Welcome to the Monday edition of the Daily Dose newsletter, our “Fantasy Fallout” day. In this article, you will get a quick rundown of the relevant things we learned from the week’s games from Thursday through Sunday. This won’t talk about every single player and we usually won’t spend time on studs who go nuts (no one needs to be told to start CeeDee Lamb right now!), but rather, the idea is to update you on usage trends, injuries, and other relevant things to help your decisions with your teams.

Patriots at Jets

• The chemistry is continuing to build with Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson, as Wilson has now seen 26 targets through three games. Despite pedestrian outputs, I wouldn’t panic on him just yet.
• Breece Hall saw 21 opportunities for the third straight game, but rookie Braelon Allen continued to be involved with 14 touches on his own. If Allen is still available on your waiver wire, he is a priority add.
• Drake Maye made his NFL debut in the fourth quarter and was able to move the offense down the field on his only drive. I would expect Maye to take over the starting role for the Patriots before the halfway point of the season. 

Giants AT Browns

• A week after turning 18 targets into 127 yards and a TD, rookie first-round pick Malik Nabers continued to impress, accounting for 78 yards and two TDs as the Giants held off the Browns to get their first win of the season.
• Amari Cooper continues to be Deshaun Watson’s preferred target this season, posting a 7-86-2 line. Cooper has led the Browns in targets each game, but he finally turned those opportunities into fantasy goodness.  

Eagles at Saints

• After seeing 10 targets through three quarters, DeVonta Smith was forced out of the game after suffering a concussion. A situation to monitor. 
• With A.J. Brown out and Smith injured in the second half, Dallas Goedert exploded for 170 yards on 11 targets. If Brown or Smith were to miss next week, Goedert would slot in as a top TE.
• Saquan Barkley produced his third straight game with over 100 total yards. With three straight games with 20+ opportunities, Barkley is the early leader for RB1 overall. 
• Like Barkley, Alvin Kamara’s role remains absolutely elite and he has seen 20 or more opportunities in every game this season. 
• Despite scoring zero fantasy points, Rashid Shaheed saw five targets and remains tied with Chris Olave for the team lead in targets on the season. His role will continue to make him a volatile start in season long leagues.

Texans at Vikings

• Statement game for Minnesota, who smashed Houston, 34-7. The Vikings remained undefeated and Sam Darnold threw for four TDs. Darnold has thrown for multiple TDs in all three games this season.
• Justin Jefferson caught a TD pass for the third straight game to open the season and continues to make a case for the title of the best WR in the league. He is matchup-proof.
• Despite failing to eclipse 100 receiving yards for the first time this season, Nico Collins still commanded double-digit targets and should remain an every-week starter no matter the matchup.

Broncos at Buccaneers

• For the third straight week, Bucky Irving out-rushed Rachaad White. On the season he is averaging 6.2 yards per rush, compared to 2.1 for White. If Irving is available on waivers, he’s a priority add, or someone I’d be targeting to acquire via trade.
• For the first time all season, Bo Nix and the Broncos’ offense looked competent, outplaying the previously undefeated Buccaneers in nearly every facet of the game.  
• Chris Godwin appears to have overtaken Mike Evans as the WR1, as he has outproduced Evans in every game this season. Through three games Evans has 120 yards on 10 catches, whereas Godwin has produced 253 yards on 21 grabs. 

Packers at Titans

• For the third game in a row, Titans QB Will Levis committed multiple turnovers en route to a 30-14 win for the Packers. 
• Malik Willis started for an injured Jordan Love for the second straight week and head coach Matt LaFleur once again had a solid game plan to play to his QB/team’s strengths. Not much to take away here as Willis only attempted 33 pass attempts in his two starts, but Jordan Love has a strong possibility to play in Week 4 as the Packers host the red-hot Vikings.

Bears at Colts

• Caleb Williams attempted 52 (!!) passes in a game where the Bears weren’t able to generate anything in the ground game, averaged just 2.25 yards per carry. Williams’ 363 passing yards was just shy of 100 more than he produced in his first two starts combined. 
• A situation to monitor may be the Chicago backfield, which saw Roschon Johnson lead the backfield in both rushing yards and receiving yards. He’s an interesting speculative add to teams needing RB depth. 
• Rome Odunze saw an increased opportunity with Keenan Allen missing the contest, and he produced a 6-112-1 line on a team-leading 11 targets. 
• Jonathan Taylor finally got going for the Colts, producing 110 yards and two TDs in a game the Colts led throughout. 
• Josh Downs made his season debut after suffering a high-ankle sprain in the preseason and led the team in targets. 

Chargers at Steelers

• J.K. Dobbins finally saw his role expand, out-touching Gus Edwards 18-3. He continues to be the preferred back to own for the Chargers. 
• Justin Herbert entered the contest with an ankle injury and was forced out of the game in the second half after aggravating the issue. It’s a situation to monitor, as backups Taylor Heineke and Easton Stick don’t strike fear into any opposing defense. 
• The Pittsburgh defense has looked absolutely stout and hasn’t allowed more than 10 points in any game yet this season. They appear to be a matchup to avoid with your offensive players. 

