Quarterbacks
Steven Montez (WAS) @ NE
With Ryan Fitzpatrick likely getting the veteran treatment with only a few series, that leaves the other three QBs to get most of the snaps. Kyle Allen is coming off a season-ending injury, and up until just a few days ago, he wasn’t practicing. He is listed as questionable, and it’s my expectation that he will receive very little playing time — if any.
That leaves Montez and Taylor Heinicke as the two QBs likely to get the majority of the snaps. Montez has throw some picks in practice, but he has also made some nice throws.
Steven Montez with one of the best balls of the day. Goes looking for Tony Brown going deep, and lofts it up down the left sideline.
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) August 5, 2021
Troy Apke was in coverage and good position, but doesn’t get his head around fast enough to locate the ball. Brown gets under it for the big play
Steven Montez airs it out for Kelvin Harmon working against Jordan Brown. Harmon tracked it and Brown backed, so Harmon comes up with the 30-yard gain
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) August 9, 2021
Taylor Heinicke (WAS) @ NE
There are some in Washington that think Heinicke has a chance to win the job outright over Fitzpatrick, and if that were to happen, it would have to start with this game. I for one don’t think there is a chance in hell that Fitzpatrick isn’t the Week 1 starter, but if Heinicke believes he has a shot, maybe he comes out slinging.
Steven Sims with a nice release off the line and blows by Jummy Moreland on a seam route. Taylor Heinicke hits him in stride for a 20-yard gain
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) August 5, 2021
Chase Young approves. Says, “Good shit 1-5!”
Taylor Heinicke with a deep shot to a wide open Dyami Brown, who had at least five yards between him and the next guy. Jimmy Moreland was the closet in the area.
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) August 8, 2021
About a 25-yard catch
Brian Hoyer (NE) vs. WAS
Cam Newton is “the starter”, Mac Jones is the “first-round pick”, Jarrett Stidham is out after back surgery, and Jake Dolegala was cut. That leaves Brian Hoyer to get a good portion of the junk time in the second half and he is good enough to put up some points against third and fourth string competition. I’d expect Newton to get a few series, Jones may get an entire quarter, and Hoyer likely plays the entire second half.
Nick Mullens (PHI) vs. PIT
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DraftKings shows the Eagles have four QBs, but according to Ourlads.com, Jamie Newman isn’t even on the roster currently. That leaves Jalen Hurts, Joe Flacco and Nick Mullens as the only QBs to take snaps Thursday. Hurts will get the starter treatment and play only a few series, Flacco is a veteran that won’t get more than a quarter, leaving Nick Mullens to get a large portion of snaps.
As a 49er fan, I got to watch Mullens first hand, and one thing that was his downfall may actually be a good thing in preseason DFS, he isn’t afraid to take chances. He is a gunslinger, which can lead to interceptions but it can also lead to huge plays. The good thing for us is, once he gets in the game, he can’t get benched for bad throws, there is no one behind him.
Running Backs
Jaret Patterson (WAS) @ NE
The Washington Football Team’s backfield is more or less set. Antonio Gibson will get the workhorse role, J.D. McKissic will be mixed in on passing downs, and Peyton Barber will play in some short-yardage packages. After that, there are two “near-washed” RBs in Lamar Miller and Jonathan Williams and 6th round pick Patterson.
If I were a betting man, which I am, I’d bet that Patterson gets a ton of work to see if he is good enough to make the 53-man roster. There were a lot of smart people, including my friend John Laub (@GridIronSchol91) a college football genius, that had him really high on his big board. He is really the only true question mark at RB and should get plenty of snaps to prove his worth.
J.J. Taylor (NE) vs. WAS
Taylor’s size is a huge question mark on whether or not he can carve out a role in this offense. I hear a lot of, “He’s the James White replacement.” Is he though? Taylor is listed at 5-foot-6 180 pounds compared to White at 5-foot-10 205 pounds. I think he ends up more of a gadget player than a full-time receiving back. With that said, the preseason is when the Patriots will see what he can do. He is a pass-catching back, which at his size he’d better be, he is getting some preseason hype — he was even compared to Dion Lewis.
