Week 3 of the NFL season is here and that means it’s time to start making final on your fantasy football lineups.
Pay extra close attention this week because there are so many injuries that you may have to go deep into your bench or even hit the waiver wire. With that in mind, here are some last-minute fantasy football thoughts for Week 3.
11. Mike Evans is way overdue
In reality football, Tampa Bay’s Evans is one of the talented receivers in the NFL. In terms of fantasy, he’s been a total dud this year. Through two games, Evans has just six catches for 89 yards and zero touchdowns. Is this the week Evans snaps his slump? That seems like a good bet. The New York Giants are coming to town and their defense hasn’t been able to stop much of anything.
10. Start San Francisco’s defense
The 49ers have been playing well on both sides of the ball in their 2-0 start. The defense really could shine this week. That’s because San Francisco will be playing Pittsburgh. With quarterback Ben Roethlisberger done for the season with an elbow injury, the Steelers will hand things over to second-year pro Mason Rudolph. He was efficient after relieve Roethlisberger last week. But this will be Rudolph’s first career starter. This is a great matchup for the San Francisco defense.
9. Don’t be scared off by Adam Vinatieri’s slump
The Indianapolis kicker has missed seven kicks in his last three games, dating back to a playoff loss to Kansas City last year. But look for Vinatieri to bounce back against the Falcons this week. The Colts are nervous about the situation and worked out six kickers this week before deciding to stick with Vinatieri. That’s going to pay off. Vinatieri, the NFL’s all-time leading scorer, is too good to stay down for long.
8. Kenny Golladay is a great matchup against the Eagles
The Detroit wide receiver has caught a touchdown pass in each of his first two games. There’s a good chance that streak will continue. The Eagles have been terrible in pass coverage. Philadelphia has allowed 680 passing yards and six touchdown passes in two games.
7. Josh Allen might be the most underrated quarterback in the NFL
The Buffalo quarterback plays in a small market and the Bills don’t have a huge national audience. That means Allen has gone largely unnoticed. That’s started to change with the Bills off to a 2-0 start and there’s a good chance they’ll move to 3-0 because they host the winless Bengals. Allen is a good quarterback in reality and he’s only going to keep getting better. In fantasy terms, he’s already an excellent quarterback. Dating back to last season, he’s had a least one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown in three straight games.
6. Look deep if you’re going to play a Philadelphia wide receiver
The Eagles already have ruled DeSean Jackson out for the game with Detroit because of an abdominal injury. They’re still holding out hope Alshon Jeffery can play with a calf injury. But, even if Jeffery plays, he won’t be at 100 percent. That could mean more targets for Nelson Agholor. But if Jeffery is out, the Lions will devote most of their coverage to Agholor. If you really have to play a Philadelphia wide receiver, JJ Arcega-Whiteside and Mack Hollins could be good sleepers.
5. Teddy Bridgewater will step up
The New Orleans quarterback wasn’t great after he came in for an injured Drew Brees last week. But look for major improvement out of Bridgewater against Seattle. Bridgewater now has had a full week of practice with the first team. Coach Sean Payton’s offense is built for Brees, not Bridgewater. It’s impossible to completely change an offense in one week and Payton’s not going to attempt anything like that. But it’s safe to assume Payton has made a few tweaks that fit Bridgewater’s skills. Remember, Payton thought so highly of Bridgewater that he made him the highest-paid backup in the league ($7.5 million this year).
4. Is Vic Fangio still a defensive genius?
The new Denver coach was one of the best defensive coordinators of his era. But that side of him hasn’t shown through since he’s become a head coach. The Broncos have yet to force a turnover or record a sack. Now, the Broncos face a tough task as they play quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Fangio may still be a defensive wiz, but we may not get to see it against Rodgers.
3. Aaron Donald is about to explode
The two-time Defensive Player of the Year has been silent through the first two games. He hasn’t recorded a sack. But there’s a good chance that will change Sunday night when Donald and the Rams play Cleveland. The Browns have not done a good job of protecting quarterback Baker Mayfield. That means there’s a good chance Donald gets his first sack. He may even end up with multiple sacks. So, start the Los Angeles defense if you’ve got it.
2. Matt Ryan will stop being a turnover machine
The Atlanta quarterback has thrown five interceptions in the first two games. That’s partly due to poor play by the offensive line. But this is very uncharacteristic for Ryan, who usually is good with ball security. Look for him to bounce back against the Colts and play an efficient and prolific game.
1. Ezekiel Elliott could run for 200 yards
The Dallas running back missed the entire preseason while holding out for a new contract. The Cowboys have kept him on pitch count. He got about 50 percent of the offensive snaps in the opener and about 75 percent in Week 2. This week offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said there are no more limitations on Elliott. That could be true on several levels. First, the Cowboys will use Elliott as much as they want to. Second, the opposing defense isn’t capable of limiting Elliott. That’s because the Cowboys are playing the lowly Miami Dolphins. Now, it is possible Elliott’s playing time could be limited when/if this game turns into a blowout, but he’ll already have a ton of yards by then.
Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
