Fantasy Football Week 3: Start 'Ems

With Week 3 is upon us and fantasy football owners are running the gamut of emotions. 

Owners who are 2-0 are feeling great about their prospects; while on the opposite end, owners who are 0-2 may be wondering when they’ll get a win. 

By now, NFL teams have likely shown where their strengths and weaknesses are for the most part, and fantasy football owners should be able to take advantage of them by taking calculated risks with lineup decisions. 

Let’s take a look at the “Fantasy Football Start ‘Ems” article to see who should be in your Week 3 lineup:

Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings) vs. Detroit

Favre has struggled through the season’s first two weeks, throwing four interceptions (including three in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins) and just one touchdown so far. 

Injuries in the Vikings’ receiving corp, most notably wide receiver Sidney Rice (hip), has clearly affected Favre as he has struggled to connect with his receivers.

But a Week 3 matchup with the Detroit Lions could be the start of better things for Minnesota’s passing game. 

The Lions have allowed the third most passing yards in the league, along with four passing touchdowns through the season’s first two games. 

Things may still not be perfect for Favre as he shakes off some leftover rust; however, if you own him in your fantasy football league, this is definitely a week to start him.

Pierre Thomas (New Orleans Saints) vs. Atlanta

Thomas somewhat surprisingly had a team-leading eight receptions in Week 2 against the San Francisco 49ers, along with his 18 carries in the game on his way to over 100 total yards. 

With Reggie Bush expected to miss six weeks with a broken leg, he could become even more of a focal point in the Saints’ offense in Week 3 and beyond. 

The Falcons have allowed a long (50+ yards) rushing touchdown in each of the first two games of the season, which has led to them ranking 26th in the league against the run through two weeks. 

The Saints do have a short week after playing Monday night; however, expect Thomas to see plenty of touches and be a low RB1/high RB2 for your fantasy team this week.

Austin Collie (Indianapolis Colts) @ Denver

Collie followed up an 11-catch Week 1 performance with his second straight game of a touchdown catch to open the season against the New York Giants in Week 2. 

He has been targeted 16 times through two games, which is good for third on the Colts, behind tight end Dallas Clark and wide receiver Reggie Wayne. 

Week 3 brings a matchup with the Denver Broncos, who may be without starting cornerbacks Champ Bailey (right heel) and Andre Goodman (thigh) in the game. 

Colts quarterback Peyton Manning will find some success through the air against a banged-up Denver secondary so Collie should once again see a lot of targets as his third option. He is a solid WR2 this week with some nice upside.

To see who else you should Start click here... Week 3 Start 'Em Advice