Box Score Breakdown: Recapping Week 1 of the NFL Preseason

This article is part of our Box Score Breakdown series.

It was rare to see starters playing in the first week of the preseason back when the exhibition schedule had four games per team. It's much more common nowadays, with about half the league electing to put their first-team offenses out on the field, albeit for just a drive or two in most cases.

Below you'll find commentary and observations for each of the 16 games, focusing mostly on teams that used starters, and then with a secondary focus on rookies (especially early/mid-round draft picks). The parts I consider most interesting are in bold lettering, to make it easier for those who simply wish to skim and catch the main points.

I generally caution against assuming that playing-time trends from the preseason will carry over to Week 1, but that doesn't mean these things should be totally ignored. It's especially worth making note of something when it reflects a pre-existing concern, e.g., new Bears tight end Gerald Everett taking some of the snaps over Cole Kmet in three-wide formations. We shouldn't 100 percent assume that will be the case come Week 1, but the odds do seem higher after the Bears handled it that way in their first preseason game.

Those types of observations generally are more important than notes on statistics/performance, as we're almost always dealing with tiny samples in the preseason. It's better to look good than bad, but a handful of snaps — or even 15 — probably won't matter much relative to what teams are seeing in practice day after day this summer.

Carolina Panthers (3) at New England Patriots (17) 

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers didn't play their starters and even held out some veteran backups like RBs Miles Sanders and Raheem Blackshear. However, they did play WR Jonathan Mingo, who has worked with the first-team offense for much of training camp. Mingo was on the field for the first couple drives and finished with a dropped target (albeit on a rainy night) and one carry for six yards. That suggests he's far from a lock for a top-three role, which isn't exactly a surprise in light of his disappointing rookie season and the Panthers' decision to draft WR Xavier Legette (foot) at 32nd overall. Legette missed a chunk of the offseason program with a hamstring injury and has now been absent since Aug. 4 due to a foot/ankle issue.

New England Patriots

The Patriots played their starters, although only for one drive in the case of QB Jacoby Brissett (0-for-3 passing) and RB Rhamondre Stevenson (one carry for 11 yards). The second series featured Drake Maye (2-of-3 for 19 yards) and Antonio Gibson (two touches for 17 yards), before third-stringers Bailey Zappe and Kevin Harris got extended run. Maye barely played, but he at least avoided mistakes on a rainy night.

• WR K.J. Osborn only played the first drive, which is a good sign for his Week 1 role even if it needs to be taken with a grain of salt given that DeMario Douglas (hand) and Kendrick Bourne (ACL) weren't available and second-round pick Ja'Lynn Polk still has time to make a move.
• Polk came in for the second drive and then also got work with the third-team offense, whereas as fourth-round pick Javon Baker didn't play at all with Brissett or Maye. Polk caught each of his three targets, but for only 14 yards. Baker caught two of four passes for 11 yards.
• WRs JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton played the opening drive, but unlike Osborn they continued playing afterward, which isn't a surprise in light of multiple reports suggesting Smith-Schuster and Thornton are on the roster bubble (and quite possibly leaning toward the wrong side).
  • Smith-Schuster was released Friday.
• Rookie QB Joe Milton didn't play until late in the third quarter but was arguably the most interesting part of an otherwise dull game, scrambling twice for 25 yards and then hitting undrafted rookie JaQuae Jackson for a 38-yard TD pass on a go ball. The Patriots scored 10 of their 17 points on Milton's two drives.

Detroit Lions (3) at New York Giants (14)

Detroit Lions

The Lions didn't play starters and even held out a lot of key backups. RB Craig Reynolds played the first three drives and got the first four carries before handing things off to Jermar Jefferson, i.e., Reynolds is in line to be Detoit's No. 3 RB again. No. 3 receiver candidate Antoine Green caught a short pass on the first play of the game but later left with a concussion. The No. 3 job appears wide open, with the Lions perhaps preferring to keep Kalif Raymond as the No. 4 WR and return specialist (Raymond was rested Thursday night).

