NFL Preseason Week 1 Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from Friday's games

Breece Hall could see a larger role: The New York Jets running back signed a new contract and dominated playing time with the starters, unlike last preseason.

The Miami Dolphins have their wide receivers: Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington appear to be the top wide receivers on the Dolphins' depth chart.

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Denver Broncos @ Atlanta Falcons

Jahan Dotson is the Falcons’ second wide receiver: The former Philadelphia Eagles receiver played 100% of the snaps with the starters.

Eight different wide receivers drew a target for the Falcons last season, and only Drake London and backup Dylan Drummond remain on the roster. Atlanta replenished the position by signing Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus in free agency and drafting Zachariah Branch in the third round.

Reports throughout OTAs and training camp indicated that Dotson was the favorite for the No. 2 wide receiver job, and this game provided further evidence. He played every snap with the starters over two drives, lining up primarily at X. Zaccheaus joined him for every snap in 11 personnel, typically operating out of the slot. London played the first two snaps before exiting ahead of the other starters. Chris Blair replaced London, suggesting he could be London’s primary backup and a potential waiver-wire option if London misses time this season. Blair also has the most similar measurables to London among Atlanta’s other wide receivers.

Branch played one snap with the starters, joining Dotson in 12 personnel. He returned with the backups and primarily lined up in the slot. If Branch earns significant playing time during the regular season, it will most likely come at the expense of Zaccheaus. That leaves Dotson not only firmly in a starting role but also facing minimal competition for playing time.

Dotson hasn’t produced much over his NFL career, but his opportunity in Atlanta gives him a chance to put together his best season yet. He is worth a late-round pick in deeper leagues.

Jonah Coleman is already third on the depth chart: The fourth-round rookie was listed sixth on Denver’s unofficial depth chart.

Denver utilized a three-man running back rotation last season, with J.K. Dobbins handling the early-down work, RJ Harvey serving as the primary backup and Tyler Badie operating as the third-down back. All three remain on the roster, but Denver added Coleman in the fourth round to shake up the rotation. Unofficial depth charts can often be misleading, and the Broncos’ was particularly deceptive, with all of their rookies listed at the bottom.

The Broncos played three drives with their starting offensive line. Harvey handled all six snaps on the opening drive and the first five snaps of the second before his day ended. Coleman replaced him to finish the drive and then played all 11 snaps on the third. Jaleel McLaughlin became the primary running back from that point forward, with Badie mixing in.

This game offered little indication of how Denver will divide its backfield work during the regular season, but it did provide evidence that Coleman is already ahead of both McLaughlin and Badie. That was expected to happen at some point before the season, but seeing Coleman already occupy that spot in the pecking order is an encouraging sign.

Pat Bryant is ahead of Troy Franklin: The Broncos were without Jaylen Waddle and Marvin Mims Jr., but this game still provided some clarity on the wide receiver rotation.

Waddle hasn’t been practicing due to muscle tightness and didn’t play, while Mims has also been dealing with an undisclosed injury. That left Denver with a clear top three for this game in Courtland Sutton, Bryant and Franklin. The trio played together for the first two drives, taking all five snaps in 11 personnel. In 12 personnel, Sutton and Bryant were always the two wide receivers on the field, while Bryant and Franklin split snaps opposite Sutton in 21 personnel. Bryant frequently lined up in the slot, with Franklin and Sutton primarily playing outside.

While several starters remained in the game for Denver’s third drive, Sutton and Bryant were done for the night. Franklin continued playing alongside Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Cam Ross and Dane Key.

That usage suggests Bryant is ahead of Franklin on the depth chart and should see significant playing time in three-receiver sets alongside Sutton and Waddle. Sean Payton has historically utilized a deep wide receiver rotation, however, so Franklin should still have a role. There is also a chance Bryant cuts into Sutton’s playing time, as both are natural X receivers. The fact that Sutton and Bryant exited the game at the same time is at least an encouraging sign for Bryant’s standing in the offense.

Miscellaneous Notes

Lead running back J.K. Dobbins left practice on Monday with a soft-tissue injury, but he was able to return on Tuesday.

