Stars of Week 3

QB: Trevor Siemian, DEN: 23-35, 312 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs      

RB: LeSean McCoy, BUF: 17 carries, 110 yards 2 TDs                                    

WR: Marvin Jones, DET: 6 catches, 205 yards, 2 TDs

TE: Zach Miller, CHI: 8 catches, 78 yards, 2 TDs 

Not exactly the who’s who of the league this week for our high rollers segment. Top passer was none other than Trevor Siemian, who looked shaky early on against the Bengals, but turned it on soon thereafter. Despite this performance, Siemian should be viewed as nothing more than a low end QB2. LeSean McCoy had his best game of the year against the Cardinals on Sunday, and he remains a low end RB1. We’ll take a closer look at Marvin Jones below, but the quick and dirty is that Jones is the top Lions’ pass catcher to own. Lastly, Zach Miller showed good chemistry with Brian Hoyer, scoring two TDs and posting his first solid game of the season – he was virtually non-existent in the first two weeks. Miller should be right on the TE1/TE2 border for the season. 

Week 3 Takeaways – A Closer Look

Each week we take a closer look at a handful of performances and sort out what such performances mean going forward.

- Carson Palmer, QB – ARZ: 26-50, 287 yards, 0 TDs, 4 INTs                                              

Analysis: We start off our review looking at an absolute stinker of a performance from Carson Palmer. Really, no TDs and 4 INTs? Palmer started the first two games of the season with a 5:0 TD to INT split, so it’s his first dumpster fire game of the year. How concerned should you be if you own Carson Palmer? Medium level concern sounds about right. Palmer’s 36 years old, and the ghost of Palmer past, who would throw interceptions at the drop of a hat, could be rearing its ugly head again. But based on the growth we saw from Palmer last year, he gets some level of the benefit of the doubt. Chalk this up as a bad game, but one that has him on the watch list. View Palmer as a back end QB1, so he loses automatic weekly starter privilege, but still remains a good start on most weeks. We’ll revisit if we see more atrocities.   

- Christine Michael, RB – SEA: 20 carries, 106 yards, 2 TDs  

Analysis: With Thomas Rawls missing the game against the 49ers, Christine Michael took advantage of the increased carries and had himself a game. Michael looked explosive, as he has since the preseason, and found the end zone twice while clearing the 100 yard mark. Also encouraging, the Seahawks offensive line had its best game by far, opening up holes for Michael to exploit. The takeaway here is that Michael will continue to have a role in the Seahawks’ running game even upon Rawls’ return. As for Rawls’ return, that appears to be six weeks out, so Michael will have the gig to himself for the meantime. The Seahawks play the Jets next week, which is a tough d-line, but not impossible to run against. Let’s see what news transpires over this coming week, including how Russell Wilson’s doing healthwise, but Michael will be a low end RB1 in the coming weeks. In case he’s available, grab him.   

- Jerick McKinnon, RB – MIN: 16 carries, 45 yards, 0 TDs

- Matt Asiata, RB – MIN: 6 carries, 15 yards, 0 TDs                                                                 

Analysis: With Adrian Peterson out for an extended period of time, if not the rest of the year, let’s take a closer look at the Vikings’ backfield situation. The Panthers predictably served as a tough matchup against the run, but the good news is that we gained insight as to how the blackfield split. Despite Coach Zimmer declaring Asiata as the starter, the carries were split just about how we would expect. Generally we’re looking at roughly a 70/30 carry split in favor of McKinnon, with Asiata serving as the primary 3rd down back and goal line option. Between the two, I have McKinnon as the slightly more valuable player going forward, for reasons that this stat sheet demonstrates. McKinnon has the safer weekly total, with Asiata more boom-bust each week – like this week against the Panthers. Both should be owned, and will be matchup dependent. McKinnon will straddle the RB2/RB3-flex line, while Asiata will be a flex option most weeks.

- Marvin Jones, WR – DET: 6 catches, 205 yards, 2 TDs

Analysis: While a team never improves with the loss of a special player like Calvin Johnson, free agent signee Marvin Jones has stepped in quite nicely to fill the void. I sang the praises of the new Matthew Stafford in my draft guide, and an improved Stafford has raised several boats. Jones has taken over as the big play receiver for the Lions, with Golden Tate serving as the possession guy, Eric Ebron as the tight end over the middle and Theo Riddick as the safety valve. Getting back to Jones, he’s averaging well over 20 yards per catch, and look for the high yardage off less catches to continue. This means variance between starts, but with a reasonable floor. In other words, he’ll have decent games and some great games. Jones slots in as a low end WR2, so a weekly starter. If you’ve got him on your roster, put him in your lineup unless you have special depth or a very small league.