• QB Nate Sudfeld got the start over Hendon Hooker, who suffered a concussion.

New York Giants

The Giants didn't play QB Daniel Jones, RB Devin Singletary or WRs Wan'Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton, but they did give rookies playing time, including WR Malik Nabers and TE Theo Johnson.

• Nabers played the first three drives but wasn't targeted.
  • Jalin Hyatt also played the first three drives, catching his lone target for no gain.
• Theo Johnson, Daniel Bellinger and Chris Manhertz all took a bunch of snaps over the first three drives when QB Drew Lock was in the game. Johnson got most of the work in single-TE formations, but Bellinger was the only one to get a target (which he caught for seven yards). 
  • Johnson, a rookie fourth-round pick with 4.57 speed (at 6-6, 259), is definitely the most interesting of the bunch for fantasy and reportedly has taken a lot of first-team reps this summer, but the usage Thursday suggests he'll likely rotate snaps early in the season even if he's technically a starter.
• RB Tyrone Tracy got the start, took most of the snaps with Lock and gained 25 yards on five carries, but Eric Gray came in afterward and had an even better night, with a 4-52-2 rushing line and 4-46-0 receiving.
  • Gray got a couple snaps with Lock in the game and caught one pass for one yard, before doing the rest of his damage with Tommy DeVito and the third-string offense. Gray is a 2023 fifth-round pick who barely played as a rookie; Tracy is a rookie fifth-rounder. (They're the top two candidates for the RB2 job behind Singletary).

• Training-camp star Dante Miller was the third RB to get action and took 12 carries for 62 yards with the third-string offense. It was a solid showing, but Miller clearly worked behind Tracy and Gray, suggesting he's still on the roster bubble.

Houston Texans (20) at Pittsburgh Steelers (12)

Houston Texans

Houston's starters got drives and six snaps, with the second series culminating in a 36-yard TD pass to Tank Dell, whose 22-yard punt return set up a short field moments earlier.

• RB Dameon Pierce, TE Dalton Schultz and WRs Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins played each of the six first-team snaps, while Dell took all four snaps in 11 personnel but wasn't on the field for the one play in 21 personnel (FB Andrew Beck) or the one play from 12 personnel (TE Cade Stover).
  • That's not ideal for Dell's fantasy outlook, but it's also not exactly reason to panic, as he could get more snaps in two-wide sets in real games where fatigue is a factor. Also, he was the top performer of the first quarter with his pair of big plays. And, the Texans figure to use more three-wide sets this year, even though they had a ton of success throwing the ball with Beck on the field in 21 personnel last year.
  • RB Joe Mixon (quad/hammy) didn't play but is expected to resume practicing soon. In his absence, Pierce took four carries for four yards, mostly getting swarmed at/near the line of scrimmage. Pierce played a few more snaps after C.J. Stroud and other starters were pulled.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers gave their starters three drives, led by QB Justin Fields, with each resulting in a punt even though they moved the ball some (five first downs).

• WRs George Pickens and Van Jefferson appeared to play nearly all the snaps in both three-wide and two-wide formations, with Calvin Austin coming on as the slot man for three-wide sets.
  • Pickens caught both of his targets for 25 yards, and Jefferson caught one of two for 20 yards.
  • Austin caught two passes for 49 yards, but each of his three targets came with the second-string offense, including gains of 24 and 25 on the opening drive of the third quarter. Scotty Miller also got a run with the second unit and caught three of four targets for 47 yards.
• RBs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren rotated evenly. Harris had a 16-yard reception on the first snap and added three carries for nine yards. Warren took three carries for 11 yards.
• TE Pat Freiermuth appeared to only play in 11 personnel, with Darnell Washington and Arthur Smith favorite MyCole Pruitt being the tight ends in multi-TE formations.
  • Freirmuth caught his lone target for six yards, but it came on a 3rd-and-13, and the lack of snaps in multi-TE looks is worrisome, especially given Smith's affinity for those formations. That said, we shouldn't rule out Freiermuth being part of those formations at least some of the time once games actually count. He's one of the bigger TEs around at 6-5, 258, and it's not like he's an atrocious blocker.
• Fields took two sacks and had two botched exchanges with center Nate Herbig. The third drive went better, with rookie center Zach Frazier replacing Herbig and Fields making a couple nice intermediate throws (albeit against Houston's second-team defense).

