NFL Preseason Picks Today: 5 Matchups to Watch Friday, August 28, 2026

Washington and Baltimore enter Friday after a scheduled joint practice in Owings Mills on Wednesday. That matters because both staffs can accomplish substantial first-team evaluation work in a controlled environment before the preseason game ever begins.

The final game then becomes a different type of evaluation. Established starters may have little left to prove, while players competing for backup roles and roster spots can receive extended work.

For bettors, the biggest mistake would be assuming the regular-season versions of Washington and Baltimore are the teams that will determine Friday's result. Quarterback distribution and second-half depth deserve considerably more attention.

Atlanta gives bettors one of Friday's most useful pieces of advance information: the Falcons have stated that their starters are expected to play in the preseason finale.

The quarterback situation deserves even more attention because Michael Penix Jr. has been medically cleared for full-team work and returned to those reps this week. Atlanta has also been splitting first-team work between Penix and Tua Tagovailoa during the ramp-up.

Miami enters after a 26-3 preseason loss to the Giants. That score alone should not determine the handicap, but Miami's offensive depth and final quarterback plan become important when facing an Atlanta team that intends to use starters.

The Giants enter the finale after an impressive 26-3 preseason victory over Miami. Jameis Winston contributed a rushing touchdown in that win, and New York now moves into the final stage of its roster evaluation.

The Jets are also coming off a strong result, shutting out Pittsburgh 17-0. Geno Smith produced a sharp preseason debut, and the Jets' starting defense played into the second quarter.

Those results make this matchup tempting to evaluate through recent scoreboards. That would be a mistake. The important Friday question is whether either club still wants meaningful work from its primary units or whether the game shifts quickly toward roster-battle personnel.

Arizona and Green Bay have a scheduled joint practice at the Packers' facility on Wednesday before meeting Friday at Lambeau Field. That practice is one of the most important context clues in the matchup.

Green Bay specifically built the August 26 joint practice into the final week of training camp, followed by its only home preseason game two days later. With final roster reduction coming shortly afterward, the coaching staff has multiple ways to evaluate players without relying entirely on Friday night.

The same applies to Arizona. Bettors should distinguish competitive practice repetitions involving top personnel from the game snaps likely to be allocated to players still fighting for jobs.

Cincinnati enters the nationally televised finale with a 2-0 preseason record after beating Detroit 16-14 and Chicago 27-9. Philadelphia enters at 0-2.

The records are less important than the quarterback information behind them. Against Chicago, Josh Johnson started for Cincinnati and played the first half, completing 15 of 23 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Sean Clifford handled the second half and threw for 126 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

That gives Cincinnati useful backup-quarterback evidence entering Friday. The next question is whether Zac Taylor uses the finale similarly or changes the workload as roster decisions approach.