Denver’s tight end rotation looked similar to last season, with Evan Engram seeing more work in passing situations and Adam Trautman handling more snaps on rushing plays. However, Engram played more frequently in 12 personnel over the first three drives than he did last season, an encouraging sign that his overall playing time could increase this year.

The Broncos’ preseason rotations under Sean Payton have often been poor indicators of how players will be used once the regular season begins. Last preseason, for example, J.K. Dobbins primarily handled third-down work before becoming an early-down back in the regular season. The same disconnect has shown up at wide receiver. Marvin Mims Jr. played 37 of 40 snaps with the starters last preseason, well ahead of Troy Franklin at 20 and Pat Bryant at two. Two years ago, Tim Patrick played 26 of 32 snaps with the starters, only to be released on cutdown day. Samaje Perine was used as the third-down and two-minute-drill back that preseason and was also released before the season.

The Falcons rested star running back Bijan Robinson. Free-agent addition Brian Robinson is the unquestioned backup, and he took every snap with the starters.

While it was a small sample size of eight plays, it was reassuring to see Kyle Pitts play 100% of snaps with the starters, with Charlier Woerner only playing in 12 personnel.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New York Jets

Breece Hall handles an impressive workload: The Jets’ lead running back played 10 of 11 snaps on New York’s opening drive.

Head coach Aaron Glenn emphasized last offseason that the Jets wanted to utilize all three of their running backs. That approach was evident in the preseason, when Hall played only 16 of 28 snaps with the starters, as Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis rotated in. The committee carried over into the regular season, with Hall playing fewer than 60% of the offensive snaps in two of the first three games. However, a season-ending injury to Allen eventually opened the door for Hall to take on a larger role.

This offseason, New York appears more focused on making Hall the focal point of the running game. That was apparent on the first drive of this game, as Hall carried the ball four times over 11 plays and came off the field just once, on a third-and-long. More importantly, he remained on the field for two other third downs after not playing a single third-down snap with the starters last preseason.

Davis didn’t play because of a knee injury. He served as the Jets’ primary third-down back last season, but Hall’s usage in this game suggests he could handle more of that work this year. Hall enters the season as a high-end RB2 with a path to RB1 production if the Jets’ offense exceeds expectations.

Omar Cooper Jr. doesn’t play with the starters: New York’s rookie wide receiver appears to be fourth on the depth chart.

New York’s wide receiver room was in constant flux last season, particularly after Garrett Wilson suffered a season-ending injury. The Jets’ primary additions at the position this offseason were Cooper through the draft and veteran Tim Patrick in free agency. The Jets opened this game with Wilson and Adonai Mitchell as their top two wide receivers, which has been the expectation throughout OTAs and training camp. Mitchell was already worth a late-round pick before this game, and his usage on the opening drive further solidified his role.

Isaiah Williams served as New York’s slot receiver in 11 personnel. Williams has been a standout during training camp and is expected to maintain a role in the offense during the regular season. Wilson, Mitchell and Williams all left the game after the first drive. Cooper took over in the slot on the second drive, with Patrick and undrafted rookie Malik McClain lining up outside. Notably, Cooper remained on the field in 12 personnel.

Even if Cooper eventually overtakes Williams as the primary slot receiver, it will be difficult for him to earn enough playing time to become a reliable fantasy option. He remains a late-round possibility, but several wide receivers being drafted after him have clearer paths to significant playing time this season.

Don’t read into Sean Tucker’s extensive playing time: The Buccaneers rested nearly all of their fantasy-relevant players, with Tucker being a notable exception.

Tampa Bay rested its top two running backs, Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell. Tucker recorded 86 carries last season and saw significant work near the goal line, helping him score seven touchdowns. Given that role, his extensive playing time in this game might initially appear to be a negative sign for his involvement this season.

However, the Buccaneers have only five running backs on their roster. Every other team outside of Tampa Bay and the Las Vegas Raiders has at least six. Teams typically use at least four running backs over the course of a preseason game, but with Irving and Gainwell resting, Tampa Bay had only three available. That context helps explain why Tucker, despite entering his fourth season, was still on the field alongside undrafted rookies.

