'Who Needs Reality?': Excellent Fantasy Football Starts for Week 3

Week 2 of the 2014 NFL season was, in a word, wonky, for fantasy football owners.

Unfortunately, it was injuries galore for many notable players, but it also featured numerous studs continue to under-perform while many owners were counting on bounce-back games after lackluster Week 1 performances.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte and Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy were all first-round picks in 99 percent of leagues, and none of them have been top-performers so far this season.

It's still early enough for them all to turn it around, but it also may be a season where we have to accept that some studs who we trusted to lead our squads are studs no longer.

Nonetheless, it's too early to get pessimistic or panic, so we have to believe that era of Drew Brees is still ongoing and that Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning will be able to find Thomas and lead him to another great season. 

Week 3 will be a telling week for all this. In a way, it's a make-or-break week for our under-performing fantasy studs, and it'll be interesting to see who comes to life and who is just warming up for a bland season. 

Today I'm going to preview some players who are great starts for your team in Week 3. Obviously, you should always start your studs, and, above all, trust your gut over mine. But these are some guys that could come through huge for your team. 

Please remember that I use a standard scoring system when projecting these points:

• 1 point per 10 rushing or receiving yards
• 1 point per 25 passing yards
• 6 points per each rushing or receiving touchdown
• 4 points for passing touchdowns
• -2 points for interceptions and fumbles lost

Additionally, always be sure to keep stay tuned with the official NFL Injury Report to get the official word on who is in and who is out come game day.

Quarterbacks to Start

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has looked impressive this season, and he looked especially good last week during a comeback win, on the road, against the San Francisco 49ers. His four touchdown passes, three of them to wide receiver Brandon Marshall, also provided fantasy owners a swell payday. 

I like Cutler to reward his owners again this week. Playing the New York Jets on Monday night, I think Cutler will be able to find his many receiving weapons who will all be lining up against a weak Jets secondary.

• 330 yards, three touchdowns and one interception= 23 points. 

Other Solid Ball Throwers

• Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins: 350 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions = 18 points
• Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles: 345 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions = 21 points
• Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins: 240 yards, 3 touchdowns = 21 points 

Running Backs to Start  

Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell is a sneaky start this week, and that's why he is a great play for all the owners struggling with running back injuries. He's a big, physical runner, and the Green Bay Packers have a hard time stopping guys like that.

The Lions are going to lean heavily on Bell this game, and this could very well wind up being his best game of the season.

• 21 carries, 120 yards and one touchdown= 18 points.  

Other Solid Ball-Carriers

• Chris Ivory, New York Jets: The Jets running backs have been frustrating this season, but I like Ivory to exploit the Chicago Bears defense. He's got the physicality to succeed against this weak unit, yet the only question is, will he get the work? I think he will. 
• Knile Davis, Kansas City Chiefs: Kansas City starting running back Jamaal Charles is currently listed as questionable for Week 3, yet my hunch is that he won't play. If he does, he will be extremely limited. High ankle sprains are just tough injuries to quickly recover from, and I think the Chiefs are going to err on the side of caution with their star running back. With the amount of running backs out this week, it's hard to not love Davis, who should have been added off the waiver wire in all leagues. He shredded the Denver Broncos last week, and I think he'll have similar success against the Miami Dolphins. (I am starting him in two leagues and on FanDuel.)  
• Shane Vereen, New England Patriots: The Patriots running game is like a mysterious cave, and I should stay far, far away. Well sue me, I'm a curious child, and I am stepping in. I've learned to expect the unexpected when it comes to New England runners, so since Stevan Ridley looks like the man to start, I'll play devil's advocate and see if it works out. 

Wide Receivers to Start 

If I keep picking Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton to have his breakout week, I have to get it right eventually. Well, that's a poor strategy to employ in a start-sit column, but so be it. 

AJ Mast/Associated Press

I really think Hilton busts out this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. I can see this game going in a similar fashion to Thursday night's Falcons-Bucs debacle. Don't be surprised to see the Colts up by 21 after the first quarter, and to see Hilton with double-digit fantasy points after only one quarter as well.

• 11 catches, 130 yards, 2 touchdowns= 25 points. (36 in PPR)

Other Solid Ball-catchers: 

• DeSean Jackson, Washington Redskins: It looks like he's going to play, and I love playing guys against their former teams. Be sure that Jackson is healthy and active. If he is, he's a great start. 
• Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints: It's tough to rely on a guy who got ZERO points last week, but Colston is still a great player and it's tough to imagine the Saints don't have a major bounce-back game, at home, against the hapless Minnesota Vikings. 
• Torrey Smith, Baltimore Ravens: He's been basically invisible this year, but I just have a hunch that he catches a long touchdown this week. He's due for a couple per season, and he's performed admirably against the Cleveland Browns in the past. 

Tight Ends to Start

St. Louis Rams tight end Jared Cook has one fluky, monster game per year. There's no better chance for that to happen than this week against the Dallas Cowboys. 

Tony Dejak/Associated Press

Dallas has done a miserable job against tight ends this year; Delanie Walker of the Tennessee Titans was basically unguarded last week. This is a risky start, due to the Rams poor offense and the fact that Cook doesn't play a huge role in it, but it could pay huge dividends.

• Nine catches, 115 yards and two touchdowns= 23 points. (32 in PPR)

Other Solid Big Guys Who Catch Balls: 

• Niles Paul, Washington Redskins: Quarterback Kirk Cousins seems to like him. That's enough of a reason to start him given how successful tight ends have been this season. 
• Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers: Olsen has been pretty consistent this year, and he looks like he's good for 70-90 yards per week. If he finds the end zone, he's a great start. I think he will this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. 

Defenses to Start

It's tough to not love the New England Patriots defense this week. Defensive success comes in ebbs and flows, so just because the Patriots killed it last week against the Minnesota Vikings doesn't mean they will repeat their success. Against the Oakland Raiders, however, they have a good shot to double-up for fantasy owners. 

Other Solid Defenses 

• Buffalo Bills (home against the San Diego Chargers)
• Miami Dolphins (home against the Kansas City Chiefs)

There you have it folks. Hopefully I'll hit the nail on the head with these picks and they'll come through big for you. 

Please keep in mind, however, that your intuition is always the most trustworthy source when it comes to fantasy football. Just the other night, I had a friend start Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Devin Hester in the Thursday Night Football game. Hester seemed like a bit of reach to start, especially considering that he also had Markus Wheaton, Kendall Wright and DeAndre Hopkins, yet he had a feeling and he went with it.

Hester ended up having 45 total yards, a rushing touchdown and a punt-return touchdown. Not bad for a flex spot. 

The point is, sometimes in fantasy football, there's no point in consulting with reality. 

Who Needs Reality? 

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All stats courtesy of NFL.com and FFToday.com. Feel free to email any question to [e-mail] and I'll try my best to answer them before kickoff on Sunday.