Week 3 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Projecting Stats for Top 10 Players at Every Position

Once each NFL team has played four games, coaches and scouts have a strong database to review in order to make solid judgments on the strengths and weaknesses of the players.

While fantasy players don't have all the information needed to make the best calls at this point, they have a lot more than they did before Week 1. As we head into Week 3, one of the players we like quite a bit is quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Rank	QB	Team	Opponent	Start/Sit	Predicted Stats
1	Aaron Rodgers	Green Bay	Detroit	Start	345 yards, 3 TDs
2	Drew Brees	New Orleans	Atlanta	Start	321 yards, 3 TDs
3	Andrew Luck	Indianapolis	San Diego	Start	317 yards, 3 TDs
4	Matt Ryan	Atlanta	New Orleans	Start	298 yards, 2 TDs
5	Cam Newton	Carolina	Minnesota	Start	221 passing yards, 1 TD; 68 rushing yards, 1 TD
6	Philip Rivers	San Diego	Indianapolis	Start	265 passing yards, 2 TDS
7	Ben Roethlisberger	Pittsburgh	Philadelphia	Start	260 yards, 2 TDs
8	Eli Manning	N.Y. Giants	Washington	Start	255 yards, 2 TDs
9	Carson Palmer	Arizona	Buffalo	Start	245 yards, 2 TDs
10	Derek Carr	Oakland	Tennessee	Start	238 yards, 2 TDs
--	Tyrod Taylor	Buffalo	Arizona	Sit	176 yards,1 TD, 2 int
--	Alex Smith	Kansas City	N.Y. Jets	Sit	188 yards 1 TD, 1 int
--	Andy Dalton	Cincinnati	Denver	Sit	194 yards, 1 TD, 1 int

Fantasy players know full well that Rodgers did not have his best game in Week 2 when the Green Bay Packers lost to the Minnesota Vikings in the first game at U.S. Bank Stadium. Rodgers threw for 213 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and the Vikings pass rush made him uncomfortable throughout much of the day.

The Vikings have one of the best defensive teams in the league and were clearly pumped up to play their first home game at their new digs.

It's a different story this week when the Packers are at Lambeau Field for their home opener against the Detroit Lions. While the Packers lost at home last year to the Lions, they had won their previous 24 at home versus Detroit.

As a result, Rodgers should be comfortable and at his best. Last year, he did not have injured wide receiver Jordy Nelson, but this year his No. 1 receiver is healthy. We like Rodgers to have a brilliant day, as he finds Nelson, Randall Cobb and tight end Richard Rodgers with regularity.

In most weeks, Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers would be the top-ranked quarterback. A number of fantasy experts have him there this week, as the defending NFC champions host the Minnesota Vikings.

However, this may not be the week to go with Newton. The Carolina quarterback is not going to have an easy time finding open receivers against Mike Zimmer's defense. He may break free for a decent run or two, but Minnesota is going to contest the passing game from start to finish. Instead of ranking as the No. 1 quarterback, he's No. 5 this week.

Rank	RB	Team	Opponent	Start/Sit	Predicted stats
1	DeAngelo Williams	Pittsburgh	Philadelphia	Start	139 rushing yards, 2 TDs
2	Matt Forte	N.Y. Jets	Kansas City	Start	128 rushing yards, 2 TDs
3	David Johnson	Arizona	Buffalo	Start	117 yards, 1 TD
4	Ezekiel Elliott	Dallas	Chicago	Start	112 yards, 1 TD
5	Todd Gurley	Los Angeles	Tampa Bay	Start	109 yards, 1 TD
6	Melvin Gordon	San Diego	Indianapolis	Start	98 yards, 1 TD
7	DeMarco Murray	Tennessee	Oakland	Start	92 yards 1 TD
8	Latavius Murray	Oakland	Tennessee	Start	85 yards, 1 TD
9	Mark Ingram	New Orleans	Atlanta	Start	80 yards, 1 TD
10	C.J. Anderson	Denver	Cincinnati	Start	76 yards
--	Giovanni Bernard	Cincinnati	Denver	Sit	48 yards
--	Spencer Ware	Kansas City	N.Y. Jets	Sit	53 yards
--	Carlos Hyde	San Francisco	Seattle	Sit	56 yards

It's easy to like running back DeAngelo Williams of the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. He has been sensational while filling in for Le'Veon Bell in the first two weeks, and we like Williams to finish off his stint as the Steelers starter with a big game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles are 2-0, but their wins have come against the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears; neither of those teams has much to offer at this point in the season.

