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 Warning Signals for Week 3: Joe Burrow, Khalil Herbert, Jahan Dotson

Jahan Dotson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Week 3 of the fantasy football season is underway and despite a limited set of data, it is okay to consider benching players with name value. We often hear the phrase "start your studs" and it is a tried and true method, especially earlier in the season. When injuries, tough matchups, and/or questionable team situations arise, we must adjust. Today, I'll be looking at Joe Burrow, Khalil Herbert, and Jahan Dotson.

This may be difficult to stomach benching a player drafted within the top 100 for a possible free-agent acquisition, but sometimes such measures must be taken to ensure victory throughout the fantasy football season.

Here is a look at some fantasy football players who have shown warning signals recently, and you should think twice about putting them in your lineup in Week 3. Will they bounce back, or continue to underperform? For any and all issues or concerns, contact @RotoSurgeon on Twitter.

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

 

Quarterback Concerns - Sit 'Em for Week 3?

Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Los Angeles Rams

This is an obvious selection with Burrow trending towards doubtful for Monday's game. However, given the slow leak of news, we may not have a final update until Monday afternoon, which would leave fantasy managers holding the bag. The pivot towards Matthew Stafford is possible (or at worst, Jake Browning), but who wants to be stuck between these two?

The best course of action with Burrow is benching him prior to Sunday morning's games and rolling out the likely viable option on a fantasy bench of the best streamer available if not. Burrow has the shine of his name but his performance thus far has been lackluster and will continue as such until his calf issue is resolved. With his lack of rushing (four yards on two attempts) and his inability to push the football downfield, he is a shell of himself. Bench him this week and until further notice.

What To Do

Jared Goff, Detroit Lions vs. Atlanta Falcons

Goff is once again a QB1 to start the season and welcomes a vulnerable Falcons defense to Detroit this Sunday. As an added boost, Amon-Ra St. Brown appears healthy while lead RB David Montgomery is not. Rookie Jahmyr Gibbs will take over RB1 duties and boost a pass offense that has found plenty of success through two games despite the absence of last year's first-round selection Jameson Williams.

With Gibbs operating as a quasi-receiver out of the backfield, ARSB commanding his share of respect, and the emergence of Sam LaPorta at tight end, there are plenty of ways for Goff to attack the Atlanta defense. He will be required to throw thanks to Detroit's defense losing multiple starters already. The Falcons' offense is frustrating for fantasy managers but effective nonetheless due to the scheme, elite OL, and high-end talent at WR, TE, and RB. Expect plenty of scoring between these two teams and if Goff is not available, Desmond Ridder with his rushing ability is a fine pivot.

 

Running Back Concerns - Sit 'Em for Week 3?

Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears @ Kansas City Chiefs

Herbert is the most talented rusher in the Bears' backfield but due to their porous defense and discombobulated offense, the Bears find themselves trailing early and often. With deficits on the scoreboard sooner than later, Chicago abandons the run game outside of Justin Fields' scrambles on pass plays. Through two games, the Bears' RBs have combined to rush just 30 times.

Kansas City's defense is often vulnerable to the rush as DC Steve Spagnuolo knows that pass defense wins games but this will not matter if Herbert does not get the necessary volume to succeed in fantasy. The likeliest scenario is backup RB Roschon Johnson playing more due to his pass-blocking acumen and consistent hands. Herbert is far from a trusted receiving back despite seeing eight targets this season. His 36 targets in 32 career games are fairly low for a back with 275 total touches.

What To Do

Joshua Kelley, Los Angeles Chargers @ Minnesota Vikings

Kelley was incredible in Week 1 playing as Austin Ekeler's backup who rushed for 91 yards and a TD on 16 carries. In Week 2 as the starter in Ekeler's absence, he was nowhere near as effective with 39 yards on 13 carries. Nevertheless, there is a bright side as Kelley logged 79% of the snaps and should remain the clear lead against a leaky Vikings run defense.

The Week 2 matchup against Tennessee is forgivable as they rank second in DVOA against rushing this season after ranking first last season. Kelley is a must-start option in fantasy even with zero targets through two games.

