X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers - Week 3

Fantasy football risers and fallers heading into Week 3 of the NFL season. Jason Katz looks at players whose fantasy value has changed over the past week.

Whether due to their own play, the play of others, or injuries, players' stock increases and decreases on a weekly basis. Perhaps more than any other, the NFL is a league that experiences ups and downs at a rapid pace. With only 16 games, there’s little room for error and seemingly endless opportunities for improvement. The same goes for fantasy football, and managing rosters effectively is key to winning that championship.

Throughout the season, players get hot and see an increased role while others struggle and fight to stay relevant. Experienced fantasy players know this happens every year. In this weekly column, we’ll showcase those who have taken important steps forward and those who have taken steps back.

These are the key risers and fallers heading into Week 3 of the NFL season. Dynasty owners, check out our separate Dynasty Risers/Fallers segment as well.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Week 3 Risers

Ben Roethlisberger (QB, PIT)

After a turnover riddled Week 1, Ben Roethlisberger bounced back in the comfy confines of Heinz Field, where he does his best work. Roethlisberger attempted an astounding 60 passes, completing 39 of them for 452 yards and three touchdowns. It's the type of performance we've come to expect a few times a year from Big Ben at home, but never on the road. You should probably not start him on the road this week.

Keelan Cole (WR, JAX)

A popular breakout candidate, Keelan Cole disappointed in Week 1 when he wasn't used like a true WR1. That all changed in Week 2 when Cole saw eight targets, catching seven of them for 116 yards and a score. Cole's touchdown was an absolute dime by Blake Bortles - the type of throw Bortles is usually incapable of making. If Bortles can actually become something resembling a competent QB, Cole has league winning potential.

Will Fuller (WR, HOU)

I have hated on Will Fuller so much, specifically about his unsustainable efficiency. Well, he's at it again. He caught eight of nine targets for 113 yards and his usual deep touchdown. Deshaun Watson looks like a subpar NFL QB, but it doesn't seem to be impacting his receivers. Fuller is trending towards making me look very wrong.

Tevin Coleman (RB, ATL)

Tevin Coleman finds himself here purely due to Devonta Freeman's injury. Here's the thing - I don't think we see Freeman again this season. I have a sneaking suspicious that his knee injury is far more serious than the team is letting on. Coleman touched the ball 20 times last week, which is par for the course without Freeman in the lineup. Coleman has RB1 upside.

Chris Thompson (RB, WAS)

Is Chris Thompson even a running back? Do we care? CT leads the Redskins in targets, receptions, and receiving yards, and that is just fine by his fantasy owners. He is a legitimate PPR RB1 purely on volume. The Redskins have the looks of a bad team that will constantly be in comeback mode and/or garbage time. That means a lot of dump offs for Thompson.

Travis Kelce (TE, KC)

Week 1, it was the Tyreek Hill show. Week 2, it was the ::insert Chief here:: show. Travis Kelce was leading the offensive barrage as he rebounded from his one catch for six yards effort to post 109 yards on seven catches with two touchdowns. Any concerns over Kelce's usage and role in the new Chiefs offense have been assuaged.

 

Week 3 Fallers

Jordy Nelson (WR, OAK)

I thought Jordy Nelson would be the guy in Oakland. It appears that Jon Gruden was just blowing smoke when raving about Nelson's "speed." I am embarrassed to have come around on Nelson later in the summer. My initial inclination was correct: Nelson is done. He's seen just four targets in each of the Raiders first two games and done nothing with them. With Martavis Bryant back in the fold and Amari Cooper possibly reborn, Nelson is going to be on many waiver wires by this time next week.

Larry Fitzgerald (WR, ARI)

I fear Larry Fitzgerald may be experiencing flashbacks to the "dark ages" of Cardinals football featuring Ryan Lindley, Max Hall, John Skelton, and Richard Bartel at quarterback. Those are the best comparisons for whatever it is Sam Bradford thinks he is doing under center. The most unfathomable thing in the 2018 NFL season thus far is the fact that we have yet to hear any whispers of Josh Rosen starting. The Cardinals cannot go forward with Bradford and as long he remains the starter, Fitz and the entire offense suffer. To add injury to insult, Fitz is dealing with a hamstring injury as well.

