ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The starters might see a little bit more time Thursday night than they did in the opener, but for the most part, expect to see a bunch of Detroit Lions second-and-third teamers who are fighting for roster spots the majority of the game.

This doesn’t mean the last three quarters or so are not important. They are -- they absolutely are -- for those trying to confirm a first-game impression or trying to make a move up the depth chart before the third-game dress rehearsal in a week.

Here are five guys to pay attention to -- both in terms of snaps and where they land on special teams -- against Washington:

1.DT Jermelle Cudjo: He continues to make plays every day in practice -- he had an impressive tackle for loss that I failed to mention Tuesday -- and is trying to make it really difficult for the Lions to pass him by. Jim Caldwell appeared to like what he saw from Cudjo in the first game, and if he can pile practice performance on top of two good game efforts, that could go a long way to squeezing him onto a roster. The other thing to watch is if he does get any kick coverage work, especially with the early units.

2.RB Zach Zenner: He had a better opener than George Winn and has been splitting more and more reps with Winn during practice. If he receives any carries with the first unit, that could be a really good sign for him, but moreover watch to see if he’s doing any first-unit special teams work. That’s where Winn really started to pop up last season and Zenner could end up doing something similar. The first three running back spots are pretty locked in, so that fourth back has to be a special teams contributor.

3.LB Brandon Copeland: He received no defensive work in the opener, but was a presence on special teams, primarily in the second half against the Jets. I’d expect the Lions to give him a long look against Washington to see what he can do both from a defensive standpoint -- he’s done some pass rush work along with the linebacker duties -- and in a special teams role. He’s probably off the roster (but on the practice squad) if the team was picked today, but he is a guy that can make a move up with one or two linebacker spots potentially open.

4.QB Kellen Moore: He got a lot of reps with the second unit in the opener and he looked somewhat shaky, particularly on the interception in the end zone at the end of the half. He has had the roughest camp of the three quarterbacks likely to be on the roster, but he still has a definite shot to be Matthew Stafford’s primary backup. How he performs Thursday could play a role in that.

5.RB Ameer Abdullah: Not sure exactly how much work the rookie will receive Thursday against Washington, but it’ll be interesting to see if he follows up his impressive preseason debut with another strong contest. He’s going to factor into Detroit’s run game this season, but consistency will be the next thing he needs to prove. A few big runs Thursday would help there.

Others to watch: OG/OC Taylor Boggs, OT Michael Williams, DE Larry Webster, DE Devin Taylor, CB Crezdon Butler, CB R.J. Stanford.