Williams has rushed for 237 yards and two touchdowns so far. Look for him to tear up the Philadelphia front this week.

It should also be a good week for rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys. He rushed for 51 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 against the New York Giants and followed that with 83 yards and a score versus the Washington Redskins.

Elliott is warming to the task, and this week he gets to run against the Bears. The Chicago defense has already suffered through a number of key injuries, and the offense can't maintain possession. That will keep an undermanned and tired defense on the field, and Elliott will pick up the first 100-yard game of his career.

Rank	WR	Team	Opponent	Start/Sit	Predicted Stats
1	Antonio Brown	Pittsburgh	Philadelphia	Start	149 yards, 2 TDs
2	Julio Jones	Atlanta	New Orleans	Start	135 yards, 2 TDs
3	Odell Beckham Jr.	N.Y. Giants	Washington	Start	127 yards, 2 TDs
4	Allen Robinson	Jacksonville	Baltimore	Start	117 yards, 1 TD
5	Brandin Cooks	New Orleans	Atlanta	Start	108 yards, 1 TD
6	Jordy Nelson	Green Bay	Detroit	Start	105 yards, 1 TD
7	Amari Cooper	Oakland	Tennessee	Start	98 yards
8	Dez Bryant	Dallas	Chicago	Start	92 yards, 1 TD
9	Mike Evans	Tampa Bay	Los Angeles	Start	88 yards, 1 TD
10	Eric Decker	N.Y. Jets	Kansas City	Start	73 yards, 1 TD
--	Jeremy Maclin	Kansas City	N.Y. Jets	Sit	55 ards
--	Pierre Garcon	Washington	N.Y .Giants	Sit	62 yards
--	Emmanuel Sanders	Denver	Cincinnati	Sit	64 yards

There's not a lot of reason to discuss Antonio Brown of the Steelers, Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons and Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants because that trio will rank at the top of the receiving charts most weeks, including this one.

There are plenty of other excellent options available in Week 3, and the best of the bunch may be Allen Robinson of the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

He is going up against the 2-0 Baltimore Ravens, but there's no reason to believe the Ravens can contend with Robinson's talent, route-running skills and speed. He has nine catches for 126 yards through two games, but the most impressive aspect is that he has been targeted 20 times, according to Pro Football Reference.

The Ravens will need to have a dominant pass rush in order to slow down Robinson, and we don't see it at this point.

Look for Brandin Cooks of the New Orleans Saints to torch the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football. The Saints are 0-2 but have not played badly in losses to the Oakland Raiders and Giants. The Falcons are coming off a West Coast victory over the Raiders and have to go on the road once again.

Cooks has remarkable speed on the outside and already has a 98-yard TD reception to his credit. The Falcons will not be able to contain him.

Rank	TE	Team	Opponent	Start/Sit	Predicted Stats
1	Jordan Reed	Washington	N.Y. Giants	Start	98 yards, 1 TD
2	Greg Olsen	Carolina	Minnesota	Start	87 yards, 1 TD
3	Delanie Walker	Tennessee	Oakland	Start	84 yards, 1 TD
4	Julius Thomas	Jacksonville	Baltimore	Start	77 yards, 1 TD
5	Travis Kelce	Kansas City	N.Y. Jets	Start	74 yards
6	Dennis Pitta	Baltimore	Cleveland	Start	70 yards
7	Gary Barnidge	Cleveland	Baltimore	Start	68 yards
8	Jason Witten	Dallas	Chicago	Start	64 yards
9	Eric Ebron	Detroit	Green Bay	Start	62 yards
10	Kyle Rudolph	Minnesota	Carolina	Start	60 yards
--	Zach Miller	Chicago	Dallas	Sit	22 yards
--	Dwayne Allen	Indianapolis	San Diego	Sit	26 yards
--	Charles Clay	Buffalo	Arizona	Sit	32 yards

Tight end Jordan Reed of the Washington Redskins continues to be a force after his breakthrough season in 2015. With Rob Gronkowski missing the first two games of the season for the New England Patriots (and barely playing Thursday), Reed looks like he could be the No. 1 tight end in the league—until Gronkowski gets back to top form.

Reed has caught 12 passes for 134 yards so far this season, and he gets to go up against the Giants secondary. The Giants appear to be much-improved on defense this year, but they will get all they can handle from the talented Reed.