Philadelphia Eagles (16) at Baltimore Ravens (13)

Philadelphia Eagles 

Pre-game reports suggested the Eagles would play starters, but they didn't, instead splitting the game between QBs Kenny Pickett and Tanner McKee while rotating a slew of backups at the other skill positions.

• RB Kenneth Gainwell started and took the first four carries, gaining 23 yards.
  • Rookie fourth-round pick Will Shipley took over during the second drive and proceeded to get eight touches on the next 12 snaps, including a seven-yard TD catch.
  • Gainwell was taken out before the other guys that got playing time early on, including WRs Johnny Wilson and John Ross (part of a deep competition for the WR3 role in an offense where that probably won't entail many targets.
    • Ross finished with three catches for 28 yards on five targets. Wilson had one catch for seven yards on three targets. Britain Covey caught each of his four targets, but for only 25 yards with a long gain of seven. Yawn.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens didn't play their starters and also held out some veteran backups, including RB Justice Hill, WR Nelson Agholor and TE Isaiah Likely.

• WR Devontez Walker, a rookie fourth-round pick, didn't play until late in the second quarter and finished without a catch on one target.
• RB Rasheen Ali, a rookie fifth-round pick, got his first touch on Baltimore's second drive, after 2023 UDFA Owen Wright had taken five touches for 36 yards.
  • Ali finished with 11 touches for 30 yards, struggling to get anything going.

Atlanta Falcons (13) at Miami Dolphins (20)

Atlanta Falcons 

The starters didn't play, nor did Tyler Allgeier or likely No. 3 receiver Ray-Ray McCloud.

• 2023 UDFA Carlos Washington started at running back over sixth-round rookie Jase McClellan, but Washington was still getting work late in Q4 and had five fewer rushing yards (16-25-1) than McLellan (9-30-0) on nearly twice as many carries.
• QB Michael Penix played the first five drives, ahead of Taylor Heinicke, and completed nine of 16 passes for 104 yards. The Falcons scored 10 points with Penix, though the TD came on a short field (16 yards) after a turnover. It was really four series, to be fair, as the second series ended after two plays when WR Chris Blair lost a fumble.
  • The Falcons appeared to go three-wide on nearly all of Penix's snaps, which is especially interesting because OC Zac Robinson is coming over from Sean McVay's system. Then again, it's the first week of the preseason, and TEs Kyle Pitts and Charlie Woerner weren't playing.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins also held out starters, plus some key backups.

• RB Jeff Wilson got the start and dominated snaps on the first few drives, which seemingly confirms he's either fighting for a roster spot or being showcased for future potential employers.
  • Wilson gained only seven yards on five carries but added 3-18-1 receiving.
• RB Jaylen Wright, a fourth-round pick, replaced Wilson on the fifth drive and took three carries for 21 yards on consecutive plays. Wright finished with 10-55-1 rushing but didn't catch any passes.

Washington Commanders (17) at New York Jets (20)

Washington Commanders

The Commanders played their starters for one drive, an 11-play, 70-yard series that culminated with a Jayden Daniels three-yard rushing TD.

• WRs Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson and TE John Bates were in for all 11 snaps, with RBs Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler rotating and WRs Dyami Brown and Olamide Zaccheaus rotating.
  • Dotson mostly worked the slot on the opening drive, but he wasn't targeted and then continued to play (with the backups) well into the second quarter.
  • Brown caught a deep pass for 42 yards on the third play of the game. He also had a catch with the backups, and Zaccheaus also got run with the backups.
  • Robinson took five carries for 20 yards, with Ekeler adding two for seven yards.
• TE Zach Ertz also got a few snaps with the first-team offense, but only as the second TE coming in alongside Bates in multi-TE formations. Rookie TE Ben Sinnott didn't play with the starters, but he caught each of his three targets for 57 yards once he got in the game.
  • Sinnott had a 44-yard catch late in the second quarter and continued playing into Q3.
• WR Luke McCaffrey, a third-round pick, got most of his work with the third-team offense after halftime, catching two of three targets for 25 yards.

