The first week of the preseason is officially in the books, and fans are starting to get a taste of NFL action. With a number of teams giving some reps to their starters, fans saw some intense action at various points throughout the week.
From blowout losses to a tied game, the games had something for everyone, but the attention is quickly shifting to the second week of action. With the 2026 NFL season that much closer, here are the teams that will be trotting out their starting lineups on Thursday.
Schedule for Thursday’s Preseason Games
Here is the full list of today’s games:
- Houston Texans vs. Las Vegas Raiders at 8 p.m. ET
- Los Angeles Chargers vs. San Francisco 49ers at 10 p.m. ET
Teams with Their Starters Lined Up to Play
Los Angeles Chargers
The team that handed the Texans their 27-7 loss last week also didn’t play its starters. Instead, head coach Jim Harbaugh trusted Trey Lance at the quarterback spot and the rest of the backup pieces to take care of business in the first week of preseason.
This time around, as he takes on the San Francisco 49ers, there has been a slight change in plans. Harbaugh confirmed to reporters at a press conference that he plans to play Justin Herbert and the rest of the starting unit this time around.
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However, it won’t be a long stay, with the plan being for them to be in the game for just one series. Chargers fans will be watching with a keen eye, as it gives them their first taste of Herbert under the Mike McDaniel offense.
San Francisco 49ers
Virtually no team has been hit by the injury bug quite as viciously as the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. But after a 19-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans, where they didn’t play their starters, head coach Kyle Shanahan is changing his plans for this week.
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As confirmed by Sports Illustrated, Shanahan said, “Not all of them, but I expect a number of starters to play, unlike last week. I haven’t told them yet, but they’ll find out soon. Yeah, you guys will see a number out there.”
Among them, Shanahan indicated there’s a good chance quarterback Brock Purdy will see the field, which would give fans a chance to see the connection between him and rookie De’Zhaun Stribling, which has become a major talking point out of training camp.
Houston Texans
Last week, as they lost 27-7 to the Los Angeles Chargers, virtually no starter got any playing time for the Texans. That plan was supposed to change this week, with head coach DeMeco Ryans dead set on giving his starters some run against the Raiders.
“As I stand here today, versus the Raiders, I’m anticipating everyone who’s healthy to go out and play,” he had confirmed earlier in the week. However, it looks like he’s had a change of heart.
Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle confirmed that the team isn’t planning on their starters playing against the Raiders. The decision comes in light of the joint practices, where Ryans seemingly liked what he saw.
Moreover, with wide receiver Jayden Higgins sidelined for the entire 2026 season with a torn ACL, the injury risk may also have factored into the defensive-minded head coach’s rationale.