David Johnson (RB, ARI)

My preseason #1 overall pick is barely performing like an RB2. David Johnson is not getting the volume he did under Bruce Arians. He is not seeing as much work in the passing game. And the goal line carries are nowhere to be found. A lot of the problems I outlined for Fitz are echoed here. It's the offense as a whole. After this week's game, Steve Wilks did share some bit of optimism in his acknowledgement of the need to get DJ the ball in space more often and have him run more routes from the slot, but none of that is going to fix the Sam Bradford problem. I am not even certain that Josh Rosen is the savior. All I know is that he can't be worse than Bradford.

Royce Freeman (RB, DEN)

I was super high on Royce Freeman as a prospect, but feared that Vance Joseph wouldn't be smart enough to push him ahead of Devontae Booker and Freeman's volume would suffer as a result. I was right about the volume being a problem, but it has nothing to do with Booker. UDFA Philip Lindsay has been the culprit of Freeman's underperformance. Last week, Lindsay carried the ball 14 times to Freeman's eight and his 107 yards were 79 more than Freeman was able to muster. Lindsay is also an adept pass catcher while Freeman is not viewed that way. This is a committee, as expected, but Lindsay is the clear lead back. Freeman has virtually no chance of living up to his third round ADP.

More Weekly Lineup Prep




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Pablo López2 mins ago

Pablo Lopez Likely To Rejoin The Rotation This Weekend
Dallas Cowboys3 mins ago

Cowboys Could Add Wide Receiver Help With No. 12 Pick
Justin Martinez8 mins ago

Dealing With Shoulder Fatigue
New Orleans Saints10 mins ago

Saints Likely To Address Defense With No. 9 Pick?
Kristian Campbell14 mins ago

Sitting Against Mariners
19 mins ago

Rams Eyeing Trade Up For Tyler Warren, Colston Loveland?
Kyle Freeland21 mins ago

Next Outing To Be Determined
Ezequiel Tovar25 mins ago

Could Be Battling Hip Injury All Year
Patrick Mahomes26 mins ago

Itching To Get Explosive Passing Game Back
Kris Bryant30 mins ago

Not Ready To Return
Jacob Stallings48 mins ago

Kyle Farmer Sitting On Wednesday
Willi Castro1 hour ago

Not Playing On Wednesday
Zac Veen1 hour ago

Optioned to Triple-A
Brenton Doyle1 hour ago

Activated From Bereavement List
Lucas Erceg2 hours ago

Returns To Action On Tuesday
Nolan Gorman2 hours ago

Expected To See More Playing Time
Chris Olave2 hours ago

Saints Picking Up Chris Olave's Fifth-Year Option
Derek Carr2 hours ago

Saints Hope To Have Clarity On Derek Carr Soon
2 hours ago

Chiefs Talk With TreVeyon Henderson
Los Angeles Rams2 hours ago

Rams Not Ruling Out Acquiring Jalen Ramsey
Dallas Cowboys2 hours ago

Micah Parsons Taking Part In Offseason Program
Anthony Richardson2 hours ago

Working On His Footwork
Kayshon Boutte2 hours ago

A Trade Candidate?
Kirk Cousins3 hours ago

Browns, Steelers, Vikings Could Target A Trade For Kirk Cousins
Jeff McNeil3 hours ago

Could Come Off Injured List On Friday
Quinn Mathews3 hours ago

Set To Start Throwing Program
Francisco Alvarez3 hours ago

Could Return On Friday
Cristopher Sánchez3 hours ago

Cristopher Sanchez Feeling Good, No Plans For MRI Exam
Bryson Stott3 hours ago

Out Against Southpaw On Wednesday
Jac Caglianone3 hours ago

Posts Third Straight Multi-Hit Game
Emmanuel Clase3 hours ago

Dealing With Shoulder Discomfort
Nick Nastrini3 hours ago

Rebounds In Latest Outing
Agustín Ramírez3 hours ago

Agustin Ramirez Sitting Out After Hot Start
Jaren Jackson Jr.6 hours ago

Posts Team-High 26 Points In Tuesday's Loss
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander6 hours ago

Notches 27 Points Despite Poor Shooting
Max Greyserman6 hours ago

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Pascal Siakam6 hours ago

Scores Team-High 24 Points In Game 2 Win
Giannis Antetokounmpo6 hours ago

Posts Big Double-Double In Game 2 Loss
Lee Hodges6 hours ago

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA6 hours ago

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Julius Randle6 hours ago

Leads Timberwolves In Scoring In Game 2
Gary Woodland6 hours ago

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Luka Dončić6 hours ago

Luka Doncic Nets 31 Points In Lakers Win
Max McGreevy6 hours ago

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard6 hours ago

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Jock Landale6 hours ago

Unavailable For Game 2
Sam Stevens7 hours ago

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Jae'Sean Tate7 hours ago

Remains Out Wednesday
Nicolai Hojgaard7 hours ago

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
John Tavares7 hours ago

Collects Two Points In Overtime Win
Christiaan Bezuidenhout7 hours ago

Looks To Sway A Hot Putter In Teams Favor At Zurich Classic
Frederik Andersen7 hours ago

