2022 Preseason Week 3 Review

Ladies and gentlemen, football is back! Well, kind of… sort of… Preseason football is back at least, and with that, we have some fresh stats to analyze. And thus, fantasy implications.

Preseason wins are no doubt irrelevant. Preseason scores are useless. Preseason stats are meaningless. The preseason itself? Actually pretty important — well, at least if you’re a fantasy football player.

If — for instance — Breece Hall finishes the preseason playing on 90% of the team’s first-string snaps, you can expect him to catapult up our rankings. If he plays on just 20% of the team’s first-string snaps, he’d surely plummet down our rankings. If Josh Allen locks onto Isaiah McKenzie, targeting him twice as much as Gabriel Davis, that’s going to mean something to us and is going to impact our rankings.

Don’t watch preseason football? Or, rather, didn’t track first-team snap counts by hand? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. That’s what this article is for.

Preseason Review Week 3

TL;DR

• Michael Carter and Breece Hall are a true 1A / 1B committee

• Garrett Wilson barely plays with the first-team

• Steelers starters play a ton; Najee Harris knocks off the rust

• Mo Alie-Cox – finally a full-time starter?

• Bad vibes continue for Mike Gesicki

• Dameon Pierce just jumped another two rounds by ADP.

• Clyde Edwards-Helaire, still the clear RB1 for Kansas City.

• Jeff Wilson, excellent late-round pick as San Francisco’s apparent RB2.

• QB Sam Darnold, RB Ty Mongtomery, WR Jakobi Meyers suffer injuries.

• Panthers, RB2 by committee after CMC.

• Shi Smith likely Carolina’s WR3.

• Round 2 rookie RB James Cook, *fart noise*

• Bump Austin Ekeler (and I guess also Justin Hebert), because the Chargers don’t have any good RBs behind him.

• Geno Smith QB1 in Seattle.

• Fade TE Noah Fant.

• DeVante Parker likely WR1 for Patriots.

• 50/50 TE committee in New England

• David Njoku, a bell cow-TE (?)

• Good day for Justin Fields stans (me)

• Positive vibes for David Montgomery, negative vibes for Cole Kmet.

• Eno Benjamin, Arizona RB2 (?)

• Dontrell Hilliard, Titans third-down back

Green Bay Packers vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Packers

For the third straight week, the Packers rested all of their key starters. Preseason GOAT Tyler Goodson (7/28/1 rushing; 5/26 receiving) started and played well again, assuredly locking him in as their #3 on the depth chart behind Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon.

Romeo Doubs started as well but was quiet – he went 2/13 receiving – which is a good thing because it will keep his ADP down for the next two weeks. Aaron Rodgers had some pretty strong praise for the rookie earlier this week:

Note – Christian Watson and Robert Tonyan both did not play on Thursday night. It’s fair to wonder if either will have a big Week 1 role, if much of a role at all.

Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Marquez Valdes-Scantling (concussion), and JuJu Smith-Schuster all did not play on Thursday night.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire got the start, played the first 3 snaps, and then was put on ice. His one and only carry got called back due to holding.

Jerick McKinnon also barely played. He played on 1 snap on the first drive, got 2 snaps on the second drive, and then was put on ice. He is officially their #2 back.

While CEH and McKinnon rested, Ronald Jones was the Chiefs #3 back in rotation while Isiah Pacheco was #4. In fact, Pacheco played deep into the second-half – getting 16 snaps to Jones’ 4 in the third and fourth quarters. In fact, Jones got more carries (6 to 1) in the first-half over Pacheco. To me, this signals that Jones and Pacheco are still battling it out for the #3 job.

If you’re buying the hype on Pacheco, I would strongly caution against it. His final carry of the day was an outside-zone run where all he had to do was follow the seal block to the outside. Instead, he decided to slam it up the middle and got stuffed. These types of poor decisions have been a common theme on Pacheco’s tape this preseason. He has a long way to go in terms of his processing and vision to make it in the NFL.

