- TheDetroit Lionsseem unsettled at wide receiver:Isaac TeSlaa is currently penciled in as the Lions' third wide receiver, but he played late into the second quarter alongside the rest of the third-string offense in this game.
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Washington Commanders @ Detroit Lions
The Commanders' wide receiver depth chart takes shape: All of Washington’s top wide receivers were active for this game, providing the clearest look yet at how the depth chart is taking shape.
Terry McLaurin leads a crowded receiver room. Washington has spent mid-round picks in each of the past three drafts on slot receivers Luke McCaffrey, Jaylin Lane and Antonio Williams. The Commanders have also added several veterans over the past year, including Stefon Diggs, Treylon Burks, Dyami Brown and Van Jefferson.
On the first drive, McLaurin lined up at X, Burks at Z and Diggs in the slot in 11 personnel. Diggs had historically been an every-down receiver, but he played only 54.7% of the snaps last season with the New England Patriots. His usage in this game suggests he could again be limited primarily to 11 personnel, which would put a ceiling on his fantasy potential. Diggs’ slot role also increases the likelihood that Burks sees significant playing time rather than one of Washington’s younger slot receivers.
On the second drive, Brown took over at X, Burks remained at Z and McCaffrey played in the slot in 11 personnel. Jefferson also took two snaps in place of Burks at Z. On the third drive, McCaffrey moved outside to X, Jefferson played Z and Williams and Lane rotated in the slot.
That usage suggests Lane could be the odd man out if Washington keeps only seven wide receivers. It also indicates that Williams is unlikely to see much, if any, playing time early in the season.
Chig Okonkwoplays 12 of 14 snaps in the first quarter: Washington’s new lead tight end appears poised for a larger role than he ever had with the Tennessee Titans.
Washington used a three-man rotation at tight end last season with Zach Ertz, John Bates and Ben Sinnott. Ertz tore his ACL late in the season, and Washington opted not to re-sign him, instead bringing in Okonkwo. Okonkwo has posted impressive advanced metrics at times but never developed into a consistent fantasy starter in Tennessee, where he often worked in a rotation and played just 63% of the offensive snaps last season.
Okonkwo and Bates were among the starters who rested in last week’s preseason game, and they were the only two tight ends to play on the first two drives this week. They shared four snaps in 12 personnel, while Okonkwo played eight of 10 snaps in 11 personnel. Both exited after the second drive, with Sinnott, Colson Yankoff and Lawrence Cager taking over on the third drive.
That usage suggests Okonkwo and Bates are well ahead of Sinnott on the depth chart, while Okonkwo is positioned for a significant increase in playing time compared to his tenure in Tennessee. He should be one of the top sleeper tight ends this season and an excellent target for fantasy managers who wait at the position.
Isaac TeSlaaplays with the backups: The Lions rested their starters for a second straight week, but TeSlaa remained in the game until midway through the second quarter.
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams have been locked into Detroit’s top two wide receiver spots. Last season, TeSlaa competed with veteran Kalif Raymond for the third receiver role in 11 personnel. Raymond left for Chicago in free agency, seemingly opening the door for TeSlaa to take over those snaps.
If the Lions fully trusted TeSlaa in that role, however, he likely would have rested with the starters in at least one of the first two preseason games. Detroit’s depth chart behind him remains unsettled, and ideally, those receivers would receive more playing time to help determine who makes the roster. Instead, TeSlaa played not only with the second-team offense that started the game but also alongside the third-team quarterback and offensive line. Greg Dortch and Cedrick Wilson Jr. appeared to be his closest competition last week, while Tay Martin was heavily involved this week.
TeSlaa should still receive significant playing time this season, but he is unlikely to have much fantasy value unless St. Brown or Williams misses time. Even in that scenario, Detroit could look to add a wide receiver via trade rather than significantly expanding TeSlaa’s role.
Miscellaneous Notes
- The Commanders announced before the game that quarterback Marcus Mariota (sprained MCL) and running backs Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rachaad White (hamstring) and Jeremy McNichols (quad) would not play. Croskey-Merritt’s absence was the biggest surprise, but ESPN’s John Keim reported that he may have suffered an injury during Thursday’s practice.
- Lions backup running back Isiah Pacheco (MCL sprain) and starting tight end Sam LaPorta (hip) did not play due to injury.
- The Lions also rested several starters, including quarterback Jared Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs and wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
Buffalo Bills @ Cleveland Browns
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Atlanta Falcons @ Indianapolis Colts
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Baltimore Ravens @ Minnesota Vikings
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New Orleans Saints @ Los Angeles Rams
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New York Giants @ Miami Dolphins
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Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati Bengals
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Philadelphia Eagles @ New England Patriots
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Kansas City Chiefs @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Dallas Cowboys @ Arizona Cardinals
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Table Notes
- Snaps include plays called back due to penalties, such as offensive holding or defensive pass interference. The other three stats exclude these plays.
- Targets may differ from official NFL sources. The most likely discrepancy would be from a clear thrown-away pass, where the NFL may give the target to the nearest receiver, while this data will not.
- Carries are only on designed plays. Quarterback scrambles won’t count for the total number of carries in the game.