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FFL: Week 3 | NFL: Week 3

Studs and Duds: Championship Games

Mon Jan 29 8:39am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

McCaffrey comes up big again


That was a fun weekend of games. Both came down to the wire, making for some great entertainment. The Chiefs/Ravens game didn’t have many big fantasy performances, though, which was a bit of a downer. Now the NFC game had a lot more offensive fireworks. That game had plenty of fantasy production, helping make up for the first one. Hopefully, you scored a lot of fantasy points this week and are looking good to win your league.

Chiefs 17, Ravens 10

Fantasy Stud: Travis Kelce. He might not have enjoyed his best regular season but Kelce is coming up huge in the playoffs. He was vintage Kelce in this one. Kelce has 11 receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown. This was his third game of the season with double-digit receptions

Fantasy Dud: Both Ravens running backs. Gus Edwards had just three carries for 20 yards while Justice Hill ran three times for three yard. And neither did much in the passing game. Hill had four receptions for 34 yards, and Edwards caught a pass for 16 yards. It was a disappointing showing for both backs, especially if you consider how well the Ravens ran the ball all season.

Game Notes: Mark Andrews returned from his broken leg and had two receptions for 15 yards. Andrews didn’t do much in this game, but was able to play and played a good number of snaps in his first game back. He’ll be just fine for 2024.

Zay Flowers had good numbers but made a couple crucial mistakes, including losing a fumble at the goal line. He did have five receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown despite the mistakes.

Isiah Pacheco found the end zone for the seventh straight game he has played. He ran 24 times for 68 yards and a touchdown.

49ers 34, Lions 31

Fantasy Stud: Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey didn’t have one of his huge yardage games, but scored two more touchdowns and still produced good total yardage numbers. McCaffrey ran 20 times for 90 yards and two touchdowns. He also had four receptions for 42 yards, giving him 132 total yards and two scores

Fantasy Dud: George Kittle. Kittle was really held in checking, finishing with two receptions for 27 yards. It was a poor showing in a game that had a lot of offense. You just expected better from the elite fantasy tight end.

Game Notes: Deebo Samuel was able to play with his shoulder injury and led the 49ers in receiving. He had eight receptions for 89 yards and didn’t seem slowed by the injury at all.

The Lions had big rushing totals. David Montgomery led the way, rushing 15 times for 93 yards and a touchdown. Jahmyr Gibbs ran 12 times for 45 yards and a touchdown. Gibbs did lose a key fumble in the game, though.

Jameson Williams had three touches but two went for touchdowns. Williams had a carry for a 42-yard touchdown. And he also had two receptions for 25 yards and another touchdown.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Hot Plays, Fades and Sleepers: Week 3

Player Notes
Rico Dowdle Sep 20 11:20am ET
Rico Dowdle

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle has seen an even split in both rushing and receiving work with Ezekiel Elliott through the first two weeks of the season. The fifth-year back has seen a more consistent workload this season than he ever has, but he still is not a reliable fantasy option due to the workload split with Elliott. This week against the Baltimore Ravens, Dowdle grades as an RB4. Baltimore has allowed the least amount of rushing yards in the league through the first two games, creating a negative matchup for the Dallas running back. Look elsewhere for a running back option this week, as Dowdle will need a touchdown to pay off in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Mike Evans Sep 20 11:20am ET
Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans is coming off a dud performance against the Detroit Lions. The veteran wideout hauled in three of his six targets for 42 yards in the win. It was a quiet game for Evans as he watched fellow wideout Chris Godwin tear up the Lions defense. Now, Evans will draw a tough matchup against Denver Broncos star defensive back Patrick Surtain. Evans always has big-play explosiveness, but could be held in check once again. Throughout the years, Evans has proven to be mostly reliable, so fantasy managers should feel comfortable with him as a WR2 for Week 3.

From RotoBaller

Brandin Cooks Sep 20 11:20am ET
Brandin Cooks

Dallas Cowboys receiver Brandin Cooks was limited in practice on Wednesday due to rest, but fully participated in Thursday's practice ahead of the Week 3 matchup with Baltimore. Cooks is not injured and should enter the game as the healthiest pass-catcher for Dallas with CeeDee Lamb (ankle) and Jake Ferguson (knee) battling injuries. The veteran is a WR4 option this week, as both Lamb and Ferguson are trending towards playing. The Cowboys should lean on the pass against a softer Baltimore secondary, making Cooks a potential flex option in deeper leagues.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Tolbert Sep 20 11:20am ET
Jalen Tolbert

Dallas Cowboys receiver Jalen Tolbert is coming off of a career-best performance in which he secured six receptions for 82 yards in the blowout loss to New Orleans. However, Jake Ferguson (knee) is expected to return this week, which could limit Tolbert's role in the offense. Ferguson and CeeDee Lamb (ankle) are both banged up but expected to play, limiting Tolbert's short-term usage. The third-year receiver is an intriguing stash in deep leagues with the offense searching for a tertiary playmaker behind Lamb and Ferguson, but cannot be trusted in lineups with an unproven workload this week against Baltimore.

