The 2026 NFL preseason has officially come to an end. Though these last few weeks don’t matter as much as the regular season, there’s certainly a lot that one can take away from three weeks of preseason action.
Which players came out of the preseason better than they entered? Who wants to put this preseason in the rearview mirror? These are our biggest winners and losers from the 2026 NFL preseason.
Winner: 49ers WR De’Zhaun Stribling
Though he didn’t play in the San Francisco 49ers’ final preseason game, his impact in the first two games was enough to earn him a spot on this list. In two outings, he combined for 11 receptions for 109 receiving yards. He caught 84.6% of his targets this preseason, further backing up the training camp hype he experienced this summer.
The 49ers brought in Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, and Christian Kirk this offseason, but none of them project as long-term options at wide receiver. Stribling should earn plenty of playing time for his blocking ability and rare size-speed combination. Coming off a strong preseason, there’s a real possibility he steps into a major role for San Francisco’s offense.
Loser: Cleveland Browns fans
Going into training camp, the Cleveland Browns had arguably the most heated quarterback competition in the NFL. Granted, the focus on the battle revolved more around the name value of the competitors rather than their actual talent level. That said, the way that things played out surely didn’t instill confidence in the team’s fanbase.
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Deshaun Watson won the Browns’ QB battle over Shedeur Sanders, but the two games Watson played weren’t all that encouraging. He completed 16 of his 27 passing attempts for 162 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. Watson missed the entirety of the 2025 season due to injury, and he finished dead last in the NFL with a 59.9 PFN QB Impact Score in 2024. If that’s any indication, Cleveland’s offense is in for a rude awakening. He also clashed with the Browns’ fan base after they booed him, although he later apologized.
Winner: Rams QB Ty Simpson
If things work out according to the Los Angeles Rams’ plan, Ty Simpson won’t take any meaningful reps in 2026. They’re firmly on board with Matthew Stafford for this year, but Simpson’s performance in the preseason should give the organization plenty of confidence in what their future will look like once Stafford leaves.
Simpson ranked sixth in the NFL with 382 passing yards, and his 109.9 passer rating came in second among all eligible preseason performers. His 78.3% completion percentage and ratio of three touchdowns to no interceptions are both incredibly encouraging for Los Angeles’ 2026 first-round pick, even if he isn’t in line to start as a rookie.
Loser: Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa ended things well enough with a solid outing against his former team on Friday night, completing 7 of his 8 passes for 95 yards in a win over the Miami Dolphins. But he also had a fumble in the game, and his previous preseason outing this year wasn’t much to write home about.
Against the Denver Broncos, Tagovailoa completed 3 of his 5 passes for just 22 yards. His general lack of arm talent was displayed in the Atlanta Falcons’ more conservative approach when he was on the field. In all honesty, he got outperformed by Jack Strand, the Falcons’ undrafted free agent from Division II school Minnesota State-Moorhead.
Though Michael Penix Jr. was out of action due to injury, Tagovailoa wasn’t able to separate himself in the midst of their quarterback battle.
Winner: Steelers QB Drew Allar
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be starting Aaron Rodgers at quarterback in 2026, but this is the last year of his illustrious NFL career. At 42 years old, Rodgers wasn’t expected to be anything more than a stopgap option, but the Steelers also didn’t seem to have a clear solution for their future at quarterback. However, Drew Allar might end up being that guy.
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After three outings, Allar ended the preseason ranked ninth in the NFL in passer rating and 10th in passing yards, and he didn’t throw a single interception in 54 passing attempts. A third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Allar showed off the arm strength and flashes of touch that had him highly regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in the draft class.
Loser: Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy
This offseason, the big debate around the Minnesota Vikings was whether J.J. McCarthy or Kyler Murray would be the team’s starting quarterback in Week 1. Not only was Murray named the starter before the preseason even began, but now, there’s no guarantee McCarthy will even be the Vikings’ QB2 over Carson Wentz.
After his demotion, McCarthy looked shaky in the two preseason games he played. His 52.9% completion percentage reflects the inconsistent accuracy he put together on tape. It’s become abundantly clear that Minnesota has given up on him. Though there have been enough reclamation projects around the NFL to show it’s never too late for quarterbacks to turn things around, McCarthy likely won’t find that reclamation with the Vikings.