 

Wide Receiver Concerns - Sit 'Em for Week 3?

Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders vs. Buffalo Bills

Dotson is struggling early in the season. There was plenty of reason for excitement after a promising rookie season and Terry McLaurin injuring his toe during preseason but that has quickly died down. Dotson leads the team in targets (12) but has produced just 62 yards without a TD. A major factor in his success last season was TDs but we know they are volatile for receivers year-to-year and oftentimes luck and quarterback-based.

Dotson is okay to start in full-PPR leagues thanks to his targets but given the weather on the East Coast this weekend and his lack of flash thus far, benching for another option is best.

What To Do

Nico Collins, Houston Texans @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Nico Collins not only leads the Texans in targets (20) but is also tied for seventh in the NFL. His emergence this season could be very real as his talent was not much of a question (though maybe not to the degree of a fantasy WR1). Quarterback issues in Houston and dating back to his college days at Michigan always capped Collins but he persisted and finally has what appears to be a real franchise QB under center in C.J. Stroud.

Collins is a big-play threat who can attack the middle of a field well, too. He is not just a start this week in what should be a catch-up game against Jacksonville, but every week moving forward as Houston's alpha WR.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




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

Aaron Nesmith13 mins ago

Questionable Versus Minnesota
Tyrese Haliburton22 mins ago

On The Injury Report For Monday Night
Michael Tonkin24 mins ago

Will Open Season On IL
Aaron Wiggins35 mins ago

Returns To Action Against Bucks
Michel Otañez36 mins ago

Michel Otanez Shut Down From Throwing
Myles Turner38 mins ago

Questionable Against Minnesota
Kyle Kuzma40 mins ago

Ready To Play Sunday
Pascal Siakam44 mins ago

Won't Play On Monday
Damian Lillard46 mins ago

Good To Go Sunday
Giannis Antetokounmpo49 mins ago

Available Against OKC
Brandon Marsh51 mins ago

Exits Early Sunday
Andrew Wiggins56 mins ago

Iffy For Monday's Game
Zion Williamson1 hour ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday
Royce Lewis1 hour ago

Expected To Begin 2025 On IL
NFL1 hour ago

Ryan Stonehouse Signs With Dolphins
Sam Darnold1 hour ago

Could Opt-Out After One Season
Luguentz Dort1 hour ago

Will Miss Sunday's Game
Chet Holmgren1 hour ago

Ready For Action Sunday
Mark Andrews1 hour ago

Unlikely To Be Cut
Jalen Williams1 hour ago

Unavailable Against Bucks
Mike Conley2 hours ago

Resting Against Jazz
Kenyon Martin Jr.2 hours ago

Out On Sunday
Keyonte George2 hours ago

On The Shelf For Fourth Straight Game
Cole Anthony2 hours ago

Doesn't Return On Sunday
Jordan Clarkson2 hours ago

Exits Jazz Lineup Sunday
Kris Dunn2 hours ago

Out On Sunday
Norman Powell2 hours ago

Returns To Clippers Lineup Sunday
Igor Shesterkin2 hours ago

Remains In Rangers Crease Sunday
John Gibson3 hours ago

Still Out On Sunday
Nick Bjugstad3 hours ago

Returns For Utah Sunday
Filip Chytil3 hours ago

Questionable For Sunday
Jiri Kulich3 hours ago

In Concussion Protocol
Adam Pelech3 hours ago

Out On Sunday
Zach Hyman3 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Sunday
Bailey Falter3 hours ago

