NFL football is back! And ... is that a glimmer of hope we see in Cleveland?
Welcome back to your regularly scheduled "4th & Monday" newsletter. In this edition, you'll find:
- All the news you may have missed this week
- Info on Paste BN Sports' new NFL Facebook group
- Fantasy football rankings
- All the details from every preseason game over the weekend
A glimmer of hope for the lowly Cleveland Browns?
Do the Browns actually have an answer at QB? It's only one week into the preseason, but the future looks bright in Cleveland. Baker Mayfield had a sterling debut, throwing for 212 yards and two touchdowns on 11-of-20 passing.
But don't expect the No. 1 overall pick to take over a starting role just yet. Tyrod Taylor (99 yards on 5-of-5 passing) was also praised by Hue Jackson, who said the veteran is "what you want your quarterback to be." Either way, the two are providing even more reason to tune into HBO's Hard Knocks.
What you might have missed
- Mayfield wasn't the only rookie standout from the week. In the same game, Giants RB Saquon Barkley made a fast impression when he broke off a 39-yard run on his first play from scrimmage. Jets QB Sam Darnold also fared well, completing 13 of 18 passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. Fellow first-round passers Josh Allen (Bills) and Josh Rosen (Cardinals) had uneven debuts, though both showed off some promising tools. And even though Ravens QB Lamar Jackson was still inconsistent after an up-and-down Hall of Fame Game, he scored a rushing touchdown and once again proved to by a dynamic threat.
- After 585 days since his last on-field work, Andrew Luck made his long-awaited return to action after 585 days. The Colts QB threw for 64 yards on 6-of-9 passing on two drives against the Seahawks, and the entire night turned into a celebration.
- Bills WR Kelvin Benjamin and Panthers QB Cam Newton's relationship got a little bit frostier in the lead-up to their reunion. Following up on some critical comments Benjamin made about his former QB, Newton confronted his ex-target before their preseason game. It led to an awkward exchange in which Benjamin said he "wasn't even trying to listen to" Newton.
- The Redskins took a huge hit when they lost second-round RB Derrius Guice for the season to a torn ACL.
- Colts safety Shamarko Thomas was the first player to be ejected under the NFL's new helmet rule, and he was later released by the team.
- Dolphins receivers Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson kneeled during the anthem, reigniting the conversation about player protests around the league.
Join our NFL Facebook group!
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Fantasy Football Rankings
Get ready for your fantasy football draft with these rankings that will help you dominate your league.
- Top 200 rankings: Here's how the best players stack up for the 2018 fantasy football season.
- All-Risk Team: Players who could make or break your team this season.
- All-Sleeper Team: Players from each position who could become late-round steals.
- All-Value Team: Players who should outperform their draft slot this season.
- By position: Breaking down the top options at every position.
Preseason Week 1 games
Panthers 28, Bills 23: First-round WR DJ Moore is already proving to be a big part of the Panthers' passing attack, as he recorded four catches for 75 yards.
Bengals 30, Bears 27: Mitchell Trubisky wasn't happy with how Chicago's offense fared, but Cincinnati's first stringers scored twice on three drives and had a strong outing.
Buccaneers 26, Dolphins 24: Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jameis Winston both fared well for Tampa Bay, combining for 157 yards passing on 17-of-21 passing.
Browns 20, Giants 10: Mayfield, Taylor and Barkley might have put on the biggest shows, but rookie WR Antonio Callaway also flashed with three catches for 87 yards, including a 54-yard score in which he outran the Giants secondary. But all wasn't good: Callaway played so often as punishment for his marijuana citation.
Steelers 31, Eagles 14: With Carson Wentz and Nick Foles out, Philadelphia's passing attack struggled to find its footing early behind Nate Sudfeld.
Saints 24, Jaguars 20: Blake Bortles completed six of nine passes for 53 yards, capping his only drive with a 2-yard TD run.
Patriots 26, Redskins 17: Have the Patriots found another running back? Former Bengals ball carrier Jeremy Hill tallied 51 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Ravens 33, Rams 7: Lamar Jackson wasn't the only rookie standout in this game, as Rams RB John Kelly had a game-high 77 rushing yards on 13 carries.
Packers 31, Titans 17: Brett Hundley isn't ceding the Packers' backup quarterback job to DeShone Kizer just yet. His 9-of-14 passing performance should keep him in the conversation.
Texans 17, Chiefs 10: New starting QB Patrick Mahomes didn't exactly provide the offensive spark that many thought last year's No. 10 overall pick would bring to Kansas City. He threw for just 33 yards on 5-of-7 passing, largely against the Texans' backups.
49ers 24, Cowboys 21: Rookie WR Michael Gallup might be one to watch as Dallas reconfigures its receiving corps, as the Colorado State product hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott.
Colts 19, Seahawks 17: Andrew Luck wasn't the only standout for Indianapolis, as rookies Darius Leonard and Quenton Nelson also impressed for the Colts.
Jets 17, Falcons 0: Darnold was the headliner, but Teddy Bridgewater also turned heads by completing seven of eight passes for 85 yards and a touchdown.
Raiders 16, Lions 10: Jon Gruden came out ahead of first-year coach Matt Patricia in his long-anticipated return to Oakland. With Derek Carr only in for one series, Connor Cook saw a bulk of the action for the Raiders at QB and threw for 141 yards and a score.
Vikings 42, Broncos 28: Kirk Cousins' debut with the Vikings couldn't have gone better, as the veteran QB completed all four of his passes for 42 yards and a touchdown. The night was considerably more difficult for Case Keenum, who was 1-of-4 passing against his former team, and Paxton Lynch, who was booed by the home crowd after throwing an interception.
Cardinals 24, Chargers 17: Both teams kept their starting passers under wraps, as Philip Rivers did not play and Sam Bradford threw only one pass.
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