When it comes to evaluating the NFL preseason, it’s important to pay attention to playing time and position battles more than overall production. Paying attention to these battles can help you be a couple of days or even a couple of weeks ahead of shifts in ADP, which can provide a tremendous advantage as we get into the busiest draft weekends of the summer.
Matthew Freedman takes a look at the key position battles through the first two weeks of the preseason and offers in-depth analysis.
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Key Position Battles – Analysis Based on Preseason
Arizona Cardinals
RB: Darrel Williams and Eno Benjamin
In Week 1, the Cardinals rested RBs James Conner and Williams. In Week 2, Conner continued to rest, but Williams played. Is it a positive sign that he played just four first-team snaps? Does it mean that the team doesn’t want to use him needlessly in the preseason? Or is it a negative sign — especially since third-year upstart Eno Benjamin drew the start and played a position-high 21 first-team snaps? I still lean toward Williams, but Benjamin’s usage is notable.
Atlanta Falcons
RB: Cordarrelle Patterson, et al.
The Falcons haven’t played yet in Week 2. In Week 1, Patterson played the first snap of the game and then rested. He’s the clear starter. After him, veteran backups Damien Williams and Qadree Ollison split the work with the first team. Hyped fifth-round rookie Tyler Allgeier was the last back to enter the game.
WR: Drake London, et al.
London suffered an injury in Week 1 but is expected to be ready for the regular season. Besides him, four other wide receivers (KhaDarel Hodge, Olamide Zaccheaus, Geronimo Allison and Damiere Byrd) saw snaps with the first team. Ugly. When healthy, Bryan Edwards is presumably a starter, but who really knows?
Baltimore Ravens
RB: Mike Davis and Justice Hill
Davis leads the Ravens backfield with 25 first-team snaps, followed by Hill with 18. Davis is likely in the lead to be the No. 3 back behind J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards.
WR: Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, James Proche, et al.
Bateman, Duvernay and Proche have yet to play in the preseason. Everyone else at the position doesn’t matter.
TE: Isaiah Likely
With Mark Andrews out, rookie fourth-rounder Likely has led the position with 25 first-team snaps, 18 first-team routes and nine first-team targets. In Week 2 specifically, he turned eight targets into 8-100-1 receiving in one half of football. Likely is the clear No. 2 receiving tight end for the Ravens and might be a strong fill-in if Andrews were ever to miss time.
Buffalo Bills
RB: Devin Singletary, Zack Moss and James Cook
In Week 2, Singletary played every first-team snap, and then Moss and Cook played after he left. Based on talent and draft capital, Cook figures to get a shot at some point, but all figure to see action.
WR: Gabriel Davis, Isaiah McKenzie and Jamison Crowder
In Week 2, Davis played on 100% of QB Josh Allen‘s snaps and ran a route on 100% of his dropbacks. In the slot, McKenzie (7 first-team snaps, 4 first-team routes) played well ahead of Crowder (2, 1). Davis and McKenzie are strong favorites to play alongside No. 1 WR Stefon Diggs in three-wide sets.
Carolina Panthers
QB: Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Matt Corral and P.J. Walker
Mayfield got the start in Week 1 and has been named the starter for the regular-season opener. Corral (foot) could miss the entire season with an injury he suffered in Week 2 (per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe), which would likely make Darnold the backup and Walker the third-stringer.
RB: Chuba Hubbard and D’Onta Foreman
Hubbard (11 first-team snaps) and Foreman (8) are still fighting for the No. 2 spot.
Chicago Bears
RB: Khalil Herbert
Herbert played 100% of the Week 2 first-team snaps. He’s the locked-in No. 2 back behind David Montgomery and might have a rotational role during the season.
WR: Equanimeous St. Brown, Byron Pringle and Velus Jones
In Week 2, St. Brown played on 100% of QB Justin Fields‘ snaps and ran a route on 100% of Fields’ dropbacks. The Bears offense is unlikely to be a strong source of pass-catching production, but St. Brown — and not Pringle or Jones — might be the No. 2 wide receiver in Chicago.
Cincinnati Bengals
RB: Samaje Perine and Chris Evans
In Week 2, Joe Mixon and Perine rested while Evans played 10 snaps with the substitute first team. Perine is the clear No. 2 back right now.
