RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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SportsMoney NFL 2026 Preseason Week2: 3 Winners, 3 Losers And The Battles By Gladys Louise Tyler ,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. NFL Fantasy Football Follow Author Aug 24, 2026, 08:13am EDT --:-- / --:-- This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . Summary NFL Preseason Week 2 saw many starters sidelined, yet intense competition for roster spots. Geno Smith impressed for the Jets, going 7-for-7 with a touchdown, while Jaguars' Ameer Abdullah shined with 45 rushing yards against Carolina's starters. The New York Jets defense also celebrated, recording four sacks and two interceptions. On the downside, Raiders rookie Fernando Mendoza struggled with a pick-six, and the Chargers' offense looked anemic with only 17 points. Commanders' Jayden Daniels had a brief, unproductive outing. Key quarterback battles continued, with Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson vying for the Browns' starting job, and J.J. McCarthy competing with Carson Wentz for Vikings' QB2. The Colts' backup QB battle between Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard also saw both struggle. Week 3 is now critical for final roster decisions.
Preseason Week 2 is in the locker room, and it held a few surprises. What wasn’t a surprise both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams did not suit up their starters. And to be fair to the shellacking the New Orleans Saints took at the hands of the Rams, the Saints didn't play their starters either.
And yes, once again we use the caveat that it’s preseason, but there are men still playing to get their names on a 53-man roster (yep, checking you out, Odell Beckham Jr. ).
So, let's see the winners, losers, and battles that surfaced in Week 2 of the 2026 NFL preseason.
I get that the Jets’ offense was playing against the Pittsburgh Steelers second and third defenses, but after sitting out last week with ankle issues, the expectations were low for Smith, going against the Steelers. It is safe to say he exceeded expectations.
Smith went 69 yards with five first downs on 10 plays. He was 7-for-7, with a final flip to tight end Jelani Woods for a touchdown. It’s early, but Smith emerged from this game with a little less shade on his back, which makes him a winner.
The Jaguars did not play their starters; the Carolina Panthers did. Abdullah did not care. The veteran Abdullah is fighting for a place on the Jaguars roster, and his preseason Week 2 performance showed he just might get it.
Abdullah, going against the Panthers' starters, rushed for 45 yards on six carries. This included putting some pretty smooth moves on Panthers’ starting cornerback Chou Smith-Wade, showing his open-field elusiveness is still there.
Abdullah finished averaging 7.5 yards per carry and was also targeted four times for three receptions and 37 yards.
I know, I seem like a homer, which is pretty ironic considering I am a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. But the Jets defense (even against the Steelers' second and third offense) was something to celebrate, even though it’s “only preseason”.
Let's first talk about rookie David Bailey, who played 12 snaps and finished with two pressures and one sack. And then there are the two sacks by recently inked Nate Lynn, making four total sacks for the Jets. And then there are Andre Cisco and Samuel Womack (neither listed first on the depth chart) who managed to haul in an interception apiece.
In one preseason game, the Jets doubled their interception totals from last season, while head coach and defensive play caller Aaron Glenn blended his collection of veterans and rookies into looking like a respectable defense. That’s a win.
It’s hard to label Mendoza a loser because, well, he is a rookie and he was going against the Houston Texans defense (whose second team could be some teams' ones), but fair is fair. Mendoza looked every part of the rookie (although head coach Klint Kubiak made it appear that there is still a quarterback battle for the Week 1 starting position…yeah).
Anyway, Mendoza finished the game with 86 yards on eight receptions and 15 throws. He also had a pick-six. He was sacked once, and in five series he came away with three points.
The wait is still on to see what magic McDaniel will pull out of his arsenal. The Week 2 preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers wasn’t it.
The Chargers finished the game with 17 points, eight punts, seven penalties, and only eight first downs.
Quarterback Justin Herbert played the opening offensive series, which lasted only three snaps. He went 1-for-2 for nine yards.
Speaking of limited play that spoke volumes, Daniels also only played in one series against the Detroit Lions. He went three-and-out. He was sacked once, and his one pass attempt resulted in an incompletion.
Keep in mind, Daniels is going from a Kliff Kingsbury offense to a David Blough offense. The adjustment period and the recovery from last season’s ankle injury suggest that there may be some rust that needs to be shaken off.
Maybe preseason isn’t the time for it…we’ll have to wait and see. But three and out isn’t exactly saying “it’s all good”.
There is rarely a battle for starting position unless you are the Cleveland Browns.
Although this is a battle for the starting position in Cleveland, it is clear that head coach Todd Monken is not holding back. He also has not announced who will be the starter for the Browns in Week 1 of the season.
In preseason Week 2, Sanders played with the Browns’ second-string offensive line against the Buffalo Bills. He completed his first eight passes, finishing 9-of-11 for 74 yards and an interception.
Watson played into the fourth quarter and went 5-of-12 for 35 yards and an interception.
While McCarthy thought he was in a battle for the starting quarterback position against Kyler Murray, it was a mere formality. The real battle is for the QB2 position in Minnesota, and McCarthy doesn’t have the lead in that e...
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