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NFL Preseason Week 2 Fantasy Football Takeaways: Ashton Jeanty injury uncertainty dominates headlines

August 24, 2026

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There are things we can learn from grinding every single little detail of preseason action. I’ve done this for years, and on the whole, it’s very helpful to nitpick these things. I’ll do my best to cut through the noise, and also provide more context than just looking at the snap rates with the first team. Alignment, assignments and performance all matter as we project forward. Join us on YouTube as we debate these things each week.

I had my full team-by-team takeaways from Week 1 of the preseason here. Now it’s time to examine what Week 2 revealed after watching the All 22. You can jump to my Thursday and Friday takeaways but I’d suggest reading through the entire story so you don’t miss any developments, beginning with the weekend’s biggest story. Before we dive into the preseason action, we need to start with something that happened on the practice field Sunday.

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Ashton Jeanty avoids worst-case scenario

The initial reports from Jeanty’s injury on Sunday made it seem like his season was potentially over. The team stopped the music at practice, they took a knee for prayer and then Jeanty was unable to put any weight on his ankle as the training staff removed him from the field. For 5.5 hours while in limbo, thousands of fantasy drafts had Jeanty, and promising insurance back Mike Washington Jr. (more on him later), ranging from Round 2 to Round 10 picks. Wild times.

But Jeanty dodged the worst based on the follow-up reporting from the national insiders. A “sprained ankle” is what is being reported, which is typically 2-10 weeks depending on the severity. Based on the practice reaction, it could be on the month plus timeline, but this situation is a great reminder that we’re in a “Who knows?” world when it comes to injury status in camp. We’re 20 days away from the Raiders’ Week 1 game, so this still could be an IR stint (out four games) if there’s a small fracture like Omarion Hampton’s ankle sprain from last year or if he needs tightrope surgery for a high-ankle sprain.

It’s also possible he’s just ready shortly after the season kicks off. Jeanty was a fade for me in late Round 1 (obviously not for anything injury related at the time), so I’ll probably remain lower on him after this. He’s currently my RB18 and 36th overall player, amongst the Travis Etienne Jr., Javonte Williams, Kyren Williams and Josh Jacobs tier.

Washington should’ve been drafted in all 12-team leagues after watching his athleticism translate in preseason action. He’s also had a positive training camp, per various reports. He wasn’t loved by the spreadsheet community as a late breakout with mediocre volume, but his athleticism is on par with Adrian Peterson, he caught 28 passes in his final season and was a consensus late Round 3 to early Round 4 prospect. There were intriguing parts to his tape, especially in a run-first offense that wants to hit some perimeter runs. Washington is up to RB37, just behind Blake Corum, both Panthers RBs, Rico Dowdle and Keaton Mitchell. That group has contingent upside with more flex-able baseline work during the bye weeks. Washington easily could be an RB2/3 for a month to open the season depending Jeanty’s timeline, however, so if you want front-loaded production or take the chance that Jeanty is out more than a month, then I get it.

SUNDAY GAME

Titans: What is going on?

The Titans starters played for three drives, spanning 19 snaps. It wasn’t pretty. Cam Ward is still playing a lackadaisical style in an offense that appears to be pretty quick-hitting. Ward sailed Carnell Tate a couple times with poor accuracy and also carelessly escaped the pocket for yet another fumble. These back-breaking fumbles were a problem in college and as a rookie. The fact that it’s still popping up every time we see him is concerning.

The playing time at WR was cleared up, however. Tate played 100% of the snaps, though it would’ve been nice to see him sustain separation on his man-coverage crossing route. Calvin Ridley operates as the other outside receiver, playing 17-of-19 snaps. And Wan’Dale Robinson seems to be a featured player in their shotgun, popgun offense as the slot in a 3-WR set offense. He played 16-of-19 snaps. Unlike last week, Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike weren’t heavily mixed in with Ward. I’d like to think Tate will lead the team in receiving yards and touchdowns, but I’d take Robinson for receptions if you’re playing in a full PPR scam league.

The RB rotation was simple. Tony Pollard played the entire first drive (eight snaps), then Tyjae Spears played the next drives of four and seven snaps. I can see a drive-by-drive rotation emerging with Pollard opening each half.

