Fantasy Football is what keeps fans glued to games involving teams they otherwise wouldn't care about. That includes preseason games.
A casual football fan wouldn't give a hoot about the Cardinals-Raiders preseason showdown. But Fantasy Football managers will because both teams intend to play their starters for at least one drive each. It will be our first taste of what each of these offenses (and defenses) look like.
All eyes will for sure be on Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love. With an average draft position between 25th and 30th overall, Love has Fantasy managers interested because of his outstanding speed and complete profile. Literally every Fantasy manager will watch to see how he performs, who he splits with, how much he'll split, and how well his offensive line plays. It might take more than one drive to prove much of anything, but Love is easily one of the most intriguing players to watch this preseason.
Ashton Jeanty was looked at the same way last year. How did he do? Jeanty averaged 3.1 yards per carry with one two-yard catch along with a goal-line touchdown across 13 touches in three games. You might say that was a harbinger of his season since Jeanty scored plenty but wasn't very efficient.
Jeanty will again be a popular player to watch against Arizona's defense on Thursday. How will his offensive line look? Will he share snaps? For someone being considered in Round 1 in all leagues, it'll be worth watching how he does.
But maybe the bigger focus should be on the Raiders' passing game. Coach Klint Kubiak said rookie No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza will get "plenty of experience in the game," but indicated he won't start -- Kirk Cousins will. Who starts with Cousins at wide receiver, and how they line up, could form opinions on which receiver to target late in drafts. Jalen Nailor is probably the favorite to play the most with the first-team offense.
Sleeper to watch: Malik Benson, WR, Raiders. Benson's turned heads in camp and may eventually elevate himself into a decent role as soon as this season. He's got the kind of size both Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza have gravitated to over their pro and college careers.
The Cardinals-Raiders showdown isn't the only game to watch.
Packers at Steelers
Who's playing? The Packers plan to play their starters a little bit, save for Josh Jacobs, who has been dealing with a groin injury.
Who's not playing? The Steelers did not indicate if their starters would play at all, but Aaron Rodgers said this week that there isn't an advantage to playing in the preseason. That sounds like a no.
Starters to watch: Matthew Golden, MarShawn Lloyd. Golden is a biggie. He is firmly part of the Packers starting lineup and reportedly will handle outside receiver duties. That sounds like a commitment is being made to him contributing throughout the year, a commitment that kicks into high gear if Christian Watson misses any time. Lloyd, a draft pick of the Packers from 2024 who has played 10 snaps of professional football through two seasons, has flashed in camp according to reports, not only running hard but making plays as a receiver out of the backfield. He even celebrated a touchdown grab in a practice last week with a backflip, the kind of thing players do when they're healthy and not banged up. If Jacobs were to miss time for any reason, Lloyd appears to be the next man up.
Sleepers to watch: Matthew Golden, WR, Packers; Roman Wilson and Germie Bernard, WR, Steelers. We're unsure how much Wilson will play, but a good training camp has boosted him into the first-team offense as a primary slot and third receiver behind DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman. Bernard will probably back him up to begin the year, but both deserve some eyeballs since they could feasibly play a short-area role to benefit Rodgers getting the ball out quickly.
Titans at 49ers
Who's playing? New Titans coach Robert Saleh said, "everyone is playing" and "it's not just a series" for the starters, so it's safe to assume that means we'll see Cam Ward, Carnell Tate, Wan'Dale Robinson and the rest of this offense.
Who's not playing? Not many 49ers; only a few starters are expected to appear.
Starters to watch: Cam Ward, Wan'Dale Robinson, Carnell Tate. I'm assuming Robinson will play inside, Tate outside, and a rotating cast works elsewhere along the formation. Seeing how Tate runs his routes and comparing it to how he was used at Ohio State will be interesting, but learning whether or not Ward has developed timing with him is the most important thing to look out for. The state of the Titans offensive line, which reportedly didn't do well against the Niners in their joint practice, is another very crucial part of the game to study.
Sleepers to watch: De'Zhaun Stribling, WR, 49ers; Nick Singleton, RB, Titans. Stribling was a hot name at the start of camp and offers the 49ers a big-bodied presence. They might need to plan on using him more in the wake of injuries to Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk. Singleton doesn't have the steepest competition to leap over for playing time in Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, but he'll have to really look good to earn reps in season. So far, there have been some good things reported about him, including an ability to burst into space.