Cleveland Browns
WR: David Bell and Anthony Schwartz
In his preseason debut, Bell led the team with 16 first-team routes and four first-team targets in Week 2. He’s still competing with Schwartz (16, 3) to be the No. 3 wide receiver, but Bell’s talent, versatility and preseason usage suggest that he’ll eventually beat out Schwartz.
TE: David Njoku and Harrison Bryant
In Week 1, Njoku played 100% of the first-team snaps, and Bryant joined him in two-tight end sets. Both rested with the starters in Week 2. Both will see regular action, but Njoku has a real chance to be a full-time player.
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Dallas Cowboys
RB: Rico Dowdle
With Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard resting, Dowdle has played 17 first-team snaps in each of Weeks 1-2. He’s the locked-in No. 3 back.
WR: Noah Brown, Jalen Tolbert, et al.
Brown has rested with the starters for Weeks 1-2 while Tolbert has played a position-high 33 first-team snaps, followed by Simi Fehoko (30) and Dennis Houston (23). Given the injury situations with No. 2 WR Michael Gallup (knee) and potential starter James Washington (foot), the Cowboys might need to keep more receivers than they want — especially since ace return man KaVontae Turpin isn’t a proven receiver at the NFL level — but Brown is firmly ahead of Tolbert right now on the depth chart.
TE: Jeremy Sprinkle and Jake Ferguson
In Weeks 1-2, Ferguson led the position with 36 (of 39) first-team snaps. Starter Dalton Schultz is playing on the franchise tag, and Sprinkle (Achilles) is dealing with an injury and signed to a cheap one-year contract. If Sprinkle gets cut, Ferguson could be the No. 2 tight end this year. And if Schultz leaves in free agency, Ferguson could be the No. 1 tight end next year.
Denver Broncos
RB: Mike Boone
With Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon resting, Boone played 21 (of 23) first-team snaps in Weeks 1-2. He’s the No. 3 back.
TE: Albert Okwuegbunam and Greg Dulcich
Dulcich (hamstring) has missed Weeks 1-2 with injury, but Okwuegbunam’s usage has been concerning. While all the starters have rested, Okwuegbunam has played — and he hasn’t even dominated usage. In Week 1, he and Eric Tomlinson both played eight first-team snaps, and Okwuegbunam played all the way to halftime. In Week 2, he ran a route on 80% of the first-team dropbacks, which was encouraging, but he still played on just 10 of 19 first-team snaps, and he played into the fourth quarter. We have no idea what Dulcich’s usage will look like in the regular season, but Okwuegbunam doesn’t look like a “real” starter.
Detroit Lions
RB: D’Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams and Craig Reynolds
Swift (6) and Williams (4) split first-team snaps in Week 1. Reynolds (11) led the position in first-team snaps in Week 2. They’re the top-three backs, with Reynolds a distant No. 3.
WR: Amon-Ra St. Brown, D.J. Chark, Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond
St. Brown, Chark and Reynolds all ran routes on 100% of QB Jared Goff‘s dropbacks in Week 1, and all three rested in Week 2. In their absence, Raymond led the position with 14 first-team snaps, six first-team routes and three first-team targets. As long as rookie first-rounder Jameson Williams (knee) is out, Reynolds looks like the No. 3 receiver, and Raymond looks like the No. 4 receiver.
Green Bay Packers
WR: Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, Sammy Watkins, Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Juwann Winfree and Amari Rodgers
Lazard, Cobb and Watkins all rested in Weeks 1-2. The three veterans look like the starters. Watson (knee) has been out, so it’s hard to know where he fits into the depth chart, but he’s probably not a starter at this point, despite his second-round draft capital. He’s likely No. 4 or 5 and in direct competition with Doubs, who in Weeks 1-2 ran routes on 23 of QB Jordan Love‘s 28 dropbacks and was targeted on nine of his 26 pass attempts. Right now, Doubs looks like the No. 4 receiver, but Watson’s return to action could change that.
Winfree and Rodgers might be fighting for one roster spot, although maybe the team will keep seven receivers. Winfree (45 snaps, 25 routes and 5 targets) has the edge over Rodgers (38, 21 and 1) in first-team usage, but Rodgers has the edge with his versatility (71 snaps in the slot, 27 out wide, 8 as a return man). Winfree looks fairly replaceable, but Rodgers could be the primary backup to Cobb.
