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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Dynasty | Panthers quarterback Bryce Young completed 4-of-6 passes for 58 yards and one touchdown in the Panthers' preseason opener. Dynasty Analysis: Young was on the cusp of being labeled a total bust as recently as last season, but it really does look as if he has things turned around and headed in the right direction. He likely won't get too much preseason work moving forward but he looked like he did late last season - a competent quarterback with the ability to win in the NFL. His ADP may actually be a bit low at the moment.

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Dynasty | Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan caught two passes for 43 yards in the Panthers preseason opener. Dynasty Analysis: It has looked all along like McMillan was going to be a factor this season and if tonight was any indication, he's going to be the top target for the Panthers moving forward. The counting stats aren't amazing but he didn't play much and had absolutely no problem getting open. With Bryce Young looking solid, McMillan is going to continue battling Travis Hunter to be this year's rookie WR1 and it's going to be hard to argue taking him as such in late rookie drafts.

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Dynasty | Patriots rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson rushed once for 18 yards, caught 3-of-3 targets for 12 yards and returned the opening kickoff for a 100-yard touchdown in the Patriots' preseason opener against the Commanders. Dynasty Analysis: Well, that works. Henderson was even better as advertised, taking his first NFL touch to the house on the opening kickoff. He was clearly the Patriots most explosive option on offense and while Rhamondre Stevenson is going to be a big part of the offense this season, Henderson is going to get his chances. His ADP may actually go up after dynasty managers watch the highlights of this one.

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Dynasty | Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders completed 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns, adding 19 rushing yards on four carries in the Browns preseason opener. Dynasty Analysis: Dynasty managers need to be honest - Sanders is fighting for a roster spot. However, if you're being honest, he also looked pretty solid on the night. Dillon Gabriel was out with a hamstring issue and may need to get back quickly because Sanders looked like a player worthy of consideration on this roster. The Browns currently sport Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett on the top of the depth chart and Sanders made their decision on who to ultimately keep a lot harder tonight as he wasn't perfect, but also looked like the player many thought he was coming out of Colorado.

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Indianapolis Colts running back Salvon Ahmed (ankle) was taken down by a defender with an illegal hip-drop tackle in training camp practice on Sunday and suffered a season-ending ankle injury, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Colts placed Ahmed on season-ending Injured Reserve on Friday and have signed former Dolphins RB Nate Noel in a corresponding move. Jonathan Taylor is the unquestioned RB1 in Indy, with Tyler Goodson and rookie DJ Giddens battling for backup duties in 2025. With Ahmed now done for the entire 2025 campaign, it will mean added opportunities for Khalil Herbert, Ulysses Bentley and Noel as they look to make the 53-man roster out of training camp. The 26-year-old Ahmed spent his first four seasons in Miami and had a combined 593 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns on 163 carries over 38 games (four starts).

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Carolina Panthers wide receiver Hunter Renfrow (hamstring) is not expected to play in the team's preseason opener on Friday night against the Cleveland Browns, but he is hopeful to return for the second preseason game next week against the Houston Texans. Renfrow's hamstring injury isn't all that serious, but he hasn't practiced at training camp since late July, and the Panthers aren't going to push him into the first preseason game. The 29-year-old is pushing for a depth role in his first year in Carolina and probably won't be better than the WR4 in 2025 behind rookie first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette and veteran Adam Thielen. The Clemson product had a 1,000-yard receiving season in 2021 with the Raiders but was never able to recapture that magic and didn't play at all in 2024 due to health issues. Renfrow can be avoided in most fantasy leagues.

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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is expected to play in the team's first preseason game against the Washington Commanders on Friday night, according to Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston. The number three overall pick in the 2024 draft, Maye is entering his first full season as the starter in New England after appearing in 13 games (12 starts) as a rookie. The soon-to-be 23-year-old completed 66.6% of his passes for 2,276 yards while throwing 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Maye has reportedly been taking better care of the football in training camp practices, and he'll get his first chance at translating that into game action on Friday night. He profiles as a fringe QB1 in fantasy with significant upside.

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Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford is among the players who are not expected to play for the team in its first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers on Friday night. Many key offensive contributors for Cleveland are not expected to play, including wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, tight end David Njoku, and quarterback Joe Flacco. Notably, Browns rookie running back Dylan Sampson is expected to suit up. With fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins still unsigned due to a July arrest, Sampson and Ford are competing for backfield snaps in Cleveland. Ford is entering his fourth season with the Browns, so he has less to prove in preseason action than Sampson.

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Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins has waived his right to a speedy trial in his ongoing misdemeanor battery/domestic violence case, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. A second-round pick in the 2025 draft, Judkins has yet to sign his rookie contract with the Browns after being arrested in July. This latest update in the case means that a resolution is unlikely to happen quickly. Judkins' timeline for making his Browns debut is uncertain, and the team has made it clear that handling his legal issues is the priority. Without him, running backs Jerome Ford and Dylan Sampson are set to share the majority of the backfield workload in Cleveland.

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Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh was noncommittal about the status of running back Najee Harris (eye) for the start of the regular season, saying, "there's a chance he is" when asked if Harris is playing in Week 1. Harris was injured on July 4 due to a fireworks mishap and has spent training camp on the non-football injury list as a result. Los Angeles signed Harris to a one-year deal in free agency this past offseason, and he's expected to share carries with rookie first-rounder Omarion Hampton. If Harris does miss time, Hampton could be in line for a large workload right away. Even if Harris avoids being sidelined for regular season action, the training camp absence may have put him behind Hampton in the backfield pecking order. With the current uncertainty, Hampton profiles as a fringe RB1 in fantasy, while Harris is more of a depth piece/handcuff option.