San Francisco 49ers vs. Houston Texans

49ers

Trey Lance and the 49ers first team offense played three drives – 22 snaps in total – and the entire offense looked a bit out of shape. Lance missed a layup throw to George Kittle and he was a beat slow on a crossing concept that got Deebo Samuel wide open. The 49ers got behind in down/distance on their second and third drives and Lance called it a night after going 7-of-11 for 49 yards.

The bigger story here is that the 49ers offensive line struggled badly on Thursday night. HC Kyle Shanahan has his work cut out for him this season to get this ready.

We got further confirmation that Jeff Wilson is the 49ers #2 runner behind Elijah Mitchell on Thursday night. Wilson got the start, played every snap on their first two drives, then was put on ice. Wilson rested in their first two preseason games.

Trey Sermon was the next 49er running back in rotation and he played every snap of the third drive. Sermon isn’t it, though. His 20 carries this preseason have gained 42 yards and he has one run of 10 or more yards.

Jordan Mason was, interestingly, the next back in the 49ers rotation as he ran ahead of Tyrion Davis-Price. It’s possible that San Francisco just wanted to get more of a look at Mason since he’s on the roster bubble. Regardless, Davis-Price is a long way off from having a Week 1 role and is just a late-round flier in drafts over the next two weeks.

Texans

Davis Mills and most of the Texans starters played the entire first half – 27 snaps in total – but the story of the night was Dameon Pierce.

On the Texans first drive, Pierce carried the team down the field for 6/37/1 rushing and looked decisive, explosive, and dangerous. He’s ready for Week 1.

Pierce went in the sixth round of an NFFC Rotowire Online Championship that I was in last night and that will be near the price you have to pay to get him in your leagues.

With Brandin Cooks out, these were the Texans WR/TE snaps (in routes run) with Mills on the field:

• Nico Collins (11)

• Brevin Jordan (9)

• Chris Conley (9)

• Chris Moore (5)

• Mason Schreck (5)

• Phillip Dorsett (3)

Beyond the fact that Pierce is already a stud, the other main takeaway from the Texans this preseason is that Brevin Jordan is a full-time starter now. Houston is done rotating tight ends.

Davis Mills has dropped back to pass 31 times this preseason and Jordan has been on the field running a route on 27 of those pass plays. Jordan’s 87% route share (routes run divided by team dropbacks) this preseason would be among the elites at tight end during the regular season. Only five tight ends ran a route on over 80% of their team’s pass plays last year – Waller, Kelce, Andrews, Hockenson, and Higbee.

Carolina Panthers vs. Buffalo Bills

Panthers

QB Baker Mayfield ends his preseason completing 13 of 22 for 135 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions (107.0 passer rating), through five drives or a little less than two full quarters of work. He didn’t spend much time with any players of significance, but I guess it’s at least a little interesting a whopping 27% of his pass attempts went to RBs. Perhaps that’s a positive sign for Christian McCaffrey.

Mayfield’s backup, QB Sam Darnold was carted off the field with either (pure speculation) a high ankle sprain or ankle fracture.

RBs Chuba Hubbard and D’Onta Foreman split the team’s first-team snaps 58% to 42%. I suppose this means Hubbard should be the preferred “handcuff”. But in reality, this will probably just be a gross low-upside committee should McCaffrey suffer an injury. There are better handcuffs to target late in your drafts, even if you do (wrongly) think McCaffrey is the most injury-prone player in football.

It’s still unclear to me who the WR3 on this team will be. I think WR Shi Smith has to be the favorite, though it’s possible we see a committee between him and Terrace Marshall (who played into the third quarter). Smith has spent nearly all of his time in the slot, and has been Mayfield’s favorite receiver thus far (27% target share). On 54 routes this season, he’s caught 6 of 10 targets for 74 yards and a score. He’s probably deserving of a draft pick in a very-deep best ball league, but likely nowhere else.

