San Francisco 49ers running back Patrick Taylor Jr. scored the team's first points of the preseason on Saturday. Taylor ran it into the end zone from five yards out to seal the deal on the Niners' first drive. The touchdown ended up being the 49ers' only offensive score in their 30-9 loss to the Broncos. The fifth year back was otherwise unimpressive, finishing the game with seven yards on five carries. He also caught his sole target of the game for a four-yard gain. Taylor ranks fourth on San Francisco's early depth chart but drew the start with coach Kyle Shanahan opting to preserve Christian McCaffrey's health, and with fellow backs Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) and Jordan James (finger) already ailing and expected to miss multiple weeks. Taylor will have to overcome this week's inefficiencies when the 49ers face the Las Vegas Raiders next week if he wants to maintain his position.

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Wide receiver Jordan Watkins, the 49ers' fourth-round pick out of Ole Miss, made a good first impression on San Francisco's fans during the 30-9 loss to the Broncos. On the team's opening drive, quarterback Mac Jones dropped a long pass over Watkins' shoulder as he was fighting off a defender, and the rookie rumbled an extra 25 yards after the catch for a 50-yard gain on his first touch as a pro. Watkins later added two more catches for significantly shorter gains, finishing with 56 yards on the three receptions. He led the team in those categories, as did his six targets. With Brandon Aiyuk's (knee) recovery timeline unclear and Jauan Jennings (calf) nursing an injury while at loggerheads with the team over his contract, Watkins may enter the season in a more significant role than previously expected. His next opportunity to show what he can do will come against the Las Vegas Raiders on August 16.

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Rookie Corey Kiner had a solid day in his professional debut. In the 49ers' preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, Kiner led San Francisco's backfield in touches and yards, taking 10 carries for 45 yards and catching one pass for a two-yard gain. He also served as a kick returner, bringing one back for 17 yards. Kiner, an undrafted free agent, comes to the 49ers after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons as a Cincinnati Bearcat and figures to see a lot of work in the preseason. San Francisco is unlikely to put Christian McCaffrey's health on the line so early, and Isaac Guerendo (shoulder) and fellow rookie Jordan James (finger) are set to miss multiple weeks while nursing injuries. Kiner will have his next chance to impress next week against the Las Vegas Raiders.

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The San Francisco 49ers opened the preseason with the newly acquired Mac Jones under center. Jones made a good first impression on his new fanbase, captaining a 71-yard drive that culminated in a score. On the drive, Jones dropped a deep pass over the shoulder of Jordan Watkins, who stretched the play into a 50-yard gain. A few plays later, Jones kept the drive alive with his legs on a designed run on 4th & 1 at Denver's seven-yard line, setting the table for running back Patrick Taylor's touchdown. Things turned south during the second drive, however. Jones took sacks on consecutive plays and nearly suffered a third before throwing the ball away. The former first-rounder went on to kill the 49ers' third drive with an interception on his final play of the day. He finished 4-for-7 for 74 yards and the pick and a two-yard rush. His next chance to show what he can do in Brock Purdy's stead comes next week against the Las Vegas Raiders.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Robert Tonyan led the team with three catches for 49 yards in the 17-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The former Green Bay Packer was acquired by the Chiefs this offseason and could play a role in the offense this season. Tonyan was a touchdown machine in 2020, hauling in 11 touchdowns while catching passes from Aaron Rodgers. While his fantasy value is capped playing behind Travis Kelce, Tonyan could make himself valuable as a touchdown-scorer. Keep an eye on his usage once the regular season begins.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Carson Steele led the running backs with 15 rushing yards in the 17-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Steele was involved in the Kansas City backfield following Isiah Pacheco's early season injury, but ultimately ceded work to Kareem Hunt. Steele will presumably remain third on the depth chart heading into the 2025 season, which means he's best left undrafted in most leagues.

