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Fantasy Pop Quiz - NFL Week 3

There are two types of football articles; those based in analytics, and those based in opinion. Admittedly the opinion ones ("Does Rob Gronkowski Fully Appreciate Career Touchdown 69?") are a bit more fun and easier to write, and very few articles utilize one without the other, but it always come down to one of two things; can I prove it, or do I believe it?

It's a reminder that, two weeks into the season, is important when it comes to assessing how you built your fantasy team. I believe that if C.J. Anderson can stay healthy, he could be a very serviceable running back in 2017. I can prove his statistics, when healthy, put him there. That's an easy one (and, for the purposes of a pop quiz, qualifies as a "short answer" question.) What's harder is the guys who have less of a track record. Martarvis Bryant should be good, but it's a little harder to prove he'll succeed in this offense, this year, even when he has flashes of brilliance. Sometimes it's based on analysis, sometimes it's based on just rolling the dice.

This point does happen, season to season. Did you draft steadfast Adrian Peterson in 2016? Or DeAndre Hopkins? Those guys were great, despite bad offenses. They were wonderful. And then, y'know.... 2016 happened. 2017 is taking a bigger toll than usual, especially early on, but it's worth understanding as you set up your lineup and try your best to make educated decisions week to week, that you know what you can prove, and that you know what you just believe may happen.

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

 

Running Back

______ will either be on my bench or will ruin my week.

A: Ty Montgomery
B: LeSean McCoy
C: Lamar Miller
D: Isaiah Crowell

Each of these RBs have one big advantage going for them compared to some lower end RB2 and RB3s that may be tempting to play in week three; they are the sole owners of the workload in their backfield. So for these guys, though all at least decent enough FLEX options, it comes down to the question of who will go away from the run the most quickly? Montgomery, McCoy, and Crowell all have favorable enough matchups, but Lamar Miller and the Texans on the road to New England may have to go away from the run quickly. I like Miller's workload, but this could be a game that doesn't reward Miller at least fifteen carries, and instead sees Bill O'Brien desperately trying to outfox his old boss with crafty aerial plays and pitches.

 

Against all odds, you should take a look at ___________ now?

A: Frank Gore
B: Ameer Abdullah
C: Jalen Richard
D: Christian McCaffrey

All solid RB2 options going into the season (save for Richard, who earns a place on this list for the simple fact that he's outscored so many starters), and many now appear almost certainly confined to the bench. Except, of course, for Christian McCaffreywho is playing his first game at home in a game that may very well be a shootout against the New Orleans Saints. The Saints haven't been great at preventing the run already, but a high scoring game means the Panthers are doing whatever they can to get into the end zone, and it's hard to rely on a wide receiver in this matchup, so trust McCaffrey to fall into the paint for the first time in his career.

 

Wide Receiver

Am I going to really roll with ____________ this week? (Yes. Yes I Am)

A: Keenan Allen
B: Jordy Nelson
C: Larry Fitzgerald
D: Michael Thomas

This is another one of those lists where there is one guy that stands out above the rest. Here's a hint; his offense has the most receiving touchdowns so far this year, and he's facing a defense that has forced teams to throw... yes, it's Keenan Allen. It's worth noting that, well, maybe we haven't been noting Allen's return to dominance enough, and he's a top ten receiver through two games. In a week when so many people are stressing about first round receivers in Nelson and Thomas, there's not enough buzz around the potential shootout that is KC vs LAC, and Keenan Allen's role in it.

 

In Week 3, I will FLEX my muscles and put ________ in my lineup

A: Dez Bryant
B: Jarvis Landry
C: Davante Adams
D: Emmanuel Sanders

There may not be a better matchup in fantasy than anyone vs Cincinnati right now, but Aaron Rodgers and squad vs these guys, especially at home, means you need to bank on someone to produce. I think that with Jordy Nelson on the potential mend (no one quite knows the extent of that injury, even though Jordy was practicing as of Wednesday), you may find your answer in the only receiver on the Packers averaging 13 yards per reception in two games. Seriously, if Davante Adams is even targeted in the end zone once, he's likely to end up in the end zone, and he's the only one of these similarly ranked receivers who is at home and facing a great matchup.

 

Tight End

Parachute? I don't need no parachute, I have __________________

A: Kyle Rudolph
B: Zach Ertz
C: Delanie Walker
D: Jason Witten

If we're discussing storylines that aren't getting enough love, then "Jason Witten is the top fantasy tight end through two games" is maybe the hallmark storyline, but I don't know if I can get behind him against the Cardinals defense until I'm 100% sure they are bad. After all, who else is the secondary gonna really target with Dez Bryant underperforming? The leading receiver on the Philadelphia Eagles, averaging nine targets a game, Zach Ertz. Ertz is at home vs a bad New York Giants defense who, well, isn't as much bad but struggling, and the Eagles offense continues to roll on. I anticipate Ertz being a top tight end this week, maybe the best of the bunch, and if you're one of the many people who lost a tight end this week, you may be able to trade for Ertz still while the profile is still low.