Dolphins at Seahawks

• Miami’s offense looked lost without Tua Tagovailoa, producing only 205 yards of total offense and allowing six sacks in a game that was basically never in question. Replacement QB Skylar Thompson was injured in this game as well, and new free-agent addition Tyler Huntley may be thrust into the starting role in Week 5. You still can’t really bench Tyreek Hill or De’Von Achane – but Waddle is now very matchup-dependent and everyone else is unstartable.
• Zach Charbonnet thrived in his bell cow role, turning his 21 touches into 107 total yards and two touchdowns.
• DK Metcalf turned in a game with over 100 receiving yards and a touchdown for the second consecutive week.
• Tyler Lockett outproduced Jaxon Smith-Njigba this week. Through three games, the two have alternated who has the better game each week.

Panthers AT Raiders

• What a difference a week makes! After looking like the worst offense in the league in Weeks 1 and 2, the Panthers looked exponentially better in all aspects with Andy Dalton at the helm.
• Adam Thielen left the game with an injury after his second-quarter TD reception and did not return. Jonathan Mingo and Xavier Legette both played the majority of snaps once Thielen departed.
• Diontae Johnson and Chuba Hubbard had huge games now that the offense is functional. Both are solid weekly options going forward.
• Zamir White started and played most of the snaps early before game script took him out of it. Alexander Mattison apparently has the goal-line work and Mattison and Ameer Abdullah are used in passing situations over White. Going to be really hard to start White in any matchup going forward after laying a dud like that in what appeared to be the “nuts” matchup.
• Tre Tucker had a big game with a long catch in the first half, a TD in the second half, and a few catches in between. He’s an explosive player who we haven’t seen the last good game from.
• Gardner Minshew turned back into a pumpkin after his big comeback win over the Ravens in Week 2. The Raiders’ pass catchers will be inconsistent as they deal with ups and downs in QB play.

49ers AT Rams

• Jauan Jennings. Wow. Obviously he is a guy you look to start weekly while the 49ers deal with all these injuries. Perhaps the bigger takeaway is the Rams’ pass defense. They’ve now given up monster games to Jameson Williams, Marvin Harrison, Jr., and Jennings through three weeks. Next week they get the Bears, so expect 10-220-3 from DJ Moore or Rome Odunze.
• Kyren Williams was the workhorse for the Rams and scored all three of their TDs in their upset win over San Francisco. Moral of the story is, don’t ever bench this guy.
• Tight end Colby Parkinson played every snap and is a tight-end streaming option weekly.
• Tutu Atwell and Demarcus Robinson played the most snaps, with Jordan Whittington and Tyler Johnson effectively splitting work. Atwell led the team in receiving and had some good games last year when Kupp was out early. He may be worth a look if you need receiver help, but next week against the Bears is a tough matchup on paper.

Lions AT Cardinals

• The Lions’ running backs (Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery) were the stars of the show, combining for 43 touches while Jared Goff threw only 23 passes. Both had very good games and are weekly starters, not that you needed me to tell you that.
• Sam LaPorta was carted away in the first half with an ankle injury but later returned. He was in and out of the lineup during the second half, so you’ll want to monitor his practice reports heading into Week 4.
• Jameson Williams came back down to earth as the Lions focused on their running game.
• Trey McBride took a nasty hit late in the game and appeared to suffer a concussion. Pay attention to his practice status over the next week.
• James Conner had a down game against the Lions’ stout run defense, but he will have better days ahead. We should have had a pretty good idea that this could happen. Don’t panic.

Ravens AT Cowboys

• Derrick Henry got on track with his biggest game as a Raven. The Cowboys have given up monster games to opposing running backs in consecutive weeks and now face Devin Singletary on Thursday night.
• Lamar Jackson threw only 15 passes in a game the Ravens dominated until a late rally by Dallas. Hard to take much away from this one for Lamar or his pass catchers, except…..
• Mark Andrews played only 21 of 63 snaps and was targeted only one time. It feels like there has to be an injury or something we aren’t hearing about, otherwise this usage makes no sense. Maybe his leg didn’t heal properly after last year’s fracture?
• Jake Ferguson returned to the lineup after missing a game with a sprained MCL. He posted six receptions for 95 yards and is a locked-in starter weekly going forward.

