The NFL season might still seem like it's a ways away, but in just two months, Week 1 kicks off with the Super Bowl LX rematch on Wednesday night. That Patriots-Seahawks showdown, the first of four prime-time tilts on the week, also features one of the most anticipated player debuts of the season: star wideout A.J. Brown's first game with New England.
But Brown's Pats premiere isn't the only debut worth watching. As we wind up for the arrival of the 2026 season, I've curated a collection of the most intriguing debuts in all 16 season openers. From highly drafted rookies to highly paid free agents and beyond, these are players everyone should be tuning in to watch come Week 1.
You can conveniently assess all available viewing options for these games here. And you can watch all four prime-time bouts -- including the 49ers-Rams contest in Melbourne, Australia -- on mobile devices with an NFL+ subscription. Check out all the benefits of NFL+ -- including live out-of-market preseason games next month -- before the season arrives!
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 9
- WHERE: Lumen Field (Seattle)
- WHEN: 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC
In arguably the most anticipated matchup of Week 1, we get one of the most anticipated player debuts of the entire slate. After months of questions and consternation, Brown was finally traded from the Eagles to the Patriots, theoretically landing Drake Maye a true WR1 and adding juice to the passing attack that New England frankly didn't have in Super Bowl LX. Will he be enough to tip the scales for the Pats? We'll find out right at the start of the 2026 season in this title game rematch.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 10
- WHERE: Melbourne Cricket Ground (Melbourne, Australia)
- WHEN: 8:35 p.m. ET | Netflix
It's almost like the schedule-makers foresaw the two league-shaking trades that would occur on June 1. Garrett's first game with the Rams takes place on Thursday at the 100,000-seat Melbourne Cricket Ground. Having just broken the single-season record for sacks, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year joins a defense that also improved on the back end -- adding Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson -- balancing out perhaps the best on-paper roster in the league. We'll see whether Garrett is rushing Brock Purdy alongside Aaron Donald, but either way, this will be the first look at one of the league's best players now on one of its best teams.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 13
- WHERE: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.)
- WHEN: 1 p.m. ET | FOX
I highlighted the need for the Panthers to improve their pass rush all the way back in February, and they checked that box right at the start of free agency. By Next Gen Stats' count, Phillips racked up a healthy total of 63 pressures in 2025, including 21 quick pressures (within 2.5 seconds). The former Dolphins and Eagles edge rusher was Gregg Rosenthal's No. 2 overall free agent and could have a significant impact on the entire Carolina defense, boosting Derrick Brown, Nic Scourton and the rest of the unit. Phillips' first challenge: causing trouble for Madden NFL 27 cover athlete Caleb Williams.
The A.J. Brown and Myles Garrett trades have overshadowed what was perhaps the biggest move of April leading into the draft: The Bengals sending the 10th overall pick to the Giants in exchange for a three-time Pro Bowler at defensive tackle. Cincinnati's defense has been in dire straits over the past few years, but Lawrence was the pièce de résistance in a series of additions geared towards turning the ship around. We'll get our first look at this heavily reworked unit against Baker Mayfield and the Bucs, and the results could set expectations for the entire Cincy season in 2026.
The Saints could have gone in a number of directions at No. 8 overall in the draft. Ultimately, they chose to pair Tyson with Chris Olave, strongly supporting second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. It was a high-risk, high-reward investment, as the Arizona State product is arguably the most talented receiver in the class but arrives in New Orleans with a concerning injury history. If he comes blazing out the gates in Week 1, it could do quite a bit to validate the Saints' gamble and portend a breakout season for Kellen Moore's offense in the Bayou.
The Bills have not had a 1,000-yard receiver in the two seasons since Stefon Diggs departed. Moore has hit that mark four times in his career. So, Buffalo traded a second-round pick to Chicago to give Josh Allen a No. 1 wideout and -- hopefully -- the final piece to the ever-elusive Super Bowl puzzle. Allen, Moore and Co. will have a tough first assignment -- going against the Texans' lockdown defense -- but passing that test would be an auspicious sign in the Bills' eternal quest for a Lombardi Trophy.
After agreeing to trade for Maxx Crosby and then shockingly backing out in March, Baltimore pivoted to another decorated pass rusher. Unlike Crosby, Hendrickson is in his 30s and coming off core muscle surgery, but he did log at least 13.5 sacks in four of the five seasons prior to his injury-abbreviated 2025 and finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2024. He'll be a key cog in a new defense under new HC Jesse Minter and DC Anthony Weaver, and we'll get a first look at both in Indy on the season's first Sunday.
- WHERE: Everbank Stadium (Jacksonville, Fla.)
