4 OTB.

Well-traveled Washington Commanders quarterback Josh Johnson completed 15 of 22 passes for a game-high 173 yards with one touchdown and an interception on Friday against the New England Patriots. Jayden Daniels is the no-doubt starter for Washington with Marcus Mariota also in the fold as the likely backup, leaving Johnson and Sam Hartman competing for the third spot. Hartman struggled while the 38-year-old Johnson proved to be the more effective of the two, at least in the opener. Washington will next take on Cincinnati on Aug. 18.

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Running back Jamaal Williams completed a workout with the Chicago Bears, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The 30-year-old running back is coming off a forgettable tenure with the New Orleans Saints in which he managed just 470 yards and two touchdowns in the past two seasons combined. Williams' best season came as a member of the Lions in 2022 when he surpassed 1,000 yards rushing and scored 17 touchdowns. With former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson now the head coach in Chicago, Williams is at least getting a look with the Bears.

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Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa caught two passes on three targets for 18 yards and a touchdown in his team's 17-10 preseason win over the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night. Detroit used a third-round pick on TeSlaa in the 2025 draft, and reports out of training camp have indicated that the 23-year-old has been playing well in practice. Even still, TeSlaa does not project to have a huge role in the offense as a rookie. The Lions have the star duo of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams leading their wide receiver room and steady veterans Tim Patrick and Kalif Raymond behind them. That makes 2025 likely a developmental season for TeSlaa, but he could eventually push the 31-year-old Patrick for playing time.

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Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Jackson Meeks led the team in receiving during Detroit's 17-10 preseason win over the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night. Meeks recorded three catches on four targets for 78 yards and a touchdown. An undrafted free agent out of Syracuse, Meeks logged 78 catches for 1,021 yards and seven touchdowns in his final collegiate season in 2024. The Lions have a deep wide receiver room with players like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick, Kalif Raymond, and third-round rookie Isaac TeSlaa. That leaves Meeks competing for a roster spot with veterans Ronnie Bell and Tom Kennedy as well as fellow rookies Dominic Lovett and Jakobie Keeney-James. Meeks is probably still a long shot to make the team, but he may have separated himself to some degree with a strong showing on Friday.

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Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker had a rough outing in his team's second preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night. Hooker completed seven of ten pass attempts for just 38 yards and lost two fumbles. The third-year quarterback got the start after playing behind veteran Kyle Allen in the Lions' first preseason game, but Hooker was pulled in the middle of the second quarter against the Falcons. Hooker and Allen are competing for the backup quarterback job in Detroit behind Jared Goff. The competition has been open throughout training camp, but Hooker may have fallen behind Allen with his poor showing on Friday night.

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Detroit Lions quarterback Kyle Allen completed seven of eight pass attempts for 120 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions in his team's 17-10 preseason win over the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night. He entered the game in the second quarter, replacing Hendon Hooker at quarterback. Allen and Hooker are competing for the backup quarterback job in Detroit behind Jared Goff. Both players struggled in the team's preseason opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, but Allen significantly outplayed Hooker against Atlanta. The Lions' usage of their two reserve quarterbacks will be something to monitor in the team's third preseason game against the Miami Dolphins on August 16.

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Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders completed 14 of his 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns while rushing four times for 19 yards in a 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in the preseason opener on Friday. Sanders got the start for Cleveland and found wide receiver Kaden Davis for a pair of scores in the second quarter. The rookie signal-caller played into the third quarter, leading a third touchdown drive that was capped off by a four-yard rushing score by Gage Larvadain before calling it a night. Sanders is looking to beat out Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel for the chance to be Cleveland's starting quarterback in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals. While there's still plenty of time left in the preseason, he made a good first impression on Friday night.

