The future of the NFL took center stage in Week 3 as three future Hall of Fame Quarterbacks were not on the field this weekend, and in their place were two rookies and a veteran getting his first regular chance to start since returning from a catastrophic knee injury. For the Giants, Steelers and Saints this was a good chance to get a look at what the future holds and early returns show that while Mason Rudolph and Teddy Bridgewater had decent showings for the Steelers and Saints respectively, it was a certain rookie QB in NY that was one of the biggest heroes of the weekend (more about him below). In addition to the QB’s other players showed their heroics and still others played long enough to be villains.
(Note: All scores discussed use ½ PPR scoring structure)
Heroes:
McLaurin in all the passes in the Nation’s Capital
Three games into the 2019 season and the Washington Redskins are careening to DefCon 1 level panic due to their 0-3 start. With reports that Head Coach Jay Gruden’s job is in the balance, it is probably best to look at something positive in what is turning out to be an otherwise forgettable start to the season. Look no further than rookie Wide Receiver Terry McLaurin, who is in the process of fashioning one of the best starts for a first year WR since 1970. In Monday’s loss to the Bears, McLaurin became the second wide receiver since the merger to record at least 60 receiving yards and a touchdown in each of the first three games of his career. His numbers have instantly made him a fantasy football darling, and somebody that is getting snapped up pretty regularly to teams who may begin to look at him as a flex or even WR2 player. On Monday against one of the best defenses in football, McLaurin was targeted eight times, hauling in six passes for 70 yards and one touchdown. Through the Redskins first three games, McLaurin is averaging just over 17 fantasy points per game, and with the New York Giants and their porous secondary next up on the schedule, the McLaurin passing attack looks to be in good shape to continue.
Mike Evans having some Good Times in Tampa
Speaking about the terrible Giants secondary, that brings us to Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who just spent the weekend feasting on some burnt toast that goes by the name Janoris Jenkins. In Sunday’s game, Evans had one of the greatest performances of his career as he would finish the day with eight receptions for 190 yards and three touchdowns, a monstrous 40 fantasy point game. He damn near won the game single handedly for the Bucs, had it not been for a missed 34-yard field goal at the end of regulation. Evans came into this season as one of the elite WRs from a fantasy perspective amassing an ADP of 21.5 (as per fantasydata.com) with a WR8 designation. His first two games were not what you would expect from someone with his high draft status, but with his breakout game this past weekend against the Giants now in the books, Evans will look to continue to build on that against the fourth ranked Los Angeles Rams defense.
Evan Cannot Wait
Evan Engram is very quickly etching his name as one of the top offensive tight ends in the NFL; as many analysts have commented, he has the skills of a wide receiver in a tight ends body. This has made itself glaringly evident in his first three games of the 2019 season. Through Week Three Engram ranks among the top receivers in a number of categories; he is currently sixth in receptions, ninth in yards and 11th in total fantasy points (1st among Tight Ends). His game this weekend against Tampa Bay was a perfect example of what kind of weapon he could be as he was targeted eight times by QB Daniel Jones, catching six of those targets for 113 yards, including a 75-yard catch and run for a touchdown on the first play of the second half. Engram leads the league in average fantasy points per game among tight ends with 17 and goes into this week’s matchup with the Washington Redskins who are averaging giving up eight fantasy points in the first three games to those at the tight end position.
Tom Brady is Everyone’s Hero
A list like this should usually never be meant for someone who possesses the resume that Tom Brady can put on the table, but from a fantasy football perspective, the value of the “Golden Boy” has trailed off the last few years. While the number of Super Bowl rings goes up seemingly every year, the number attached to his fantasy football average has steadily dropped. According to Fantasydata.com Brady’s ADP was 114.3, making him QB17. So that begs the question, have we not all learned by now that drafting Brady later in the draft is a decision that most everyone will live to regret. Through Week 3, Brady is fifth among QBs (who have played all three games) in average fantasy points. Now granted he is feasting off a lot of the bottom feeders in the NFL, namely the Dolphins and the Jets; however, if you add in the Patriots first game of the season against the Steelers, the combined record of all three of the Patriots opponents is 0-9. The competition stiffens a little bit more this weekend as he takes on the 3-0 Bills. When talking about a QB with a strong fantasy football resume you look at, among other stats, their ability to throw touchdowns and their ability to stay away from mistakes that could cost you points. Brady is fourth in touchdown passes and has not thrown an interception yet this season. At 23.5 fantasy points per game, he is once again established himself as one of the best fantasy football quarterbacks in the game.
