There was no consistency with teams this preseason as we saw many different approaches. A few teams played virtually no starters; some played starters a lot. As with every other preseason, however, in the end, there are things we can feel confident about, and there are unanswered questions that remain. There has not been a lot of new information or important updates since my last offering, but here is where we are heading to week one.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals secondary took a hit with the unexpected retirement of corner Malcolm Butler a week before the first game. Surprisingly, on the same day the team put Butler on the Reserve/Retired list, they released Daryl Worley after letting Darqueze Dennard go the day before. This turn of events leaves the cupboard looking a little bare. As starters, Robert Alford joins Byron Murphy, with rookie fourth-round pick Marco Wilson appearing to be the third man at the position. Arizona traded up 24 spots to take Wilson, who started 35 games at Florida. Cardinals corners have not been particularly IDP friendly in the past, but this situation is worth keeping an eye on as the rookie corner rule could be in play.
There were rumblings of linebacker Jordan Hicks being shopped after the team drafted Zaven Collins, but so far, nothing has developed. It could still happen if a team is hit by injury, but in the meantime, the coaching staff has been tinkering with some five linebacker looks that have Hicks, Collins, and Isaiah Simmons on the field together. With the starters getting limited preseason action, I did not see any situations where Hicks replaced Collins or Simmons with the first team, so those guys seem safe.
J.J. Watt missed some time over the summer with a hamstring issue but was activated from the PUP on August 23rd and is ready for the opener. Watt has a history of hamstring issues, so this is still somewhat of a concern going into the season.
The Cardinals settled on Jalen Thompson as the starting safety next to Budda Baker, releasing Chris Banjo and Shawn Williams. Thompson has shown signs of quality production in the past but has dealt with various injuries over the last two seasons. He is a watch-list guy heading into the season and might be worth pickup consideration in deeper roster leagues.
Atlanta Falcons
There were no major plot twists with the Falcons as they set their roster for the start of the regular season, but there are still some questions with this defense. The most glaring is, where will the pass rush come from? The starting edge defenders in Atlanta’s new 3-4 are Jacob Tuioti-Mariner and Steven Means, with Donte Fowler likely in the role of third-down specialist. Tuioti-Mariner has one sack in two seasons as a pro, Means has six sacks in seven years (three in 2020), and Fowler has four or fewer in three of his five-season in the league, including last year.
One thing we did learn this preseason, Mykal Walker is capable of starting in the NFL. With the Falcons playing starters sparingly, he was on the field a lot and played well. If Deion Jones or Foye Oluokun are going to miss time, grab Walker quickly before your competition has a chance to see him play.
Erik Harris is the starting safety next to Duron Harmon on Atlanta’s current depth chart, with rookie Richie Grant listed as third string. There is plenty of potential at the Falcons’ safety spots, but it is hard to get excited about any of these players.
Baltimore Ravens
Things have been rather quiet on the defensive side for the Ravens. The starting lineup is set without any surprises. The only thing we need to watch in week one is the playing time for Malik Harrison, who has established his claim on the starting inside linebacker job next to Patrick Queen. Harrison was coming off the field on passing downs early in the preseason but looked to be getting a few of those snaps later in the process. Against Washington in the final warmup game, Baltimore came out in a nickel-base defense with two down linemen and four linebackers, including Harrison. If he holds a three-down role, Harrison should provide solid LB3 production.
Buffalo Bills
In week one, Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison are expected to be the starting defensive ends for Buffalo, but that may not last long. Rookies Greg Rosseau and Boogie Basham have been turning heads since the first time they stepped on the practice field. Both players saw action with the starter during practice sessions and the preseason. Put them on your early season watch list and move quickly if they show up strong against the Steelers.
Carolina Panthers
There are some important questions to be answered when the Panthers take the field against the Jets. Possibly the most important is how much the role change to free safety with hurt the production of Jeremy Chinn. If he lines up well off the ball regularly, as has been the indication, I have a feeling we could see a significantly different player this year.
Keep an eye on Jermaine Carter as well. He is expected to start at middle linebacker, and signs point to a full-time role. If this is the case, Carter could be a priority waiver target and might be worth adding ahead of week one if you have the room.
Carolina continues to list and play Haason Reddick as their right outside linebacker on early downs, moving him into an edge rush role in passing situations. This could be the perfect storm to take advantage of his skill set, and if you can play him as a defensive end, the linebacker snaps could boost his value significantly.