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Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson carried the ball twice for six yards and failed to catch his lone target in a 30-10 preseason win over the Carolina Panthers on Friday. Sampson got the start, taking his first carry of the game for a five-yard gain while rotating with Trayveon Williams. The rookie runner out of Tennessee has a chance to earn a large role alongside Jerome Ford in the Cleveland backfield thanks to the legal issues of Quinshon Judkins, who remains unsigned. Sampson will continue to state his case in Cleveland's second preseason game, which will come next Saturday against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III caught six of his eight targets for 50 yards and a touchdown during Friday's preseason opener against the Washington Commanders. He also returned a punt for 11 yards. We had heard a lot about Chism's talent and ability through training camp so far, but it was even more exciting to see him produce in a game. The 23-year-old Eastern Washington product is an underdog story after going undrafted this past spring. He signed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent and, despite facing an uphill battle, has put himself in the mix for a roster spot. He still has work to do in order to make the team, but pacing the team's receivers on Friday was a great place to start. Should Chism survive final cuts at the end of the preseason, he'd fill a back-end depth role in New England and would struggle to carve out a role for fantasy football purposes.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Ja'Corey Brooks led the team in receiving in their first preseason game against the Patriots, catching all five targets for 59 yards. The 2025 undrafted free agent stepped in to play the majority of the second half and made the most of his opportunity. Brooks, a former five-star recruit out of high school, played at Alabama before transferring to Louisville for a season. He has good size at 6'2", 190 pounds, and posted over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns in his final collegiate season. However, his poor athletic testing dragged him down in the draft process. With the Terry McLaurin contract situation and the state of the Commanders' receiver room, there is an opportunity for Brooks to make the roster as the sixth receiver. He'll need to continue to stack positive days at practice as well as produce when the lights come on for him to have a chance.

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New England Patriots running back Lan Larison rushed seven times for 35 yards and a touchdown during Friday's preseason opener against the Washington Commanders. He also caught each of his two targets for a total of nine yards through the air. Larison, a 23-year-old UC Davis product, signed with the team as an undrafted free agent back in May. As a result, he faces an uphill battle to make the roster. Nevertheless, he certainly made a positive impact and got himself noticed with Friday's productive showing. As the summer carries on, Larison will likely continue to compete with Terrell Jennings and JaMycal Hasty for the No. 4 running back role.

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New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 36 yards on seven carries during Friday's preseason opener against the Washington Commanders. He was not targeted in the passing game. Although Stevenson has been productive through four seasons and has a 1,400-yard year under his belt, he still faces some job security. He was benched late last season for Antonio Gibson, and now he must also fend off the likes of TreVeyon Henderson. That won't be easy, as Henderson contributed a 100-yard kick return touchdown on Friday and also broke off an 18-yard rush. This backfield competition continues to be a must-watch for fans and fantasy managers alike as the summer carries on.

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New England Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson registered an 18-yard rush, caught all three of his targets for 12 yards through the air, and delivered a spark with a 100-yard touchdown return during Friday's preseason opener against the Washington Commanders. The Ohio State product wasted no time making a first impression, as his big touchdown return came on the very first play of the game. Although Henderson only played two offensive drives, he was productive both on the ground and through the air, showcasing a blend of volume and efficiency. As the incumbent starter, Rhamondre Stevenson has the early leg up on the competition to be New England's primary running back in Week 1. However, Henderson will continue to be a thorn in Stevenson's side, and nobody would be surprised to see the rookie jump to the top chart by the season opener. At the very least, we expect Henderson to be handling the bulk of the backfield snaps by midseason, especially after the Patriots spent the 38th overall draft pick on him. His rushing ability and blocking skills fit nicely in a Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels system, and if Friday's game is any indication, it looks like he'll carve out some targets in the passing game, too. Henderson has low-end RB2 appeal in fantasy drafts given his ceiling, and his dynasty stock is even higher.

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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed three of his five pass attempts for 12 yards during Friday's preseason opener against the Washington Commanders. He also registered two carries, 16 rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown. The touchdown came on Maye's second and final drive of the game, as he scrambled into the end zone to put the Patriots ahead by two scores. On a less positive note, Maye did take a sack and lose a fumble in the preseason opener. Nevertheless, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the former Tar Heel in his second pro season. Not only should he benefit from a new coaching regime led by Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels, but he'll also have a full season, offseason, and training camp under his belt. The blend of playing experience and quality coaching will serve Maye well. The same can be said of his rushing skills and New England's offseason additions, both in the trenches and among the offensive skill positions. Maye is currently being drafted as a mid-to-low QB2 in most fantasy leagues, but there's a legitimate chance that he finishes among the top 10 quarterbacks in fantasy points this year. As long as Maye continues to make strides this preseason, he should be a hot commodity in fantasy drafts given his rushing ability.

