Week 1 of the NFL preseason delivered a flood of bright spots for fantasy enthusiasts. Keaton Mitchell punched through as Baltimore’s back to watch, turning four missed tackles into 68 rushing yards and a score while the offense leaned on a fresh group of playmakers. Anthony Richardson exited early with a finger injury, but Shedeur Sanders impressed in Cleveland’s drive-heavy showcase, flashing poise and accuracy. Cincinnati’s Burrow and Chase clicked for multiple early scores, while Ja’Marr Chase flashed the rhythm on short and intermediate throws. Tanner McKee carved up the Bengals’ defense for Philadelphia, and Jaxson Dart looked sharp as NYG’s top QB option, tossing 154 yards plus a rushing 24.

Across the rest of the slate, Seattle’s defense forced takeaways and featured rookie pass-catchers, Detroit and Atlanta leaned on young trenches and pass-rushers, and New England’s Henderson began carving out a role on kick returns. The night underscored rookies and depth players who could shape waiver-wire targets or early-season DFS values, with premium PFF stats and high-level splits guiding the takeaways.