Chicago Bears
Alec Ogletree and Christian Jones were the Bears’ starting linebackers throughout the preseason. With Danny Trevathan landing on IR, presumably with a sore knee, one of them will line up next to Roquan Smith in week one. The team’s unofficial depth chart shows Jones as the backup to Trevathan, but Ogletree shined during the preseason. With the league’s new IR rules, it is unclear how long Trevathan will be out, but he will miss a few weeks.
Cincinnati Bengals
We did not see much of Cincinnati’s starting defense in the final preseason tilt, but we saw enough in the first two games to tell this is a much different unit than the one they fielded last year. The pass rush is revitalized, and the Bengals have a middle linebacker to get excited about for the first time in years. Sam Hubbard, Trey Hendrickson, Logan Wilson, Vonn Bell, and Jessie Bates are all going to be significant IDP contributors, but there are some other guys to keep an eye on as well.
Rookie defensive end Joseph Ossai was turning heads before landing on season-ending IR with a knee injury. The team has also placed Khalid Kareem on IR, opening the door for their other rookie end, Cameron Sample, to move up the depth chart. Sample now projects as the third man in the edge rotation. It is earlier than the organization had planned, but he has been looking good.
Another player to keep an eye on if your league starts interior linemen is tackle B.J. Hill. He was buried on the Giants depth chart but is a solid player who can contribute at both tackle positions and even provide some snaps at defensive end on early downs. Hill went 32-15-5.5 as a starter for the Giants in 2018 but was not a good fit when they shifted to a 3-4 scheme. He should make an immediate impact as the third man in the tackle rotation, and if he gets on the field enough, he could be an IDP factor as well.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns fielded about half of their defensive starters against Atlanta, so there was not much we can take away from that game. The one important exception being that middle linebacker Anthony Walker returned to action after missing most of August with a sore knee. He was a little rusty against the Falcons, taking a bad angle on an early pass to Kyle Pitts, but just seeing him on the field brought a big sigh of relief to many IDP managers. With two more weeks to recover after that game, Walker should be 100% in time to face the Chiefs.
Dallas Cowboys
For the first time in several years, the Cowboys are not starting the season with injuries and/or suspension on the defensive side. DeMarcus Lawrence is healthy, Randy Gregory is out of the commissioner's dog house, and all starters are expected to be available to face the Buccaneers. Unfortunately, Dallas is not without controversy, at least not in terms of IDP fantasy football. We are still facing a potentially ugly situation at linebacker where the team has four three-down players but only two three-down positions. Micah Parsons, Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, and Keanu Neal worked in a rotation over the first two games, and the Cowboys did not play starters in the third one.
Parsons seemed to be getting a bigger piece of the pie in the second game, but even he was not always on the field with the starters. Neal got most of his time in passing situations but not exclusively. Vander Esch and Smith were in the game together, often on early downs and three-linebacker packages. Rumors suggest Smith will be the odd-man-out in the long run, but we have not seen that with any regularity yet. This one is a tough call, but the only Dallas linebacker I would be comfortable playing in the opener is Parsons.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos and their fans have been excited about getting Von Bell and Bradley Chubb on the field together for the first time since 2018. Everyone still believes that will happen, but there could be a little wrench in the gears. Chubb is nursing an ankle injury that has kept him out of recent practices. The injury is not serious, and the hope is that Chubb will go against the Giants.
There has been excitement surrounding rookie inside linebacker Baron Browning since he was drafted. A minor injury slowed his development early in training camp, but Baron moved up the depth chart after the third preseason game. He is currently behind Alexander Johnson and Josey Jewell, but it would not be a surprise to see Baron steal snaps from Jewell as the season progresses, especially if the team struggles early.
Detroit Lions
There were no defensive starters on the field for Detroit in the third preseason game, but we already have a relatively clear picture of what to expect from this group. The release of Jahlani Tavai solidifies Alex Anzalone as the starting inside linebacker next to Jamie Collins. It also clears the path for Derrick Barnes to get one step closer to the field. Tracy Walker and Will Harris are the clear-cut starters at safety, with Walker returning to free, where he had a big season in 2019. Trey Flowers and Romeo Okwara are the starting outside linebackers, though many league host sites list them as defensive ends.
