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NFL Preseason Week 3: Top Rookie Performances from Thursday's Games
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- NFL Preseason Week 3: Top Rookie Performances from Thursday's Games
The 2026 NFL preseason slate is finishing up with Week 3 action, which kicked off Thursday with a quartet of exhibition contests.
This week's preseason games present one last opportunity for players who are on the roster bubble to prove themselves in live-game situations against real competition, with roster cuts looming on Sunday. Many of this year's rookies are still fighting for roster spots, or at least working to earn practice squad consideration heading into the regular season.
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Here are some of the top rookie performances we saw in Thursday's preseason action:
WR Skyler Bell, Bills
A bargain of a fourth-round pick out of UConn, Bell continued to show his value Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers . A versatile playmaker regardless of how the ball gets in his hands, Bell led the Bills with seven receptions for 49 yards, and his lone rushing attempt went for a 28-yard touchdown. Bell's sharp route-running skills, reliable hands, alignment versatility, and natural playmaking ability should get him on the field plenty once the regular season rolls around. DJ Moore is likely to be Josh Allen 's go-to receiver this season, but there's plenty of room for Bell to quickly climb this depth chart.
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QB Ty Simpson , Rams
No first-round pick from the 2026 NFL Draft was more widely criticized than the Rams spending a top-15 pick on Simpson, but he finished up his strong run of preseason play with another solid outing Thursday against the Los Angeles Chargers . Simpson completed 18 of 23 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions, adding 11 yards on a pair of rushing attempts. His touchdown pass was an impressive one, as immediate pressure forced him to bail from the pocket and roll to his left before delivering a cross-body strike for the score, turning a dangerous situation and a challenging throw into a a personal highlight. Sure, it's still just preseason, but Simpson has made the Rams look nothing but smart since hitting the field.
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RB Greg Desrosiers Jr., Chargers
After a winding college football journey that finished at Memphis last season, Desrosiers signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent this year, and he's doing his best to earn a roster spot somewhere. Thursday night against the Rams, Desrosiers lit up the box score with a ton of big plays, showing off an impressive blend of power and explosiveness while racking up 118 yards rushing on just nine carries, including a 34-yard touchdown. He's buried on his current depth chart, but this kind of performance could easily land Desrosiers on someone else's active roster, should the Chargers try to pass him through waivers in hopes of stashing him on their practice squad.
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QB Taylen Green , Browns
For all the debate this week about Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders , it was the other quarterbacks on Cleveland 's roster who stole the show in Thursday's preseason finale against the New England Patriots . Dillon Gabriel had a fantastic day, but Green made the most of his own chance to shine, going 5-for-7 through the air and showing off his rare athleticism with 66 rushing yards on eight attempts. Green still needs a ton of refinement as a passer, but the physical tools and upside are off the charts for the sixth-round pick out of Arkansas. While all of the drama unfolds at the top of the depth chart, the most talented quarterback on this team might be at the bottom of the list right now.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
