Week 3 Matchups

By Cory

Well Week 3 is upon us and some chips are now starting to fall into place. Hopefully your teams are better off than mine right now (thank you very much Reggie Bush and Felix Jones). But if you are struggling, have no fear, hopefully you were able to stack up on depth and start beating up on your league mates once injuries and bye weeks hit. Keep in mind, this is the time of year that all those people who reached for TEs, Kickers, and Defenses are going to be at their best. So fear not, and here are our thoughts on matchups to avoid and exploit in Week 3 that will hopefully get you to a victory…even if you have Reggie Bush.

Broncos at Titans

Knowshon Moreno returned to practice yesterday and is participating in a limited fashion. But after the performance Willis McGahee put together last weekend, this looks like it’s headed towards a committee back situation. Brandon Lloyd should also be back this weekend, which means the Broncos will be going to the air more often. McGahee and Moreno are both unattractive plays even against a Titans run defense that struggled to contain Pocket Hercules and Ray Rice. Even with Brandon Lloyd’s injury, he should be a go this weekend. The player we want to monitor in this game is Eric Decker. Brett has higher hopes for Decker than I do, but with Eddie Royal out 2-4 weeks, Decker will be the number two option. Decker has shown great talent in his limited play and makes for a possible play this weekend in deeper leagues.

Denver got torn up by Darren McFadden so if Chris Johnson cannot get it done in this cake walk matchup, it might really be time to worry. After back to back 100+ yard games (with three touchdowns) Kenny Britt is looking to be an every week starter and should have a nice matchup against a struggling Broncos defense. Jared Cook has not really proved to be the essential safety blanket for Matt Hasselbeck that we were predicting and with how many other viable tightend options there are, hopefully you have another option.

Giants at Eagles

Wide-receiver woes continue for the New York Giants. Hakeem Nicks returned on Monday night, but Domenik Hixon suffered a torn ACL in the game and Mario Manningham got himself a concussion. Hixon is ruled out (for the season) and Manningham missed practice yesterday and his status is up in the air. If Manningham were to miss this game, Victor Cruz would be the number 2 option, but against a superstar Philly secondary and a woeful Eli Manning, this equation does not quite add up to fantasy gold. Even if Manningham does play, Eli Manning is not a good option this week. Webster’s dictionary defines Runningback by Committee as “the act or action of being the G-Men’s backfield” (Okay maybe it’s Urban Dictionary…okay maybe it’s not any dictionary…but it’s still true). Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are the quintessential committee back situation, but the Giants leans heavily on the running game and both of these guys should get enough touches to be serviceable options. Bradshaw has the receiving and starting back upsides, whereas Jacobs has the goal line and short yardage upside, so there should be enough love for both of these guys to be in at flex.

Mike Vick is still questionable to play on Sunday but he is certainly doing everything to try and convince the coaching staff he is ready to go. If Vick does not play, Mike Kafka will get the start. Kafka is no Mike Vick but he made some tough throws against the Falcons on Sunday night. Kafka is a possible option in deep leagues or two QB leagues for owners of Mike Vick, but Kafka will not get the rushing stats. Jeremy Maclin bounced back in a major way this last week at the expense of DeSean Jackson. If Vick plays, DeSean gets the edge, if Kafka plays, Maclin gets the edge. Regardless, both of these guys are elite wide receivers and should be started. Steve Smith and Jason Avant are competing for the third receiver role but with how many other weapons this offense has, neither is viable. LeSean McCoy is an every week starter unless he pulls a Jamaal Charles (Too soon?).

Texans at Saints

Houston is still easing Arian Foster into action like me wading into a pool in Winter. Until Foster’s hammy is back to full strength, Ben Tate will be an active participant in the Houston backfield. Because of the other’s presence, I don’t really love either of these options, but Tate and Foster have both been impressive out of the backfield so they should be in starting rosters if both are playing. But be sure to check back before game time because there is still a chance that the Texans will hold Foster out of action entirely. The return of Kevin Walter and a late injury suffered by Jacoby Jones makes Andre Johnson the only receiver I’m excited about in this matchup. But the Texans will have to throw to keep up with the Saints so Andre The Giant, Owen Daniels, Matt Schaub (and Kevin Walter in deeper leagues) are all starters in week 3.