Is that firing you up? Tennessee committee?

Seahawks: Starters sat.

SATURDAY GAMES

Browns: Shedeur Sanders starts, Deshaun Watson bombs post-game

More important than that headline, KC Concepcion was kept out of the game, while second-round WR Denzel Boston played for a bit. Boston did not play the entire Sanders’ half, but it’s more confirmation that Concepcion is being treated as a very important player. He’s an A+ “sleeper” and one of my go-to picks in the middle rounds.

Sanders played well. His general timing with his progressions and composure in the pocket were as good as I’ve seen him since he’s entered the NFL. Sanders’ stood tall and didn’t abandon a clean pocket, which has been his biggest issue dating back to college. Sanders made a couple of quality passes and was able to run for a gain. His mobility is more fine than great, and his accuracy has room for improvement, but this was his most promising outing in terms of consistency.

Watson’s play wasn’t impressive nor damning. He had a couple of passes deflected, completed a few underneath passes, scrambled for a first down and then had two interceptable passes over the middle. He can still drive the ball well but Watson’s timing and accuracy haven’t bounced back to his pre-suspension and pre-injury form. While he completely bombed his post-game interview, the Browns announced him as their Week 1 starter on Monday.

Commanders: Stefon Diggs doesn’t play in lone 2-WR set

Jayden Daniels went out there for three plays, as did the other veteran starters. Terry McLaurin and Treylon Burks played in the lone 2-WR set, while Stefon Diggs was treated as a slot only in 3-WR sets. It’s unclear if Burks would actually be playing ahead of Diggs in those looks during the regular season, but it’s at least possible after the Patriots kept Diggs in a part-time role with great success last season. It’d hurt his fantasy value on the margins, as this is essentially the Jayden Reed or Josh Downs role. Chigoziem Okonkwo was out there for all three Daniels’ snaps, but he was the lone key player who also played with the backup offense afterwards.

Vikings: JJ McCarthy throws every pass 100 MPH — with little success

There’s an urgency to McCarthy’s playing style that makes me feel uneasy. He speeds through reads so quickly that routes aren’t even having the time to get open, and then he’ll fire a pass that’s off-timed with unnecessary velocity. He can make downfield throws and the occasional awesome ball over the middle because of this whip, but there are simply too many inaccurate throws underneath and intermediate to live with. This was an unsettling performance yet again, and it unfortunately looks all too similar to the ones he had last season. Carson Wentz helps the Vikings win more if Kyler Murray were to miss time in 2026.

2025 third-rounder Tai Felton has been pushing Jauan Jennings for the No. 3 job, and Felton dunked on a corner on a deep sideline shot delivered by McCarthy. Felton’s speed stands out when working down the field, and he also added a quick out against off coverage and broke a tackle on a screen to continue his drumbeat. I’m buying that Felton is a threat to Jennings.

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Ravens: Starters get day off, third-round WR Ja’Kobi Lane plays

Lane was the most notable name to suit up, but it wasn’t a flashy outing. Lane caught a slant pass and was locked up on a separate comeback route. Especially with Rashod Bateman’s new legal trouble, Lane is on pace to be a starter right away.

Falcons: Starters chill, slot WR Zachariah Branch plays

The third-rounder did get a rep outside of 3-WR sets, but he’s going to be a slot on most plays. His speed is outrageous when he’s fully built up. He hit the brakes along the sideline in a way that reminded me of Tank Dell from a few years back, but he was also locked up on a slant route against man coverage. Branch needs some development, but he’ll be manufactured a couple of touches per week.

Lions: Starters rest, WR Isaac TeSlaa is forced to play

It’s not a good sign that everyone rests, except for TeSlaa. He was playing for the first four drives with “Luke Altmyer” at quarterback.

Colts: Starters sit, but RB2 job is leaning Seth McGowans way

Bills: Starters sit

Rams: Starters sat.

Saints: Starters sat.

Patriots: Starters sat.

Eagles: Starters sat.

Bengals: Starters sat.

Cardinals: Starters sat.

Cowboys: Starters sat, but Jaydon Blue slipped on both of his reps.

Bears: Starters played one drive.

