Week 3: Game Recap
What a week of football! We saw a whole slew of barn burners and blowouts, not to mention that atrocity of a football game in Philly. Thankfully, Week 3 wasn’t nearly as bloody as last Sunday so I hope your fantasy optimism is still intact. Let’s take a closer look at what wen’t down over the weekend…
Dolphins vs. Jaguars, 31-13
Rookie UDFA James Robinson is here to stay. His volume on the ground and through the air locks him in as a mid-range RB2.
With DJ Chark sidelined, Gardner Minschew and fellow Jags’ receivers failed to stretch the field, resulting in very disappointing production against a depleted Miami secondary.
While Jordan Howard continues to snipe goal-line work, Miles Gaskin appears to be the Miami workhorse with solid FLEX appeal.
49ers vs Giants, 36-9
The Giants were absolutely miserable on the ground without Saquon Barkely. We need to wait another week or two before starting Devonta Freeman with any sort of confidence.
You can start the likes of Evan Engram, Golden Tate, and Darius Slayton - but how can you feel strong about it right now?
Brandon Aiyuk impressed in the second half with the 49ers battling so many injuries. He’s worth a roster add, but George Kittle’s and Deebo Samuel’s imminent returns will limit Aiyuk’s usage.
Browns vs Washington, 34-20
Jarvis Landry is becoming a huge concern. He has just 13 targets on the season…
OBJ is a must-start every week because of the upside, but it’s becoming more and more apparent that Kevin Stefanski wants to win games with a heavy dose of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
Terry McLaurin and Antonio Gibson are the only startable fantasy entities in Washington.
Bengals vs Eagles, 23-23
In one of the ugliest games in recent memory, both the Eagles and Bengals rolled over in OT and accepted a draw.
Miles Sanders is who we’d hoped he’d be. Positive touchdown regression and improved quarterback play will boost his fantasy output.
With Dallas Goedert sidelined with an apparent ankle injury, Zach Ertz was able to remind fantasy owners why he was priced as a 5th round draft pick. If Goedert misses extensive time, Ertz is locked in as a top five TE play.
Tyler Boyd looks like the true #1 in Cincinnati, granted A.J. Green saw a lot of Darius Slay on Sunday. Still, the emergence of Tee Higgins isn’t exactly great news for Green either.
Hold tight onto Joe Mixon. There aren’t many backs these days who are locked for 20 touches every Sunday.
Patriots vs Raiders, 36-20
Rex Burkhead exploded onto the scene with 98 yards from scrimmage and 3 TD’s. Given Sony Michel’s involvement and with Damien Harris and James White returning to the field soon, I wouldn’t get too excited.
Josh McDaniels and Cam Newton want to win the ball on the ground, which means the value of Patriots’ receivers gets discounted in positive game scripts.
Tough day for a banged up Josh Jacobs - but don’t read too much into it.
Bears vs Falcons, 30-26
Ahhhhhhh, there’s the ARob we’ve all been waiting for. He’s always been a target hog, and now his value should increase with Nick Foles under center.
Tarik Cohen sustained what’s rumored to be a season-ending knee injury. If that’s the case, David Montgomery and Cordarrelle Patterson are due for increased roles.
Todd Gurley’s fantasy relevance is heavily reliant on volume and red zone usage. His efficiency ratings are down, and he’s no longer a receiving threat.
Calvin Ridley took the third year leap we were all looking for. He’s a bonafide WR1 now.
Bills vs. Rams, 35-32
If not for Russell Wilson, Josh Allen would be the leading candidate for NFL MVP thus far in the season.
With John Brown sustaining a calf injury, Cole Beasley stepped up with 6 receptions for 100 yards.
Diggs was kept in check by Jalen Ramsey, but with an intriguing matchup against an inexperienced Raiders’ secondary should excite owners, especially if Brown misses time.
Darrell Henderson was the clear workhorse for Sean McVay on Sunday. Will that continue once Cam Akers returns from injury?
Steelers vs Texans, 28-21
James Conner’s volume substantiates low RB1 numbers, but Benny Snell’s involvement on the goal line makes Conner more of an RB2.
Dionte Johnson left the game early and has entered concussion protocol. Hopefully he’ll be available next week.
David Johnson has been highly inefficient the past two weeks, granted Baltimore and Pittsburgh both offer stingy defenses. There’s no doubt that owners want to see more involvement in the passing game.
Much like the Cowboys but to a lesser extreme,the WR production in Houston is seemingly unpredictable. With that said, as infuriating as he may be, I still love Will Fuller as a WR3.
Titans vs. Vikings, 31-30
Jonnu Smith has been a regular contributor for Titans for quite some time now. He needs to be rostered as a low-end TE1 with a decent propensity for touchdowns, but I’ll be excited to see what his role becomes once AJ Brown suits up again.
