Fantasy Football Preseason Roundup: Anthony Richardson, Keaton Mitchell and Other Headlines from Thursday's Action

When the NFL Hall of Fame Game took place last week, people all over social media kept saying things like, “FOOTBALL IS BACK!” I hate to tell you, but football isn't truly back until Week 1 hits (or maybe the first week of college football, but we're focused on the pros here). That doesn't mean there's nothing to glean from the games that take place, though.

Three games occured on Thursday: Bengals/Eagles, Colts/Ravens, and Raiders/Seahawks. While many starters didn't play (and won't throughout the preseason), there were players who put up numbers and scored touchdowns, which can help us decide between secondary and tertiary players who will go later in fantasy drafts or might be free agent pickups later in the season.

Let's go through each game and hit some of the performers who stood out and anything else of note. At the end, we'll talk about one other major injury from Thursday.

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Cincinnati Bengals @ Philadelphia Eagles (PHI 34-27)

Joe Burrow Impresses

Burrow completed 9-10 passes for 123 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions or sacks. How much better could it have gone? Cincinnati has a history of starting slow with Burrow under center, so they planned to make him a part of the preseason equation. So far, so good.

Tanner Hudson Shines

Ja'Marr Chase went for 77 yards and a touchdown, but that's to be expected. The tight end Hudson is buried on the depth chart, but a performance like this will help solidify his spot: six catches (led the team), 62 yards, and two touchdowns, one of which came from Burrow. There's nothing wrong with being TE3 and playing special teams; that paycheck still clears each week.

Tanner McKee: QB2

Jalen Hurts didn't play in this one, leaving McKee to handle most of the work under center for the Eagles. He went 20-25 for 252 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. McKee also ran in a touchdown for good measure. He won't overtake Hurts, but McKee likely put to rest any qualms about his spot on the depth chart.

Philly's Other Receivers

A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are the big names, but they didn't play. Instead, Darius Cooper (6-82-1) and Johnny Wilson (3-73-0) led the pass-catching corps. Neither guy is going to make a big impact during the season unless injuries hit hard, but there is room for someone to take snaps after those top two, and Cooper and Wilson could be names to remember some time down the line.

Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens (BAL 24-16)

Anthony Richardson Leaves with Injury

Richardson threw just three passes, completing two for 21 yards. He left the game after dislocating his pinkie on a sack, cutting short an important point in the preseason as he battles Daniel Jones for the starting QB job. This is another setback in the so-far disappointing career of Richardson, a former top-five pick; let's hope he can make it back for Week 2 of the preseason.

Jones wasn't great, completing 10-21 passes for 144 yards, but he has to be considered the winner of this round by default. That's a scary thought for Indianapolis fans.

Keaton Mitchell Leads the Way

Baltimore will be carried (literally) by Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson on the ground, but it always takes more than one running back to get through a season. Justice Hill is listed second on the depth chart, but neither Henry nor Hill played in this one, and Mitchell ran the ball nine times for 68 yards and a touchdown.

Mitchell has shown flashes, averaging nearly seven yards per carry in his career, but injuries have been a major factor, as Mitchell has played only 13 games in his two seasons. Mitchell isn't on the fantasy radar right now, but if Henry suffers an injury, Mitchell could play a major role in a very good offense.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Seattle Seahawks (TIE 23-23)

Raiders Show Us Nothing

Geno Smith threw three passes. Ashton Jeanty ran the ball three times (for negative-one yard). Vegas essentially let a few guys go out and stretch their legs before letting backups play most of the game, including quarterback Aidan O'Connell.

Shedrick Jackson, a receiver who probably won't make the team, caught four passes for 76 yards and a touchdown. Maybe a few big games get him a look on the roster, but Jackson was an undrafted free agent in 2023 and has played three games while catching zero passes.

Vegas coaches probably got a good look at some of the dudes fighting for spots on the depth chart, but nothing that will affect fantasy football took place from the Raiders' perspective.

Seahawks Show Us…Nothing

None of Seattle's starting fantasy players dressed for this game, so we didn't get a peek at Sam Darnold and Co. Drew Lock played most of the game and did Drew Lock things (underwhelming), and rookie Jalen Milroe got a little time, but he's a developmental player, not someone fighting for the QB job (three runs for 38 yards shows what he does best).

George Holani ran seven times for 61 yards and a touchdown, and he caught a pass for 20 yards, but he's RB3 at best and won't get any real run unless injuries hit several guys ahead of him. We didn't get much out of this game; it's only fitting that it ended in a tie (they don't play overtime in the preseason, and Vegas had a field goal attempt blocked as time expired).

Rashawn Slater Goes Down for Season

This didn't happen during a game, but there was one significant injury that happened on Thursday that will affect fantasy football. Slater, the left tackle of the Los Angeles Chargers who just got paid handsomely, suffered a knee injury and will miss the entire 2025 season. Slater isn't a fantasy player, but his absence will hurt those who are able to be drafted.

Justin Herbert, and by extension Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston, Keenan Allen, and other pass catchers, will suffer from less protection in the passing game. Right tackle Joe Alt is likely to move to left tackle, which will weaken the right side and maybe also the left; we won't know what to expect until the team hits the field in Week 1.

The running game will also feel the effects, as Slater was above average as both a pass blocker and run blocker last season (according to Pro Football Focus). That means Najee Harris and rookie Omarion Hampton have a less stout group in front of them, and it's something to keep in mind when drafting your mid-round running backs.