4 Players to Watch in Jets-Eagles Preseason Week 1 Game: All Eyes on Jets' Zach Wilson

The Philadelphia Eagles host the New York Jets in Week 1 of the preseason, and there are plenty of storylines from each team to keep tabs on Friday.

Here are four players to watch with something to prove leading into the regular season.

4 Players to Watch in Jets-Eagles Preseason Game

Zach Wilson, QB, New York Jets

Expected to start and play a few series, all eyes will be on Wilson on Friday, as the second-year quarterback has followed up a disappointing rookie season with a ho-hum training camp.

The Jets used first- and second-round selections in the 2022 NFL Draft on wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall, respectively, to improve the weapons available for Wilson. So, now the pressure is on him to prove he can run the offense and move the chains.

Accuracy and protecting the football were notable shortcomings in 2021, so anything short of a clean start Friday would be a discouraging start to the preseason for Wilson and the Jets.

Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Currently nursing a hip injury, Gainwell might not suit up Friday. However, if he does, it’ll be telling how much the second-year rusher plays. 

Philadelphia is expected to run their starters out for a few series, and if Gainwell is active and only sees the field with the first-team offense, it would suggest he’s headed toward a prominent role in the offense.

It’s already been reported that he’s been receiving a lot of high-leverage looks during training camp, so even if fellow running back Miles Sanders is to be the Week 1 starter, Gainwell still projects to be an important piece of the puzzle for Philadelphia. 

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Michael Carter, RB, New York Jets

As noted, the Jets utilized a second-round pick on running back Breece Hall in the 2022 NFL Draft. They selected Carter in the fourth round of last year’s draft, and he had a respectable rookie season with 639 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per tote, four touchdowns and 36 receptions for 325 yards across 14 games.

It’s expected Hall will command a significant share of the workload out of the backfield for New York, so how Carter fares this preseason will likely contribute directly to just how much playing time he’ll have to start the season.

Jalen Reagor, WR, Philadelphia Eagles 

A prized prospect coming out of the 2020 NFL Draft, Raegor has failed considerably to live up to the hype of being the 21st overall selection through his first two seasons in the league. In fact, he’s hardly a lock to break training camp on the Philadelphia roster.

However, reports from camp are positive, and there’s a reason he was targeted by the Eagles. As a result, it’ll be surprising if the organization doesn’t give Reagor another shot, and a strong preseason could even position him as the No. 3 wide receiver on the depth chart entering Week 1.

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