With the NFL preseason here and all the teams playing this week, we finally get to see if any of the rookies are as successful against other teams as they are against the air in practice videos. As always, the summer was filled with a flurry of hype videos and headlines that made it difficult to know who was really standing out consistently.
So, I wanted to highlight seven rookies I’ll be watching in week one to see what type of role they could be in store for during the regular season. Let me know what you’ll be watching for this first week of the preseason, and let’s get excited about getting closer to some real football!
1. Bo Nix
(QB - Denver Broncos)
vs Indianapolis Colts on 8/11 at 1 PM EST
While the top three quarterbacks taken in the draft understandably have gotten the most attention during the summer, I’m actually the most interested in Bo Nix. From the practice summaries and reports I’ve seen, Bo Nix has had a bit of an up-and-down camp with some really good highs but some rough lows. Meanwhile, Jarrett Stidham seems to have a slight lead to be the week one starter thanks to his knowledge of the offense and already having established chemistry with many of the receivers after being with the team last year.
Speaking of last year, we got another reminder that Jarrett Stidham is an average backup who likely doesn’t provide that much upside for the offense. The Denver Broncos took Bo Nix with the number twelve overall pick with the expectation that he would eventually be their starter.
With our knowledge of Stidham and the understanding of the expectations of Nix, I think week one of preseason will be a big opportunity for Nix to gain more ground on Stidham. If Nix continues to progress, I wouldn’t be shocked if he gets more run with the starters as the preseason goes on and earns the starter spot for week one of the regular season.
2. Ray Davis
(RB - Buffalo Bills)
vs Chicago Bears on 8/10 at 1 PM EST
Ray Davis had a lot of fans during the draft cycle and still maintained some of that momentum even after falling to the fourth round due to being selected by the Buffalo Bills. I wasn’t a big fan of Davis, and though going to Buffalo may seem ideal on paper, he has more career touches than James Cook and is only two months younger than Cook.
On top of that, Davis has been having some fumble issues during camp, from what I’ve seen. So, the upside is questionable, and playing time, in general, could be at risk if Davis continues to struggle to hold onto the ball.
That being said, Ray Davis did a fairly good job holding onto the ball throughout his college career, so I think he can work through this. Davis making it through the first preseason game without a fumble will be the first big step and should give a boost of confidence to the coaching staff. If he can hold onto the ball and get some run early in the game, he could be relied on more during this upcoming season than I have been giving him credit for.
3. Kimani Vidal
(RB - Los Angeles Chargers)
vs Seattle Seahawks on 8/10 at 7:05 PM EST
I will admit that I wasn’t a big fan of Kimani Vidal this draft cycle with him as my RB14. NFL teams similarly weren’t as impressed with Vidal being the 16th running back taken in the 2024 NFL Draft and being selected in the sixth round by the Los Angeles Chargers. So, why will I be watching who normally would be fighting for a roster spot instead of playing time? Kimani Vidal went late in the draft but enters an ideal situation going to the Los Angeles Chargers with new head coach Jim Harbaugh, who runs a heavy gap run offense which plays to Vidal’s strength.
Now, Vidal still has competition with Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins ahead of him on the depth chart. However, we know what to expect from Edwards as he is a good, not dominant, runner and offers little in the receiving game. As for Dobbins, he has struggled to stay healthy in his career and is coming off a torn Achilles, so there is no guarantee of what we can expect from him despite the positive buzz he’s received from coaches.
With the opportunity to potentially win passing down opportunities if Dobbins can’t stay healthy, week one of the preseason could be the first step for Vidal to earn the third down back role for the team.
4+5. Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker
(WR - New England Patriots)
vs Carolina Panthers on 8/8 at 7 PM EST
I imagine that many people will be watching the New England Patriots wide receivers, but I still want to discuss Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker out of obligation. Both Polk and Baker joined the team after the 2024 NFL Draft and joined a team in an overhaul with limited competition at the receiver position. Both receivers have also had their moments to shine during training camp and have gotten reps with the first-team offense.
That being said, with any overhaul, teams are willing to try anything during camp, so the preseason games may be the first opportunity we get to see what the team will actually be like during the regular season.
With the opportunity both Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker have, I will be very interested to see who actually will get playing time with the first-team offense in week one of the preseason. The chances neither of them get the opportunity may be as high as the chances of both of them getting the opportunity. While many people have been planting their flag all summer on either Polk or Baker, we might finally get a glimpse of who is actually in the lead in the team’s eyes.
6. Mason Tipton
(WR - New Orleans Saints)
vs Arizona Cardinals on 8/10 at 8 PM EST
Our first appearance of an undrafted rookie free agent on this list! It’s rare for an undrafted rookie free agent to be generating positive buzz before any preseason games, but Mason Tipton has been doing just that. It feels like a daily occurrence for me to see a New Orleans Saints beat writer highlighting a good play Tipton made in camp.
Now, not to be a wet blanket, but most of the beat writers have spoken more about the prospects of Mason Tipton making the team rather than pushing for significant playing time with the first-team offense. However, making the roster is the first step for any undrafted rookie and a strong preseason performance in week one could be the start of pushing for opportunities during the regular season.
I’m still a fan of AT Perry, but from the clips I’ve seen from camp, his separation has been disappointing. So, if the team starts to get frustrated with Perry, Tipton could carve into some of his opportunities at some point during the season.
7. Ja’Tavion Sanders
(TE - Carolina Panthers)
vs New England Patriots on 8/8 at 7 PM EST
Another one from the Thursday matchup of the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots. I think a lot of people have seen the hype regarding Bryce Young, Jonathan Brooks, and Diontae Johnson, but I think Ja’Tavion Sanders has been lost in the shuffle. The Panthers tight end room is already relatively weak and has also been dealing with injuries, with Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas missing time. This opened the door for Ja’Tavion Sanders to get more playing time with the first-team offense.
Head coach Dave Caneles has been giving praise to all of his players, so take it with a grain of salt. But Canales has stated he has seen “exponential growth” from Ja’Tavion Sanders. This increase in playing time, improvements from practice to practice, and a possible good performance in the preseason could give him the inside track to be the team’s starter in week one and be a massive sleeper late in drafts for tight-end needy teams.
