It is a brand new week in the NFL and fantasy! Whether you are 1-1, 0-2, or the coveted 2-0, it is time to chase yet another win. Just when we thought we knew how these teams would play, they quickly humbled us, and we, yet again, know nothing! Last week was a much better showing for this column and for us; as you can see:
Much better in Week 2 check it out: pic.twitter.com/XqjNJ25bsC
— Big Travy TFW (@bigtravyTFW) September 22, 2022
So what do you say we try it again? You in? I’m in. Hopefully, I helped you and your squads last week, and I look forward to seeing how Week 3 unfolds.
As I will do every week for this article, I am using the FantasyPros Expert Consensus Rankings to bring you, players, in ranges where the start/sit conundrums exist. Your RB2, WR3, and FLEX positions. Here are the ranges in which I will try to live when writing this column each week:
QB ECR: 10-20 | RB ECR: 20-40 | WR ECR: 20-40 | TE ECR: 10-20
With that, I will bring you my confidence plays and fades for this week. Again, my goal here is to give you plays and fades beyond just your obvious studs & duds. Good luck!
Week 3 Fantasy Football Start Em, Sit Em
PLAY
QB Jared Goff ECR QB#16, @MIN
I feel a bit cursed in my efforts to help you pick the correct quarterback to start each week. The problem is I have put my trust in Derek Carr and Kirk Cousins. So this week, I am rolling with Jared Goff.
Please keep reading.
Goff is in a great spot against the Vikings, who have given up the 11th-most points per game to QBs on the season after giving up the sixth-most last year. Additionally, with weapons like Amon-Ra St.Brown, D’Andre Swift, and T.J. Hockenson, Goff has been solid this season, attempting at least 34 passes in back-to-back games with six touchdowns to only one interception. So fire up Goff with confidence this week.
RB Dameon Pierce ECR RB#28, @CHI
I don’t know if Pierce can be a trusted start in most weeks, but this Sunday against Chicago presents a unique opportunity. The lowly Bears have allowed the 11th-most PPG to RBs so far this year, and this may be one of the only times Pierce shouldn’t get scripted out of a game. Finally, we saw him take control of the backfield last week, out-touching Rex Burkhead 16 to one.
RB James Robinson ECR RB#24, @LAC
I am just done doubting James Robinson, and I think you should be, too. After shocking us all, coming back from his Achilles injury, and seeing 12 touches in Week 1, he increased his touch count to 25 in Week 2 against the Colts. If Doug Pederson is smart, and I think he is, he will deploy a heavy run game to play keep away from Justin Herbert and the explosive Chargers offense. That should mean a hefty dose of J-Rob. Fortunately, Robinson will also see a Bolts defense that was not only the sixth-friendliest to running backs last year but has found themselves in the top half of points allowed to the position this year as well.
WR Tyler Lockett ECR WR#36, vs ATL
I have spent most of the offseason and this season being down on the Seattle Seahawks and their outlook for fantasy football. Things are different this week with Tyler Lockett, who is coming off a 107-yard performance against the 49ers last week. Lockett was targeted 11 times and caught nine of them. In fact, Lockett now has 48 targets in games with Geno Smith compared to Metcalf’s 36. Lockett may be our answer to the question: what is the Seattle passing attack? I also love his matchup against the Falcons, who have been torched by wide receivers at the third-highest rate this year.
WR Rashod Bateman ECR WR#23, @NE
Remember when just a couple of months ago, we thought the Ravens were gonna be the boring 2019-version of themselves and play bully ball? Well, through two games, we have seen that Lamar & Co. are very comfortable abandoning the run to throw, and they have the weapons to do it. Rashod Batemen is entering the auto-start category with back-to-back games with 59 or more receiving yards and a score. Even though the Patriots are a somewhat stingy matchup on paper, they are even more stout against the run, and I like Baltimore to attack them through the air.