There’s not going to be a fantasy-relevant TE on this team.

Bills

RB James Cook appears to be the team’s RB3, starting the game with Devin Singletary and Zack Moss both earning the day off. In a best-case scenario he always seemed like a poor man’s J.D. McKissic, with Josh Allen vulturing rushing touchdowns at a league-high rate and targeting RBs at a league-low rate. He was over-drafted all offseason, and is still being over-drafted today (ADP: RB35).

Nothing else of note.

New Orleans Saints vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Saints

On just four dropbacks all preseason, QB Jameis Winston has completed 4 of 4 passes for 59 yards. Of course this is an infinitesimally small sample against backup players on defense. But I do think it’s at least interesting he led all QBs in fantasy points per dropback last season.

RBs Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram split snaps 63% to 36%. Kamara earned 2 carries and 1 target to Ingram’s 3 carries and 0 targets. Ingram also vultured Kamara, scoring from the 1-yard-line. If this is indicative of their regular season usage, I might cry. Kamara saw career-highs in snap share (76%) and rushing share (78%) last season. And he’s currently my overall RB3, well above ADP, partly for that reason. But Ingram is 32-years-old and coming off of a season in which he averaged 3.5 YPC, and this is also the preseason. (With Winston lobbying to get the starters playing time and HC Dennis Allen seemingly agreeing only begrudgingly.) So forgive me if I don’t take this seriously.

With WR Michael Thomas earning the day off, Jarvis Landry and Marquez Callaway started over Chris Olave. It’s possible Olave isn’t a Week 1 starter or that he’ll be splitting WR3 duties with Callaway early in the year, but I think it’s only a matter of time before he establishes himself as the clear WR3 (or even WR2, ahead of Landry). Still, he’s not quite a target for me in drafts.

Chargers

Based on the team’s RB usage tonight, it seems Larry Rountree has leapfrogged Joshua Kelley as the RB2A. I’m not sure. But what I do know is Isaiah Spiller is the clear RB4. And as much as GM Tom Telesco and Austin Ekeler himself have said they want more a committee backfield this year, I don’t see that happening. These backup running backs are badddd.

Nothing else of note.

Seattle Seahawks vs. Dallas Cowboys

Seahawks

QB Drew Lock waved the white flag on this QB battle, throwing three interceptions after Geno Smith ended his day completing 3 of 6 passes for 43 yards. For what it’s worth, Tyler Lockett was Smith’s favorite target last season – 27 targets, 17 catches, 196 yards, 0 touchdowns. But Smith was far more effective when targeting D.K. Metcalf – 21 targets, 17 catches, 251 yards, 4 touchdowns.

WR Dee Eskridge made his preseason debut tonight, back from injury, catching one of 3 targets for 8 yards. He seems like the betting favorite to replace Freddie Swain as Seattle’s (fantasy-irrelevant) WR3.

I’m still convinced TE Noah Fant is extremely talented, but, sadly, based on his preseason usage he’s probably undraftable. In Week 1, Seattle rested Will Dissly while playing Fant late into the second quarter. The last two weeks Fant has played on just 52% of the team’s first-string snaps in a heavy three-way committee alongside Colby Parkinson (36%) and Will Dissly (33%). I understand this seems a little too ludicrous to take seriously, but this is Pete Caroll we’re dealing with.

Cowboys

WRs CeeDee Lamb and Noah Brown sat out once again. So, they seem locked in as the team’s starting two outside WRs for however long Michael Gallup remains out (ACL). Dallas’ WR3 seems somewhat up for grabs. Simi Fehoko and Dennis Houston started over Jalen Tolbert tonight. But Tolbert has spent most of his time in the slot this preseason, with the other two receivers playing predominantly on the outside. So, if Lamb is playing primarily in the slot this year – which is where he should be playing, where he’s been the most effective throughout his career – Fehoko could be the WR3 in 3WR sets. But, more likely, Lamb will be playing outside with Tolbert in the slot.