Chiefs at Falcons

• Rashee Rice is an every-week starter, in case you had any doubts.
• The Chiefs used both Samaje Perine and Carson Steele in this game, relatively evenly. As expected, Steele was used in short yardage and Perine played on third downs. Assuming these two maintain these roles, Steele will probably have a couple big games when the Chiefs win big while Perine will have a couple big games when the Chiefs fall behind or get into shootouts.
• In the wake of Isiah Pacheco’s injury, the Chiefs threw the ball at an elevated rate from their first two weeks. Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy should have some solid games coming, assuming that continues.
• Bijan Robinson dominated the running back work. Don’t bother trying to find a reason to start Tyler Allgeier.
• Darnell Mooney is a very real part of the Falcons passing attack and had eight receptions in this game.
• Kirk Cousins really struggles to move in the pocket against teams that can create pressure. Something to remember for streaming defenses moving forward.

Join us Tuesday for Week 4 Waiver Targets!

These are the top players to consider adding from waivers this week. Unless otherwise noted, all players below are available in greater than 50% of Yahoo leagues (as of Sunday evening).

QB Streaming Special

Geno Smith, SEA, Week 3 vs MIA

• Why: Geno has one of the more talented WR trios in the NFL to throw to and his next three games all look decent for spot starts, as needed: home vs. MIA, at DET, home vs. NYG.
• Priority: Low priority. Geno is a solid streaming option in single-QB leagues.
• FAAB: 5% or less.

RB Pickups – Chiefs section

Samaje Perine, KC, Week 3 at ATL

• Why: Chiefs starting RB Isiah Pacheco suffered a fractured fibula and is expected to miss the next 6-8 weeks recovering. Perine is the most experienced RB remaining on the KC roster and has an opportunity to be the next man up in a prolific Chiefs offense.
• Priority: Medium*. Andy Reid’s Chiefs offenses are very fantasy friendly for RBs. Perine has shown passing-game chops throughout his career and has over 100 total receptions over the past three seasons playing for the Bengals and Broncos.
• FAAB: 20-40%.

Carson Steele, KC, Week 3 at ATL

• Why: Steele is the other incumbent backfield player currently on the Chiefs roster. He has been listed as a fullback, but he’s flashed running ability, including a highlight preseason TD run. He handled seven carries (to Perine’s zero) this past week, including near the goal line, but he did also lose a fumble.
• Priority: Medium*. If you feel that Steele > Perine, I don’t think that’s a wild take, I personally prefer Perine’s track record in the league and his passing game ability, but it can’t be discounted that Steele made KC’s initial roster and has been given opportunities already this season, he is probably the favorite to lead the team in carries in the short-term.
• FAAB: 10-30%.

*It has been reported that former Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt will be taking a visit in KC on Tuesday. It seems somewhat likely that he would sign to their practice squad with plans to ramp him up in the coming weeks. If he does NOT sign with KC, I’d consider Perine and Steele slightly higher-priority adds, but I don’t want to encourage emptying FAAB budgets for them with Hunt potentially signing at any time. 

Hunt has shown that he can be effective in the passing game, similarly to Perine, but has the potential to be a more complete player in the KC offense than either Perine or Steele. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness) is also eligible to return from IR beginning Week 5. We should continue to monitor reports out of KC this week for any actionable updates.

RB Pickups – Non-Chiefs

Rico Dowdle, DAL, Week 3 vs BAL

• Why: Uncle Rico led Cowboys RBs Week 2 in snaps, carries, and targets; he handled the first RB opportunities of the game.
• Priority: Medium. Dowdle is a worthy bench stash in almost any format as a potential lead back on a good offense, but Dallas does seem likely to continue to use multiple RBs each game.
• FAAB: 5 – 15%.

Bucky Irving, TB, Week 3 vs DEN

• Why: Irving has been the Bucs’ primary backup RB out of the gates and might have the opportunity for more; starting RB Rachaad White has 25 carries for 49 yards through two games. White also left the Week 2 game briefly with a groin injury, before returning.
• Priority: Medium. Bucky is one of the better handcuff RBs in the league as a seemingly ascending player on a productive offense. My kind of bench stash.
• FAAB: 5 – 15%.

Ty Chandler, MIN, Week 3 vs HOU

• Why: Chandler has 10+ touches in each of the Vikings first two games operating as their secondary RB behind veteran Aaron Jones.
• Priority: Medium. Chandler has an existing role and is a handcuff behind an older RB, a fine player to stash on benches.
• FAAB: 10% or less.

Braelon Allen, NYJ, Week 3 vs NE

• Why: Allen, a 20-year old rookie, has been operating as the Jets’ No. 2 back. He had 56 scrimmage yards and a pair of TDs in Week 2, one rushing and one receiving.
• Priority: Medium. Allen follows the theme of the week as a talented handcuff RB to stash, but he is less likely than the RBs above to “win” lead-back duties outright since he is behind dual-threat superstar Breece Hall on the depth chart.
• FAAB: 5% or less. 