- Terrelle Pryor, WR - CLE: 3 for 5, 35 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs, 4 carries, 21 yards, 1 TD, 8 catches, 144 yards, 0 TDs

Analysis: Now we take a look at perhaps the most interesting player in the league from a fantasy perspective. Let’s be clear – the Browns have been decimated by injuries. This is a huge problem since they had the league’s lowest talent base going into the season. What this means for Terrelle Pryor- he IS the Browns’ offense, at least until Josh Gordon returns. As you can see from the stats above, Pryor threw, caught and ran the ball against the Dolphins. Look for the jackknife type usage to continue for at least the next week, with deep involvement to continue even after Gordon’s return. Pryor will likely remain classified as a WR only in most leagues, but most leagues will allow for Pryor to accumulate stats via all of his stat producing actions. He’s the top WR pickup for this week. 

- Jamison Crowder, WR - WAS: 4 catches, 78 yards, 1 TD

Analysis: Emerging WR Jamison Crowder has forced his way into the mix for the Washington Redskins, who already possess a talented group of pass catchers with DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon and Jordan Reed. Crowder, a second year player from Duke, sits at 16 catches, 175 yards and 1 TD through three games, and very importantly, he has been targeted 10, 8 and 7 times in the three games thus far. The Redskins don’t have much of a running game, so they will take to the air early and often. If you need a WR, make Crowder a top target as well.

Rapid Fire Pickups

Each week we’ll throw out potential free agent pickups from each position for deeper leagues, in each case 1) someone who has NOT been referenced above, and 2) a player available in most leagues. 

QB: Carson Wentz, PHI (yeah, what can I say, buying the hype now – QB2)

RB: Jordan Howard, CHI (opportunity to nail down job w/ Langford out)

RB: Darren Sproles, PHI

WR: Cole Beasley, DAL

WR: Quincy Enunwa, NYJ

TE: Hunter Henry, SD (Gates remains out)

Week 4 Rankings

Quarterbacks:

  1. Cam Newton, CAR (at ATL)
  2. Philip Rivers, SD (vs NO)
  3. Matthew Stafford, DET (at CHI)
  4. Drew Brees, NO (at SD)
  5. Andrew Luck, IND (at JAX)
  6. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT (vs KC)
  7. Carson Palmer, ARZ (vs LA)
  8. Kirk Cousins, WAS (vs CLE)
  9. Blake Bortles, JAX (vs IND)
  10. Andy Dalton, CIN (vs MIA)
  11. Derek Carr, OAK (at BAL)
  12. Joe Flacco, BAL (vs OAK)
  13. Matt Ryan, ATL (vs CAR)
  14. Dak Prescott, DAL (at SF)
  15. Russell Wilson, SEA (at NYJ)
  16. Ryan Tannehill, MIA (at CIN)
  17. Eli Manning, NYG (at MIN)
  18. Trevor Siemian, DEN (at TB)
  19. Alex Smith, KC (at PIT)
  20. Tyrod Taylor, BUF (at NE)

Running Backs:

  1. David Johnson, ARZ (vs LA)
  2. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (at SF)
  3. Lamar Miller, HOU (vs TEN)
  4. Le’Veon Bell, PIT (vs KC)
  5. CJ Anderson, DEN (at TB)
  6. Melvin Gordon, SD (NO)
  7. Mark Ingram, NO (at SD)
  8. DeMarco Murray, TEN (at HOU)
  9. Todd Gurley, LA (at ARZ)
  10. LaGarrette Blount, NE (vs BUF)
  11. LeSean McCoy, BUF (at NE)
  12. Carlos Hyde, SF (vs DAL)
  13. Matt Forte, NYJ (vs SEA)
  14. Jeremy Hill, CIN (vs MIA)
  15. Frank Gore, IND (at JAX)
  16. Christine Michael, SEA (at NYJ)
  17. Isaiah Crowell, CLE (at WAS)
  18. Devonta Freeman, ATL (vs CAR)
  19. Jordan Howard, CHI (vs DET)
  20. Latavius Murray, OAK (at BAL)
  21. Spencer Ware, KC (at PIT)
  22. Charles Sims, TB (vs DEN)
  23. Theo Riddick, DET (at CHI)
  24. Matt Jones, WAS (vs CLE)
  25. Jerick McKinnon, MIN (vs NYG)
  26. Dwayne Washington, DET (at CHI)
  27. Cameron Artis-Payne, CAR (at ATL)
  28. Tevin Coleman, ATL (vs CAR)
  29. Giovani Bernard, CIN (vs MIA)
  30. Chris Ivory, JAX (vs IND)
  31. Justin Forsett, BAL (vs OAK)
  32. Duke Johnson, CLE (at WAS)
  33. Rashad Jennings, NYG (at MIN)
  34. TJ Yeldon, JAX (vs IND)
  35. Kenyan Drake, MIA (at CIN)
  36. Terrance West, BAL (vs OAK)
  37. Fozzy Whittaker, CAR (at ATL)
  38. Derrick Henry, TEN (at HOU)
  39. James White, NE (vs BUF)
  40. Alfred Morris, DAL (at SF)

