NFL Preseason: Top 10 Stars and Stories to Watch This Weekend

For football fans, August is like going out to eat and having to share the sampler appetizer with a table full of people.  You are starving for some food and pumped up for it to arrive at the table.  Then before you know it, all you got was a mozzarella stick and half a chicken finger and now you’re feeling unsatisfied and stuck waiting another 15 minutes for your entrée.

That’s what the preseason does to NFL fans.  Our favorite teams march out onto the field under the guise of playing a game, and before we know it, Jay Cutler has only thrown two passes and is done for the night.

Because of this, we are left searching for ways to make the preseason interesting so we can justify watching three hours of future free agents and practice squad players run around the field. 

Here are 10 players and storylines to watch this weekend as you tune into a full slate of NFL preseason games.

10. Ryan Mathews

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SAN DIEGO - AUGUST 14: Running back Ryan Mathews #24 of the San Diego Chargers carries for a first down on fourth and one before being tackled by safety Major Wright #27 of the Chicago Bears on August 14, 2010 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California

The Chargers’ rookie out of Fresno State made his debut in San Diego last week with 50 yards on nine carries.  Look for his workload to increase this week against a tough Dallas defense.

Mathews is penciled in as the starting running back and has the tough task of taking LaDainian Tomlinson’s place in the San Diego backfield.  You can be sure that Chargers fans are anxiously watching every Mathews carry this preseason to see if he has what it takes to be the featured back in Southern California.

9. LaDainian Tomlinson

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SAN DIEGO - JANUARY 17: Running back LaDainian Tomlinson #21 of the San Diego Chargers sits on the bench in the final moments of the AFC Divisional Playoff Game against the New York Jets at Qualcomm Stadium on January 17, 2010 in San Diego, California. T

Speaking of LT, he is actually taking part in preseason action for the first time in years.  After parting ways with a team that he was the face of for most of the decade, Tomlinson had to settle for less money and a backup role on the Jets when looking for a new place to play.

Last week, LT looked surprisingly spry in the Jets preseason opener on eight carries for 17 yards including an impressive touchdown run that was called back because of holding. 

With second-year running back Shonn Greene as the starter, the Jets may have to lean on Tomlinson if the sophomore sputters out of the gate.  Look for LT to make a bit of a splash even though it’s preseason to let people know he still has what it takes to shoulder the load for a team in the league. 

Plus if you tune in you might get to hear some of those words Rex Ryan uses on Hard Knocks.

8. Kyle Orton

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CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 15: Kyle Orton #8 of the Denver Broncos looks to pass during the preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on August 15, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

The Broncos’ starting quarterback sells fewer jerseys than the team’s third stringer and is talked about much less.  However, Orton just signed a contract extension and that Tebow guy likely won’t even be on the field due to a rib injury.

This means Orton will see extended time with the first-team in Denver’s game against Detroit.  The king of the neck beard has fought to cement himself as a legitimate starter in the NFL since he was in Chicago, and Denver’s acquisition of both Tebow and Brady Quinn did not go a long way to instill that confidence in Orton or their fans.

Look for Orton to come out and try to impress and justify that he is deserving of the extra money Denver just committed to him.

7. Johnny Knox and Devin Aromashodu

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CHICAGO - DECEMBER 13: Devin Aromashodu #19 and Johnnny Knox #13 of the Chicago Bears celebrate after a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field on December 13, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. The Packers defeated the Bears 21-14. (Photo by Jon

The Chicago Bears' receiver search continues as the preseason rolls along.  Devin Hester is No. 1 on the depth chart, but the Bears are still in need of consistency at the position.

With Mike Martz calling the plays in the Windy City, many expect Chicago’s passing offense to be improved, but much of that falls on these two young receivers.  Knox caught two passes for an impressive 47 yards before leaving the San Diego game with an injury. 

Aromashodu, who made a big splash in the impressive Monday night game week 16 last season where he torched the Vikings, caught four balls for 78 yards and a TD last week. 

If Cutler is to have a better season, it will rely heavily on one, if not both, of these young receivers.  Expect them to get lots of preseason minutes just so they can utilize the extra minutes on the field.

6. Kevin Kolb

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PHILADELPHIA - AUGUST 13: Kevin Kolb #4 of the Philadelphia Eagles drops back to pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars during their preseason game at Lincoln Financial Field on August 13, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Im

Perhaps no one player has more to lose in 2010 than Kolb.  Replacing Donovan McNabb is no easy task, and being the guy your franchise decided was good enough to let an All-Pro quarterback go to a division rival makes that task a bit more daunting.

