Huge day in football. Below are my biggest fantasy takeaways for each game as we prepare for Week 3. Before we get to that, I *think* my DFS lineup cracked the top 50%. I competed in a tournament, where it comfortably hit the top 40%, but am not sure if it made the top 50% in 50/50 contests. If you did a 50/50 for the Sunday 1pm games and can tell me what the dividing line was, I'd like to know for sure if I got the job done with 134.42 points.
Also, there are a couple games tonight. If you want to predict the final score for each, please comment below. I'm taking the Eagles 27-20 and the Bills 30-14.
Browns vs. Jets -- First of all, it wasn't entirely Nick Chubb's fault for scoring instead of dropping a knee and helping to run down the clock. You figure going up by 13 with two minutes left would get the job done. Fantasy-wise, it was fascinating to see DPJ go from 11 targets in Week 1 to only one target. With Jacoby Brissett under center, it seems painfully clear that only one receiver can be fed most weeks. And for New York, Garrett Wilson came up big. If he is indeed for real, then the Jets will have (on paper) one of the league's most promising WRs corps. If only they had a top-14 QB.
Lions vs. Commanders -- I mentioned the other day (can't remember if it was here or on PFN's website) that I was debating adding Jared Goff and starting him over Justin Herbert. Then an opponent picked up Goff, and my fate was sealed. You all know my views on Goff from this summer. Didn't expect him to dominate, but did expect him to crush his insane QB27 ADP. The Lions have too many talented players to ignore him. And for Washington, I never envisioned Curtis Samuel being a factor. That's two straight games. Hats off to those of you who picked up on it early.
Saints vs. Buccaneers -- Between Jameis Winston's and Alvin Kamara's injuries, I was surprised the Saints were within striking distance of winning (until turnovers did them in). Michael Thomas remains one of the biggest early-season stories. A heroic return to the fantasy spotlight. And Leonard Fournette struggled as expected. But I thought Rachaad White would begin to close the gap. He didn't. Yet.
Giants vs. Panthers -- Kenny Golladay wasn't targeted, and I'm wondering if the Giants will eat his salary just to move on. What an crazy-quick fall that's been. Richie James is the co-#1 with Sterling Shepard, meaning I'm not trusting anyone in this receiving corps at this stage. For Carolina, CMC earned the volume and efficiency that made him a household name. But the touchdowns could be few and far between these next few weeks, as they face the Saints, Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, and Bucs. Aside from Arizona, it could be tough sledding for this popular early-first-round pick.
Steelers vs. Patriots -- If you're in a two-QB league and can pick up Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett, now's the time. Reportedly, Rudolph is the #2, and we should trust his ascension is quite possible. I think if the team believed Pickett was ready, he'd be #2 on the depth chart. Still, I'd be shocked if Trubisky lasts much longer. And a huge win for New England. I wouldn't run pick up Nelson Agholor or Jakobi Meyers. DeVante Parker, Hunter Henry, and Jonnu Smith combined for zero catches. I believe this offense will continue evolving as the season progresses.
Jaguars vs. Colts -- I was wrong on Evan Engram this summer (he's looking pretty good overall), but warned about not falling in love with Zay Jones. I pushed Marvin Jones as the #2 WR until/unless Zay displaces him. For now, only Christian Kirk is the only WR worth starting each week. And the Colts are officially a disaster. The team hype surrounding the 37-year-old Matt Ryan this offseason was unwarranted. And on a side note, as some of you know, I pushed Ashton Dulin over Parris Campbell yesterday. Didn't expect Dulin to do that well. But again, this is why we shouldn't artificially elevate players in fantasy; Campbell might be #3 on the depth chart, but that doesn't make him #1 when the top two guys are out.
Ravens vs. Dolphins -- The game of the day. Remarkable comeback. Etc., etc. For Miami, my warnings about Chase Edmonds have hit so far, sadly. I've been rooting for him since he earned his first spot start several years ago. Great talent. But he's proven time and again that he's not built to handle a heavy workload. I think Miami knows that, which is why he was used more situationally yesterday. And he did well, to his credit. But in fantasy, not well enough. For Baltimore, no one seized control of the backfield, meaning the job remains J.K. Dobbins' whenever he returns. Not surprising. But it would have made things more interesting if Kenyan Drake or Justice Hill (or Mike Davis: remember him?) had stepped up.
Rams vs. Falcons -- A blowout that got too close for comfort. Allen Robinson and Cam Akers snapped back as expected (I wrote about both on PFN over the weekend). The Rams are gradually getting into midseason form, and they'll need both guys to make another deep playoff run. For Atlanta, while we can celebrate Drake London, this offense is in a lot of trouble. I'm not sure Marcus Mariota will make it past Halloween. Kyle Pitts deserves better. And Cordarrelle Patterson earning only one target is bizarre. Who can we trust on this team?
