HOF Game Reactions, Training Camp Updates, and a Preview of NFL Preseason Week 1.

We are so back, baby! We have had an NFL football game and I am so pumped. But it doesn’t stop there because starting on Thursday, week 1 of preseason officially starts and we will be able to watch all (most) of our fantasy football players play a game for the first time since February. Here’s what’s on the Menu for today:

Table of Contents

• Hall of Fame Game Reactions

  • Chargers:

  • Lions:

• Training Camp Rookie Risers

  • 1. Cam Skattebo

  • 2. Tony Horton

  • 3. Elijah Arroyo

  • 4. Oronde Gadsden II

  • 5. Emeka Ebuka

• NFL Preseason Week 1

  • Preseason Schedule

• Quickfire: What we’re watching this week in presea …

  • Depth Chart Battles ⚔️

  • Players with better Opportunities due to Injuries …

  • New QB-WR Duos to Watch

  • Other things to watch

• Latest NFL News

  • Terry McLaurin is still in a contract holdout. He …

• The Final Fumble

Hall of Fame Game Reactions

The Hall of Fame game was the first football game we've had since February, and it was great. The Chargers, who have many intriguing rookies, were playing the Detroit Lions without their star offensive cordinator Ben Johnson. So here are my reactions and maybe overreactions on each team’s performance.

Chargers:

Going into the game, I had my eyes on 3 Chargers players. Omarion Hampton, Tre Harris, and Oronde Gadsden II. Hampton disappointed me as he disappointed many when he missed a crucial red-zone first down on 3rd & 3 (video below). But it was one of his few carries, and he only played a total of 6 snaps, so I won’t judge him on it. Tre Harris didn’t have any catches, but I watched some of his routes, and he looked good. As for Gadsden, he only had a 7-yard catch, but one thing that stood out was the number of downfield routes they had him run. Something to remember is that he used to be a WR and can play like one. A player whom I didn’t go into the game looking for was. KeAndre Lambert-Smith, but I like his performance of 2 catches for 43 yards and a touchdown. He’s on my radar now!

Lions:

Going into the game, I was looking to see how Issac TeSlaa would perform, and boy did he blow my expectations out of the water. On back-to-back catches, TeSlaa had one for 22 yards (video below) and one for 24 yards, and he only had 3 targets. I will be watching Tesla in the future.

Training Camp Rookie Risers

1. Cam Skattebo

With breakaway speed and coaches praising his vision, Skattebo is showing everyone how he could earn the starting job for the Giants.

2. Tony Horton

Tony Horton started taking reps with the first team offense at camp recently and was catching EVERYTHING. Expect him to move up to WR3 in the depth chart by the start of the season.

3. Elijah Arroyo

With Noah Fant getting cut, Arroyo's path to snaps just got clearer. And with the news from camp being super positive about his pass-catching ability, Arroyo could be a major weapon for this Seattle offense.

4. Oronde Gadsden II

Gadsden has been showing, reminding everyone that he used to be a WR with his smooth route running on long routes and soft hands to make tough catches. I expect Gadsden to get the starting job at some point during the season.

5. Emeka Ebuka

With Chris Godwin's injury status up in the air, Emeka Ebuka has been receiving plenty of targets at camp. Baker has been parsing Ebuka, saying, "Emeka Egbuka is an absolute stud. He’s the real deal." Expect Ebuka to have a monster season!

NFL Preseason Week 1

NFL preseason is days away, and we will get our first look at many players. Below is the preseason schedule. If you are planning to buy tickets to a preseason game this week, I would very much appreciate it if you bought them using the link on this schedule, because it helps support all these free newsletters. Thanks!

Preseason Schedule

Quickfire: What we’re watching this week in preseason

Depth Chart Battles ⚔️

QB:

• Saints

• Browns

RB:

• Giants

• Texans

• Cowboys

• Broncos

• Browns

• Steelers

WR:

• Packers

• 49ers

• Bears

• Bills

• Seahawks

TE:

• Chargers

Players with better Opportunities due to Injuries 🏥

RB:

• Nick Chubb & Woody Marks (Texans - Joe Mixon)

• Omarion Hampton (Chargers - Najee Harris)

WR:

• Jalen Nailor (Vikings - Justin Jefferson)

• Jaylin Lane (Commanders - Terry McLaurin)

• Emeka Ebuka (Buccaneers - Chris Godwin)

• Ricky Pearsall (49ers - Brandon Aiyuk & Jauan Jennings)

• Keon Coleman (Bills - Khalil Shakir)

New QB-WR Duos to Watch

• Aaron Rodgers & DK Metcalf (Steelers)

• Dak Prescott & George Pickens (Cowboys)

• Bryce Young & Tetairoa McMillan (Panthers)

• Sam Darnold & JSN (Seahawks)

• Justin Fields & Garrett Wilson (Jets)

• Drake Maye & Stefon Diggs (Patriots)

Other things to watch

• Stefon Diggs returning from injury

• How rookies adapt to NFL defenses

• Coaches’ play calling (Pass Heavy or Run Heavy)

• QB's favorite targets (Is it their WR or TE)

Latest NFL News

Terry McLaurin is still in a contract holdout. He has requested a trade, but I don’t think it will happen. However, he is Jayden Daniels’ best receiver, so if he is traded, it’s not good for Jayden Daniels. Follow me on X @FFumbleweekly to stay updated with all NFL news.

The Final Fumble

The Hall of Fame Game gave us our first taste — but now we’re headed into the real meat of preseason. Training camps are heating up, depth charts are shifting, and your edge in fantasy starts now.

Keep your eyes open this week. The biggest risers won’t be the guys you expect — and some of the “safe” names could lose steam fast. Whether it’s a rookie flashing in limited reps or a backup QB building unexpected chemistry, the margins matter. This is where leagues are won.

Soak it all in. Take notes. And enjoy the ride — football is finally back.

See you next week.