Nothing else of note.

New England Patriots vs. Los Vegas Raiders

Patriots

QB Mac Jones ends his preseason completing 13 of 21 passes for 132 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception (60.0). DeVante Parker has been Jones' favorite target (5), just ahead of Nelson Agholor (4), and then Kendrick Bourne (3) and Jakobi Meyers (3).

WR Jakobi Meyers’ day ended early due to what appears to be a minor injury. DeVante Parker led the first-team offense in snaps, routes run, and targets, which supports what Adam Caplan has told us all offseason – that he should be viewed as the team’s WR1.

RB Damien Harris had the day off (he got banged up in practice earlier in the week), and Rhamondre Stevenson started in his absence. Ty Montgomery was in on the second drive, but was carted off the field with an ankle injury.

TEs Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith both played on 16 of 25 snaps with the first-team offense. I have a hard time imagining either TE will be someone you’re ever looking to slide into your starting lineup. And I suspect Smith cannibalizes Henry’s production a bit more than he did last year.

Raiders

Nothing of note.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Atlanta Falcons

Jaguars

The following players earned the day off: QB Trevor Lawrence, RB Travis Etienne, WR Marvin Jones, WR Christian Kirk, WR Zay Jones, TE Evan Engram. Those are your likely Week 1 starters.

Nothing else of note.

Falcons

RBs Cordarrelle Patterson and Damien Williams earned the day off. They should be considered as the favorites to be the co-starting RBs in Week 1 – with Patterson serving as the scatback-plus and Williams serving as the workhorse-minus. But rookie RB Tyler Allgeier earned the start in their absence, and will probably supplant Williams at some point in the season.

WRs Drake London, Olamide Zaccheaus, Bryan Edwards, and KhaDarel Hodge earned the day off. It seems London is the clear WR1, Zaccheaus is the likely slot WR, and then either Edwards will be the outside WR2 (Adam Caplan has repeatedly told us the team loves him) or he’ll share that role with Hodge.

Los Angeles Rams vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Rams

With RBs Darrell Henderson and Cam Akers both banged up, rookie Kyren Williams also sat out. Why? Per HC Sean McVay, “Because he's a guy that we anticipate having a big role for us." I think this was worth mentioning, but probably not worth acting on. Partly because Williams is probably still well behind Henderson and Akers, and partly because HC Sean McVay is a well-documented liar (especially when it comes to RB usage).

Nothing else of note.

Bengals

Nothing of note.

Cleveland Browns vs. Chicago Bears

Browns

It seems I’ve very clearly been underrating TE David Njoku, who played on 96% of the team’s first-team snaps tonight. And that’s about in line with what he saw the last two weeks. He was at only 64% last year, and their TE1 Austin Hooper wasn’t much higher (68%). But now it appears Cleveland may actually give Njoku – who they recently made the 5th-highest-paid TE in football – a bell cow-TE role.

Nothing else of note.

Bears

QB Justin Fields – a player I’m dangerously high on – ended his preseason completing 23 of 30 passes for 243 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions (133.1 passer rating). He ran the ball 4 times, gaining 22 rushing yards (and three first downs). Fields did all of this on 35 dropbacks in only 9 drives of work. (Chicago averaged 27.9 dropbacks per game and 10.5 drives per game last season.) The minimal rushing production isn’t optimal, but it’s also not at all uncommon for coaches to ask their hyper-mobile QBs to scale back on rushing attempts in the preseason (to limit injury-risk). And we already know Fields has massive rushing upside – the big question was whether or not he could improve as a passer, after ranking dead-last in accurate throw rate last year. And maybe this isn’t proof he has, but it is a very positive sign.

