NFL Preseason Week 1 Begins With Rookie Debuts, QB Battles

The NFL's full preseason schedule kicks off Thursday night, August 13, 2026, with a 16-game slate that will provide the first live-action look at the league's rookie class and several high-profile quarterback competitions. The action follows the Hall of Fame Game between Carolina and Arizona on August 7, which served as the official start to the preseason.

A central storyline is the quarterback battle in Cleveland, where head coach Todd Monken has announced that Deshaun Watson will start the preseason opener on Saturday, August 15, against the Chicago Bears. Shedeur Sanders is scheduled to start the team's second preseason contest on August 22 against the Buffalo Bills. Monken stated that both quarterbacks are expected to play roughly a half in the opener, allowing each to manage a two-minute drill. "I have my reasons for how it's going to go, and it's still a competition," Monken said. Watson has not appeared in an NFL game since rupturing his Achilles tendon in October 2024, making his return a key point of evaluation. Sanders, a second-year player, started seven games last season.

In Atlanta, head coach Kevin Stefanski has named Tua Tagovailoa as the starting quarterback for...