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw one pass for one yard and a touchdown in the 17-20 preseason loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Mahomes found himself on the field earlier than expected after the Cardinals fumbled the opening kick deep in their own territory. The Chiefs found themselves on the Cardinals nine-yard line to begin the game and reached the one-yard line after an eight-yard rush by Isiah Pacheco. Mahomes found Jason Brownlee for a goal-line fade to cap off his only drive of the game. Mahomes has nothing to prove in these preseason games, and the team will likely continue to preserve him for the regular season. The hope is that he can bounce back from a mediocre fantasy season last year.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco was on the field with the starters during the team's opening drive and had one carry for eight yards. His carry on the first drive was also his only carry of the game, but it was an encouraging sight to see. After a lackluster return from injury last season, questions surrounding the backfield began swirling, but Pacheco running with the starters is a good sign that the role is still his. Fantasy managers will hope to see a return to form for Pacheco this season after having the offseason to recover.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt totaled 17 yards on three touches, with 12 yards on the ground and five through the air. Hunt to a backseat to starting running back Isiah Pacheco, which will likely remain the case during the regular season. Pacheco was lighting the world on fire before his injury last season, and Hunt took his place. Hunt was a serviceable fantasy asset, mostly due to his goal-line role, but it remains to be seen if he will be viable this season. Hunt should be viewed as a valuable handcuff this draft season.

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Dynasty | Jaguars rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten had 24 rushing yards and a touchdown in his preseason debut. Dynasty Analysis: Tuten is battling Tank Bigsby, Travis Etienne and others for time this year and tonight's contest didn't hurt his chances any. It will be telling if he gets more time with the first or second group in the next couple of games but this was a solid start. Tuten remains a solid mid-round pick for dynasty managers looking for running back help.

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Dynasty | Rams rookie running back Jarquez Hunter had 41 yards on 11 carries in his preseason debut. Dynasty Analysis: Blake Corum (32 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries) stole the counting stats early but Hunter did fine with his opportunity. They'll both be battling for RB2 duties behind the newly re-signed Kyren Williams so this will continue to be a camp battle to watch for locked in dynasty managers who realize the value of handcuffing running backs.

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Dynasty | 49ers rookie wide receiver Jordan Watkins had three catches for 56 yards in his preseason debut. Dynasty Analysis: There was a lot of smoke coming from 49ers camp that Watkins was a player and he just may be. While San Francisco rested a lot of their starters, Watkins took control with six targets and a 50-yard catch on the night. He's making a strong case to not only make the team but also have some kind of a role this season. React accordingly.

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Dynasty | Bucs rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka had one catch for 21 yards in his preseason debut. Dynasty Analysis: He didn't play much in this one and that's solely because Tampa Bay is going to have a very hard time keeping him off the field, regardless of having both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on the roster. Egbuka has been everything they had hope for and more in training camp and has guaranteed himself meaningful playing time as a rookie. The future is bright for him and he may actually be a steal at his current ADP.

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Dynasty | Packers rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden had one catch for seven yards in his NFL preseason debut. Dynasty Analysis: Unlike a lot of other rookies, Golden just didn't play much. He had one additional catch called back due to a penalty but was otherwise quiet. Don't look too much into this as he's been one of Green Bay's standouts in camp. The Packers really need someone to step up to be Jordan Love's true WR1 and Golden may very well have the best chance to do so. His rookie ADP is stable if not a touch low at the moment.

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New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson failed to haul in his lone target in Saturday's 30-10 win against the hosting Green Bay Packers. Wilson and the Jets' first-string offense got just one series together in this one, and the fourth-year pro couldn't connect with his quarterback the only time Justin Fields went his way. In Wilson's defense, the pass was a bit out of reach as he tried to snag it, falling out of bounds. There isn't much to go on here, but it's nice to see that Fields targeted his former Ohio State teammate despite attempting just four passes. A 25% target share is likely what the wideout will need to elevate him to the next level in 2025. That is, unless his new QB has taken a step forward as a passer. Either way, he should get that volume in spades as New York's unquestioned WR1. Hopefully, the two will get a bit more playing time together next Saturday when they line up against the New York Giants.