Houston Texans
RB: Dameon Pierce, Marlon Mack and Rex Burkhead
Pierce balled out in Week 1 (5-49-0 rushing) — and then he didn’t play any in Week 2, while Mack and Burkhead did. Inference: The Texans don’t need to evaluate Pierce any more in the preseason because they already know that they like him, and they don’t want to risk him getting injured in the preseason because they know that he will be an important part of their offense in Week 1.
WR: Nico Collins
With six of 20 first-team targets in Weeks 1-2, Collins looks like a locked-in No. 2 wide receiver behind veteran Brandin Cooks.
TE: Brevin Jordan
In Weeks 1-2, the second-year breakout candidate played on 28 of 36 first-team snaps and ran a route on 19 of QB Davis Mills‘ 22 dropbacks. Jordan is the clear No. 1 receiving tight end for the Texans and could end up being the overall No. 2 pass catcher for the team.
Indianapolis Colts
RB: Nyheim Hines and Phillip Lindsay
In Weeks 1-2, starter Jonathan Taylor rested. In Week 1, Hines played 100% of the first-team snaps. He’s the clear No. 2 back and could end up being more of a lead back than expected if Taylor misses time. In Week 2, Hines also rested, and in his absence Lindsay easily led the backfield with 10 first-team snaps, which he leveraged into four carries and five routes. If either Taylor or Hines suffers an injury, Lindsay could have a workhorse role.
WR: Michael Pittman, Parris Campbell, Alec Pierce and Dezmon Patmon
In Week 1, the top of the receiver depth chart was clearly established. Pittman (19 snaps, 11 routes, 3 targets) had a little more first-team usage than Campbell (16, 10, 2), who in turn had a little more than Pierce (13, 9, 2). In Week 2, Pittman rested and Patmon played in his place.
TE: Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson and Jelani Woods
In Week 1, Alie-Cox (15), Granson (9) and even sixth-round rookie Andrew Ogletree (4) all played more first-team snaps than Woods, who got zero action with the starters. In between Weeks 1-2, Ogletree (knee) suffered a season-ending injury, so Woods has been bumped up the depth chart, but even with Alie-Cox resting Woods played just seven first-team snaps in Week 2 and saw no targets. Woods looks like nothing but a rotational No. 3 tight end right now.
Jacksonville Jaguars
RB: Travis Etienne, James Robinson and Snoop Conner
Robinson (Achilles) hasn’t played this preseason, so it’s hard to know how much he’ll impact Etienne’s usage, but what we’ve seen from Etienne so far is good. He sat for the Hall of Fame Game, and then in Week 1 he had nine carries and 11 routes (three targets) on 22 of 25 first-team snaps. In Week 2, he had similar usage with eight carries and 10 routes on 21 first-team snaps. Conner did get 19 first-team snaps in Week 2, so he’s the locked-in No. 3 back, but Etienne played the entirety of the first drive and at the beginning of the second and third drives.
Even when Robinson returns, Etienne could enjoy heavy usage.
WR: Christian Kirk, Marvin Jones, Zay Jones, Laviska Shenault, Jamal Agnew and Laquon Treadwell
Kirk rested in Week 1, but in Week 2 he flashed with 22 routes (and eight targets) on QB Trevor Lawrence‘s 24 dropbacks. He’s the clear No. 1 receiver. After him, M. Jones and Z. Jones are locked in as the Nos. 2-3 options. Z. Jones (55 snaps, 31 routes, 6 targets) has marginally outproduced M. Jones (52 snaps, 27 routes, 4 targets) with the first team, but M. Jones has had the better career and has something of an established connection with Lawrence.
Shenault didn’t play in Week 1, but in Week 2 he was the clear No. 4 wide receiver (10 snaps, 7 routes) with the first team, distantly followed by Agnew (2, 2) and Treadwell (2, 1). If the Jags keep only five receivers, Agnew is likely to make the team over Treadwell because of his return ability. If both make the team, neither is likely to contribute much as a receiver, but Treadwell still intrigues me: In Week 1, he played on 17 of Lawrence’s 25 snaps, and he was the most productive receiver on the Jags last year once he broke into the starting lineup (405 yards in seven games).
TE: Evan Engram
In Weeks 1-2, Engram annoyingly split first-team snaps with inline blocker Chris Manhertz (42 vs. 34) — but Engram still ran a route on 30 of Lawrence’s 36 dropbacks. He has had just three targets, but if he’s running that many routes, he’s likely to have a relatively high floor.
