Washington Football Team: 3 players who earned Week 1 playing time in preseason opener

1. Jaret Patterson

Fans were excited to see Washington’s new-look offense take the field for the first time, and they were largely left disappointed as Ron Rivera’s side managed just 13 points. However, there were some surprise standout performers who did a lot to mask the stench of the end result.

That list includes Jaret Patterson, who received a ton of playing time and lead the Football Team in rushing and receiving on the night. The undrafted rookie’s numbers won’t jump off the screen, but the eye test was all it took to grasp that he could be an impact player in WFT’s offense.

For the game, Patterson rushed 10 times for 40 yards and hauled in four catches for 30 yards, which included an acrobatic catch that preceded Washington’s first touchdown. The 5-foot-8 running back’s quick feet were on full display and he was decisive between the tackles.

Keep in mind that most of Patterson’s production came before the Patriots subbed out most of their defensive starters, so it’s not like he was feasting against benchwarmers. His performance was so impressive, in fact, that Ron Rivera made sure to praise him in his postgame presser.

Patterson’s showing against the Patriots is just a reflection of what we’ve heard throughout training camp. If he keeps it up, Rivera and Co. will have no other choice but to give him a spot on the 53-man roster. He’s definitely somebody to watch as we inch closer to the regular season.