When the Jacksonville Jaguars used the fourth pick in the 2017 NFL Draft on running back Leonard Fournette, it launched a summer of speculation about how the team would balance its backfield with the LSU star joining former 1,000-yard rusher Chris Ivory and ex-Alabama standout T.J. Yeldon.

Running back Corey Grant? Probably stay on the team as the kickoff returner.

Not so fast, Grant seemed to say in the Jaguars' preseason opener. Or maybe so fast, as in what Grant was against the New England Patriots.

Grant ran for 120 yards on eight carries - picking up 79 yards on one touchdown sprint - in Jacksonville's 31-24 victory over New England on Thursday night.

A former Opelika and Auburn standout, Grant had the highest rushing total in the NFL in the first full week of the preseason schedule. Next on the list was Raheem Mostert of the San Francisco 49ers, who had 31 fewer yards with seven more carries.

Grant was among 33 former Auburn players who got on the field during the first week of the NFL's preseason schedule.

The former Auburn players who started in Week 1 of the preseason included inside linebacker Karlos Dansby (Woodlawn) of the Arizona Cardinals, nose tackle Pat Sims of the Cincinnati Bengals, right offensive tackle Shon Coleman of the Cleveland Browns, left offensive tackle Greg Robinson of the Detroit Lions and right outside linebacker Dee Ford (St. Clair County) of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Other former Auburn players seeing action in the first week of preseason games included Cardinals linebacker Josh Bynes, Atlanta Falcons long snapper Josh Harris, Carolina Panthers running back Cameron Artis-Payne, Bengals outside linebacker Carl Lawson, Browns wide receiver Ricardo Louis and place-kicker Cody Parkey, Green Bay Packers offensive tackle Robert Leff (Fairhope) and safety Jermaine Whitehead, Houston Texans fullback Jay Prosch (UMS-Wright) and guard Chad Slade (Moody), Chiefs wide receiver Tony Stevens and defensive tackle Maurice Swain, Los Angeles Rams defensive back Blake Countess, guard Alex Kozan and linebacker Cassanova McKinzy (Woodlawn); Miami Dolphins offensive tackle Avery Young, Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Trovon Reed, Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones and safety Brandon King (Thompson), New Orleans Saints safety Robenson Therezie, New York Jets outside linebacker Corey Lemonier, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Gabe Wright, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Neiko Thorpe, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Peyton Barber and defensive tackle DaVonte Lambert, Tennessee Titans linebacker Daren Bates and defensive end Angelo Blackson and Washington Redskins cornerback Joshua Holsey.

Signed by the Cardinals on Aug. 5, Bynes led Arizona with seven tackles in its 20-10 victory over the Oakland Raiders one week later. Bynes shared a sack, broke up a pass and forced a fumble.

Artis-Payne had six carries for 22 yards in Carolina's 27-17 victory over the Texans on Wednesday.

Louis caught a 10-yard pass in Cleveland's 20-14 victory over the Saints on Thursday.

Signed on Monday, Swain played on Friday in Kansas City's 27-17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers and contributed three tackles.

Wright had a sack for an 11-yard loss in Philadelphia's 24-9 loss to the Packers on Thursday.

Barber ran for 21 yards on eight carries in Tampa Bay's 23-12 loss to the Bengals on Friday.

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Cardinals cornerback Rudy Ford (New Hope), Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah, Packers defensive tackle Montravius Adams, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Quan Bray, Saints defensive tackle Devaroe Lawrence and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Sammie Coates (Leroy) did not play in the preseason's first week.