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6 Reasons to Watch Thursday Night’s NFL Preseason Finale

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Thursday night brings two exciting things: pro football in the form of NFL preseason games and a clear sign that the 2016 NFL regular season is upon us.

With a fully loaded 15-game schedule, we have 30 of 32 NFL teams on tonight’s docket, meaning we get to see a ton of young talent compete for a roster spot. A ton of star players will naturally be sitting tonight out to rest up for week one of the regular season, but some are expected to suit up and others could see ample playing time in the final week of preseason play.

Let’s go over which players and situations we should be focusing on the most as we tackle the top six reasons to tune into tonight’s NFL preseason finale:

Betting and DFS

The first thing we think of when preseason football hits center stage is how can we make some money off of it? Tonight we can do that easily two different ways, by either betting on individual NFL preseason games or creating a roster over at DraftKings in their preseason daily fantasy football leagues.

Neither of these are easy, as the spreads and Money Lines are understandably weak with such little information and strategy involved in these games. Take away most of the star players from the majority of these games, and we’re truly left in the dark. There are a few things that could help you out, however. For instance, if you look closer at tonight’s Jets vs. Eagles contest, New York figures to give raw rookie quarterback Christian Hackenberg a good amount of field time. Due to his erratic play, the Eagles could make for a fun DFS defense and Philly in general may have the betting edge, as well.

If you can sniff out small advantages like that, you can possibly help distance some of the betting and DFS opportunities. In that same breath, preseason NFL DFS and betting are both very volatile – even more than regular season. We wish you luck, but we don’t condone heavy betting with such little concrete information to aid you.

All Eyes on Paxton Lynch

The second biggest reason to watch the NFL preseason slate on Thursday night is Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch. The former Memphis product has had his ups and downs all summer, but with Trevor Siemian officially the 2016 starts under center, the team is going into Thursday with the full intention of giving Lynch the entire game.

Lynch will not only be fun to watch, but depending on how he performs, could also be one of the top daily fantasy football options on the night. The fact that he’s a borderline lock to see all four quarters of action makes him more reliable than most of the other quarterback options.

A Whole Lotta Tom Brady

With Jimmy Garoppolo set to start the New England Patriots’ first four games of 2016 thanks to a Tom Brady suspension, it looks like we’ll see a lot of ol’ Tom Terrific tonight. Brady doesn’t need to rest up much considering he’ll be doing a lot of sitting over the next month, so the Pats will want to get some good work in for him. He’s going to end up being rusty come week five, but at least we get to see him for a bit tonight.

Colin Kaepernick’s Next Move

What about Colin Kaepernick isn’t interesting right now? From the start of his game when we can see if he does or doesn’t sit during the National Anthem, to his actual play on the field, everyone will be watching this dude.

If you can find an online betting site that is giving odds for whether or not he sits/stands tonight, that could be an added element to checking his game out, too.

Alex Collins Gets His Chance

One of the better young running backs vying for work in the preseason, Seattle Seahawks rookie rusher Alex Collins figures to see ample work on the field tonight. Collins has thus far been disappointing, but Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll suggested he’d give Collins plenty of chances to prove himself on Thursday night.

Collins has the skill-set and college production to be viewed as a future feature back in Seattle, so Seahawks fans will both want to pay attention to how he does, and also hope he performs well. Given Thomas Rawls ankle injury last year and the erratic play of backup Christine Michael, it might not be crazy to think Collins could see a big role at some point in 2016.

Cuts, Baby, Cuts

The biggest aspect of preseason isn’t really who wins or loses or star players putting up big numbers. Instead, it’s the rookies and lesser known talents that are trying their hardest just to survive in the league. There are guys who flat out don’t belong and are playing probably their last down ever. There are players who probably shouldn’t make it but over achieve like crazy and you find yourself rooting for them. And there are also pedigree guys like Oakland receiver Max McCaffrey (his pops is Ed McCaffrey) that you want to watch to see if they can follow in their father’s footsteps.

Whatever the player, team or situation, it all boils down to week four. The guys that don’t know for sure if they’ll be playing in the NFL a week from now have that final 53 in mind and they’ll be playing their hearts out. Add some preseason NFL betting, preseason daily fantasy football and these other situations we’ve touched on, and Thursday night should be one heck of a ride.

Broncos Good Betting Target With Trevor Siemian Named Starter

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It’s amazing the difference and off-season can make. The Denver Broncos, pro football royalty as last year’s Super Bowl champs, are now walking into the 2016 NFL season with Trevor Siemian under center.

Bold Move

There was no denying the steep regression of Peyton Manning, how turnover-prone Mark Sanchez has been or how raw Paxton Lynch still seems to be. But Denver’s naming Siemian as the starting quarterback feels like the team isn’t even trying.

