Fantasy Football Week 3: Matt Camp's Fantasy Big Board
Sometimes riding a hot player makes sense, especially when the matchup is in his favor.
Patrick Mahomes is off to a historic start with 582 yards and 10 touchdowns on just 38 completions. While it's unlikely he'll continue at such a torrid pace, he can still put up strong fantasy numbers with another attractive matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3.
With Jerick McKinnon out for the season, the 49ers turned to Matt Breida and Alfred Morris to replace McKinnon's production. After two games, Breida leads the NFL in rushing. Even though Morris will remain in the mix, Breida should be considered a good starting option with a solid role in a fantasy-friendly offense.
It's still early in the season, so you can simplify lineup decisions by playing your best players without thinking too much about their matchups. Take at least another week before you start making sweeping changes to your personal depth charts.
Here's the first look at points-per-reception rankings for Week 3. These will change throughout the week and up to Sunday's action as we get more information about injuries and limitations, so make sure to bookmark this page for my full rankings for all scoring formats.
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Top 100
1 of 7
I present my top 100 players (minus quarterbacks) for the week as a way to help determine your flex spots. You may favor a certain position or player over another based on his role and/or your scoring rules.
As an additional tiebreaker, here are the teams I like this week based on their matchups:
- New Orleans Saints (at Atlanta Falcons)
- Kansas City Chiefs (vs. San Francisco 49ers)
- San Francisco 49ers (at Kansas City Chiefs)
- Minnesota Vikings (vs. Buffalo Bills)
- New England Patriots (at Detroit Lions)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (at Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers)
Week 3 Top 100 PPR Rankings
Quarterbacks
2 of 7
Better Than Usual
Ryan Fitzpatrick, TB (vs. PIT)
Ryan Fitzpatrick has turned an opportunity to start in place of the suspended Jameis Winston into one of the best stories of the season. Not only are the Buccaneers 2-0 with wins over the Saints and Eagles, but he's also become a great fantasy asset and made nearly the entire Buccaneers receiving corps fantasy-relevant. That should continue for at least one more week as the Buccaneers host the Steelers.
Last week, Mahomes torched the Steelers for 326 yards and six touchdowns. Only the Chiefs have allowed more fantasy points to quarterbacks. The Buccaneers, however, are sixth on the list in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks, so Fitzpatrick will need to be busy and productive to keep up with the high-powered Steelers passing attack. This game could be a fantasy bonanza, so be confident in Fitzpatrick to continue his outstanding play.
Concern
Philip Rivers, LAC (at LAR)
Philip Rivers is off to a strong start as the No. 4 fantasy quarterback, but he's been fortunate to face the Chiefs and Bills. Those teams have allowed the most and fourth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, respectively.
In Week 3, Rivers will face significantly better competition in the Los Angeles Rams. In games against Derek Carr and Sam Bradford, the Rams have been the best defense against fantasy quarterbacks, though Rivers will provide a tougher test. The Los Angeles defense is one of the better units in the league with a strong pass rush and talented secondary, so if you're sticking with Rivers, be sure to lower expectations.
Avoid
Mitchell Trubisky, CHI (at ARI)
Mitchell Trubisky has failed to put up good fantasy numbers in starts against the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks. Despite a favorable home matchup against a depleted Seahawks defense, Trubisky completed 25 of 34 passes for just 200 yards with two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Through two weeks, he's the No. 20 fantasy quarterback with just 28.4 fantasy points.
This week's game in Arizona doesn't look like a tough one for Trubisky, as the Cardinals rank tied for 12th in most fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. However, they also allow the most fantasy points to running backs after getting beat up by Chris Thompson, Adrian Peterson and Todd Gurley. This could be a great game for Jordan Howard with Trubisky playing a minimal role in the success of the offense. He's nothing more than a depth option if you even carry a backup quarterback.
Sleeper
Blake Bortles, JAC (vs. TEN)
Blake Bortles may not get a lot of respect in fantasy or reality, but he's been a solid fantasy quarterback for the last few years. Last week was arguably one of the best performances of his career. He got the defending AFC champion Patriots for 377 yards and four touchdowns (with one interception) on 29-of-45 passing to finish with 32.6 fantasy points, which placed him fourth at the position.
