This has been some week. Normally, we have a running back injury here or a wide receiver injury there. Occasionally, a quarterback goes down, but nothing like what's happened leading into Week 3.
It feels like the quarterback position was wiped out.
Ben Roethlisberger (elbow) is out for the season, Drew Brees (thumb) is expected to miss at least six weeks and Cam Newton (foot) is out for Week 3. The Jets are also on their third quarterback with Sam Darnold (illness) and Trevor Siemian (ankle) out.
Remember when our biggest concern was Jacoby Brissett replacing the retired Andrew Luck in Indianapolis? We can only hope things go as well in Pittsburgh, New Orleans and Carolina with the backup quarterbacks there as it has with Brissett with the Colts. And let's not forget that Jacksonville also lost Nick Foles (clavicle) in Week 1.
While several Fantasy managers are scrambling to find quarterbacks — guys like Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford and Brissett should be the top options — there are also ripple effects to these injuries. As you're well aware, when the quarterback goes down, the rest of the team typically suffers.
Without Roethlisberger, James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster aren't as elite now that Mason Rudolph is the starting quarterback. You're still starting Conner and Smith-Schuster in all your leagues, but the ceiling is lower on their expected production.
It's the same story without Brees, where Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas lose value with Teddy Bridgewater. The difference is Brees is expected to return this season, so the Saints guys are potentially in better shape than the Steelers.
Injuries are never fun, but quarterback injuries carry more weight, especially when top-tier guys like Roethlisberger, Brees and Newton go down. It's going to be an interesting scoring period in Week 3, and the Fantasy managers who manage the injuries the best will likely come out on top.
We just hope there aren't many more significant injuries this week, especially at quarterback.
Start 'Em & Sit 'Em
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Start of the Week
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You want a piece of the action of the game with the highest projected point total this week, and that's Baltimore at Kansas City. Las Vegas has listed the over/under for points at 55, and I might lean toward the over.
Both quarterbacks should be stars with Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, and I love a lot of the receivers in this game (see below). We're not sure what's going on with the Chiefs backfield due to injuries to Damien Williams (knee) and LeSean McCoy (ankle), but Mark Ingram should be ready to go.
And I love the setup for him against the Chiefs.
While Kansas City has yet to allow a running back to score, Leonard Fournette went for 84 total yards in Week 1, with Josh Jacobs gaining 99 rushing yards in Week 2. Ingram should have the best game against the Chiefs to date.
He went off against Miami in Week 1 with 14 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns, and he followed that up with 77 total yards in Week 2 against Arizona. While that wasn't a great performance, he did have two catches for 30 yards on two targets against the Cardinals, which is something we could see more of moving forward.
Last year, Baltimore running backs Kenneth Dixon and Gus Edwards combined for 24 carries for 126 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and a touchdown, as well as one catch for 21 yards in Week 14 against the Chiefs at home. I'm sure the Ravens would love to establish the run at Kansas City this week and slow down Mahomes as much as possible.
I'm expecting a hefty workload for Ingram this week, and he's worth starting as at least a No. 2 running back in all leagues. This should be a fun game in Arrowhead Stadium, and it looks like a Fantasy bonanza for all.
I'm starting Ingram over: James Conner (at SF), Josh Jacobs (at MIN), Joe Mixon (at BUF), Damien Williams (vs. BAL), Marlon Mack (vs. ATL)
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Quarterbacks
Start 'Em
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I've been impressed with Allen so far this season, including his comeback at the Jets in Week 1 as well as his quality outing in Week 2 at the Giants. Winning back to back road games is tough, especially to start the season, and Allen has improved already in his second year in the NFL. He's still running the ball, which helps his Fantasy output, and he has 17 carries for 59 yards and two touchdowns on the year. This week, he's facing a Bengals defense that allowed 19 Fantasy points to Russell Wilson in Week 1 and 27 Fantasy points to Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 2. I expect another 20-point outing from Allen this week, and he's worth using as a No. 1 quarterback in all leagues.
