Week 3 Fantasy Football Projections: 3 Early Season Surprises Who Will Shine

Surprise, surprise!

That should be the motto of the 2011 NFL season so far, especially with regard to how things have unfolded in the world of fantasy football. From late-bloomers blooming to young stars rising up to old stalwarts resurrecting their careers, the first two weeks of the campaign have given birth to a wide array of shockingly studly fantasy stars.

These three, in particular, have what it takes to continue their early run of success in Week 3.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buffalo Bills

After six years in the NFL, Ryan Fitzpatrick is finally combining Harvard brains with pro football brawn to become a productive, if not spectacular, quarterback. After tearing up the Chiefs for four touchdowns in Week 1, Fitzpatrick flourished into a leader with 264 yards and three touchdowns in leading the the Bills to an incredible comeback over the Raiders.

Clearly, Buffalo can score and Fitzpatrick can put up some solid fantasy numbers, as he currently ranks fifth among quarterbacks in total points through two games. His third, a home game against the pass-happy Patriots, should see more of the same. New England has surrendered 762 yards through the air thus far, the second-most of any team in the league. 

Fitzpatrick also figures to throw plenty against the Pats as a means up keeping up with one of the league's most prolific offenses. If and when the Bills fall behind, he'll be called upon to chuck the ball downfield that much more, taking his fantasy value to the next level.

Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots

On the other end of Sunday's fantasy feeding frenzy between the Bills and Pats is tight end Rob Gronkowski. The youngest of the catching Gronkowski brothers has emerged as a fantasy stud for New England, putting up 172 yards and three touchdowns while playing alongside another fantastic tight end in Aaron Hernandez.

Luckily (or unluckily) for Gronkowski owners, Hernandez will be out of Sunday's game in Buffalo with a sprained MCL in his left knee, leaving Gronk as Tom Brady's top tight end target without any debate.

That could ostensibly work out poorly for Gronkowski, as Hernandez's absence will allow the Bills to focus more of their attention on Gronk without worrying about being burned by two behemoths off the line.

Then again, Gronk's targets from Brady should go up, not down, without Hernandez around. In the Pats 35-21 win over the Chargers, Brady threw six times to Gronkowski for four catches and eight times to Hernandez for seven. Gronk is a safe bet to absorb at least some of those targets, especially in a shootout with Buffalo, and to turn those throws into more catches and yards. 

Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers

Speaking of receivers enjoying special performances in the early portion of the 2011 schedule, Steve Smith has been playing like a man possessed...by Cam Newton. The rookie's emergence has coincided with Smith's resurgence, with the latter seeming more than happy to rack up yards to help the former become the second-most prolific passer in the NFL at present.

Smith leads the league in receiving with 334 yards along with two touchdowns. Among his 14 catches, seven of them have gone for 20 yards or more. To put this surge into perspective, at this rate, Smith will surpass his production from all of last season, as far as yardage is concerned, by Week 4.

As for this week, Smith will be up against a Jaguars defense that's currently 14th in the NFL in passing yards allowed and that has given up 100-yard receiving performances in each of its first two games. Assuming Smith gets another 12 targets from Newton on Sunday, you can pencil him in for another 100-yard performance of his own, perhaps even with another touchdown or two.

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