Cam Ward And 2 Other Fantasy Football Losers From Week 1 Of NFL Preseason

These three fantasy football stars faced their share of struggles during the opening week of NFL preseason action.

August 13, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The NFL season has finally arrived, with the first week of preseason action coming to a close. Fantasy football players are playing close attention to preseason action, with some young stars offering glimpses of regular season upside. 

Some players under this category, such as Ja’Kobi Lane and De’Zhaun Stribling, showed out in their respective debuts. Others with similar spotlights struggled to meet elevated expectations in the opening week of preseason action. Despite lowly performances, though, these rising stars could present plenty of fantasy football value down the stretch of the season. 

Let’s look at three of preseason’s biggest losers following the first week’s slate: 

Omar Cooper Jr., New York Jets - WR

Aug 14, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (83) gains yards after catch during the first half against Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Many expected Omar Cooper Jr. to step in as a plug-and-play option at slot for the New York Jets, after the club traded back into the first round to land the Indiana product. That hasn’t been the case in New York’s offense during the offseason, as Cooper currently finds himself in a position battle at WR3 with former UDFC Isaiah Williams. Cooper posted a modest two catches over three targets in his preseason debut, but considering his spot on the depth chart, we’re slotting the No. 30 overall pick into the first spot on our preseason losers list. 

Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans - QB

Aug 13, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) throws a pass during a game against the San Francisco 49ers in the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, Cam Ward closed his rookie season as one of the most improved quarterbacks in the NFL over the back half of the season. His string of performances greatly elevated expectations coming into year two, as the Tennessee Titans’ front office got to work to bolster the offense around Ward. In his preseason opener, Ward struggled in the largest sample size of any Titans signal-caller. He completed just five of his 12 pass attempts with a lowly 57 yards through the air. With each of his starting receiver trio suiting up - Carnell Tate, Calvin Ridley and Wan’Dale Robinson - fantasy managers were hoping for a stronger performance from Ward. 

Cam Ward vs 49ers

5-12
57 Pass Yards
56.6 Pass Rating
27.2 passer grade*

*36th out of 36 QBs this preseason pic.twitter.com/is8XqEPFVJ

— PFF (@PFF) August 14, 2026

Isaac TeSlaa, Detroit Lions - WR

Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac Teslaa (18) practices during training camp at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Monday, August 10, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Like Cooper, Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa is looking to cement his case as the offense’s WR3 with a strong preseason showing. TeSlaa broke out as one of the NFL’s top red-zone threats in 2025 as a rookie, hauling in touchdown catches in six of his 16 receptions. Entering the 2026 campaign, the former third-round pick is working to expand his role, but struggled mightily in the opening week of preseason. TeSlaa failed to haul in a catch over three targets, eyeing a bounce-back performance against the Washington Commanders on Saturday. With another lowly performance, TeSlaa could find himself competing with veterans like Greg Dortch and Cedrick Wilson Jr. for WR3 volume.