Drew Brees is a must start and Jimmy Graham should have another solid game against a weak Houston secondary. Lance Moore practiced fully yesterday and should be unlimited this weekend. Devery Henderson is listed above Robert Meachem on the Saints’ depth chart, but Meachem is the more consistent target in the passing game. If I had to rank these three options for Week 3, I would go 1) Lance Moore, 2) Robert Meachem and 3) Devery Henderson.  The New Orleans backfield is a little tougher to predict. Pierre Thomas will be the nominal starter, Mark Ingram will work goal line and short yardage duties and Darren Sproles will be the third down and receiving back. Barring an injury these three will eat into each other’s value in a major way. In my opinion, all three are flex options with moderately high floors but low ceilings (somewhere between 6-10 points each?).

Lions at Vikings

The Lions offense looks for real and I’m a little bummed out I missed out on these guys in most drafts. Stafford is an every week starter now. Calvin Johnson missed practice yesterday but he was held out of practice last week as well before posting two touchdowns against the Chiefs. Megatron should be a go to play on Sunday. The guy I mentioned last week as being worth monitoring, Nate Burleson, put together a nice outing. Burleson is the number two option on a high-flying offense and is a flex-worthy option. Brandon Pettigrew has been outperforming Tony Scheffler, but Pettigrew is shaken up and had a very disappointing Week 2 so I don’t like him in this matchup. Jahvid Best should be started, Jerome Harrison is really just a handcuff to Best and is not start worthy until Best goes down.

Start Adrian Peterson (blowin’ your mind!!!). Donovan McNabb is a No-No. Percy Harvin is the number one receiver in Minnesota but that’s kind of like being the thinnest (or most sober) person at Denny’s at 3:00 in the morning. Harvin is viable in most leagues but hopefully you have better options.

Dolphins at Browns

Dumbdy dumb dumb dumb…nothing new to report out of the Miami backfield…okay so the return of Daniel Thomas has me looking like a fool and makes my chances of success this year pretty low. I’m still not ready to give up hope on Bush, but his value definitely took a hit. I foresee these two coming closer together in fantasy value with Bush having the higher upside but Thomas being the more reliable back. Until things shake out in this backfield I really do not like either of these guys but I give Daniel Thomas the edge this week. Chad Henne slowed down last week against the Texans and should not be started. Unfortunately, Henne’s struggles are preventing the speedster Davone Bess from being able to showcase his skills so Brandon Marshall is really the only player worth starting in this passing game.

Peyton Hillis had a solid outing last week – despite a low yards per carry – but the Browns are looking to decrease his workload. The Dolphins are also a rougher defense than the Colts so I wouldn’t be surprised if Hillis doesn’t post nearly the same numbers as last week. However, Hillis is the focal point of the Browns offense, and this is a winnable game for them so Hillis should be started. Texas Chainsaw Massaquoi was the most productive receiver in the Browns’ passing game but with McCoy spreading the ball and only gaining 211 yards, I am not impressed with anyone in the Browns passing game. Ben Watson was a nice outlet for McCoy last season, but as McCoy matures he is spreading the ball around more often, making anyone not named Peyton Hillis on the Browns irrelevant (for fantasy).

49ers at Bengals

Alex Smith? That’s a No-No. Braylon Edwards? Homie don’t play that. Michael Crabtree? Don’t go there. Frank Gore and Vernon Davis remain the only start-worthy players on the 49ers offense (and of course David Akers!). Gore is getting old and is injury-prone but the 49ers would put him out there and give him the ball even if he were in a wheelchair. Josh Morgan and Ted Ginn Jr. are getting more involved in the passing game but Alex Smith is not going to attempt or complete enough passes to make any San Francisco receiver fantasy relevant (Even Vernon Davis is headed in a bad direction as defenses are starting to key in on him as the only viable receiver).

Andy Dalton looked great against the Broncos but the Niners will give him a little tougher of a time. Dalton probably was not drafted and for good reason, I don’t expect much out of the young quarterback just yet. However, Dalton has been able to breathe some life into Jerome Simpson and A.J. Green who both ended up with over 120 yards last week. A.J. Green makes for a decent flex option, but I don’t love Jerome Simpson until I see more production out of the Bengals passing game. Cedric Benson is the workhorse back on the Bengals but his yards per carry was disappointing last weekend and the Niners run D will be giving him a hard time. Patrick Willis should have no problem roping in and containing Ced-Ben making him a risky flex play with a very low ceiling.

