The preseason is in full swing, and given that we've been starved for football ever since Super Bowl LX, folks are chomping at the bit to dissect every last second of this slew of exhibitions. While we applaud the eagerness, let's remember that these games don't actually count towards a team's chances of pushing for a playoff berth. That said, there is plenty to glean from these games when we dig a little deeper than simply the final results.
With this being a period of the NFL calendar where you need to sift through the storylines a bit more to find any true nuggets that'll impact the 2026 campaign, allow us to help sort through the chaos. Below, we'll tackle some of the biggest storylines/takeaways that have come out of the first week of the preseason and determine if they are an overreaction or something we should take more seriously.
Fernando Mendoza looked every bit the part of a consensus No. 1 overall pick during his preseason debut on Thursday. The Raiders rookie completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown. In the process of piling up that stat line, Mendoza flashed his elite precision with some tight window throws, including a 6-yard touchdown to wideout Jack Bech.
Fernando Mendoza threading the needle!Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/PC9UPZvRxA
FERNANDO MENDOZA FIRST RAIDERS TDStream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/G8F3FQt60C
That showing only had the drum beating louder for Mendoza to leapfrog Kirk Cousins on the depth chart and start right out of the gate for Las Vegas. While the excitement around the No. 1 overall pick is warranted, thrusting him up to QB1 after that performance would be premature.
This is a slow, methodical build-up for Mendoza, and the Raiders' decision-makers have been pretty steadfast in their belief that the best way to usher a young quarterback into the NFL is to have him begin the season behind an established veteran. They have that in Kirk Cousins, and head coach Klint Kubiak even acknowledged recently that the QB1 job for Week 1 is Cousins' to lose.
It's only a matter of time before the keys are officially handed over to Mendoza, but it appears like Kubiak will slow-play this ascension even amid encouraging progress in the preseason and growing external clamoring for the future to start now.
For the bulk of training camp, the narrative surrounding the San Francisco 49ers has centered around the growing number of injuries. However, as the Niners have begun the preseason, they are getting a far more optimistic storyline that's developing in the wide receiver room. Second-rounder De'Zhaun Stribling has been putting together a strong camp, and the general NFL-viewing public got a peek behind the curtain of a possible breakout rookie season in the preseason opener against the Titans. In just one half of play, Stribling caught seven of his eight targets on the night for 63 yards. That included a number of contested catches that'll certainly catch the attention of the Bay Area.
An impressive preseason debut for @49ers' second-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling: 7 catches63 yardsAll in the first half 🙌TENvsSF on @nflnetwork Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/VxhMoyrhFb
The Ole Miss product looked like a wideout on the doorstep of making an immediate impact, and he'll have a strong opportunity to put up stellar numbers. Given the injury history of free-agent acquisition Mike Evans (who has already dealt with a quad injury this summer) and Deebo Samuel returning to the Niners with plenty of miles on him, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Stribling emerges as the top target for Brock Purdy in the receiver room.
If so, he'd be a focal point in a high-powered offense that has 196 targets up for grabs left over from Jauan Jennings (signed with Vikings), Kendrick Bourne (signed with Cardinals), and Ricky Pearsall (on season-ending IR) from 2025. When accounting for the situation that he's in, Stribling could rival being the most productive wideout in his rookie class in 2026.
All eyes are on Cam Ward as he enters a pivotal Year 2 in Tennessee. The No. 1 overall pick from the 2025 NFL Draft is looking to rebound from a so-so rookie season, but admittedly didn't put his best foot forward in righting the ship in the Titans' preseason opener. Against the 49ers, Ward completed just 5 of 12 for 57 yards over the course of three possessions. Accuracy issues reared their head in this matchup, which probably has people in Nashville a bit tense as they move forward with the preseason.
Tough start to #Titans QB Cam Ward's sophomore season yesterdayThe bones of good mental persist, but the accuracy issues will continue to cripple him pic.twitter.com/LUgPjXd0Om
While Ward didn't have the most encouraging night, we're still a ways away from pressing the panic button. The Miami product, who started to come on down the stretch last season, is working in an entirely new system after Tennessee cleaned house and brought in a new coaching staff, headlined by head coach Robert Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. There will be growing pains as he finds his way in this new offense, and that's what the preseason is for.