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The Winston breakout game we've been waiting for is coming this week against the Giants. He improved his play in Week 2 at Carolina on Thursday after being a total disaster in Week 1 against San Francisco, and the extra time to prepare for this week should help him, as well as facing an inferior opponent. The Giants have allowed at least 24 Fantasy points to Allen and Dak Prescott, and Winston should do well in this game at home. He's faced the Giants in each of the past two seasons, and he's averaging 25.0 Fantasy points in those meetings. Hopefully, that continues this week.
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Wilson was excellent in Week 2 at Pittsburgh with 30 Fantasy points, and the best thing about his performance was he attempted 35 passes. He only attempted 30-plus passes six times in 2018, and he had at least 22 Fantasy points in five of them, so we like it when Wilson is throwing. Of course, it will help if the Saints make him throw, either by making this a high-scoring affair or taking away Seattle's ground attack. But even if Wilson is under 30 with his attempts, he should still be started this week. The Saints allowed at least 21 Fantasy points to both Deshaun Watson and Jared Goff, and I expect Wilson to finish as a top-10 Fantasy quarterback in Week 3 at home.
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Ryan is off to a good start with his Fantasy production through two games, scoring at least 22 Fantasy points in outings against Minnesota in Week 1 and Philadelphia in Week 2. Both were comeback efforts, but Ryan is proving, once again, to be a quality Fantasy quarterback in all leagues. This week, he's facing a Colts defense that struggled with Philip Rivers in Week 1 (29 Fantasy points) but contained Marcus Mariota (15 points) in Week 2. I expect Ryan to be closer to Rivers this week, and he's worth starting in all leagues.
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Rivers has faced the Texans four times in his career, and he's lit them up every time. In those games, he has 862 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions, and he's scored at least 23 Fantasy points in each outing. He's also played well at home going back to last season. In his past five home games, including his 29-point outing against the Colts in Week 1, he has at least 24 Fantasy points in three of them. The Texans allowed 24 Fantasy points against Drew Brees in Week 1 and 17 Fantasy points against Gardner Minshew in Week 2, so there's an opportunity here for Rivers to succeed. He's worth using as a low-end starter in all leagues.
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Sleepers
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We'll see what role Minkah Fitzpatrick plays this week as the new safety for the Steelers, but I still expect Garoppolo to do well in this matchup at home. He just scored 27 Fantasy points at Cincinnati, and the Steelers have allowed huge games to Tom Brady and Wilson in consecutive weeks, with those quarterbacks combining for 641 passing yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. Garoppolo is worth using as a low-end starting Fantasy quarterback this week.
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Brissett is only averaging 27.5 pass attempts through the first two games of the season, but he's also averaging 20.0 Fantasy points per game over that span. I like the matchup for him at home against the Falcons, who have allowed multiple touchdowns in each game to Kirk Cousins and Carson Wentz. Brissett is a good streaming option in Week 3.
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This is one for deep two-quarterback and Superflex leagues since Cam Newton (foot) is out in Week 3. Now that Allen is starting against the Cardinals, he might be better than the other replacement guys, including Mason Rudolph and Teddy Bridgewater. Arizona has been awful against Matthew Stafford and Lamar Jackson in the first two games, allowing 657 passing yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions, as well as 142 rushing yards. Allen could be a sneaky option in all leagues, and he had 28 Fantasy points in one start in Week 17 last year at New Orleans.
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Sit 'Em
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I had high expectations for Carr in Week 2 against Kansas City with the thought that he would be chasing points against the Chiefs. He was chasing points, but he failed to deliver a good stat line, scoring just 10 Fantasy points. It could be ugly for Carr this week at Minnesota, even though the Vikings have allowed multiple touchdowns in each game to Ryan and Aaron Rodgers. Carr, obviously, isn't at the same level as those guys, and he's barely an option in two-quarterback leagues this week.
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Cousins could have a bounce-back game this week at home against the Raiders after scoring a combined 25 Fantasy points through two weeks, or he could have another performance like what happened to him in Week 1 against Atlanta. Against the Falcons, Cousins attempted just 10 passes because the run game and defense were dominant. I'm OK with Cousins as a starter in a two-quarterback or Superflex league — the Raiders were just embarrassed at home by Patrick Mahomes for 443 passing yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. This game should be a lot of Dalvin Cook for the Vikings, though, and I expect Cousins to have a low floor, even in a favorable matchup at home.
