Fantasy Football Week 3: Risers, Fallers and Top Trade Candidates

Doesn't it feel like this NFL and fantasy football season is more insane than usual? The Baltimore Ravens, the Indianapolis Colts, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Seattle Seahawks, the New York Giants, the Detroit Lions and the New Orleans Saints are all 0-2.

Each team has glaring concerns, whether it's the Eagles and their lack of a running game and quarterback Sam Bradford playing poorly or the Colts and quarterback Andrew Luck, who has turned the ball over 15,000 times. 

Looking ahead to Week 3, we could see both Josh and Luke McCown start NFL games. That hasn't happened since December 2007!

Let's hope Week 3 isn't as crazy as Week 2; otherwise, we may need medical attention due to stress.

Good luck in Week 3. Here are the risers, fallers and trade candidates.

Riser: Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals

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Over his last eight games with quarterback Carson Palmer at the helm, Larry Fitzgerald has been insane, averaging almost six receptions a game for nearly 86 yards and totaling five touchdowns.

Of course, a lot of that came from his eight-catch, 112-yard, three-touchdown day in Week 2 against the Chicago Bears, but how his success with Palmer went unnoticed is almost criminal!

Looking at the averages over the last eight games, if Palmer can stay healthy, Fitzgerald will amass roughly 81 receptions, 1,194 yards and nine touchdowns the rest of the way.

While continuing to post those averages could be a long shot, it's worth noting that Fitzgerald is averaging 3.43 yards per route run, according to Pro Football Focus.

Fitzgerald presents WR2 value the rest of the way.

Faller: Andre Johnson, WR, Indianapolis Colts

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After dubbing Andre Johnson a buy-low candidate last week, concern about the aging wide receiver is growing.

So far this season, Johnson has yet to reach over 30 yards receiving—30. I get the narrative that the Colts have faced two tough defenses through the first two weeks of the season and that Luck has been horrendous up to this point, but the emergence of second-year wide receiver Donte Moncrief is incredible.

Something tells me the Colts didn't foresee the strides Moncrief has made up to this point when they signed Johnson.

Heading into Week 3, Johnson is behind Moncrief and fellow wide receivers Phillip Dorsett and T.Y. Hilton in terms of yards per route run at 0.66. To put that in perspective, that's lower than Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Rashad Greene, and both he and Johnson have the same number of targets on the season at 17.

Is Johnson washed up? 

Riser: Matt Jones, RB, Washington Redskins

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Likely on your bench in Week 2 (or at least mine), Matt Jones exploded for 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Was this a fluke, or are the Washington Redskins headed toward a timeshare between Jones and fellow running back Alfred Morris?

In Week 2, Jones played just three fewer snaps (31) than Morris (34). Additionally, Jones had one more carry (19) than Morris (18) and outrushed him 123 to 59 against a St. Louis Rams defense that held Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch to just 73 yards on the ground in Week 1.

However, each player could be the other one's downfall, as this could become a complete timeshare.

Jones hasn't disappointed and could maintain RB2 value the rest of the way. If he's been on your bench, you may have struck gold.

Faller: Brandin Cooks, WR, New Orleans Saints

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With conflicting reports that New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees may or may not miss several games, that leaves Brandin Cooks owners in a bit of a bind.

If Brees were to miss time, the team as a whole and the production of skill position players would take a huge hit, as backup quarterback and Verizon man Luke McCown would likely take over.

However, before the Brees injury, Cooks hadn't been great either. Though he leads the team in targets among wide receivers, he's running just 1.25 yards per route run and has caught nine balls on the year while playing over 90 percent of the snaps.

Of course, Cooks owners couldn't foresee the Brees injury, but it's hard to think anyone imagined Cooks being this unproductive, averaging a mere 0.16 points per snap.

According to Pro Football Focus, he ranks in the 40s in terms of wide receiver fantasy points in points-per-reception formats up to this point, and that's where you draft him as high as your WR1.

It's almost time to get nervous about Cooks, as he's a risky WR3/flex player right now.

Riser: Brandon Marshall, WR, New York Jets

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Although Brandon Marshall has performed well so far this season, he's a "riser" due to the unfortunate injury to fellow New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker. It's believed to be a PCL injury, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini.

So far this season, Marshall has been over the century mark in yards in a single game (Week 2) and has scored two weeks in a row under quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

With the Decker injury, Marshall was forced to play every single snap (69) in the Jets' Week 2 win over the Colts. After Colts cornerback Vontae Davis was forced from the game with a concussion, Marshall went off, totaling seven receptions for 101 yards and a score.

In Week 3, the Jets and Marshall get the Eagles, who rank 17th in terms of pass coverage, according to Pro Football Focus. If the Eagles can somehow get their offense together in time for Week 3, the Jets and Fitzpatrick will have to throw the football early and often to stay in the game.

If Decker misses an extensive amount of time, it's going to be all Marshall moving forward. He has WR2 upside with Decker sidelined.

Faller: Ameer Abdullah, RB, Detroit Lions

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Ameer Abdullah should consider becoming the spokesperson for Advil because this guy is going to cause major headaches for fantasy owners this season.

Though he has big-play ability, that's all you're banking on with Abdullah. Playing roughly 42 percent of his team's snaps this season, Abdullah has yet to reach double-digit carries in a game. I get it—the Detroit Lions have been trailing in games, and they need to throw, but Abdullah isn't seeing a ton of action in the passing game. He saw just one target last week.

The one good thing Abdullah has going for him, however, is the fact that he is outplaying fellow running back Joique Bell. We're also not sure exactly what Bell's health is like.

Coming up, the Lions will be taking on the Denver Broncos, heading to Seattle and hosting the Arizona Cardinals.

It's not looking good for Abdullah. He's a flex play with the hope he breaks off a big run.

Trade Candidates

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Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

You and I have the same number of fantasy points as Mike Evans: zero.

Although he missed Week 1, Evans didn't catch a single pass in Week 2 and is likely making his owners go crazy. "Oh man. First he misses Week 1, and now he doesn't even catch a pass (insert NSFW language here)."

This is the time to pounce on those vulnerable, panicking Evans owners.

Evans is still a top talent. He played in just over 62 percent of the snaps in Week 2, which is considerably lower than his rookie-season average of nearly 83 percent.

Additionally, the injury to tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins will result in more opportunities for Evans.

Because he's a little dinged up, owners may seek instant gratification. Go out and get this guy.

C.J. Anderson, RB, Denver Broncos

Despite the belief from Troy Renck of the Denver Post that C.J. Anderson may have only one more shot to prove himself as Denver's starting running back, I'm not ready to pull the plug yet.

He's been banged up, and his owners are likely nervous. To be honest, I'm becoming one of them.

We saw what he did last year, and there's no reason he can't return to that form.

Heading into Week 3, Anderson will get the Lions defense. You can probably get him for 60 cents on the dollar right now. Buy low.

Tyrod Taylor, QB, Buffalo Bills

It's been great to see Tyrod Taylor produce the way he has through the first two weeks of the season, hasn't it?

If you answered yes and you're an owner, someone in your league may also think so. It's a fantasy landscape where, depending on the size of your league, you can easily stream a quarterback and be fine.

There's also a team in your league that probably needs some quarterback help, and Taylor is the perfect candidate.

This may be my strong belief in streaming quarterbacks, but if you can trade Tyrod and get a solid skill position player, you're doing so. Sell high.

All advanced statistics courtesy Pro Football Focus, unless otherwise noted. 

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