Rookie WR Justin Jefferson exploded onto the scene with 7 receptions for 175 yards and a TD. While Thielen was quiet, I’d argue the rookie’s performance bodes well for Thielen who logs most of his snaps in the slot. Any attention taken away from Thielen should only open up his work inside.
Not that you need to be reminded, but Dalvin Cook and Derrick Henry are ball hogs and fantasy rockstars. Hopefully you didn’t panic after their pedestrian Week 2 performances.
Panthers vs Chargers, 21-16
The Carolina Panthers ran their offense as if Christian McCaffrey was still on the field. Mike Davis recorded 11 carries and 8 receptions for a combined 91 yards and one score. Pretty CMC-esque if you ask me.
Robby Anderson might be the real deal this year. He’s averaging 8 targets a game and hasn’t recorded less than 5 receptions yet. In 2019, Anderson recorded just 3 games all year with 5+ catches. Anderson is becoming a reliable FLEX play with an awesome ceiling.
With Justin Herbert under center, Keenan Allen has a massive 35% target share. Sheesh!
Austin Ekeler owners can breathe again. In what surprisingly became a negative game script for the Chargers, Herbert was heavily reliant on Ekeler through the air, while Joshua Kelley fumbled and saw his smallest workload yet.
Colts vs. Jets, 36-7
I’ll say it again. Until Jamison Crowder and Le’Veon Bell return, you should not be starting anyone on the New York Jets.
Moe Alie-Cox ran just 7 routes on Sunday. Don’t overpay on the waiver wire.
The Colts D/ST has been a more valuable fantasy asset than the following players thus far; Kareem Hunt, Melvin Gordon, Allen Robinson, Josh Jacobs, and more. This is why you should never draft a D/ST any earlier than the last 3 rounds of your draft.
Despite the disappointing finish for T.Y. Hilton, I’m willing to give him one more mulligan considering the Colts had this game won at halftime.
Seahawks vs. Cowboys, 38-31
The Seattle defense is terrible, which is fantastic news for Russell Wilson, Tyler Lockett, and DK Metcalf. All three are going to be putting up points in droves all season long.
Good news: Chris Carson’s injury is being described as a light knee sprain. He may even get the chance to play this weekend.
If Dak keeps throwing the ball 50 times a game, then sh*t I guess Cooper, Lamb, and Gallup can be started with confidence. Providing consistent returns on all three wideouts just doesn’t seem sustainable though.
Lions vs. Cardinals, 26-23
I’m ready to call DeAndre Hopkins my new WR1 on the season. Kyler Murray is throwing him the ball whenever he wants to at this point. 32 receptions on 37 targets.
Kenyan Drake just isn’t being used as a receiver like many of us anticipated. The carries are still there, but Drake may be more of a mid-RB2 than the RB1 he was drafted to be. His Week 4 matchup against a weak Carolina rush defense will be very telling.
D’Andre Swift was on the field for just 6 snaps this week. Who knows, maybe it was a matchup decision, but it stings for a guy that was selected in the 6th or 7th round of most fantasy drafts.
Buccaneers vs. Broncos, 28-10
Mike Evans with 2 grabs for 2 yards and 2 TD’s. Excluding Week 2, Evans has 3 catches for 4 yards and 3 TD’s. You’re not upset with four scores on the young season, but his usage between the twenties is suspect to say the least.
Chris Godwin pulled a hamstring and is in danger of missing both Week 4 and 5.
Remember when we thought Leonard Fournette already claimed the lead job in Tampa? Bruce Arians has a history of toying with fantasy owners, and this backfield will be no different.
Broncos fans and fantasy owners alike should be praying for the return of Drew Locke right now. That entire offense takes a massive hit with Jeff Driskel/Brett Rypien/Blake Bortles at the helm.
Packers vs. Saints, 37-30
Alvin Kamara is establishing himself as the clear RB1 in fantasy football, at least until Michael Thomas gets back.
Right now, you shouldn’t be starting any Saints pass catcher not named Alvin Kamara because you’re solely praying for a touchdown at that point. Emmanuel Sanders, Tre’Quan Smith, and Jared Cook are streamers at best.
Allen Lazard balled out with Davante Adams nursing a hammy. He’s the clear #2 in Green Bay, and a viable WR4 with Adams on the field.
Chiefs vs. Ravens, 34-20
Clyde Edwards-Helaire is a supremely talented back who’s tailor made for the Chiefs’ offense. The usage reflects top ten potential, he just needs to find the endzone more.
Mecole Hardman is your ideal Best Ball fantasy WR, but we simply can’t count on that usage week in and week out. He’s easily Mahomes’ fourth or fifth option in the passing game.
That was a learning experience for Lamar, don’t overreact. With that said, his struggles playing from behind is becoming an interesting narrative.
I’m becoming more and more concerned with Mark Ingram Jr. The usage just isn’t there, as Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins share the role in a near even split.