Green Bay Packers
It is not hard to establish that DeVondre Campbell will be the centerpiece of the Packers’ defense after they protected him all preseason by keeping him off the field. The only real question is how much the team will use two inside linebackers. In the past few years, Green Bay played a lot of big nickel with a third safety on the field instead. The team’s depth chart shows Krys Barnes as the other starter, but it is worth mention that Oren Burks made some noise over the summer and into the preseason.
Houston Texans
The Texans are clearly in rebuild mode but rarely are teams/defenses as bad on the field as they might look on paper. The biggest question for Houston is where the pass rush will come from? It looks like Whitney Mercilus will be the biggest threat on paper, but it is too early to tell how successful he will be with the change from linebacker to defensive end. The team’s unofficial depth chart shows Jordan Jenkins as the starter opposite Mercilus. Jenkins started the first game, but Charles Omenihu got the call in each of the last two. Omenihu had a pair of sacks against Dallas in the second preseason game. He was shut out of the box scores against Tampa Bay but was on the field in a three-down role and played well. Put him on the watch list for week one.
The other situation to watch with Houston is safety. Justin Reid is locked in as one of the starters and has worked mostly as the deep defender. Eric Murray is expected to start at strong safety, but the Texans have been looking at Vernon Hargreaves in that role. In fact, Hargreaves started and saw extensive time at the position in the final preseason game. Since he is considered a corner with virtually all league host sites, managers in corner-required leagues could find significant value in Hargreaves if he wins the strong safety job.
Indianapolis Colts
Against the Lions, Indianapolis mixed in a few of their younger starters with a lot of second-team guys. One of those young starters was Kwitty Paye, who continued to impress. Granted, he was working against Detroit’s backups, but Paye added his third sack of the preseason and forced the fumble for an encore. The Colts' plan going into the season is to use several players in the edge rotation, but Paye might make it hard for the coaching staff to take him off the field much.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville threw us a curve on cutdown day that leaves us scratching our collective heads. Except for edge defender Josh Allen, their entire starting defense was on the field against Dallas in the final preseason game. The lineup featured Myles Jack and Damien Wilson at inside linebacker, KLavon Chaisson and Jihad Ward on the edge, Shaquill Griffin and C.J. Henderson on the corners, and Reyshawn Jenkins at strong safety, and with Josh Jones injured, Jarrod Wilson at free. When it came time to get the roster down to 53, Jones was placed on IR (later released) and Wilson was sent packing. Since Jacksonville does not post a depth chart on their team site, we are left to speculate who will be the other starter at safety. Rookie Andre Cisco is one option, but he saw no action with the starters during the summer, spending most of training camp with the third team. Andrew Wingard is the best veteran option because Daniel Thomas is more of an in-the-box strong safety. There is also the possibility that Jenkins could play free and Thomas start at strong. This is another situation that is best avoided until we get some information from week one.
Kansas City Chiefs
Willie Gay Jr started against Minnesota and was all over the field on the first series. He was set to have an every-down role in his second year, but that will now have to wait a bit as Gay was placed on IR with a toe injury when the team made their moves to get to the 53 man roster. It is unclear how long he will be out, but Gay will miss at least three games under the league’s new IR rules.
The injury to Gay opens the door for rookie Nick Bolton to get on the field. Bolton has been impressive while working with the second unit through the preseason and has drawn praise from the coaching staff throughout the summer. The ultimate plan is to have Gay and Bolton as the long-term starters. This opportunity for Bolton could speed up that process.
Tyrann Mathieu landed on the reserve/COVID list on September first. He should be available for the team’s first game but have a backup plan just in case.
Las Vegas Raiders
There were no surprises among the Raiders’ final cuts, but the team did make a late signing that could have some impact. After placing starting middle linebacker Josh Morrow on IR with a foot injury, Las Vegas added longtime Seattle starter, K.J. Wright. It is unclear how he fits into the plan, but Wright is an upgrade in the linebacker room. He is a versatile player than can line up at any linebacker spot in the Raiders 4-3, but Wright was a weakside backer over most of his long career with the Seahawks. Nick Kwiatkoski is listed as the backup to Morrow and will likely get the start in the opener, but we could see a shuffle at the position soon, especially considering the team released Tanner Muse, who had been listed as the starter on the strong side.
