Fantasy Fallout: Week 3

By :: Mike Johnson (Mjohnson86) and Tony Kneepkens (Tonytk44)

Welcome to the Monday edition of the Daily Dose newsletter, our “Fantasy Fallout” day. In this article, you will get a quick rundown of the relevant things we learned from the week’s games from Thursday through Sunday. 

We won’t talk about every single player and we usually won’t spend time on studs who go nuts (no one needs to be told to start Saquon Barkley right now!), but rather, the idea is to update you on usage trends, injuries, and other relevant things to help your decisions with your teams for the coming week and beyond.

DOLPHINS @ BILLS

• Dalton Kincaid led the Bills with six targets and had a solid 5-66-1 fantasy line. Five different Bills’ WRs caught a pass, led by Khalil Shakir (4-45-1). No Bills WR had more than four targets.

• Rookie RB Ollie Gordon II handled nine of 21 Dolphins RB carries for 38 yards and scored a goal-line TD. He’s worth a roster spot in most leagues as a strong backup RB with upside for more work.

• Jaylen Waddle scored for a second week in a row and has 5+ targets and 4+ catches in every game this season. WR Malik Washington had five touches for 32 yards and appears to be carving out a complementary role in the Phins’ offense.

BENGALS @ VIKINGS

• The “Battle of the Backups” went decisively to Carson Wentz and the Vikings over Jake Browning and the Bengals. Browning looked terrible, while Wentz looked strong, but the results should be viewed through the lens of the situation. Browning played a very difficult Vikings defensive scheme, while Wentz played a very weak Bengals defense. 

• Jordan Mason had a dominant performance in his first game as Minnesota’s feature back, going over 100 rushing yards and scoring two touchdowns. He is a locked-in starter for your fantasy teams.

• The Vikings will get wide receiver Jordan Addison back from his three-game suspension next week, which will surely affect the target shares of all players.

• Things don’t get easier anytime soon for the Bengals, as they face the Broncos, Lions, and Packers over the next three weeks. Temper your expectations.

TEXANS @ JAGUARS

• Jacksonville's touchdowns both came from their running backs, with Travis Etienne Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten each scoring once while posting modest statistics otherwise in a tough matchup.

• The Jaguars passing game struggled once again as Trevor Lawrence completed only 50% of his passes and Brian Thomas Jr. did nothing all game until a 40+ yard reception on their final drive.

• Nico Collins busted out of his slump and scored on a busted coverage by Jacksonville, but the rest of Houston’s offense was a mess once again.

COLTS @ TITANS

• Daniel Jones once again played very well in a dominant Colts victory. The touchdowns went to Jonathan Taylor this week, but Jones once again played at a high level. He should be rostered in all leagues.

• Colts tight end Tyler Warren had a modest game on the stat sheet and his snaps were down, but he ran a route on 89% of the team’s dropbacks. Don’t panic, the eruption is coming.

• Calvin Ridley was held to one catch as the Titans offense struggled once again. Ridley will likely have another tough game against Houston in Week 4, but don’t drop him as life gets easier with the Cardinals, Raiders, and Patriots in the weeks that follow.

RAIDERS @ COMMANDERS

• Ashton Jeanty was hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on 11 of his 17 rushes in Week 3….and still managed to post 63 rushing yards. Not a day that will excite his fantasy managers, and these line issues aren’t going to magically disappear. Jeanty faces the Bears in Week 4, and if he can post a big game, that would be a good time to consider trading him.

• Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker absolutely erupted for eight receptions // 145 yards // three TDs. Most of this production came with the Raiders playing from a large deficit, but that is the type of performance that is hard for a coaching staff not to consider moving forward. We shouldn’t expect Tucker to do something like that again, but he isn’t going to disappear either.

• Marcus Mariota did an admirable job in relief of Jayden Daniels and is a viable streaming option any week that he is starting.

• The Commanders are using a full-blown RB committee, and none of them can be trusted right now unless your team has some truly dire circumstances.

RAMS @ EAGLES

• Puka Nacua and Davante Adams did what they do, dominating targets and playing well. No other Rams receivers or tight ends should be considered as long as both are healthy.

• Blake Corum is legitimately good and needs to be rostered in every league. Kyren Williams still handled the bulk of the work, but Corum would smash if Williams ever misses time.

• The Eagles’ passing game finally woke up after they fell behind by three scores and had to open things up. Just a reminder not to panic too soon on your studs. 

• Speaking of studs, Saquon Barkley had another pedestrian game but is still Saquon Barkley. He is an elite “Buy Low” candidate.

FALCONS @ PANTHERS

• The Falcons offense was atrocious in a game against a Panthers defense that had previously looked terrible. Hard to trust anyone besides Bijan Robinson or Drake London right now.

• Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan continued to look like an absolute stud without posting huge numbers. His next four games are against the Patriots, Dolphins, Cowboys, and Jets. Now would be a great time to acquire him, even if it feels like a bit of an “overpay”. An eruption is coming.

STEELERS @ PATRIOTS

• Pittsburgh RB Jaylen Warren played 80% of the team’s snaps and handled 23 touches, including five receptions, while Kenneth Gainwell worked only situationally but stole a touchdown and rookie Kaleb Johnson was a healthy scratch. Warren has assumed a feature role and should be started weekly.

• The Steelers only ran 54 plays and only threw the ball on about 50% of their snaps in a game that was within one score the whole game. Warren and DK Metcalf are the only players you can rely on here.

• Patriots QB Drake Maye and TE Hunter Henry had great games, showing themselves as capable streaming options at their respective positions. Henry leads the team in targets through three weeks as the Patriots rotate several wide receivers.

