Fantasy Football Week 3: Skill Position Stars Who Should Be Benched

The toughest decisions fantasy football owners have to make throughout the season is picking the right time to bench players who were selected with an early draft pick. It's always a risk, but if done properly, it can save a team from a poor performance.

After two weeks of action, it's a lot easier to get a read on the potential upside and downside of players. Knowing that, let's take a look at three players who should get left on the bench in Week 3 due to tough matchups and inconsistent production.

Running Back: Steven Jackson

The St. Louis Rams running back is dealing with a nagging groin injury, giving immediate pause to owners. When you add in the fact Jackson has scored just 13 points in two weeks and faces a stout Chicago Bears defense, his weekly outlook isn't good.

Anytime a veteran RB like Jackson has more than 2,500 touches under his belt, the chance of decline is obvious. He's never been afraid of contact, and all of those hits he's taken over the years eventually start to wear down the body.

So his lack of production in the first couple games is definitely a concern. The Rams received a good game from Daryl Richardson last week, so they won't push Jackson too hard. There are simply too many red flags to start him.

Wide Receiver: Eric Decker

Decker skyrocketed up draft boards after showing good chemistry with new Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning in the preseason. His production in the first two weeks hasn't matched the hype, with just nine catches and no touchdowns.

It's clear Demaryius Thomas is still the top target in Denver, leaving Decker to battle for chances with Brandon Stokley—who has a long track record with Manning—and a couple tight ends. Not an ideal fantasy scenario.

Making matters worse, the Broncos face a dominant Houston Texans defense in Week 3. The unit is allowing just 124 passing yards per game so far. Decker will have to wait at least another week before he starts matching his draft value.

Tight End: Jermichael Finley

The warning signs about Finley were clear before the season began, but he was still selected among the elite tight ends. The Green Bay Packers have so many different weapons that his production is wildly inconsistent, leading to a lot of fantasy headaches.

Finley had three catches or less in 10 of the 16 games last season. His overall numbers were skewed because of a few big games, so it shouldn't be a surprise that he's already had one good game and one forgettable game already.

Even though Finley plays on Monday night (an advantage some owners like to have), he isn't worth putting in the lineup. The underrated Seattle Seahawks defense is off to another good start and should have success slowing down the Packers tight end.