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Washington Commanders tight end Ben Sinnott drew three targets and had two receptions for 10 yards against New England on Friday. It was a relatively quiet opener for the 2024 second-round pick, but he made a couple of nice catches and got separation on other throws where he wasn't targeted as well. He got most of the reps in the first half with veteran Zach Ertz resting before taking the second half off. The Kansas State product had modest production as a rookie with six catches for 51 yards and a touchdown in the regular season and playoffs combined. His snap count decreased over the final stretch of games, but he's generated positive reports from head coach Dan Quinn throughout Commanders' training camp. Sinnott has elite athletic traits at the tight end position and could be entrusted with a larger role in his second season. He carries contingent fantasy value if Zach Ertz were to miss any time.

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New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (ankle) was held out of Friday's scrimmage after he tweaked his ankle Thursday. Olave watched the full scrimmage and didn't appear to be in significant pain. Olave finished practice on Thursday despite initially having his ankle taped. Despite missing practice, there is little to no concern about Olave's ankle, and he was held out of practice as a precaution. Saints head coach Kellen Moore stated that "half a dozen starters would not suit up for their preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday," so expect Olave to be a part of that group. This likely has no significant impact on his current value, but it is worth monitoring.UPDATE: Olave's ankle injury is considered insignificant, and he's listed as day-to-day. He should be back soon.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk (shoulder) exited Friday's preseason game early due to an apparent shoulder injury. Polk took a jet sweep for a short gain and fell awkwardly on his right shoulder. He went to the blue medical tent before heading to the locker room with a towel over his head. Polk was recovering from offseason surgery on his right shoulder and seemed to potentially re-injure his repaired shoulder. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said there's no update on Polk's status yet, but he will undergo more tests and see team doctors. This situation warrants monitoring, as the second-year receiver aims to secure a spot on the 53-man roster in New England.

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Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Hartman played the first half of the Commanders' first preseason game in New England and was largely ineffective. He completed nine of 19 passes for 64 yards and threw one interception. He didn't take a sack and also added a six-yard scramble. The former Notre Dame signal caller was let down by his receivers a bit, with multiple drops by receiver Chris Moore and KJ Osborn. He delivered a beautiful deep ball to Moore down the sideline, who momentarily caught it before losing control when he hit the ground. On his final drive of the night, he again dropped it in the bucket to Osborn on a slot fade in the endzone, but he couldn't come down with it. Otherwise, Hartman struggled with accuracy and threw a poor interception after being late on the throw. He's been battling for the QB3 position in Washington with journeyman Josh Johnson, who may have the upper hand with a solid performance in the second half.

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New Orleans Saints head coach Kellen Moore announced Friday that second-year quarterback Spencer Rattler will get the start Saturday against the Los Angeles Chargers. Rattler will start and be followed by rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, and then second-year quarterback Jake Haener will go third in the order. Moore also stated that "half a dozen players will be rested on both sides of the ball." This suggests that Rattler has the lead in the quarterback competition. Rattler had a shaky rookie season, completing 57% of his passes and throwing four touchdowns and five interceptions in his six starts. If Rattler were to start, he would be throwing to Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Alvin Kamara, and Juwan Johnson in a new system under Moore. If he starts, Rattler would be rosterable in deeper superflex leagues with little to no change to the Saints' playmakers' values.

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Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt made his much-anticipated preseason debut on Friday against the Patriots. Croskey-Merritt totaled 24 yards on seven carries and added an eight yard reception on the night. While the numbers don't jump off the stat sheet, he showed off his burst and shiftiness on all of his touches, consistently making defenders miss and fighting for extra yards. The rookie briefly entered the medical tent with a shoulder injury, but he later returned to the game. He has been the talk of Commanders training camp so far, and has explosiveness as a runner that the team otherwise doesn't have at running back. He looked dynamic in his first taste of NFL action and has plenty of upside to dream on as a late round selection in fantasy drafts.

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