Hakeem Nicks' Fantasy Trade Value, Updated Outlook After Week 3

The New York Giants fell flat with a dud offensive performance to the Carolina Panthers, down 38-0 with time winding down. That didn't exactly help Hakeem Nicks' fantasy cause with a nonexistent Week 3 performance.

Nicks was targeted just once by Eli Manning as the Giants had nothing doing in the passing game. Jonathan Jones of the Charlotte Observer summed it up best (update: he eventually got thrown to one time):

While Nicks wasn't in favor Sunday, New York's star slot receiver Victor Cruz was targeted eight times. Though he also underwhelmed with three catches for 25 yards, it was quite a bit more than Nicks offered his fantasy owners.  

Things looked promising through the first two weeks of the 2013 season for Nicks, averaging almost 100 yards per game despite not catching a touchdown pass. Just as well, he was targeted 16 times through those two losses.    

It's never a good sign for arguably a team's best receiver to be ignored for an entire game, for whatever reason that may be. But when you're talking about a receiver of Nicks' potential and value to his team, it's far too early to overreact.

Perhaps following a game like this, it wouldn't be a bad idea to take advantage of a fantasy owner who is looking to sell low. But it'd be naive to throw his potential away for a bench player as of now. 

Sitting Nicks until he shows some improvement wouldn't be a bad decision, but don't go dropping the fifth-year pro just yet.