The NFL preseason is entering its final week. Kicking the final week of preseason games off for us on Thursday night will be the Atlanta Falcons hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers at 7:30 p.m. ET and the Indianapolis Colts traveling east to take on the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles at 8:00 p.m. ET.

This week's preseason games will be the last chance we have to check out teams before the official kickoff of the NFL season on Thursday, September 7th. Teams are still finalizing their Week 1 plans and final roster decisions, meaning these games could play a critical role in determining the shape of the 2023 season. They could hold valuable insights for the upcoming fantasy football season, so keep reading to learn about four things to watch in Thursday's preseason games.

Steelers vs. Falcons Preseason Week 3 Betting Odds

• Spread: Steelers - 4.5 (-110)
• Total: 38.5
• Moneyline:
  • Steelers: -200
  • Falcons: +170

Steelers vs. Falcons Preseason Week 3 Analysis

Can the Steelers' Starters Keep up Their Hot Streak?

The Steelers' starting offense has been on point in the preseason so far and seem to be primed for a breakout in the upcoming regular season. Their starting skill position unit has put up touchdowns in short order in each of the first two preseason games of the year and are expected to suit up for the final tilt of the preseason.

Pittsburgh's offense sputtered during the 2022 campaign, but their struggles may have just stemmed from the key skill position players' relative youth; apart from Diontae Johnson, most of their starters had one year or less of actual NFL experience. Starting quarterback Kenny Pickett did seem to come into his own once he had a handful of starts under his belt at the tail end of the season, and his growth appears to be carrying over into the 2023 preseason.

So far during the preseason, Pickett has completed 9 of his 11 attempts for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns. It's a small sample against dubious competition, but we do love to see his growth manifest at this early stage of his second NFL season. FanDuel Sportsbook's season-long NFL prop betting odds market has him at +310 odds to eclipse 4,000 passing yards during the upcoming season, which ranks 20th among listed quarterbacks. Those odds trail New England Patriots game manager Mac Jones' +280 odds as of this writing, meaning Pickett's potential breakout could still be flying under the radar.

Can We Please See More Bijan Robinson?

Last Friday we finally got to see the eighth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft in action, and boy did we like what we saw. Bijan Robinson stood out from the moment he touched the ball, nearly taking his first carry for 20 yards.

Robinson finished his first preseason game with a 5.0 yards per carry average and flashed his chops in the receiving game as well before the Falcons pulled him from the game, but we'd love to see just a little more of the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner against the Steelers this week. As it turns out, even Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin wants to face Robinson this week in hopes of priming his unit's rushing defense for their upcoming Week 1 tilt against the San Francisco 49ers.

The Falcons have yet to officially announce their plans for Thursday's game, but head coach Arthur Smith has mentioned his desire to get his starters more experience before the beginning of the regular season. That means that Austin, as well as fantasy managers hoping to draft Robinson, could get another look at star running back before Week 1 of the NFL season.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Philadelphia Eagles Preseason Week 3 Betting Odds

• Spread: Colts -4.5 (-110)
• Total: 38.5
• Moneyline:
  • Colts: -200
  • Eagles: +170

Indianapolis Colts vs. Philadelphia Eagles Preseason Week 3 Game Analysis

Will Anthony Richardson Play Against the Eagles?

The Colts spent a good chunk of the offseason expressing an interest in getting new starting quarterback Anthony Richardson reps in his rookie season. He played a fair amount in their first preseason contest but then was surprisingly kept out of the Colts' preseason Week 2 game against the Chicago Bears. The Colts' decision not to get Richardson more reps -- against a weak defense, no less -- was a curious one to say the least.

Questions about that decision aside, the team now appears to be trending towards starting Richardson in their upcoming game against the Eagles on Thursday. He'll have a much tougher go of things against Philadelphia's fearsome defense, whose second unit D-line has been terrorizing opposing offensive lines this preseason. It will be a fascinating challenge for Richardson to overcome -- and one viewers won't want to miss.

For all the talk of Richardson's lack of experience, he demonstrated a veteran's prowess at avoiding sacks during his season as the Florida Gators' starting quarterback last year. His 9.2% pressure-to-sack rate, which measures how often a quarterback allowed a defense to convert a pressure into a sack, tied for the 11th-best mark in all of college football last year and bested the rates of fellow first-round picks Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. Limiting negative plays is a vital component of successful quarterback play, and Richardson's skill at avoiding sacks could quickly translate into success on the NFL stage.

How is the Eagles' Depth Chart Shaping Up?

The Eagles have yet to field their starters in the preseason. At this point, it's unclear if we'll see anything from players like Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith, but there are still plenty of reasons to tune into the Eagles' final preseason game on Thursday night. While the team's top passing game options are locked in place for the upcoming campaign, there are still some positions on their roster without a settled depth chart -- like at running back.

Kenneth Gainwell got the starter treatment in the Eagles' first preseason game, but he did suit up against the Browns last week. He played early and didn't play much in that second preseason game, so he still seems to have a secure role in place for the regular season. In Week 2 it was D'Andre Swift who got the starter treatment. Rashaad Penny has been seeing steady action in the preseason so far, for it seems like the team could be testing their potential lead back to see if he can stay healthy for a full regular season.

Behind those three, both of Trey Sermon and Kennedy Brooks have looked solid in their early preseason action. The Eagles could keep a fourth running back on their final 53-man roster considering the injuries both Swift and Penny have dealt with over their careers. Both Sermon and Brooks have the size and track record of collegiate production to indicate they could grow into goal-line backs if needed for the Eagles, making them names to be aware of in deeper fantasy football leagues this season.

The Eagles should be one of the top offenses in the NFL again this season behind their top-notch offensive line, and fantasy managers will want their lead backs -- whoever they are -- on their rosters during the year.

While you wait for Week 1's daily fantasy football slates to lock, you can get in on some best-ball fantasy football drafts on FanDuel. Just draft your team and watch the points pile up throughout the season.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.