From RotoBaller

Chris Godwin Sep 20 11:20am ET
Chris Godwin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin has been impressive early on in the season. Through two games, Godwin has 15 receptions for 200 yards and two touchdowns. It looks like moving Godwin back to the slot position has worked out well for the Bucs. The veteran wideout should continue having success in Week 3. He'll draw a Denver Broncos defense that has surprisingly done well against the pass this season. However, fellow wideout Mike Evans figures to draw star defensive back Patrick Surtain, which should open up more chances for Godwin. The Bucs pass-heavy offense should give both wideouts plenty of targets, so Godwin should be considered a high-end WR2 for Week 3.

From RotoBaller

Dak Prescott Sep 20 11:10am ET
Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has had a slow start to the 2024 fantasy season. He didn't have to do much in a dominant Week 1 win, and struggled in last week's blowout loss. Week 3 presents an opportunity for the 31-year-old to put it all together as the 0-2 Baltimore Ravens come to town. Baltimore has allowed the most passing yards in the league through two weeks while being stronger against the run, matching up well with what Dallas likes to do offensively. Despite Prescott's slow start, he grades as a low-end QB1 this week and should be inserted into lineups in most formats.

From RotoBaller

Ezekiel Elliott Sep 20 11:10am ET
Ezekiel Elliott

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has seen an even split in workload with Rico Dowdle thus far in 2024. The veteran has carried the ball 16 times for 56 yards and a touchdown while reaching up four catches for 25 yards through two games. This week's matchup with Baltimore is not favorable, as the Ravens have surrendered the least rushing yards in the league through two games. Elliott will likely split work with Dowdle again, and will need a touchdown to pay off in fantasy. Look elsewhere for a running back option this week.

From RotoBaller

Bucky Irving Sep 20 11:00am ET
Bucky Irving

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving hasn't seen too big of a workload early in the season, but that could change in Week 3. Starting back Rachaad White (groin) has been limited in practice and remains uncertain for this weekend's matchup against the Denver Broncos. That being said, Irving could be asked to step into a bigger role. Through two games, Irving has rushed for 84 yards on 16 attempts, which is 5.3 yards per carry. He certainly has the ability to be a playmaker in the league, but has a limited ceiling with White being the lead back. That being said, Irving could make for an intriguing fantasy option if White is held out on Sunday. Irving could make for a low-end flex option or RB3 as the lead back. The rookie back should be stashed as the primary handcuff to White.

From RotoBaller

Baker Mayfield Sep 20 10:50am ET
Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has picked up right where he left off last season. Mayfield has thrown for 474 yards with five touchdowns through the first two weeks of the season. The Bucs are struggling to move the ball on the ground, but this pass-heavy approach appears to be working. Mayfield should continue to have success against the Denver Broncos in Week 3. A defensive unit that has been average through the first two weeks, so Mayfield should be considered a low-end QB1 for this weekend.

From RotoBaller

Aidan Hutchinson Sep 20 10:10am ET
Aidan Hutchinson

The Detroit Lions defense/special teams may not be a great streaming option heading into a Week 3 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals. In their last game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this unit did hold its own on the back of an insane performance from Aidan Hutchinson who collected 4.5 of the team's five sacks. They've given up 20 points in both of their games so far and forced one turnover in each of them as well. Now, they go up against what should be an even better offense in the Cardinals that just put up 41 points on the Rams in Week 2 and 28 points on the Bills in Week 1. Kyler Murray has a few weapons on top of a solid running game with James Conner. The Lions are still an upper-half defense in terms of rankings, but this matchup isn't the best one to use as a streaming option.

From RotoBaller

Eddy Pineiro Sep 20 10:00am ET
Eddy Pineiro

Carolina Panthers kicker Eddy Pineiro has found himself at the bottom of fantasy kickers even though it hasn't been his fault. Pineiro has converted on every field and extra point so far, but he's only attempted one field goal in each game and one extra point overall. The Panthers' offense has been abysmal as they haven't even been able to get into field goal range let alone find the end zone at even an average rate. While their quarterback swap may alleviate some of those woes, Pineiro is better left on the bench or the waiver wire until the offense proves it can move the ball down the field. To put things into perspective, Pineiro only has four more fantasy points than Matt Gay and five more than Spencer Shrader, both of whom have only appeared in one game.

From RotoBaller

Jake Bates Sep 20 9:50am ET
Jake Bates

Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates has hovered around the middle of the pack for kickers so far after two weeks. In the Lions' Week 2 loss, Bates converted on all three of his field goals and his lone extra point. So far, he hasn't missed a field goal or extra point through two games, but he hasn't attempted a field goal longer than 35 yards. The Lions' offense is good enough to move the ball down the field to get into Bates' range, but their aggressive play calling has seen more touchdown-or-bust type of plays rather than settling for field goals. Bates looks to be a mid-level option heading into Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals while having one of the higher-rated matchups according to RotoBaller's matchup tool.

