news-engine

Week 3 of the NFL preseason schedule has finally arrived. It’s the final week for NFL hopefuls to put more of their work on tape, whether it’s fighting for a chance to make the roster they’re already on or auditioning for the other 31 around the league. Chances are, most starters will be held out of action as teams prioritize entering Week 1 of the regular season with optimal health. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be plenty to look forward to with all 32 teams in action from Thursday to Saturday. Below, you’ll find a bold prediction for each game on the NFL preseason Week 3 schedule. Related: NFL Preseason Week 2 Winners and Losers: From Deshaun Watson to Stephen Dix Jr Steelers’ Will Howard Bounces Back With 2 TD Vs Bills There was some panic in Pittsburgh last week after Will Howard tossed two picks in the team’s second preseason game. The 2025 sixth-round pick otherwise wasn’t horrible, completing 10-of-15 passes for 74 yards. Still, it wasn’t the type of performance the Pittsburgh Steelers were hoping to see from the developmental QB. Chances are, the Steelers won’t play Mason Rudolph this week, so Howard and third-round rookie Drew Allar could both get a half to work with. If so, Howard gets a chance to bounce back with two touchdowns rather than turnovers. Related: Young Pittsburgh Steelers Starter at ‘Impasse’ with Team Browns’ Raheim Sanders Scorches Patriots for 40-Yard Run Undrafted in 2025 despite racking up over 3,000 rushing yards in college, Raheim “Rocket” Sanders is now trying to secure the Browns‘ RB3 job in Cleveland. The 6-foot, 230-pound back is quicker than he looks, and he could use that deceiving speed and power to rumble through the Patriots’ defense for a 40-yard rush on Thursday night. Related: LSU Tigers Set to Land NFL Player From Cleveland Browns Roster Raiders’ Malik Benson Scores 60-Yard TD Against 49ers Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak recently called out his receiving corps for not being good enough. One player who has looked like he needs more development is sixth-round rookie Malik Benson, who has had multiple passes bounce off his hands. Benson is a 23-year-old sixth-round rookie with speed to burn. He could get back in the coaching staff’s good graces by making a huge play, like scoring a 60-yard touchdown on Thursday night. Related: 5 Las Vegas Raiders WR Targets After Klint Kubiak’s Fiery Comments Trey Lance Scores 2 Chargers TD Against Rams Trey Lance was the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Now six seasons later, he may not even make his team’s roster. The Los Angeles Chargers may not see the need to keep three QBs on the roster, and odds are other teams won’t snatch Lance away. Still just 26 years old, if the former first-round pick wants to stick around in LA, he may need a big game, like scoring two touchdowns (one by air, one with his legs) in his home stadium against the Rams. Related: Los Angeles Chargers QB Trey Lance In Jeopardy of Becoming Even Bigger Draft Bust Ravens Intercept Commanders’ Athan Kaliakmanis Twice Seventh-round Commanders rookie Athan Kaliakmanis lit up the Lions’ backup defense last week, completing 11-of-14 passes for 162 yards. That could give the 23-year-old even more confidence heading into this week’s matchup against the Ravens. Yet, the first-year QB may learn that it’s not as easy as he made it look last week, with Baltimore’s defense intercepting him twice. Related: NFL Insider: Diego Pavia Could Play College Football Again Falcons’ Jack Strand Passes for 250 Yards Against Dolphins The Falcons aren’t expected to play their top two quarterbacks, which means their final preseason game could be down to undrafted rookie Jack Strand and 32-year-old veteran Cooper Rush. Yet, with the camp that Strand has had, he seems like a lock to be Atlanta’s QB3. That either means he could get a lot of run as Atlanta tries to get their first-year QB a bit more experience, or less time on the field, wanting to protect him from injury while evaluating whether Rush is the right pick to land on the practice squad. For now, we’re going with Strand playing at least a half, where he’ll light up the Dolphins‘ defense for 250 passing yards. Related: Doctor Told Michael Penix Jr. He Has An ‘Amazing ACL,’ Shouldn’t Have Any More Knee Problems Lewis Bond Records 80-Yard Performance The Texans just traded for a new receiver after Jayden Higgins suffered a torn ACL. Kayshon Boutte’s arrival undoubtedly is a blow to sixth-round rookie Lewis Bond’s chances of seeing the field as a receiver this season, but that doesn’t mean he can’t still impress. Showing off with a commanding 80-yard performance would be a great way to earn more opportunities when Houston needs a playmaker. Odell Beckham Jr. Turns Back Clock With 50-Yard TD Against Jets Through two preseason games, Odell Beckham Jr. has shown he still has some rust to knock off, but the Giants are giving the franchise icon every opportunity to do so. Last week, he had a touchdown go right through his hands. Yet, preseason