Of course, there’s also the possibility the Broncos know their limitations here and are playing the long con. They could see Sanchez, as experienced as he is, just wasn’t stable enough to get the job done. He takes bad sacks, isn’t very accurate and makes woeful decisions bad rookies wouldn’t make. He just wasn’t a realistic option if the Broncos wanted to seriously try to repeat.

Siemian doesn’t look to be on paper, either, but he’s far more conservative of a player (and talent) than Sanchez. With an entire year under his belt as the team’s third string passer, he also has the knowledge and time in Gary Kubiak’s system to potentially make just enough plays to keep Denver afloat.

That could make sense, too, seeing as Denver’s winning philosophy – much like it was in 2015 – is to run the ball and bank on an elite defense sucking the life out of the opposing offense. Both of those things might end up happening regardless of what Denver does at quarterback in 2016, but Sanchez was going to work directly against them and possibly negatively impact their effectiveness. Siemian, although seemingly bringing almost no upside to the table as a no-hype prospect out of Northwestern, figures to simply be the safe option.

The move distances the Broncos from Sanchez and puts the focus on developing Lynch and crossing their fingers than Siemian merely keeps this car moving forward. Whether Siemian falters or not isn’t even the issue. If he doesn’t, the Broncos stay the course like they have been and maybe find a diamond in the rough that can keep a talented team in line for another deep playoff run. If he can’t, he can at least buy Lynch some extra time to learn from the sidelines and mature enough to the point where he won’t embarrass himself once he finally takes over.

Denver Broncos Betting

This still doesn’t sound good for Denver on paper. It’s also worth noting that the Broncos don’t seem like they went hard after a quarterback this off-season. Guys like Josh McCown and Colin Kaepernick could have been had in trades and it’s arguable Denver would have been wise to pay Ryan Fitzpatrick while he was holding out from the New York Jets.

Then again, maybe Denver thought Sanchez would have performed better. Maybe they actually really like Siemian. And perhaps they love Lynch, provided he can learn with a clipboard in his hand for half the year.

Whatever the case may be, Trevor Siemian doesn’t promote a ton of confidence. Needless to say, it’s going to be difficult to love Denver’s chances to repeat as Super Bowl champions, even though Bovada currently has them in a favorable spot with solid +2000 odds. They’re not a strong bet, though, and it’s fair to say with the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders looking as good as ever, they’re not even a lock to win the AFC West. Vegas still likes them there, too (+200), however.

Vegas can be wrong, though. Betting on Siemian keeping the Broncos afloat feels dicey and it may not even be a good idea to bet on the Broncos in the early portion of the 2016 regular season. At worst, we should toss some cursory bets against them early on and see what sticks. But if you’re betting in favor of Denver doing anything of real merit in 2016, it certainly does feel like a risk.

Trevor Siemian in Daily Fantasy Football

There is also the case of Siemian’s impact in the daily fantasy football game. Obviously this guy is going to be super cheap in DFS games to start the year and how he plays could dramatically impact all of Denver’s top offensive options. In fact, if starting him backfires and he drowns in a sea of turnovers, it’s not crazy to think Denver’s elite defense gets backed up into a wall and under-performs.

Due to the lack of trust, Siemian is at the very best a shaky option in DFS GPPs and overall just a bad play, otherwise. He might still be able to get the ball to Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and maybe even Virgil Green, but Denver has to move forward with a run-heavy game plan if they’re serious about winning with Siemian.

For now, we have to downgrade all of Denver’s top offensive weapons. C.J. Anderson could actually get a solid boost with the Broncos likely to run more than ever, but even he will be a dangerous play in all fantasy football leagues. It will be truly interesting to see if starting Siemian blows up in Denver’s face or this huge move makes them look like geniuses. It may not be the best practice to go heavy on the Broncos while the experiment gets tested, however.

Why Denver Broncos Need to Start Paxton Lynch at Quarterback

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The Denver Broncos are in an interesting spot for a team attempting to defend a Super Bowl title. With Peyton Manning retired and Brock Osweiler now in Houston, the Broncos have inched ahead with three questionable options at quarterback and they still may not have a clear-cut answer at the position.

Sanchez Odd Man Out?

Per reports, backup passer Trevor Siemian is set to start Denver’s third preseason game this week, and may have already leap-frogged proposed starter Mark Sanchez for the right to battle for the starting job. Instead of Siemian battling Sanchez, whispers in Denver suggest it’s now Siemian versus rookie passer Paxton Lynch for the top job.

