American Football

NFL preseason Week 1: Five key storylines to watch

DAZN

Published by Ana Gonzalez

12, Aug

NFL preseason Week 1: Five key storylines to watch

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NFL preseason is always a great way for teams to get a feel for how they are shaping up for the campaign ahead.

Whether it is teams getting familiar with new schemes, position battles, or rookies trying to find their groove, the next three weeks can set the tone for the season.

Here are five key things to look out for during preseason Week 1, all of which are streaming live and free on DAZN.

Cousins Mendoza Raiders 16x9 Ethan Miller / Staff

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With prices starting from £179.99 per year or £16.99 per month, you can catch every twist, turn, and touchdown live or on-demand, from Week 1 to the Super Bowl.

And with every preseason game available live and free, it is the perfect chance to experience everything NFL Game Pass has to offer.

Browns QB battle: Shedeur Sanders vs. Deshaun Watson

Todd Monken and the Cleveland Browns still have not decided who will be their Week 1 starter, with the race going down to the wire.

Both Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson will get their chances to audition for the job when they visit the Bears, and Dillon Gabriel may get some looks too.

One game may not decide the winner, but it could set one player down the path to becoming QB1.

Fernando Mendoza's Raiders debut

A Mendoza appearance is a near-certainty this week, with the former Heisman winner confirmed to be playing against the Cardinals on Friday.

"I look forward to seeing him out there with his teammates," Klint Kubiak said on Tuesday. "[There] are a lot of guys that we need to evaluate, but he will get plenty of reps."

Fernando Mendoza 16x9 David Becker / Stringer

How Mendoza performs in this one will be telling. We know Cousins will open the season as the starter, but he will be on borrowed time until the rookie gets up to speed.

Kyler Murray justifying O'Connell's decision

Murray was named the Vikings' starting QB yesterday, with the 29-year-old beating J.J. McCarthy for the right to lead the offense out in Week 1.

Both players will feature against the Giants on Saturday, and although the competition has been decided, there will be plenty of scrutiny about how each performs.

Murray has endured a few rough practices this week, and will be keen to show he can overcome adversity as he sets about proving Kevin O'Connell right.

OBJ out to prove a point for the Giants

After eight years, Odell Beckham Jr. is back with the Giants, trying to prove that he deserves an expanded role in the offense.

He was announced as the third-string WR in the Giants' initial depth chart for this season, but will surely see some game time this week against the Vikings.

John Harbaugh will have some difficult decisions to make before Week 1, but this first preseason game will be key for OBJ if he wants to climb the depth chart behind Malik Nabers.

Can the Chiefs' Cyrus Allen continue to ascend?

An offseason riser unlike any other, fifth-round rookie Cyrus Allen has starred in camp, leading to suggestions he could play a bigger role than initially expected once the season gets underway.

One of Mahomes' favourite targets in practices, Allen has seemingly closed ground on Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy.

If Allen enjoys a stellar performance against the Rams on Saturday, he will do wonders for his case to start as the Chiefs' WR3.