Jaguars at Panthers

As long as he’s healthy, Pocket Hercules is an every week starter especially against a Panthers decimated front seven. Deji Karim’s role was greatly decreased against the Jets last weekend and he should remain on your bench until MJD goes down. Marcedes Lewis returned to practice yesterday and will likely start on Sunday but with Blaine Gabbert at the helm no one in the Jag’s aerial attack should be started.

Any of you guys hear about this Cam Newton guy? Apparently he’s pretty good. I know Brett and Kevin will both be starting Cam Newton this weekend and I don’t blame them after he posted over 400 yards against the Packers (albeit with three interceptions). I like Cam Newton a lot this weekend against the Jags as a poor man’s Mike Vick. Steve Smith is now looking like an every week starter after back to back 150 yard performances and should be in your starting lineup. Brandon LaFell is the number two option in Carolina, but Newton seems keyed in on Smith and has been exercising the dump off pass frequently, so I am not a big LaFell believer. I am, however, starting to turn into a Jonathan Stewart believer. The host of the Daily Show has stepped it up in the receiving game and he is a more explosive back than DeAngello Williams. I still don’t consider J-Stew an every week starter but he is a decent flex and I would rather start him over Williams.

Patriots at Bills

The Patriots passing game is an absurdity with how many fantasy relevant receiving options there are. Start Tom Brady, start Wes Welker, start Deion Branch (Branch has provided a veteran presence and dramatically outperformed Chad Ochocinco). The injury to Aaron Hernandez boosts Welker and Branch’s values because of the way the Patriots used Hernandez as a wide receiver. Rob Gronkowski will not see much of a boost in value with the departure of Hernandez (and he may see more safety coverage) but Gronkowski should still be started. The lawfirm, Benjarvus Green-Ellis, should be started even if he is losing a great deal of carries to Danny Woodhead. Both BJGE and Woodhead are serviceable flex options with the edge going to BJGE.

Fred Jackson is not losing much value to C.J. Spiller and as long as he keeps producing like a workhorse back he should remain in starting rosters. The New England secondary has been burned by Chad Henne and Phil Rivers, so Baby Santa should have a nice game (most likely coming from behind and being forced to throw). The Patriots have also struggled against number one receivers (Brandon Marshall and Vincent Jackson), meaning Stevie Johnson is a safe bet this weekend. Also David Nelson made a name for himself last weekend with ten catches and the heart-breaking, game-winning touchdown. The Patriots locked in on Gates last weekend, but Johnson and Nelson aren’t really the same caliber of threat to warrant being “taken out of the game.” Stevie Johnson is a must start and Nelson makes for a sneaky flex play.

Chiefs at Chargers

Without Jamaal Charles, the whole Chiefs offense looks undesirable. I personally like Dexter McCluster more especially since they will be playing from behind against the Chargers and McCluster is the better receiving back. That being said, Thomas Jones will most likely see the majority of the carries and get goal line carries (if Kansas City can ever find the goal line). Dwayne Bowe had a rebound game last week but I don’t have much faith in him and anticipate his numbers being closer to his Week 1 performance than what he put together last week.

Start Phil Rivers. Start Vincent Jackson. Start Antonio Gates - he will not be held catch-less in this matchup. I recommended Malcom Floyd as a player worth monitoring last week and I stand by that recommendation. Floyd is injured and will likely miss this weekend’s game but Floyd had 2 catches for 59 yards and I think he could make for a decent flex or WR3 when he’s healthy, especially once injuries and byes kick in. Ryan Mathews created some separation on the ground from Tolbert last weekend with five times his yards per carry and the touchdown. However, both Tolbert and Mathews were both heavily involved in the passing game and both should remain in starting lineups.

Jets at Raiders

The Jets will be a frustrating team for fantasy purposes all season. The only player on this team that I would be excited about starting is Santonio Holmes, especially in this matchup against the Raiders. Plaxico Burress was a non-factor last week and is a risky play (I love Plax but he will be a roll-the-dice type player each week and I’d prefer to play someone with a lower ceiling but a higher floor than Plax). Dustin Keller exploded for 100 yards and a score but Mark Sanchez is too inconsistent and unreliable of a quarterback for me to expect consistent production out of anyone other than Holmes. I think you have to start Shonn Greene in this game, but he is a north-south runner and may struggle to get past Tommy Kelly and Richard Seymour.

