RealGM Analysis
Stars of Week 3
QB: Matt Ryan, ATL: 26-35, 374 yards, 5 TDs, 0 INTs
RB: Adrian Peterson, WAS: 19 carries, 120 yards, 2 TDs
WR: Calvin Ridley, ATL: 7 catches, 146 yards, 3 TDs
TE: Dallas Goedert, PHI: 7 catches, 73 yards, 1 TD
Week 3 brought about surprise results (Buffalo beating Minnesota in US Bank Stadium?!), the debut of Baker Mayfield, and some new names onto the fantasy forefront. As for this week’s honor role, we’ve got a mainline top quarterback, a generational running back, a prized rookie wide receiver and a lesser heralded rookie tight end hailing from South Dakota. Matt Ryan took top QB honors this week with his five TD tosses. Ryan remains a solid option in a deep QB pool. The newest WR to come from Alabama to the NFL, Calvin Ridley was the recipient of three of Ryan’s TDs. We’ll take a closer look at Ridley below. Adrian Peterson has turned out to be a perfect fit in the Redskins’ offense, and has filled in quite nicely since Derrius Guice’s season ending injury. He’s a solid RB2 this year. Last, second round tight end Dallas Goedert took top tight end honors this week, catching Carson Wentz’s first TD pass since returning from last year’s season ending injury. We’ll look at Goedert below as well.
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.
- Baker Mayfield, QB - CLE: 17-23, 201 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs
Analysis: The question was when, not if, Baker Mayfield would end up starting for the Browns this season. We received our answer this past week against the Jets, when Mayfield replaced an ineffective Tyrod Taylor and led the Browns to their first victory since December 2016. Mayfield looked electric out there against the Jets, displaying great moxie along with strong accuracy on his throws. The Browns have got their franchise QB in place, and should rejoice! As for Mayfield’s fantasy outlook, we’ve got some good and bad news. First, the good news – out of this year’s rookie crop of QBs, Mayfield is the one to own. Now for the bad news – Mayfield will go through standard rookie growing pains like any other QB. Mayfield provides an immediate upgrade to the Browns’ skill players (especially Juice Landry, Antonio Callaway and David Njoku). Mayfield himself should be considered a QB2, startable in great matchups and to cover bye weeks.
- Chris Carson, RB - SEA: 32 carries, 102 yards, 1 TD
Analysis: The Seahawks handling of the RB position had been a mess going into Week 3. Despite 2017 seventh round pick Chris Carson dramatically outperforming 2018 first round Rashaad Penny, Pete Carroll has inexplicably split carries between the two RBs coming into the game against the Cowboys. The situation reached bizarro world when Carroll claimed to sit Carson in the second half of the Week 2 matchup against the Bears, due to thinking that Carson was tired from playing special teams. Carson played in two special teams plays in that game. Alright, well Carroll finally stopped being stubborn and gave his better RB the bulk of the carries. And guess what? Carson crossed the 100-yard plateau and the Seahawks won their first game of the year? Yup, it’s crazy how your chances of winning a game increase when you play your best players! Anyways, Chris Carson can run, catch and block, and fits perfectly in Seattle’s offense. Rashaad Penny fits perfectly as an Eddie Lacy stand-in – not the Green Bay Packers version of Eddie Lacy, but the two-yards-a-carry Seahawks version from last year. Carson is a clear RB2 and should be started in all but the shallowest of leagues. Rashaad Penny can be dropped from your roster.
- Kerryon Johnson, RB – DET: 16 carries, 101 yards, 0 TDs
Analysis: You’ve likely heard by now that Kerryon Johnson is the first Lions’ RB to surpass 100 rushing yards in a game since 2013! Johnson passed the eye test as well, showing good shake and burst movement in running over the Patriots’ defense this past Sunday. The biggest problem that Johnson faces is the crowd in the Lions backfield. Theo Riddick is their established third down back, and LeGarrette Blount remains firmly in the RB carousel – for now at least. Both Johnson and Blount carried the rock 16 times against the Patriots, but it was clear that Johnson was much more effective, outgaining Blount by more than 50 yards. The distribution of carries requires further watching, but Johnson will hopefully wrestle away more carries from Blount. Johnson needs to be added in all leagues, and should be viewed as a flex option for now, with RB2 upside.