Bortles and the Jacksonville Jaguars host the Tennessee Titans in Week 3. The Titans allowed 230 yards and two touchdowns to Ryan Tannehill in their opener but then surrendered 310 yards and a pair of touchdowns in addition to 44 rushing yards to Deshaun Watson. While he may not be in Watson's category when it comes to running, Bortles rushed for 77 yards on 10 attempts in his first two games, so he's a threat with his legs.
If you're looking for a streamer, Bortles is your man. And he'll be even more important to the offense if Leonard Fournette has to sit out another game with his hamstring injury.
Week 3 Quarterback Rankings
| 1 | Patrick Mahomes (KC) |
| 2 | Tom Brady (NE) |
| 3 | Aaron Rodgers (GB) |
| 4 | Drew Brees (NO) |
| 5 | Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) |
| 6 | Kirk Cousins (MIN) |
| 7 | Ryan Fitzpatrick (TB) |
| 8 | Cam Newton (CAR) |
| 9 | Deshaun Watson (HOU) |
| 10 | Jimmy Garoppolo (SF) |
| 11 | Matthew Stafford (DET) |
| 12 | Matt Ryan (ATL) |
| 13 | Carson Wentz (PHI) |
| 14 | Philip Rivers (LAC) |
| 15 | Blake Bortles (JAC) |
| 16 | Andrew Luck (IND) |
| 17 | Russell Wilson (SEA) |
| 18 | Alex Smith (WAS) |
| 19 | Jared Goff (LAR) |
| 20 | Andy Dalton (CIN) |
| 21 | Tyrod Taylor (CLE) |
| 22 | Ryan Tannehill (MIA) |
| 23 | Case Keenum (DEN) |
| 24 | Joe Flacco (BAL) |
| 25 | Mitch Trubisky (CHI) |
| 26 | Derek Carr (OAK) |
| 27 | Dak Prescott (DAL) |
| 28 | Eli Manning (NYG) |
| 29 | Sam Darnold (NYJ) |
| 30 | Sam Bradford (ARI) |
| 31 | Josh Allen (BUF) |
| 32 | Blaine Gabbert (TEN) |
Running Backs
3 of 7
Better Than Usual
Giovani Bernard, CIN (at CAR)
No Joe Mixon? No problem. Giovani Bernard will take over for Mixon while the second-year back recovers from a knee procedure. Bernard's role without Mixon last year was covered in this week's B.S. Meter, but the short version is that he was the No. 6 fantasy running back when he led the way for the Bengals from Weeks 14 to 16 in 2017.
Bernard's first crack at leading the way in 2018 comes in a favorable matchup against the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers contained Ezekiel Elliott in Week 1 (15 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown, three receptions for 17 yards). But they didn't slow the Falcons backs in Week 2, as evidenced by Tevin Coleman and Ito Smith's 153 rushing yards on 25 attempts.
The Cincinnati Bengals should lean on Bernard to carry most of Mixon's workload, which is why he's a great play against a beatable defense.
Concern
Jay Ajayi, PHI (vs. IND)
Even though he found the end zone for the third time in two games, that touchdown was the only positive to take from an otherwise disappointing fantasy day for Jay Ajayi. A back injury had him checking in and out, which explains why he was limited to just seven carries for 23 yards and a reception for four yards while playing just 27.8 percent of the snaps, per Pro Football Reference.
While it seemed like Ajayi's return to action late in the game was a good sign for his health moving forward, the Eagles promoted Josh Adams from the practice squad Tuesday. According to Reuben Frank of NBC Sports Philadelphia, offensive coordinator Mike Groh "indicated that there's a good chance Jay Ajayi won't be available Sunday."
This is a situation to monitor throughout the week, but if Ajayi is down, Corey Clement would get a significant boost, especially after his great performance in Week 2.
Avoid
Derrick Henry, TEN (at JAC)
If you drafted Derrick Henry, the first two weeks of the season have been disappointing yet predictable. Henry has 28 carries for 82 yards (2.9 yards per carry) without a touchdown and just a single reception for five yards on his only target. He already trails Dion Lewis in carries (30-28), rushing yards (117-82), touchdowns (1-0), targets (9-1), receptions (6-1) and receiving yards (36-5). Lewis has been on the field for 83 of 128 snaps (64.8 percent), while Henry has played 45 of 128 snaps (35.2 percent), per PFR.