Wide Receivers

Demarcus Robinson, LAR, Week 3 vs SF

• Why: Robinson was a recommended waiver add last week based on Puka Nacua’s knee injury and Cooper Kupp left the Rams’ Week 2 game in a walking boot of his own. Robinson has caught six of 11 Matthew Stafford targets this year for 92 scoreless yards. He’s still available in more than half of Yahoo leagues.
• Priority: Medium. As of this writing, there is no formal timetable for Kupp’s return, only that he is expected to miss “significant time”. Robinson has shown the ability to be an efficient receiver and has a chance to be the lead target for WR kingmaker Matthew Stafford until Puka and/or Kupp return.
• FAAB: 5 – 15%.

Jordan Whittington, LAR, Week 3 vs SF

• Why: Whittington, a rookie WR out of Texas, had an impressive, productive, preseason for the Rams and played an increased role on offense in Week 2 after Kupp left with his ankle injury.
• Priority: Low-to-Medium. Whittington is a good speculative add to stash on benches while we await clarity on Kupp’s injury status, as well as further context as to how the Rams’ passing targets are going to be distributed without both of their star WRs.
• FAAB: 10% or less.

Quentin Johnston, LAC, Week 3 at PIT

• Why: Johnston posted a 5-51-2 stat line on six targets last week, the most productive game of his young career, after being selected 21st overall in last year’s NFL draft.
• Priority: Low. QJ is worth a flier to see if he can build on a strong Week 2, but it should be noted that his WR teammate, Josh Palmer, came into the game banged up. Palmer spent time in the medical tent again mid-game and didn’t seem to play his usual role in Week 2, which might have opened the door for QJ’s breakout game against the lowly Panthers.
• FAAB: 5% or less.

Some additional lower-priority WR adds to consider stashing on benches:

• Josh Palmer (LAC) – Has dipped just under 50% owned, see QJ comments above.
• Josh Downs (IND) – Should return from injury soon to a struggling Indy passing game. Downs had a 68-771-2 receiving line as a rookie last year.
• Romeo Doubs (GB) – Just under 50% owned, can help with bye-week coverage after Jordan Love’s return to the GB offense.
• Jahan Dotson (PHI) – Potentially filling in for A.J. Brown on MNF, Eagles traded a Day 2 draft pick for Dotson before the season.

TIGHT END

Hunter Henry, NE, Week 3 at NYJ

• Why: Henry led the Patriots in targets, catches, and receiving yards in Week 2, going 8-109-0 on 12 targets.
• Priority: Low. While we need to pay attention to any TE who can lead his team in targets and top 100 yards in a game, the Pats are passing for under 200 yards per game as a team, and Henry produced a 2-18-0 line in a Week 1 game in which they threw a similar number of passes.
• FAAB: 5% or less.

Mike Gesicki, CIN, Week 3 vs WAS (Monday night)

• Why: Gesicki led the Bengals in targets, catches, and receiving yards in Week 2, recording a 7-91-0 line on nine targets. 
• Priority: Low. Possible spot-starter target for managers uncertain of Evan Engram’s status for MNF. If MNF is not a factor, I prefer Henry to Gesicki as a pickup, but I won’t be spending much FAAB on either.
• FAAB: 5% or less. 

DEFENSE (Top pickups for Week 3)

1. Raiders (vs CAR, then vs CLE Week 4, at DEN Week 5)
2. Bengals (vs WAS, then at CAR Week 4)
3. Titans (vs GB)

These are the guys who public perception may be low on but have brighter days ahead…..as well as the guys who may be coming off a big game but have a tough schedule or potential role change in their future.

BUY LOW

Travis Kelce, TE, KC

• Kelce was drafted as the first or second tight end off the board in most leagues, but he has only 8 PPR points through two weeks. His manager is likely frustrated with him, but now is the time to buy. Isiah Pacheco broke his leg in Week 2 and the Bengals’ run defense was inviting the Chiefs to run at a higher-than-normal rate. The injury to Pacheco will likely push Kansas City back to its ultra pass-heavy ways and Kelce’s volume and efficiency should both spike in the coming weeks. The Chiefs have potential shootouts against the Falcons, Saints, and 49ers offenses in their next four games, making this the perfect time to buy Kelce on the cheap from a frustrated manager.

Garrett Wilson, WR, NYJ

• The Jets’ offense is slowly finding itself and Wilson has not done anything special through two weeks. However, he is incredibly talented and has a great rapport with Aaron Rodgers. Big plays are coming at some point and Wilson has faced a very good 49ers defense and a Titans defense that also shut down all the Bears WRs in Week 1. He faces the Patriots on national TV on Thursday night this week and the Patriots’ run defense is very good, which could funnel extra work and a big game towards Wilson. Pounce while you can, Wilson could end up an elite option at the position over the next several weeks with all the injuries to other high-end WRs. 

DJ Moore, WR, CHI

• We could put Caleb Williams in here, but you can probably just pick him up off waivers in most leagues and don’t necessarily have to “buy” him. The Bears’ offense has not looked good at all through two weeks, but their next six games are: Colts, Rams, Panthers, Jaguars, Commanders, Cardinals. This is still a team loaded with talent and Moore has underperformed thus far while the offense has looked out of sync. A string of solid matchups and game environments should do the trick and I’d expect some huge performances from Moore during the upcoming stretch.

