, and looks to be ahead of rookie Alec Pierce at this time.
- Mo-Alie Cox was pretty much an every down player in his first game action of the preseason. He also ran a lot of seam routes which could help his ADOT this season.
- Nyheim Hines did get some looks in the passing game including in the red zone while playing with the first team offense. However, with Jonathan Taylor set to not play at all during the preseason it will be hard to gauge how much that will translate to the regular season.
Kansas City Chiefs
- Juju Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes Scantling started in two WR sets over Mecole Hardman.
- Patrick Mahomes targeted six different players on his seven attempts in this contest. A lot of buzz this offseason said that Mahomes could spread the ball around more in 2022, and we saw it first hand in Week 1 of the preseason.
- Rookie Isaiah Pacheco was the second RB on the field, and got playing time with the first team behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire ahead of Ronald Jones.
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Mitch Trubisky showed a willingness to use his legs getting out of the pocket a few times. This could lead to some solid rushing days which would put him on the two QB/superflex map.
- George Pickens looks to be the real deal, but we should keep in mind his TD came from Mason Rudolph and the second team offense. The arrow is pointing up, but with Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson under contract for the next few seasons, it could be awhile before we see him dominate for fantasy.
Houston Texans
- Marlon Mack got the start over Dameon Pierce. Pierce did look like the better back, but it seems at this time Mack is ahead of him on the depth chart.
- Brevin Jordan and Pharaoh Brown played with Davis Mills and first team offense. However, Jordan stayed in to play with the second team. This could mean Brown has the lead for the TE job in Houston.
Tennessee Titans
- Treylon Burks got an extended look playing 30 snaps with the second team offense. This is while key starters like Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry, Robert Woods and Austin Hooper sat out.
- Fellow rookie WR Kyle Philips only played three snaps with the second unit. Philips has been a standout at camp playing as the primary slot WR.
Miami Dolphins
- Mike Gesicki played nine snaps with the second team while Tua Tagovailoa, Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert, Terron Armstead, Connor Williams, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle did not play.
Las Vegas Raiders
- Josh Jacobs finally gets the starter treatment and sits with Derek Carr, Davante Adams, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow.
- Potential third down back Ameer Abdullah sat in this game as well while Kenyan Drake and Zamir White played 17 and 14 snaps. This could mean Abdullah has the early lead for the third down role
Los Angeles Chargers
- Both Josh Palmer and Jalen Guyton played with second team while notable starters Keenan Allen and Mike Williams sat out with Justin Herbert. This could indicate that Palmer hasn’t locked up the third WR spot.
Denver Broncos
- Potential starting TE Albert Okwuegbunam played 16 snaps with the backups in this game. Oddly he didn’t even get the start as Eric Tomlinson started the game with Josh Johnson. If this doesn’t change, Albert O might not be a late round TE option in 2022.
Buffalo Bills
- Devin Singletary sits with notable starters Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs while James Cook and Zach Moss play with the second team offense. He looks to be the stater heading into the season.
- Isaiah Mckenzie did not play in Week 1 while Jamison Crowder played with second team. If Mckenzie wins the slot job, he went 11-125-1 in the game without Cole Beasley last season.
Atlanta Falcons
- Rookie Tyler Allegier ran behind Damien Williams and Qadree Allison. This could mean he’s further behind starter Cordarrelle Patterson then we think making Patterson an intriguing mid-round pick.
- Marcus Mariota flashed some promise in his first game action as a Falcon utilizing his legs rushing for 3-23-1. If he continues to use his legs especially in the red zone, he could be a high-end QB2 option and/or a weekly streaming option during the season.
Philadelphia Eagles
- Jalen Hurts looked sharp throwing the ball leading his team to a TD drive on the lone possession he played. Hurts had a rushing TD called back, but his dual threat abilities were on display. Hurts offers QB1 overall upside in fantasy!
- Quez Watkins could be a solid third WR option hooking up with Hurts a few times on the opening drive. If Watkins demands targets in this offense it could cap the upside of A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith.
