Bryce Young, Justin Fields and More Week 3 NFL Preseason Storylines to Watch

The 2025 NFL preseason will conclude this weekend with 16 more games. There won't be any contests Sunday, but two Thursday, four Friday and 10 on Saturday.

A lot of starters should be resting. But there's still plenty of storylines to watch around the league, as players will have their last chance to leave an impression in a game setting on fantasy football managers before their drafts.

Let's dive into the top storylines entering Week 3 of the 2025 NFL preseason.

How Will Panthers QB Bryce Young Bounce Back?

Most pundits expect Young to take a significant step forward during the 2025 NFL season. That's because he played much better after returning from a benching midseason last year.

But this preseason, Young hasn't looked very good. In Week 2, he was 0-for-2 with a sack. Young also threw an interception, but it didn't count because of a penalty away from the play.

That's obviously a small sample. If he doesn't play a lot again Thursday versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, then the conclusion should be Panthers head coach Dave Canales feels good about where his offense is.

If Young plays a lot and doesn't perform any better, the quarterback could see his fantasy sleeper status cool considerably.

Will Jets QB Justin Fields Be a Better Passer?

Fields is in a similar situation as Young entering the final week of the preseason. Fields was 1-for-5 with four passing yards last week versus the New York Giants.

The 26-year-old is projected to be a QB1 in fantasy this season in large part because of his running ability. But Fields showed signs of improvement as a passer in a small sample last season with the Steelers.

If he regresses through the air, he could turn into a 2025 fantasy disappointment. Fantasy managers would like to see signs in Week 3 that that won't happen this fall.

Saints QB Battle Between Spencer Rattler-Tyler Shough

This is a good, old-fashioned quarterback competition. So, this more about learning which quarterback is going to be playing than anything else.

Neither of these signal callers should be very high on fantasy draft boards. But in deeper leagues or two-quarterback formats, managers may need to rely on one of them as a bye-week replacement later in the season.

How Chiefs Split RB Touches

Kansas City has some unknowns around its running back depth. To solve those concerns, both top two running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt could sit out Friday.

But if one or both plays, then it might be key to keep an eye on the snap count. It's Week 3 of the preseason, though, so more snaps is actually a bad sign.

If either Pacheco or Hunt have significantly more snaps than the other this weekend, then the one who plays the least should be considered the leader of the Chiefs RB room entering Week 1.

Will RB Brian Robinson Become Expendable for Commanders?

The Commanders veteran running back emerged as a trade candidate just prior to their Week 2 preseason matchup. It's possible he could even be cut before the regular season.

Whether that happens or not could depend on how the rest of the Commanders running back room performs in Week 3.

The back to keep an eye on is Jacory Croskey-Merritt. The seventh-round rookie has looked impressive this preseason, which has placed him on sleeper watch.

Wide Receivers to Watch for Deep Fantasy Leagues

Similar to Croskey-Merritt, there's several under-the-radar receivers to keep an eye on this weekend.

The Philadelphia Eagles just acquired John Metchie III from the Houston Texans. He could earn a WR4 or WR5 role on the team's offense to begin the season.

The Detroit Lions have an intriguing receiver battle wrapping up this weekend. Third-round rookie Isaac TeSlaa will be on the 53-man roster, but seventh-round receiver Dominic Lovett is still trying to earn a spot. He's getting pressure from undrafted rookie Jackson Meeks.

Cincinnati Bengals' Mitchell Tinsley and Seattle Seahawks' Tory Horton were two receiver standouts from Week 2 of the preseason. It will be fascinating to see what they do for an encore this weekend.