New York Jets

The Jets didn't play starters and pulled backup QB Tyrod Taylor after a pair of three-and-outs.

• RB Braelon Allen got the start and took six carries for 54 yards, plus a 12-yard catch that was wiped out by a penalty.
  • Fellow rookie Isaiah Davis was the next RB up and took four carries for eight yards plus four catches for 33 yards.
  • Israel Abanikanda was the third RB to play, after halftime, taking seven touches for 25 yards and a touchdown.

Chicago Bears (33) at Buffalo Bills (6)

Chicago Bears

QB Caleb Williams and most other starters played two series, both of which were lengthy field-goal drives. Williams completed four of seven passes for 95 yards.

• WRs DJ Moore and Keenan Allen played nearly every snap with Williams, while rookie Rome Odunze came on as the third receiver.
  • Moore caught two of three targets for 27 yards. Allen wasn't targeted. Odunze saw two incomplete passes, one of which didn't officially count because of a defensive penalty.
• RB D'Andre Swift appeared to play only two snaps, with a three-yard carry on the opening play and then a 42-yard catch-and-run late on the same drive. He might've played more if not for the long play, but it's nonetheless worth noting that Khalil Herbert played more snaps with the first-team offense.
  • Herbert took nine carries for 31 yards on the first two drives, and didn't have any touches thereafter.
  • Roschon Johnson didn't play, possibly due to an undisclosed injury, and Travis Homer came on for a couple pass snaps on third down.
• TEs Cole Kmet and Gerald Everett split playing time, though it was Kmet who got two targets (and caught one for 26 yards). Everett, however, got the third-and-long snaps.
  • FWIW, Everett has spent much of his career with Bears OC Shane Waldron.
• This obviously isn't what you want to see if you drafted Kmet or Swift, but both will probably play more in games that count, especially Swift. I'd be more worried about Kmet, TBH, in part because Everett has the Waldron connection and is quicker in and out of his routes (though basically worse at every other aspect of playing football).

Buffalo Bills

QB Josh Allen played a series and a half, coming out at the end of the first quarter mid-drive. Dalton Kincaid, Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel and Keon Coleman continued playing, but RB James Cook didn't.

• Shakir, Samuel and Marquez Valdes-Scantling all rotated at WR, while Coleman played every snap with Allen (but wasn't targeted until Mitchell Trubisky came in).
  • Shakir finished with 3-28-0 on three targets, Samuel with 2-23-0 on two targets, Coleman 1-8-0 on three targets and MVS saw one incomplete target. Only MVS was targeted after the second drive, which suggests the playing time he took from Samuel/Shakir may have just been a preseason thing.
  • Mack Hollins (leg) didn't play, which may have boosted the playing time for Coleman and/or Valdes-Scantling. 
• Cook also played every snap with Allen, then was replaced by rookie Ray Davis.
  • Ty Johnson (hamstring) didn't play, which negates any possible signal from Davis' usage. The fourth-round pick took five carries for two yards and three catches for 19 yards, playing into the third quarter.
• TE Dalton Kincaid appeared to play nearly every snap with Allen and then most of the snaps right after Trubisky entered.

Las Vegas Raiders (23) at Minnesota Vikings (24)

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders played most of their starters, with Davante Adams being a key exception. QB Aidan O'Connell handled the opening drive and completed seven of nine passes for 76 yards to set up a field goal (also taking one sack). Gardner Minshew did even better, completing six of 12 passes for 117 yards and a TD to produce 17 points over four drives.