RB David Montgomery played on 20 of the team’s 22 snaps (91%) with the first-team offense. I’d love for this to mean that Montgomery is a lock to resume his 2021 bell cow role, as he’s another Chicago player I’m dangerously high on. But every Bears beat writer has told us the team wants sophomore RB Khalil Herbert more involved and that we should expect more of a committee backfield this season. And, furthermore, this was Montgomery’s first game of the year, and HC Matt Eberflus already got a decent look at Khalil Herbert the first two weeks of the preseason (27 snaps, 10 touches). But that said, I can’t help but still be a little (cautiously) optimistic, at least in regard to Montgomery’s current ADP (RB22).

TE Cole Kmet split first-team snaps with Ryan Griffin 68% to 64%. And last week he split first-team snaps with James O’Shaughnessy 78% to 56%. Keep in mind, Kmet had an 83% snap share last year. So, this hints that the new regime would like to see his usage scaled back in 2022, and it seems we’ve been a little too optimistic on him this offseason. I think even if Chicago spends nearly all of their time in 2TE sets (they should, given their WR corps), Kmet still deserves a slight bump down in our rankings.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Tennessee Titans

Cardinals

I still have no idea who Arizona’s RB2 is, but I suppose we have to give the lean to Eno Benjamin, who earned the start (for the second week in a row) and out-snapped Darrel Williams 8 to 5 with the first-team offense.

Nothing else of note.

Titans

QB Malik Willis continues to look awesome. On 73 total dropbacks this preseason, he’s completed 28 of 51 passes for 317 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. More importantly, on the ground, he’s run 14 times for 159 yards and 1 touchdown. He did all this on 71 total dropbacks, averaging roughly 20.8 fantasy points per four quarters. If Ryan Tannehill were to miss time at some point this season, Willis could be a DFS must-play if he’s priced at a typical backup QB’s salary.

RB Dontrell Hilliard earned the start, playing on the first three snaps of the game before he was done for the day, with rookie Hassan Haskins coming on in relief. This supports what Titans beat writer Paul Kuharsky has told us all offseason – that the team views Hilliard as their primary third-down back. Derrick Henry hit a career-high 2.3 catches per game last year, but we should probably expect that number to drop. But if Henry were to miss time, I think we would see a committee between Hilliard (scatback-plus) and Haskins (workhorse). Neither one should be very high on our fantasy radar.

WR Treylon Burks has had one of the worst rookie offseasons in recent memory. Seemingly every day there’s a new video from HC Mike Vrabel saying something along the lines of, “Yeah, maybe the kid’s good. But quite frankly, I don’t care because I hate his guts. Everytime I look at him he reminds me of the time we sold A.J. Brown to Howie Roseman for a pack of peanuts.” …Anyway, Burks-owners finally had some good news today. After playing deep into the fourth quarter last week, Burks started today’s game. And he also scored a touchdown! Unfortunately, I wouldn’t read too much into any of this. The touchdown came against busted coverage, and WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine sat out tonight, so Burks is still probably behind him (WR2), WR1 Robert Woods, and slot WR Kyle Philips.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Miami Dolphins

Eagles

The Eagles rested all of their key players on Saturday night. RB Kenny Gainwell got the start, played the first drive, and then was put on ice. Miles Sanders (hamstring) and Boston Scott (rest) did not play.

Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill started the game and connected on the opening play of the game on a deep bomb where Hill simply got on top of the defense. Tua has looked comfortable, in rhythm, and accurate all preseason and Saturday night was more of the same. Tua’s ball-placement was on point yet again.

Hill played 3 snaps, caught his 2 targets, and then was put on ice.

Jaylen Waddle didn’t play again with an unspecified minor injury, but I can’t help but think how much Hill is going to open up for Waddle in this offense. Waddle getting 1-on-1 coverage while Hill attracts attention over the top is going to be a pain in the neck for opposing defenses to try and defend.

Bad vibes continue for Mike Gesicki as he’s been an afterthought in this offense all preseason. He continued to line up in-line way more on Saturday night and actually got out-snapped by Durham Smythe. On his 20 preseason snaps with Tua, Gesicki has lined up in-line 15 times and in the slot or out wide just four times. That is a massive change in Gesicki’s role considering that he was a full-time “big slot” receiver last year.