Kansas City Chiefs
RB: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Isiah Pacheco, Jerick McKinnon and Ronald Jones
In Weeks 1-2, Edwards-Helaire (15), Pacheco (13) and McKinnon (8) all got first-team work. Edwards-Helaire looks like the lead back, but Pacheco has gotten three targets (despite not being much of a pass catcher in college), and McKinnon has played regularly on third downs. This looks like a dreaded committee, although Edwards-Helaire could be the clear leader if he manages to control goal-line usage. Jones, meanwhile, looks like a cut candidate.
WR: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mecole Hardman, Skyy Moore and Justin Watson
In Week 1, Smith-Schuster and Valdes-Scantling were the clear top-two receivers. Both ran routes on all of QB Patrick Mahomes‘ dropbacks. Hardman was the No. 3 receiver, and Watson was actually the No. 4 receiver, playing one snap with the first team.
In Week 2, with Smith-Schuster (knee) and Hardman (groin) out, Watson again played ahead of Moore. In fact, Watson led the position by playing on 22 of Mahomes’ 25 snaps and running a route on 17 of his 19 dropbacks. With that playing time, he put up a strong 2-53-0 receiving line on three targets, ranking second behind Valdes-Scantling (5). I doubt that Watson will stay ahead of Moore on the depth chart, and even if he does, he’s unlikely to see much playing time in the regular season — but Watson is intriguing. An athletic freak (4.44-second 40-yard dash at 6-2, 215 pounds), Watson finished his college career (at University of Pennsylvania in the Ivy Leagues) with three consecutive seasons of 1,000 yards receiving. Watson will probably never get an opportunity to be an NFL starter, but if he does, he could be the Jeff Janis who actually lives up to his potential.
TE: Travis Kelce, Blake Bell, Noah Gray and Jody Fortson
I’m not worried about Kelce. He’s a veteran and the only pass catcher on the team Mahomes has a strong connection with. He’s the one guy Mahomes and HC Andy Reid don’t need to worry about. It makes sense that he’s not getting a lot of playing time. He doesn’t need it.
That said … it’s notable that Kelce has played just 16 of 36 first-team snaps, especially since the Chiefs have strong depth at the position. If Kelce’s snap share drops in the early weeks of the regular season, then I’ll be concerned.
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Las Vegas Raiders
RB: Josh Jacobs, Ameer Abdullah, Zamir White and Kenyan Drake
After playing 11 of 16 first-team snaps in the Hall of Fame Game, Jacobs sat out Weeks 1-2. He’s the lead back, although he will lose snaps to Abdullah and White. In the Hall of Fame Game, Abdullah played three first-team snaps (3 routes, 1 target), and then he — like Jacobs — has rested since then. He’s ticketed for very real work in the James White role in new HC Josh McDaniels’ offense.
In the Hall of Fame Game, White got two first-team snaps (2 carries), and then in Weeks 1-2 he played ahead of Kenyan Drake on the first team (23 snaps, 11 routes, 9 carries vs. 18, 11, 5). White is likely to be the all-purpose change-of-pace No. 3 back for the Raiders. And that means Drake is at risk of being cut, because the team is also likely to keep special-teams ace Brandon Bolden.
Editor’s Note: According to multiple reports, the Raiders are indeed expected to release Kenyan Drake.
WR: Mack Hollins, Keelan Cole and Tyron Johnson
After Week 1, the Raiders cut starting WR Demarcus Robinson, and in Week 2, Hollins rested with the starters — so he looks to be the No. 3 wide receiver behind Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow. With starters resting, Cole and Johnson have regularly played with the first team in the preseason and are the interchangeable Nos. 4-5 receivers. If Hollins underwhelms, Cole and Johnson will have a shot at his job.
TE: Foster Moreau
With starter Darren Waller out, Moreau played 100% of the first-team snaps in the Hall of Fame Game, and then he rested in Weeks 1-2. He is one of the better No. 2 tight ends in the league and will see regular playing time.
Los Angeles Rams
WR: Lance McCutcheon
An undrafted rookie, McCutcheon has dominated in the preseason (10-183-2 receiving on 12 targets). He seems unlikely to beat out backup WRs Ben Skowronek, Tutu Atwell and Jacob Harris for a roster spot, but his odds of making the team are probably higher now than they were in July.
Los Angeles Chargers
RB: Joshua Kelley, Larry Rountree and Isaiah Spiller
In Weeks 1-2, Kelley and Rountree have both played 20 first-team snaps while Spiller has gotten just two. I still believe that Spiller is the most talented and complete of the three backs, but he’s unlikely to make an impact early in the regular season.