Broncos at Falcons
Who's playing? It appears both teams will play their starters for a limited amount of playing time. Tua Tagovailoa will start at quarterback for the Falcons, potentially against a number of Broncos backup defenders.
Who's not playing? Bo Nix won't play this week for the Broncos but plans to in the next two preseason games. That probably means many Denver starters will not play. There's some discussion that Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts won't actually take the field for Atlanta. Jaylen Waddle to play, as he's been dealing with a strain over the past week but has been spotted jogging.
Starters to watch: Tua Tagovailoa, Pat Bryant. Let's see if we can tell if anything is new with Tagovailoa in the Falcons offense compared to his days in Miami. Does he still get the ball out quick? Is he still super sensitive to pass rush pressure? As for Bryant, he'll get an opportunity to play a little more with Waddle out. He's drawn good reviews through the early part of training camp so far.
Sleepers to watch: Zachariah Branch, WR, Falcons; Jonah Coleman, RB, Broncos. There's been a lot of buzz on Branch as a quick-game target, so much so that I'm curious how much he even plays after he was promoted to first-team reps this week. The less he plays, the more it suggests he's part of the offensive plan this season. Payton claims Coleman doesn't look like a rookie in practice, but a preseason game environment is exactly where he should show what he's capable of doing. Coleman is one of my favorite late-round RB stashes.
Lions at Bengals
Who's playing? Bengals coach Zac Taylor has indicated his starters will play -- and not just on offense, but both sides of the ball. It's probably going to be an unfair fight because the Lions aren't expected to play their starters at all (expect to see a lot of undrafted quarterback Luke Altmyer), but it should be a nice opportunity to see how much progress the Bengals offensive line and entire defense have made this offseason. There's potential here for this team to be outstanding, and while no judgment should be passed if they're playing backups, at least we'll get an idea of how quickly they've gelled.
Who's not playing? Dan Campbell is resting his starters.
Starters to watch: The Bengals. It'll be more of a worry if they don't look like their old selves, especially against weaker competition.
Buccaneers at Jets
Who's playing? "Everyone" for the Jets according to coach Aaron Glenn, but no one knows for how long. Glenn indicated he wanted his younger players to get some extra playing time, so we might witness Geno Smith for all of one drive.
Who's not playing? The Bucs have indicated they're not going to play their starters, probably a wise decision after receiver Emeka Egbuka hurt his toe in practice on Wednesday. Backup quarterback Jake Browning also is hurt, meaning they'll run out Connor Bazelak or Jalon Daniels at quarterback.
Sleepers to watch: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Jets; Omar Cooper Jr., WR, Jets; Ted Hurst, WR, Buccaneers. We're gonna see if Mitchell's play matches the early camp reports of him balling out with Smith. Cooper and Hurst should each get a lot of run in their first professional action -- how they're used will help us figure out if they can help us in Fantasy at all this year.
Panthers at Bills
Who's playing? Carolina's starters are expected to play as many as 20 snaps. Bills defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said his defensive starters will play against the Panthers, but Joe Brady has yet to make any definitive statements about his offense.
Starters to watch: The Panthers. This won't be the only chance to see who's improved in this offense, but so many key Fantasy players will be watched. The offensive line will be watched. One Panther in particular is Jonathon Brooks, the third-year running back who has overcome two ACL tears and could emerge as a go-to weapon for the Panthers. Any highlight he makes will catapult his Fantasy draft stock into the middle rounds.
Dolphins at Commanders
Who's playing? Malik Willis will make his Dolphins debut according to coach Jeff Hafley, though he did caution that "things could change" and that in a perfect world he and their starters won't play much. That means it's important to see who else won't play much as an indicator of who the coaches consider a starter and who isn't.
Who's not playing? Early indications are that many Commanders starters will not play, a sensible plan considering there's some upheaval across the offensive line.
Starters to watch: The Dolphins. For however long they play, the eyes of Fantasy managers will be on how comfortable Willis looks in the offense and who he works with. Rookie Caleb Douglas' playing time and performance will also be under the microscope.