49ers vs. Seahawks -- Trey Lance. Biggest story of the day, and of the week. Only his fifth start since he was a 19-year-old wrapping up his sophomore year. Leading one of the most storied franchises, built for Super Bowl contention. Hard not to root for this guy. Hopefully he'll be starting under center in Week 1, 2023. And for Seattle, hopefully--*hopefully*--most of you heeded my warnings about Rashaad Penny. In a sub-par offense, and with little-to-no involvement in the passing game, Penny is one of the most TD-dependent "starters" in the league.
Cowboys vs. Bengals -- What is happening with the Bengals? First, Tony Pollard outplayed Ezekiel Elliott, reversing what happened last weekend. And Dalton Schultz's injury is one to watch in the coming days. For Cincy, I'm speechless. But . . . Hayden Hurst was third on the team in targets. He's on pace for 128 targets. The fantasy production isn't there yet, but as long as the team's committed to him, that's good enough for me. And . . . Joe Mixon continues to scuffle on the ground. 3.0 YPC. Remember when I discussed his 400+ touches last season (including the playoffs) and the impact that has on RBs the following season? Folks, trust history. These regressions don't happen by accident.
Broncos vs. Texans -- Disastrous, and not simply because I started Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon. Denver didn't deserve to win, but candidly, neither did Houston. Jerry Jeudy's injury is a big one to watch this week. And Dameon Pierce got going, which is good news, except that his ceiling remains capped in a sub-par offense.
Raiders vs. Cardinals -- A complete self-destruction for the 0-2 Raiders. Davante Adams caught only two balls. Hunter Renfrow rebounded as expected, but his lost fumble might have cost this team a playoff berth (yeah it's early, but if he'd held on, they likely would have won). If Mack Hollins is for real, then my entire conception of this offense can go out the window. I'm at a loss. Oh, and James Conner's injury could open the door for Darrel Williams and Eno Benjamin. I made a huge mistake dropping Williams yesterday morning, thinking Eno was firmly in front of him. Both guys are worth adding if Conner's status remains murky by Wednesday morning.
Packers vs. Bears -- It was Aaron Jones's turn, and he came through big-time. More interestingly, seven guys had between two and three receptions. No one had more than three. The spread-it-around offense that seemed inevitable a few weeks ago has (for now) come to fruition. And for Chicago, I prematurely wrote off David Montgomery. He dominated, plain and simple. It should also be noted that Khalil Herbert ran even better (9.5 YPC). This battle isn't over; it's just delayed.
Also, there are a couple games tonight. If you want to predict the final score for each, please comment below. I'm taking the Eagles 27-20 and the Bills 30-14.
Browns vs. Jets -- First of all, it wasn't entirely Nick Chubb's fault for scoring instead of dropping a knee and helping to run down the clock. You figure going up by 13 with two minutes left would get the job done. Fantasy-wise, it was fascinating to see DPJ go from 11 targets in Week 1 to only one target. With Jacoby Brissett under center, it seems painfully clear that only one receiver can be fed most weeks. And for New York, Garrett Wilson came up big. If he is indeed for real, then the Jets will have (on paper) one of the league's most promising WRs corps. If only they had a top-14 QB.
Lions vs. Commanders -- I mentioned the other day (can't remember if it was here or on PFN's website) that I was debating adding Jared Goff and starting him over Justin Herbert. Then an opponent picked up Goff, and my fate was sealed. You all know my views on Goff from this summer. Didn't expect him to dominate, but did expect him to crush his insane QB27 ADP. The Lions have too many talented players to ignore him. And for Washington, I never envisioned Curtis Samuel being a factor. That's two straight games. Hats off to those of you who picked up on it early.
Saints vs. Buccaneers -- Between Jameis Winston's and Alvin Kamara's injuries, I was surprised the Saints were within striking distance of winning (until turnovers did them in). Michael Thomas remains one of the biggest early-season stories. A heroic return to the fantasy spotlight. And Leonard Fournette struggled as expected. But I thought Rachaad White would begin to close the gap. He didn't. Yet.
Giants vs. Panthers -- Kenny Golladay wasn't targeted, and I'm wondering if the Giants will eat his salary just to move on. What an crazy-quick fall that's been. Richie James is the co-#1 with Sterling Shepard, meaning I'm not trusting anyone in this receiving corps at this stage. For Carolina, CMC earned the volume and efficiency that made him a household name. But the touchdowns could be few and far between these next few weeks, as they face the Saints, Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, and Bucs. Aside from Arizona, it could be tough sledding for this popular early-first-round pick.