Cory Littleton is currently lining up on the weak side. He has plenty of experience in the middle, having played there for the Rams before joining the Raiders. Considering the skillset of their top three healthy guys, a lineup of Kwiatkoski on the strong side, Littleton in the middle, and Wright weak would make a lot of sense. The only sure thing here is someone will make a lot of plays, so keep an eye on this situation.
Los Angeles Chargers
Many of the players who started the Chargers’ final preseason game are no longer on the roster, and the team took down the depth chart that had been posted on their site. Fortunately, the only real question we have entering week one is who will line up at inside linebacker next to Kenneth Murray? Before they took down the depth chart, Kyzir White and Drue Tranquill were both listed as starters, which was no help. I can tell you that White started the second preseason game and stayed with the starters until they were taken out of the game. He also looked better and made more plays during the preseason. This competition may not be over, but my money is on White starting and playing full-time against Washington for now. Tranquill just doesn’t look like he is all the way back from the broken leg that ended his 2020 season.
Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles played backups in the final tilt with Micha Kiser and Travin Howard working at inside linebacker. If that were not proof enough that Troy Reeder has won the starting job at the position, Kiser was released among their final cuts. Reeder is a player that has been widely overlooked this summer and is still available in many leagues. In recent years, this position has been an IDP goldmine, so Reeder could be a steal if you have or can get him.
Both of the Rams’ safety positions have been productive in recent years, but the strong safety spot tends to give us a little better numbers. You could do no wrong with either of these players, but it is worth noting that Taylor Rapp is working at free safety and Jordan Fuller strong.
Miami Dolphins
When the Dolphins added Bernardrick McKinney, everyone, including the organization, expected him to be one of their starting inside linebackers. Not only did he fail to earn a starting spot, but McKinney was also released among the team’s final cuts. The move likely puts Elandon Roberts back into the starting lineup. Roberts has some fantasy potential, but we learned last year that the Dolphins do not leave many players on the field for enough plays to be productive with any consistency.
Minnesota Vikings
Anthony Barr has been sidelined throughout much of training camp and preseason with a sore knee. His status is in question for week one and possibly beyond, which tells us Nick Vigil will likely serve as a three-down weakside linebacker for the foreseeable future. Vigil may have held that role even if Barr were healthy, but without Barr, there is little question. Vigil is a capable veteran who can provide IDP value but has a limited ceiling of somewhere around LB3. This situation could also allow rookie Chazz Surratt to get on the field, although Blake Lynch has been filling in on the strong side.
The Vikings released Everson Griffen among their final roster cuts, then brought him back shortly after. Griffen will provide good veteran depth and should see rotational action, but the team appears content to continue with second-year man D.J. Wonnum as the starter.
New England Patriots
It is hard to tell what is going on in the twisted mind of Bill Belichik, but there are some interesting notes from the Patriots’ preseason. New England uncharacteristically played starters throughout the preseason, including game three versus the Giants. They did not show much in terms of the scheme, staying with a rather vanilla nickel base personnel package in all three outings.
The Patriots started Kyle Dugger and Adrian Phillips at safety in game three with Jalen Mills in the slot. There is nothing strange about that except for the fact Devin McCourty played but did not start. I am not sure if we should read anything into this, but McCourty is 34 years old, so it could point to a reduced role. This could be good news for the fantasy value of Dugger.
This one is strange for sure. Chase Winovich is thought to be the team’s best edge defender and pass rusher. He was highly rated by Pro Football Focus last year and led the team in sacks, yet he was on the field with the mop-up players in the fourth quarter. Surely he was not a bubble player, so was Belichick trying to motivate him? I have no idea what to make of it, but it certainly brings up concern for the IDP value of Winovich this year.
New Orleans Saints
The game between New Orleans and Arizona was canceled due to Hurricane Ida, so we do not benefit from scouting these teams one more time. It would have been nice to see if Kwon Alexander could get on the field. The Saints have him penciled in as their starter on the weak side if/when he is ready. Alexander began participating in team drills in mid-August, but we have not heard much more than that about the situation.
The other position we will be watching is corner, where Ken Crawley is penciled in opposite Marshon Lattimore. Rookie Paulson Adebo has also seen time with the first team and could unseat Crowley. At the least, Adebo should see some time in sub-packages, and he is likely to play a few snaps as the CB2.
It is too early to start emphasizing matchups since we never know what to expect from teams at the start of a season. That said, think twice about playing Cameron Jordan this week. Nothing has been more constant over the last decade than Aaron Rodgers being tough to sack.
