By Allan Tompkins
The first three weeks of NFL football are over and it’s safe to say that no one could have predicted the outcome. Beginning with the devastating news of Christian McCaffrey’s extended absence due to lingering issues with his Achilles tendon as well as the injury of quarterback Jordan Love and wide receiver Puka Nacua, within just one week of the NFL season, many anticipated stars were filling the IR slots of fantasy managers. While these first few weeks have seen more injuries than liked, they have also revealed many fringe players who have dominated the game, making it ten times more exciting to watch. In this updated PPR fantasy football guide, I’m not only going to analyze the performances of all 32 teams up to this point, but I’m going to give you some insights to adjust your fantasy football strategy moving forward.
New York Giants
Finishing week four with a 1-3 record, the Giants have put up quite the expected performance. With quarterback Daniel Jones manning the field, the Giants don't seem to have much potential this season yet, Jones' performance in the last two games have led me to think otherwise. While the Giants have been bad this season, I don't think it's necessarily over for them. Despite any ridicule that they receive, none diminish the efforts of wide receiver, Malik Nabers. Being the 6th overall draft pick of the 2024 NFL draft, Nabers has achieved some impressive numbers and is practically carrying the team to its moments of success. Averaging 100 yards per game and scoring two touchdowns in Week 3, Nabers has been able to excel in an otherwise weak offense.
From a fantasy perspective, he's a prospect to take note of and try to trade for if your team lacks strong wide receivers even with his potential set back with his concussion in week three. Another player who performed above his projections was running back Devin Singletary in week 3. He's been gradually coming about, with two touchdowns in the three last games. I think he's another essential asset to the team that will help Daniel Jones be more comfortable with multiple offensive options. Despite his mediocre week four, Singletary is a must-start next sunday against the Seahawks who have allowed 116.3 rushing yards a game, 15th in the league. Currently, Devin Singletary is someone you want to buy low if you're looking for a sustainable running back.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns, who lost tight end David Njoku in week 1, haven't seemed to fully bounce back from the loss of one of their strongest assets. Ending week three with a 1-2 record, the Browns haven't had anyone in particular to heavily rely on.
While wide receiver Amari Cooper h had a stellar performance in week 3, with 2 touchdowns and over 25 fantasy points, he just doesn't seem fit to sustain his position in the offense he's in. His first two games against the Cowboys and Jaguars averaged only 13.5 yards by the end of the game and while many fantasy managers might think this boom in his projection might be his "big break", I just don't see it happening based on his current situation. Running back, Jerome Ford, also had three decent games, but that's about it. Averaging 12.5 fantasy points per game, Ford is good, not great.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers finished week 3 with a 2-1 record and have a pretty strong offense that will take them relatively far in the season. Wide receiver, Quentin Johnston, started week 2 with an unexpected performance, scoring two touchdowns with only 5 receptions. Running back J.K. Dobbins averaged at least 20 fantasy points, one touchdown, and 130 yards for weeks 1 & 2, but fell short in week 3 with only 44 yards accumulated over 15 rushing attempts. I don't think this should discourage any fantasy managers who might have Dobbins though, since he's the go-to running back for the Chargers, especially with the recent news of quarterback, Justin Herbert's injury.
The rest of the season for the Chargers ultimately depends on their ability to sustain a healthy offense that can rely evenly on both their running and passing game.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have ended week 3 with an impressive 3-0 record and are showing strong signs of continuing their domination in the next coming weeks. Led by quarterback, Justin Fields, the Steelers have been able to remain consistent within the last 3 weeks. Wide receiver, George Pickens has averaged around 10 fantasy points per game and Calvin Austin III had an exceptional week 3 performance with one touchdown and just under 100 yards. While both wide receivers have had good games, they aren't going to be consistent enough to earn a spot on your starting lineup. Justin Fields, on the other hand, is someone you want to pick up from the waiver wire (if he hasn't already been drafted) as a safe backup quarterback. Throwing for 245 yards in week 3, Fields seems to be one of the strongest assets on the offense, yet I don't think he's startable yet. Stashing him in your bench is a safe option to give you time to see his next couple of games before you decide to start him on your lineup. Overall, the Steelers' first 3 wins seem promising for a strong season.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers ended week 1 with the devastating loss of quarterback, Jordan Love which left the fate of the offense in the hands of backup, Malik Willis. Willis had a bit of a rough start in week 2, scoring one touchdown and gaining 122 yards which resulted in the Packers' victory against the Indianapolis Colts yet things took a huge turn in week 3. Willis not only threw for 202 yards, but he also rushed for an impressive 73 yards, gathering over 25 fantasy points.
