2026 NFL Preseason Week 2: 10 Must-Watch Storylines You Can’t Miss
NFL Trend Tracker: What’s Changing in Football Right Now?
Why This Matters
Football is like a giant game of rock-paper-scissors. When everyone starts doing one thing (like throwing the ball all the time), smart coaches figure out how to beat it (by running the ball more). Then everyone copies that. Right now, we’re seeing three big shifts happening across the league.
Trend 1: Quarterbacks Are Going "Old School" (Back Under Center)
What Does "Under Center" Mean?
Imagine the quarterback standing directly behind the center (the guy who snaps the ball), with his hands right under the center’s bottom. This is the classic, traditional way to line up.
For years, many teams moved away from this. They put the quarterback in the "shotgun" — standing 5–7 yards behind the center, catching the snap like a pitcher catching a throw.
Why Are They Switching Back?
IMPORTANT POINT: The run game is cool again! When you run the ball a lot, "play-action" (faking a run to trick the defense, then throwing) works better. And play-action works best when the quarterback is under center.
Who’s Doing It?
| Team | Quarterback | Why It’s a Big Deal |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson | They’ve been doing it more since signing superstar runner Derrick Henry. New coach Declan Doyle has Lamar doing it even more now. |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Joe Burrow | HUGE change! Since 2020, they were almost never under center (ranked 28th, 30th, 30th, 31st). Now they’re trying it. |
The Big Question
Both these teams had offenses that fell out of the top 10 last year. Can this "old school" tweak fix them?
Trend 2: The Tight End Takeover (How Many Is Too Many?)
Quick Vocabulary: "Personnel Packages"
Coaches use numbers to describe who’s on the field:
- First number = Running Backs
- Second number = Tight Ends
- Third number = Wide Receivers
- (Always 5 linemen + 1 QB = 11 total)
The Escalation
| Package | What It Means | Who Started It |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Personnel | 1 RB, 2 TE, 2 WR | Been popular for years |
| 13 Personnel | 1 RB, 3 TE, 1 WR | Rams used this heavily last year |
| 14 Personnel | 1 RB, 4 TE, 0 WR | Bears (coach Ben Johnson) just tried this in preseason! |
Why Tight Ends?
IMPORTANT POINT: Tight ends are Swiss Army knives. They can block like linemen and catch like receivers. Putting 3 or 4 on the field confuses the defense: "Are they running? Throwing? Who do we cover? Who do we block?"
Coaches are basically asking: "How many tight ends can we play before it stops working?" We’re about to find out!
Trend 3: Rookie Receivers Are Ready Right Now
The Sad News First
Jordyn Tyson (New Orleans Saints) — who many experts called the best receiver in the entire 2024 draft class — hurt his hamstring and will miss ~2 months. He had injury trouble in college too.
But The Good News? Everyone Else Is Balling Out!
It’s becoming a yearly tradition: rookie wideouts contribute immediately, no matter where they were drafted.
Standout Rookies by Draft Round
1st & 2nd Round (Cleveland Browns went all-in!)
- KC Concepcion (1st round) — Instant impact
- Denzel Boston (2nd round) — Instant impact
3rd Round
- Ja’Kobi Lane (Ravens) — Big, strong, wins jump balls (exactly what Baltimore needed)
- Caleb Douglas (Dolphins) — Might be their #1 receiver as a rookie!
2nd Round (Preseason Stars)
- De’Zhaun Stribling (49ers) — Shined in debut
- Germie Bernard (Steelers) — Shined in debut
3rd Round Highlight Reel
- Malachi Fields (Giants) — Caught a scramble-drill dart from Jaxson Dart, got both feet down in the end zone for a spectacular TD! Watch it here
From Top to Bottom of the Draft
- Carnell Tate (#4 overall, Titans) — Building deep chemistry with QB Cam Ward
- Cyrus Allen (#176 overall, Chiefs) — Fighting for early playing time in KC
IMPORTANT POINT: It doesn’t matter if you’re picked 4th or 176th — this draft class is DEEP at receiver. Teams are finding stars everywhere.
Summary: The 3 Big Shifts Happening Now
- Quarterbacks are moving back under center to power up the run game and play-action (Ravens, Bengals leading the charge).
- Tight ends are taking over — teams are putting 3, even 4, on the field at once to create matchup nightmares.
- Rookie wide receivers are NFL-ready immediately — a conveyor belt of talent from Round 1 to Round 7.
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
1. What’s the difference between "under center" and "shotgun"?
Under center: QB stands right behind the center, hands under his bottom. Ball goes directly into QB’s hands.
Shotgun: QB stands 5–7 yards back. Center tosses the ball through the air to the QB.
Think: Hand-off vs. game of catch.
2. Why does play-action work better from under center?
Because the QB turns his back to the defense to hand the ball off (fake). This sells the run way better. In shotgun, the QB faces the defense the whole time — they can see it’s a fake easier.
3. What makes tight ends so special?
They’re hybrids. Big enough to block defensive ends (like offensive linemen). Athletic enough to run routes and catch (like wide receivers). A defense can’t just put a little cornerback on them (gets bullied) or a slow linebacker (gets burned).
4. Why are rookie WRs succeeding so fast now?
- College offenses look more like the NFL (spread concepts, pro-style routes)
- Better coaching at lower levels
- Rules favor offense (can’t touch receivers much)
- Teams throw a lot, so rookies get chances fast
5. Could 14 personnel (4 TEs, 0 WRs) actually work?
It sounds crazy, but yes — in short-yardage, goal-line, or "jumbo" situations. It forces the defense to play 11 big guys. Then you sneak a TE out for a pass. But for a whole game? Probably not. It’s a wrinkle, not a base offense.
Want to sound smart at your next watch party? Drop this: "I love how [Team] is using 13 personnel to set up play-action from under center — classic Shanahan/McVay tree stuff."