NFL Preseason Week 1 – Who’s Playing on Friday? Game-by-Game Guide

• Tua Tagovailoa makes his Falcons debut in tonight’s NFL preseason Week 1 slate, and his leash is shorter than you might expect
• One team is playing close to its full starting lineup in Friday’s three-game NFL preseason schedule while the other five mostly sit
• Read below for the full game-by-game guide to who’s playing on Friday in NFL preseason Week 1

The NFL preseason rolls on tonight, Friday, August 14, 2026, with a three-game slate that all kicks off at 7 p.m. ET. Most starters are watching from the sideline, but a few big names are getting real work.

Here is your game-by-game guide to the most important, notable, and interesting players expected to get playing time tonight.

Jump to a game: Buccaneers at Jets | Broncos at Falcons | Dolphins at Commanders

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Jets (7:00 PM ET, NFL Network)

• Which QBs Will Play for Jets? Head coach Aaron Glenn said everyone is playing tonight, which puts Geno Smith back under center for New York. Glenn set the guideline at 25 to 30 plays for his veterans. Rookie Cade Klubnik (Clemson, No. 110 overall pick) should handle a good chunk of the second half.
• Which QBs Will Play for Buccaneers? Baker Mayfield stays back as the incumbent starter, and backup Jake Browning is nursing a back injury. That leaves Connor Bazelak and Jalon Daniels to split the snaps.
• Jets Players to Watch: David Bailey (OLB, Texas Tech) & Kenyon Sadiq (TE, Oregon) — The Jets have a loaded rookie class making their debuts at MetLife Stadium. Edge rusher David Bailey, the No. 2 overall pick, gets his first crack at an NFL passer. On offense, first-round tight end Kenyon Sadiq (No. 16 overall) should see plenty of targets while the starters are still on the field.
• Buccaneers Player to Watch: Rueben Bain (DE, Miami Fla.) — Selected No. 15 overall, Bain plays with heavy hands and holds up well against the run. Watch how he handles New York’s first-team offensive line early.
• Backfield Note: Bucky Irving and Kenny Gainwell could both sit, or one may see very limited action. Sean Tucker and Josh Williams are next up for carries. On the Jets side, Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson are both active.

See the full Buccaneers vs Jets odds

2. Denver Broncos at Atlanta Falcons (7:00 PM ET, ESPN App)

• Which QBs Will Play for Falcons? Tua Tagovailoa makes his first start in Atlanta colors, though he is on a short leash at roughly one series or 10 plays. Veteran Cooper Rush takes over from there, with undrafted rookie Jack Strand closing it out. Michael Penix Jr. sits while he rehabs the ACL he tore last November.
• Which QBs Will Play for Broncos? Bo Nix is out entirely with the ankle injury he picked up in the playoffs. Sean Payton plans to give his other starters some early snaps, so the backup group carries the quarterback reps.
• Falcons Players to Watch: Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson) & Zachariah Branch (WR, Georgia) — Second-round cornerback Avieon Terrell (No. 48 overall) gets a long look in the secondary. Third-round wideout Zachariah Branch (No. 79 overall) brings serious speed in space and on special teams.
• Broncos Player to Watch: Jonah Coleman (RB, Washington) — Selected in the fourth round (No. 108 overall), Coleman is a physical, hard-nosed runner. He should get plenty of carries tonight to show he can handle a heavy workload.
• Supporting Cast: Tua should have his full set of weapons for those early snaps. Bijan Robinson and Drake London are both expected to play.

See the full Broncos vs Falcons odds

3. Miami Dolphins at Washington Commanders (7:00 PM ET, NFL+)

• Which QBs Will Play for Dolphins? Fans get their first look at Malik Willis in a Dolphins uniform. He signed a three-year, $67.5 million deal after Miami parted ways with Tua Tagovailoa, so tonight is the first real look at what that money bought.
• Which QBs Will Play for Commanders? Jayden Daniels is not expected to suit up, which hands the start to veteran Marcus Mariota. Behind him, Sam Hartman and rookie Athan Kaliakmanis (Rutgers, No. 223 overall pick) are battling for the third-string job.
• Commanders Player to Watch: Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State) — The No. 7 overall pick can line up at linebacker or safety. Washington will move him around tonight to see which spot fits best.
• Dolphins Players to Watch: Kadyn Proctor (T, Alabama) & Chris Johnson (CB, San Diego State) — First-round tackle Kadyn Proctor (No. 12 overall) anchors the line early. First-round cornerback Chris Johnson (No. 27 overall) gets a long run in the secondary as Miami sorts out its coverage.

See the full Dolphins vs Commanders odds

The headline tonight is Tua taking his first snaps in Atlanta while Penix watches and waits. The Jets are the only team going close to full strength, so their game should look the most like real football.

If you want a piece of tonight’s slate, our roundup of the best NFL betting apps breaks down where to sign up and which books have the best welcome offers for preseason Week 1.