NFL Preseason Week 1 – Who’s Playing on Thursday, August 13?

The wait is finally over. While established veterans and franchise cornerstones will largely watch from the sidelines in baseball caps, tonight’s massive six-game preseason slate is the ultimate proving ground for rookies, young players, and roster hopefuls.

If you are tuning in tonight, here is your game-by-game guide to the most important, notable, and interesting players expected to get significant playing time.

1. Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals (7:00 PM ET, NFL+)

• Which QBs Will Play for Bengals? Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor confirmed that Joe Burrow and most of Cincinnati’s offensive starters will play a limited number of reps/drives to get early game flow before giving way to backups.
• Which QBs Will Play for Lions? Detroit starter Jared Goff will be resting. Following Teddy Bridgewater’s recent retirement, Detroit signed veteran Josh Dobbs to compete alongside undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer. Coach Dan Campbell plans to give both Altmyer and Dobbs significant playing time throughout the game
• Lions Player to Watch: Blake Miller (T, Clemson) — Selected No. 17 overall, Miller is a physical specimen who is expected to get plenty of snaps at tackle. Preseason is crucial for rookie offensive linemen to adjust to the speed of NFL edge rushers, and Miller will get a trial by fire tonight.
• Bengals Player to Watch: Cashius Howell (DE, Texas A&M) — Drafted in the second round (No. 41 overall), Howell is an explosive pass rusher who will look to make an immediate impact in the Bengals’ defensive rotation. Watch how he uses his speed off the edge against the Lions’ backup tackles.

See the full Lions vs Bengals odds

2. Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers (7:00 PM ET, NFL Network)

• Which QBs Will Play for Packers? Head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that Love and main offensive starters will start and play a few series/snaps to establish game flow before making way for backups Tyrod Taylor, Kyle McCord, and Kyron Drones.
• Which QBs Will Play for Steelers? Veteran Aaron Rodgers is expected to sit out. Head coach Mike McCarthy plans to start Mason Rudolph for a drive or two before handing over the bulk of playing time to young quarterbacks Will Howard (finishing the first half) and Drew Allar (second half).
• Steelers Players to Watch: Max Iheanachor (T, Arizona State) & Drew Allar (QB, Penn State) — The Steelers have two highly anticipated debuts tonight. First-round tackle Max Iheanachor (No. 21 overall) will anchor the line early, paving the way for third-round quarterback Drew Allar (No. 76 overall). Allar possesses prototypical size and a massive arm, making his development one of the most intriguing long-term storylines in Pittsburgh.
• Packers Player to Watch: Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina) — Green Bay’s second-round pick (No. 52 overall) will get plenty of opportunities in the secondary to showcase his coverage skills against Pittsburgh’s young receiving corps.

See the full Packers vs Steelers odds

3. Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots (7:30 PM ET, NFL+)

• Which QBs Will Play for Colts? Head coach Shane Steichen confirmed that Daniel Jones will sit out to avoid unnecessary risk. Anthony Richardson Sr. will start and play the entire first half, followed by Riley Leonard, who is slated to play the second half.
• Which QBs Will Play for Patriots? With starter Drake Maye resting alongside key starters, Tommy DeVito gets the start and will split playing time primarily with rookie quarterback Behren Morton.
• Patriots Player to Watch: Caleb Lomu (T, Utah) — Drafted No. 28 overall, Lomu is a key piece of New England’s offensive line rebuild. Getting him comfortable in pass protection is a top priority for the Patriots’ coaching staff tonight.
• Colts Player to Watch: CJ Allen (LB, Georgia) — Selected in the second round (No. 53 overall), Allen is a highly athletic linebacker who flies to the football. Preseason games are the perfect showcase for his sideline-to-sideline speed and tackling ability.

4. Arizona Cardinals at Las Vegas Raiders (8:00 PM ET, ESPN App)

• Which QBs Will Play for Cardinals? Head coach Mike LaFleur announced that starters who sat out the Hall of Fame game—including Brissett—will play briefly (1 to 2 series max). Veteran Gardner Minshew II is expected to relieve Brissett, with rookie Carson Beck taking reps later in the game.
• Which QBs Will Play for Raiders? Head coach Klint Kubiak confirmed that starters will play. Veteran Kirk Cousins will start, while No. 1 overall pick rookie Fernando Mendoza is slated to see significant playing time and extended reps.
• Raiders Player to Watch: Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana) — All eyes in the football world will be locked on Allegiant Stadium. Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, is set to make his professional debut. Expect Mendoza to play at least the first quarter, giving Raiders fans a highly anticipated first look at their new franchise savior.
• Cardinals Players to Watch: Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame) & Carson Beck (QB, Miami Fla.) — The Cardinals showcase two elite offensive rookies. No. 3 overall pick Jeremiyah Love is an electric, home-run threat who can score from anywhere on the field. Later in the game, third-round quarterback Carson Beck (No. 65 overall) will handle the bulk of the second-half snaps as he fights to secure the primary backup job.

See the full Cardinals vs Raiders odds

5. Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans (8:00 PM ET, NFL+)

• Which QBs Will Play for Chargers? Head coach Jim Harbaugh is resting starter Justin Herbert alongside roughly 15 key starters. Trey Lance gets the start under center, with DJ Uiagalelei scheduled to come in for the second half to handle extended reps.
• Which QBs Will Play for Texans? Starters are expected to sit, including C.J. Stroud. Veteran backup Davis Mills is slated to start and play early in the game before handing the offense over to second-year quarterback Graham Mertz for the remainder of the contest.
• Chargers Player to Watch: Akheem Mesidor (DE, Miami Fla.) — The No. 22 overall pick is a versatile defensive lineman who can disrupt both the run and the pass. Watch for him to make plays in the backfield early in the game.
• Texans Player to Watch: Keylan Rutledge (G, Georgia Tech) — Houston’s first-round guard (No. 26 overall) will look to showcase his run-blocking dominance and anchor the interior of the Texans’ offensive line.

6. Tennessee Titans at San Francisco 49ers (9:00 PM ET, NFL Network)

• Which QBs Will Play for Titans? In his head coaching debut with Tennessee, Robert Saleh announced that the starters—including second-year QB Cam Ward—will play more than a single series to get early work in new OC Brian Daboll’s offense. Behind Ward, backup quarterbacks Will Levis and Hendon Hooker are expected to see the majority of reps as they compete for depth chart placement.
• Which QBs Will Play for 49ers? Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that key starters like Brock Purdy will see little to no playing time. Veteran backup Mac Jones is in line to run the offense early before handing over playing time to young signal-callers Kurtis Rourke and Adrian Martinez for extended evaluation.
• Titans Player to Watch: Carnell Tate (WR, Ohio State) — Drafted No. 4 overall, Tate has been the absolute star of training camp, drawing rave reviews for his precise route-running and strong hands. Tonight against the reigning NFC champion 49ers, Tate will get his first chance to translate that practice buzz into game-day production.
• 49ers Player to Watch: De’Zhaun Stribling (WR, Mississippi) — San Francisco’s second-round pick (No. 33 overall) is a physical receiver who fits perfectly into Kyle Shanahan’s offensive system. He will get plenty of targets tonight to show he can be a reliable weapon.

See the full Titans vs 49ers odds