• The Las Vegas Raiders don’t trust their running backs: All four lead running backs played in the second half of the team's second preseason game.
• Gerald Everett is the Chicago Bears‘ lead receiving tight end: The free-agent addition reunites with Shane Waldron and consistently played ahead of Cole Kmet in passing situations this preseason.
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PFF's fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2024. This summarizes all three weeks of preseason usage in one place. If you just want the top takeaways, here are my top 10 from Week 1, Week 2 and Week 3.
Last updated: 7:15 a.m. Monday, August 26
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Arizona Cardinals
General
The Cardinals didn’t play their starters in the preseason.
QB
- Kyler Murray didn’t play in the preseason.
- Clayton Tune and Desmond Ridder were competing for the backup job. Tune played the second half of the first game and the first half of the second and third games. Ridder played the other three halves.
RB
- James Conner didn’t play in the preseason.
- Trey Benson played in the first half of the first game and the first four drives of the second game. In the first game, he played 33 of a possible 52 snaps, 33 of 38 on first and second downs and none of the third- or fourth-down snaps.
- Emari Demercado played in only the second game and served as the third-down back while Benson was on the field. He continued to play into the third quarter.
- Michael Carter was the third-down back of the first game. He continued to play into the third quarter of that game and also played in the second game once Benson left. He might make the roster only if the Cardinals keep four running backs.
WR
- Marvin Harrison Jr. played the first three snaps of the Cardinals’ first preseason game, running one route.
- Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch and Zay Jones didn’t play in the preseason.
- Zach Pascal and Chris Moore are fifth and sixth on the depth chart. They started all three games, playing into the third quarter of the first game, until halftime of the second and until late in the first quarter of the third.
- Undrafted rookie Xavier Weaver played in the first quarter of the first and third games. If the Cardinals choose to move on from a veteran, Weaver could make the roster.
TE
- Trey McBride didn’t play in the preseason.
- Elijah Higgins played all six snaps on the first two drives of the first game. After that, his preseason was done.
- Third-round rookie Tip Reiman played in the first half of the first two preseason games and got to sit out the third game. He could end up as the second tight end due to his blocking ability.
Atlanta Falcons
General
The Falcons rested their starters and even top backups in all three preseason games — a staple of the Sean McVay philosophy with the Los Angeles Rams, where the Falcons coaches came from.