New York Giants
We will be watching for two things when the Giants defense takes the field in week one. Can outside linebackers Lorenzo Carter, Oshane Ximines, and rookie Azeez Ojulari generate some pass rush, and will the team keep Jabrill Peppers, Logan Ryan, and Xavier McKinney on the field together full time?
The team’s depth chart shows a base 3-4 alignment with Tae Crowder at weak inside linebacker and McKinney behind Ryan at free safety. What I expect to see is a nickel-base with Crowder on the bench and McKinney used as a rover, moving all over the field. McKinney was not drafted so early to play part-time, and the team needs his playmaking ability on the field. He returned from injury late in the 2020 season, so we have not yet seen how the coaching staff plans to handle this situation. For that reason, it might be a good idea to sit McKinney in week one just to be safe.
New York Jets
It is hard not to feel bad for a Jets team that is already short on talent and trying to rebuild, then gets blindsided by injuries on top of it. The team’s already thin linebacker corps took a big hit when Jarrad Davis landed on IR with an ankle injury. The sad story gets somewhat strange when we look at how the team is going about replacing Davis. Instead of promoting Blake Cashman, a solid starter under the previous coaching staff, the Jets turned to former college safety Jamien Sherwood at the position. This after bumping Cashman out of the starting weakside job in favor of their other converted college safety Hamsah Nasirldeen. Coach Saleh appears to be hell-bent on emphasizing speed and coverage ability at the second level. Preseason action suggests Sherwood will be the guy that stays on the field with C.J. Mosley in sub packages, so he is the guy to target if you need help or are looking for an upside flier.
Early in the summer, there was some question about which safety spot Marcus Maye would play. Between his lining up at strong safety whenever the starters were on the field and the injury that landed Ashtyn Davis, the team’s on other real option for the position on IR, that question has been answered. Now we need to figure out who will line up at the corner opposite Bryce Hall after the team mysteriously cut ties with former starter Bless Austin. Rookie Michael Carter II would seem to be the leading candidate. In the meantime, start all your offensive players against this depleted defense.
Philadelphia Eagles
There is no suspense surrounding the Eagles starting lineup, but a rookie lurks in the shadows that we need to watch. When the team drafted Milton Williams in the third round, everyone thought it made sense with Fletcher Cox getting a little long in the tooth. Williams had a productive career at Lousiana Tech, where he totaled 104 combined tackles and 10 sacks in two years as a starter. What was lost on many is that he played defensive end in 2019 before slipping inside last year. This was not lost on the Eagles, who started Williams on the outside against the Jets. Between his talent and versatility, Williams could quickly become a factor, especially in leagues where he can be played as a tackle.
Pittsburgh Steelers
If someone told us the Steelers might fall short of a fourth consecutive year leading the league in sacks, our first thought would go to the loss of Bud Dupree in free agency. Between the emergence of Alex Highsmith and the addition of free agent Melvin Ingram III, that is not likely to be a problem. However, what could have an effect is the loss of Stephon Tuitt, who landed on IR among the final roster moves before the season starts. Tuitt has been dealing with off-field issues related to the death of his brother and is reported to be a little overweight, but the ongoing fight with a sore knee forced the team to shut him down. He is expected to return at some point, but no one can speculate on when that will happen. Tuitt contributed 11 sacks in 2020. His replacement, Chris Wormley, has three and a half career sacks in four seasons. Wormley is a good player that can hold down the fort for a while, but he is not in the same category as Tuitt.
To overcome the loss of two starting corners from last year’s team, the Steelers recently traded for Ahkello Witherspoon. Cameron Sutton is set to open as the starter opposite Joe Haden with Justin Layne or second-year former undrafted free-agent James Pierre replacing Mike Hilton as the slot corner. Witherspoon could not beat out Tre Flowers for a starting spot in Seattle, so it is hard to say if he can carve out a role with the Steelers.
Seattle Seahawks
Seattle did not play starters in the final preseason game, leaving many open questions heading to week one. They finally posted an unofficial depth chart on their team site, but I have to wonder if the front office media people who put it together have watched anything going on with the team over the summer.
This is what I can tell you about the Seahawks; second-year lineman Alton Robinson has been working with the second unit but has looked good. He is unlikely to start but should have a more significant role in year two. Robinson had four sacks as a rookie and looks like the future of the position.