WR: Joshua Palmer, Jalen Guyton and DeAndre Carter
In Weeks 1-2, Palmer (36 snaps, 21 routes, 8 targets) and Guyton (35, 18, 4) have both played with the first team, but Palmer has more effectively turned his routes into targets and his targets into production (3-75-1 receiving vs. 3-22-0). Palmer looks like the No. 3 receiver, and Guyton might actually lose the No. 4 role to return man DeAndre Carter, who has also gotten sustained action with the first team.
Miami Dolphins
RB: Chase Edmonds, Raheem Mostert, Sony Michel, Salvon Ahmed and Myles Gaskin
Edmonds rested in Week 1 and then played 10 of 13 first-team snaps in Week 2. He looks like the No. 1 back, although it’s hard to know how the presence of Mostert could impact Edmonds’ workload, given that Mostert is familiar with HC Mike McDaniel’s offense, has been productive in the offense before and hasn’t played in the preseason, probably out of an abundance of caution. In Week 2, Michel was the only other back besides Edmonds to play with the first team, and in Week 1 Ahmed was the only back besides Michel to play with the first team. Gaskin looks like a cut candidate.
WR: Cedrick Wilson and Trent Sherfield
It’s just assumed that Wilson will be the No. 3 receiver — but he didn’t rest with starters Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in Weeks 1-2. And he hasn’t separated himself from Sherfield, who has come to the Dolphins from the 49ers with McDaniel. Wilson (21 snaps, 14 routes, 3 targets) and Sherfield (24, 16, 1) have had similar first-team usage, and McDaniel might not be the kind of coach to go with Wilson just because he has the bigger contract.
TE: Mike Gesicki and Durham Smythe
Gesicki (18) and Smythe (17) have split first-team snaps, but Gesicki still has an edge in first-team routes (11 vs. 6) and first-team targets (5 vs. 1). Smythe will likely limit Gesicki’s upside, but he should still be a contributor in the offense.
Minnesota Vikings
QB: Nick Mullens, Kellen Mond and Sean Mannion
The Vikings just traded a conditional 2024 seventh-rounder for Mullens, who has shown that he can at least make passes that are schemed open for him, given his 64.7% career completion rate. Coming from the 49ers, Mullens will likely be able to acquaint himself quickly with new HC Kevin O’Connell‘s system, given that O’Connell worked previously with McVay, who himself previously worked for now 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan. Both Mond and Mannion were terrible in Week 2 (combined 147 yards, zero touchdowns, two interceptions on 35 attempts). Mullens looks like the frontrunner to be the No. 2 quarterback for the Vikings — and this could be Kirk Cousins‘ last year on the team.
New England Patriots
RB: Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson and Ty Montgomery
All three of these backs rested in Week 1, and then they were the three backs to play with the first team in Week 2. The building hype for Montgomery as a third-down replacement for the retired James White is real. Harris and Stevenson played ahead of him in Week 2, but of the three backs, Montgomery played the most first-team snaps (10), ran the most first-team routes (6), saw the most first-team targets (1) and earned the most first-team carries (4), one of which was a goal-line touch he converted into a two-yard rushing touchdown. As always, the Patriots have a backfield committee.
WR: Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor and DeVante Parker
Second-round rookie Tyquan Thornton (collarbone) could miss half the season, which means that Meyers, Agholor and Parker are cleanly slated to be the top-three wide receivers. They (with Thornton) were the only wide receivers to get first-team snaps in Week 2, and they all had comparable usage (11, 9, 7 routes; 3, 3, 2 targets). Kendrick Bourne has disappointed in training camp (per NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran and The Athletic’s Chad Graff) and seems to be a distant No. 4 option right now.
New Orleans Saints
TE: Taysom Hill, Juwan Johnson, Adam Trautman and Nick Vannett
This is a full-blown committee with all four players getting first-team snaps in Week 2 — but Trautman seems to be falling behind. He played just four first-team snaps in Week 2 and ran only three first-team routes in Weeks 1-2. The guy who has stood out the most has been Johnson, who led the position both weeks in first-team snaps (10, 14) and first-team routes (7, 8) and has seen his usage increase. Really, this unit is a mess, but Johnson might emerge as the No. 1 option in the cohort.
