Philadelphia Eagles @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Eagles
There were two players we wanted to see in this one that were showcased by Philly. There were running back Miles Sanders and wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside. Sanders carried the ball five times for 31 yards to average a team-high 6.2 yards per carry outperforming Jordan Howard who totaled just 15 yards on four carries and failed to bring in his only target. Arcega-Whiteside saw a team-high seven targets but only managed to catch two of them for 20 yards.
Jaguars
The Jags really didn’t play anybody worth mentioning in this one. It was backup quarterbacks throwing to backup wide receivers and they only rushed for 59 total yards. Hopefully in next week’s dress rehearsal we get a better look at their running backs and maybe Dede Westbrook will be able to get on the field.
New York Jets @ Atlanta Falcons
Jets
Ty Montgomery looked like the team’s most dynamic player in this one. He carried the ball seven times for 36 yards and a touchdown while Elijah McGuire managed just 14 yards on five carries. It’s looking like McGuire’s roster spot is in serious jeopardy. He could be a factor elsewhere this year though. Robby Anderson also looked good catching all three of his targets for 32 yards with limited work. In injury news, the Jets lost linebacker Avery Williamson for the season to a torn ACL.
Falcons
Matt Ryan was efficient in this one completing 10 of 14 attempts while Matt Simms looked miserable behind him. Qadree Ollison was the leader in the backfield with nine carries for 44 yards far outperforming anyone else on the ground. However, Ito Smith to punch in a TD and grab all three of his targets for 45 yards.
Detroit Lions @ Houston Texans
Lions
There was little of significance in this game. The Lions rushing attack looked good as their top five rushers all ran for more than five yards per carry. No one particularly stood out, though. We also saw rookie tight end TJ Hockenson grab a 22-yard pass.
Texans
Much like with the Lions, there were very few revelations for the Texans. DeAndre Hopkins caught a TD pass, but that’s nothing new. Running back Buddy Howell rushed 15 times for 84 yards and a TD while Damarea Crockett handled eight carries for 32 yards.
Dallas Cowboys @ Los Angeles Rams
Cowboys
All eyes were on running back Tony Pollard in this one, and he did not disappoint. Pollard carried the ball five times for 42 yards and a touchdown. Alfred Morris was significantly less impressive rushing three times for six yards. As long as Ezekiel Elliott continues his holdout, we will be watching these backs closely.
Rams
We had our eyes on a running back on the Rams too, and it was rookie Darrell Henderson. While on the ground he carried the ball six times for just 16 yards, he did show off his PPR value catching all six of his targets for 38 yards. Aside from that the Rams’ offense struggled again this week. They will look to bounce back in their preseason Week 3 dress rehearsal.
New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles Chargers
Saints
Oddly enough on a team with Drew Brees, all the focus here goes to the quarterbacks. Teddy Bridgewater struggled to find his way completing just five of his 12 passes for 40 yards and an interception. Conversely, Taysom Hill led the team in both passing and rushing impressively. Hill connected on 11 of his 15 attempts for 136 yards and two TDs and carried the ball five times for 53 yards. We knew he’d have a role in this offense with Brees healthy; however, he may also be the quarterback that gives them the best chance to win if Brees were to get injured.
Chargers
Much like with the Cowboys, the attention here goes to the running backs with Melvin Gordon holding out. Justin Jackson got going in this one while Austin Ekeler struggled. Jackson rushed eight times for 33 yards adding a nine-yard reception. Ekeler managed just nine yards on three carries and a seven-yard catch. With each passing day, it seems like this will be close to an evenly split backfield while Gordon is sitting out.
Seattle Seahawks @ Minnesota Vikings
Seahawks
A good amount of starters played a decent amount in this one. The thing I want to focus on is the running backs, though. Chris Carson ran the ball five times for a solid 25 yards. That was not at all the case for Rashaad Penny. Penny managed to go backward, totaling -2 yards on six carries. I’ve said all offseason that Penny is not good and Carson is by far the back to own in this backfield. This is a small and extreme sample size, but it only adds evidence to this belief.
Vikings
The Vikings may have one of the more compelling Fantasy weeks this preseason. The running backs were something to watch with Dalvin Cooks’ injury history and Latavius Murray now in New Orleans. Mike Boone got a heavy workload carrying the ball 21 times for 66 yards, which is just 3.1 yards per carry. He also added a 45-yard catch. Rookie Alexander Mattison was more efficient running ten times for 41 yards. Wideout Laquon Treadwell caught four passes for a team-high 47 yards. Perhaps they were showcasing him a bit trying to boost his trade value before they have to pull the plug on the former first-rounder inevitably. Rookie tight end Irv Smith had a nice game catching all five of his targets for 28 yards and a TD.
San Francisco 49ers @ Denver Broncos
49ers
Jimmy Garoppolo was atrocious in this one. The 49ers quarterbacks as a whole got nothing going, but Jimmy G was horrific. He played three series and managed to go one of six for zero yards and an interception. He also threw another easy pick that was just dropped. His ADP is almost non-existent because he has plummeted so far, and this performance will do nothing to help that.
Broncos
The big news for the Broncos was that Emmanuel Sanders was on the field and looked healthy. He saw minimal playing time; however, it was just great that he was out there. In the battle of the top running backs, both Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman saw five carries. Lindsay went for just 14 yards, and Freeman was even worse finishing with zero yards.