Mac Jones just threw a beautiful ball to JJ Taylor aboit 35 yards down the field. Perfectly placed and the 2nd year RB fought thru contact to make the grab. #Patriots
— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) August 9, 2021
Najee Harris (PIT) @ PHI
Harris‘ debut last week left a lot to be desired, to say the least, but on a positive note, he played 18 snaps and touched the ball 8 times. Head coach Mike Tomlin said to the media that, “he would not cap his reps” in this preseason game. No idea what that means, but at minimum, I’d expect similar usage to what he saw last week — ideally we will see more.
Kenneth Gainwell (PHI) vs. PIT
Gainwell WILL be used in the passing game. Let me say that again. Gainwell WILL be used in the passing game. Through August 9th, no running back on the Eagles roster had caught more passes than Gainwell.
Thanks for all the questions. Can’t wait for practice tomorrow.
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) August 10, 2021
Lots of questions about the RBs, so here are all the #Eagles running back stats from the 1st ten practices: pic.twitter.com/goaUw1f0gF
Wide Receivers
Kelvin Harmon (WAS) @ NE
By all accounts, Harmon has been lighting up camp. Living in DC as I do, I get to hear all the beat reporters talking about “another good day for Harmon.” A lot of people were excited about him last year before he went down with a season ending injury. It appears he is fully healthy…
Kelvin Harmon with the deep catch up the sideline from Ryan Fitzpatrick pic.twitter.com/qahOBRP7uW
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) July 30, 2021
N’Keal Harry (NE) vs. WAS
The preseason sometimes isn’t as much about impressing the team you’re currently on, but showcasing for you next potential team. That is the case with Harry who has requested a trade from the Patriots. If the Patriots want to change the narrative that Harry is a bust, they’d be wise to feature him. Now, will he take advantage of that? That remains to be seen.
Gunner Olszewski (NE) vs. WAS
Gunner Olszewski is just one of those players that ends up being a preseason MVP. I like him for no other reason than that.
Cam Newton with a Bomb to Patriots WR Gunner Olszewski 😤 LFG @CameronNewton @Gunnerolszewsk1 pic.twitter.com/oXa0Nk3wvS
— IG: @nepatnation (@nepatnation_) August 10, 2021
Quez Watkins (PHI) vs. PIT
Watkins has been making some noise in camp, especially on the deep ball. He has continually gotten behind the defense with his speed, and that’s what we are looking for in preseason DFS. Give me just one big play, just one…
Quez Watkins breakout szn is upon us.
— Sean Cisler (@PHLEaglesNews) August 9, 2021
🎥: @eagles_unified pic.twitter.com/oOxqD9Tlye
J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (PHI) vs. PIT
JAWS has looked good in camp and is likely playing for his job after a rough start to his career the last few seasons. He has a chance to secure a spot as a slot WR, and the slot is a place that tend to get a little more volume in the preseason.
👍 Jalen Hurts pinned against his own end zone looked very comfortable in the pocket with a heavy rush around him and completed a nice pass to JJ Arcega-Whiteside
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) August 5, 2021
Tight Ends
Devin Asiasi (NE) vs. WAS
The tight end position is so hard to predict in the preseason. They get used more to block than they do receive. You really need one catch, 5 yards and a TD and you probably have the top TE. Asiasi is as good a bet to score as anyone and with Hunter Henry already banged up, Junno Smith likely getting the starter treatment, Asiasi might be the only receiving tight end the Patriots have on their roster.
Sammis Reyes (WAS) @ NE
Reyes is the feel good story of the offseason so far. He played basketball until about a year ago when he switch to football and became the first Chilean to sign an NFL contract. Having never played football before, he is a long shot to make the roster, so appearing in a preseason game is his “Super Bowl.” Maybe the Washington Football Team goes out of their way to give this kid a chance.
First play with the 2s in this 11v11 period and Taylor Heinicke hits a wide open Sammis Reyes in the seam for the touchdown
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) August 8, 2021
Defense
Washington Football Team
The Patriots have traditionally been a team that puts no stock in preseason games for their starters and tend to have their own agenda regardless of the game. Basically meaning, they don’t care if they are winning or losing, if they want to see a certain player in a situation, they are going to make that happen regardless of what’s going on in the game. They famously lost all four preseason games the year they went undefeated in the regular season. For that reason, playing the defense against them in the preseason can be a good idea. Washington Football Team would be high on my list to roster.
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