L.J. Collier is set to start at one defensive end spot with Carlos Dunlap at the other, but Seattle will likely rotate a lot of guys along the front line. Possibly to the point that none of them can provide significant or at least consistent production.
Jordy Brooks moved over to the weakside in three linebacker sets and will join Bobby Wagner as three-down players. Brooks replaces K.J. Wright, who was a solid if unspectacular fantasy prospect. Brooks is faster, better in coverage, and more of a big-play threat than Wright was, so I expect a little better production from him.
Darrell Taylor is in line to take over the role of two-down strong side backer that Brooks held last year. While he is a starter, Cody Barton is the guy to pick up if either Brooks or Wagner are injured. Barton is the backup at all three positions and has played well whenever he has the opportunity. He was particularly impressive during this year’s preseason.
Seattle traded projected starting corner Ahkello Witherspoon to the Steelers last week, likely making the starting corners Tre Flowers and D.J. Reed. They also added Sidney Jones, who should slide into the third corner role. That said, look for the team to use one of their safeties, Marquise Blair or Ryan Neal, as the nickel/slot defender much of the time.
San Francisco 49ers
There are some questions with the 49ers that we hope to have answered in week one. Possibly the most important ones are at defensive end, where we need to see if Nick Bosa can pick up where he left off before last year’s injury and if we are going to get the Arik Armstead that totaled 10 sacks in 2019 or the one that had 3.5 last year.
We will also be looking at the safety position for clarification. Jaquiski Tartt missed most of training camp and the first two preseason games but returned to play against the Raiders. The question is, will he get his starting job back, or will the team roll with Tavon Wilson, who has been working with the starters all summer. With Tartt’s injury history, if you have Wilson on your roster, I would not necessarily drop him even if he does not start the opener.
If Dre Greenlaw is on your roster, keep an eye on the week one injury report. He missed some time recently with a hip injury that could be an issue early in the season.
We have heard nothing but good things about second-year pro Javon Kinlaw from the opening of camp through the final preseason contest. Coaches say he is poised for a breakout season, and watching him work against the Raiders, it was easy to see why. Granted, Kinlaw was working against the second offensive line, but they had no answer for him. When he was drafted, the 49ers told us he was the next DeForest Buckner. That is a tall order to live up to and he has a long way to go, but Kinlaw might just be that good.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers' defense is back and intact for the 2021 season. The closes thing they have to drama is the sore hamstring safety Jordan Whitehead is dealing with. He is questionable for the opener but is not expected to miss significant time. Mike Edwards will be in line for the start if Whitehead is not able to go.
Tennessee Titans
There are two things to watch when the Titans' defense takes the field for week one. Will Janoris Jenkins and Kristian Fulton continue the legacy of quality IDP value from the corner positions, and will safety Amani Hooker continue to produce at the rate he did in 2020? Hooker was 35-16-0 with 4 picks and 8 passes defended last year, but he did it on just 466 total snaps as the third safety/slot defender. The answer to this one will depend largely on how he and Kevin Byard line up. During the preseason, it looked as if Tennesse was using them as right and left safeties much of the time. That situation would likely make both players worthy of strong IDP consideration.
Washington Football Team
Few of the players Washington started in the final preseason game made the 53 man roster. Thus this outing did nothing to help us project what to expect in week one. In the first contest, Kamren Curl worked as the strong safety, with Landon Collins lining up deep. In game two, their roles appeared to be reversed. The only clue we have to how they will line up for the opener is the Football Team's unofficial depth chart, which tags Collins as the strong safety and Curl at free. This is a huge piece of information as it could have a major impact on box score production. At this point, I would have more confidence in Collins but would try to avoid either of them if you have other good options until we get an answer.
Likewise, we did not get to see the progress of Jamin Davis in a third game. He played as a two-down middle backer in the opener then saw a little subpackage action in the second round of games. He should ultimately replace Jon Bostic on passing downs and become a very production option for us, but there is no guarantee Davis will be a three-down player right out of the gate. Whoever lands that role should join Cole Holcomb, who worked on all three downs with the starters in each of the first two games.
Matt Ioannidis is not officially a starter for Washington, but he is a player to watch if your league starts interior linemen. The Football Team showed a three-man rotation at tackle when the starters were playing, with Jonathan Allen and DaRon Payne starting but all three seeing virtually equal playing time.
That does it for the week one offering. Best of luck to everyone in the opening round!
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