Ready To Go For Monday
Yu Darvish4 hours ago

Dealing With Fatigue
Clarke Schmidt4 hours ago

Won't Start On Monday
Mark Leiter Jr.4 hours ago

Should Be Ready For Opening Day
David Bednar4 hours ago

Not Officially Named Closer
Yoán Moncada4 hours ago

Yoan Moncada Could Land On Injured List
NFL4 hours ago

Keith Taylor Signs With Falcons
NFL5 hours ago

Storm Norton Back With Atlanta
Ronnie Rivers5 hours ago

Re-Ups With Rams
Mason Adams6 hours ago

Diagnosed With Flex Strain
Joey Gallo6 hours ago

White Sox Release Joey Gallo
Sean Burke6 hours ago

Named Opening Day Starter
Jung Hoo Lee6 hours ago

Expected To Remain Sidelined For A Few Days
Max Kepler6 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday After Collision
Eiberson Castellano6 hours ago

Could Win Bullpen Job
Kyle Freeland6 hours ago

Rockies Name Kyle Freeland Their Starter For Opening Day
Royce Lewis7 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday
Ramón Urías7 hours ago

Ramon Urias Expected To Return On Thursday
Emmanuel Rivera7 hours ago

Dealing With Sore Shoulder
Ronny Mauricio7 hours ago

Won't Play In Spring Training Games
Caleb Martin8 hours ago

Ruled Out On Sunday
New York Jets8 hours ago

Derrick Nnadi Signing With Jets
Washington Commanders8 hours ago

Eddie Goldman Joins Commanders On One-Year Deal
Cooper Rush8 hours ago

Agrees On Two-Year Deal With Ravens
Baltimore Ravens11 hours ago

Ben Cleveland Remaining With Ravens
Seattle Seahawks11 hours ago

Shemar Jean-Charles Signing With Seahawks
Velus Jones Jr.11 hours ago

Signs With Saints
Christopher Bell12 hours ago

Quest For Four Wins In A Row Just Got More Difficult
Kyle Larson12 hours ago

Should Contend For Another Win At Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney12 hours ago

Once Again The Chalk DFS Pick At Las Vegas
Ross Chastain12 hours ago

Fastest In Practice At Las Vegas
Chris Buescher12 hours ago

Has Sneaky Upside This Weekend
Quinton Byfield13 hours ago

Scores In Sixth Straight Contest
Chase Elliott13 hours ago

May Be A Sneaky DFS Option For Las Vegas Lineups
Artemi Panarin13 hours ago

Extends Point Streak To Eight Games
Pyotr Kochetkov13 hours ago

Shuts The Door On Flyers On Saturday
William Byron13 hours ago

Expect William Byron To Compete For The Win At Las Vegas
Tyler Reddick13 hours ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Las Vegas
Anthony Cirelli13 hours ago

Strikes Twice On Saturday
Denny Hamlin13 hours ago

Could Denny Hamlin Be A Quality Driver For DFS At Las Vegas?
Alex Ovechkin13 hours ago

Scores Goal, Adds Assist In Victory
Connor Dewar13 hours ago

Scores Twice On Saturday
NASCAR14 hours ago

Bubba Wallace Could Be A Solid DFS Option For Las Vegas
Brad Keselowski14 hours ago

Qualifies Deep In The Field For Las Vegas
Erik Jones14 hours ago

Is Erik Jones Worth Rostering At Las Vegas This Week?
Daniel Suarez14 hours ago

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Daniel Suarez At Las Vegas?
Carson Hocevar14 hours ago

Showcases Speed And Can Be Worth Rostering At Las Vegas
Ryan Preece14 hours ago

Is Ryan Preece A DFS Fade For Las Vegas Lineups?
Joey Logano15 hours ago

Likely To Lead At Las Vegas, But Will He Lead Enough For DFS Consideration?
Michael McDowell15 hours ago

Wins Spire Motorsports' First Pole At Las Vegas
Austin Cindric15 hours ago

Qualifies Third But Is Almost Guaranteed To Lose Spots
Chase Briscoe15 hours ago

Las Vegas Performance Hard To Predict
Ty Gibbs15 hours ago

A Solid DFS Option In Theory
Shane Van Gisbergen15 hours ago

Too Inexperienced At Las Vegas For DFS Consideration
Jordan Mason22 hours ago

Vikings Acquire Jordan Mason From 49ers, Sign Him To Two-Year Deal
Dee Eskridge1 day ago