• Minshew's third series spanned three plays and two yards, resulting in a FG only because of good field position. His fourth series came with 26 seconds remaining in the half. So you might say he produced 14 points over three drives, not 17 over four.
• WR Jakobi Meyers and TEs Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer came out after the first drive, while WRs Tre Tucker (Adams' replacement) and Kristian Wilkerson (the No. 3 receiver on the opening series) continued playing with Minshew.
  • DJ Turner joined Tucker/Wilkerson and caught a 20-yard TD pass from Minshew.
  • Tucker had a nice game, with catches of 44 and 29 yards on four targets.
• Bowers and Mayer both played a majority of snaps on the opening drive, with the Raiders using 12 personnel more than 11 personnel. The two TE split snaps in 11 personnel.
  • Bowers caught both of his targets for 25 yards. Mayer caught his lone targets for seven yards.
• RB Zamir White played most of the snaps on the first drive, only subbing out (for Alexander Mattison) on passing downs.
  • White also got a couple snaps inside the 10-yard line on the third drive, gaining four yards on one carry and then scoring a two-yard TD.
  • Mattison was the lead back with the second-team offense, ceding some passing downs to Ameer Abdullah.
• RB Dylan Laube, a sixth-round pick, didn't play until the second half and then took four carries for eight yards.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings played most of their starters but not Justin Jefferson or Aaron Jones.

• QB Sam Darnold played one drive and completed four of eight passes for 59 yards, with three of the incompletions hitting a pass catcher's hands, including a drop by WR Jalen Nailor in the end zone on fourth down (it was in tight coverage, but he probably should've caught it.
• QB J.J. McCarthy then played six drives, with the first ending on an interception that was a bad decision on his part. After that, he led the Vikings to three TDs and a blocked FG, ultimately completing 11 of 17 passes for 188 yards, two TDs and one INT, plus two carries for 18 yards. McCarthy was excellent besides the interception, with TDs coming from 45 and 33 yards out.
• With Jones held out, RB Ty Chandler played every snap on the opening drive and then took three consecutive carries to start the second drive. After that, Chandler was pulled and Kene Nwangwu took over.
  • Chandler finished with seven carries for 33 yards and two incomplete targets, one of which was a clear drop and the other a borderline drop (in the end zone).
• WRs Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor played every snap on the opening drive.
  • Addison was pulled after that, while Nailor got work with J.J. McCarthy en route to a 3-63-0 line on four targets (the fourth target being an EZ drop, unfortunately).
  • Brandon Powell was the No. 3 WR with the first-string offense.
• TEs Johnny Mundt and Josh Oliver split snaps on the first-team offense, with Mundt getting more work in 11 personnel and running more routes, though he wasn't targeted and Oliver caught a pass for seven yards.
• WR Trishton Jackson caught four of five targets for 100 yards and a TD, making his case for a roster spot (though he didn't get any work with the first-string offense).

Green Bay Packers (23) at Cleveland Browns (10)

Green Bay Packers

The Packers played their starters for three snaps, with the third play being a 65-yard TD to WR Dontayvion Wicks courtesy of some terrible coverage.

• RB Josh Jacobs, WR Romeo Doubs and TE Luke Musgrave played all three snaps, while Jayden Reed and Christian Watson logged two snaps. Wicks took only the one.
  • Musgrave's playing time doesn't mean much with Tucker Kraft still working his way back from a pectoral tear (he started practicing last week and should be ready by Week 1).
  • Reed came off the field for TE Ben Sims when the Packers went to 12 personnel on second down. Wicks replaced Watson in 11 personnel on third down.
• RB AJ Dillon played the second drive, taking four carries for two yards. MarShawn Lloyd then replaced Dillon for the third drive but didn't get any touches. Emanuel Wilson came in for the fourth drive and took seven carries for 36 yards and a TD. Lloyd came back in for the fifth drive, which was a two-minute drill, and caught a pass for one yard, then took a carry for eight yards on the first play of the second half.
  • Lloyd didn't play after that, exiting with a hamstring injury.
  • Wilson finished with 13-67-1 rushing but no targets.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns held out Deshaun Watson, David Njoku and WRs Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy and Elijah Moore, but RB Jerome Ford played.