Along with Willis, running back Josh Jacobs had a good first couple of games, partly due to Willis' conservativeness with his passing ability in week 2. Yet, in week 3, Malik Willis definitely showed more comfort in passing to wide receivers Christian Watson and Jayden Reed. Reed, who had an insane performance in week 1, scoring over 33 fantasy points hasn't seemed to put up similar numbers since then, but with the promising return of injured quarterback, Jordan Love in week 4, we might be able to see a week 1 repeat for Jayden Reed. Along with Reed's improvement corresponding with the return of Love, Jacobs also seems like a buy-low candidate right now for the return of Love. Jordan Love almost made a return last Sunday and chances are he is making a return this upcoming Sunday which opens a window of opportunities for otherwise lacking players on the team such as Josh Jacobs and Jayden Reed.
Tennessee Titans
The Titans have ended the first three weeks with a disappointing 0-3 record. With a not-so-great quarterback, the Titans are going to be a not-so-great team in general. With assets such as Calvin Ridley who had a great week 2, but a terrible week 3, the team has shown many instances of inconsistency throughout these first 3 weeks and because of that, there aren't going to be many players you'll want in a bad offense other than running back Tony Pollard. Pollard is a bit of a sleeper in the league right now who is someone I'm curious to watch develop throughout the season. Other than a weak performance in week 3 against the Packers, Pollard has averaged around 16 fantasy points per game with an average of 72 rushing yards within those games. Therefore, if your team can afford it, I recommend trying to pick up Tony Pollard as a great bench option.
Houston Texans
The Texans had a great first two weeks before they lost to the, so far, dominant Minnesota Vikings. Their offense is stacked, with players such as C.J. Stroud, Joe Mixon, Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins, who have all had above-average performances within the first three games of the season. Among these players though, I would recommend trying to pick up Nico Collins and Joe Mixon most. Mixon, who was out for week 3 with a hurt ankle played a great game in week 1 and a poorer game in week 2, but I think he will perform more like his first week throughout the rest of the season. Therefore, he acts more as a buy-low option for a running back right now due to his recent injury. Nico Collins, who's ranked 6th in his position, is a great option for a wide receiver who has shown signs of stability which might be an aspect your team is missing. The biggest sleeper of the team has to be Tank Dell, though. While off to a slow start in the season, Dell has the potential to be an exceptional receiver over time. While he might not be startable as of now, Tank Dell should definitely be on your list of lookouts.
Minnesota Vikings
The undefeated Vikings have been rolling this season, upsetting the 49ers in week 2 with a 97-yard reception from wide receiver, Justin Jefferson. Jefferson has proven again and again why he is considered the best wide receiver in the league right now, averaging one touchdown per game and just under 100 yards per game. Along with Jefferson, running back Aaron Jones had an exceptional week 1 and 3 game, rushing for almost 100 yards in both games and scoring over 25 fantasy points in week 3, the Vikings aren't showing any signs of slowing down their dominance.
Chicago Bears
The Bears, losing to the Colts in week 3 with a 1-2 record, are not a very promising team this season. Led by number 1 draft pick, Caleb Williams, we haven't really seen the Caleb Williams that we saw in college and might not this season at all, to be honest. Because of this, picking up players such as Keenan Allen or DJ Moore isn't going to be the smartest move due to the unreliability of the quarterback. I'm not totally giving up on Williams due to his week 3 performance of two touchdowns and over 360 yards thrown, but I don't think we've seen enough of him to consider him reliable.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts have had some impressive plays this season, especially in week 1 with Anthony Richardson's deep bombs to wide receiver, Alec Pierce who has had a great, first two games. The wide receiver on the other side of the field, Michael Pittman Jr., has not had as great of a season, averaging about 7 fantasy points per game. Right now, he's someone you should be looking to trade to better your offense. The real star of the Colts though, is running back Jonathan Taylor who ran for over 100 yards and 2 touchdowns in week 3. While Richardson isn't the strongest passer, he is going to be relying more and more on Taylor as the season progresses and therefore, should be a top priority for your team if you're weak in running backs.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles finished the first 3 weeks with a 2-1 record and have some great players who are going to continue to make exciting plays throughout the season. The news of star wide receiver, A.J. Brown being out with a hamstring injury was not ideal for fantasy managers who had him on their team, yet the Eagles kept rolling. Running back Saquon Barkley has had two games within these first 3 weeks of over 33 fantasy points accumulated, and I highly doubt it's going to be the last time we see this. Along with Barkley, tight end Dallas Goedert had an amazing week 3 game, running for over 170 yards and scoring 27 fantasy points. The tight ends this season have been pretty underwhelming thus far which is why Goedert's performance on Sunday was an exciting change of events. As of right now, Devonta Smith is under review for a possible concussion which doesn't sound too good and is going to hurt the offense if he is out. Yet, what this also means is the reallocation of passes to new wide receivers. Jahan Dotson is a backup wide receiver for the Eagles who we might see have a strong performance this week as Smith's injury might take him out of playing.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints also finished the third week with a 2-1 record and had such amazing games in weeks 1 & 2, I was genuinely considering their playoff potential. Derek Carr averaged 21 fantasy points for the first two games and Rashid Shaheed had an outstanding game in week 2 with just under 100 yards ran. Chris Olave, the star wide receiver, had a slow first week but gradually excelled until his third-week performance with over 20 fantasy points scored.