There’s not a ton to learn here, but Rome Odunze did get a semi-manufactured touch off a play action where he was the underneath leaking option. This was just a reminder that Odunze doesn’t get screens like Luther Burden III, but that doesn’t mean Ben Johnson isn’t manufacturing touches for him.

Chiefs: First two plays were under center runs

Patrick Mahomes, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy didn’t play due to injuries, but the rest of the starting lineup was available. The first two plays were under center runs to Kenneth Walker III, something I’ve noticed plenty of when seeing Chiefs’ training camp clips. It’s notable because the Chiefs haven’t utilized these for a long time. Last year, for example, Kansas City was 30th in under center RB runs, and they were dead last in forcing missed tackles on them of course. This is going to be a new-look Chiefs offense, and Walker is the centerpiece. He’s my favorite Round 2 selection.

Sleeper WR Cyrus Allen is in consideration for WR3 duties, but it’s worth noting that 68% of his preseason snaps in 3-WR sets have been in the slot, where Rashee Rice will eventually line up when he’s cleared for action. The most likely scenario would be Tyquan Thornton offers more outside utility, while Allen is a rotational member.

FRIDAY GAMES:

Packers: MarShawn Lloyd, Matthew Golden stand out on tape

The starters had a 14-play scoring drive before their day was quickly over. Jayden Reed (ankle) and Tucker Kraft (ACL) did not play, so it was clearly Christian Watson and Matthew Golden as the top targets. Golden looked extremely fast on his build-up routes, and he had an “And-1” reception on a wiggle route underneath. The camp buzz and preseason tape have been consistent. Golden is an A-tier “sleeper” in fantasy football, if you will.

MarShawn Lloyd played 9-of-14 snaps, rotating with RB3 Chris Brooks. Lloyd’s athleticism stands out even if he’s a little jumpy and chaotic as a runner. He scored a receiving touchdown on an angle route. Lloyd is a must-draft player in all 10-team leagues with Josh Jacobs’ legal case still unsettled.

Broncos: Bo Nix finds Jaylen Waddle, RJ Harvey for big plays

The starters played two drives, with RJ Harvey getting the first drive and Jonah Coleman playing every snap in the second drive while J.K. Dobbins sat. The fact that neither played beyond the Nix snaps further signals they are valued as real committee members. Harvey was designed a wheel route on third down at the 20-yard line, and he was able to haul it in over a LB for a touchdown. Coach Sean Payton did similar things in this range with him last season. Coleman was fine on his touches but notably doesn’t move as explosively as Harvey does.

Pat Bryant was the Broncos’ WR3 alongside Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton, as expected. It was the veterans in the key 2-WR sets. Waddle beat his man against a blitz look on a crosser for an explosive. Most importantly, Nix was given multiple roll outs and boots, and he was able to throw the ball with velocity. I didn’t notice anything off about his game after his broken ankle last winter.

Steelers: Jaylen Warren starts but Rico Dowdle splits evenly

Most of the starting lineup played the first three drives, leading to 19 snaps. No Aaron Rodgers or DK Metcalf, but the first look at the RB split was shown. Jaylen Warren started and played the entire first drive (three plays), then Rico Dowdle played the second full drive (four plays), and then they each played six snaps in their final drive. On tape, Warren had a great pass protection rep early and ran with his usual pep in his step. Dowdle didn’t move me either way, aside from surprising me by wearing No. 13. Don’t love that!

At TE, Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth continue to rotate with clear strengths and weaknesses. Washington is similar to an offensive tackle, while Freiermuth has some wiggle underneath. This split makes neither draftable aside from the deepest of leagues.

Jets: Omar Cooper Jr. rejoins 1st-team offense

The starters, aside from Breece Hall (knee), played. Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell were the 2-WR set starters, while first-rounder Omar Cooper Jr. joined in 3-WR sets ahead of Isaiah Williams, who played 1-of-10 snaps on the first drive. Williams started over Cooper last week, yet Cooper exited after the first drive while Williams continued with the backups. It’s still an open competition for Week 1, but it’d be a total surprise if Cooper isn’t a 3-WR set starter for most, if not all, of this season. Unfortunately, to be taken seriously in fantasy, he’ll need to also beat out Mitchell for 2-WR set snaps. That hasn’t happened yet.

