2026 NFL Week 1 Preseason Recap: 3 Winners, 3 Losers And A Trend

OXNARD, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 4: Camden Brown #6 of the Dallas Cowboys runs a way during training campy astatine River Ridge Playing Fields connected August 4, 2026 successful Oxnard, California. (Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images)

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It’s the first week of the 2026 NFL preseason; I get it. It’s early yet. Some teams didn’t commencement their starters, immoderate teams played their starters against backups, and immoderate teams conscionable went each out. So, yes, it is difficult to judge conscionable what is applicable and what isn’t, but that’s the nosy successful analysis, right?

So, aft the first week of preseason games, present are 3 winners, 3 losers, and a mates of trends that stood out.

Let’s spot who made the list.

3 Losers 2026 NFL Week 1 Preseason

Quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons

Tagovailoa is looking to make a caller commencement aft being summarily dismissed by the Miami Dolphins. New caput coach Kevin Stefanski is looking to make a connection successful Atlanta, and 1 of his first steps aft acquiring Tagovailoa was to denote that location is simply a backmost title betwixt past year’s starter, Michael Penix Jr., who is presently recovering from a torn ACL, and Tagovailoa.

Penix has not been cleared to return hits. So, for preseason crippled one, it was the Tagovailoa show. Unfortunately, it wasn’t rather fresh for premier time.

Tagovailoa only played connected 2 drives. And it was against the Denver Broncos defense. A defense that played astir of its starters. A defense that sewage unit connected 60% of Tagovailoa’s dropbacks. Yes, wide receiver Drake London only played 2 snaps. And moving backmost Bijan Robinson did not play astatine all. But still, Tagovailoa’s first thrust went three-and-out, including an awkward fumble connected 2nd down retired of the shotgun snap. Then it was punt…punt… punt…punt…punt. Not a awesome start, but hey, it was only the first preseason crippled pinch a caller squad and a caller scheme.

Wide Receiver, Isaac TeSlaa, Detroit Lions

TeSlaa is the heir evident to a starting position successful the Lions wide receiver room. Things person not gone arsenic planned. After a poor training camp, the Week 1 preseason crippled was his chance to shine.

First, TeSlaa was playing pinch the backups; that is some bully and bad. Good: if he is genuinely a WR3, it will springiness him a chance to radiance against what is assumed to beryllium an easier challenge. But past again, he is playing pinch the backups and not the starters. Well, possibly location is simply a reason.

TeSlaa was targeted 3 times and recorded zero receptions connected 11 routes run. His first target went done his hands, disconnected his helmet, into the waiting hands of an opposing protect backmost for an interception. It didn’t get better. Three targets and zero receptions connected 11 routes is not really a WR3 connected a potent discourtesy is made.

Quarterback, Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

Ward is entering his 2nd twelvemonth pinch new, improved weapons, a caller caput coach, and a caller violative coordinator successful Brian Daboll. All this caller whitethorn return immoderate time, arsenic exhibited by his play successful Week 1. Ward’s last stat statement publication 5-of-12 for 57 yards, 1 unreserved effort for 2 yards.

It looked much achy than that. After a coagulated first thrust (that, truth beryllium told, was owed to the moving backs), Ward was off-target retired of the pocket; his attempts astatine leader shot were mistakes, and according to Next Gen Stats, he only attempted 2 passes for much than 7 aerial yards.

And to make matters somewhat worse, this was against the San Francisco 49ers backups.

Again, this is simply a batch of caller for the second-year quarterback, but against the backups, you are hoping for a small better.

3 Winners 2026 NFL Week 1 Preseason

Running Back, Robert Henry Jr., Washington Commanders

Undrafted free supplier Henry made a beardown lawsuit to jump into the Commanders' moving backmost rotation. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry. Early on, he collapsed disconnected a 15-yard run, showing disconnected his strength, and past doubled down by beating defenders to the extracurricular connected his touchdown run.

On 12 carries, he vanished pinch 75 yards and a touchdown.

Kaytron Allen had the bulk of the workload successful the moving backmost room pinch 23 carries for 85 yards and 1 touchdown. But Henry’s 12 carries and 6.3 yards per transportation isn’t nothing.

Wide Receiver, Camden Brown, Dallas Cowboys

Undrafted free supplier Brown whitethorn beryllium moving up the Cowboys' crowded wide receiver room. The hype from the Cowboys campy for erstwhile whitethorn not beryllium conscionable the basking Texas aerial blowing done the land.

It’s not conscionable the 2 touchdowns he had successful his Week 1 preseason game; it’s really he amassed his 62 yards, 2 touchdowns connected 3 receptions. The first was his contested drawback successful the extremity zone. The 2nd was the one-handed drawback connected the2-yard slice besides successful the extremity zone. The catches are highlight-reel worthy. But what is much awesome is that they are pursuing training campy hype, truthful possibly he’s not conscionable the basking Texas air.

Wide Receiver, De’Zhaun Stribling, San Francisco 49ers

The Niners wide receiver worries mightiness person conscionable been lightened a little. Second-year receiver Stribling played against astir of the Titans' protect starters, and he was good. He was the 2nd astir targeted Niner; he ran 15 routes, and he vanished pinch 8 targets, 7 receptions for 63 yards, against the defense tally by the Niners' erstwhile protect coordinator.

I cognize it was only 1 game. But it was 1 bully game.

Is It A Trend?

Cincinnati Bengals backmost Joe Burrow was nether center! He took 7 of his thirteen snaps nether center. Is it a trend?

Now, what they are hoping isn’t a inclination is near tackle Orlando Brown getting his backmost smoked. Brown gave up a speedy unit that resulted successful Burrow emotion the wrath.

Bring On Preseason Week 2

In the ever-so-crowded Cleveland Browns backmost room, Shedeur Sanders is expected to commencement and play pinch the starters successful Week 2. Deshaun Watson started successful Week 1 and vanished pinch 11-for-15, for 126 yards, zero touchdowns, zero interceptions, 1 sack, 1 fumble, 3 rushing attempts for 4 yards, and a 98.2 backmost rating. This is simply a existent backmost competition; the mobility is, will it matter?

Preseason Week 2 Schedule

Thursday August 20:

Las Vegas Raiders @ Houston Texans

San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Chargers

Friday August 21:

Jets @ Steelers

Carolina Panthers @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos

Saturday August 22:

Washington Commanders @ Detroit Lions (Marcus Mariota retired for the remainder of the preseason)

Baltimore Ravens @ Minnesota Vikings

Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland Browns

Atlanta Falcons @ Indianapolis Colts

New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles Rams (Aaron Donald practicing pinch the Rams)

Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati Bengals

Philadelphia Eagles @ New England Patriots

Kansas City Chiefs @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Dallas Cowboys @ Arizona Cardinals

Sunday August 23:

Seattle Seahawks @ Tennessee Titans

All analyses are valid here. You person a different view? Come fto maine cognize connected Twitter @gladysLtyler aliases travel talk to maine and my co-host @FFadjacent Friday nights connected the “In No Particular Order” podcast, starting August 28th astatine 9 p.m. Eastern, 7 p.m. Mountain, and 3 p.m. Hawaii time!