Patrick Mahomes, QB, KC

• As mentioned in the Travis Kelce section, the Chiefs are likely to raise their pass rate significantly from what we saw in Week 2, and Kansas City had very low play volume in Week 1 against the Ravens. Mahomes is going to have to carry this team going forward and is currently the QB12 through the first two weeks, making him someone that whoever owns him will likely be willing to entertain offers for.

SELL HIGH

JK Dobbins, RB, LAC

• Dobbins is one of the feel-good stories of the NFL so far this year, with two great games to start the season after a series of devastating injuries the last few years. While I don’t expect him to fall off completely, there are signs that this could be the peak of his value. He is still someone with an injury history that could pop back up at any time. The Chargers are coming off a game against the hapless Panthers and now have to face the elite Steelers defense before a date with the Chiefs. Also, quarterback Justin Herbert is dealing with a leg injury that could hurt the effectiveness of the offense as a whole. Dobbins is the RB4 through two weeks and his value is unlikely to ever be higher.

Kyren Williams, RB, LAR

• Williams may be likely to see a spike in volume in the short term as the Rams attempt to figure things out without Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, but this is also a team with an offensive line in disarray and that is not too far away from their season completely getting away from them. They face good defenses the next three weeks in the 49ers, Bears, and Packers, so it is hard to expect a spike in efficiency coming soon with few holes opening up and the other Rams stars not around to draw attention away. Williams is likely still valued highly as he has had two solid games so far, but he is the perfect “Sell High” candidate at the moment because his situation (volume, role) still appears good enough on the surface to where you can get a good return for him.

Join us Thursday for Week 3 Starts and Fades!

This article is intended to highlight some players who may have a positive or negative weekly outlook relative to their baseline value. 

“Starts” are players who might generally be on fantasy benches but might have a terrific perceived matchup or game script/environment, or the potential for an expanded role due to past performance or injuries to teammates or opponents. 

“Fades” are players who were likely drafted as fantasy starters or have performed as automatic starters lately but face a particularly tough week due to a poor matchup or a lack of short-term role clarity due to an injury, etc. 

Here are a few of my notable starts and fades for Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season, with some notes on my thought process included:

QB

Start: Jared Goff, DET (at AZ)

• Through two weeks, Goff leads the league with 83 passing attempts but has only thrown a single TD pass. His 1.2% TD rate is significantly lower than his career average of 4.4%, and he’s had TD rates of 4.9% and 5.0% the past two seasons in Detroit.
• Detroit travels to Arizona this week as three-point favorites in a game with the highest implied point total of the week (52.5).
• I like the Lions to continue passing at a high rate and for Goff to return QB1 value by throwing multiple TDs to his talented pass catchers in what seems likely to be a shootout in the desert.

Fade: Baker Mayfield, TB (vs DEN)

• Baker Mayfield is likely to be the highest-scoring fantasy QB in your league through two weeks. He’s thrown multiple TDs to each of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, another to rookie WR Jalen McMillan, and has run in a TD of his own this year.
• The Bucs host the Broncos this week in one of five games with an implied total of under 40 points.
• The Broncos defense, led by All-Pro CB Patrick Surtain II, has been good against opposing passing games this season, holding both the Seahawks and Steelers under 200 passing yards; they have been especially stingy against WRs, the strength of Tampa Bay’s offense.
• I like keeping Baker on benches in single-QB leagues this week in what projects as a low-scoring matchup against the Broncos.

RB

Start: Zack Moss, CIN (vs WAS) 

• Moss has flashed a well-rounded game for the Bengals and appears to be their first-choice RB in most situations, having out-touched teammate Chase Brown 24-10 through two weeks.
• The Bengals have the highest implied team total on the Week 3 slate (28.0) in a home game against the Commanders on Monday Night Football.
• The WAS defense has made early-season headlines for its ineptitude against opposing WRs, but it has also allowed RBs Rachaad White (106 scrimmage yards) and Devin Singletary (95 yards and a TD) to post solid fantasy scores this year. I like Moss to post RB2 numbers this week.

Fade: J.K. Dobbins, LAC (at PIT)

• Dobbins has been one of the best RBs in fantasy through two weeks, accumulating 270 scrimmage yards and two TDs for the new-look Chargers in favorable matchups against the Raiders and Panthers.
• This week, the Chargers play on the road as underdogs against a challenging Steelers defense, where they have one of the lowest implied team totals of the week (17.0).
• Despite out-producing him significantly, Dobbins remains in a true 50/50 timeshare with teammate Gus Edwards (JK 31 touches, Gus 30 touches through two games).
• Despite his early-season success for a Chargers team that seems bought into their new scheme and philosophy, I like keeping Dobbins on benches this week against a tough Steelers defense.