• Ford took all eight snaps on the opening drive, with two carries for four yards, before handing things over to Pierre Strong (followed by John Kelly and Aidan Robbins).
  • Ford getting playing time isn't necessarily concerning; the Browns didn't have Nick Chubb, Nyheim Hines or D'Onta Foreman available, leaving only four healthy RBs.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17) at Cincinnati Bengals (14)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Browns held out most of their starters, including QB Baker Mayfield, RB Rachaad White and WRs Mike Evans and Chris Godwin

• Rookie RB Bucky Irving played all 11 snaps on the first two drives and continued playing through the third drive, before handing things over to Sean Tucker.
  • Irving finished with 6-28-1 rushing and one catch for no gain on two targets. Tucker also did well, with 10-68-0 and two catches for eight yards.
  • Chase Edmonds (undisclosed) didn't play, which perhaps erases some of the optimism about Irving dominating the playing time early.
• Rookie WR Jalen McMillan, a training-camp standout, played all 11 snaps on the first two drives, as did last year's No. 3 receiver, Trey Palmer. Neither appeared to play after the first two drives.
  • McMillan caught both of his targets for 23 yards; Palmer caught his lone target for 21 yards.
  • Reports out of camp have suggested McMillan getting way more first-team snaps than Palmer. It's possible McMillan is locked in as the No. 3 receiver and only played Saturday because he's a rookie.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals played most of their starters for one drive, with QB Joe Burrow completing five of seven passes for 51 yards and a TD (to Tee Higgins).

• Higgins, Andrei Iosivas and Trenton Irwin got nearly all of the WR snaps on the opening drive.
  • Rookie Jermaine Burton, meanwhile, wasn't spotted until the second quarter and then played into the fourth. However, Burton caught three of four targets for 82 yards and a touchdown, striking paydirt from 37 yards out with under four minutes remaining in the game. I wouldn't totally rule him out as a competitor for the No. 3 WR job, which otherwise seems to be between Iosivas and Irwin.
• RB Chase Brown took every snap on the opening drive and none thereafter, but his six touches went for only 10 yards.
  • It doesn't mean much given that Zack Moss didn't play. Moss may have a minor injury.

San Francisco 49ers (13) at Tennessee Titans (17)

San Francisco 49ers

The Niners didn't play starters, and injuries kept a lot of the interesting backups sidelined, including RB Elijah Mitchell (hamstring), RB Isaac Guerendo (hamstring) and WR Ricky Pearsall (shoulder).

• RB Jordan Mason was the highlight, playing every snap on the opening drive and taking six carries for 34 yards and a TD. He didn't get any touches thereafter, adding fuel to the fire of rumors that he's a threat to replace Mitchell as the No. 2 RB in San Francisco. That said, Mitchell's speed seems like a much better fit than Mason's bulk/power for Kyle Shanahan's offense. Mitchell trade rumors make sense, in my opinion, but I'd be more convinced if Guerendo weren't also missing time. Mason seems more like a timeshare back than The Guy.

Tennessee Titans

QB Will Levis and the starters played two drives, with the first spanning 15 yards after our first long kickoff return under the new rules. Levis ran in a TD from one yard out, then led a seven-play 64-yard TD drive that ended with a four-yard Tyjae Spears touchdown.

• The Titans beat up on San Francisco's backups, FWIW, and Levis had only 35 passing yards.
• RB Tony Pollard got the start and saw four carries and two targets, but Spears played nearly as much and had three carries and one target.
• WR Treylon Burks played more snaps with the starters than Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd, but Burks wasn't targeted. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine also took a handful of snaps, but mostly on run plays.
• TEs Chigoziem Okonkwo and Josh Whyle rotated on the first two drives, with neither seeing a target.

Kansas City Chiefs (13) at Jacksonville Jaguars (26)

Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City's starters played one drive, going 43 yards on six plays to set up a field goal.

