The third week of preseason football is here, and that means plenty of notable players will take the field. As a responsible fantasy manager, who should you be keeping an eye on? No problem! I’ve got you covered with a complete schedule breakdown and players to watch from each contest.
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 27TH
Colts (2-0) at Lions (0-2)
Players to watch: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jacob Eason, Sam Ehlinger
- St. Brown was targeted five times on 11 snaps in his last preseason game. Could we see additional usage against the Colts?
- Carson Wentz should be ready to go Week 1, but in case he suffers any setbacks now or during the season, who will be his primary backup?
Steelers (3-0) at Panthers (0-2)
Players to watch: Chuba Hubbard, Terrace Marshall, Najee Harris
- Hubbard (16 carries, 104 yards) and Marshall (6 receptions, 138 yards) continue to impress in preseason play. How will they perform in Week 3?
- All eyes should be on Pittsburgh’s most promising rookie who could be a top-12 fantasy RB in 2021.
Eagles (0-2) at Jets (2-0)
Players to watch: Michael Carter, Zach Wilson, Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith
- Franchise QB Zach Wilson has been impressive in his limited action thus far (137.7 QB rating), and fantasy managers should continue to monitor him throughout the preseason
- Hurts was a late scratch last week due to a stomach infection, but now that he’s recovered, will he play in Week 3?
- Smith went 2/19 on five targets in his NFL debut last week, and he looked the part of an NFL-ready receiver while on the field. Will he play this week?
Vikings (0-2) at Chiefs (2-0)
Players to watch: Byron Pringle
- Pringle led the Chiefs in receiving in Week 2, and he could have some deep-league flex appeal now that Sammy Watkins is gone
SATURDAY, AUGUST 28TH
Packers (0-2) at Bills (2-0)
Players to watch: Isaiah McKenzie, Devin Singletary, Zack Moss, Amari Rodgers
- Keep an eye on Buffalo’s speedy receiver, who could be viable in deep leagues this season
- Buffalo’s RB competition is a situation fantasy managers should be monitoring closely
- Will a Rodgers-to-Rodgers connection be fruitful for fantasy managers this season?
Ravens (2-0) at Washington (1-1)
Players to watch: Dyami Brown, Tylan Wallace
- Pay attention to rookie receivers on both teams who may have more opportunities than expected in Year 1
Bears (1-1) at Titans (2-0)
Players to watch: Justin Fields
- Fields will start Week 3, and there’s no other player in this game – heck, in any game on the slate – that fantasy managers should be watching more closely
Cardinals (1-1) at Saints (1-1)
Players to watch: Marquez Callaway, Tony Jones, Eno Benjamin, Jameis Winston, Taysom Hill
- After a monstrous Week 2 performance, Callaway leads all players with 165 preseason receiving yards, including two scores. His “sleeper” status is likely over
- Jones and Benjamin are guys to keep an eye on in deeper dynasty leagues, but they’re not on the redraft radar quite yet
- New Orleans’ QB competition is still in full swing, so pay attention to Hill vs. Jameis
Buccaneers (0-2) at Texans (2-0)
Players to watch: Nico Collins, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, O.J. Howard
- Will Collins make his NFL debut this week?
- Can a couple of Bucs’ pass-catchers work their way into fantasy relevance this season?
Rams (0-2) at Broncos (2-0)
Players to watch: Teddy Bridgewater, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, Javonte Williams, Tutu Atwell
- Teddy B has been named the Broncos’ starting QB, and it’s unclear if he’ll play in the preseason finale.
- As always, make sure to tune in for Denver’s electric group of receivers and running backs
Chargers (1-1) at Seahawks (0-2)
Players to watch: Larry Rountree III, Rashaad Penny, Easton Stick
- This is a pretty bland game in terms of fantasy implications, but backup backs on both teams highlight the players to monitor, as does Los Angeles’ presumed backup QB
SUNDAY, AUGUST 29TH
Jaguars (0-2) at Cowboys (0-3)
Players to watch: Trevor Lawrence, Carlos Hyde, Laviska Shenault
- This year’s No. 1 pick has a QB rating of just 78.1 through 32 pass attempts. How will he fare in the preseason finale?
- With Travis Etienne out for the rest of the season, will we see additional work from Hyde or Viska in this one?
Dolphins (1-1) at Bengals (1-1)
Players to watch: Tua Tagovailoa, Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle, Malcolm Brown, Salvon Ahmed, Myles Gaskin
- Pay close attention to the talented pair of rookies in Chase and Waddle – two guys who could make a huge impact in their inaugural campaigns
- Keep an eye on Miami’s trio of running backs and how touches are distributed
- As always, if Tua’s playing, fantasy managers have got to take notice
Raiders (2-0) at 49ers (1-1)
Players to watch: Trey Lance
- Will Lance be the Niners’ starting QB in Week 1, or will San Fran fans and fantasy managers be kept waiting for him to replace Jimmy Garoppolo?
Patriots (2-0) at Giants (0-2)
Players to watch: Rhamondre Stevenson, Mac Jones, Corey Clement, Devontae Booker
- Stevenson is the preseason leader in scoring and rushing yards, and with Sony Michel traded to Los Angeles, Stevenson could have an impactful role as a rookie
- Mac vs. Cam – who will reign supreme as New England’s starting QB?
- Saquon Barkley will reportedly be ready to go Week 1, but if he’s not, someone’s got to carry the load. Will that be Booker or Clement?
Browns (2-0) at Falcons (0-2)
Players to watch: Kyle Pitts
- Not much to see on the Cleveland side, but fantasy managers are collectively holding their breaths waiting for the debut of one of the most hyped players in recent memory…
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Zachary Hanshew is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.
