What Are the Comfort Levels for Fantasy Studs Heading into Week 3?

Week 2 of the NFL season was not kind to most stud running backs.

In fact, running backs Jordan Howard, Ezekiel Elliott, LeSean McCoy, Melvin Gordon and DeMarco Murray together combined for 62 total rushing yards.

Hell, Howard, Elliott and McCoy all had under 10 total yards!

The point is, it may seem silly sometimes to analyze the value of fantasy football studs, but as you can see, they don't always turn in those amazing performances—they're human, after all.

This week we have nine players: Two quarterbacks; one tight end; three running backs and three wide receivers.

Who are we starting with? Hint: He's probably my favorite running back in the entire league.

Jay Ajayi, RB, Miami Dolphins

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Miami Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi is the best running back on the Week 3 slate, bar none.

He's a true workhorse back, and in Week 3, he gets the New York Jets. 

Sure, whatever, the Jets have guys on defense like Muhammad Wilkerson and Leonard Williams, but Ajayi is going to feast in this one.

The Dolphins will be ahead quite a bit, and Ajayi should receive 25-plus carries like he did in Week 2.

There's not a ton of analysis needed here, y'all. Ajayi and the Jets. What more do you need?

I'll say Ajayi reaches 130 rushing yards and scores twice in this one.

Comfort Level: There's no way to describe it.

Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

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Heading into the season, there were two big concerns for Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen: The other weapons and his health.

Through the first two games of the season, the other weapons are not a factor at all. In fact, in PPR leagues, Allen is currently the WR6. He also has 20 targets through two games, which is tied with Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery for fourth-most in the NFL among receivers.

Look at his Week 3 opponent, the Chargers get their second divisional matchup of the season when they host the Kansas City Chiefs.

I know what you're thinking: The Chiefs have cornerback Marcus Peters who is really, really good. You're not wrong there, but the matchup doesn't scare me.

Let's face it, Allen—when healthy—is one of the most un-coverable receivers in the sport. While he may not have the straight-line speed, his route-running is impeccable.

Don't fret over Allen in Week 3. He's going to be just fine. 

And oh yeah, the Chiefs are the team he got hurt against in Week 1 of last season. Maybe he gets a couple extra looks in the red zone or down the field in an attempt to show the Chiefs up.

Comfort Level: Like Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch dancing on the sidelines.

Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

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We all know the Chicago Bears aren't any good collectively, but it's pretty apparent that they have a capable front-seven.

In Week 3, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be on the road against those Bears.

A few things to keep in mind here: The Bears' front seven, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on the road and game flow.

At first glance, this is a game the Steelers should run away with. However, they're only just over a touchdown favorite. While that is a lot of points to be favored by, it shows respect to a Bears front seven that is giving up less than 90 yards per game rushing.

Thus far in 2017, running back Le'Veon Bell had a bad game in Week 1 and was inefficient in Week 2, though he had plenty of volume.

No way you're sitting Bell in this one, but when you consider all of the factors, Bell will once again need a ton of value to rack up the fantasy points—which he'll almost certainly get.

It would just be nice to have another 30-point performance from Bell. Maybe the rust is knocked off by now, though? Who knows.

Comfort Level: Just an ordinary night's sleep.

Jack Doyle, TE, Indianapolis Colts

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Sure, the Indianapolis Colts are a broken organization, but hey, current starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett loves his tight end Jack Doyle.

In his first start with the Colts, Brissett targeted Doyle eight times. Doyle caught all eight of them for 79 yards.

In Week 3, the Colts will have a date with the Cleveland Browns, who are atrocious against opposing tight ends—just ask Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Jesse James and Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson.

Doyle is also a talented player—that factors in here, too.

Going against the Browns, the game script should be fine for Brissett and the Colts. If you play daily fantasy, Doyle is a guy I'd target, but he's likely going to be popular.

If you own him in season-long—cha-ching.

Comfort Level: Chillin' in a hot tub outside during the winter.

Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

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Independent of his individual talent, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette is in for a long day against the Baltimore Ravens in London this upcoming week.

As we've seen in the first two games, the Ravens defense is smothering. Yeah, they played the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, but remember: This Jaguars offense led by quarterback Blake Bortles isn't all that great either (especially without wide receiver Allen Robinson).

Between the Ravens defense being fantastic and how bad Bortles is, this sets up to be a game in which the Jaguars are behind.

Their best hope is that their defense can match the Ravens and keep the game close. Even if that's the case, it's hard to imagine a ton of scoring in either instance.

This just has the feeling of a 12-carry, 40-yard game for Fournette. If you have a better option, I'd consider it.

Comfort Level: Being the guy who got destroyed by former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu when he was at USC.

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Outside of the fact that Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson will likely target him a ton, there's almost no upside with wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins this week.

Based on the target potential alone, he has a chance to return some value, but considering the Texans are on the road against the New England Patriots, I've got almost no hope the Texans will be able to do anything of note in this game.

The Patriots defense has struggled here and there, but man oh man, this Texans offensive line is going to get wrecked.

This feels like a game in which Hopkins could see 12-14 targets but come up with five or so of them for 50-60 yards. If you're in a PPR league, that's OK, but nothing to brag about from a player as talented as Hopkins.

Comfort Level: Getting home in your underwear after someone steals your clothes at the gym.

Ty Montgomery, RB, Green Bay Packers

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At this point in the week, it's unclear whether the Green Bay Packers will be without wide receiver Jordy Nelson in Week 3.

If you'll recall, Nelson left the team's Week 2 contest against the Atlanta Falcons early with a quad injury, according to the team's Twitter account.

Without Nelson, there's just more targets to go around.

Considering the Packers will be going up against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3, running back Ty Montgomery should have plenty of opportunities to touch the ball, especially if Nelson is out.

After losing in Week 2, the Packers will bounce back strongly against an embarrassing Bengals team.

This is a game in which you can see the Packers leading from the start and just allowing Montgomery to drain the clock.

If Montgomery doesn't find the end zone in this one, please destroy my mentions on Twitter. Thanks.

Comfort Level: Like a day at the spa.

Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers

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Let's start with something we will agree on: The New Orleans Saints' secondary is once again on par with the New York Giants' offensive line—god awful.

In Week 3, the Carolina Panthers and quarterback Cam Newton have a date with them at home.

Newton hasn't been a fantasy stud yet this season, but this is a prime spot in which many will peg him to be.

Without tight end Greg Olsen due to his broken foot, Newton still has some solid weapons, but the loss of Olsen is a bigger deal than most would think.

In addition to having some solid options still, Newton can run with the football.

It's just hard to get excited about Newton these days. In his first two games, Newton has averaged under 200 passing yards. Again, the Saints' pass defense is horrendous, Newton had two polar-opposite games against them last season—and no, the defense hasn't changed that dramatically. He went from having over 300 yards passing and a couple touchdowns in one to having under 200 and just one touchdown in the other.

I'm starting Newton due to the upside, but this isn't such a shoo-in for a stellar fantasy day as one would think.

Comfort Level: Like scratching athletes foot. Feels good while doing it, but could hurt later.

Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers

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There's no need to beat around the bush here: Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers just wasn't that great in Week 2.

In Week 3 against the Cincinnati Bengals, though, expect him to rebound.

While the Bengals have plenty of talent in their secondary, Rodgers should bounce back in a big way in Week 3, with or without wide receiver Jordy Nelson.

If you own Rodgers, you're hoping for him to get his touchdowns out of the way early, because this game should get out of hand in a hurry.

This feels like another patented Rodgers game in which he throws three touchdowns but doesn't pass for a ton of yards—235 passing yards and three touchdowns for Rodgers in this one.

Comfort Level: It's Aaron Bleepin' Rodgers. That's how comfortable I am.

Statistics courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference and ESPN.com. Betting odds courtesy of OddsShark.