Panthers: Jonathon Brooks scores but doesn’t wow on tape

The starters played two drives, resulting in 13 plays. Jonathon Brooks played on 12-of-13 of them and finished with a goal-line touchdown. It’s great to see him out there, but if I’m being completely honest, he does not look overly dynamic athletically. His jump cuts as a rusher and lateral ability while sliding in pass protection seem a little stiff. He specifically underwhelmed in pass protection here, which is key for him as the general consensus is that he can be the pass-game complement to Chuba Hubbard (hamstring) when he returns. Right now, I’m drafting the falling Hubbard infinitely more than buying the top of Brooks.

At WR, it was Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker rotating into the slot. McMillan is a great Round 4 selection, and Coker’s tape and every-down role are that of a quality sleeper.

Jaguars: Nobody of note played

THURSDAY GAMES

49ers: Shanny dunking on spreadsheets with Stribling & Black tape

Some key starters rested, but Brock Purdy and the starting offense had a 10-play drive to start the game. Deebo Samuel Sr. and Demarcus Robinson opened in 2-WR sets, while De’Zhaun Stribling played in 3-WR sets initially. He once again dominated targets. Stribling had a great comeback route, a quick out against off coverage and was on the receiving end of a perfect rep on a dig route where he snapped things off cleanly before hands catching the pass in stride while in traffic. If he would’ve caught his stutter-and-go touchdown up the sideline from the slot, Stribling would’ve been a Round 6 selection in a hurry. There’s overwhelming evidence that the 49ers love him. He has already won the inside-outside hybrid Jauan Jennings role, and there’s room for him to quickly be a 2-WR set starter and fantasy-relevant player early on. Samuel hasn’t stood out. His ADP is at 123.7 (up 13.3 spots over the last seven days).

Kyle Shanahan was roasted for taking Stribling where he did (33rd overall), but he was also questioned for drafting RB Kaelon Black in the third round. Well, Black was excellent on Thursday, to the point that I believe he’s already won the valuable Christian McCaffrey backup role. Black had two key pass protection reps versus blitzers, and this is something that also stood out on his college tape at Indiana. He also was flawless in picking the right hole with the right pacing on his rush attempts. His play speed is better than his time speed because he makes confident, quick decisions. He also finished a couple of runs by flattening defenders. We’ll see if Jordan James can return from injury in time to make this a real competition, but for now, Black looks like a draftable player in fantasy football. If you think CMC is missing time, you should be drafting Black. It’s as simple as that.

Raiders: Fernando Mendoza, Mike Washington Jr. get 5 drives

While we covered the latest on Ashton Jeanty up top, let’s take a quick look from their preseason game. The starters rested, and the second-team offense had extensive run (26 snaps). Of note, WR Tre Tucker was included with the resting starters, while offseason signee Jalen Nailor needed to play the first three drives. As I wrote last week, Tucker was the starter in their 1-WR set look as well, so it’s probably time to simply rank Tucker ahead of Nailor as the more proven outside receiver. Meanwhile, Jack Bech was even more buried. He only played four snaps in the first three drives with Nailor, and in total, he played 11-of-16 snaps in the slot. It’s possible that a majority of his playing time will come in the less valuable 3-WR sets.

Mendoza had good and bad moments. He operated a differently-styled offense as the one he excelled in at Indiana, and there will be growing pains for years to come as he gets more comfortable with dropping back from under center, turning his back to the defense and learning the quick game while closer to the line of scrimmage. The best throw was a dart over the middle that was fit in versus sitting zone defenders, but Mendoza also had a pick-six when he and fellow rookie Washington Jr. weren’t on the same page. It looked to be more on Washington than Mendoza in terms of blame.

It’s not enough to rule Mendoza out starts before Halloween. There are reasons for excitement still. He physically looks the part.

But that’s burying the lead. As mentioned, Washington was awesome again. He immediately reeled off an explosive that was not created by elite run blocking up front, but instead by out-classing the defense with rare athleticism. He can fight off arm tackles and hit the gas in a hurry. If I’m the Raiders, I’m giving him 5+ touches per game in the regular season even when Jeanty is healthy. He’s good enough for them, and it’ll keep Jeanty’s abrasive style a little fresher. Win-Win. More important than his tape, Washington’s role as fantasy insurance is more than confirmed. He played 22-of-26 snaps with Dylan Laube barely playing with this unit. If Jeanty is out to start the season with ankle injury, Washington will be a bellcow.

