5 Players Who Desperately Need to Produce in Week 2 of NFL Preseason

For many players, the NFL preseason is little more than a formal step in the process of preparing for the upcoming schedule of games that actually count.

Other players, however, spend the preseason battling for starting jobs, fighting for roster spots, trying to come back from injuries or simply attempting to prove they have the skills to compete in the NFL.

While the remaining three weeks of exhibition play should provide ample opportunity to showcase the league's talent, Week 2 will be especially important for the players on the aforementioned list.

They are players who have a lot riding on their production this preseason and who either performed poorly or did not participate in the preseason games from Week 1.

Blaine Gabbert

Just a little over two years ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars used a first-round draft pick on Missouri product Blaine Gabbert with the hopes that he would become their quarterback of the future.

However, Gabbert has done little to establish himself as a franchise signal-caller during his two seasons in Jacksonville and now finds himself battling journeyman Chad Henne for the starting job.

After a dreadful performance against the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, Gabbert may have to show significant improvement this week to even stay in the competition.

Though he started the opening four drives with the Jaguars' first-team offense, Gabbert managed to complete just 50 percent of his passes in 10 attempts for a mere 19 yards and an interception.

Henne, on the other hand, was a respectable 8-of-11 for 87 yards and led the Jaguars to their only points of the night on a 23-yard Josh Scobee field goal.

While it can be difficult to judge a quarterback competition fairly off of a single-game performance, another poor showing by Gabbert could have him out of the conversation well before the start of the regular season.

Montario Hardesty

Cleveland Browns running back Montario Hardesty entered training camp with a solid chance to become the primary backup to budding star Trent Richardson.

After one preseason game, however, it is beginning to look like Hardesty might not even make the team.

Hardesty, a second-round draft pick (59th overall) in 2010, missed his rookie season in 2010 with a torn ACL but has shown flashes of potential during his two years of playing for the Browns. Last season, he carried the ball 65 times for 271 yards and a touchdown with a respectable average of 4.2 yards per carry.

Injuries forced both Richardson and Hardesty to miss the Browns' preseason opener, which allowed fellow running backs Dion Lewis and Brandon Jackson to showcase their talents on the field.

Neither was especially productive in running the football (Lewis carried the ball five times for 11 yards, Jackson netted 32 yards on 11 carries), but both showed their versatility as pass-catchers out of the backfield.

Jackson nabbed five receptions for 22 yards while Lewis hauled in three passes for 22 yards and a touchdown. Both players looked extremely comfortable in coordinator Norv Turner's offense and appear to be solid candidates for the regular-season roster.

Hardesty has three preseason games left to prove he can make the team, but if he fails to produce or even get on the field in Week 2—Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer reported that Hardesty suffered a thumb injury in this week's practices—he may face an uphill battle heading into the regular season.

A.J. Jenkins

San Francisco 49ers receiver A.J. Jenkins finds himself in a rather unusual position for being a first-round pick just over a year ago.

Selected with the 30th overall pick in the 2012 draft, Jenkins was brought to San Francisco with the belief that he could be a dynamic, downfield pass-catcher and solid complement to star wideout Michael Crabtree.

Jenkins, however, only appeared in three games as a rookie last season and failed to make a single reception.

With Crabtree still recovering from an offseason Achilles tear and not expected to return until late in the regular season, it is even more important for Jenkins to emerge as a viable weapon for the defending NFC champions.

Unfortunately, Jenkins has continued to struggle this offseason and early in preseason action. According to Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News, Jenkins has been a disappointment in training camp and may even face the prospect of being cut before the regular season begins.

Jenkins did manage to catch an 11-yard pass during the 49ers' preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, but he fumbled away the football.

The 49ers are likely to give Jenkins every opportunity this preseason to prove he belongs, but the former Illinois standout is going to have to start producing, and as quickly as possible if he is going to impact San Francisco's upcoming season.

Dallas Clark

As a player, veteran tight end Dallas Clark realistically has little to prove in his 11th NFL preseason.

As a new member of the Baltimore Ravens, however, it is important for Clark to show he can fit into coordinator Jim Caldwell's system (although they did spend three years together in Indianapolis) and provide a reliable target for $100 million quarterback Joe Flacco.

After the Ravens sent wide receiver Anquan Boldin to San Francisco early in the offseason, it was expected that tight end Dennis Pitta would pick up the slack and become Flacco's new go-to guy.

However, Pitta suffered a severe hip injury during offseason workouts and may be out for the year. Fellow tight end Ed Dickson also suffered a torn hamstring during the offseason, which left the defending Super Bowl champions scrambling to add a veteran tight end to the mix.

Thanks to his familiarity with Caldwell and consistent production, Clark appears to be the right man for the job, even at age 34.

Last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Clark hauled in 47 passes for 435 yards and four touchdowns.

While he has three preseason games remaining to adjust to the Ravens' offense, a solid performance in Clark's 2013 debut would certainly prove that Baltimore made the right call in bringing in the 10-year veteran.

Le'Veon Bell

With Rashard Mendenhall out of the picture, the Pittsburgh Steelers entered the April NFL draft looking for their next great running back.

The team added former Michigan State star Le'Veon Bell in the second round of the draft with the 48th overall pick, and the immediate expectation was that the rookie would open the regular season as Pittsburgh's starter.

Unfortunately, Bell was held out of the preseason opener against the New York Giants and has yet to prove he is the best man for the starting job in Pittsburgh's new zone-blocking scheme.

With Bell sidelined, new acquisition LaRod Stephens-Howling took an opportunity to showcase his skills, rushing for an impressive 40 yards on just seven carries.

While Stephens-Howling is probably a bit undersized to take over a starting role at 5'7" and 185 pounds, he could be in line for a significant offensive role if he can continue to produce big plays during the preseason.

If Bell cannot get on the field and show some tough running over the next three weeks (he is expected to suit up for this week's game against the Washington Redskins), he may find himself splitting carries with Stephens-Howling rather than becoming the team's unquestioned workhorse.

Even worse, a shaky performance could push Bell down the depth chart behind Jonathan Dwyer, who led the team in rushing a season ago.

The biggest thing for Bell is to prove he can remain healthy, as injuries were a constant issue for the Steelers backfield in 2012. Bell will have his first chance in Week 2 to show he can be that tough, durable back who used to define Pittsburgh.