Lewis is clearly the better back, as he can contribute regardless of the score since he's a proven receiver. Henry can't even be counted on to produce with volume, and that's not something he'll get this weekend. The Jaguars limited Patriots running backs to just 67 yards on 20 carries last week. Henry has minimal fantasy value and should be avoided.
Sleeper
Sony Michel, NE (at DET)
Speaking of the Patriots backfield, Sony Michel made his NFL debut in Week 2 after missing the preseason and Week 1 with a knee injury. It wasn't a surprise that Michel played just 21.3 percent of the snaps, per PFR, with 10 carries for 34 yards and a reception for seven yards on two targets. However, that was a busier workload than Rex Burkhead, who finished with six carries for 22 yards and no targets on 23.0 percent of the snaps.
If the Patriots want to increase Michel's workload, he'll have a great chance to produce. In games against the New York Jets and 49ers, the Lions allowed a league-high 363 yards on 53 carries, including three rushing touchdowns. If the Patriots want to attack this weakness, Michel should be the one who gets the call. Trusting him in just his second game might feel like a bit of a reach, but it's a gamble that could pay off with big fantasy production.
Week 3 Running Back PPR Rankings
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Wide Receivers
4 of 7
Better Than Usual
JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT (at TB)
Should you be surprised with JuJu Smith-Schuster's excellent fantasy performances? If you saw this week's B.S. Meter, you know this is only a continuation of how well he played in the second half of last season, when both he and Antonio Brown were top-five fantasy wide receivers in fantasy points per game over the final 10 weeks.
After two games, Smith-Schuster sits sixth and Brown is 10th among fantasy wide receivers, and eight points separate them. Despite all the drama in Pittsburgh, the offense is still producing at a high level, and that has a great chance to continue on Monday night in Tampa Bay. Over the first two weeks, the Buccaneers allowed 36 receptions for 395 yards and three touchdowns to wide receivers. This is a beatable defense that's been crushed by injuries, so keep the expectations high for Smith-Schuster.
Concern
Marquise Goodwin, SF (at KC)
The quad injury Marquise Goodwin suffered in Week 1 limited him to just 17 snaps and kept him out of practice all last week. He was inactive for Week 2, which was a detriment to the 49ers passing attack, as they didn't have a receiver to take the top off the Lions defense. Considering Goodwin didn't even get a limited practice in last week, it could be an uphill climb for him to be ready for a favorable matchup with the Chiefs.
If Goodwin does play, he should be a good starting option since the Chiefs allowed 40 receptions for 414 yards and four touchdowns to wide receivers in contests against the Los Angeles Chargers and Steelers. Keep an eye on this injury, as it will affect the fantasy value of Jimmy Garoppolo, too.
Avoid
Kelvin Benjamin, BUF (at MIN)
Don't be fooled by Kelvin Benjamin's garbage-time production in Week 2. The veteran receiver scored a three-yard touchdown with 38 seconds remaining in a 31-20 loss to the Chargers. Benjamin finished with two receptions for 19 yards and the touchdown on three targets. He has just three receptions for 29 yards on 10 targets this season. To show just how bad the Bills are: Those 10 targets lead the team. Steer clear of Benjamin and the Bills on Sunday.
Sleeper
Geronimo Allison, GB (at WAS)
It was hard to feel good about Geronimo Allison in Week 2 thanks to a tough matchup with the Vikings and questions about how Aaron Rodgers would hold up with his knee injury. Allison came through with six receptions for 64 yards on six targets, so his 12.4 fantasy points have to be considered a success when you factor in how much appeared to be working against him.
Through two games, he has 11 receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets. Even though Davante Adams is clearly Rodgers' top option with 20 targets, 13 receptions, 152 yards and a pair of scores, Allison isn't far behind Randall Cobb, who has 13 receptions for 172 yards and a touchdown on 16 targets after posting just four catches for 30 yards on six targets in Week 2. Allison might be the third option in Green Bay, but that means a lot more when Rodgers is the one throwing the ball.
In Week 3, Allison will have an average matchup with the Washington Redskins. They held wide receivers to 20 receptions for 210 yards and touchdown in their first two games, though that came in matchups with the Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts, so they haven't faced a team as deep as the Packers are at wide receiver. Allison is worth a shot if you need him.