- Calvin Ridley, WR – ATL: 7 catches, 146 yards, 3 TDs
Analysis: Rookie wide receivers often struggle to make hay in their first NFL seasons – and even more so from a fantasy football perspective. If you need convincing, look at Corey Davis, Mike Williams and John Ross, who were all top 10 picks in the 2017 draft. Falcons rookie WR Calvin Ridley made his Week 1 debut and went catchless. Well, over the last two weeks, Ridley has 210 yards and 4 TDs. Ridley landed in a passing friendly offense, one that offensive coordinator Steve Sarkesian is finally learning how to maximize. With Julio Jones on the other side, Ridley will often see one-on-one coverage, which he will exploit. It’s still way early to declare Ridley a must start, but he’s a must own in standard and deep leagues. Ridley is WR3/flex material going forward, dependent upon matchups.
- Dallas Goedert, TE - PHI: 7 catches, 73 yards, 1 TD
Analysis: It’s no surprise that an Eagles’ tight end earned a gold star for his performance this week, but who would have thought that it would be a tight end other than Zach Ertz? The Eagles have one of the most creative offenses, and they envisioned dynamic two tight end sets with Ertz and second round pick Dallas Goedert. It took three games and the return of Carson Wentz, but we received a preview of just what Doug Pederson had in mind. Goedert trailed only Ertz in targets (10 for Ertz and 7 for Goedert), and each target resulted in a completion. The Eagles could very well have a different offensive hero every week, which limits Goedert’s upside, but he’s got TE2 upside. If you’re in a deep league or need a bye week fill-in, you could do worse than Goedert.
Rapid Fire Pickups
Each week we 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: Ryan Tannehill, MIA
RB: Wendell Smallwood, PHI
RB: Javorius Allen, BAL
WR: Tyler Boyd, CIN
WR: Mike Williams, LAC
TE: Mark Andrews, BAL
Week 4 Rankings
Quarterbacks:
- Patrick Mahomes, KC @Den
- Aaron Rodgers, GB Buf
- Drew Brees, NO @NYG
- Philip Rivers, LAC SF
- Tom Brady, NE Mia
- Matt Ryan, Atl Cin
- Russell Wilson, Sea @Ari
- Andy Dalton, Cin @Atl
- Deshaun Watson, Hou @Ind
- Carson Wentz, Phi @Ten
- Ben Roethlisberger, Pit Bal
- Matthew Stafford, Det @Dal
- Andrew Luck, Ind Hou
- Case Keenum, Den KC
- Ryan Tannehill, Mia @NE
- Joe Flacco, Bal @Pit
- Baker Mayfield, Cle @Oak
- Ryan Fitzpatrick, TB @Chi
- Mitchell Trubisky, Chi TB
- Eli Manning, NYG NO
Running Backs:
- Alvin Kamara, NO @NYG
- Ezekiel Elliot, DAL Det
- Melvin Gordon, LAC SF
- Saquon Barkley, NYG NO
- David Johnson, Ari Sea
- Kareem Hunt, KC @Den
- Leonard Fournette, Jax NYJ
- Jordan Howard, Chi TB
- Giovani Bernard, Cin @Atl