There are 7-8 way better late-round tight end options than Gesicki at this point.

While Chase Edmonds rested, Raheem Mostert made his preseason debut and looked like he still has a ton of juice. Mostert is the #2, but he’s now 30-years-old and has a defective knee. I can’t imagine this coaching staff is banking on him having a ton of volume every week, but he’s certainly going to take away from Edmonds’ early-down workload.

Washington Commanders vs. Baltimore Ravens

Commanders

The Commanders rested all of their key players, including the rookies – RB Brian Robinson and WR Jahan Dotson. With Carson Wentz resting, rookie QB Sam Howell was in for the entire game and played well going 24-of-35 for 280 yards and 1 TD while adding 8/62 on the ground. This was a great capper to a solid preseason for Howell and it may just give Washington the confidence to give him a legitimate shot if Wentz struggles early.

Ravens

The Ravens rested anyone and everyone we care about for fantasy, including TE Isaiah Likely.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Indianapolis Colts

Buccaneers

Tom Brady, Mike Evans, Leonard Fournette, and Julio Jones started and played on the Bucs’ first 2 drives on Saturday night. Brady looked sharp and even though most of his throws were short, he drove a nice ball to Julio on the sideline on a comeback route for a chunk gain. To my eye, Brady’s ball hasn’t lost zip.

Fournette played on 11-of-11 snaps with Brady and the first-team and then the rookie Rachaad White made his first appearance with the second-team. Make no mistake – Fournette is the bell-cow and White is the direct backup.

Colts

The Colts first two drives resulted in just 18 yards and two punts, but Matt Ryan’s third and final drive of the night was sharp. Ryan hit three-straight passes, including two to Michael Pittman, to set up a TD plunge by Deon Jackson. (Jonathan Taylor did not play).

Ryan has played in two preseason games (Week 1 and 3). These are his WR/TE routes run on his 20 dropbacks:

• WR Michael Pittman (20)

• WR Parris Campbell (19)

• WR Alec Pierce (18)

• TE Mo Alie-Cox (15)

• TE Kylen Gransen (7)

It’s no surprise that their 3-WR set is set in stone, but what sticks out here is that Mo Alie-Cox has seemingly been elevated to a full-time player. MAC showed flashes last year, but was never consistently on the fantasy radar because he was a part-time tight end. His 41% route share (routes run per team pass play) was lowly. Maybe HC Frank Reich has ended his tight end-by-committee approach?

Minnesota Vikings vs. Denver Broncos

Vikings

Nothing of note.

Broncos

K.J. Hamler made his return! He played 25 snaps with Brett Rypien and the backups, earning 5 targets (3/17 receiving). Hamler is a very interesting WR6 target in 12-team leagues over the next 10 days. There is a wide open pathway to a full-time role in 3-WR sets alongside Sutton and Jeudy.

All of the other Broncos key players we care about rested, including TE Albert Okwuegbunam.

New York Giants vs. New York Jets

Giants

QB Tyrod Taylor got the start but injured his back on a huge hit on the start of the Giants third drive. The injury isn’t considered serious, luckily.

While Saquon Barkley (rest), Kadarius Toney (knee/hamstring), and Sterling Shepard (rest) all didn’t play, these were the Giants’ first-team routes run on their first three drives before they started resting starters:

• WR Kenny Golladay (10)

• WR David Sills (9)

• TE Daniel Bellinger (8)

• WR Wan’Dale Robinson (6)

Robinson was on the field for all of the Giants’ plays on their first two drives and was highly involved. He got 2 targets and took a little toss end-around for 11 yards and a first down on their third drive. Robinson definitely has a ton of burst in open space.

Golladay continues to be a ghost. He’s running routes at half speed and putting no effort in to block on run plays. If their receiver room wasn’t filled with injuries, HC Brian Daboll surely would have benched Golladay by now.