- WHEN: 1 p.m. ET | CBS
Cleveland has plenty of contenders for this column after an active offseason, but I'm honing in on its first draft pick. The Browns clearly need to solve their quarterback conundrum, but the best first step might be better protecting the one(s) they have. It'll be intriguing to see where Fano ends up playing, given the "five-position versatility" Daniel Jeremiah tagged him with in April, but he's been taking a lot of offseason reps at left tackle. Regardless of where he ultimately aligns, the goals will be the same: keep Deshaun Watson (or Shedeur Sanders) upright and pave a path in the run game. Facing a Jacksonville team that won 13 games last season, this will be a key first appearance for a core piece of Cleveland's future.
I'm cheating a little here by picking a player from both sides of the ball for Pittsburgh, but it feels relevant. The Steelers traded a pittance for Pittman but then signed him to a three-year, $59 million extension to play opposite DK Metcalf and give Aaron Rodgers an abundance of size on the outside. They also inked Dean for three years ($36.75 million) after a quietly excellent 2025 that helped make him Gregg Rosenthal's top free-agent cornerback. Neither is a household name, but both are solid contributors whose impact could become quickly evident against Atlanta.
With QB Fernando Mendoza essentially locked into the No. 1 spot, the 2026 NFL Draft started with the second overall pick. After months of speculation, the Jets decided to take Bailey over Arvell Reese (or anyone else). As the first of three first-round selections and a prospective franchise cornerstone for Gang Green, this edge rusher faces immense pressure to produce. In Week 1, he'll be hunting Cam Ward, who took a league-high 55 sacks in 2025. It's an excellent opportunity for Bailey to make a debut splash and bring a spark to New York.
The Cardinals sent shockwaves through the draft and the league when they snatched a running back at No. 3 overall. Now, with the draft investment and major question marks at quarterback, it figures that new HC Mike LaFleur and OC Nathaniel Hackett will heavily feature the rookie rusher this season. This Week 1 contest against the Chargers should reveal just how heavily. For context, the last running back drafted in the top three overall -- Saquon Barkley -- shouldered 20 touches for 128 yards and a touchdown in his rookie debut.
The Dolphins pounced on Willis in free agency and released Tua Tagovailoa, taking on a record-setting $99.2 million in dead money with that latter move. It wasn't a one-year, rent-a-QB, prove-it deal for Willis -- he signed a three-year, $67.5 million contract. There's a chance he'll be dueling with No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza, whose debut will be equally anticipated, but Willis arguably has more to play for in Week 1 (and Year 1). He and De'Von Achane will be asked to carry the Miami offense amid an aggressive rebuild, and this will be our first look at Willis as a season-opening starter.
Disclaimer: We don't actually know that this will be Murray's Minnesota debut, as he still has to beat out J.J. McCarthy for the job in an ongoing QB competition. But the former first overall pick appears to have the inside track, with experience and a Pro Bowl résumé that McCarthy does not have. A revitalized Murray, with the input of head coach Kevin O'Connell and the talents of Justin Jefferson, could be one of the more exciting storylines of the season. He and the Vikings will start with a crucial divisional showdown against the Packers.
- WHERE: Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia)
- WHEN: 4:25 p.m. ET | FOX
We started this article with former Eagles wideout A.J. Brown ... and the last game of the Sunday-afternoon window features his successor in Philly. Howie Roseman and Co. spiked the hype when they jumped the Steelers to draft Lemon 20th overall (with Brown still on the team at that point). After the trade of AJB to New England, the stage is set for this USC product to take a top spot alongside DeVonta Smith in Sean Mannion's new offense. Fair or not, the bar for Lemon's impact will be somewhere near Brown's best seasons in Philadelphia -- and the rookie could be primed for an exciting start against the Washington secondary.
- WHERE: MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)
- WHEN: 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC
The Cowboys made a concerted effort to improve their defense, and the crown jewel of their offseason haul was this versatile defensive back out of Ohio State. Downs was Daniel Jeremiah's No. 8 overall prospect and the Cowboys' pick at No. 11 overall. He'll be an immediate starter with high expectations right off the bat in Week 1, when the 'Boys have a key divisional matchup with the up-and-coming Giants. Downs will be charged with keeping Jaxson Dart and the rest of New York's refreshed offense from gashing Dallas' defense like they did in both 2025 meetings, scoring a combined 71 points.
MONDAY, SEPT. 14
- WHERE: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Mo.)
- WHEN: 8:15 p.m. ET | ABC, ESPN
A month after winning Super Bowl MVP for the Seahawks, Walker signed a three-year, $43 million contract with the Chiefs. Kansas City hasn't had a 1,000-yard rusher since Kareem Hunt's rookie season in 2017, so this was a bold move that comes with high expectations. And with Patrick Mahomes rehabbing his knee injury up to (and possibly through) Week 1, Walker will be asked to shoulder an extra helping of offensive responsibility to start the year. Walker's Chiefs debut comes in the comfy confines of Arrowhead Stadium, but he'll be facing a division rival with a staunch defense. The RB's performance will have big implications for Kansas City's prospective bounce-back campaign.
