OAKLAND, Calif.

If anyone really looks forward to exhibition football games, this is the week to pay attention. One good place to start is in Oakland.

Not because Aaron Rodgers will see plenty of action for Green Bay; he won’t, might not play at all. And the Raiders’ best player, Khalil Mack, still is holding out. Such is the approach for players and coaches in the preseason.

But Rodgers gets to hang out — if not warm up with — an old friend and his former favorite target.

The departure of receiver Jordy Nelson has left Rodgers in need of a new partner to take part in one of his pregame routines. In the end zone before a game, there would be Rodgers and Nelson playing catch and spinning footballs on their fingertips. That won’t happen tonight now that Nelson is a Raider, though they remain good friends.

On the other side, Raiders coach Jon Gruden calls his running backs the strength of his team even if the top guys haven’t gotten to show much in the preseason. Marshawn Lynch had a 60-yard TD run called back by penalty on his only touch, and No. 2 back Doug Martin has one carry for 3 yards.

Giants/Jets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — As the Jets try to determine if first-rounder Sam Darnold is already their top quarterback, he might get to throw to two veterans for the first time. Wide receivers Quincy Enunwa (thumb) and Terrelle Pryor (ankle) could also see their first preseason action.

Darnold, who started last week at Washington, took the bulk of snaps with the first-team offense during practice. He had a solid debut as the third-stringer in the preseason opener against Atlanta and was inconsistent against the Redskins. Bowles said he expects the starters to play a minimum of two quarters, so Darnold could be out there a while.

Meanwhile, Giants running back Saquon Barkley, taken one spot ahead of Darnold, returned to practice on a limited basis. It seems unlikely that Barkley (hamstring) will play against the Jets.

It also doesn’t appear star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will make his preseason debut, despite being a full participant in practice. Beckham hasn’t played since breaking his ankle last October, and he might not see the field until the regular season begins.

“We try to be smart with it,” coach Pat Shurmur said. “He’s gotten so much work behind the scenes, we’ll just have to see how it plays out.”

Cardinals

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — If his 15th NFL season is to be his last, don’t expect Larry Fitzgerald to tell anyone.

Not until long after the season is over.

It’s pretty much the same thing Fitzgerald has said each of the past few years when questions are raised about the inevitable end to one of the greatest careers of any wide receiver in NFL history.

Make no mistake about it. Fitzgerald knows all about where he stands statistically on the NFL career lists. The numbers do mean a lot to him. But he spends very little time talking about them. Maybe there will come a time, perhaps at that Hall of Fame induction ceremony. But for now, Fitzgerald is insisting he’s just one guy on a team.