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Dalton is averaging 23.0 Fantasy points through two games this season, and he seems to be a good fit for Zac Taylor's offense in Cincinnati. The fact that he has 729 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception in two games against Seattle and San Francisco, without A.J. Green (ankle), is impressive. But I hate this matchup for him in Week 3 at Buffalo. The Bills defense should be tough on opposing quarterbacks all year, and this should be Dalton's first game with fewer than 20 Fantasy points. I would only start Dalton in two-quarterback or Superflex leagues this week.
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Murray had 25 Fantasy points in a comeback effort against Detroit in Week 1, and he scored just 15 points at Baltimore in Week 2, although he played better. He completed 25-of-40 passes for 349 yards, but he had no touchdowns against the Ravens. I'd start Murray in a two-quarterback or Superflex league this week at home against Carolina, but the Panthers have done a nice job against Jared Goff and Winston in two games, holding them to a combined 394 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. I'm expecting Murray to have his second game in a row with fewer than 20 Fantasy points.
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Bust Alert
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Mayfield has been a Fantasy bust through two games, and I don't expect him to turn things around this week against the Rams. He's scored a combined 28 Fantasy points this season against Tennessee and the Jets, and the Rams have yet to allow a touchdown to an opposing quarterback in matchups against the Panthers and Saints. Now, consider that something is clearly off with Newton, and Brees was hurt against the Rams, but this defense should continue to make Mayfield uncomfortable and limit his Fantasy production. Mayfield is only worth starting in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
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I'm hopeful that the Jones we saw in Week 2 is the one we'll get for the rest of the season. After scoring just four PPR points in Week 1 at Chicago, he scored 24 PPR points in Week 2 against Minnesota with 23 carries for 116 yards (5.0 yards per carry) and a touchdown, as well as four catches for 34 yards on six targets. He is still sharing touches with Jamaal Williams, but Jones is the lead back and worth trusting again. Denver has allowed two running backs (Josh Jacobs and David Montgomery) to score three touchdowns in two games, and Jones should be considered a high-end No. 2 running back this week against the Broncos.
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The Patriots are the biggest favorite this week at home against the Jets, so you should expect plenty of points and hopefully carries for Michel. We saw a similar setup last week at Miami when New England won 43-0, and Michel had 21 carries for 85 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and a touchdown. He fumbled in the game, which is never good, and he has yet to catch a pass this season. But he also had a second touchdown called back after he was ruled down at the 1-yard line, and Tom Brady finished off the drive with a quarterback sneak. We'll see if the Jets get back linebacker C.J. Mosley (groin) and defensive lineman Quinnen Williams (ankle) this week, and the Jets have allowed a running back to either gain at least 98 total yards or score a touchdown in each game this season. I like James White as a starter in PPR this week as well, and Rex Burkhead is worth using as a flex in deeper leagues given the matchup and expected game flow.
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Montgomery needed more touches after Chicago's Week 1 loss to Green Bay when he had six carries for 18 yards and one catch for 27 yards. He got in Week 2 at Denver with 18 carries for 62 yards (3.4 yards per carry) and a touchdown, as well as one catch for 6 yards on three targets. I'd still like to see less work for Tarik Cohen and Mike Davis, but it's clear the Bears want to rely on Montgomery as much as possible. And I expect the Bears to be playing with a lead this week, which should allow Montgomery to get plenty of carries once again. He's worth using as a high-end No. 2 running back in Week 3.
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I'm hopeful that the Lions releasing C.J. Anderson on Tuesday is a sign that Johnson will get more work and that this isn't about more touches for Ty Johnson or J.D. McKissic. Kerryon Johnson went from 18 total touches in Week 1 at Arizona to 14 total touches in Week 2 against the Chargers, but he had the better game last week. He had 12 carries for 41 yards (3.4 yards per carry), along with two catches for 47 yards and a touchdown on three targets against the Chargers. The Eagles have yet to allow a running back to score this season, but losing defensive tackle Tim Jernigan (foot) should help Johnson. He also will hopefully be a factor in the passing game since the Eagles are among the league leaders in receptions to running backs with 15 in two games. I like Johnson as a quality No. 2 Fantasy running back this week.