- James Conner, Pit Bal
- Carlos Hyde, Cle @Oak
- Lamar Miller, Hou @Ind
- Marshawn Lynch, Oak Cle
- Chris Carson, Sea @Ari
- Alex Collins, Bal @Pit
- Kenyan Drake, Mia @NE
- Tevin Coleman, Atl Cin
- James White, NE Mia
- Phillip Lindsay, Den KC
- LeSean McCoy, Buf @GB
- Jay Ajayi, Phi @Ten
- Dion Lewis, Ten Phi
- Sony Michel, NE Mia
- Matt Breida, SF @LAC
- Royce Freeman, Den KC
- Isaiah Crowell, NYJ @Jax
- Kerryon Johnson, Det @Dal
- Javorius Allen, Bal @Pit
- Bilal Powell, NYJ @Jax
- Austin Ekeler, LAC SF
- Derrick Henry, Ten Phi
- Alfred Morris, SF @LAC
- Peyton Barber, TB @Chi
- Aaron Jones, GB Buf
- Tarik Cohen, Chi TB
- Corey Clement, Phi @Ten
- Jamaal Williams, GB Buf
- Duke Johnson Jr., Cle @Oak
- Theo Riddick, Det @Dal
- Ty Montgomery, GB Buf
Wide Receivers:
- Antonio Brown, Pit Bal
- Michael Thomas, NO @NYG
- Odell Beckham Jr., NYG NO
- Julio Jones, Atl Cin
- DeAndre Hopkins, Hou @Ind
- Keenan Allen, LAC SF
- A.J. Green, Cin @Atl
- Tyreek Hill, KC @Den
- Davante Adams, GB Buf
- Mike Evans, TB @Chi
- J. Smith-Schuster, Pit Bal
- Jarvis Landry, Cle @Oak
- T.Y. Hilton, Ind Hou
- E. Sanders, Den KC
- Allen Robinson, Chi TB
- D. Thomas, Den KC
- Golden Tate, Det @Dal
- Will Fuller V, Hou @Ind
- Amari Cooper, Oak Cle
- Sterling Shepard, NYG NO
- Kenny Golladay, Det @Dal
- Larry Fitzgerald, Ari Sea
- Marvin Jones Jr., Det @Dal
- Sammy Watkins, KC @Den
- John Brown, Bal @Pit
- Michael Crabtree, Bal @Pit
- Nelson Agholor, Phi @Ten
- Tyler Boyd, Cin @Atl
- Calvin Ridley, Atl Cin
- Kenny Stills, Mia @NE
- Doug Baldwin, Sea @Ari
- Randall Cobb, GB Buf
- Corey Davis, Ten Phi
- Tyler Lockett, Sea @Ari
- Mike Williams, LAC SF
- Keelan Cole, Jax NYJ
- Quincy Enunwa, NYJ @Jax
- Chris Hogan, NE Mia
- Chris Godwin TB @Chi
- Geronimo Allison GB Buf
Tight End:
- Rob Gronkowski, NE Mia
- Travis Kelce, KC @Den
- Zach Ertz, Phi @Ten
- Jimmy Graham, GB Buf
- Trey Burton, Chi TB
- Jared Cook, Oak Cle
- David Njoku, Cle @Oak
- O.J. Howard, TB @Chi
- George Kittle, SF @LAC
- Eric Ebron, Ind Hou
- Austin Hooper, Atl Cin
- Tyler Eifert, Cin @Atl
- Benjamin Watson, NO @NYG
- Will Dissly, Sea @Ari
- Ricky Seals-Jones, Ari Sea
- Vance McDonald, Pit Bal
- A. Seferian-Jenkins, Jax NYJ
- Dallas Goedert, Phi @Ten
- Jesse James, Pit Bal
- Charles Clay, Buf @GB
Defense/Special Teams:
- Jacksonville Jaguars NYJ
- Los Angeles Chargers SF
- Green Bay Packers Buf
- Philadelphia Eagles @Ten
- Chicago Bears TB
- Houston Texans @Ind
- Cleveland Browns @Oak
- Seattle Seahawks @Ari
- Arizona Cardinals Sea
- New York Jets @Jax
- New England Patriots Mia
- Detroit Lions @Dal
- New Orleans Saints @NYG
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers @Chi
- Pittsburgh Steelers Bal