TE Irv Smith Jr. ECR TE#15, vs DET
Irv Smith finally flashed some juice for us on Monday night against the Eagles when he posted 17% of the Vikings’ target market share and nearly hauled in a monster TD from Kick Cousins. But, he still scored, and even with the embarrassing drop, Smith finished as the TE4 on the week. Big Irv gets the Lions next in a projected divisional shootout with a Lions defense that cannot stop a nosebleed on defense right now.
If you have more Week 3 Start Em, Sit Em questions, join us tomorrow at 11 AM EST on Start Sit, Different Day. We spend an hour doing nothing but answering your most pressing lineup questions!
FADE
QB Russell Wilson ECR QB#11, vs SF
I am two for two on quarterback fades so far this season, but I will admit this one may be the riskiest yet. You cannot convince me to start Russell Wilson in fantasy right now.
The Broncos are a mess, and while I don’t know if it all rests on Mr. Unlimited’s shoulders, I do think he shares some of the blame. Wilson is only completing 58% of his passes and has yet to throw for multiple touchdowns in a game yet this year. Furthermore, the Broncos lead the league in penalties in 2022 with 25 through just two games. That includes a league-leading four delay of game penalties. To top it all off, the 49ers are a talented and experienced defense that has only allowed 11 fantasy points per game on average to QBs this season.
RB Devin Singletary ECR RB#31, @MIA
Singletary is playing in one of my favorite games on the Week 3 slate, but he is one of my least favorite players to trust. Singletary finds himself in a Cerberus type of committee. The bad news for Singletary is that no Hercules is coming to slay this beast. He has yet to play even 60% of the Bills’ snaps or get double-digit carries in a game this year. More troublesome for the Bills’ running back is that Miami is allowing the fewest points per game to enemy backs this year.
RB Breece Hall ECR RB#36, vs CIN
The roller coaster for Breece Hall continues. Yes, he scored on his only reception against the Browns last week, but he saw his route participation dip from 41% in Week 1 to 18% in Week 2. That is because the Jets decided to get Ty Johnson involved as if Michael Carter wasn’t enough of a hindrance to Breece Hall’s usage. Hall also saw his snap percentage dip to 27% in Week 2. All of that, coupled with the fact that Cincinnati is allowing the 10th-fewest points to RBs, and I think Hall is hard to trust this week.
WR CeeDee Lamb ECR WR#22, @ NYG
I do like CeeDee Lamb as a potential buy-low candidate. That being said, this week looks like it could produce a performance that would help you do just that. Lamb will again catch passes from Cooper Rush against the Giants. The Monday Night Football matchup is one of only two games this week that Vegas has as an over/under fewer than 40. The Giants are also playing stingy against fantasy football wide receivers allowing the fifth-fewest receiving yards per game this year.
WR Elijah Moore ECR WR#34, vs CIN
Let me get this out of the way: Elijah Moore is good at football. He is a very talented wide receiver, but Garrett Wilson’s potential breakout could be a problem for Moore. Moore has yet to eclipse 50 receiving yards in a game this year, and that is with the Jets leading the league in dropbacks per game. Moore not only has target competition now, but he faces a Bengals defense that is bottom five in points allowed to wide receivers this year and allowed the sevenths fewest touchdowns to wideouts last year. So I think Moore’s outlook this weekend is looking less than ideal.
TE Evan Engram ECR TE14, @LAC
Engram has shown some impressive usage metrics through the two weeks of the 2022 season. I think he is a fine player and could become one of the best streamers or late-round tight ends this year, but I think we need to temper expectations this week. Engram will face Derwin James and the Chargers. Unless you don’t get on the internet, you saw Derwin James body slam Travis Kelce into the center of the earth last week. He also held Kelce to five catches and 51 scoreless yards. So I don’t think it is wise to expect a strong day from Engram this week.
Good luck this week. If you need additional help, we have Ryan’s Streams of the Week to help you get that Week 2 win!