NFC East stock up, down: Giants get young at critical position

Christopher Rodriguez Jr., Washington Commanders running back: While fantasy managers spent the summer deciding whether to draft running back Brian Robinson or his teammate, Antonio Gibson, Washington’s sixth-round draft pick quietly averaged seven yards per carry in preseason games.

Rodriguez rushed for a team-high 39 yards on five carries in his first preseason game against the Browns and averaged 7.4 yards per carry against the Bengals in the team’s preseason finale.

The former Kentucky Wildcat should help a Commanders team that had the NFL’s 12th-worst rushing numbers last season.

Stock down

Lines of communication for Dallas Cowboys: If nothing else, Jerry Jones knows how to keep a secret. The owner’s lips were apparently sealed before trading a fourth-round pick for 49ers’ quarterback Trey Lance.

"No, we, we didn't tell anybody until we did it, period," Jones said prior to the team’s final preseason game, against the Raiders. "There was nobody that knew [about] it. "We told Mike [McCarthy] after we had done it, but my point is we just wanted to get it done."

Keeping your starting quarterback and head coach in the dark before trading for another quarterback isn’t smart, but it’s exactly the kind of shoot-from-the-hip move that Jones is known for. If starting QB Dak Prescott stays healthy, the Lance trade will be a non-story, but the way it was handled speaks volumes about the team’s championship drought.

Philadelphia’s punt game: With the regular season less than a week away, the Eagles still don’t have a punter. Last year’s punter, Arryn Siposs, was released and is on the practice squad. Philadelphia hoped Kansas State’s Ty Zentner would win the job, but he didn't have a good camp either.

Last year’s leading punt returner, WR Britain Covey, is also on the practice squad, leaving injured receivers Quez Watkins and Olamide Zaccheaus as the team’s only options for returns. Special teams haven’t been a priority for Philadelphia in recent years, but this is odd for a team with championship aspirations.

Curtis Hodges, Washington Commanders tight end: Washington would love to get more from last year’s undrafted free agent. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Hodges has a physical advantage over almost any defender, but he did almost nothing in preseason games (two catches for seven yards).

Meanwhile, third-string tight end Cole Turner had 10 catches for 75 yards. If not for starting tight end Logan Thomas’ dicey injury history, Hodges probably would not make the team.