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Freeman has struggled so far this season with a combined 12 PPR points in two games, but this should be his breakout performance against the Colts. Indianapolis has struggled with Austin Ekeler and Derrick Henry in each game this season, and standout linebacker Darius Leonard (concussion) is now banged up. I like that Freeman has been involved in the passing game with six catches for 54 yards on eight targets in two games, and hopefully he'll average more than the 2.2 yards per carry he's been at so far this year. He's worth trusting as a No. 2 Fantasy running back this week.
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Sleepers
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Gore could be a low-end starting running back this week now that Devin Singletary (hamstring) is out. Gore is coming off a strong game against the Giants in Week 2 with 19 carries for 68 yards (3.6 yards per carry) and a touchdown, as well as two catches for 15 yards, and this is a great matchup against the Bengals. Through two games, Cincinnati is allowing the most Fantasy points to opposing running backs this year.
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Mostert looked amazing in the first game without Tevin Coleman (ankle), and he's worth using as at least a flex this week against the Steelers. He had 13 carries for 83 yards (6.4 yards per carry) in Week 2 against Cincinnati, as well as three catches for 68 yards and a touchdown on four targets. Matt Breida is still the better Fantasy running back in this backfield, and Jeff Wilson is worth a look in deeper leagues. But Mostert should get 15 total touches if things work out right, and the Steelers are top 10 in Fantasy points allowed to running backs this year.
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I expect Washington to be chasing points this week, even at home against the Bears, and Thompson should again be the lead running back for the Redskins. He played more snaps than Adrian Peterson in Week 2 against Dallas, and Thompson had five catches for 48 yards on eight targets, as well as two carries for 3 yards. That's now 12 catches for 116 yards on 18 targets in two games, which makes him at least a flex option in PPR leagues. And the Bears just allowed Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman to catch nine passes for 78 yards on 14 targets in Week 2, which bodes well for Thompson this week.
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I hope we're not going to see Tampa Bay feature a different running back each week, which is what's happened so far in each game. In Week 1 against San Francisco, Ronald Jones was the lead rusher with 14 total touches, compared to 10 for Barber. Then in Week 2, Barber took the lead with 24 total touches, compared to just four for Jones. Barber should be the Buccaneers' top guy this week against the Giants, who have already allowed three rushing touchdowns this season. Barber is worth using as a flex option in all leagues this week.
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I still like Duke Johnson better than Hyde this week in all formats, but Hyde can be a useful flex option in non-PPR leagues. Through two games, he has 30 carries for 173 yards (5.8 yards per carry), and he looks rejuvenated playing in Houston. The Chargers struggled against Marlon Mack in Week 1 before clamping down on Detroit's run game in Week 2, although Kerryon Johnson scored through the air. Still, given what Hyde has done in two games, he's not a bad flex option if he's averaging nearly 6.0 yards per carry.
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Sit 'Em
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We might be starting to see the Broncos make the switch to Royce Freeman as the lead back over Lindsay. In Week 2 against Chicago, Freeman played a higher percentage of snaps compared to Lindsay, and Freeman was finally used in the passing game. We'll see what happens moving forward, but Lindsay has a tough matchup in Week 3 at Green Bay. The Packers defense struggled with Dalvin Cook in Week 2, but I expect Cook to dominate most teams this season when healthy. In Week 1, Green Bay swallowed up the Bears running backs on the road and should do the same this week against Denver. I would only use Lindsay as a flex option in PPR.
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Cohen has had a strange start to his season. In Week 1 against Green Bay, he had no carries and finished with eight catches for 49 yards on 10 targets, which is a quality game in PPR. Then in Week 2 at Denver, he got four carries for 18 yards and only two catches for 7 yards on five targets. It's just too hard to trust him with Montgomery taking the lead role, unless it's a game where you expect the Bears to be trailing. In that case, Cohen can be a useful Fantasy option in PPR. This week at Washington, Chicago should be playing with a lead, so unless Cohen finds the end zone or breaks a big play, which obviously could happen, he's someone you might want to avoid in all leagues.