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Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (back) returned to the practice field on Friday. This is a good sight after Ferguson exited early during Thursday's practice due to a back contusion. Ferguson told reporters that he's dealing with some pain, but there's no structural damage. He wants to stay in his routine and he went through Friday's practice session without any issues. There's a decent chance that Ferguson sits out the preseason matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday. However, Ferguson should be fine in time for the regular season.

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The Dallas Cowboys have signed free-agent running back Malik Davis on Friday. The team needed additional depth with Jaydon Blue (ankle) and Miles Sanders (knee) both banged up right now. Davis figures to give this team an extra body ahead of Saturday's preseason contest versus the Los Angeles Rams. Davis spent last season on the Cowboys practice squad, so he knows the system. The 26-year-old is likely just an extra player for camp, but maybe he'll catch on as depth.

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert won't play during Sunday's second preseason game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Taylor Heinicke will get the starting nod for this contest. Trey Lance started during the Hall of Fame game last week. The two of them are competing for the backup gig behind Herbert to begin the season. It's unclear if Herbert is going to play at all during the preseason. At the moment, Herbert should be considered a fringe top-10 fantasy quarterback.

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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (undisclosed) was seen back on the practice field on Friday. According to Kris Rhim, McConkey was seen in uniform going through a walkthrough. This is the first time that we've seen McConkey on the field since July 28. He has been missing practice due to an undisclosed injury. Fantasy managers shouldn't be worried, as the coaching staff has downplayed the issue. McConkey is unlikely to play in the first preseason game, but this shouldn't be something that lingers into the regular season. He is a low-end WR1 option in fantasy after a breakout rookie season.

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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and the starters on offense are not expected to play in Friday's preseason opener against the New England Patriots. The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala writes that it will be the Josh Johnson and Sam Hartman show. Daniels and the starters presumably will see their most preseason work next week on Aug. 18 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Veteran backup Marcus Mariota is dealing with a lower-leg injury and did not travel with the team this weekend. Daniels played about as well as any QB last year, but what made it really impressive is that it was his first year in the league. The 24-year-old former second overall pick out of LSU looked to have the "it" factor as a playmaker with both his arms and legs. Daniels finished as the QB5 in fantasy in 2024 and has quickly jumped into the top-five rankings at the position.

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Gilbert Manzano of Sports Illustrated writes that New Orleans Saints rookie second-round quarterback Tyler Shough showed improvement at practice on Thursday while working with the first-team offense. Head coach Kellen Moore said he hasn't decided how he'll divvy up the QB snaps in the preseason opener on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers, but it's a good sign that Shough was the first to see first-team reps on Thursday. The 25-year-old showed confidence and made quick decisions with the football while also using his legs a few times. According to receiver Rashid Shaheed, Shough is thinking less and allowing his pass-catchers to make plays. Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener are still competing for the QB job, and the Saints don't seem to be in a rush to name a Week 1 starter. Fantasy managers should be avoiding the situation entirely in 2025.

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Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said on the team radio on Thursday that rookie fifth-round quarterback Shedeur Sanders will play the majority of the team's preseason opener on Friday night against the Carolina Panthers. "Fifty plays of game work, which I think will be great for him," Stefanski said. The Browns are choosing to rest veteran Joe Flacco, the favorite to start in Week 1, while Kenny Pickett and rookie Dillon Gabriel are both managing hamstring injuries. Once Sanders exits on Friday, the newly signed Tyler Huntley will take over under center. The 23-year-old Sanders has reportedly held his own during training camp, but he could struggle on Friday since he hasn't taken any snaps with the first-team offense during practices. Sanders isn't going to win the Browns' starting job in 2025, and he's merely competing to prove he belongs on their roster going into 2026.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III (undisclosed) will not play in the team's preseason game on Saturday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. The Steelers are going to play it safe with Austin in their preseason opener, but Austin and DK Metcalf are locks for the receiver room in 2025. The departure of George Pickens (traded to Dallas) definitely opens up opportunity for Austin as the WR2 in Pittsburgh this year, but can he take advantage? The 26-year-old former fourth-rounder took a step forward last year with 36 catches for 548 yards and four touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (eight starts). What Austin lacks in size, he makes up for in speed. However, the Steelers are expected to be a run-first offense that uses a lot of two-tight end sets, so Austin's volume may not increase all that much. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is also a big question mark.

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In the Detroit Lions' second preseason game on Friday night against the Atlanta Falcons, starting quarterback Jared Goff will not suit up, giving third-year signal-caller Hendon Hooker the start. Kyle Allen made the start in the first preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers and played the entire first half. Allen and Hooker, who went 3-for-6 for 18 yards, combined to throw three interceptions in the opener, so head coach Dan Campbell is looking for better communication, execution and ball movement on Friday. Allen and Hooker are in a close competition to be Goff's backup entering the 2025 season, according to Lions beat writer Tim Twentyman. If Hooker can get off to a good start against Atlanta and keep the offense moving, he could separate himself from Allen a bit in the backup competition this summer.

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