To Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze, the second preseason scrimmage Saturday signaled the end of fall camp, and a turning of the page to game preparation — now less than two weeks from kickoff against UMass.

Though Freeze’s team isn’t going to start the season healthy. It was already facing a few injuries as fall camp began and returning to live practice with pads was always going to cause a few more additions to the injury report. And as things stand, Auburn’s injuries have hit the wide receivers the hardest. Key players are also banged up in the linebacking group and defensive line.

With many yellow jerseys flashing around the field at practice, some projected backups are going to have a chance for expanded playing time early in the season.

That starts squarely with Jay Fair.

The sophomore wide receiver has looked the part of a starter throughout preseason practices. He’s been generating some of the most buzz of many new faces seeming to rise up the projected depth chart.

In drills, Fair has consistently been in the first trio of wide receivers on the field with the rest of the starters, lining up most frequently as a slot receiver.

Fair has had a strong camp, but some of that opportunity comes with injuries to Ja’Varrius Johnson, Auburn’s leading receiver from last season. Freeze said Johnson had an incident in practice that caused him to need stitches in his mouth and made it challenging for him to wear a helmet during a stretch of practice.

Johnson is back now, but Fair has still be on the field before him. It would seem likely Johnson, when back to full strength, would be back in the role he had last season. But for now, the slot is Fair’s job.

Auburn seems content with Omari Kelly on the outside opposite Shane Hooks.

Camden Brown, Malcolm Johnson Jr., Koy Moore and Nick Mardner continue to deal with injuries. Brown, Moore and Mardner especially have a chance to work their way back into more playing time when healthy.

Moore had a large role with Auburn last season and could again. He has been dealing with a lingering ankle injury from summer workouts. Brown is finally healthy, Freeze said, and returned to practice last week. But he’s still working his way back to full strength. The 6-foot-3 sophomore has strong potential when he is ready — that likely won’t be right away. A relatively new addition to the injury report, Nick Mardner has been a heavily used target during practices, and Auburn will want him as a red zone threat as the season goes on.

While Fair certainly seems to have the most to gain with regard to playing time, newcomers Caleb Burton III and Jyaire Shorter could have an expanded role, too. Neither appears likely to start, but will certainly be given extra chances to work into their new SEC team in games where the others are unable to play or much more limited.

On the other side of the ball, Larry Nixon III has looked the part of three-down linebacker while Austin Keys deals with a shoulder injury.

While Keys stays to the side in a yellow no-contact jersey, Nixon, Eugene Asante and Cam Riley have formed the rotation at linebacker in practice. Though largely Nixon’s spot has been static while Asante and Riley take turns next to him.

That battle appears likely to be won by Asante, but for as long as Keys is out, Nixon should be in line to start.

Welsey Steiner has also dealt with injuries during the preseason. He’s been comfortably back and now and while he hasn’t seen much, if any, playing time with the top group, he does have on-field experience with Auburn and could remain part of the conversation, though he does appear to be viewed behind Nixon, Asante and Riley.

Auburn’s other linebacker position, the jack linebacker, has been among the most talked about rotations in camp because Auburn believes it has three impactful pass rushers there. Then Jalen McLeod picked up an ankle injury at the end of last week.

Elijah McAllister may have the most to gain if McLeod isn’t ready for week one. From media sessions with players and coaches, it has seemed like McAllister may be viewed as the third option between McLeod and late-riser Stephen Sings V — though all three have seen time with the projected starters.

Auburn could start either Sings or McAllister if McLeod isn’t ready. It wasn’t a guarantee that McLeod was going to start anyway. McAllister is the more experienced player if Auburn chooses him first early, but he and Sings will see a greater share of snaps than if McLeod was in the mix too. Auburn has tried packages using both McAllister and Sings on the field at the same time, too.

Either could also show enough to keep a high snap count whenever McLeod is back to health.

Defensive end Keldric Faulk has been another recent injury report addition, opening the door to essentially ensure Maryland transfer Mosiah Nasili-Kite will be Auburn’s starter at defensive end. Nasili-Kite had shown to be at the top of Auburn’s rotation even before the talented freshman’s injury. Faulk is still in the process of learning a new position as he moves from jack linebacker.

Faulk’s injury could also mean a route to the field for Brenton Williams who has seen some time with the starters in practice as well.

Matt Cohen covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @Matt_Cohen_ or email him at [email protected]