The 2026 NFL preseason is in full swing, and Week 2 kicks off on Thursday with two matchups. If last week was any indication, it should be another exciting week of action. Even if it’s only the preseason, it’s nice to have the NFL back on television.
Can’t decide which games you want to watch this week? Are you figuring out which matchups to tune into after your favorite team’s game is done? We’ve got you covered. Join us as we rank all 16 preseason games across the NFL this week by how excited we are to watch them.
16) Carolina Panthers vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Game Time: Friday, Aug. 21 at 7:30 p.m. ET
This game has the storyline of Carolina Panthers linebacker Devin Lloyd making his return to Jacksonville after spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Jaguars. Other than that, though, this game should be standard preseason fare.
It will be interesting to see if Haynes King can build off of the momentum he’s had to begin his NFL career thus far. The Panthers’ undrafted rookie has the fifth-highest PFN QB Impact Score in a single game this preseason with his 79.5 mark against Arizona in the Hall of Fame Game. Jacksonville will be tasked with slowing him down through the air and on the ground.
15) Washington Commanders vs. Detroit Lions
Game Time: Saturday, Aug. 22 at 12 p.m. ET
Though he only saw action in one drive in his preseason debut with the Washington Commanders, rookie linebacker Sonny Styles was the subject of mixed reviews from his first glimpse of NFL action. Regardless of how you think he performed, he will look to silence any doubters with a strong outing against the Detroit Lions.
Since the Lions don’t have many notable roster battles this preseason, this matchup doesn’t rank incredibly high on this list. That said, keep an eye on center Juice Scruggs, who will be filling in as Detroit’s starter with Cade Mays injured.
14) Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots
Game Time: Saturday, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. ET
The Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots are two of many teams who have gotten into fights during this week’s joint practices. It will naturally be exciting to see if those heated tempers will carry over into their preseason matchup on Saturday.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator
Otherwise, this is another standard preseason game without much to play for besides the final few roster spots on each team’s 53-man squad. In particular, the Patriots’ backup wide receiver spots will be enticing to see play out, as they have significant depth at the position and not enough spots for all of the players.
13) Kansas City Chiefs vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Game Time: Saturday, Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Had Jason Brownlee not dropped a potential 94-yard touchdown pass, odds are we’d be talking a lot more about Garrett Nussmeier’s NFL debut with the Kansas City Chiefs. All told, Nussmeier still put up a solid performance in his first preseason game last week. He’ll look to carry that momentum over into Saturday’s matchup.
On the other side, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are fresh off of signing defensive tackle Vita Vea to a one-year contract extension worth $30 million. Though Vea’s contract status will have little to no impact on Saturday’s game, the Buccaneers are surely breathing a sigh of relief knowing they’ve locked down one of the NFL’s best defensive tackles for another year.
12) Seattle Seahawks vs. Tennessee Titans
Game Time: Sunday, Aug. 23 at 8 p.m. ET
Though the Tennessee Titans picked up the win in their first preseason game of the year, Cam Ward put together a disappointing outing last week. Heading into his second year in the NFL, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft will hope to improve from his performance on Aug. 13, which saw him put up a passer rating of just 56.6.
On the other side of things, the Seattle Seahawks offer little drama of note this preseason. They just signed former Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs, so his debut with the team will be worth watching. He hasn’t played like an NFL starter in a few years, but he’s still 27 years old and arguably has more upside than your typical reclamation project signing.
11) Baltimore Ravens vs. Minnesota Vikings
Game Time: Saturday, Aug. 22 at 1 p.m. ET
The Baltimore Ravens heard brutal news this week, as veteran center Danny Pinter will be out for the 2026-27 NFL season with a torn patellar tendon. They’ll have to rely on Ethan Pocic to lead the charge at center after Tyler Linderbaum departed in free agency, leaving their interior offensive line with a massive hole.
Though he’s already lost the Minnesota Vikings’ starting quarterback job, J.J. McCarthy will be worth watching as the team’s second-string quarterback this preseason. He was pedestrian in his performance last week, so if he doesn’t bounce back, there’s an outside chance Carson Wentz jumps him on the Vikings’ depth chart.
10) San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Game Time: Thursday, Aug. 20 at 10 p.m. ET
The big story coming out of the San Francisco 49ers’ first preseason game last week was the play of rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling. The first pick in Round 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, Stribling caught seven passes for 63 yards and looked the part of a legitimate NFL starting wide receiver, albeit in a preseason setting.
The Los Angeles Chargers will be tasked with slowing Stribling down. With just seven points allowed in their last preseason game against Houston, the Chargers’ defense should be up for the task. Plus, even if his NFL career didn’t pan out like many had anticipated as a 2021 first-round pick, it’s still always fun to watch Trey Lance taking snaps.
9) Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos
Game Time: Friday, Aug. 21 at 9 p.m. ET
If you’re into watching kickers, then Green Bay Packers rookie Trey Smack stepping into the thin Denver air should be fun to watch. Though he’s had his struggles in training camp, Smack completed all three of his field goal attempts in his NFL preseason debut last week. Additionally, the Packers have a battle at cornerback that should be entertaining to keep tabs on.
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON: PFN’s Free NFL Playoff Predictor
Though the Denver Broncos are expected to play Bo Nix in this matchup, it’s unlikely he’ll play much beyond a drive or two. They recently signed veteran Taylor Rapp, and given his experience as a starter for Buffalo in recent years, he could make the Broncos’ 53-man roster as a late addition if he shows comfort in their defensive scheme in the preseason.
8) Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals
Game Time: Saturday, Aug. 22 at 10 p.m. ET
Coming off a season in which they had the NFL’s worst defense by PFN Defense Impact Scoring, the Dallas Cowboys wisely upgraded their defense with several free agency signings, draft picks, and a trade for Rashan Gary. It’s draft selections like Caleb Downs, Malachi Lawrence, Devin Moore, Jaishawn Barham, and LT Overton that will be worth monitoring the most this preseason.
Those young defenders will be tasked with slowing down rookie quarterback Carson Beck, who has looked quite good for the Arizona Cardinals this preseason. There’s a standout receiver emerging on the roster, too; Jalen Brooks has had two of the three best preseason performances by PFN WR Impact Scoring so far this year.
7) Chicago Bears vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Game Time: Saturday, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. ET
In their joint practices together, the Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals have each made plenty of explosive plays on offense, though the starters aren’t expected to have much of a role in this game. The Bears have plenty of momentum on that side of the ball this preseason, having scored 34 points in their win over Cleveland last week.
The Bengals will look to slow Chicago’s Ben Johnson-led offense better than their AFC North rivals did last week. Young defensive draft picks on Cincinnati’s roster like Cashius Howell and Tacario Davis will be worth watching against a Bears passing attack that looked dynamic last Saturday.
6) New York Giants vs. Miami Dolphins
Game Time: Saturday, Aug. 22 at 4 p.m. ET
Arvell Reese made quite the splash in his first glimpse of NFL action last week, shining in the New York Giants’ preseason opener. The first-round pick out of Ohio State was flying all over the field on defense, while fellow rookie Malachi Fields made a strong claim for a starting spot at wide receiver on the other side of the field.
This matchup will feature plenty of intriguing rookies, especially since the Miami Dolphins had the most draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft with 13 selections this year. In particular, they have plenty of young wide receivers battling for playing time. Those receivers didn’t get many chances to shine last week, as backup quarterbacks Cam Miller and Quinn Ewers completed just four of a combined 19 passing attempts in Miami’s preseason opener.
5) Atlanta Falcons vs. Indianapolis Colts
Game Time: Saturday, Aug. 22 at 1 p.m. ET
The Tua Tagovailoa experiment will continue on Saturday, as the Atlanta Falcons will trot him out as their starting quarterback after a rocky first preseason game with the team last week. With Michael Penix Jr. still not cleared for full team drills, Tagovailoa needs to take advantage of every opportunity he has to create separation in the Falcons’ starting quarterback battle.
Though the Indianapolis Colts don’t have a starting quarterback battle this year, they do have a second-string quarterback battle between Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard. Richardson was the higher draft pick and arguably has better physical attributes, but Leonard seems to have been gaining on him in training camp this year.
4) New Orleans Saints vs. Los Angeles Rams
Game Time: Saturday, Aug. 22 at 4 p.m. ET
The New Orleans Saints have been dealing with injuries to key offensive performers like Alvin Kamara and Jordyn Tyson recently. This provides chances for some of their young weapons to step into bigger roles and make a strong claim for the 53-man roster. In particular, the battle for the Saints’ second-string quarterback role between Spencer Rattler and Zach Wilson could be an interesting one.
Ty Simpson is in no position to battle for the Los Angeles Rams’ starting quarterback job this year, but his preseason performances will provide a glimpse into what the team’s future could look like after Matthew Stafford. A first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Simpson led all rookie quarterbacks with a 79.7 PFN QB Impact Score in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL preseason.
3) Buffalo Bills vs. Cleveland Browns
Game Time: Saturday, Aug. 22 at 1 p.m. ET
With their recent addition of veteran defensive lineman Greg Gaines, the Buffalo Bills added reinforcements to their defensive line this week. Though there are only two preseason games left, there’s still time for Gaines to stand out and prove he’s worthy of a spot on their 53-man roster.
Realistically, though, this matchup is worth watching because of the Cleveland Browns’ quarterback battle. Deshaun Watson outplayed Shedeur Sanders in the Browns’ preseason opener last week, and Sanders didn’t even play against any starting defenders like Watson did. This matchup will be key for Sanders if he wants a chance at being Cleveland’s starting quarterback in Week 1 of the regular season.
2) Las Vegas Raiders vs. Houston Texans
Game Time: Thursday, Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. ET
Any time the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft takes the field, it’s worth watching. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza put together a strong outing in his preseason debut last week, and he’ll look to carry that over into his team’s matchup on Thursday against the Houston Texans.
Though the Texans won’t be playing their loaded starting defense much, if at all, their defensive coaching staff and overall depth will give Mendoza a nice challenge. It will also be enticing to see if Houston’s offense can bounce back after only scoring seven points last week. With Jayden Higgins suffering a season-ending injury this week, the Texans need their weapons to step up in his absence.
1) New York Jets vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Game Time: Friday, Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. ET
With four selections in the first 50 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, the New York Jets loaded up their roster with a haul that could be one of the best in the NFL in due time. How will their draft picks fare in their second preseason game? What kind of early production can they expect from their rookies? That story is worth keeping an eye on, especially with Aaron Glenn’s seat feeling pretty hot going into the regular season.
Aaron Rodgers has the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starting quarterback job locked down, but the team’s battle for the second-string job behind him is one of the most exciting in the NFL. Rookie Drew Allar is coming off a stellar preseason debut last week, but Mason Rudolph and Will Howard each had individual passer ratings above 100.0 in Week 1, too.
