Buying or Selling The Most Surprising Performances of the 2025 NFL Preseason

The 2025 NFL preseason has ended, and the regular season will kick off on September 4. Between now and then, fans will dissect what they saw in the preseason and whether they should be worried or excited for the upcoming campaign.

The reality, of course, is that preseason performances can be a mirage. The Cleveland Browns went undefeated in the 2017 preseason. Their record that year? 0-16.

There can be truth in exhibition play, though. Dak Prescott was stunningly impressive as a rookie during the 2016 preseason. He's now the highest-paid player in league history.

Here, we'll dive into some of the most surprising performances of the last few weeks, try to discern what's real, and examine what it all means moving forward.

Buy: Giants QB Jaxson Dart

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Giants QB Jaxson Dart

The New York Giants got a good look at their future this preseason, and it appears bright. Rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart went 32-of-47 for 372 yards with three touchdowns, no interceptions, 52 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.

At no point did the speed or nuances of the pro game appear to negatively impact him, which is surprising since he wasn't widely considered a pro-ready prospect.

"As a result of Ole Miss' heavily schemed offense, processing past the first read is slower than expected for a senior quarterback," Dame Parson of the Bleacher Report Scouting Department wrote before the draft.

Of course, Dart didn't play exclusively against starters or against complex defenses tailored to stop him. His preseason prowess can be taken with a grain of salt.

That doesn't mean the 22-year-old's comfort level in Brian Daboll's offense wasn't real, though. Dart may have some struggles when he gets on the field, but he genuinely looks like a player poised to pressure Russell Wilson throughout the season.

Sell: The Undefeated Giants

AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura

Giants head coach Brian Daboll

It's worth noting Dart wasn't the only aspect of the Giants' preseason that looked good. After winning just three games in all of 2024, they won all three of their preseason contests and did so convincingly.

New York's preseason margin of victory was 60 points.

Now, the Giants weren't the only team to go undefeated in the preseason, but the contrast between what we saw last season and what we saw in August was eye-opening.

Are they about to rediscover their 2022 playoff form and go on a playoff run? Probably not.

The Giants did undoubtedly look more efficient and capable than they did a year ago, but they also faced two teams that didn't play their starting lineups and one that barely put its first team on the field. The fact that all of New York's quarterbacks looked like NFL starters in the preseason is a sign that fans shouldn't start purchasing playoff passes just yet.

Consider Tommy DeVito just had a 17-of-20, 198-yard, three-touchdown performance against the New England Patriots. That's the same Tommy DeVito who threw for 257 yards with an 85.1 QB rating in two 2024 starts in the exact same offense.

New York is still probably the fourth-best team in the NFC East.

Buy: Commanders RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt

AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough

Commanders RB Bill Croskey-Merritt

The 2025 draft class was always considered to be loaded at the running back position. Still, few expected seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt to become a household name this preseason.

OK, the 24-year-old might only be a star in households where fantasy football is prevalent, but still.

The Arizona product generated quite a buzz during Washington Commanders camp before strolling into the preseason spotlight. He had 24 rushing yards and a reception in his debut, then rushed for 46 yards, 4.2 yards per carry and a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Commanders then rested the rookie, along with most of their starters, for the preseason finale. Oh, and they also traded former starter Brian Robinson Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers.

Is Croskey-Merritt ready to be an NFL star and a fantasy league-winner? Well, sort of.

We believe what we saw and heard of Croskey-Merritt this summer was real. He has the goods to be a very good pro running back. He may even wind up as Washington's lead back this season. For those fantasy enthusiasts, though, we'd recommend a little restraint. Kliff Kingsbury is going to utilize a rotation that also includes Austin Ekeler and Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Buy: Dolphins RB Ollie Gordon II

AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

Dolphins RB Ollie Gordon II

Croskey-Merritt isn't the only rookie who has flown up fantasy boards this preseason. He isn't even the only late-round running back who has surprised.

Miami Dolphins fifth-round pick Ollie Gordon II generated almost as much buzz as his Washington counterpart.

Had the Dolphins been a playoff team in 2024 or looked offensively imposing this summer, the 21-year-old would be generating more attention.

Still, the physical runner out of Oklahoma State looked like a future NFL difference-maker in the preseason. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry, logged three receptions, ran for a score and tallied 174 scrimmage yards.

Most importantly, Gordon handled himself well while playing alongside Miami's starters in the preseason finale.

"It didn't look to big for him," head coach Mike McDaniel said, per NFL.com's Bobby Kownack.

It's important because the Dolphins may have to rely on Gordon early in the season. De'Von Achane is dealing with a calf injury, while Jaylen Wright is week-to-week with an undisclosed injury.

Now, fantasy managers shouldn't go chasing Gordon in the first couple of rounds. Miami's offensive line hasn't looked great in the preseason, and McDaniel has a tendency to favor finesse over physicality—meaning Achane and Wright will be back in the equation when healthy.

Gordon, though, should be a valuable spot-starter and change-of-pace back for the Dolphins.

