2026 NFL Preseason Week 3 Fantasy Takeaways: Zavion Thomas and Skyler Bell break out

The last week of preseason action is in the books. Not as many teams played relevant players in this week’s game, though there were still some notable performances. Per usual, snap data with the starters comes from PFF’s Nathan Jahnke, who does great work cataloging that info.

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Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons had a messy receiver rotation in their final preseason rotation, pulling Drake London after one drive while leaving fellow starting wideouts Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus for the next. Rookie Zachariah Branch also mixed in with the starters and the team ran some 12-personnel to further complicate the route rates. It does look like Jahan Dotson is locked in for a starting outside receiver job while Zaccheaus is clinging to life as the starting slot receiver. Branch will eat into his route rate right away and should eventually overtake him.

Tua Tagoailoa was losing the starting gig right before our eyes throughout camp and the preseason. He stabilized things in the third week with seven completions on eight attempts and 95 yards through the air. Given Michael Penix’s extremely limited number of training camp reps, Tua is still the favorite to start Week 1.

Baltimore Ravens

To no one’s surprise, Ja’Kobi Lane rested alongside the starters, making it clear that he’s one of the team’s three wideouts for 11-personnel looks. As a potential X receiver, Lane might even play over Rashod Bateman when only two receivers are on the field.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills didn’t play any starters in this game. Skyler Bell played plenty in this game after missing the previous two preseason contests. He is buried on the depth chart, but he did look phenomenal in his preseason debut.

Bell split his routes almost evenly from the slot and outside. Most of his production came from outside, which is a good thing given that the Bills have a glut of slot options. Bell is a risky 20th-round click, but he’s at least on the menu.

Carolina Panthers

J’Tavion Sanders played with the backups, meaning at least Tommy Tremble is ahead of him on the depth chart. The same will be true of Darren Waller once he is up to speed. This is likely a tight end room to avoid in most fantasy formats.

Chicago Bears

The Bears didn’t play any fantasy players of note…yet. The team’s WR3 role is relatively open, with Kalif Raymond holding the job down for now. Chicago spent a third-round pick on LSU receiver Zavion Thomas. He profiled as a return specialist and gadget receiver in year one, but it’s hard to put this genie back in the bottle.

Thomas caught five passes for 140 yards and a touchdown. He posted the most receiving yards in a preseason game over the past five years. Almost no one at the top of that list was ever fantasy-relevant, but that’s a conversation for another day. He also flashed as a returner, locking him in to a spot on the game-day roster. Thomas is an interesting flyer, though mostly in a dynasty context.

Cincinnati Bengals

Samaje Perine was treated like a starter once again. He is obviously comfortably behind Chase Brown on the depth chart, but it’s clear Perine is the next man up. Perine was on the field for 40 percent of the Bengals’ offensive snaps from Week 13 onward last year, so this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest.

Dallas Cowboys

Dallas gave Phil Mafah one last shot at the RB2 job in their final preseason game, but the team ultimately went with Malik Davis as the backup to Javonte Williams. They cut both Mafah and Jaydon Blue on Sunday. One or both backs could wind up on the team’s practice squad as the de facto RB3.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest. Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin played with the backups. Mims also left the game early with an injury. Pat Bryant is well ahead of everyone else on this roster as the WR3.

Detroit Lions

The Lions played their backups in this game and finally treated Isaac TeSlaa as a starter, resting him alongside the rest of the first-team offense. It’s still slightly concerning that it took the team three weeks of the preseason to treat him like a starter, but better late than never. He remains a tough click in most fantasy formats, but there is some hope that he can at least continue scoring the occasional highlight-reel touchdown.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest.

Houston Texans

The Texans did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest.

Indianapolis Colts

For the third and final time, Seth McGowan ran as the Colts’ RB2, cementing his status as one of the more locked-in backups heading into Week 1. He doesn’t have much standalone value but would be a Brink’s truck FAAB player if Taylor were to miss time.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs used a different backup running back in each of their three preseason contests. Emmet Johnson got the start alongside some of KC’s starters this week and was also the first back to leave the game for good. Emari Demercado was the next man up and he was ultimately released on Sunday when the team cut down to their 53-man roster. Johnson looks like the clear RB2 and he may even have a standalone role as a pass-catcher. Johnson caught 46 passes for 370 yards and three scores in his final season at Nebraska. He is shaping up to be one of the better backup running back bets in the final week of fantasy drafts.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders played their starters in this game. Jalen Nailor, who previously played with the backups while the starters rested, was back with the first-team offense this week. With Ashton Jeanty banged up, Mike Washington Jr. put an exclamation point on an outstanding preseason with eight carries for 49 yards. Washington led all running backs in YPC (7.3) during the preseason and finished second in PFF rushing grade (89.5). He is locked in as the team’s starter until Jeanty is healthy, and might even have a standalone role with Jeanty active.

