Running analysis and fantasy notes from Week 1 of NFL preseason

Key takeaways, fantasy football thoughts, and everything else you need to know from the NFL preseason games. Check back for updates.

Thursday games

Richardson hurt early

Anthony Richardson getting the start after some positive reviews out of training camp was the big draw against the Ravens. Unfortunately, the Colts quarterback had his night cut short. Richardson left the contest early in his second drive after taking a massive hit on a sack from an unblocked defender off the edge.

Head coach Shane Steichen later shared that he's day-to-day with a dislocated finger, so perhaps it's not as bad as it could have been. But this is certainly a situation worth monitoring. Richardson appeared to have fallen behind Daniel Jones in the quarterback competition after aggravating his shoulder in the spring. Any absence would likely squash his recent momentum and mark yet another setback for his development. He needs these reps as much as anyone.

Keep an eye on Keaton

Keaton Mitchell had some incredible flashes as a rookie back in 2023, averaging an obscene 8.4 yards per carry on 47 attempts before going down with a gruesome knee injury. After getting back on the field for a few games late last year, it seems like he's regained his previous form. Mitchell's rare explosiveness was on full display with multiple long runs against the Colts. In total, he took nine carries for 68 yards and a touchdown.

The Ravens will continue to ride Derrick Henry as their high-volume workhorse, but Mitchell is one to watch. His big-play ability could absolutely get him on the field in rotation. And if Henry is to miss any time, the former undrafted free agent could go from secret weapon to breakout star.

Bengals try something new

Cincinnati has typically been one of the teams that rests starters during the preseason. Joe Burrow, for example, attempted all of eight passes in exhibition games across his first five seasons. Zac Taylor evidently believes it's time for that to change.

The Bengals head coach revealed earlier this week that his top players would see more action in an effort to avoid another slow start to the regular season. It remains to be seen whether that will make a difference come Week 1, but Burrow and the rest of the first-team offense couldn't have looked much better against the Eagles' backups. Cincinnati's starters marched downfield for a pair of easy first-quarter touchdowns before shutting it down for the night.

New year, same defense?

It's still early, so we'll try to avoid overreacting to a few unflattering preseason reps. There's still plenty of work to be done before the games start to matter. That being said, it sure would have been nice if the first look at the Bengals' defense gave us any reason to be optimistic after what we saw in 2024.

That's not quite how it played out, as Philly's second-team offense didn't face much resistance on a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to start the game. Will Shipley provided the key play by turning a massive hole into a 38-yard run. Again, it's preseason. Trey Hendrickson wasn't out there, but plenty of Bengals starters were. This group has to improve on last year's disappointing performance or it won't matter how good the offense can be.

An elite handcuff

Speaking of Shipley, he should probably be on everyone's fantasy radar heading into the 2025 season. I've always envisioned him as a passing-game specialist, but the former fourth-round pick is clearly the Eagles' No. 2 running back behind Saquon Barkley. He offers far more upside than A.J. Dillon.

And while he didn't have to do much on his big run Thursday night, it was an important reminder of the plays that are so often available to running backs in this offense. Barkley missing any sort of time during the regular season could make Shipley the kind of player that wins you your fantasy league.

Raiders defense struggles

Pete Carroll is a legendary defensive coach. He's got about a month to figure out how to make sure the Raiders' defense isn't the reason his win-now plans end up looking too ambitious.

Las Vegas opened Thursday's game against the Seahawks with starters across the board before slowly rotating in depth players. Drew Lock and the rest of Seattle's backups had plenty of success moving the ball against both throughout the first half. A new-look offense has a chance to make the Raiders a sneaky-fun team. As is the case with the Bengals, though, that won't be nearly enough if the defense is consistently getting pushed around.

Horton making noise

Tory Horton Jr. has been generating plenty of buzz since landing with the Seahawks as a fifth-round pick in April. His performance against the Raiders suggests it won't be quieting down any time soon.

The Colorado State product, who finished his night with three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown, is an excellent route-runner with impressive athletic traits. Marquez Valdes-Scantling is probably still the favorite for WR3 duties alongside Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, but it seems like he's had a quiet camp. The rookie may be gaining ground.

Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.