NFL preseason overreactions: CBS flags Shedeur Sanders as a Week 4 starter and points to Ravens defensive swagger

Three weeks into the 2026 NFL preseason, most of what fans see in August is designed to test roles, combinations, and depth. Yet the league’s exhibition window almost always creates two competing narratives: what actually happened on the field versus what fans decide it means. In a review of the preseason’s biggest “overreactions,” CBS Sports zeroed in on two themes that will keep drawing attention as the regular season approaches, including its expectation that Shedeur Sanders will be in the starting mix by Week 4 and its praise of the Ravens’ defensive identity.

CBS Sports’ framing is blunt: preseason games are a small sample, and coaches can rotate heavily because evaluation is the point. The article is also clear that there are “storylines still to come,” which matters because preseason quarterback battles and rookie debuts can look decisive long before a first meaningful regular-season snap. Even so, the same month that tests backup depth often accelerates the timeline for when an organization feels comfortable making a move.

On the quarterback front, CBS Sports highlighted Shedeur Sanders in a way that suggests confidence in his trajectory. The title of the story states an expectation that Sanders will start by Week 4, which, if it holds, would be a major shift in how quickly the team plans to lean into its offensive report-caller. The key practical takeaway for the season is not the exhibition performance itself, but the operational decision it implies: committing early to a starter changes how the offense is installed, how game-week practice is managed, and how quickly other skill players are asked to synchronize around a consistent cadence.

The Ravens’ defense is the other centerpiece CBS Sports points to, with the story title describing it as boasting the AFC’s best defense. While preseason statistics can be volatile and opponents play different personnel, the Ravens have a reputation for system stability and player development on that side of the ball. If the preseason looks like what the Ravens tend to deliver in January, then August is functioning as more than a dress rehearsal. It becomes a preview of how long opposing offenses might feel stuck in neutral.

Importantly, this kind of preseason evaluation comes with a caveat. Teams frequently prioritize different goals in exhibition games, including giving certain defenders limited snaps or using situational packages to see specific matchups rather than running a full weekly game plan. That means a defense can look “best” in a way that reflects preparation and execution, but it can also reflect what an opponent chose to show, not necessarily what a full-strength opponent would face in Week 10.

Still, the storyline’s significance is straightforward: the team that can control the line of scrimmage and force late-game decisions gains margin in close contests, and margin is what tends to separate playoff teams from the rest over a full 17-game slate. CBS Sports’ decision to lead with the Ravens suggests the league will watch Baltimore not only for big-play flashes, but for whether its defensive approach translates as opponents grow more disciplined in September.

For fans, the “overreaction” angle is a reminder to separate expectation from proof. If Sanders is indeed a Week 4 starter, the preseason debate will likely shift quickly from who is taking reps to whether the offense can function on rhythm. If Baltimore’s defense truly looks like an AFC standard-bearer, the Ravens’ regular-season storyline becomes less about surprise and more about durability and consistency. Either way, the next real benchmark will arrive when preseason ends and game plans become stable enough to judge what is repeatable under pressure.