Now the true star of the team is running back, Alvin Kamara who scored 44 fantasy points and 3 touchdowns in week 2. Kamara, year after year, has kept his position as one of the best running backs in the league and is going to continue to put up big numbers. Overall, the Saints are a promising team, to say the least. While their week 3 performance acted as a sort of wake-up call to them, I think they'll be able to remain consistent throughout most of the season which says something about their players and who you want from them.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos locked down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their week 3 performance. Number 12 draft pick, Bo Nix had an impressive performance, accumulating over 19 fantasy points and even rushing for a touchdown. The Broncos, who have pretty much sucked for the first 2 games of the season pulled a huge upset against the Bucs but I wouldn't expect a similar turn of events to come when they play the Jets next week. Therefore, while the game was exciting and unexpected, there aren't any prospects that pique my interest in adding to your roster.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay has been full of surprises this season. With wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin sharing the field and Baker Mayfield having two amazing first games, the Bucs are a team to look out for. Running back Rachaad White, who's had three mediocre performances is likely to be overtaken by backup, Bucky Irving who ran for 70 yards with only 9 rushing attempts in week 3. Despite the unexpected loss to Denver in week 3, the Bucs are going to put up some impressive numbers through the rest of the season and the biggest sleeper that you need to pick up is Bucky Irving.
Carolina Panthers
Fantasy managers rejoice when they find out one of their players is going up against the Panthers, but that wasn't the case for week 3 when the Panthers pulled a victory against the Las Vegas Raiders. Who knew that replacing Bryce Young with Andy Dalton would lead to such an upside in a team's offense? Running back Chuba Hubbard scored 28 fantasy points, wide receiver Diontae Johnson scored 26 fantasy points, and Andy Dalton scored 24.5 fantasy points; all in one game. Does that sound like the Panthers to you? Absolutely not, and I think that this quarterback switch might've been the switch the Panthers needed to excel to victories. While I'm not saying to go all in on these guys, I bet your league has many free agents that are in this offense that might be the move if you want a more secure bench.
If you have room for some running backs to stash in your bench, my advice would be to pick up running back, Jonathan Brooks. Brooks is a much stronger running back than Hubbard, but he is currently injured until likely week 5. Yet, once he gets on the field in week 5, he's going to take over the game and not many people are ready for it therefore I suggest picking him up as a good stash until week 5. For now, I'm excited to see what else the Panthers are capable of.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders lost to the Panthers on Sunday, bringing their record to 1-2 and they don't seem to be very promising this season. With players such as running back, Zamir White, wide receiver, Davante Adams and tight end, Brock Bowers, you'd think this offense would be a bit stronger than what it's showing but in the end, it isn't and while it might be too soon to say, it probably won't. Davante Adams is the only reasonable pickup I could see but even then, in an offense led by Gardner Minshew, I wouldn't rely too heavily on any players in this offense.
Miami Dolphins
I wish there was something good for me to say about this team, but honestly, it's hard to find much. The Miami Dolphins have the worst-scoring offense in the league right now with 19 of their 33 drives ending in 5 plays or fewer. The absence of quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa doesn't help at all either Columbus' quarterbacks could probably do better than Miami's backups. Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Devon Achane have all struggled without Tua on the field and might be viable trading candidates. While I do think it'd be smarter to hold on to Hill, if a good enough trade presents itself to you, I wouldn't hesitate to trade him away since we have no idea when Tua will come back from his concussion. Overall, there isn't much hope for the Dolphins this season regarding playoffs simply due to their inability to stay consistent with scoring drives.