WR

Start: Xavier Worthy, KC (at ATL)

• Rookie speedster Xavier Worthy maintains a strong role in the KC offense, trailing only Rashee Rice among Chiefs WRs in snaps, routes run, targets, and catches through his first two career games. He’s also handled a carry each week.
• The Chiefs face the Falcons as road favorites, indoors, as one of six teams with an implied team total of 25 or higher this week.
• Pure speculation here, but I like Worthy as a player who could benefit from star RB Isiah Pacheco’s absence while the team shakes out its new-look RB room. Pacheco not only leads the team in rushing production, he is second on the team with seven catches and third with 54 receiving yards.
• I like playing Worthy this week as a back-end WR2 or high-end flex play based on his current role with KC, with major upside if he is afforded more opportunities in Pacheco’s absence.

Fade: Michael Pittman, IND (vs CHI)

• Pittman was drafted as a starting-caliber WR for fantasy managers in drafts on the back of his efficient, volume-based, role in the Colts offense. He caught over 200 passes on nearly 300 targets over the past two seasons combined.
• The Colts host the Bears as slight favorites in Week 3, in a game with a middling implied total (43.5). The Bears are coming off a solid defensive performance holding a high-powered Texans offense to 19 points on SNF.
• While Pittman has maintained an impressive team target share this season, he has caught only seven of his 15 targets for 52 scoreless yards through two weeks. Second-year QB Anthony Richardson is completing less than half of his passes and has more INTs than TDs on the season.
• Despite Pittman’s track record and healthy team target share, I believe he belongs on benches in most 12-team leagues this week. This specific matchup against the Bears appears tough, and the Colts still seem to be working through which passing concepts and personnel groupings best suit their young QB.

TE

With the current state of injuries and general lack of fantasy production at TE, I don’t have recommendations for starts or fades at the position this week. If you have a reasonable TE option who is also healthy, they are likely a strong option to start this week.

If you are in need of a short-term fill-in at TE, my suggested streamer of the week will look eerily similar to last week’s recommended start:

Stream: Colby Parkinson, LAR (vs SF) 

• Parkinson disappointed as a recommended TE streamer last week in Puka Nacua’s absence, being targeted only twice in the Rams’ blowout Week 2 loss to the Cardinals by catching a single pass for 12 yards.
• The Rams host the 49ers this week in a game with a middling implied total (44.5).
• With yet another high-volume piece removed from the Rams’ passing game after Cooper Kupp’s ankle injury, I like going back to Parkinson this week if necessary, as he is very likely to be running routes on nearly all of Matthew Stafford’s pass attempts.

Join us Friday for Start/Sit Questions for Week 3!

Some things in fantasy football are easy. We know we should start Tyreek Hill and Breece Hall. We know we should bench the backup running back who is only on our roster in case of injury. A lot of the decisions are made for us. However, there are a lot of things that are not so simple. All of the “in between” situations are what can make the difference between a few wins and losses, and therefore it can be the difference between a successful season or a failed season. Every Friday, we are here to help!!

I’ll take questions each week in our #fantasy-football channel in our Discord from people looking for Start/Sit advice and give my thoughts. This article on Fridays will feature a few of those questions and responses, so join our Discord to be a part of the conversation or ask questions of your own!!

Question 1:: Should I sit Anthony Richardson for Jayden Daniels? (hawflakes)

Answer:: I would not sit Richardson for Daniels. Both of these quarterbacks have rushing upside that adds to their floor and ceiling on a weekly basis. Both are both playing above-average defenses in Chicago and Cincinnati. However, Richardson is getting wide receiver Josh Downs back this week and has shown the ability to make big plays downfield. Meanwhile, Daniels is running an offense that consists almost entirely of short passes at or behind the line of scrimmage. Start Richardson over Daniels weekly unless the matchup is extremely tough for Richardson and extremely easy for Daniels.

Question 2:: Xavier Worthy or Demarcus Robinson? (1/2 PPR) (dlm223)

Answer:: This is a great question, as Robinson becomes the “WR1” for the Rams and it is easy to fall in love with these spots. This is also a spot where understanding league settings is important. Robinson is likely to see more volume and could catch 6-8 passes in this spot. However, the Rams face the 49ers and yardage and touchdowns could be very hard to come by. Meanwhile, the Chiefs face the Falcons and have a ton of questions in their backfield. I think Worthy will get some extra usage in the red zone going forward and the Chiefs pass rate will go up, also improving his outlook. 

Question 3:: Carson Steele or Zamir White? (bravesgirl82)

Answer:: I expect that a lot of people are unsure what to do with the Chiefs this week, which is why I keep picking those questions to include here. The answer for this one is clearly Zamir White for me. The Raiders ended last season as an extremely run-heavy offense and leaned heavily on White. They haven’t been able to run the ball well yet this season and have a great matchup with the Panthers to get back on track. Head coach Antonio Pierce said this week they want to feed White when they get the opportunity, and this week they should get that opportunity. Steele is likely going to depend on touchdowns to pay off, as he is unlikely to see more than 15 touches, isn’t an overly explosive player, and has a somewhat tough matchup. He also fumbled once last week, and, as a rookie, is probably one more slip-up away from the “dog house.” 