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You got lucky that Peterson scored in Week 2 against Dallas if you started him because he had a miserable stat line otherwise with 10 carries for 25 yards (2.5 yards per carry), as well as two catches for 7 yards. Thompson should once again play more snaps than Peterson against Chicago given the expected game flow of Washington chasing points, and the Bears have now allowed one rushing touchdown to a running back in their past seven games going back to last year. Peterson is a low-end flex option in non-PPR leagues at best.
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You're not benching Alvin Kamara even with Drew Brees (thumb) out, but you should get away from Murray this week. And he's really been disappointing through two games in New Orleans thus far. While he did score on a 30-yard touchdown run in Week 1 against Houston, he only has 14 total touches on the season (11 carries for 50 yards and three catches for 20 yards). Seattle also has been tough against opposing running backs thus far this season, although they had Joe Mixon (ankle) and James Conner (knee) not finish their games against the Seahawks in each of the first two weeks. I'm still stashing Murray for now, but he's only worth using as a flex in deeper formats.
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Jacobs is expected to play in Week 3 at Minnesota despite dealing with injuries to his hip and groin, as well as battling an illness that apparently led to him dropping 10 pounds. It makes me a little nervous to trust him, especially in a matchup against the Vikings. Minnesota's run defense was awesome at home against Atlanta in Week 1 before struggling on the road at Green Bay in Week 2. While Jacobs has been great through two games, averaging 16.0 PPR points over that span, he hasn't shown a big role in the passing game yet, which could be important if the Raiders are chasing points on the road. I'm fine with Jacobs as a flex option in most leagues, but he's not a must-start running back in Week 3.
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Bust Alert
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Mixon has struggled through two games this season, and you have to wonder how healthy he is after suffering an ankle injury in Week 1. He's combined for 12 PPR points in two games against Seattle and San Francisco, with 17 carries for 27 yards, as well as five catches for 17 yards on eight targets. He was hurt against the Seahawks in Week 1 and likely played at less than 100 percent in Week 2 against the 49ers, so better days are ahead. But I don't consider him a must-start Fantasy option this week against Buffalo. The Bills gave up big games against Le'Veon Bell and Saquon Barkley in the first two games of the season, but those running backs are on a different level than Mixon right now. You will likely start Mixon in most leagues, but just lower expectations and don't expect a dominant performance on the road in Week 3.
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START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Wide Receivers
Start 'Em
Ridley is off to a good start so far this season, and he should have another quality performance in Week 3. Through two games against Minnesota and Philadelphia, Ridley has 12 catches for 169 yards and two touchdowns on 16 targets. He's scored at least 16 PPR points in each outing, and I expect him to excel once again at Indianapolis. The Colts come into this game No. 7 in Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, but they faced the Titans in Week 2, which isn't really a tough test for their secondary. Let's see how they hold up against Ridley and Julio Jones. I like Ridley as a top-10 Fantasy receiver in Week 3.
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We told you all offseason that Brown would be a solid Fantasy receiver with his move to Buffalo, and he's been great through two games against the Jets and Giants. He has 14 catches for 195 yards and a touchdown on 18 targets, and I expect him to have a big game against the Bengals in Week 3. Cincinnati just struggled with Deebo Samuel and Marquise Goodwin in Week 2, and the Bengals have allowed three touchdowns to receivers on the season. Brown should be considered a must-start Fantasy receiver in all leagues this week.
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It's hard to tell if Fitzgerald is 36 or 26 with the way he's played the past two games. Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray have rejuvenated the 16-year veteran, and he's worth starting in all leagues in Week 3 against Carolina. Through two games against Detroit and Baltimore, Fitzgerald has 13 catches for 217 yards and a touchdown on 24 targets. Chris Godwin just beat up this Carolina secondary for eight catches, 121 yards and a touchdown on nine targets, and hopefully Fitzgerald can do something similar. Christian Kirk is also worth using as a solid No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week. Kirk just had six catches for 114 yards on eight targets at Baltimore in Week 2.
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