Start Em Sit Em Week 3: Making Toughest Fantasy Decisions of the Weekend
There's nothing more frustrating in fantasy football than your bench being filled with huge performances while your standout starters fail to produce. Early on in the season, these struggles force fantasy owners to feverishly compare players beforehand to help guarantee the most success.
It's easy to hammer out a concrete starting lineup after the draft, but early-season shortcomings and injury problems shake things up for nearly any owner by Week 3. Add that to players putting up numbers on your bench who you didn't expect much from, and you'll be forced to revisit who's starting and who's sitting.
When it's tough to decide what players to go with, going with the best matchups and recent standouts is often the best way to go. You won't see a Marshawn Lynch or Aaron Rodgers—in other words, every-week starters—on here, but rather players on the cusp.
TOP NEWS
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Colts Release Kenny Moore
Projecting Every NFL Team's Starting Lineup 🔮
Rookie WRs Who Will Outplay Their Draft Value 📈
Here's a look at who to start and who to sit in Week 3.
Start 'Em: Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers
Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt left, but it's the same old Chargers offense with Philip Rivers making the most of his star-studded receiving corps.
They face a cross-country trip against the 2-0 Buffalo Bills, a matchup that would in many cases warrant a sit for a fringe fantasy quarterback. But not Rivers, not this matchup and not after he's looked early in 2014.
For starters, the 32-year-old was untouchable in Week 2 against the Super Bowl champion Seahawks on 28-of-37 passing for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Keep in mind that came against a secondary unit that is by far the most feared in the league following a strong season-opener against Arizona.
San Diego won't be sleeping on the Bills heading into a sold out Ralph Wilson Stadium after their undefeated start. But the Chargers also won't be unaware of Buffalo's 28th-ranked pass defense through two games or the mismatches that Antonio Gates inevitably brings.
Plus, Keenan Allen hasn't even emerged very much in the Chargers passing attack as of yet. With his impending breakout will come even more production for Rivers.
Sit 'Em: Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys
In years past, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has proven difficult to sit just based on his potential to break out with a big game every couple of weeks. This year, he's proven hard to start.
Romo bounced back from a poor season opener to lead the Cowboys to a Week 2 win over the Titans, but still failed to amass 200 yards through the air. He threw for 176 yards and just one touchdown, with more than 100 going Dez Bryant's way.
The Cowboys face the Rams in Week 3, whose sample size is small but has held both of their opponents to below 180 passing yards. However, they're currently 29th against the run, which leads me to believe Dallas will ride its stout offensive line and stud running back DeMarco Murray.
Murray could be in for a breakout performance, and any early success he has will seriously diminish Romo's numbers—which haven't been all that great in 2014 to begin with.
Start 'Em: Stevan Ridley, RB, New England Patriots
Imploring folks to start a Patriots running back in fantasy football is like playing with fire, but Stevan Ridley is well worth the risk in Week 3.
New England hosts the hapless Oakland Raiders, who have been run over by Chris Ivory, Chris Johnson and Arian Foster all in the span of two regular-season games. The Patriots' Sunday opponent ranks dead last in the league in run defense, giving up 200 yards on the dot per game.
You never really know what Belichick will have in mind—he could unleash an unknown back for a big game, or simply orchestrate a game plan that allows for Tom Brady to put up the big numbers. But after Ridley's clock-chewing performance—25 carries for 101 yards and a score—in Week 2 against the Vikings, he should be getting a similar chance on Sunday.
The Patriots should be up multiple touchdowns early to the Raiders, and that will give Ridley all the time in the world to rack up his points throughout the second half.
Sit 'Em: Chris Johnson, RB, New York Jets
After one week of the 2014 season, fantasy owners who drafted high on Chris Johnson were hoping to be in for a big season from CJ2K. But it's time to pump the brakes.
Johnson was huge against the Raiders in Week 1, with more than 90 total yards and a receiving touchdown. However, he shot back down in Week 2 with just 21 rushing yards on 12 carries and one reception for no yards.
The Jets face the Chicago Bears on Monday night, a squad that struggled mightily against the run a year ago but has made strides early in 2014. With how the Bears were able to shut down the 49ers and mount a late comeback last week, it's hard to see New York establishing a run game with Johnson instead of Chris Ivory.
Unfortunately for CJ owners, he's starting to look more and more like the running back who turned 15 carries into 25 yards so many times in his Titans tenure.
Start 'Em: Golden Tate, WR, Detroit Lions
Golden Tate might not even be the third-best receiver overall in the Lions matchup with the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, but he's undoubtedly worth a start in fantasy.
The Lions face a Packers secondary that has proven to have a lot of holes in the recent past, and the inevitable success of Calvin Johnson will open things up for Tate. He has amassed 150 yards on 11 catches and will be looking to make up for his fumble against the Panthers.
Johnson is the obvious No. 1, but Tate has filled in nicely as the No. 2 as ESPN Stats and Info noted:
Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson should have big games of their own against a poor Lions secondary, but expect the same from Tate.
Sit 'Em: Torrey Smith, WR, Baltimore Ravens
If you're like me and have Torrey Smith on your fantasy team, he likely came as a high-round selection who began the season in the starting lineup. And if you're even more like me, you've already started giving up on him in your lineup.
Smith has been frustratingly invisible through two weeks of the 2014 season. He only caught three passes for 50 yards in Week 1 despite quarterback Joe Flacco throwing 62 passes, and caught one pass for 10 yards against Pittsburgh in Week 2.
Smith's lack of action has forced him to answer questions about it in the media, as Pro Football Talk noted:
Another Smith—Steve Smith Sr.—has made waves in the Ravens passing game so far in 2014, but Torrey Smith has been nowhere to be found. In Week 3, Baltimore faces a Browns secondary that has struggled early on in 2014 but will be hungry to prove itself against a formidable passing game.
Whether the Ravens have success passing the ball or not, it's not likely to result in much production for Torrey Smith if the early part of 2014 is any indication.
All stats courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
