After months with no football to watch, NFL fans will be treated to the closest thing they’ve seen to a full slate since January: A Saturday schedule featuring nine preseason games.
Of course, not every star player will make an appearance in this week’s action, so let’s talk about 10 exciting players who are expected to see the field.
Players to Watch in Today’s Preseason Action
Caleb Williams, Quarterback, Chicago Bears
Let’s start this list the same way the 2024 NFL Draft started: Caleb Williams.
The USC superstar and 2022 Heisman Trophy winner is undoubtedly the biggest name in this year’s rookie class, especially after going first overall in the draft.
Williams is expected to start for Chicago right away in the regular season, but as a rookie, Bears coach Matt Eberflus is also planning on playing him this week.
For the first NFL look at a possible generational talent, be sure to check out the Bears’ game against the Bills this Saturday.
J.J. McCarthy, Quarterback, Minnesota Vikings
Williams isn’t the only first-round rookie quarterback in the NFC North. Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick, won’t start Saturday’s matchup with the Raiders, but he should make his preseason debut at some point during the contest.
McCarthy didn’t have a huge workload at Michigan as the Wolverines excelled on defense and in the run game, making his job relatively easy. However, he showed good command of a pro-style offense and the mentality to perform in pressurized situations en route to a national title.
McCarthy’s transition to the NFL — where he’ll enjoy a loaded receiver room headlined by Justin Jefferson — could be very fun to watch.
Brock Bowers, Tight End, Las Vegas Raiders
Other than perhaps Williams, Brock Bowers was the clearest-cut top option at any position group in this year’s draft. After he was picked 13th overall, the next tight end to be selected was Kansas State’s Ben Sinnott, all the way down at 53rd overall.
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Bowers is entering an offense that features plenty of skill talent but no well-defined quarterback plan going forward. Vegas will hope that he can be a cornerstone of the group as they identify a signal-caller and continue their rebuild.
Zak Zinter, Guard, Cleveland Browns
Zak Zinter was viewed as one of the best guard prospects in this year’s draft before suffering a brutal leg injury in what became the final game of his Michigan career during an intense battle against Ohio State. He fell all the way to the third round, but his recovery now seems to be complete.
The Cleveland offensive line is one of the NFL’s best, if not the very best, so it’s not clear when Zinter will find his way into the lineup. Even so, watching his return to the field will be very telling in terms of his post-injury progression, and Zinter is in a great spot to learn from some of the best interior linemen in the NFL.
Joe Burrow, Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow is very different from most of the players on this list. He’s certainly not a rookie, and despite Jake Browning’s strong play last season, he’s not in anything resembling a position battle.
With all of that being said, he’s still one of the top players to watch this week due to the rarity of his impending appearance.
Of course, we’ll want to see how Burrow’s injured throwing hand has healed and whether or not he’s impeded, but merely seeing Burrow in preseason action is a special occasion; he’s only taken three career snaps in the preseason, making this a unique occasion.
Xavier Worthy, Wide Receiver, Kansas City Chiefs
With Travis Kelce aging and Rashee Rice struggling to stay out of trouble, the Kansas City offensive skill group is looking for a focal point of the future. As stellar as Patrick Mahomes is, he needs a field-stretching receiver to be at his very best, and it seems that Xavier Worthy could provide just that.
Worthy set an NFL Combine record with a 4.21-second 40-yard dash, leading to comparisons between his potential role in the Chiefs offense and the one filled by Tyreek Hill early in Mahomes’ career. Hyper-elite quarterback arm talent and wide receiver speed can be a lethal combination,
Joe Alt, Offensive Tackle, Los Angeles Chargers
Joe Alt has long been viewed as one of the top offensive line prospects in this draft class, and the Chargers validated that notion by making him the highest-drafted lineman in 2024. However, there’s still plenty of buzz that wide receiver Malik Nabers may have been the wiser pick, especially as the L.A. receiver room has become increasingly bare.
Alt can end all of that talk if he quickly establishes himself as a high-end lineman, a journey that starts this Saturday with his preseason debut against the Seahawks.
Byron Murphy II, Defensive Tackle, Seattle Seahawks
Saturday is a very offense-heavy day in terms of exciting prospects, but there is one high-end defensive rookie to keep an eye on. At 16th overall, Byron Murphy II was the second defender taken in this year’s draft, providing Seattle with some fantastic value after an unprecedented run on offensive talent to start the draft.
Murphy was an impressive performer at Texas, plugging up the middle in a way that will be hard for the Longhorns to replace this season. Seattle will expect him to provide an immediate boost to a defense that really needs to sit, starting this weekend against the Chargers.
Taliese Fuaga, Offensive Tackle, New Orleans Saints
Taliese Fuaga, the 14th overall pick in the draft, was the third offensive tackle selected. He was the centerpiece of a tremendously resurgent Oregon State team and will look to help the Saints snap out of an uncharacteristic stretch of mediocrity.
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The offensive line has become a real weakness for New Orleans over the past couple of seasons, particularly in terms of pass protection. Fuaga will look to help turn things around and provide a foundation for the team’s offensive growth under Dennis Allen and new coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Marvin Harrison Jr., Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals
As the highest-drafted non-quarterback in 2024 (fourth overall) and the son of a Hall of Fame wide receiver, it’s fair to say that nobody in this rookie class has bigger shoes to fill than Marvin Harrison Jr. He’s also viewed as the next great Ohio State wide receiver in the NFL, yet another elite standard for him to uphold.
Harrison and Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray have the potential to form one of the most electric duos in the NFL if the latter can stay healthy. It’s not clear that we’ll see them link up on Saturday, but their connection will certainly be a big part of Arizona’s Sundays for the foreseeable future.