Sell: Chargers QB Trey Lance

AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez

Chargers QB Trey Lance

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the preseason was the shockingly good play of Los Angeles Chargers backup quarterback Trey Lance.

The third overall pick in the 2021 draft, the 25-year-old never developed into a dependable starter with the San Francisco 49ers, and he languished on the bench with the Dallas Cowboys.

Lance's struggles to this point weren't altogether surprising. He started just 17 games at North Dakota State and started only five games in his first three pro campaigns.

However, he looked poised, accurate and composed this preseason while still flashing the dual-threat ability that made him a coveted draft prospect in the first place.

Through four games—L.A. appeared in the Hall of Fame Game—Lance completed 32 of his 57 pass attempts for 334 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for 81 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.

Were the 49ers and Cowboys wrong? Are Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman quarterback whisperers? No and no.

Lance was always a raw prospect who was going to take time to develop. Is he a bit more polished than he was a year ago? Sure, but playing well against backups in vanilla games after four seasons in the NFL isn't as impressive as seeing a rookie like Dart do it.

And this isn't the first time Lance has flashed in the preseason either. Before he got his opportunity to be a Week 1 starter in 2022, he completed 68.8 percent of his preseason passes with a 116.9 quarterback rating.

Does Lance deserve another chance to start in the NFL? Absolutely, but he probably still isn't ready for it just yet.

Buy: Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa

AP Photo/Paul Sancya

Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa

Coming out of April's draft, several rookie receivers seemed poised to make an immediate impact. Detroit Lions third-round pick Isaac TeSlaa wasn't necessarily one of them.

The Arkansas product didn't generate much pre-draft buzz until he impressed with a strong Senior Bowl week. He joined an offense that already featured quality pass-catchers in Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick and Sam LaPorta. It felt like the Lions were simply taking a chance on a player with intriguing size (6'4", 214 lbs) and a desire to be drafted by his hometown team.

What we've seen in the preseason, though, is a pro-ready receiver who can—and should—have a role in Detroit's offense this season.

TeSlaa flashed the ability to create mismatches with his size and enough wiggle to create separation both on the perimeter and in the middle of the field. He also showed a willingness to block that new offensive coordinator John Morton will love. He caught touchdown passes in three straight games and showcased elite celebration skills.

The Lions will make use of TeSlaa early and often this season.

They re-signed Patrick to a one-year deal to fill the third receiver role, but TeSlaa will have a chance to supplant him by season's end. In the meantime, he can thrive as a rotational outside receiver and big slot who contributes on both passing and running downs.

Buy: Jaguars K Cam Little

AP Photo/Gary McCullough

In today's NFL, it's more surprising when a kicker doesn't make a long field goal than when he does. When a second-year kicker shatters an NFL record, though, we have to take notice.

In Week 1, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Little drilled a 70-yard field goal. Had it counted—preseason stats don't—it would have bested the current NFL record by four yards.

Now, it's worth noting the Jacksonville Jaguars might not have allowed Little to attempt such a long kick in a game that actually mattered. It's also worth recognizing he didn't face the sort of aggressive rush he likely would in a regular-season situation.

Because of the low angle required, longer kicks are usually easier to block.

Still, our eyes didn't deceive us. The 22-year-old put one through the uprights from 70 yards out, and that wasn't his only impressive kick of the preseason. He made a 59-yarder look routine against the Dolphins and made all 10 of his preseason kicks (field goals and extra points).

Little has an elite leg and is coming off an impressive rookie campaign (27-of-27 on extra points and 27-of-29 on field goals). He'll earn legitimate Pro Bowl consideration this year, and in an end-of-game or end-of-half situation, he might get his opportunity to set a new NFL record for real.

Sell: The Winless Chiefs

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes

The Kansas City Chiefs haven't missed an AFC Championship Game since Patrick Mahomes took over as the full-time starter in 2018. However, they were handed a convincing loss in Super Bowl LIX and just wrapped a winless preseason.

Kansas City was outscored 82-60 in exhibition play.

Is this a sign the Chiefs' era of AFC domination is over? Are the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills finally the teams to beat in the conference? Probably not.

The Chiefs did play their starters in the first and third preseason games, and for the most part, they looked sharp. Mahomes tossed a touchdown in each of those games, and he had a terrific overall performance (8-of-13 for 143 yards, 1 TD) in the finale against the Chicago Bears.

Oh, and it took three fourth-quarter touchdowns against the back end of Kansas City's roster for Chicago to even win on Friday.

The reality is that the Chiefs have looked better than their preseason record might suggest. Mahomes' chemistry with his receivers is in midseason form, and Kansas City appears to have addressed its biggest 2024 weakness with rookie left tackle Josh Simmons.

While some fans probably find Kansas City's winless record surprising, it shouldn't be. The Chiefs were 0-3 last August, too.

There's certainly no guarantee Kansas City will be back in the conference title game this year—a lot can happen between now and then—but it's not time for fans to panic yet.