 

More Week 3 Lineup Prep




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Logan Gilbert

Leaves Friday's Start With Forearm Tightness

Vikings Select Tai Felton To Finish Day 2

Seahawks Select Quarterback Jalen Milroe With The 92nd Pick Overall

Browns Select Dillon Gabriel 94th Overall

Packers Pick Savion Williams At No. 87 overall

Steelers Snag Kaleb Johnson In Round 3

Broncos Select Wide Receiver Pat Bryant With The 74th Overall Pick

Texans Select Jaylin Noel With 79th Pick

Lions Select Wide Receiver Isaac TeSlaa With The 70th Overall Pick
Jack Leiter

To Start On Sunday

Patriots Add Wide Receiver Kyle Williams In Round 3

Browns Draft Harold Fannin Jr. With 67th Pick
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Makes Early Exit
Luke Keaschall

Removed Early On Friday
Blake Snell

Likely Avoids Major Injury
Cole Ragans

Dealing With Mild Groin Strain

Broncos Add RJ Harvey To Backfield With 60th Pick

Raiders Select Jack Bech With 58th Pick

Chargers Add Wide Receiver Tre Harris In Round 2
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Lions Acquire 57th Pick From Broncos

Seahawks Draft Elijah Arroyo 50th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Acquire 51st Pick From Broncos
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Snag Will Johnson At No. 47

Jets Add A Pass-Catcher With Mason Taylor At No. 42

Rams Select Terrance Ferguson With 46th Pick
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Texans Acquire 48th Pick From Raiders, Draft Aireontae Ersery

Saints Snag Tyler Shough At No. 40
Brenton Doyle

Out For Personal Reasons On Friday
Brandin Podziemski

Not On Injury Report For Game 3
Jimmy Butler III

Warriors Optimistic About Jimmy Butler III Playing Saturday
Jae'Sean Tate

To Remain Out Saturday
Jock Landale

Unavailable For Game 3
Terry Rozier

Out On Saturday
Jrue Holiday

Ruled Out For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Orlando
Kevin Love

To Miss Saturday's Game
Jaylen Brown

Available For Friday Night's Game 3 Against Magic
Gary Payton II

Iffy For Saturday's Action
Jayson Tatum

Officially Available On Friday For Game 3 Against Magic
Will Smith

Back From Injury On Friday
Luke Kennard

Questionable For Game 4 On Saturday
Darius Garland

Listed As Questionable For Game 3
Ja Morant

To Miss Game 4 On Saturday
Rui Hachimura

Available For Game 3 In Minnesota
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Available To Return Saturday
Erik Swanson

Ryan Burr Progressing
Daulton Varsho

To Return On Tuesday At The Latest
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Takes Positive Step On Friday
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Questionable For Saturday
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Set For Larger Role In Game 4
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To Start Game 3 For Oilers
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Resting For First Time This Year
Jonas Siegenthaler

To Play Limited Minutes In Game 3
MLB

Red Sox-Guardians Game Postponed On Friday
Luke Hughes

Remains Out On Friday
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Tigers-Orioles Postponed On Friday
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A Game-Time Decision Friday
Yainer Diaz

Out On Friday Against Royals
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Ivan Herrera Hopes To Start Rehab Assignment Next Week
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Sitting Out For First Time This Season
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Questionable For Game 3 On Friday
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Back In Action On Friday
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Could Miss Game 3 On Saturday
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Starting Rehab Assignment On Saturday
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Looks To Remain Undefeated In The UFC
Ian Machado Garry

Set For UFC Kansas City Main Event
Cade Cunningham

Collects Double-Double In Loss
Jalen Brunson

Drops 30 Points In Game 3
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads All Scorers In Game 3 Victory
Zhang Mingyang

Scheduled For Co-Main Event
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Set For His Final UFC Bout
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Set For Featherweight Bout
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Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
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An Underdog At UFC Kansas City
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A Favorite At UFC Kansas City
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Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
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Shuts Out Lightning In Game 2
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Finishes Thursday's Win With Five Points
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Posts Four Assists In Game 3 Win
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Celebrates Hat Trick During Four-Point Performance
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Battling An Illness
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Exits Early Thursday
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Hurt In Game 2
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Tagged As Questionable For Friday
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Likely Out Again On Friday
Anthony Cirelli

Good To Go Thursday
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Looks To Bounce Back In Game 2
Rasmus Ristolainen

To Miss Training Camp
Jonas Siegenthaler

Returns To Practice
Aliaksei Protas

Traveling With Capitals
Gabriel Vilardi

Still Out On Thursday
Max Pacioretty

Set To Join Maple Leafs Lineup For Game 3
Cam Davis

Looking For Better Fortunes At TPC Louisiana
Adam Svensson

Making Third Apperence At Zurich Classic
Max Greyserman

Aiming For Similar Success At TPC Louisiana
Lee Hodges

A High-Upside Player In New Orleans
PGA

Nico Echavarria Looks To Ride Off Of Elite Putting In New Orleans
Gary Woodland

A Player Worth Watching In New Orleans
Max McGreevy

Returns To The Zurich Classic Of New Orleans
Rasmus Hojgaard

In Search Of Consistency Ahead Of Zurich Classic
Sam Stevens

A Boom-Or-Bust Candidate In New Orleans
Nicolai Hojgaard

Looking To Turn Season Around At Zurich Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

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