Depending on your perspective, this is either going to be the worst week of preseason or the best. With joint practices being the priority this week, starters will be sitting in this one for the Falcons, which means it’ll be reserve and roster hopefuls from opening kickoff to the final seconds. If you’re invested in roster battles more than the relatively settled starting lineup and think this preseason game will help sort those battles out, there will be plenty to pay attention to. If you view this as the least
important one because the starters get some tuning up again in Week 3 and final impressions matter, you’ll likely view this as a Saturday slog.
Either way, we’re spending our Saturday afternoon with the Falcons, so let’s hope for an interesting afternoon with some surprisingly good football. Here’s what you need to know.
Roster battles to monitor
QB3
Cooper Rush was not great in his first preseason action, and probably needs a bounceback effort against Indianapolis. Jack Strand has done enough to stick around as a practice squad quarterback, I firmly believe, but will need Rush to continue to muddle while he excels to actually grab the QB3 role.
RB3
It’s Tyler Goodson’s job, more than likely. Trey Sermon is injured, Cash Jones is more of an interesting versatile option as a fourth running back/seventh receiver/special teamer than a legitimate third option, and Goodson has been showing out while Nate Carter has had quieter practices and a forgettable first preseason effort.
WR5/6
Vinny Anthony looked good as a returner and solid enough as a receiver to think he’s got a real shot of sticking, while Chris Blair and Dyland Drummond logged a ton of work and Blair once again looked good. I haven’t seen any indication the Falcons are leaning toward one or two of the many options they’ve assembled here, but Anthony and Blair had looked the best thus far.
C2
Corey Levin looked better in pass protection than James Brockermeyer, but neither one was a standout in Week 1. I’d like to see another full game from both, but Levin’s experience and familiarity with Bill Callahan still presumably has him in the driver’s seat for now.
ILB2
It’s starting to feel like Kendal Daniels has this job. He’s wearing the green dot in games, making standout plays in practice, and holding his own in preseason action. Christian Harris is his most serious competition and has been fine, while Harold Perkins Jr. is stumping for a role
CB2/3
Without Avieon Terrell or Billy Bowman Jr. playing, it’s Mike Hughes at CB2 despite some struggles and…maybe Darnay Holmes for the nickel? Holmes has been a summer standout with energy, physicality, and solid coverage, which continued into this week’s joint practices with the Colts. Until Terrell and Bowman are out there, that’s the pecking order heading into the season.
What’s new with the Colts?
Like the Broncos, the Colts didn’t make sweeping organizational changes in 2025. Unlike with the Broncos, it’s a little bit harder to call that an unqualified good decision, but they did also look outside the organization a little more after re-signing Daniel Jones, Alec Pierce, and Mo Alie-Cox.
They traded linebacker Zaire Franklin to the Packers for defensive tackle Colby Wooden, hoping to further shore up a tough rotation up front, and added Jerry Tillery and Derrick Nnadi to the interior as well. Arden Key gives them more pass rushing punch at defensive end alongside fellow addition Michael Clemons, and if nothing else, the Colts took their need to be tough up front very seriously. Most of their other signings outside wide receiver Keenan Allen and linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither were depth moves, but I’m the last person to knock quality depth acquisitions. The draft brought in two likely starters in linebacker CJ Allen, a player I know more than a few Falcons fans were interested in, and safety AJ Haulcy.
The Colts still bet heavily on their core and their coaching staff, a risky move considering Jones’ long history of injuries and streaky play and the fact that this team has gone 9-8, 8-9, and 8-9 over the past three seasons. Perhaps this will be their breakout year, but it’s a big bet, even though this is a talented roster on paper.
What to know about Saturday
The starters aren’t going to play, as mentioned, so this is truly an opportunity for roster hopefuls to make their case in game action. While I don’t think battles will be decided based on this effort—the joint practices are quite important to Stefanski and company—standouts can only help their chances.
While after the first game there was concern about rust and how dominant the Broncos looked against Atlanta’s starters, after this one we really have to focus on individual performances and take from them what we can. Atlanta is not, unless things go terribly awry, ever going to put their full second team on the field at the same time the way they will in this one, and most of their third and fourth stringers will be on the practice squad or looking for work elsewhere. The result is far less important than seeing, for example, whether Harris or Daniels is out there to start this one, which reserve receiver takes off, and whether Rush or Strand can create some daylight in the quarterback competition. That’s what you should focus on, especially after the football inevitably gets a bit dreary.
Let us know what you’ll be looking for tomorrow!