Miscellaneous Notes

Jets starting quarterback Geno Smith did not play due to foot soreness, which was announced roughly an hour before the game. Smith had been expected to play before experiencing the soreness and would have suited up had it been a regular-season game, according to Mike Garafolo on NFL Network’s pregame show.

Mason Taylor, a second-round pick of the 2025 draft, served as the Jets’ primary tight end with the starters, sitting out just three plays. Two of those came in 12 personnel, with Jeremy Ruckert and Jelani Woods taking the field instead.

First-round rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq also didn’t play as he continues to recover from a hernia procedure in May. He took a step forward in his recovery this week, as he was spotted running on the side during practice.

Tampa Bay rested quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Jake Browning, wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. and tight end Cade Otton.

Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka missed this game due to a toe sprain. Tampa Bay is optimistic that he will be available for Week 1, and he likely would not have played in this game even if healthy. The Buccaneers were also without Jalen McMillan (knee), Tez Johnson (groin) and David Sills V (knee).

Third-round rookie Ted Hurst III received significant playing time in the first half with five of the team’s other top six wide receivers sidelined. Hurst projects primarily as an X receiver and spent most of his snaps there, though he also saw considerable work in the slot.

Miami Dolphins @ Washington Commanders

The Dolphins have their wide receivers: Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington were the clear top two wide receivers with the starters.

Miami moved on from longtime wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle this offseason. Washington was the primary holdover, while the Dolphins added free agents Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell and drafted Douglas, Chris Bell and Kevin Coleman. Two months ago, the competition appeared wide open.

Since then, Douglas and Washington have received the most praise throughout training camp. Miami’s starters played one long drive and utilized a variety of personnel groupings. Douglas and Washington played 100% of the snaps in 11, 12 and 21 personnel, while Douglas also played both snaps in 22 personnel. Washington’s usage was particularly noteworthy because he played 93.4% of Miami’s 11-personnel snaps last season but only 37.6% of the snaps in two-receiver sets, often competing with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine and Cedrick Wilson Jr. in those groupings.

It was surprising to see Jalen Reagor serve as the third wide receiver in 11 personnel. The former first-round pick spent his first two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before bouncing between three teams over the next three seasons, recording single-digit receptions each year. He spent part of last season on the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad and didn’t sign with Miami until June 2.

Tolbert and Atwell took over on the second drive, with Tahj Washington joining them in 11 personnel. Considering the opening drive lasted 16 plays, it would have been understandable for Miami to give Douglas or Washington a play or two off. Instead, both remained on the field throughout the drive, suggesting there is a sizable gap between them and the rest of the wide receiver room.

Both Douglas and Washington are worth late-round picks, as one of the two will likely lead Miami in targets this season.

Don’t give up hope on Greg Dulcich yet: Dulcich has been a popular late-round target, but his usage in this game initially appeared concerning.

Miami re-signed Dulcich to a $3.25 million deal this offseason while moving on from Darren Waller, Julian Hill and Tanner Conner. The Dolphins replaced them with Ben Sims and rookies Will Kacmarek and Seydou Traore. Dulcich played a part-time role last season, but his 2.31 yards per route run ranked third among tight ends. The turnover in the tight end room, combined with uncertainty at wide receiver entering the offseason, made Dulcich a prime sleeper candidate.

Dulcich played only eight of a possible 14 snaps with the starters, fewer than Kacmarek, but the raw snap count is less concerning once you look at how Miami deployed them. Dulcich was also wearing a red non-contact jersey last week because of a hand injury before returning to full practice this week.

More importantly, Dulcich played 100% of the snaps in 11 and 12 personnel, while Kacmarek played 100% of the snaps in 12, 21 and 22 personnel. Those roles continued after the starters left, with Cole Turner joining Kacmarek in 22 personnel. Because 21 and 22 personnel are typically more run-heavy groupings, Dulcich’s role should keep him on the field for a high percentage of Miami’s passing situations. The Dolphins experimented with a variety of personnel groupings and ran both pass and run plays from each with the starters, which likely made Dulcich’s overall snap rate look worse than it would under typical regular-season usage.

