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Five players with the most to prove in Saturday's NFL preseason action
By Eric Smithling,
1 day ago
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold.
Week 2 of the NFL preseason heats up on Saturday with 13 games. Here are five players with the most to prove during a loaded day of preseason action.
Note: All times are in Eastern time zone.
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (1 p.m.)
The sixth-year Giants quarterback makes his first start since suffering a season-ending ACL injury in Week 9 last season.
"I'm ready to play and looking forward to getting out there," Jones told Giants.com senior writer Michael Eisen before the game.
Jones underperformed in 2023 after receiving a lucrative four-year, $160 million extension last offseason following the Giants' trip to the divisional round of the 2022 playoffs.
He was 108-of-160 (67.5 percent) for 909 yards, two touchdowns and six interceptions in six starts.
Jones might need a strong season to keep his job beyond this year. Per Over The Cap , the Giants could save $78 million while incurring $22.2 million in dead cap chargers over the 2025 and 2026 seasons by designating Jones as a post-June 1 cut next offseason.
Chiefs wide receiver Skyy Moore (Lions at Chiefs, 4 p.m., NFL Network)
Wideout Skyy Moore, entering his third season, has largely become an afterthought in the Chiefs offense. He could use Brown's absence to stand out in a unit that includes rookie Xavier Worthy and second-year pros Rashee Rice and Justyn Ross.
In Week 1 of the preseason, Moore played 14 snaps and didn't record a target. If he doesn't have better production with Brown out of the lineup, it might be hard for the Chiefs to justify his spot on their roster.
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (Vikings at Browns, 4:25 p.m. NFL+)
While Darnold started last weekend, Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy appeared close to taking over after a promising first outing.
McCarthy's season-ending knee injury means Darnold won't have to worry about his job. For now, at least.
Darnold was 4-of-8 for 59 yards in Minnesota's preseason opener. He played one series and led the Vikings on a 66-yard drive that ended with a turnover on downs.
His role as QB1 is safe, but for a quarterback who has never lasted a full season as an NFL starter, we need to see more to reasonably believe he won't be benched at some point in 2024.
The Commanders' wide receiver depth behind No. 1 option Terry McLaurin is in flux.
Earlier this week, head coach Dan Quinn listed several names for the No. 2 wide receiver position in the conversation.
"I've been really impressed with Olamide [Zaccheaus]... Looking forward to getting Luke [McCaffrey] some extra work... Jahan [Dotson], Dyami [Brown], so that's where we're at," Quinn told reporters. ( h/t NFL.com )
Dotson, Washington's first-round pick (No. 16 overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft, had a quiet 2023 after a promising rookie season.
Per Pro Football Reference data , he ranked third in receiving yards (518) and fourth in receptions (49) despite playing the second-highest percentage of the team's offensive snaps among skill-position players.
NFL.com's Bobby Kownack wrote that he led all Commanders receivers in offensive snaps (31) in Week 1 of the preseason, and "Such heavy action is usually reserved for those still needing to give something more to coaches."
Steelers center Zach Frazier (Bills at Steelers, 7 p.m., NFL Network)
Snapping issues with starting center Nate Herbig marred Steelers quarterback Justin Fields' preseason Week 1 start. Herbig (undisclosed injury) could miss Saturday's game against the Bills, giving rookie center Frazier a chance to take command of the position.
He played well with the second unit against the Texans last weekend. Per Pro Football Focus , he was the only lineman to receive a grade above 70 as both a run- and pass-blocker. PFF data credited him without allowing a sack in 18 pass-rush opportunities.
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