Sleepers to watch: Antonio Williams, WR, Commanders, Kaytron Allen, RB, Commanders. Both were in a position to contribute until plans changed -- Stefon Diggs signed to push Williams down the depth chart and the Commanders seem settled on Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White to handle the bulk of the run game. Williams made plays as recently as their joint practice against Miami, and Allen has flashed physicality, but both have a long way to consistent playing time.
Browns at Bears
Who's playing? Browns coach Todd Monken intends for Deshaun Watson to play an entire half. That probably means the starting offensive line will play for much of that half along with most, if not all, of the skill-position starters. Shedeur Sanders will start the second half, then they'll flip spots in their second preseason game. The Bears haven't made any concrete decisions.
Starters to watch: The Browns. Dispatches from training camp have been very positive regarding both rookie wide receivers Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion. How much they play and how they look will help Fantasy managers understand what they're getting with mid-to-late picks on Draft Day. It's worth watching the Browns offensive line to see how coordinated they are.
Vikings at Giants
Who's playing? Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell expects newly named starter Kyler Murray to play at least a little bit on Sunday, which likely means the entire Vikings starting offense will play with him. The Giants may not be as willing to play their starters but no official word has been given on anyone except Odell Beckham Jr., who will play, per coach John Harbaugh.
Starters to watch: Kyler Murray, QB, Vikings, Jordan Mason, RB, Vikings. Does he look like he knows what he's doing? That's a good first step. Can he connect downfield with accuracy? That's an even bigger step. The more Murray shows, the more comfortable Fantasy managers will be drafting him and his Minnesota pass catchers. And if Mason looks as good as his coaches say he does, then his Fantasy stock will escalate. How much he plays and who he plays with matters.
Chargers at Texans
Who's not playing? Jim Harbaugh won't risk his starters, handing over the QB duties to Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei. Same thing with DeMeco Ryans and the Texans' starters. Davis Mills and Graham Mertz will handle the quarterbacking. One note: Who the Chargers do play at running back could mean at least a little something as to how they view their RB group. For instance, if Kimani Vidal plays a lot but neither Omarion Hampton nor Keaton Mitchell play, then it could be suggested that Vidal is behind both of them in the proverbial pecking order.
Sleepers to watch: Jayden Higgins, WR, Texans. Though he might not get much run, the second-year receiver has had a great camp according to first-hand reports and should operate as the team's WR1 against Chargers backups. He should do well and potentially enter the late-round discussion in Fantasy.
Eagles at Ravens
Who's not playing? Ravens coach Jesse Minter has ruled out Lamar Jackson, which likely means the entire first-team offense won't have a hand in the first preseason game. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni hasn't committed one way or the other to his starters playing, but Jalen Hurts has exactly zero preseason snaps in each of the past three summers, so take your guess on whether or not he'll play based on that.
Sleepers to watch: Ja'Kobi Lane, WR, Ravens. His playing time will be interesting, as will the kind of role he has in this first look. Lane's been a bright spot for the Ravens receiving corps in camp.
Colts at Patriots
Who's not playing? Almost anyone of significance. The teams held a joint practice and got a lot of work for their starters in there. The Patriots have indicated Drake Maye won't play, so that probably means all of their starters won't play. Tommy DeVito is expected to start. The Colts have indicated Anthony Richardson will start and play the first half, then Riley Leonard will take the second half, hinting at the same thing for their starters as the Patriots starters.
Rams at Chiefs
Who's not playing? The Rams are notorious for not playing their starters in the preseason. There's no word from the Chiefs on whether Patrick Mahomes & Co. will play or not, but he is expected to play in the preseason at some point.
Jaguars at Saints
Who's not playing? The starters from both teams have been ruled out according to Jaguars coach Liam Coen and Saints coach Kellen Moore. The teams had a joint practice in advance of their preseason game. Expect to see a lot of Carter Bradley under center for Jacksonville and a split of Spencer Rattler and Zach Wilson at QB for the Saints.
Cowboys at Seahawks
Who's not playing? It's a little too soon to tell, but chances are both teams will rest their starters. Dak Prescott's last preseason pass attempt came in 2019, and Sam Darnold's threw four passes in one preseason game in 2025.