• WR Marquise Brown caught an 11-yard pass on the first snap but injured his shoulder in the process and is now uncertain for Week 1 due to a sternoclavicular dislocation. 
• RB Isiah Pacheco, WR Rashee Rice and TE Travis Kelce played all six snaps on the opening drive. 
  • Xavier Worthy played four of the six snaps and wasn't targeted. Skyy Moore played five of six, replacing Brown.
  • TE Noah Gray got two snaps.
• RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire came in for the second drive but managed no gain on two carries.
  • RB Deneric Price then entered for the third series and played quite a bit more than CEH, taking six touches for 26 yards over a few drives.
  • Rookie UDFA Carson Steele was the fourth RB through the rotation, entering midway through the second quarter and ripping off a 20-yard gain on his first carry. Steele and Prince rotated on that drive, with Steele scoring a one-yard TD on fourth down to cap it off.
    • Steele didn't appear to play in the second half, which is a good sign. Maybe it's him rather than Prince who will end up being the real threat to Edwards-Helaire this year?

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars played their starters for two drives, with RB Travis Etienne, WR Gabe Davis and WR Brian Thomas playing each of the nine snaps.

• Christian Kirk came off the field a couple times, as did Evan Engram (for running plays).
  • Kirk may or may not get regular snaps in 12 personnel, but the Jaguars probably won't use it that much anyway, and Kirk's slot role in three-wide formations has been responsible for most of his production in Jacksonville.
• Thomas continued playing after the other starters left, making a highlight-reel, 41-yard reception on the third series with C.J. Beathard at quarterback.

Seattle Seahawks (16) at Los Angeles Chargers (3)

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks rested most of their starters, including QB Geno Smith, RB Kenneth Walker, TE Noah Fant and WRs DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. QB Sam Howell played the entire first half and the first series of the third quarter, producing two TDs (13 points) on eight drives while completing 16 of 27 passes for 130 yards and a score.

• WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba started and played the entire first quarter, catching both of his targets for 13 yards.
• RB Zach Charbonnet started but played just one drive, taking two carries for six yards.
  • Kenny McIntosh was the next RB up and took eight carries for 40 yards. After that it was undrafted rookie George Holani, who had six carries for 24 yards and a TD.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers held a lot of starters out, including QB Justin Herbert (foot) and WR Ladd McConkey (leg), but presumed top tight ends Hayden Hurst and Will Dissly played the first few drives and split snaps. DJ Chark played the first two drives, totaling six snaps, with Simi Fehoko and Brenden Rice being the other wide receivers.

• WR Quentin Johnston replaced Chark after a couple drives and finished without a target on 17 snaps. It doesn't look good for Johnston getting playing time early in the season.
• RB Jaret Patterson played every snap on the first two drives and continued playing thereafter, taking seven carries for 38 yards and one catch for four yards.
  • Kimani Vidal didn't play, which seems odd for a rookie sixth-round pick. Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins also didn't play, which doesn't seem unusual.
    • Maybe Vidal has a minor injury that hasn't been reported; Jim Harbaugh hasn't been especially helpful with injury info.
• QB Easton Stick was awful, completing five of 13 passes for 31 yards and an INT.

New Orleans Saints (16) at Arizona Cardinals (14)

New Orleans Saints

QB Derek Carr and most other starters played two drives, totaling nine plays, with WRs Chris Olave and Cedrick Wilson getting nearly all the WR snaps (Rasheed Shaheed has a hamstring injury).

• TE Foster Moreau played all nine snaps, with Taysom Hill taking six. Hill played every snap on the first drive, then was done for the night.
• RB Alvin Kamara played six snaps, with Jamaal Williams getting three.
  • Williams also got a bunch of work with the second unit.
• A.T. Perry got just one snap with the starters and played into the third quarter, but he at least caught four passes for 84 yards in the process (and also drew a long DPI penalty).
• Olave was targeted on four of Carr's six pass attempts, catching one pass for 10 yards.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals rested a bunch of players, including QB Kyler Murray, RBs James Conner and Emari Demercado, TE Trey McBride and WRs Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch and Zay Jones.