From RotoBaller

Xavier Legette Sep 20 9:30am ET
Xavier Legette

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette expressed frustration after not receiving any targets in the 26-3 loss in Week 2. He also went on to say he's not dwelling on it, however, and he's looking forward to getting some more deep ball opportunities with Andy Dalton under center. Despite being one of the best-protected quarterbacks of the week, Bryce Young struggled to find any of his receivers and finished with a total of 84 yards. While the Panthers have more issues than just their quarterback, Dalton is more likely to get the ball out quicker and more accurately than Young. Legette will have more of a fighting chance to secure some fantasy points with Dalton, but his fantasy relevance is very limited until there's a noticeable difference in this offense.

From RotoBaller

Jameson Williams Sep 20 9:20am ET
Jameson Williams

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is finally showing the potential that everyone expected and he's started off the season as the WR6 in half-PPR formats. In two games, Williams has 10 receptions for 200 yards and a touchdown on 20 targets with two carries for 28 yards on the ground. Now, the Lions take on the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 where Williams can break free for some big plays. The Cardinals give up the 10th most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers right now, giving up an average of 28.7 fantasy points per game. Williams projects to have one of the best matchups in his favor according to RotoBaller's matchup tool while he'll likely go up against Sean Murphy-Bunting most of the time who received a 51.6 coverage grade.

From RotoBaller

Robert Saleh Sep 20 9:10am ET
Robert Saleh

New York Jets linebacker CJ Mosley (toe) had to sit out of the Week 3 win as he continues to deal with a toe injury that needed added rest. The star middle linebacker did play in their first two games and accrued a total of 12 combined tackles (10 solo) with no sacks or QB hits yet. Head coach Robert Saleh told reporters after the game that he's confident Mosley will return for their Week 4 matchup against the Denver Broncos, so it looks like this one-game absence is all the time he'll need to miss. Mosley has been the team's leading tackler with 150 or more combined tackles in each of the last three seasons to go along with 3.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Conklin Sep 20 5:50am ET
Tyler Conklin

New York Jets tight end Tyler Conklin caught five of his six targets for 93 yards in a 24-3 win over the New England Patriots in Week 3's Thursday night game. Conklin wound up leading the Jets in receiving yards while finishing second in targets and tying for first in receptions. It was an unexpected spike week for Conklin, who came into Week 3 with just two catches for 16 yards through the first two weeks of the season. Conklin will now be worth a look as a waiver add ahead of Week 4's home matchup against the Denver Broncos.

From RotoBaller

Greg Zuerlein Sep 20 5:50am ET
Greg Zuerlein

New York Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein made one of his two field goal attempts and added three extra points in a 24-3 win over the New England Patriots in Week 3. Zuerlein hit a 28-yard field goal in the fourth quarter but missed on a 45-yard attempt shortly before halftime. The veteran kicker has now made two of three field goals and all seven of his extra points through three games. Zuerlein will now have a few extra days to rest ahead of a Week 4 matchup against the Denver Broncos.

From RotoBaller

Will McDonald IV Sep 20 5:50am ET
Will McDonald IV

The New York Jets defense was excellent in a 24-3 win over the New England Patriots in Week 3. They held New England to just one field goal on only 139 yards of total offense while notching seven sacks and forcing one turnover in the Thursday night victory. The Jets were led by defensive end Will McDonald IV, who turned in two sacks to push his season total to five through three games. Safety Chuck Clark also contributed with four total tackles and a forced fumble. The Jets will be a top fantasy defense again in Week 4's home matchup against a struggling Denver Broncos offense.

From RotoBaller

Demario Douglas Sep 20 5:40am ET
Demario Douglas

New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas turned nine targets into seven catches for 69 yards against the New York Jets on Thursday night. Douglas had been off to a quiet start this season, finishing Week 2 with zero targets and the third-most snaps among wide receivers on the team. However, he got more reps during practice leading up to the Jets game, and it seems to have paid off. The Liberty product connected with Jacoby Brissett early and often, and he also appeared to have a rapport with rookie Drake Maye. Douglas has managed to get back on the fantasy radar as a low-end WR4 heading into Week 4.

From RotoBaller

Garrett Wilson Sep 20 5:40am ET
Garrett Wilson

New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson caught five of his nine targets for 33 yards and a touchdown in a 24-3 win over the New England Patriots in Week 3. Wilson hauled in his first touchdown pass of the season on a two-yard catch in the third quarter, giving the Jets a 20-3 lead. The veteran wideout also led the Jets in targets and tied for the team lead in catches on Thursday night, even though he only finished with 33 receiving yards. So far this season, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been content to spread the targets around in the Jets offense but Wilson remains the lead receiver in New York. Wilson will now have a few extra days to rest ahead of a Week 4 matchup against the Denver Broncos.

From RotoBaller