- Miles Sanders played exclusively with the first team and operated as a three down back. Sanders played on third down, and was on the field when the Eagles were close to the red zone.
San Francisco 49ers
- Trey Sermon looked solid in this game, but don’t be fooled, Jeff Wilson is the RB2 as he was rested with the other starters Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Elijah Mitchell, and George Kittle.
- Danny Gray flashed big play ability, and should be on your late round dynasty radar!
- Trey Lance has league-winning upside utilizing his legs and showing deep ball accuracy! His legs offer you a safe floor while his ability to create big plays offers you an elite ceiling. Getting aggressive on Lance this draft season isn’t a bad idea.
Carolina Panthers
- Baker Mayfield looked good in his first action as a Carolina Panther. Baker showed solid accuracy over the middle of the field and was willing to push the ball downfield as well. It’s important to note his timing is still a bit off as expected and missed badly on a back shoulder throw.
Detroit Lions
- Amon Ra St. Brown continues to look like the top option in the pass game. Jared Goff targets the slot on 75% of his attempts which is the highest rate in the NFL.
- D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams split first team snaps 6 to 4. Swift entered the game in the red zone and converted a rushing TD. Swift saw four touches on the first drive which shows he will be featured in this offense.
New York Giants
- Saquon Barkley looks to be back to pre-injury form as the showed his three down skillset playing on third downs and in the red zone. This workload makes him a solid second round pick.
- Kenny Golladay still doesn’t look right even in the new offense. He had a bad drop near the goal line, and was outplayed by Collin Johnson and Darius Slayton.
- Daniel Jones struggled to throw the ball deep. His lack of consistency and accuracy could impact the Giants skill position players not named Saquon Barkley in 2022.
Washington Commanders
- Antonio Gibson fumbled early in the game and was pulled in favor of rookie RB Brian Robinson. Gibson later returned to play with the second team. Meanwhile, Robinson had a few nice runs and even converted a goal line carry.
- Even without his top two TEs in the game Carson Wentz found his backups a lot in this contest. Logan Thomas could be on the fantasy radar in the second half of 2022 and makes for an interesting buy low in dynasty.
- Curtis Samuel seemed to be back to full health and played mostly in the slot. This is good news for his fantasy outlook as he previously played on the outside under Scott Turner in Carolina.
Chicago Bears
- The Bears offensive line is as bad as advertised, and this will clearly impact David Montgomery and Justin Fields in 2022.
- Darnell Mooney played a lot out of the slot and made a big play out of that position. New Offensive Coordinator Luke Getsy comes from Green Bay who featured Davante Adams on the inside.
- Even though Justin Fields was inconsistent and looked erratic at times he still made some good throws and utilized his legs. This combination will make him volatile for fantasy, but he’s got the skillset you want making him an intriguing late round QB.
Seattle Seahawks
- With Rashaad Penny sitting out due to injury, Kenneth Walker looked like he belonged with the first team offense. Walker flashed a solid three down skillset, making a few strong runs. More impressive was he got a plus grade according to PFF as a pass blocker and caught a pass for 11 yards.
Dallas Cowboys
- Rookie WR Jalen Tolbert is expected to be a starter due to the injuries in Dallas. However, with the starters not playing, Tolbert played 40 snaps with backups. The Cowboys could be just getting an extended look at the rookie, but if this trend continues he might be off the fantasy radar.
Green Bay Packers
- The summer of Romeo Doubs continues as he shined in his first preseason game. The only downside is he played 28 snaps e while key starters like Aaron Rodgers, Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard sat. Doubs is still a late round flyer, but we would like to see more game action with the first team offense before diving head first in redraft.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- The starters did not play in this game for the Buccaneers, but we thought it was interesting that all four backup RBs including Gio Bernard played. This could mean their is an open competition for the RB2 job behind starter Leonard Fournette. Because of Fournette’s lengthy injury history, this is a situation to monitor. If Rachaad White wins this job, he’s a solid late round flyer.
Sources: Razzball.com, PFF.com, NFL.com; ESPN.com