• WR Marvin Harrison played the first three snaps and then was done.
• RB Trey Benson got the start and was Arizona's lead runner throughout the first half, taking eight carries for 21 yards.
  • RB Michael Carter replaced Benson on passing downs, then took over more rushing work in the third quarter en route to 7-41-1.
  • This all seems like good news for Conner and Demercado. It seems Carter is on the roster bubble and Benson fighting to earn the trust of the coaches (which he might, to be fair).

Denver Broncos (34) at Indianapolis Colts (30)

Denver Broncos

The Broncos played most of their starters, with QB Jarrett Stidham handling the first two drives and completing four of seven passes for 37 yards and a TD.

• WR Courtland Sutton played every snap with Stidham and caught both of his targets for 35 yards.
• Tim Patrick and Marvin Mims were the other starting WRs, but Mims came out after the first play and didn't get more snaps until later in the game, while Patrick took 11 of 12 snaps with the first unit.
  • Mims scored a short TD in the second quarter, finishing with 2-17-1 on three targets while playing deep into the third quarter with third-string QB Zach Wilson
• RB Javonte Williams was the lead runner on the first two drives, taking six touches for 20 yards, with Samaje Perine subbing in on passing downs.
  • Jaleel McLaughlin then replaced Williams when Bo Nix replaced Stidham for the third series. McLaughlin finished with 7-30-0 rushing and 2-26-0 on three targets.
  • Audric Estime took over for McLaughlin on the fourth drive, but McLaughlin re-entered and the two split playing time until Nix left the game in the third quarter.
    • Estime had a 10-31-1 rushing line and lost a fumble.
• TEs Greg Dulcich and Adam Trautman split playing time, with Dulcich unsurprisingly getting the work in clear passing situations and Trautman favored on early downs.
• Nix completed 15 of 21 passes for 125 yards and a TD, adding three carries for 17 yards while leading Denver to 20 points on five drives.
  • Advantage: Nix > Stidham

Indianapolis Colts

QB Anthony Richardson, RB Jonathan Taylor and WRs Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce each played all seven snaps on the first two drives. Only Pierce played after that.

• WR Adonai Mitchell was the third receiver and took a bunch of slot snaps, though Anthony Gould got a couple as well (the Colts were in 11 personnel for every play the first two drives).
• RB Trey Sermon was the next RB up after Taylor, but Sermon left with a hamstring injury after his first touch (a 12-yard catch) and was replaced by Tyler Goodson.
  • Goodson then put up 7-15-1 and two catches for one yard, with Evan Hull adding 8-16-1 and a catch for 15 yards. The two RBs both got playing time throughout Q2 and Q3 and even into the first part of Q4. Jason Bean took over for the final couple drives.
• TEs Kylen Granson and Mo Alie-Cox rotated, with Andrew Ogletree also getting a snap. Jelani Woods didn't play until later and was still in the game late in the second half.

Dallas Cowboys (12) at Los Angeles Rams (6)

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys rested starters and used second-string QB Cooper Rush for just one drive, spanning six snaps.

• RB Rico Dowdle played all six snaps on that opening drive, and none thereafter.
  • Ezekiel Elliott was held out, along with Dak Prescott, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, Jake Ferguson and others.

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams also rested starters, allowing Stetson Bennett to play the entire game (and throw a quartet of interceptions.

• RB Blake Corum was held out — a strong indicator he's already considered important.
• WR Jordan Whittington, a sixth-round pick, played most of the game and caught six of nine targets for 74 yards. He's built up some camp hype and might overtake Tutu Atwell for the No. 4 job, though it's worth noting that Atwell was one of the players rested Sunday (along with fellow WRs Cooper Kupp and Demarcus Robinson). WR Puka Nacua is still recovering from a knee injury and obviously wouldn't have played even if he'd been healthy.
• RB Boston Scott got most of the playing time early en route to 18 touches for 78 yards.
  • RB Zach Evans also played a lot, with a 12-28-0 rushing line and one catch for 24 yards.
• TEs Davis Allen and Hunter Long split snaps, while Colby Parkinson was held out.