Week 3 Wide Receiver PPR Rankings
Tight Ends
5 of 7
Better Than Usual
O.J. Howard, TB (vs. PIT)
The search for stability at tight end may never end for some fantasy owners, so it might come down to weighing safety versus upside. In two games, Howard has only six targets, but he's turned that into five receptions for 150 yards and a 75-yard TD. That score came on a crossing route that became a much bigger play than it was designed to be due to poor tackling and Howard's ability to gain yards after the catch.
Howard's knack for big plays dates back to his rookie season last year, when he had three TDs go for at least 30 yards. In addition to the 75-yard score in Week 2, he had a 35-yard gain in Week 1, so even though he hasn't been that busy, he's been efficient when the ball is in his hands. That upside is worth using this week when he faces the visiting Steelers.
Last week, Travis Kelce went off for seven receptions, 109 yards and a pair of TDs on 10 targets against Pittsburgh. The matchup between the Steelers and Buccaneers features two passing games with a lot of firepower and two beatable defenses. There's enough working in Howard's favor to use him with the hope for another big play or two.
Concern
Benjamin Watson, NO (at ATL)
Watson might seem like a tight end you can take a shot on if you're stuck at a thin position, but the results haven't been promising so far in 2018. Through Week 2, he's caught seven of nine targets for 63 yards and has yet to score. While playing with Drew Brees always gives Watson a glimmer of fantasy hope, the matchup with the Falcons isn't great.
The Falcons held Eagles tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert to only six receptions for 52 yards in Week 1. Atlanta followed that up by limiting Panthers tight end Ian Thomas to a pair of catches for 10 yards this past Sunday.
The hope for Watson is continued usage in the red zone. He has three targets and two receptions for 14 yards inside the 20-yard-line, so if you play him, the idea is that he'll get chances to score.
Avoid
Jonnu Smith, TEN (at JAC)
Smith was a popular pickup heading into Week 2 after the Titans lost Delanie Walker for the season in Week 1. Smith went on to register zero targets in a Week 2 win over the Houston Texans after catching only one of three targets for 12 yards in the opener.
Between Marcus Mariota's elbow injury and Blaine Gabbert filling in as the backup, this quarterback situation has made it hard to use any member of the Titans receiving corps with confidence outside of Corey Davis, who is the only Titan with at least 10 targets this season. Move on from Smith.
Sleeper
Jesse James, PIT (at TB)
Though Vance McDonald returned to action in Week 2 after missing Week 1 with a foot injury, James came through with the best game of his career. He hauled in all five of his targets for 138 yards, including a 46-yard gain and a 26-yard TD, to finish with 24.8 fantasy points, making him the No. 2 fantasy TE for the week. McDonald's return dropped James' snap share from 82.1 percent to 54.9 percent, but that still beat McDonald's 45.1 percent.
The presence of McDonald makes it tougher to trust James, so this is definitely a reach play. However, it's worth a shot following James' performance in Week 2 and a favorable matchup with the Buccaneers this week. They allowed 15 receptions for 151 yards on 19 targets to Ertz (11 receptions, 94 yards) and the Eagles tight ends last week.
This will be a battle of the passing attacks, so James has a shot to get it done.
Week 3 Tight End PPR Rankings
| 1 | Travis Kelce (KC) |
| 2 | Rob Gronkowski (NE) |
| 3 | Zach Ertz (PHI) |
| 4 | George Kittle (SF) |
| 5 | Jordan Reed (WAS) |
| 6 | Jimmy Graham (GB) |
| 7 | Kyle Rudolph (MIN) |
| 8 | Evan Engram (NYG) |
| 9 | O.J. Howard (TB) |
| 10 | Trey Burton (CHI) |
| 11 | Jared Cook (OAK) |
| 12 | Jack Doyle (IND) |
| 13 | Eric Ebron (IND) |
| 14 | David Njoku (CLE) |
| 15 | Austin Seferian-Jenkins (JAC) |
| 16 | Benjamin Watson (NO) |
| 17 | Jesse James (PIT) |
| 18 | Austin Hooper (ATL) |
| 19 | Will Dissly (SEA) |
| 20 | Tyler Eifert (CIN) |
| 21 | Jake Butt (DEN) |
| 22 | Ricky Seals-Jones (ARI) |
| 23 | Charles Clay (BUF) |
| 24 | Vance McDonald (PIT) |
| 25 | Ian Thomas (CAR) |
| 26 | Nick Boyle (BAL) |
| 27 | Jonnu Smith (TEN) |
| 28 | Mark Andrews (BAL) |
| 29 | Antonio Gates (LAC) |
| 30 | Dallas Goedert (PHI) |
| 31 | Ryan Griffin (HOU) |
| 32 | Mike Gesicki (MIA) |
| 33 | Cameron Brate (TB) |
| 34 | Nick Vannett (SEA) |
Defenses
6 of 7
Best Streaming Option
Dallas Cowboys (at SEA)
Last week, this section suggested using the Chicago Bears in their matchup with the Seahawks. That yielded 17 fantasy points thanks to six sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery, a touchdown and only 17 points allowed to the putrid Seahawks offense. It's pretty easy to see why you should target the Seahawks once again, but this time with the Cowboys defense.