The writing on the wall may suggest Sanchez is the odd man out, both because he’s due over $4 million if still on the roster when the season begins and his play through two preseason games has been inconsistent, at best. Sanchez has been back to his old turnover ways, and while he did throw a touchdown pass in his first preseason game, he hasn’t made the gap between him and his competition wide enough.

Tough Call

It’s not an easy call for head coach Gary Kubiak, as he clearly has to consider the finances with Sanchez’s salary, but if Sanchez does give the Broncos their best shot at repeating as NFL champions, he may need to keep the former Jet in town.

Siemian winning the job probably isn’t Denver’s ideal situation, either. Flashing in camp and preseason is one thing, but Siemian has no experience to fall back on and was never a highly touted prospect coming out of Northwestern. Instead, the Broncos have to hope Sanchez either regains his footing, or prized first round pick Paxton Lynch steps up and wins the job.

Time is running out for the three quarterbacks to make the decision an obvious one, however. Regardless of what happens in the team’s third preseason game, a tough decision looms.

Denver’s 2016 Playoff Odds

No matter what, the Broncos are down an experienced quarterback with a history of high level success, as Manning is done for good. Even with Sanchez, they’d be getting solid experience, but a turnover-prone passer who has never been overly accurate or consistent. Sanchez also hasn’t been a proven winner since his first two seasons in the league.

All of that can be said of Siemian, too, so the Broncos are undoubtedly in a tough spot with either Sanchez or Siemian under center for a lengthy period of time in 2016. That is also likely the case if Lynch steals the job, but Lynch at least has immense upside on paper and has the skill-set to perfectly fit into Gary Kubiak’s system. On paper, if Lynch could mature throughout the year and the Broncos could lean hard on their defense and ground game, they’d have a chance to remain competitive.

Per Bovada, it probably doesn’t matter who starts under center. Denver still oddly remains the favorites to win the NFC West division (+190), largely because of that elite defense, good coaching and a stellar supporting cast on offense. Their Super Bowl odds aren’t nearly as locked in, of course, with Vegas giving them +1800 odds to repeat as the league champion.

It Has to Be Lynch

The harsh reality here is that Paxton Lynch can’t be any worse than Siemian and the gap between these three guys just isn’t enough to hold the talented rookie back.

In an ideal world, Lynch would sit back and learn on the sidelines, but he’s already performed above expectation and starting him right away is not throwing him to the wolves. If he didn’t have a nice stable of running backs, have the ability to move outside of the pocket, have an elite defense backing him or have guys like Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders to throw the ball to – then sure. If that weren’t all the case, then tossing a raw rookie passer into the starting lineup wouldn’t make any sense.

Sanchez is going to turn the ball over, pass the ball inaccurately and take bad sacks. He’s going to lose Denver games because, despite the experience he’s racked up, he still commits errors and doesn’t always make the right decision.

Denver can’t possibly expect Siemian to be a whole lot better, while his experience edge on Lynch is minute and his talent edge is non-existent.

The only way to go here for Denver is to throw caution to the wind, cut Sanchez and move forward with Paxton Lynch as their franchise quarterback and week one starter. Worst case, Lynch struggles and the Broncos suffer through a Super Bowl hangover and miss the playoffs. Best case, Lynch is the real deal and his elite supporting cast helps keep Denver in playoff contention and maybe even sets them on another deep run to defend their title.

There is middle ground here, too. The point is, the Broncos really should have only ever considered not starting Lynch if Sanchez blew them away or Lynch was atrocious in camp and preseason play. Neither has been the case. The future is now for the Broncos and Lynch. Let’s just hope they realize it.

10 Reasons You Need to Watch Thursday’s NFL Preseason Games

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We took a close look at Thursday’s NFL preseason slate earlier this week, largely to assist any of our readers that planned on conducting any NFL betting or playing in any daily fantasy football preseason leagues. With tonight’s action upon us, we thought we’d now simply ignite the excitement in every pro football fan by pointing out the numerous reasons to simply watch the games – regardless of personal attachment or bias.

Yes, watching meaningless NFL games can still be fun even if you’re not betting on them or playing fantasy football. And we can prove it! Well, at least in our opinion we’ve got some interesting things that should garner your attention during Thursday’s slate.

Whether you just like football, your favorite team is playing or you’re studying for your upcoming fantasy league draft, there’s plenty to draw you in tonight. Let’s take a look at the top-10 reasons for you to tune into Thursday’s NFL preseason action:

Jimmy G Starts

Easily the top story-line going into Thursday’s NFL preseason games is Jimmy Garoppolo preparing to start the first four games of the 2016 season for the New England Patriots. Tom Brady won’t play in this game, either, so we’ll get a huge dose of Garoppolo, as the Pats try to figure out what they’ve got under center in real game situations.