Question 4:: Terry McLaurin or Khalil Shakir? I’m playing against Jayden Daniels and passing TDs are worth six points in our league. Kinda like Shakir more, but didn’t know if I should stick with McLaurin to cancel out Daniels in case he throws him a TD. (0.5 PPR) (wklezek43)

Answer:: Another great question, and I love how you are thinking about this one! I am going to say you should take it a step further. Both McLaurin and Shakir play on Monday night this week, which buys you time. You can make this decision when you have more information. If you are ahead by a decent amount and your opponent needs a big night while you have a dud in order to catch you, then start McLaurin. While his start to the season hasn’t been great, he’s still their top WR and gives you a way of neutralizing a big game from Daniels. If you are behind, definitely start Shakir because you’ll need Daniels to have just an “OK” or bad game in order to catch him and that outcome wouldn’t allow McLaurin to have a big game. Likewise, if McLaurin has a huge game that would mean Daniels is also putting up a big score so you aren’t catching him anyways. If the matchup is close heading into Monday night, I lean Shakir. Both of these guys are the top WR options on their teams and I trust the Bills’ offense more than the Kliff Kingsbury dink-and-dunk operation we are seeing in Washington.

Question 5:: Flex question: D’Andre Swift or Drake London. Full PPR and to get any rushing or receiving yard points, you need to reach a threshold of 40 yards. Receptions and TD’s still count (Once you reach 40 yards, you get the four points, plus one per 10 yards going forward) (Laphroaig)

Answer:: One of the things I have enjoyed the most about these questions is all the different, creative league settings, and this is an interesting one. Swift has a great matchup against a Colts rushing defense that has been hammered this year. However, the Bears’ running game has looked as bad or worse than the Colts run defense. I’m not convinced Swift gets you to that threshold. London seems like the better bet for receptions and touchdowns, as the Falcons’ offense appeared to figure some things out late on Monday night in Week 2. The other concern I have with Swift is he could theoretically match London on the stat sheet but get lapped in your league because of the settings. Swift could easily have 30 yards rushing and 30 yards receiving and get no points for it. If London gets 60 total yards (matching Swift), you’re getting all the points. Great question and fun league, though.

Join us Saturday for our final Week 3 Fantasy Football Rankings!

The weekend is here and it’s time to get our lineups set before Sunday’s full slate of games. Each week, the Saturday edition of the Daily Dose will feature my rankings for all players who have yet to play a game this week. Obviously this will not include the Thursday games, but feel free to hit me up in Discord if you have some tough decisions around guys who play on Thursday. 

Most of the leagues I play in are full-PPR, 12-team leagues and these rankings are designed for those settings – you may need to make some slight adjustments based on your own league settings.

QB:: 

1. Josh Allen
2. Jalen Hurts
3. Lamar Jackson
4. Kyler Murray
5. Patrick Mahomes
6. Anthony Richardson
7. C.J. Stroud
8. Dak Prescott
9. Joe Burrow
10. Jayden Daniels
11. Jared Goff
12. Derek Carr
13. Brock Purdy
14. Baker Mayfield
15. Kirk Cousins
16. Trevor Lawrence
17. Geno Smith
18. Sam Darnold
19. Gardner Minshew
20. Caleb Williams
21. Justin Fields
22. Deshaun Watson
23. Jordan Love (if active)
24. Andy Dalton
25. Matthew Stafford
26. Skylar Thompson
27. Justin Herbert
28. Will Levis
29. Daniel Jones
30. Bo Nix

RB:: 

1. Bijan Robinson
2. Alvin Kamara
3. Saquon Barkley
4. De’Von Achane
5. Jordan Mason
6. Jahmyr Gibbs
7. James Cook
8. Jonathan Taylor
9. Kyren Williams
10. Zach Charbonnet
11. Josh Jacobs
12. Derrick Henry
13. James Conner
14. Travis Etienne
15. David Montgomery
16. Zack Moss
17. Tony Pollard
18. D’Andre Swift
19. Brian Robinson
20. Zamir White
21. Aaron Jones
22. Rachaad White
23. Cam Akers
24. J.K. Dobbins
25. Jerome Ford
26. Najee Harris
27. Devin Singletary
28. Jaylen Warren
29. Chuba Hubbard
30. Samaje Perine
31. Carson Steele
32. Ezekiel Elliott
33. Bucky Irving
34. Javonte Williams
35. D’Onta Foreman
36. Austin Ekeler
37. Rico Dowdle
38. Ty Chandler
39. Gus Edwards
40. Chase Brown

WR:: 