New York Giants
WR: Kadarius Toney, Kenny Golladay, Wan’Dale Robinson, Sterling Shepard, Collin Johnson and Darius Slayton
With Toney (knee) sidelined, Golladay led the position in both Weeks 1-2 in first-team snaps (20, 10) and first-team routes (13, 10). As long as he’s healthy, Golladay will be involved in the offense.
In the absence of Shepard (Achilles), Robinson has actively played with the first team and looks like the starting slot receiver. Even when Shepard returns, Robinson will likely keep the job.
After Golladay and Robinson, the No. 3 receiver on the first team has been Johnson (25 snaps), not Slayton (4), who could be cut.
TE: Daniel Bellinger and Ricky Seals-Jones
For weeks, Seals-Jones has been dealing with an undisclosed injury, and that has opened up the opportunity for Bellinger to steal his presumed starting job. In Weeks 1-2, Bellinger played on 36 of QB Daniel Jones‘ 42 snaps and ran routes on 23 of his 29 dropbacks. In total, he has just 3-15-0 receiving on four targets — so it’s not as if he’s definitely running away with Seals-Jones’ job — but Bellinger’s usage has been great for a Day 3 rookie.
New York Jets
RB: Breece Hall and Michael Carter
In Week 1, Carter (7 snaps) played ahead of Hall (2) with the first team. For Hall investors, that’s very much not ideal.
WR: Elijah Moore, Garrett Wilson, Corey Davis and Braxton Berrios
In Week 1, Moore (9), Davis (8) and Berrios (6) played significantly more first-team snaps than Wilson (1). Eventually Wilson should overtake Davis and Berrios, but both are likely to get enough usage to slow Wilson down.
TE: Tyler Conklin and C.J. Uzomah
In Week 1, Conklin played on 100% of the first-team snaps and ran a route on 100% of the first-team dropbacks.
Philadelphia Eagles
RB: Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott
In Week 1, Sanders played 100% of the first-team snaps — and then (naturally) in practice he suffered a hamstring injury. The team believes he’ll be ready for Week 1 (per The Athletic’s Bo Wulf and Zach Berman). In Week 2 (without Sanders), Gainwell (19 snaps, 11 carries, 6 routes) played ahead of Scott (14, 10, 4) with the first team.
WR: Jalen Reagor, Quez Watkins and Zach Pascal
There’s a three-person competition for the No. 3 wide receiver role. In Week 2, Reagor led the position with nine first-team routes and three first-team targets, but Watkins is the better slot receiver — and that’s likely what the Eagles are looking for next to Nos. 1-2 WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Pittsburgh Steelers
RB: Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland and Jaylen Warren
In Week 1, starter Najee Harris rested and Snell (knee) missed the game, so McFarland handled 14 of the 16 first-team snaps. In Week 2, Harris continued to rest, and Snell returned and dominated first-team usage (17 snaps, 14 routes, 3 targets, 3 carries). Even though Warren has gotten some training camp hype, the undrafted rookie looks like he’s no better than No. 4 on the backfield depth chart.
WR: Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Chase Claypool, Calvin Austin and Gunner Olszewski
Johnson sat out Week 1 but returned in Week 2 and was his typical alpha self, leading the first team in snaps (25), routes (18) and targets (5). Claypool also sat out Week 1, which indicates that he’s above Pickens on the depth chart — but Pickens had more first-team usage in Week 2 (21, 17, 1 vs. 16, 10, 1), and Pickens has looked good in the preseason (5-49-1 receiving on 7 targets).
Austin (foot) has missed the preseason due to injury, and in his absence Olszewski has made a push for the No. 4 job with 23 first-team snaps, 17 first-team routes and three first-team targets in Weeks 1-2. In total, Olszewski has 4-53-1 receiving on 5 targets this preseason.
San Francisco 49ers
RB: Elijah Mitchell, Jeff Wilson, Trey Sermon and Tyrion Davis-Price
Mitchell (hamstring) and Wilson (personal) both missed Weeks 1-2, which opened up an opportunity for Sermon, who dominated with 20 of 24 first-team snaps. Right now, Sermon seems to be far ahead of Davis-Price (as well as pass-catching veteran JaMycal Hasty). It’s not inconceivable for Sermon to beat out Wilson for the No. 2 spot, especially since Wilson has been away from the team. If that happens, Sermon could have a regular role as the thunder complement to Mitchell’s lightning.