Sticking With Dolphins
JuJu Smith-Schuster1 day ago

Returning To Chiefs
Tennessee Titans1 day ago

Chidobe Awuzie Released By Titans
Parris Campbell1 day ago

Headed To Dallas
Jiri Kulich1 day ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury Saturday
Tyler Myers1 day ago

Set To Return Against Blackhawks
Nikita Kucherov1 day ago

Good To Go Against Bruins
Yegor Chinakhov1 day ago

Rejoins Blue Jackets Lineup Saturday
Joel Armia1 day ago

Expected To Return On Saturday
Brady Tkachuk1 day ago

Available Saturday
Adam Fox1 day ago

Ready To Rejoin Rangers Lineup
Philadelphia Eagles1 day ago

Patrick Johnson Rejoins Philadelphia
Los Angeles Rams1 day ago

Larrell Murchison Back With The Rams
Kirk Cousins1 day ago

Set To Receive Roster Bonus
Aaron Rodgers1 day ago

Wants To Play In Minnesota
Eeli Tolvanen2 days ago

Scores Twice In Victory
Roman Dolidze2 days ago

Set For A Rematch
Marvin Vettori2 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Chidi Njokuani2 days ago

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos2 days ago

Looks For His 12th UFC Win
Kurt Holobaugh2 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 104
Alexander Hernandez3 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Gibson3 days ago

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Da'Mon Blackshear3 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 104
Brendson Ribeiro3 days ago

Searching For Second UFC Win On Saturday
Diyar Nurgozhay3 days ago

Set To Make His UFC Debut
MMA3 days ago

Seung Woo Choi In Dire Need Of Victory
Kevin Vallejos3 days ago

Makes Debut At UFC Vegas 104
Jacob Bridgeman4 days ago

Use Caution For Jacob Bridgeman At TPC Sawgrass
Nicolai Hojgaard4 days ago

Looks To Stay Consistent Heading Into PLAYERS Championship
Karl Vilips4 days ago

Makes PLAYERS Championship Debut After First PGA Tour Win
Taylor Pendrith4 days ago

A Sneaky Play At TPC Sawgrass
Sahith Theegala4 days ago

Out Of Form Ahead Of The PLAYERS Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick4 days ago

A Shaky Play Heading Into PLAYERS
Scottie Scheffler4 days ago

Eyeing Three-Peat At TPC Sawgrass
Aldrich Potgieter4 days ago

A Risky Play At TPC Sawgrass
Si Woo Kim4 days ago

Looks To Keep Building Momentum At The PLAYERS
Denny McCarthy4 days ago

Looks To Continue Solid Play At TPC Sawgrass
Collin Morikawa5 days ago

Poised For Another Strong Performance At TPC Sawgrass
Robert MacIntyre5 days ago

A Risky Play With Upside At The PLAYERS Championship
Jordan Spieth5 days ago

Looking To Change Fortunes At TPC Sawgrass
Cameron Young5 days ago

Avoid Cameron Young At The PLAYERS Championship
Michael Kim5 days ago

Continues Incredible Form Ahead Of The PLAYERS Championship
Justin Thomas5 days ago

Looking For More Magic At TPC Sawgrass
Xander Schauffele5 days ago

Continues Competitive Return At The Players Championship
Rory McIlroy5 days ago

Looks To Reverse Recent History At TPC Sawgrass
PGA5 days ago

Victor Hovland Looking To Find Form At The PLAYERS Championship
Brian Harman5 days ago

A Sleeper Pick At The PLAYERS Championship
Min Woo Lee5 days ago

A Hard Name To Trust At The Players Championship
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Albert Haynesworth - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Worst NFL Free Agent Signings Of All Time

With the free agency period for the 2025 NFL season now underway, many big-name players will find new homes as teams compete to sign anyone and everyone they think they need to help their squad. While many signings end up being good moves, or at least help their teams fill holes at certain positions on […]


Cole Kmet - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets and Avoids: Tight Ends to Buy or Sell (2025)

