Real (kind of) NFL football games were actually played this weekend, which means offseason fantasy football analysis is officially now preseason fantasy football analysis. Does preseason mean everything? No, of course not. But are there actionable takeaways from this first full slate of exhibition games? Absolutely.
Matthew Freedman is here to share his top takeaways from the first weekend of NFL preseason games.
Matthew Freedman’s NFL Preseason Week 1 Takeaways
- Rookie RB Isiah Pacheco entered the game ahead of veteran RBs Ronald Jones and Jerick McKinnon.
- Rookie TE Daniel Bellinger played 16 of 18 snaps with QB Daniel Jones.
- TE Kyle Pitts played a team-high 10 of 13 snaps with QB Marcus Mariota.
- RB Travis Etienne had a combined 12 carries and targets on his 22 snaps.
- WRs Elijah Moore (9), Corey Davis (8) and Braxton Berrios (6) played significantly more first-team snaps than rookie WR Garrett Wilson (1).
- QB Jalen Hurts dropped back on all eight plays of his one drive, and TE Dallas Goedert — who caught a 22-yard touchdown pass — played on 100% of Hurts’ snaps.
- Second-year RB Trey Sermon played ahead of rookie RB Tyrion Davis-Price and was on the field for all 11 first-team snaps with QB Trey Lance.
- Out of the pass catchers to play with the Packers starters, WR Amari Rodgers displayed the most versatility throughout the game (33 snaps in slot, 20 out wide, 3 as a return man). Rodgers could make the team as the primary backup to aging slot receiver Randall Cobb.
- First-round rookie WR Jahan Dotson played all 22 of QB Carson Wentz‘s snaps.
Antonio Gibson fumble. Drink.
Brian Robinson still live to take that job.
— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) August 13, 2022
- Rookie RB Brian Robinson played more first-team snaps (11) than veteran RB Antonio Gibson (5), who fumbled and then played with the backups.
- WR JuJu Smith-Schuster played on all 11 of QB Patrick Mahomes‘ snaps.
- Backup RB Khalil Herbert played on all 18 of QB Justin Fields‘ snaps, whereas rookie RB Trestan Ebner played only with the backups.
- TEs Mo Alie-Cox (15), Kylen Granson (9) and Andrew Ogletree (4) all played more first-team snaps than rookie TE Jelani Woods, who got zero action with the starters.
- Rookie QB Kenny Pickett played behind veteran QBs Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph, but Pickett handled himself well, going 13-of-15 passing for 95 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions as well as 3-16-0 rushing. He drove the Steelers to victory in the game’s final minute and could push Trubisky to be the Week 1 starter.
- TE Juwan Johnson (10) saw more first-team snaps than Adam Trautman (8).
- Veteran RBs Joshua Kelley (9) and Larry Rountree (7) played with the starters while rookie RB Isaiah Spiller (0) got no first-team action.
- Backup RB Alexander Mattison played 100% of the first-team snaps.
- Rookie RB Zamir White (12) split first-team snaps with veteran RB Kenyan Drake (11).
- WR Laquon Treadwell played on 17 of QB Trevor Lawrence‘s 25 snaps … and he was the most productive receiver on the Jaguars last year once he broke into the starting lineup (405 yards in seven games).
Snap count data from PFF
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