The Detroit Lions open the preseason on the road tonight in Cincinnati.

It's an opportunity for general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell to get their first look at some of their young players and depth pieces on a bigger stage under the bright lights. After 11 practices against each other to begin training camp, the Lions look forward to lining up and hitting someone else for a change.

"As a coach, man, you want to see some of these guys," Campbell said. "You've been coaching them on technique, fundamentals. How do they handle competition? How do they compete, do they use what they've been taught?

"You want to see the development, you're excited for some of these young guys. And then some of these rookies, young players, to have a chance to see where they've grown. Do they take what you're teaching them to the field? And then some of these veteran guys that are playing for a spot, to watch them go out and compete."

Here are five things to look out for in the preseason opener:

1. ROOKIE DEBUTS

Campbell said Tuesday he plans on playing first-round pick Blake Miller, who has played most of the first-team reps at right tackle to begin camp. The No. 17 overall pick has had some ups and downs, but that's the life of a rookie in their first training camp, especially when matching up against All-Pro edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson.

"It's a dream come true just to be able play in an NFL game period," Miller said this week. "That game experience is invaluable. Just continue to hone my craft and get better at things. Become more situationally aware and situationally smart and ultimately lead to me being the best player I can be."

We likely won't see second-round pick Derrick Moore (groin) or fourth-round pick Jimmy Rolder (hamstring) as they continue rehabbing injuries, but cornerback Keith Abney II (fifth-round), defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard (sixth) and defensive lineman Tyre West (seventh) will make their NFL debuts.

"He's pretty smart, he's pretty headsy for a rookie," Campbell said of Abney's play so far in camp. "Nickel position's not the easiest, and that's where he's gotten a majority of his reps is in there. And what you like is he'll do exactly what you tell him to do. He's another one. Be excited to see how he plays."

Undrafted rookie quarterback Luke Altmyer will get the start with Jared Goff and most of the other starters not expected to play tonight. It's a great opportunity for Altmyer to show coaches he's very much in the backup quarterback competition with newly signed veteran Josh Dobbs, who is also expected to get some reps tonight.

2. DREW PETZING'S OFFENSE

Teams are pretty basic in the preseason with their schemes, but there are still core concepts and fundamentals that show through.

It will be new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing's first opportunity to call plays in a game setting for the Lions. Petzing spent the last three years as the offensive coordinator calling plays in Arizona, so this isn't his first rodeo, but what will this version of his offense in Detroit look like?

Campbell talked this week about the preseason being important for him and Petzing to get on the same page.

"It's more about (him) and I," Campbell said. "So he learns my communication with him, what I'm looking for, this is what I mean when I say this. I think more of those things. And then I get a feel of him a little bit.

"Now, he won't have all his guys in there, but you can kind of get a feel of where he's at and the way he thinks to in-game flow. I think it's more of that than anything, us just kind of getting familiar with one another in a game setting."

3. WR COMPETITION

Campbell said this is the best wide receiver room from top to bottom he's had since coming to Detroit in 2021. That's pretty high praise.

It's unlikely we'll see Amon-Ra St. Brown or Jameson Williams tonight. We'll see about second-year wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa and veteran Greg Dortch, but players like Cedrick Wilson Jr. Tom Kennedy, Dominic Lovett, Malik Cunningham and others are all vying for potential roster spots and roles. Who can find a way to stand out?

Pay close attention to special teams with this group - not just the return game but the coverage units and gunners as well. There are roles to be earned on special teams and that might be the best way for some of these receivers to ultimately win roster spots.

4. PRACTICE TO PRESEASON

There have been several young players who have been consistent playmakers throughout the start of training camp, like cornerback Nick Whiteside, edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein, linebacker Erick Hunter and running back Jacob Saylors to name a few. These are players looking to earn roster spots on this team who are off to good starts in practice.

Can they take their good starts to training camp practice and translate them to the field on gameday when the lights are bright and the pressure is on?

"I'm grateful for the coaches first of all to put me in that position to be successful," Hassanein said recently of his change from rush end to the big end. "I feel like it worked out big time for me because it's all I did (in college) at Boise State. I was really successful at Boise.

"I feel like I'm the guy (who) can play dirty, can talk smack and it fits my position better. It fits my style of play a little better, taking hard (double teams) and I can do the dirty work. I just never stop."

5. BENGALS STARTERS

Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor confirmed this week quarterback Joe Burrow will play tonight along with several other Bengals starters

"For our fans to come out there, they're gonna see (Burrow) and Ja'Marr (Chase) and Tee (Higgins)," Taylor told Cleveland.com. "They're gonna see Dexter (Lawrence)."

That gives Detroit's reserves an even better chance to make an impression on Campbell and Holmes if they can make plays and play well against the best Cincinnati has to offer.

"I think (Taylor)'s going to play those guys a couple of drives, their starters. So, it'll be great look for our guys," Campbell said. "How do they compete, do they use what they've been taught? Just you want to see the development, you're excited for some of these young guys."