In two weeks, the Seahawks have surrendered 12 sacks, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a touchdown, which explains why they've given up the most fantasy points to opposing defenses. Last week, the Cowboys sacked Eli Manning six times and had a fumble recovery while giving up only 13 points. In Week 1, they held the Panthers to 16 points while registering three sacks and a fumble recovery.
Dallas' defense has been a bright spot so far, and that should continue with an attractive matchup in Seattle.
Ownership percentage: ESPN, 11.0; Yahoo, 14.0
Other streaming options: Cleveland Browns (vs. NYJ), Miami Dolphins (vs. OAK)
Week 3 Defense Rankings
| 1 | Minnesota Vikings (vs. BUF) |
| 2 | Chicago Bears (at ARI) |
| 3 | Dallas Cowboys (at SEA) |
| 4 | Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. TEN) |
| 5 | Cleveland Browns (vs. NYJ) |
| 6 | Houston Texans (vs. NYG) |
| 7 | Baltimore Ravens (vs. DEN) |
| 8 | Miami Dolphins (vs. OAK) |
| 9 | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. IND) |
| 10 | Los Angeles Rams (vs. LAC) |
| 11 | Denver Broncos (at BAL) |
| 12 | New York Jets (at CLE) |
| 13 | Carolina Panthers (vs. CIN) |
| 14 | Seattle Seahawks (vs. DAL) |
| 15 | Cincinnati Bengals (at CAR) |
| 16 | Green Bay Packers (at WAS) |
| 17 | New England Patriots (at DET) |
| 18 | New York Giants (at HOU) |
| 19 | Arizona Cardinals (vs. CHI) |
| 20 | Tennessee Titans (at JAC) |
Kickers
7 of 7
Best Streaming Option
Dan Bailey, MIN (vs. BUF)
This might the only time Bailey gets mentioned as a streaming option, because a kicker of his caliber in such a great situation is rarely on the waiver wire. After the Cowboys surprisingly cut him at the end of the preseason, Bailey didn't sign anywhere for the first two weeks.
When Vikings kicker Daniel Carlson missed all three of his field-goal attempts in Week 2, he cost the team multiple chances at a victory over the Packers, so the Vikings made a change at the position. Considering Carlson had six extra points and four field-goal attempts through two weeks, there's enough opportunities to like Bailey's chances of being a strong fantasy producer.
At 88.15 percent, he's the second-most accurate kicker in league history behind Justin Tucker of the Baltimore Ravens, so the Vikings should be getting a big upgrade. Expect him to start strong when he faces the Bills on Sunday.
Ownership percentages: ESPN, 3.0; Yahoo, 12.0
Week 3 Kicker Rankings
| 1 | Stephen Gostkowski (NE) |
| 2 | Harrison Butker (KC) |
| 3 | Justin Tucker (BAL) |
| 4 | Dan Bailey (MIN) |
| 5 | Matt Bryant (ATL) |
| 6 | Wil Lutz (NO) |
| 7 | Jake Elliott (PHI) |
| 8 | Chris Boswell (PIT) |
| 9 | Mason Crosby (GB) |
| 10 | Sam Ficken (LAR) |
| 11 | Robbie Gould (SF) |
| 12 | Matt Prater (DET) |
| 13 | Graham Gano (CAR) |
| 14 | Josh Lambo (JAC) |
| 15 | Brandon McManus (DEN) |
| 16 | Randy Bullock (CIN) |
| 17 | Chandler Catanzaro (TB) |
| 18 | Adam Vinatieri (IND) |
| 19 | Cody Parkey (CHI) |
| 20 | Ka'imi Fairbairn (HOU) |
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