Honorable Heroes for Week 3
Shaquil Barrett (LB) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 6 Total tackles, 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 31 fantasy points
Marvin Jones (WR) – Detroit Lions – 6 receptions, 101 yards, 1 touchdown, 19.1 fantasy points
Greg Olson (TE) – Carolina Panthers – 7 targets, 6 receptions, 75 yards, 2 touchdowns, 22.5 fantasy points
Frank Gore (RB) – Buffalo Bills – 14 carries 76 yards, 1 touchdown, 15.9 fantasy points
Keenan Allen (WR) – Los Angeles Chargers – 17 targets, 13 receptions, 183 yards, 2 touchdowns, 37,1 fantasy points
Marquez Valdez-Scantling (WR) – Green Bay Packers – 10 targets, 6 receptions, 99 yards, 1 touchdown, 18.9 fantasy points
Daniel Jones (QB) – New York Giants – 23/26 336 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 rushing touchdowns, 35.7 Fantasy Points
Villains:
The Sony hack makes its way to the NFL
Going into this season it was tough to judge the overall value of the New England Patriots running backs, Sony Michel was primarily seen as the preferred goal line option, mostly due to the fact that in his rookie season he amassed over 931 yards rushing and six touchdowns, with five of those coming from 10 yards and in. Michel has had a hard time getting anything started this season, as the good news is that he has scored a touchdown the last two games, the bad news is that he does not bring anything to the receiving game, and he only has 108 yards rushing total so far. Fantasy points-wise he has sandwiched a 12-point game in between a 1 and a 7 point game. For anybody who considers him to be a low end RB2 or Flex player, those numbers are just not going to cut it.
Connor is getting Terminated
The gamble that the Steelers took last season by not attempting to re-sign Le’Veon Bell and go into the season with James Connor paid off, as the second year running back put up some pretty strong numbers, rushing for 973 yards and 12 touchdowns, along with another 55 receptions for 497 yards. His 19.4 Fppg (Fantasydata.com) tied him for fifth in the NFL in average points with Ezekiel Elliot. Unfortunately, his 2019 season has started out much like the rest of his Steelers teammates and that is not very good. In the Steelers Week 3 loss to the 49ers, Connor rushed for 43 yards and only caught 4 passes for a measly 5.7 points. He has only found the endzone once in the Steelers first three games and has been equally disappointing in his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Week four looks like it could be a good chance to turn things around as Pittsburgh hosts the Cincinnati Bengals, who currently rank 31st in the NFL in total rushing yards allowed and has allowed an average of 18 fantasy points to opposing running backs this season.
Adams Family (Does not) Value Fantasy Points
When your ADP puts you at the coveted slot of WR2, just behind Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins, and you have a first ballot Hall of Fame Quarterback throwing to you, you had better come out the box firing on all cylinders. Such has not been the case for Davante Adams, as he comes into Week 4 without a touchdown reception. Yes, his game in Week two against Minnesota got him 106 yards, but in the world of fantasy football, its not enough to just put up the yards, you have to supplement it with all of the other stats that a great receiver exploits in order to run up his fantasy point totals. In Week 3, Adams was only targeted four times, while catching all four of those passes for a paltry 56 yards and a fantasy score of 7.6. If he is going to live up to the standards that come along with being WR2, he needs to not only get the YPG average up, he needs to start getting himself in positions to not only catch the ball more for people in PPR (1/2 PPR) leagues, but he also has to get himself in the endzone way more that he is currently doing.
Not Living Up the Hype and it Ertz
Coming into the 2019 season, the depth at the tight end position was not especially large; there was Travis Kelce atop the list, then George Kittle and third was Zach Ertz. Ertz, having come off a season where he caught 116 passes for 1,163 yards and eight touchdowns was a prime target for most fantasy football players as he creeped up draft boards quickly by combining his pass catching skills with the need to get in on a high scoring asset at a very weak position. Unfortunately, through the first three games of the season, it is safe to say that Zach Ertz has been largely a fantasy disappointment. Its not as if Eagles QB Carson Wentz is not targeting him, he has had 30 passes thrown his way, which leads the Eagles, it’s the fact that he is not maximizing his catches when they happen that is causing his fantasy football owners to break into sweats. In Week 3’s loss to the Lions, Ertz only caught four passes for 64 yards and no touchdowns (0 touchdowns this season), amassing only 8.4 points. With starting WR’s Alshon Jeffrey and DeSean Jackson not playing, it would stand to reason that Ertz saw extra coverage last week, but it is still a very pedestrian sum for a guy who has been a fantasy stud over the last few seasons. Redemption for Ertz starts this week against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night, but the Pack’s defense has been impressive to start the season and currently sit 5th in the NFL in pass defense. While it is by no means time to panic about Ertz just yet, a good fantasy football player will always keep an eye out for those who are underperforming and will always have a plan B just in case.
Dishonorable Villains for Week 3:
Odell Beckham Jr. (WR) – Cleveland Browns – 6 Receptions, 56 yards, 8.6 Fantasy Points
Chris Carson (RB) – Seattle Seahawks – 15 carries, 53 yards, 1 fumble (3 lost fumbles in all 3 games), 3.6 Fantasy Football
TJ Hockenson (TE) – Detroit Lions – 1 target, 1 yard, 0.6 Fantasy Points