It's tough to find good tight ends in dynasty fantasy football. Unfortunately, it's also very easy to be stuck with one that sticks around in the doldrums of low production. Such is the case for many TEs, and even those who have good seasons here and there often lack consistency year over year. It's not […]


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injuries

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets and Avoids: Running Backs to Buy or Sell (2025)

Running back volume and production is highly mercurial in the NFL. It can thus be difficult to know when to trade away and when to trade for tailbacks. There is constant competition for roles in certain backfields, and red-herring situations are abound due to injuries and plain luck. While some RBs are certainly safe in […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News Updates

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Third-Year Breakouts

Patience can be tough, especially in fantasy football. We want instant production from rookies, but these players often take a while to get going. These youngsters need to adjust to the speed of the NFL and learn from their early struggles to break out fully. The third year in the NFL is oftentimes when things […]


Justin Fields - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Free Agency Winners and Losers - Fantasy Football Outlooks from Florio

Free Agency is the most fun week of the NFL offseason. Even when it is not the strongest class, there is never a shortage of excitement. Players changing teams at a rapid rate. It is a week filled with hope that your favorite team will add stars and that those under-the-radar players you love will […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News Updates

Josh Downs Fantasy Football Dynasty Outlook (2025)

The 2025 NFL Draft is quickly approaching. For the last few months, dynasty fantasy football gamers have been meticulously studying the incoming rookie class to gain any edge they can on their league mates. While we should be anxiously awaiting our rookie drafts, we must also take time and analyze how veteran players are valued […]


Tyron Smith Top Landing Spots: 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

New York Jets and former long-time Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith was one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL for an extended period of time. He's made five All-Pro teams, two with the first team and two with the second team, been selected to eight Pro Bowls, and earned a spot on […]


Bills Defense - Von Miller IDP Rankings, D/ST Streamers, Fantasy Football Team Defense

Von Miller Top Landing Spots: 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller, one of the greatest pass-rushers in NFL history, was released by his team on March 9, 2025. He had signed a six-year, $120 million deal with the team in 2022, but the soon-to-be 36-year-old wasn't able to make it to the end of that contract, so he's now looking for […]


Aaron Jones - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Staying Put - Impact Players Re-signed: Aaron Jones, Zach Ertz, Jaylen Warren, more

NFL free agency is a frenzy. As football fans, we love to see the movement around the league. It allows us to dream about the possibility of our team signing a fresh player who could make a serious impact. However, one cannot overlook the impact of re-signing significant contributors. While it is not as exciting […]


Tucker Kraft - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Wide Receivers and Tight Ends To Buy in 2025

My friend Josh used to make me listen to the Bring Me The Horizon song "Diamonds Aren't Forever," which begins with the line "We will never sleep, cause sleep is for the weak." That sentiment rings true in fantasy football dynasty leagues as well. You can't get complacent. You can't stop thinking about how to […]


Zay Flowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football WR Buy or Sell: Zay Flowers, Rashee Rice, and Jordan Addison (2025)

The 2024 NFL Draft class had seven first-round wide receivers. Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze were selected in the top 10. Meanwhile, Brian Thomas Jr., Xavier Worthy, Ricky Pearsall, and Xavier Legette were Day 1 selections. More importantly, Nabers and Thomas finished their rookie seasons as top-7 wide receivers in half-point PPR […]


Courtland Sutton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Sleepers, Draft Targets: Early 2025 Analysis

One of the biggest factors in winning fantasy football teams is finding middle-to-late-round sleepers. With wide receivers typically carrying the most drafted players of any position, it makes sense that taking multiple stabs at the position in search of hitting multiple-round values is the way to set yourself apart in drafts. For 2025, the draft […]


Caleb Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

2025 NFL Free Agency Frenzy: Biggest Winners and Disappointments at Every Fantasy Football Position

NFL franchises will have an opportunity to reshape their rosters before the draft. Fantasy managers will have a chance to read the tea leaves and make measured strikes against their fantasy football opposition ahead of rookie drafts. Savvy managers will use this period to try to get the best return on some previous investments, as […]