Garoppolo’s playing time could actually go either way, as  a strong start could have the Patriots get him out on a high note. That being said, he’s likely to play about a quarter, and possibly even the entire first half. Garoppolo has a brutal week one matchup with the Arizona Cardinals, so he’ll need all the practice he can get to be ready. Unfortunately, he’ll be without his top two weapons tonight, as both Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman will sit this one out.

Carson Wentz Debut

Wentz’s NFL debut probably ranks second on the list of must-see elements for Thursday’s preseason slate. Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel will play the first and second quarters to start the night, but all eyes will be on the #2 overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft when Wentz plays the entire second half against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It’s true that Wentz will be working against scrub defenders for his first NFL snaps, but that could actually tell us a lot about his development. If he balls out, fans will be screaming for him to climb up the depth chart, but if he struggles the Eagles could be validated for bringing him along slowly. Overall, the hope is Wentz comes out and moves the offense and maybe even entertains with an exciting run or deep pass.

Paxton Lynch Debut

Wentz isn’t the only rookie quarterback under the bright lights tonight, as Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch will also be playing a ton. Mark Sanchez figures to start the game against the Chicago Bears, but it will be all Lynch after the break, as the rook is slated to take the field for the entire second half.

It’s tough to know what Denver has in Lynch just yet, but we should get a pretty good idea of what he brings to the table as he faces Chicago’s spare defenders for the final two quarters tonight.

Quarterback Battles

Quarterback battles in general could be worth watching throughout the preseason, and that could be the case for teams that aren’t even actively holding a competition. Denver seems to be, so all eyes will be on Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian tonight, while a good performance by Paxton Lynch could even potentially get his name thrown in the hat.

The Eagles aren’t expected to be entertaining a quarterback competition either, but the play of Sam Bradford, Chase Daniel and the aforementioned Wentz could certainly change that tonight, depending on what goes down.

Elsewhere, the Jets still need to figure out which quarterback they’re cutting loose ahead of the 2016 NFL season. With Ryan Fitzpatrick locked in as the team’s starter, it’s an open competition between Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and rookie Christian Hackenberg.

Mike Glennon Showcase

While some guys are playing for a specific role or to make a final roster, Mike Glennon may be playing to get traded. Mike Glennon has constantly been a hot name in trade rumors pretty much ever since he was drafted and the Bucs have no plans of starting him ever with Jameis Winston in town.

The team is also said to be high on third string passer Ryan Griffin, so if Glennon plays well and can drum up trade interest, he could quickly find himself on the move.

Return of KB

Kelvin Benjamin was dangerous as a rookie and was looking to break out in 2015, but ended up having his second NFL season derailed by a torn ACL. He returns this week and although we shouldn’t see much of him, Panthers fans will get excited to see their star wide receiver back in uniform.

ASJ Maturation?

Austin Seferian-Jenkins was once a highly touted tight end prospect and certainly flashed upside in 2015, but has quickly fallen out of Tampa Bay’s good graces due to a poor attitude and shaky work ethic. The early word has been the Bucs favor Cameron Brate’s dedication and consistency, and they may be trying to light a fire under the talented third-year tight end.

It’s anyone’s guess if it will work, but ASJ has the size and athleticism to be special. It will be interesting to see how much the Bucs play him tonight and if he responds with a strong performance.

Kevin White’s Debut

Kevin White joins a growing list of highly anticipated NFL debuts, and he’s truly one of the better ones to look out for. A first round draft choice a year ago, White missed his entire rookie season due to a leg injury and will finally hit the field for the Bears tonight.

White probably won’t play much, but he’s supremely explosive and it will be interesting to see if he can put up a big play or two before exiting tonight.

Dante Fowler Hits the Field

Fowler is another big name that will make his pro debut, as he also missed his entire rookie season last year due to injury. Jacksonville can’t wait to see what the explosive Fowler can bring to their defense on the edge, and seeing how he fares in his debut could go a long way in deciding where he fits in their system.

We probably can’t expect to see Fowler stay in the game too long, but if he registers a sack or a big play, you can bet Jaguars fans will go nuts.

Football is Back!

Oh, you needed more? Sorry, the generic (yet best) reason of pro football being back on TV caps out top-10 list, and why shouldn’t it? These games mean nothing and we can’t expect to see much of the biggest names, but we do get to see hard-hitting football and hopefully some exciting plays.

While the NFL preseason doesn’t touch the regular season, Thursday symbolizes the unofficial start of the new season. We’ll see star players, guys fighting for a specific role and others merely battling to make the final roster. It’s an exciting time of the sports year and we wouldn’t miss it for anything.

Enjoy the games tonight and if you’re betting or playing preseason DFS, good luck!