Fernando Mendoza was intercepted again, though this time it was on a pass tipped to a defender by one of his own receivers. Kirk Cousins is expected to be named the Week 1 starter, and the preseason all but confirmed that.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers’ starters got four snaps and didn’t show us anything new. As expected, they leaned on 12 and even 21-personnel. For their four snaps, only Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey got on the field. Their reliance on extra tight ends will help juice the receiving numbers for Johnston and McConkey. Somehow, it might not result in more work for Oronde Gadsden, who was only on the field for one snap with the starters during the entire preseason. That came this weekend, when Mike McDaniel put all three of his tight ends on the field. Gadsden remains a fade in drafts.

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest.

Miami Dolphins

Miami didn’t play their starters, which meant Caleb Douglas and Malik Washington got the night off. Fellow rookie Chris Bell played in this game after tearing his ACL in the middle of the 2025 college football season. He looked solid and, more importantly, was fully healthy.

Bell could serve as the team’s third starting receiver in Week 1. He is worth a stash in deeper formats, even if it takes him a few more weeks to earn that role.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings rolled out their second-team offense, though a few notable names were in the mix. Tai Felton briefly appeared to be ahead of Jauan Jennings during the preseason but that is no longer the case. Demond Claiborne passed Zavier Scott on the depth chart, and Scott’s release on Sunday confirmed that. Carson Wentz also drew the start while J.J. McCarthy nurses an ankle injury. He will likely be the QB2 in Minnesota to start the year.

New England Patriots

The Patriots did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest. Kyle Williams just keeps scoring long touchdowns, but the Patriots don’t seem to care.

With Kayshon Boutte gone, Williams is still contending with Mack Hollins for the WR4 gig in New England. Williams would likely pop for the occasional spike week in that role, but his path is blocked by Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints didn’t play their obvious starters, though their WR3 was likely on the field for this game. Jordyn Tyson and Mason Tipton are both out for at least the first four games of the season, leaving Bryce Lance and Barion Brown as the next men up. Both rookie receivers ran nearly every route in the first half of New Orleans’ final preseason game. Through the entire preseason, Lance bested Brown in PPF receiving grade, yards per route run, and targets per route run. Lance was also drafted earlier and entered the league with a better college profile. I’ll give him the edge for the WR3 job heading into Week 1, but this is a situation that could evolve rapidly in the first month of the year.

New York Giants

The Giants played their backups in this game but gave a handful of potentially relevant players some run. Darius Slayton and Odell Beckham both played. Both wideouts eventually made the 53-man roster, though they are competing for the WR4 job behind Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, and Darnell Mooney, all of whom sat for this game.

Tyrone Tracy and Najee Harris also suited up for this contest. The two were in a legitimate camp battle for the backup running back gig, but a neck injury may have nixed Tracy’s chances of earning the job. John Harbaugh later said it wasn’t a serious injury, though that doesn’t necessarily mean Tracy will be ready for Week 1. After making a handful of true blunders during the preseason, Tracy may be relegated to RB3 duties in the Giants’ opener.

New York Jets

The Jets did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest.

Philadelphia Eagles

After missing all of training camp, Makai Lemon played plenty in the Eagles’ final preseason game despite the rest of the starters sitting.

It was a rather grizzly showing from the rookie, lowlighted by a drop that turned into an interception and a muffed punt. Lemon finished the day with three catches for three yards on five targets. If this usage is any indication, Lemon will open the year seeing the bulk of his targets on shallow routes, with some designed touches up for grabs as well. He might not be in fantasy lineups in Week 1, but Lemon was an elite prospect who Philly spent a first-round pick on. He’s incredibly cheap in drafts, and I’m continuing to buy the dip.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers rested their starters, including Roman Wilson. Second-round rookie Germie Bernard played with the backups and scored a touchdown on his only touch of the day.

Wilson is expected to start in the slot for Pittsburgh and Bernard ran 12 of his 16 routes out of the slot in this game. Bernard has looked electric with the ball in his hands during the preseason and the team spent the No. 47 overall pick to acquire him. It’s only a matter of time before he passes Wilson on the depth chart.

San Francisco 49ers

Kaelon Black again started with the second-team offense, ahead of Jordan James. The 49ers only kept three running backs on their roster when they cut down on Sunday, meaning the RB2 job is between Black and James. Black has seemingly been ahead of James throughout camp, making him a strong handcuff option for Christian McCaffrey drafters, or doubters.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs played Josh Williams over Sean Tucker last week. They flipped that order for their final preseason game, foreshadowing their RB3 decision on Sunday. Tampa Bay cut Williams and made Tucker the third and final running back on their roster, but not before making Tucker take a pay cut. Tucker can be drafted in Best Ball leagues and other formats with deep rosters, but the Bucs do seem relatively indifferent to his presence.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans rested some starters but gave a handful of young players some extra reps in their final preseason showing. Carnell Tate was blanked once again, bringing his preseason total to zero catches for zero yards on six targets. Do I care? Not really. These are PFF’s lowest-graded first-round rookies over the past decade of preseason action.

• Ja’Marr Chase
• Xavier Legette
• Jaylen Waddle
• Devonta Smith
• John Ross

Lemon and Tate are now on the list, between Legette and Waddle. There’s no reason to believe a weak preseason has any predictive power when it comes to regular season statistics.

Washington Commanders

The Commanders did not play any fantasy players of note in this contest.