is all about making adjustments, and he can do his best to try forcing the coaching staff into a tough decision by going off for a 50-yard touchdown, even if that means juking a few more defenders on his way to paydirt. Related: New York Giants Reporter Casts Doubt on Tyrone Tracy Jr’s Future with Team After Multiple Gaffes Buccaneers’ Jalon Daniels Breaks Loose for 50-Yard Scramble Against Jaguars The Buccaneers may not know who their QB will be next year once Baker Mayfield‘s contract expires, which means it’s even more important to evaluate the current backups they have on hand right now. Undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels looks like someone who’s worth investing some more time into. The 23-year-old has impressed with his arm and his legs, but on Friday, he’ll show off his speed by breaking loose for a 50-yard gain on the ground. Cowboys’ Sam Williams Records Two Sacks Vs Saints After signing Von Miller, it looks like 2022 second-round pick Sam Williams will find himself without a roster spot in Dallas by the end of the month. However, that doesn’t mean the former 56th overall pick can’t impress with a big two-sack performance and land on his feet with another organization elsewhere. He should be more motivated than ever to go show the Cowboys they didn’t need to add one more edge-rusher while leaving that spot open for him. Now 27 years old, there’s no reason why Williams shouldn’t be dominating NFL hopefuls. Related: Brian Schottenheimer Sheds Light on Dallas Cowboys’ Backup QB Battle after Joe Milton’s Performance Packers’ Dani Dennis-Sutton Records a Strip-Sack Against Cardinals Knowing that Micah Parsons wouldn’t be available for the start of the season, the Green Bay Packers invested in more pass-rush depth by adding Dani Dennis-Sutton in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The All-Pro’s absence will open up opportunities for the rookie early on in the regular season, and impressing in limited action could help ensure he receives some snaps even when Parsons does eventually return from injury. A quick strip-sack against other backups could help show that he’s ready for a bigger challenge. Related: Green Bay Packers 53 Man Roster Projection after Preseason Week 2, Practice Squad Candidates Seahawks’ Emmanuel Henderson Gets Kick Return TD Vs Chiefs The Seattle Seahawks primarily selected Emmanuel Henderson in the sixth round so he could help on special teams and potentially someday emerge as their lead kick returner. While he’s also working to make the team as a wide receiver, he can make a stronger case to steal some kick return opportunities with an electric touchdown against the Chiefs in the preseason finale. Eagles’ Uar Bernard Records A Sack Vs Bengals The Eagles took a seventh-round flier on a developmental project from Nigeria in the 2026 NFL Draft named Uar Bernard. Despite coming in at 6-foot-5, 306 pounds, Bernard is a bit of an athletic freak, clocking a 40-yard dash of 4.63 seconds while posting 31 reps on the bench press. While he’s a raw prospect who didn’t even develop an interest in sports until he was 16, now Bernard is trying to become an NFL defensive tackle. While he’s still working on refining his skill set, Bernard can still overpower and sneak past opponents, and he could rack up his first sack on Friday. Related: Philadelphia Eagles’ $98 Million Pro Bowler Becoming A Growing Concern Vikings’ Kenny Dyson Gets Another Sack Vs Broncos The Vikings aren’t afraid to take chances on longshots themselves. One player who’s getting an opportunity this summer is former UFL player Kenny Dyson Jr. The linebacker recorded a sack last week, and although he’s buried on the depth chart, another QB takedown this week would surely either land him on the Vikings’ practice squad or earn him an opportunity elsewhere. Lions’ Malik Cunningham Catches TD Against Colts NFL fans were first introduced to Malik Cunningham when he was a QB for the Patriots. Now the 27-year-old is trying to make the Lions‘ roster as a wide receiver. While he’s an extreme longshot to earn a job, Cunningham could be running out of opportunities. Though if he can show he does have the hands to be a receiver with a nice snag for a touchdown, Cunningham just might buy himself some more time. Related: Identifying Joey Porter Jr Trade Landing Spots, Predicting Pittsburgh Steelers’ Decision Titans’ Nicholas Singleton Rumbles for 80 Yards Against Bears There could eventually be some opportunities available in the Titans‘ backfield this season. If so, fifth-round rookie Nick Singleton needs to get to a point where he proves he’s capable of making an impact. The first-year pro is still a bit shaky in pass protection, but after rushing for over 3,400 yards at Penn State, Singleton’s best asset is undoubtedly as a downhill rusher. He should be able to bulldoze second, third, and fourth-string defenders, even at the NFL level. If so, watch out for the kid to go off for 80 yards against Chicago. Related: Tennessee Titans’ Day 3 Draft Pick Vying for Starting Role