There are still reasons for concern. Miami’s wide receiver hierarchy appears more settled than it did earlier in the offseason, and there are rumors that Jonnu Smith could return to the Dolphins. Still, Dulcich’s usage in passing-oriented personnel groupings leaves a path for him to emerge as one of this season’s top sleeper tight ends.

Kaytron Allen plays ahead of Jerome Ford: Allen handled the early-down work, while the two split opportunities on third downs.

The Commanders made several changes to their running back room this offseason. They retained Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Jeremy McNichols, added free agents Rachaad White and Ford, and drafted Allen in the fifth round. Of those five backs, only Allen and Ford played in this game.

Allen played 100% of the first- and second-down snaps with the starters. Washington faced three third downs during that stretch, including one third-and-short when both running backs were on the field. Allen and Ford split the other two third-down snaps.

This usage suggests Ford could be on the outside looking in for a roster spot. White is expected to handle third-down work, while McNichols filled that role last season. Washington has little need for three backs who specialize in passing situations, potentially leaving Ford and McNichols competing for the fourth running back spot. Even if Ford makes the roster, his path to fantasy relevance appears limited, even if injuries strike elsewhere in the backfield.

Allen has a clearer path to playing time, although he will still need to compete with Croskey-Merritt and potentially White for early-down work. The buzz surrounding Allen has also quieted during training camp after he impressed during OTAs.

Early leaders emerge in the Commanders’ wide receiver battle: At least six wide receivers are competing for playing time behind Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs.

Washington has used mid-round picks in each of the past three drafts on receivers who can play in the slot, selecting Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane and Antonio Williams. The Commanders have also taken chances on several veteran receivers, including Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson. For most of the offseason, it appeared those six were competing for two open roles at Z and in the slot. The recent addition of Diggs, who can play both positions, has effectively reduced that competition to one open spot.

Washington opened the game with Brown at X, Burks at Z and McCaffrey in the slot in 11 personnel. None of the other three receivers played on the first two drives. That gives Burks and McCaffrey an early edge to join McLaurin and Diggs in three-receiver sets. Neither would carry much fantasy value while the starters are healthy, but either could emerge as a waiver-wire option if Diggs misses time. Brown appears to be the favorite to back up McLaurin, which makes sense given his experience at X. He would be the most logical pickup if McLaurin were to suffer an injury.

McCaffrey moved outside to X for his third drive, with Jefferson at Z and Lane in the slot. Williams appeared to be a favorite for a prominent role early in OTAs, but the buzz surrounding him has faded. He didn’t enter the game until later in the second quarter. There is still plenty of time for Williams to move up the depth chart, and he appears likely to make the roster, but his early-season playing time could be limited.

If Washington keeps six wide receivers, McLaurin, Diggs, McCaffrey, Burks, Williams and Brown currently appear to have the inside track. That could leave Jefferson and Lane on the outside looking in.

Miscellaneous Notes

The Commanders announced before the game that they would rest several starters, including quarterback Jayden Daniels, running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs, and tight ends Chig Okonkwo and John Bates. Running back Rachaad White also didn’t play despite not appearing on the team’s list of players being rested.

Ben Sinnott served as Washington’s primary tight end throughout the first half. There had been some speculation that Sinnott could also see time at fullback this season, but Washington consistently used only one player in the backfield during the first half.

Commanders backup running back Jeremy McNichols did not play due to a quad injury. He is competing for one of the backup running back spots on the roster.

Miami’s third-round rookie wide receiver Chris Bell remains on the non-football injury list as he recovers from the torn ACL he suffered last December at Louisville. Bell isn’t expected back anytime soon, and while he is expected to return at some point this season, Miami will likely ease him into action once he is cleared.

Table Notes

• Snaps include plays called back due to penalties, such as offensive holding or defensive pass interference. The other three stats exclude these plays.

• Targets may differ from official NFL sources. The most likely discrepancy is a clear thrown-away pass, where the NFL may give the target to the nearest receiver, while this data will not.

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