Kolb has a bevy of young weapons surrounding him in Philly.  If he struggle out of the gate this season, the backlash will be tremendous, especially if McNabb does well.  The eyes of Philadelphia are on each throw this young man makes, even in the preseason.

5. Matt Leinart and Vince Young

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SEATTLE - AUGUST 14: Quarterback Vince Young #10 of the Tennessee Titans passes during the preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks at Qwest Field on August 14, 2010 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)

Flashback to January 4, 2006.  Texas and USC played in possibly the most memorable National Championship game in college football history.  Matt Leinart and Vince Young led offenses that exchanged body blows until Young delivered the knockout shot in a performance for the ages.

Now move forward to present day.  Young’s NFL career has had more ups and downs than a roller coaster and Leinart has carried more clipboards than Office Max.  Now both are charged with leading offenses with tremendous talent.

Young is paired with arguably the best running back in the league while Leinart has one of the NFL’s best pass catchers lining up with him.  Both face high expectations and need to perform week in and week out to solidify their starting jobs.  If either struggles, it may not be long before the Titans and Cardinals begin to look elsewhere for someone to get the ball to their superstar playmakers.

4. Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy

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DALLAS - OCTOBER 6: Quarterback Sam Bradford #14 of the Oklahoma Sooners and Colt McCoy of the Texas Longhorns after the Sooners defeated the Longhorns 28-21 at the Cotton Bowl October 6, 2007 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Another promising pair of rival college quarterbacks find themselves on opposite sidelines once again this weekend.  Both are coming off of shoulder injuries and both are fighting to earn starting jobs and learn their teams’ systems.

While much more has been made of Bradford’s entrance into the league than McCoy’s, both have the potential to be very good starting quarterbacks in the NFL.  They drew comparisons throughout their college careers, but now that Bradford went first overall and McCoy fell to the third round, will they continue?

These two should play around the same time in this game, which will make the alternating series a little more interesting.  Plus you have to think of any way you can to make a Browns vs. Rams game exciting.

3. Ben Roethlisberger

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PITTSBURGH - APRIL 19: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers practices on April 19, 2010 at the Pittsburgh Steelers South Side training facility in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

The offseason was not very kind to Big Ben.  We all know the story of the allegations in Georgia and subsequent suspension the Steelers quarterback received.  Now that the season is about to kick off, the story finally gets to turn to football.

Since Roethlisberger will miss at least the first four games of 2010 and possibly the first six, each snap he takes in the preseason will be vital for him to stay sharp and refresh his timing with Pittsburgh’s number one offense.

We are unsure just how much time Ben will get in the Steelers preseason games, and just how much of it will be spent with the first team offense.  However much time he spends out on the field, you can be sure it will be analyzed to the nth degree and possibly met with a great deal of scrutiny.

2. Brett Favre

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EDEN PRAIRIE, MN - AUGUST 18: Quarterback Brett Favre #4 of the Minnesota Vikings participates in his first morning practice since returning to Vikings Winter Park on August 18, 2010 in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Favre injured his ankle last year and had be

If you were lost at sea or orbiting the earth in an international space station, you may not have heard that Brett Favre has returned for another season as Vikings quarterback.  Favre once again waffled on retirement this summer but has decided to trade in his Wranglers and tractor for a helmet and pads one more time. 

Just days after showing up in Minnesota, rumors have surfaced of Favre’s distrust of head coach Brad Childress’ ability to coordinate an offense.  Whether there is validity to these rumors is yet to be seen, but just add that as a subtext to what has become America’s most recurring plotline.

 Favre will see limited, if any, action this weekend, but you best believe all eyes will be on No. 4.

1. Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco

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CANTON, OH - AUGUST 8: Terrell Owens #81 and Chad Ochocinco #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals look on against the Dallas Cowboys during the 2010 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Field at Fawcett Stadium on August 8, 2010 in Cant

The summer of T.O. and Ochocinco has taken a backseat to Favre this week, which cannot make them happy.  But, Batman and Robin, as they call themselves, are the perfect pair to attract the attention back off of Favre. 

Owens plays his first game against Philadelphia as a Bengal.  We all remember how Owens was unceremoniously shipped out of Philly after a tremendous season and Super Bowl performance turned into an off-season soap opera.

Eagles fans have certainly not forgotten, and are even farther away from forgiving Owens for the way he tore apart a potential dynasty.  Now T.O. is in Cincy and looks to have developed a solid rapport with Carson Palmer and gives the Bengals a viable second option in their passing game.

Be sure that T.O. and Ochocinco will give viewers plenty of reasons to tune in this weekend against the Eagles, and only a handful will actually involve catching passes.  And if you don’t get enough of the duo in Philadelphia, you could always click over to VH1.