Chargers: Charlie Kolar is the starting TE

They opened in a 2-TE set with Justin Herbert under center, and it was Charlie Kolar and David Njoku in it, rather than having pass-only Oronde Gadsden II in. This backs up what we’ve heard from training camp and shouldn’t be shocking if you’ve seen the latter block. Kolar was a receiving prospect out of college and mixed in next to prime Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely with Jim Harbaugh’s brother in Baltimore. He has real fantasy appeal, despite what the spreadsheets say. He will be the Chargers’ leader in TE snaps.

SEC dominator Brenen Thompson started next to Ladd McConkey but continued playing with the backups. It’s encouraging to see him ahead of KeAndre Lambert-Smith, though Quentin Johnston and Tre’ Harris didn’t suit up. Thompson will be the rotational deep threat WR4. This was just another reminder that this Chargers offense will be amongst the lowest in 3-WR sets this year. The battle for those valuable 2-WR set snaps between McConkey, QJ and Harris is on.

Omarion Hampton played the first three snaps with the first-team offense, and his day was done. Keaton Mitchell played next, well ahead of Kimani Vidal. Mitchell caught two passes; a wheel route up the seam and a checkdown where he made a defender miss. I’m #noticing that his alignments are funky when he’s on the field and that OC Mike McDaniel appears to be having fun with how he’ll use him as a receiver, in addition to giving him pitches and stretch runs. Mitchell is a near lock to have a career-high in receiving this year, and I’m drafting him aggressively while fading Hampton inside the top-15. This could be an interesting tandem rather than pure bellcow backfield.

Unfortunately, the Chargers interior OL looks really bad. Rookie C Jake Slaughter had negative moments and LG Kayode Awosika doesn’t look athletic enough to be a quality starter. Then there’s RG Cole Strange. They’ve already lost Tyler Biadasz for the season and if LT Rashawn Slater doesn’t return to practice and get back to his normal self, then the Chargers’ OL might be underwhelming versus expectations a month ago.

Texans: Woody Marks has his best run ever

Some of the starters played, but Nico Collins and David Montgomery weren’t included. C.J. Stroud had a 10-play first drive, and RB2 Woody Marks played on 100% of those snaps. He had the best run of his NFL career for a touchdown, prompting some Texans’ beat reporters to tweet out that this could be a 50/50 split between Monty and Woody. That’s music to my ears as a 2026 Monty fader. There are worse RB4 clicks than Marks right now. He’s one of the few RB2s who could realistically overtake their backfield via performance rather than injury.

It wasn’t a run, but Marks also stood out on pass protection. On a 3rd-and-4, the Raiders had both of their off-ball LBs up in the a gap, so Marks was also aligned in the A-gap at the snap. Those backers dropped into coverage, but they sent the CB on a blitz. Marks got his eyes around in time to pick up the blitz, and then stonewalled him, allowing the offense to pick up a first down.

This is what it’s all about, folks. This is why we should project Marks to play real snaps at the expense of Monty.

We didn’t get information about Jaylin Noel’s role without Jayden Higgins, as he’s still working back from a hamstring injury. Last week, coach DeMeco Ryans said Noel was a couple of weeks away, but he’s at least back on the practice field for individual drills. I don’t believe he’s practicing in full yet. Speaking of not practicing, Tank Dell is still not in team drills while he comes off one of the most serious injuries in sports (knee dislocation). Some Texans beat reporters do not believe he will play for months, and that checks out to me given the extent of this injury.

The easiest answer for now is Xavier Hutchinson’s experience and physicality will win out in Week 1 for those 2-WR sets. Noel, Dell or a veteran via trade or waivers will have to take Hutchinson’s job during the season. That’s not a high bar to clear, but it would require Noel escaping this slot-only profile. I’m not stoked about any of them in 12-team redraft leagues. I’d be more open to it if it’s Kayshon Boutte via trade — and that’s exactly what happened on Monday!

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