Darren McFadden has a tough matchup against the Jets but he has shown how explosive he is and has been a target of Jason Campbell’s so he should still be in your starting roster but don’t be surprised if he struggles a little. Michael Bush is the change of pace back to McFadden and really was drafted too early in most fantasy drafts. I would avoid Bush in this matchup. We like what we saw out of Denarius Moore and the Raiders plan on using him more often, but I don’t like the Raiders passing attack and this is a tough matchup against a very skilled Jets secondary.

Ravens at Rams

Joe Flacco’s fantasy value will rely heavily upon how many touchdowns he throws. The Ravens run a conservative, run-first offense so Flacco’s yardage totals will not be very impressive.  However, Flacco is a decent play in this matchup and should be able to make good use of his weapons. Anquan Boldin struggled a little last week but he is the number one receiver and should be in your starting roster. I like Lee Evans and he was more involved last week than his week one performance of 0 catches for 0 yards, but he should not be started yet until he forms more of a presence in the Baltimore offense. Ed Dickson also slowed down last week and is not a reliable fantasy tightend this weekend, but is still worth monitoring. Ray Rice is a must start.

Steven Jackson is looking doubtful for Week 3 and Cadillac Williams was held out of practice yesterday. Either way, both of these backs will be at less than 100% and going against a rough Baltimore defense. I would avoid both backs. Sam Bradford has showed impressive poise but the Ravens defense is a tough matchup and the St. Louis receivers have been plagued with injuries and a widespread outbreak of butterfingers. Mike Sims-Walker and Danario Alexander are the top options in this receiving team but I don’t love any of these guys in this tough matchup. If I had to rank the St. Louis receivers, I would go 1) Mike Sims-Walker, 2) Danario Alexander, 3) Brandon Gibson, 4) Lance Kendricks, 5) Greg Salas, but I could easily see those rankings going in reverse order which is why I am avoiding the entire St. Louis passing game this weekend.

Falcons at Buccaneers

Matt Ryan should be started. Roddy White has a rough matchup against Aqib Talib but is Ryan’s favorite target and should be started. Julio Jones was heavily targeted last weekend but was blanketed by Nnamdi Asomugha the whole game. This should be a bounce back performance for Jones and I would safely plug him in as a WR3. Tony Gonzalez had a stellar outing last weekend against the Eagles but that was in great part due to Asomugha and Samuel taking White and Jones out of the game. Tony Gonzalez has been a disappointing fantasy option since moving to Atlanta and I don’t expect things to change much this season. Michael Turner has been looking good this season and is a safe start in this matchup.

The Bucs are a tougher team to predict. Josh Freeman does not make many mistakes and gets decent yardage with his legs. I anticipate the Bucs having to throw to stay in this game so I would consider Freeman near the top 12 in quarterbacks. I also anticipate a bounce back performance out of Mike Williams. Williams let down many owners last weekend but he is the number one receiver on a team that will be throwing so he should be in your starting lineup. Briscoe and Benn are not reliable enough to be in your starting rosters or even on your bench so don’t even bother with them. Kellen Winslow will be Captain Consistency this season. Winslow will receive many looks in this offense and has strong hands so he will always be good for some points, but he has a very low ceiling as he continues to get older every day. Winslow is serviceable but not our favorite option at tightend. Blount is a headache and a half. The Bucs will likely be trailing in this game meaning that Earnest Graham will have a larger role as the third down and receiving back. Blount is a matchup play and this is a rough matchup but we understand that you drafted Blount to be your RB1/RB2 so you may not have a better option.

Cardinals at Seahawks

Kevin Kolb has looked solid through two weeks but is not a top 12 quarterback this weekend even against a plush Seahawks secondary. Our boy Beanie Wells put together another impressive performance and should be started in this matchup. Larry Fitzgerald looked much sharper last week than in Week 1 and is a must start. Early Doucet and the rest of the Arizona receivers failed to perform much last weekend so we’d steer clear until Doucet really carves out his role as the number 2.

If you’re considering starting anyone on the Seahawks, choose any tune you’d like and sing this song to it:

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You’re welcome.