Posts 40th Postseason Win
Akshay Bhatia7 hours ago

Looking To Bounce Back At TPC Louisiana
Carson Young7 hours ago

Looks To Turn Things Around At TPC Louisiana
Kirill Kaprizov7 hours ago

Leads Wild To Valuable Road Win
Matthew Tkachuk7 hours ago

Returns With Three-Point Performance
Erik Van Rooyen7 hours ago

Looking For Momentum In Louisiana
Anthony Cirelli7 hours ago

Suffers Undisclosed Injury Tuesday
Gabriel Vilardi7 hours ago

May Return To Jets Lineup Thursday
John Klingberg7 hours ago

Ready To Return To Action
Evander Kane8 hours ago

Could Be An Option For Game 2
Michael Pittman Jr.15 hours ago

Back Injury Is In The Past
George Pickens16 hours ago

Steelers Appear Unlikely To Trade George Pickens
Jaylen Warren16 hours ago

Steelers Believe Jaylen Warren Can Be Their RB1
Andrew Novak17 hours ago

Making Start At TPC Louisiana After Near Miss At Harbour Town
Ben Griffin17 hours ago

Making Third Career Start At Zurich Classic
Taylor Moore18 hours ago

Competing With A New Teammate In New Orleans
Wyndham Clark18 hours ago

Making Return To New Orleans
Kurt Kitayama19 hours ago

Teeing It Up Again In New Orleans
Collin Morikawa19 hours ago

Back At Zurich Classic For Fifth Time
Jaylen Warren19 hours ago

Signs One-Year Deal With Steelers
Will Levis21 hours ago

Unlikely To Be Traded
Houston Texans21 hours ago

Texans Considering Trading Up
Cleveland Browns21 hours ago

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah Appears At Offseason Program
Thomas Detry21 hours ago

Making Third Appearance At New Orleans Team Event
Christian McCaffrey21 hours ago

Has No Restrictions
Terry Rozier21 hours ago

Ruled Out For Wednesday
Damian Lillard21 hours ago

Will Have His Minutes Monitored Tuesday
Jayson Tatum21 hours ago

Listed As Doubtful For Game 2
Robert MacIntyre21 hours ago

Returns To Zurich Classic With High Hopes
Derek Forbort22 hours ago

Recovering From Surgery
Martin Fehérváry22 hours ago

Martin Fehervary To Miss Postseason Following Knee Surgery
Shane Lowry22 hours ago

Returning To Zurich Classic With Red-Hot Teammate
Luke Glendening22 hours ago

Available For Start Of Playoffs
Mitchell Chaffee22 hours ago

Available Tuesday
Cody Glass22 hours ago

Good To Go Tuesday
Brenden Dillon22 hours ago

Won't Play In Game 2
Luke Hughes22 hours ago

Out On Tuesday
Matthew Tkachuk22 hours ago

Activated From Injured Reserve
Damian Lillard24 hours ago

Cleared To Play Tuesday
Brock Purdy1 day ago

Reports For OTA's Amid Contract Discussions
Nikola Jokić1 day ago

Nikola Jokic Posts 19th Postseason Triple-Double
Kawhi Leonard1 day ago

Leads Clippers To Game 2 Victory
Jalen Brunson1 day ago

Leads All Scorers With 37 Points In Monday's Loss
Tobias Harris1 day ago

Notches Double-Double In Game 2 Win
Cade Cunningham1 day ago

Leads Pistons To Victory With 33 Points
Rob Dillingham1 day ago

Out On Tuesday
Maxi Kleber1 day ago

Remains Out For Game 2
GG Jackson II1 day ago

Available For Tuesday
Evan Bouchard1 day ago

Dishes Out Three Assists In Postseason Opener
Connor McDavid1 day ago

Racks Up Four Points In Losing Effort
Phillip Danault1 day ago

Nets Two Goals In Game 1 Victory
Mark Scheifele1 day ago

Bags Two Points In Monday's Win
Lane Hutson1 day ago

Posts Two Assists In Playoff Debut
Aaron Gordon2 days ago

Cleared For Action
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF