Fantasy Football Start / Sit: Who should you start in Week 3?
Wading through the minefield of match ups in fantasy football can be a treacherous business. However, luckily for you, we have done the hard work on your behalf, so you don’t have to! Here are our choices to start and sit for Week 3 of the 2020 fantasy football season.
Quarterback
Automatic Starts: Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Dak Prescott, Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, Josh Allen
Start of the Week: Ryan Tannehill @ Minnesota Vikings
Ryan Tannehill wasn’t supposed to carry on his superb late season form from 2019, spoiler alert – he’s just a good QB. Through two weeks, Tannehill has posted a stat line of six touchdowns zero interceptions and a QBR of 120.7 and he is still going under the radar thanks to huge performances of Russell Wilson, Dak Prescott etc. So does it get tougher in Week 3 for Tannehill and the Titans? Nope they visit the Minnesota Vikings who just cannot stop anyone right now. The Vikings are allowing over 21 points per game to the QB position. Get Tannehill in your lineups for another big game.
Other notable starts:
Gardner Minshew vs. Miami Dolphins
Minshew Magic is running wild over the 2020 season and I’m all in! So far through two contests Minshew has thrown for 512 yards, six touchdowns and two picks. This was supposed to be a tanking team, Minshew didn’t get the memo. Minshew is becoming the complete QB with his impressive rushing yardage supplying a safe floor and he seems to have cleared up some mistakes from last season. This week the Jaguars face the Dolphins on Thursday Night Football and you can bank on Minshew giving you a great start to the week.
Ben Roethlisberger @ Houston Texans
Ben Roethlisberger is back! Gone are the fears of his elbow surgery and he has been looking good through two weeks. He is averaging over 20 points a week and faces the Texans who are giving up an average of 33.5 points a game in the first two weeks. Roethlisberger looks to have a nice chemistry with Diontae Johnson and JuJu Smith-Schuster, while Eric Ebron hasn’t even got going yet.
Mitch Trubisky @ Atlanta Falcons
Urgh Trubisky a start of the week? Heck yeah when you look at who he is facing and the fact he is actually playing pretty good football. It’s not flashy but Trubisky has scored five touchdowns & only two interceptions so far. The Bears visit the Falcons who just can’t seem to stop any QB right now, in fact they can’t stop an onside kick. Trubisky should puts up a fine game when they visit the Falcons on Sunday.
Sits – Carson Wentz, Tom Brady, Sam Darnold
Running Back
Automatic Starts: Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Ezekiel Elliott, Derrick Henry, Alvin Kamara, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Dalvin Cook, Aaron Jones.
Start of the Week: Austin Ekeler vs. Carolina Panthers
Austin Ekeler must be relieved that Justin Herbert is now expected to be the starting QB for the Chargers. Ekeler’s opportunities and efficiency went upwards and he looked far more confident with the rookie QB under centre. The Chargers played a great game and now face a Panthers team that just gave up three touchdowns to the Buccaneers running attack. Ekeler is primed to have a big game and ascend his way back into the top 10 after his slow start to the season.
Other notable starts:
Kenyan Drake vs. Detroit Lions
Drake owners have every right to be a little frustrated with Drake’s output thus far. Well that turns around this week when he hosts the Detroit Lions team that just got ran all over by Aaron Jones and the Packers. This will be the game to kick start Drake’s season, I’m expecting a big performance.
David Montgomery @ Atlanta Falcons
Montgomery has really impressed me with his start to the season. I haven’t been a huge fan of his but I’m really warming now, especially with his five yards a carry average so far this season. He seems to be getting faster and stronger each week and now faces a Falcons team that has given up four touchdowns so far to RBs. The Bears seem committed to the run against the Giants and if they continue this pattern Montgomery could be in for a great fantasy output.
James Robinson v Miami Dolphins
But who is James Robinson? Well he’s on the fringe of being an RB1 through two weeks that’s who. He’s the starting RB for the Jaguars following the release of Leonard Fournette and I’ll tell you, he’s earned it. Racking up 164 yards on the ground and 46 yards in the air he looks comfortable in the system and impressive as a natural runner. He will get plenty of opportunities Thursday night against a Miami team who are yielding 164 yards a game on the ground.
Sits – Ronald Jones, Devonta Freeman, Frank Gore
Wide Receiver
Automatic Starts: Davante Adams, DeAndre Hopkins, Michael Thomas (when healthy), Chris Godwin, Tyreek Hill, Julio Jones
Start of the Week: CeeDee Lamb @ Seattle Seahawks
Lamb has arguably been the star of the Cowboys offense so far through two weeks … as a rookie! Already the WR26, Lamb has looked an NFL star in the making and has hit the ground running. In what could be the game of the week, the Cowboys visit the unbeaten Seahawks who have themselves scored a lot of points but have allowed the most points to opposing WRs in the NFL so far. Lamb could have already overtaken Gallup as the WR2 on the team and he’s found his way into my fantasy lineups already.
Other notable starts:
Russell Gage vs. Chicago Bears
I’m rolling with the momentum Russell Gage has right now, 21 targets in two games is impressive for a WR1 but how about the 3rd receiver on the team? Matt Ryan has thrown a ton over the first two weeks and I don’t see it slowing down much when they host the Bears. The Bears defense ranks in the bottom half for opponents passing yards and three WRs have seen seven targets or more against them.
DK Metcalf vs. Dallas Cowboys
DK Metcalf has been awesome through two weeks. Already the fantasy WR7 DK has scored a touchdown in both his starts. He will look to build on that against the Cowboys, who are conceding 268 passing yards a game, with both Robert Woods & Calvin Ridley racking up over 100 yard games. Metcalf has been the go to guy for Russell Wilson, who has nearly thrown as many touchdowns as he has incompletions. Expect DK to feast and possibly end up as one of my automatic starters soon.
Julian Edelman vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Edelman looked out on his feet after the marathon match against the Seahawks Sunday night. The reason? 179 yards on eight receptions. It was clear Edelman was Cam Newton’s top target as he set his career high figures. This week the Patriots host the 2-0 Raiders who themselves are conceding over 280 receiving yards a game. It wouldn’t be surprising for Edelman to have another 100 yard game.
Sits – Will Fuller, Marvin Jones, Scotty Miller
Tight End
Automatic Starts: Travis Kelce, George Kittle, Mark Andrews, Zach Ertz
Start of the Week: Jonnu Smith @ Minnesota Vikings
Smith was great for fantasy last week against the Jags with two touchdowns. The offense as a whole has come together to make up for the absence of AJ Brown and Smith has scored at least one touchdown in each of his two games. Ryan Tannehill has been targeting his TE a lot and Smith proved a match winner last week. Now he faces a Vikings team that is conceding an average over 35 points a game.
Other notable starts:
Mike Gesicki @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Mike Gesicki bounced back big time last week putting up 130 yards on 11 grabs to finish as a top three TE. He will look to continue this momentum on Thursday night where he will continue to be one of the top receiving options for Ryan Fitzpatrick with Devante Parker remaining limited in practice. With an expected over/under of 48 expect points to be scored frequently by both teams as neither has a good defense.
Noah Fant vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Noah Fant is an athletic freak and he will need to be in the coming weeks as he continues to carry this offense on his back. Already the fantasy TE3 on the season, Fant will continue to get plenty of looks from Driskel this week.
Tyler Higbee @ Buffalo Bills
This one is a simple two part equation – Higbee was immense last week to the tune of three touchdowns + Buffalo got carved up by Mike Gesicki = Big day for Higbee.
Sits – Rob Gronkowski, Chris Herndon, Jordan Reed
Alastair Cook
Fantasy Football Analyst
ALASTAIR, A DIE-HARD BUCCANEERS FAN FROM NORWICH AND UP AND COMING FANTASY CONTRIBUTOR CAN BE FOUND ON HIS TWITTER PAGE The Dynasty Grill (@FFDynastyGrill)