• Running backs Antonio Gibson and Rhamondre Stevenson lost a combined three fumbles, allowing rookie TreVeyon Henderson to lead the backfield in snaps and opportunities for the first time in his young career. He could have a massive opportunity to seize control against the Panthers next week.

PACKERS @ BROWNS

• An ugly offensive game all around between these teams with two great defenses. It is hard to trust anyone in either passing game on a weekly basis.

• Cleveland rookie running back Quinshon Judkins was electric once again, handling 19 touches and averaging over 5.0 yards per carry against a very good opponent. He is a feature back going forward and the offense should be built around him.

• Packers TE Tucker Kraft played 57 of 66 snaps after a knee injury scare at Thursday’s practice. He should be fine moving forward. Both Kraft and rookie WR Matthew Golden should have some big games coming up against the Cowboys and Bengals.

JETS @ BUCS

• The Jets almost pulled off a miraculous comeback as the Bucs took their foot off the gas too early. Running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Garrett Wilson combined for 55% of the team’s skill-player usage, rendering everyone else useless for fantasy purposes once again.

• Bucs WR Mike Evans sustained a hamstring injury that looked rough in real time and didn’t return. Early reports are he could be headed for a four-week IR stint. This happens right as the team expects to get Chris Godwin back for Week 4. Rookie WR Emeka Egbuka played well once again and is likely to be the centerpiece of the passing offense in the immediate future.

• The injury-hampered Tampa Bay offensive line has some major issues and was called for a lot of penalties in this matchup. The Bucs have a murderer’s row of defensive lines coming up on their schedule and will need to get things figured out quickly.

BRONCOS @ CHARGERS

• Chargers RB Najee Harris left the game with what appears to be an Achilles tear that would cause him to miss the rest of the season. Hassan Haskins seems likely to be the next man up to back up/complement rookie RB starter Omarion Hampton in their backfield.

• Rookie TE Oronde Gadsden made his Chargers’ debut and tied for third on the team with seven targets that he parlayed into a solid 5-46 line. It was the first time a Chargers TE received more than two targets in a game this season.

• J.K. Dobbins handled 11 of Denver’s 13 RB carries and ran for 83 yards and a TD. He looks like a fantasy starter until further notice with rookie RJ Harvey (five touches, 16 yards) his clear backup.

• Courtland Sutton had an awesome, 6-118-1 game and the rest of the Broncos combined for a total of eight catches for 35 yards.

SAINTS @ SEAHAWKS

• Seattle led big the entire way, including 21-0 after the first quarter and 38-6 at the half, forcing the Saints into 41 pass attempts with 28 of them (68%) going to Chris Olave (10-57), Juwan Johnson (6-51), and Rashid Shaheed (4-42).

• Seahawks’ rookie WR Tory Horton finished second on the team with four targets, catching three for 32 yards and a TD, and he also added a 95-yard punt-return TD in an incredible breakout performance.

• Kenneth Walker III was afforded 17 of the team’s 34 RB opportunities in RB teammate Zach Charbonnet’s absence. Kenny accumulated 50 scrimmage yards and a pair of rushing TDs, and it seems likely he would have handled more of the work in a closer game.

COWBOYS @ BEARS

• Bears’ QB Caleb Williams had a breakout performance, passing for a squeaky-clean 298-4 line in a comfortable win. He spread the ball all around with TDs to four different players and five Chicago pass catchers catching 3+ passes.

• Rookie WR Luther Burden III had a breakout 3-101-1 game and also had a rush for seven yards, his best role and production of the young season.

• Cowboys’ superstar WR CeeDee Lamb left the game with an ankle injury. He tried to return for a play before leaving the game again for good. His status needs to be monitored, but managers may need to plan to make other arrangements with Dallas playing on Sunday Night Football next week.

• TE Jake Ferguson had a staggering 13 catches for 82 yards on 14 targets after Lamb left without a catch. Ferguson was a fantasy TE starter already, but he will have an even larger role in the Dallas offense if Lamb misses time.

CARDINALS @ 49ERS

• Cardinals’ veteran RB James Conner appeared to suffer a serious leg injury and did not return. Second-year RB Trey Benson, available in nearly half of leagues, is worthy of top waiver priority, full FAAB balance, etc., if available.

• Second-year WR Marvin Harrison Jr. led the team with 44 receiving yards, catching half of his six targets. He dropped a long pass that would have really helped his box score but remains a solid fantasy starter.

• 49ers’ WR Ricky Pearsall saw 11 of backup QB Mac Jones’ targets and had a huge 8-117 receiving line. Pearsall is an every-week starter, with a pair of 100-yard games already this season.

CHIEFS @ GIANTS

• Chiefs WR Tyquan Thornton led the team with nine targets, five catches, and 71 yards and scored a TD for the second week in a row.

• The KC backfield remained a frustrating 50/50 split with RBs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt handling 10 carries and one catch each. Hunt added a one-yard rushing score.

• Giants’ RB Tyrone Tracy left the game with an apparent shoulder injury after handling nine touches for 36 yards. His rookie RB teammate Cam Skattebo led the Giants in both rushing and receiving, racking up 121 scrimmage yards and scoring on the ground. Skattebo looks like a fantasy starter, especially if Tracy misses time.

• Russell Wilson had his worst all-around game of the season, passing for just 160 yards and throwing a pair of interceptions. No Giants’ WR or TE had more than 30 yards. The calls for rookie Jaxson Dart will be getting louder after this one.