Fantasy Football Week 3: 5 Players Poised for Big Games on Sunday

The third week of the NFL is upon us and that means it's time to get your fantasy football rosters set if you already haven't. There are five players that I have spotted that I truly believe are in for monster performances. Some are more obvious than others.

The last time I wrote an article similar to this I whiffed on the majority of my picks. I am hoping for a better outcome this time around to help steer those that take my advice to a victory. I've been going over information over the past week and feel that there are five players that have the best chance for success this week.

With that being said, let's get right to it.

Cam Newton

There are a couple of reasons to love Newton this week. Let's start with the fact that he is going up against a Jacksonville defense that is currently ranked fifth in rush, which doesn't bold well for a Carolina run game that has struggled thus far. This will lead to a number of opportunities for Newton to throw the football and we've already seen how dangerous the Panthers passing attack can be.

Another reason to love him this week is that Blaine Gabbert will be making his rookie debut. The Jaguars don't have enough offensive weapons through the air to help Gabbert be successful this early on. Jacksonville will struggle to move the ball therefore Carolina's offense will have plenty of chances to do damage.

Newton is special. There's no way around it. He is a must-start in any league right now regardless of what the "experts" say. The only quarterback that should be starting over him is Tom Brady. Even if Newton doesn't deliver a 400-yard performance through the air, you know he is going to make up for it with his legs. It also doesn't hurt his fantasy stock that he is Carolina's biggest weapon near the goal line. 

Bottom line: start Cam.

Calvin Johnson

Through two games Johnson has four touchdowns. He didn't have a big yardage game last week but that will change against Minnesota. The Vikings have done a good job against the run this season, yet they haven't been able to stop the pass.

With the way that Matthew Stafford is flinging the ball around Johnson is an obvious start, even without Stafford he still would be. This is going to be a special season for Detroit and especially for Johnson. I truly believe that he has a chance to hit the 20-touchdown mark. His size, hands and leaping ability make him a load to handle in the red zone.

Against the Vikings, Johnson is going to snare a couple more touchdowns to continue his ridiculous pace. 

Rob Gronkowski

In two meetings against Buffalo last season, Gronkowski caught three touchdown passes and he is off to a fantastic start this year. Aaron Hernandez won't be available for this one so Brady will have one less target to go to, which means more opportunities for Gronkowski.

The size and athleticism that he has will prove to be a tough matchup for the Bills, a team that was the worst defense in the NFL against the tight end position in 2010. This is a great spot for Gronkowski and with the way Brady's playing, you know that he will put up solid to very good numbers. 

There isn't a better option at tight end this week than Gronkowski.

Michael Turner

Through the first two games of the season Turner has carried the ball 31 times for 214 yards. Atlanta needs to get the ball into his hands as much as possible with the way that he's running. 

Tampa Bay is currently ranked second-to-last in run defense and now will have to deal with the power running style that Turner brings to the table. The Bucs are a much better team against the pass, so expect to see Atlanta try to win this one on the ground.

Matt Ryan hasn't been nearly as successful on the road as he has at home, which is another reason to like Turner this week. The Falcons are going to rely on his legs to get the offense into a rhythm and allow Ryan to work off of play-action. 

Michael "The Burner" Turner has a shot at 200 yards if the Falcons keep feeding him the ball.

Drew Brees

Houston's new and improved defense will be put to the test against one of the NFL's best offenses on Sunday. Brees has been dynamite through two games throwing for over 650 yards and he has six touchdowns to zero interceptions. The level of efficiency that he has shown so far is remarkable.

I'm very skeptical of the Texans defense despite looking better early on. Houston is currently the best team in the league against the pass. That will change after meeting Brees and Co. this weekend. 

Wade Phillips's influence is clear on the Texans but how will he handle a Sean Payton offense? This game has the makings of a shootout in which a ton of players put up big days. My prediction is that Brees has the biggest of any and will lead New Orleans to a win.