This Friday night in Cincinnati, OH, the Minnesota Vikings will step on the field in Paul Brown Stadium for their first preseason game of 2016 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Minnesota should become very familiar with this year’s Bengals squad before Friday’s contest as they will be participating in a joint practice both today and tomorrow at Cincinnati’s practice facility. These two practices should be able to help the Vikings coaching staff further evaluate who they see fit for this team when it comes time for the regular season.

The starters for both teams will not likely see a ton of time on the field this Friday, so more focus will given to each team’s backups. There are a few of Minnesota’s players in particular on offense that the team’s coaches should keep a close eye on during Friday’s game.

Laquon Treadwell, WR

The Vikings first round pick in 2016 is out to prove to the rest of the league why he should have been the first wide receiver drafted this year. He is also competing for a starting spot on Minnesota’s opening day roster.

Fellow Vikings wide receiver Charles Johnson has been impressive during the team’s training camp practices this summer and was named as one of the two starters at receiver on the team’s first preseason depth chart. Depending on how well Treadwell performs this preseason, Minnesota might not have any other choice other than to name their first-round pick a starter for the regular season.

T.J. Clemmings, OT

A starter during his rookie season in 2015, Clemmings will likely begin the season as the Vikings backup for left tackle Matt Kalil. He and new Minnesota offensive lineman Andre Smith began camp in competition for the team’s starting right tackle spot, but Smith quickly won that role.

If Kalil ends up missing any time due to injury this season, the Vikings will have to call upon Clemmings to fill in. Minnesota is hoping to not have to do that, but a strong preseason from Clemmings could make the coaching staff breathe a little easier heading into the regular season opener.

Shaun Hill/Joel Stave, QBs

The narratives coming out of Vikings training camp this summer have been mostly positive. But, then there has been the whole backup quarterback situation.

Poor performances by Hill and Stave this summer have had some questioning whether Minnesota should go searching for a different player to backup Teddy Bridgwater. Stave is fighting for a spot on the team’s roster this preseason, while Hill will likely end up as the team’s backup quarterback when the season begins.

Minnesota’s year could go straight into the dumpster if Bridgewater gets hurt and the team has to rely on Hill to lead them for more than a game or two.

Moritz Böhringer, WR

If an NFL fan is unaware of who Mortiz Böhringer is, than he or she has likely living under a rock. The amount of media coverage Böhringer has been given this offseason is a little mind boggling given the lack of professional football experience the young German receiver actually has.

The preseason could be the only time Vikings fans will get to see him in their uniform as it is more than possible that he could be cut before the start of the regular season. Yes, it would be a really cool story if Böhringer could make Minnesota’s opening day roster.

But no one should be holding their breath.

Jerick McKinnon, RB

Known as ‘Jet’, McKinnon will be looking to blast off in Minnesota’s offense this season. The preseason could give the Vikings coaching staff an opportunity to experiment with different plays and packages for their third-year running back.

Related Vikings RB Jerick McKinnon added 11 pounds this summer for bigger role in 2016

With Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson getting older, now is the time for McKinnon to break out of his shell and become a vital part of the Vikings offense.

David Morgan, TE

For the second straight year, the Vikings used a selection on a tight end during the NFL Draft. This year, Minnesota picked tight end David Morgan out of the University of Texas at San Antonio.

With Vikings tight end Rhett Ellison battling back from an injury that ended his season early a year ago, Minnesota drafted Morgan as insurance. But the Vikings rookie tight end could end up taking Ellison’s spot on the team after 2016 if he lives up to expectations.