Bellinger’s usage this preseason has been very encouraging. On the Giants’ 37 “first-team” pass plays this preseason, Bellinger has been on the field for 30 of them – which means he’s run a route on 81% of their pass plays. That’s strong! Last year, only five tight ends had a route share of 80% or higher (Kelce, Waller, Andrews, Hockenson, and Higbee).

Rookie tight ends are rarely factors in fantasy football, but Bellinger has a full-time role locked down. He remains an excellent late-round TE3 pick in best-ball. Ricky Seals-Jones (toe) was placed on I.R. last week.

Jets

Joe Flacco can still make some throws and he’ll facilitate well enough to keep up the guys we care about for fantasy, but his INT that was returned for a touchdown was absolutely horrific. Flacco didn’t even see the linebacker running directly in front of him. Please get healthy, Zach Wilson.

Flacco and the first team played four drives – 21 snaps in total. Here were the Jets WR/TE routes run on Flacco’s 12 dropbacks:

• WR Elijah Moore (11)

• WR Corey Davis (9)

• TE Tyler Conklin (8)

• TE CJ Uzomah (7)

• WR Braxton Berrios (5)

• WR Garrett Wilson (3)

• WR Jeff Smith (1)

Wilson’s ADP has sunk for the last week or so and his quiet preseason won’t make him gain any steam into September drafts. I’m buying all of the dip and stashing him as a WR6-7 wherever I can.

Michael Carter made a great effort to fight for a first down on a reception on the first drive, but had a bad fumble going through contact. It was telling that they immediately went back to him on the second drive.

Breece Hall had a nice run on the third drive, but didn’t see any good blocking otherwise.

Overall, their backfield snaps were split right down the middle – Carter played 12 snaps with the first-team (4 carries, 2 targets) while Hall played 9 snaps (5 carries, 0 targets).

Carter out-snapped Hall on early-downs (10 to 6) and on third downs (2 to 1).

Hall is being over-drafted in the fourth and fifth rounds of drafts. This is going to be a true 1A / 1B situation unless Hall really breaks away.

Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Lions

The Lions rested Jared Goff and their running backs, but Amon-Ra St. Brown, D.J. Chark, and T.J. Hockenson all played the entire first-half. Shocker! But, St. Brown was heavily involved. He got 5 targets and went 3/34 receiving.

Detroit still isn’t sure who their #3 running back is behind Swift and Williams. Jermar Jefferson got the start while Craig Reynolds played the second half. That was the opposite of what happened in their previous preseason games – Reynolds was the #3 in Weeks 1-2.

Steelers

The Steelers played most of their key starters in the first half on Sunday night.

Mitchell Trubisky got the start and looked like, well, Mitchell Trubisky. He had a couple of nice plays mixed in with a few awful ones. Trubisky did lead the offense to a touchdown on his final drive of the night in a sharp two-minute drill.

Diontae Johnson caught a great go ball up the sidelines from Trubisky but landed slightly awkwardly on his shoulder HC Mike Tomlin said he could have returned to the game if it were the regular season.

Najee Harris surprisingly played a ton in the Steelers tune-up game and looked like he had his normal burst and elusiveness. This comes after the fact it was discovered Harris’ foot injury he suffered this preseason wasn’t a situation where he got stepped on – he had a minor lisfranc issue. Harris went out of his way to make the clarification because HC Mike Tomlin apparently lied when he said Harris got stepped on.

The distinction doesn’t matter now because Harris is healthy, but it serves as yet another reminder that NFL injury reports are a joke. There is soft enforcement from the league and thus little integrity from the team’s themselves. Teams have no incentive to tell the truth about who is hurt and how bad because the NFL rarely enforces their own injury rules to “maintain the integrity of the game.”

Chase Claypool (rest) didn’t play, but WR George Pickens and TE Pat Freiermuth did. Pickens (24) led the group in routes and continued to look awesome. He caught a nice back-shoulder ball from Trubisky that looked reminiscent of Davante Adams.