The NFL has released its preseason schedule, which is primarily interesting for season ticket holders, since they pay as much for those games as regular-season ones. But it's also a boon to those of us looking to schedule fantasy drafts.
Now that we can see the dates when each team plays its third preseason game -- the only one where the starters figure to play into the third quarter for most teams -- we can plan fantasy drafts accordingly. Anything after August 25th ensures each team will have played at least three games, and few if any starters will be on the field for the fourth.
Calling preseason games "interesting" is using the term loosely, but there are some games in that third week featuring some strong matchups. The Seahawks travel to Green Bay in a game that features two of the NFC's Super Bowl favorites. The Texans host the Saints in a game that could have plenty of offense; it did when they met in the regular season a couple of years ago. The 49ers host the Vikings and the Lions welcome the Patriots, a pair of games that could showcase (or expose) NFC North offenses, as well as another pair of Super Bowl favorites.
All of this of course is just whetting our appetites for the regular-season schedule, whose release is still a couple of weeks away, but it's better than nothing.
--Andy Richardson