Wide Receivers:

  1. Antonio Brown, PIT (vs KC)
  2. AJ Green, CIN (vs MIA)
  3. DeAndre Hopkins, HOU (vs TEN)
  4. Julio Jones, ATL (vs CAR)
  5. Odell Beckham Jr., NYG (at MIN)
  6. Allen Robinson, JAX (vs IND)
  7. Alshon Jeffery, CHI (vs DET)
  8. Brandin Cooks, NO (at SD)
  9. Marvin Jones, DET (at CHI)
  10. TY Hilton, IND (at JAX)
  11. Travis Benjamin, SD (vs NO)
  12. Larry Fitzgerald, ARZ (vs LA)
  13. Mike Evans, TB (vs DEN)
  14. Amari Cooper, OAK (at BAL)
  15. Kelvin Benjamin, CAR (at ATL)
  16. Jarvis Landry, MIA (at CIN)
  17. Demaryius Thomas, DEN (at TB)
  18. Doug Baldwin, SEA (at NYJ)
  19. Stefon Diggs, MIN (vs NYG)
  20. Brandon Marshall, NYJ (vs SEA)
  21. Jeremy Maclin, KC (at PIT)
  22. DeSean Jackson, WAS (vs CLE)
  23. Terrelle Pryor, CLE (at WAS)
  24. Emmanuel Sanders, DEN (at TB)
  25. Tyrell Williams, SD (vs NO)
  26. Michael Crabtree, OAK (at BAL)
  27. Golden Tate, DET (at CHI)
  28. Willie Snead, NO (at SD)
  29. Eric Decker, NYJ (vs SEA)
  30. Julian Edelman, NE (vs BUF)
  31. DeVante Parker, MIA (at CIN)
  32. Allen Hurns, JAX (vs IND)
  33. Sammy Watkins, BUF (at NE)
  34. Sterling Shepard, NYG (at MIN)
  35. Will Fuller, HOU (vs TEN)
  36. Jameson Crowder, WAS (vs CLE)
  37. John Brown, ARZ (vs LA)
  38. Phillip Dorsett, IND (at JAX)
  39. Mike Wallace, BAL (vs OAK)
  40. Michael Floyd, ARZ (vs LA)

Tight End:

  1. Jordan Reed, WAS (vs CLE)
  2. Greg Olsen, CAR (at ATL)
  3. Rob Gronkowski, NE (vs BUF)
  4. Travis Kelce, KC (at PIT)
  5. Dennis Pitta, BAL (vs OAK)
  6. Delanie Walker, TEN (at HOU)
  7. Julius Thomas, JAX (vs IND)
  8. Coby Fleener, NO (at SD)
  9. Kyle Rudolph, MIN (vs NYG)
  10. Eric Ebron, DET (at CHI)
  11. Jimmy Graham, SEA (at NYJ)
  12. Zach Miller, CHI (vs DET)
  13. Hunter Henry, SD (vs NO)
  14. Jason Witten, DAL (at SF)
  15. Gary Barnidge, CLE (at WAS)
  16. Jacob Tamme, ATL (vs CAR)
  17. Martellus Bennett, NE (vs BUF)
  18. Dwayne Allen, IND (at JAX)
  19. Clive Walford, OAK (at BAL)
  20. Cameron Brate, TB (vs DEN) 

Defense/Special Teams:

  1. Arizona Cardinals (vs LA)
  2. Denver Broncos (at TB)
  3. New England Patriots (vs BUF)
  4. Seattle Seahawks (at NYJ)
  5. Cincinnati Bengals (vs MIA)
  6. Minnesota Vikings (vs NYG)
  7. Houston Texans (vs TEN)
  8. Carolina Panthers (at ATL)
  9. New York Jets (vs SEA)
  10. Washington Redskins (vs CLE)
  11. Los Angeles Rams (vs ARZ)
  12. Baltimore Ravens (vs OAK)
  13. Kansas City Chiefs (at PIT)
  14. Detroit Lions (at CHI)
  15. Dallas Cowboys (at SF)