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New York Jets running back Braelon Allen totaled 33 rushing yards on eight carries in his team's 30-10 win against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday. He failed to bring in his lone target. Allen drew a carry on New York's first series with the starting offense and broke free for a nice gain of 14 yards - the team's longest run of the day. It was presumed that he'd operate after Breece Hall, but it's noteworthy that Isaiah Davis also appeared on that drive. The first-string offense was done after just one series, but Allen and Davis split the remainder of the half until they were both relieved of their duty. The 21-year-old is likely to have trouble finding consistent production with a myriad mouths to feed in the Jets' rushing attack. However, he presents as one of the higher-end handcuffs and could be a legitimate thorn in Hall's side this season. Fantasy managers will want to pay close attention to how this backfield split shakes out over the next few weeks, as the situation is more fluid than it has been in recent seasons. The Jets will take on the Giants next Saturday in their annual preseason meeting.

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New York Jets running back Breece Hall rushed three times for nine yards in Saturday's 30-10 win against the hosting Green Bay Packers. He had a long run of four. The good news is that Jets running backs handled six touches on the team's opening drive. Unfortunately, running mate Braelon Allen outrushed him on one carry during that series (14 yards), and Isaiah Davis (ankle) rotated in for a play. Even fullback Andrew Beck was targeted twice (2/36). Much has been made this offseason about a possible RBBC in New York, and if their first drive of the preseason is any indication, it could be a long year for Hall owners. The Iowa State product is plenty talented. However, Allen could be a significant threat to the former's workload. Furthermore, a rushing quarterback in Justin Fields is sure to siphon carries and touchdowns from both of them, as evidenced today. Hall should get some more run next Saturday when the Jets square off with the New York Giants.

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New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields completed 3-of-4 passes for 42 yards in Saturday's 30-10 road win over the Green Bay Packers. He added 14 yards and a touchdown on two carries. Fields looked comfortable in New York's preseason opener, displaying his dual-threat ability on an 11-play, 79-yard touchdown drive capped with a 13-yard scamper. The former first-round pick didn't exactly open it up, with all four of his targets coming within ten yards of the line of scrimmage. Nonetheless, it's an encouraging debut for him, although it's worth noting that he didn't look to be running at his full capacity quite yet. Expect the Ohio State product to get a longer leash in his team's next outing, which comes against their cross-town rivals, the "hosting" New York Giants, next Saturday.

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New York Jets running back Isaiah Davis (ankle) suffered an ankle injury in his team's 30-10 win against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. The 23-year-old mixed in on the first drive with the starters and closed out the first half with running mate Braelon Allen in New York's victory. It's unclear when he picked up the ankle issue, but head coach Aaron Glenn doesn't seem to be too perturbed by it, noting that he and running back Kene Nwangwu's (calf) injuries aren't "thought to be serious." It's significant that Davis got in playing time with the first string offense, as the Jets' deployment of running back touches could be a true committee. That isn't a foregone conclusion, but the current situation is shaping up to be a headache for fantasy managers. Hopefully, that's given more clarity after they meet with the Giants next Saturday.

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ESPN's Rich Cimini reports that New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard (shoulder) injured his shoulder during Saturday's 30-10 win over the Green Bay Packers. Lazard picked up two catches in a span of three plays during the second quarter, but presumably sustained his injury on the latter of which when he was pushed out of bounds. Head coach Aaron Glenn reports that the veteran will undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury. It isn't good news for New York, as they're shockingly thin at wide receiver behind Garrett Wilson and Josh Reynolds. Teammate Tyler Johnson projects to be the most logical next man up. However, the door is still open for fellow wideouts Arian Smith or Malachi Corley to make a push for an elevated role. We'll likely get an update on Lazard over the next few days.

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