WR: Jauan Jennings and Danny Gray
Starters Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk rested in Weeks 1-2, and in their absence, Jennings and Gray competed (along with Malik Turner and Ray-Ray McCloud) for the No. 3 job. While Jennings has seen more first-team action (19 snaps, 13 routes, 4 targets vs. 8, 8, 3), Gray has flashed with his overall opportunities (4-123-1 receiving on eight targets). Right now, a rotation at No. 3 receiver seems most likely.
Seattle Seahawks
QB: Geno Smith and Drew Lock
Smith will likely enter the regular season as the starter — his case is helped by Lock’s COVID-induced Week 2 absence — but neither guy has actually earned the No. 1 job.
RB: Rashaad Penny, Ken Walker, Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas
Penny (groin) missed Weeks 1-2, so Homer (16) and Walker (12) split the first-team snaps. Homer played on third-and-longs and in the two-minute drill, but Walker played on first and second downs and third-and-shorts and was the primary back on the first, second and fourth drives.
But after Week 1, Walker (hernia) suffered an injury and missed Week 2, so Homer (14) and Dallas (15) split the first-team snaps. When healthy, Walker looks like the No. 2 back, but he has no timetable to return. In his absence, Homer seems likely to serve as the primary change-of-pace option.
TE: Noah Fant, Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson
In Week 2, Fant played on just 15 of QB Geno Smith’s 29 snaps and ran a route on just 10 of his 20 dropbacks. Fant is not a full-time player — but neither is Dissly nor Parkinson.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
RB: Leonard Fournette, Giovani Bernard, Rachaad White and Ke’Shawn Vaughn
With Fournette resting in Week 1, Bernard played 100% of the first-team snaps, and then Vaughn and White respectively served as the Nos. 2-3 backs. Fournette returned in Week 2 to play 100% of the first-team snap, but with Bernard (foot) on the sideline, White jumped Vaughn in the order and played as the No. 2 back. When healthy, Fournette and Bernard are the clear top two backs, but White is putting himself in position to get playing time if either suffers an injury.
Tennessee Titans
RB: Dontrell Hilliard, Hassan Haskins and Julius Chestnut
Hilliard rested in Week 1 with starter Derrick Henry, so he looks like the No. 2 back. When he returned in Week 2, he played the first drive and then was done, at which point Haskins took over with the first team. Although the undrafted Chestnut led the position with seven first-team snaps in Week 1 and looked good overall (7-44-0 rushing), he’s probably the No. 4 back on the roster.
WR: Robert Woods, et al.
Woods (knee) is working his way back from an ACL tear, but he looks like the No. 1 wide receiver by default at this point. In Week 2, first-round rookie WR Treylon Burks (5 snaps) played in a first-team five-man positional rotation with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (6), Racey McMath (6), Cody Hollister (5) and Kyle Philips (4). Unreal.
Washington Commanders
RB: Antonio Gibson, Brian Robinson, J.D. McKissic
In Week 1, Gibson played on first and second downs with the first team and McKissic rotated in on third downs. Then Gibson fumbled. After that, Robinson played as the early-down grinder, and he ended up leading the backfield with 11 first-team snaps (6 carries, 5 routes, 2 targets) — and Gibson played later with the backups.
After Week 1, Gibson was forced to do some special-teams work in practice, and then in Week 2 Robinson drew the start, getting eight carries on 11 first-team snaps. Gibson rotated in as a passing-down back, but that’s likely because McKissic (undisclosed) was out with an injury.
It’s too early to say that Robinson is the No. 1 back ahead of Gibson — especially because this backfield will likely be a committee — but Robinson at a minimum is applying pressure to the veteran.
WR: Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel
In Week 1, Dotson played 100% of QB Carson Wentz‘s snaps and ran a route on 100% of his dropbacks. In Week 2, he tied McLaurin with a position-high 18 first-team snaps and 10 first-team routes. He’s the locked-in No. 2 receiver.
TE: Logan Thomas, John Bates and Armani Rogers
Thomas (knee) was just activated from the PUP and John Bates (calf) and fifth-rounder Cole Turner (hamstring) have been out with injury. As a result, the undrafted Rogers has played as the No. 1 tight end, getting 28 first-team snaps, running 13 first-team routes and earning five first-team targets. That’s not bad for a college quarterback transitioning to a new position. I doubt he gets much playing time this season, but he could jump ahead of Turner on the depth chart.
Data from PFF
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