NFL Week 2 preseason winners and losers: Running backs, top-performing rookie QBs

Week 2 of the NFL preseason is about to end, with only Monday night’s Falcons-Jets contest still on the schedule. That means we’re well over halfway through the entire exhibit slate and about a week away from the final slate cuts. The real games are just around the corner. But which players and teams took clear steps in the right (or wrong) direction this week?

Here are our biggest winners and losers from the second week of action of the 2022 pre-season:

The Cowboys already had top-notch offensive weapons in CeeDee Lamb, Dalton Schultz and Tony Pollard. But they may have to find a way to include Turpin as well, after the minor league veteran and recent USFL star recorded not one but two return touchdowns in Dallas’ win over the Chargers. Even if it was just a kick or punt return, he likely locked down a spot on the roster.

Speaking of offensive weapons in the NFC East, Gibson really seems to be losing his grip on the Commanders’ top running back position. The former rookie star, now entering Year 3, recently rotated with second and third team units in training. Against the Chiefs, he held off while rookie Brian Robinson Jr. started in the backfield and then totaled just two carries while being relegated to kick return duties.

The Pittsburgh product was always going to be the fan favorite in the Steelers’ QB competition, but he was decisive and unflappable in limited action against the Jaguars, showing he deserves genuine consideration as a Week 1 starter on Mitchell Trubisky , who is more experienced but perhaps not more talented.

Not every young AFC North QB had a great weekend, and Rosen will be the first to admit it after making just seven of 20 shots against the Eagles’ third string. Collapsing with each of his career saves, his chance to claim the No. 3 QB duties for the Browns behind Deshaun Watson and Jacoby Brissett is pretty much shot down after Joshua Dobbs showcased both an effective arm and a extended mobility to keep Cleveland competitive.

Winner: The Race Game

If you played preseason fantasy football with second- and third-string running backs this week, congratulations. The Bills rolled all over the Broncos deploying every member of their deep backfield: Devin Singletary, Zack Moss, James Cook and Duke Johnson. The Eagles got a steady flurry of Boston Scott and Kenny Gainwell with Miles Sanders out. The Lions line of Justin Jackson, Craig Reynolds and Godwin Igwebuike had over 100 yards against the Colts. Who said the ground game was dead?

Getting hurt isn’t necessarily his fault, but the Saints’ star receiver is trying to return to the field for the first time since 2020, and two days after missing his second straight preseason game, he missed the training with a hamstring problem. Meanwhile, first-round rookie Chris Olave continues to rise through the ranks and approaches 2022 as New Orleans’ likeliest No. 1 target.

No one expects the third-round rookie to be a polished passer at this point in his career, so just witnessing his electricity as a jammer and occasional side thrower should be enough to entice fans of the Titans increasingly impatient with Ryan Tannehill under center. No, Willis isn’t about to take over at QB, but you can see, after his mobility and arm angles against the Buccaneers, why Tennessee stopped their slide on draft day.

Loser: Kliff Kingsbury

I laugh. Where are we? The Cardinals coach has jokingly allowed his QB, Kyler Murray, to experiment with call play this summer since Murray gave him a hard time leading the offense. But once Murray took over the helmet at the end of Arizona’s preseason loss to the Ravens, the Cards’ offense was decidedly more effective, even threatening a comeback after an optional touchdown executed by the replacing Trace McSorley. Now let’s see if Kliff waives responsibility when it counts.

Winner: Isaiah Likely

Looking for a sleeper who is likely to have a bigger impact on the Ravens’ offense this year than expected? A guy who is likely to justify red-zone targets from Lamar Jackson? And maybe even likely to share snaps with Mark Andrews? We can’t get enough.