Steelers vs. Patriots -- If you're in a two-QB league and can pick up Mason Rudolph and Kenny Pickett, now's the time. Reportedly, Rudolph is the #2, and we should trust his ascension is quite possible. I think if the team believed Pickett was ready, he'd be #2 on the depth chart. Still, I'd be shocked if Trubisky lasts much longer. And a huge win for New England. I wouldn't run pick up Nelson Agholor or Jakobi Meyers. DeVante Parker, Hunter Henry, and Jonnu Smith combined for zero catches. I believe this offense will continue evolving as the season progresses.
Jaguars vs. Colts -- I was wrong on Evan Engram this summer (he's looking pretty good overall), but warned about not falling in love with Zay Jones. I pushed Marvin Jones as the #2 WR until/unless Zay displaces him. For now, only Christian Kirk is the only WR worth starting each week. And the Colts are officially a disaster. The team hype surrounding the 37-year-old Matt Ryan this offseason was unwarranted. And on a side note, as some of you know, I pushed Ashton Dulin over Parris Campbell yesterday. Didn't expect Dulin to do that well. But again, this is why we shouldn't artificially elevate players in fantasy; Campbell might be #3 on the depth chart, but that doesn't make him #1 when the top two guys are out.
Ravens vs. Dolphins -- The game of the day. Remarkable comeback. Etc., etc. For Miami, my warnings about Chase Edmonds have hit so far, sadly. I've been rooting for him since he earned his first spot start several years ago. Great talent. But he's proven time and again that he's not built to handle a heavy workload. I think Miami knows that, which is why he was used more situationally yesterday. And he did well, to his credit. But in fantasy, not well enough. For Baltimore, no one seized control of the backfield, meaning the job remains J.K. Dobbins' whenever he returns. Not surprising. But it would have made things more interesting if Kenyan Drake or Justice Hill (or Mike Davis: remember him?) had stepped up.
Rams vs. Falcons -- A blowout that got too close for comfort. Allen Robinson and Cam Akers snapped back as expected (I wrote about both on PFN over the weekend). The Rams are gradually getting into midseason form, and they'll need both guys to make another deep playoff run. For Atlanta, while we can celebrate Drake London, this offense is in a lot of trouble. I'm not sure Marcus Mariota will make it past Halloween. Kyle Pitts deserves better. And Cordarrelle Patterson earning only one target is bizarre. Who can we trust on this team?
49ers vs. Seahawks -- Trey Lance. Biggest story of the day, and of the week. Only his fifth start since he was a 19-year-old wrapping up his sophomore year. Leading one of the most storied franchises, built for Super Bowl contention. Hard not to root for this guy. Hopefully he'll be starting under center in Week 1, 2023. And for Seattle, hopefully--*hopefully*--most of you heeded my warnings about Rashaad Penny. In a sub-par offense, and with little-to-no involvement in the passing game, Penny is one of the most TD-dependent "starters" in the league.
Cowboys vs. Bengals -- What is happening with the Bengals? First, Tony Pollard outplayed Ezekiel Elliott, reversing what happened last weekend. And Dalton Schultz's injury is one to watch in the coming days. For Cincy, I'm speechless. But . . . Hayden Hurst was third on the team in targets. He's on pace for 128 targets. The fantasy production isn't there yet, but as long as the team's committed to him, that's good enough for me. And . . . Joe Mixon continues to scuffle on the ground. 3.0 YPC. Remember when I discussed his 400+ touches last season (including the playoffs) and the impact that has on RBs the following season? Folks, trust history. These regressions don't happen by accident.
Broncos vs. Texans -- Disastrous, and not simply because I started Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon. Denver didn't deserve to win, but candidly, neither did Houston. Jerry Jeudy's injury is a big one to watch this week. And Dameon Pierce got going, which is good news, except that his ceiling remains capped in a sub-par offense.
Raiders vs. Cardinals -- A complete self-destruction for the 0-2 Raiders. Davante Adams caught only two balls. Hunter Renfrow rebounded as expected, but his lost fumble might have cost this team a playoff berth (yeah it's early, but if he'd held on, they likely would have won). If Mack Hollins is for real, then my entire conception of this offense can go out the window. I'm at a loss. Oh, and James Conner's injury could open the door for Darrel Williams and Eno Benjamin. I made a huge mistake dropping Williams yesterday morning, thinking Eno was firmly in front of him. Both guys are worth adding if Conner's status remains murky by Wednesday morning.
Packers vs. Bears -- It was Aaron Jones's turn, and he came through big-time. More interestingly, seven guys had between two and three receptions. No one had more than three. The spread-it-around offense that seemed inevitable a few weeks ago has (for now) come to fruition. And for Chicago, I prematurely wrote off David Montgomery. He dominated, plain and simple. It should also be noted that Khalil Herbert ran even better (9.5 YPC). This battle isn't over; it's just delayed.