1. CeeDee Lamb
2. Ja’Marr Chase
3. Amon-Ra St. Brown
4. Justin Jefferson
5. Rashee Rice
6. Nico Collins
7. Marvin Harrison, Jr.
8. Tyreek Hill
9. Davante Adams
10. Brandon Aiyuk
11. DeVonta Smith
12. Chris Olave
13. Chris Godwin
14. DK Metcalf
15. DJ Moore
16. Malik Nabers
17. Mike Evans
18. Zay Flowers
19. Rashid Shaheed
20. Jameson Williams
21. Amari Cooper
22. Tank Dell
23. Stefon Diggs
24. Drake London
25. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
26. Xavier Worthy
27. Jaylen Waddle
28. Calvin Ridley
29. Brian Thomas, Jr. 
30. Tee Higgins
31. Jayden Reed
32. George Pickens
33. Michael Pittman
34. Diontae Johnson
35. Terry McLaurin
36. Khalil Shakir
37. Josh Downs
38. Christian Kirk
39. Demarcus Robinson
40. Adam Thielen
41. Tyler Lockett
42. Courtland Sutton
43. Rome Odunze
44. Quentin Johnston
45. Brandin Cooks
46. Ladd McConkey
47. Jerry Jeudy
48. Jalen Nailor
49. Jauan Jennings
50. Jalen Tolbert

TE:: 

1. Trey McBride
2. Travis Kelce
3. Sam LaPorta
4. Brock Bowers
5. Mark Andrews
6. Dallas Goedert
7. Jake Ferguson
8. Kyle Pitts
9. Evan Engram (if active)
10. Dalton Kincaid
11. Dalton Schultz
12. Isaiah Likely
13. Zach Ertz
14. Mike Gesicki
15. Colby Parkinson
16. Pat Freiermuth
17. Jonnu Smith
18. Taysom Hill
19. Tucker Kraft
20. Noah Fant

DEFENSE:: 

1. Browns 
2. Steelers
3. 49ers
4. Buccaneers
5. Chiefs
6. Raiders
7. Seahawks
8. Bills
9. Packers
10. Bears
11. Colts
12. Chargers
13. Ravens
14. Bengals
15. Titans
16. Giants
17. Texans
18. Vikings

Join us Sunday morning for Early Week 3 Waiver Adds!

The theme of this article is, “Work smarter, not harder.” Every week we will give you the top Waiver Adds in our Tuesday article. However, you can make things a lot easier and less stressful by getting ahead of things with some players and situations. Doing so in a smart way can help you save FAAB or preserve high waiver priority in your league. 

Every Sunday I will give you a few players who stand out to me as great potential additions that can give you a leg up on your league mates. Look to add these players if you have players you are willing to drop, who get late-week injuries, or who are ruled out of their games and allow you to move them to an IR spot once they are officially inactive on Sunday morning.

Geno Smith, QB, SEA

• In our Tuesday article with Week 3 Waiver Targets, Tony suggested Geno as a QB streamer for this week against the Dolphins. Still available in 60% of Yahoo leagues, if you didn’t need him this week and he still happens to be available in your league, go get him!! In Week 4, Smith faces the Lions on Monday Night Football. Detroit has an elite run defense, which forces its opponents to pass at a very high rate. That game has shootout potential, and if your starter has a tougher matchup or you are the streaming type, get Geno now before you have a bidding war on your hands.

Ty Chandler, RB, MIN

• Another player who was suggested in our Tuesday article, but is owned in less than 40% of Yahoo leagues. Chandler has arguably looked better than Aaron Jones already this year and Jones seems to always pick up nagging injuries. Week 4 brings a matchup with a Packers run defense that has given up big games to opposing RBs in both games so far this year. An injury on Sunday to Jones would make Chandler the highest priority waiver add for Week 4. Get him for free now!!

Josh Downs, WR, IND

• For those of us who do Best Ball drafts all summer and follow the news out of these teams from May through August, we know that Downs was consistently referred to as the “best receiver” on the Colts throughout the offseason activities, before his injury. Only owned in 25% of leagues at the moment and off the injury report for Week 3, you very rarely get a chance to pick up a team’s WR1 for nothing.

Romeo Doubs, WR, GB

• Jordan Love may return in Week 3. Or, he may not. Doubs is the WR who is on the field the most for the Packers and we’ve seen that he is capable of huge games with Love under center. Whatever happens in Week 3, we should expect Love back for Week 4. Similar to Downs, get the potential top WR for a good offense now rather than waiting for the chips to fall.

Bengals and Bears Defenses

• The Bengals host the Commanders on Monday night and will play on a short week in Week 4, but they get to face the Panthers, who have shown no signs of life as an offense. Meanwhile, in Week 4 the Bears will get to host the Rams, who are currently down four offensive linemen and their top two wide receivers. Both of these defenses are above-average units who will have terrific Week 5 matchups.

Join us Monday for the Week 3 Fantasy Fallout!