Seattle Seahawks
As of week 3, the Seahawks have established that they are a team to take seriously. Led by quarterback Geno Smith who gets the ball out at an average of 2.6 seconds per snap, the Seahawks have shown us their stable offense. With the disappointing absence of Kenneth Walker III due to an oblique injury in week 1, running back Zach Charbonnet has filled in his spot and has shown just how vital he is to the offense. Now for any managers who have Walker on their bench, and are patiently waiting for his recovery, I do advise you to keep in mind that Walker is now sharing the field with Zach Charbonnet, so he isn't going to get as many touches as many of us anticipated this season. If he has a great game in his returning week, I advise trading him for a more sustainable, dependant runningback such as Brian Robinson Jr.
Along with Charbonnet, Jaxon Smith-Njigba filled in for Tyler Lockett and had an impressive performance in week 2 and is expected to continue to show us what he's capable of in the coming future. As of right now, I think it would be smart to pick up Njigba as a good backup wide receiver for now. Another insane wide receiver that we never seem to get enough of is DK Metcalf who, although he had a slow first week, had an amazing breakout game in week 2, catching a deep bomb from Geno Smith and running for over 125 yards. While he will probably not be traded much in your league, if the opportunity presents itself, I don't see any reason to reject a trade involving Metcalf.
Detroit Lions
The Lions (2-1) have had a great start to the season with receivers like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams having some amazing games. Amon-Ra, who had a rough first week (as did many receivers), ran for almost 200 yards in the next 2 weeks combined and is beginning to show us why he is so heavily regarded. Opposite of St. Brown, Jameson Williams had a strong start to the season but has lacked in his efforts by week 3. Yet, I do not think this means you should trade him at all. Star tight end, Sam LaPorta was injured in week 3 and that means that now, passes are split between Williams and St. Brown. We should see them both have a monster game this Monday against the Seahawks.
Quarterback, Jared Goff has had a rough 3 weeks for fantasy managers, yet he's a strong quarterback with an even stronger offense who is going far this season for sure. As of right now, I'd hold on to Goff on your bench and let him develop throughout the season.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals (1-2) are a good team who have had some decent matchups this season. Quarterback, Kyler Murray, had an amazing week 2 game, throwing for over 265 yards and 3 touchdowns. Being a scrambler as well, Murray is a great target for quarterback for your team. Marvin Harrison Jr. is someone else who was just so exciting to watch these last two weeks. In week 2, with only 4 receptions, Harrison Jr. ran for 130 yards and scored 2 touchdowns. That is absolutely wild to think about. Week 3 also saw a good performance by Harrison Jr. who ran for only 64 yards with 5 receptions, yet he was able to squeeze in a touchdown. He seems like a promising receiver for your team yet he did suffer an injury to his quadriceps which limited his practice on Wednesday, so I would make sure to have a strong backup in case he does end up missing week 4.
Trey McBride, who probably had one of the best week 2 performances for a tight end ended up having a much poorer week 3 game due to a concussion that has since prevented him from practicing at all on Wednesday. I am worried about his participation this Sunday and therefore, I advise you to have a decent backup for him due to his likely absence.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens (1-2) kicked off the season against the Kansas City Chiefs and followed that loss with another loss against the Raiders in week 2. Fortunately for them, they were able to barely pull a victory against the Cowboys this past week. Quarterback, Lamar Jackson is looking to have an incredible season, averaging 234 yards and a touchdown each game. A key target for Jackson has been wide receiver, Zay Flowers who had a great week 2 game against the Raiders. His week 1 and 3 games were definitely not as good though, averaging around 4.5 receptions per game and running for less than 40 yards.
Running back, Derrick Henry, on the other hand, has had good game after good game. Scoring at least a touchdown per game and rushing for 151 yards in week 3. Henry was thought to be deteriorating a bit due to his age and long career beginning in 2016, yet he is putting up numbers you'd see of a young rookie in his prime. His strength and speed are something to marvel at and he is definitely someone to hold on to if he's on your team. As for the Ravens, I think they have had a few rough first matchups, so I don't think you should be turned off by their poor performance.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys (2-2) have had a bit of a slow start this season. While quarterback, Dak Prescott had an amazing game in week three , with 379 yards thrown, including two touchdowns, and followed with a good week four with 221 yards thrown and 2 touchdowns, he did also have two mediocre games before that. Wide receiver, CeeDee Lamb had a decent week one and three performance, but he really blow up in weeks two and four racking up 90 yards in each and scoring in both game as well. I'm sure he'll turn up more than twice throughout this season, but it doesn't necessarily excuse his inconsistency so far. One thing the Cowboys are going to have to deal with for the rest of the season is how poor of a running game they have. Running backs Ezekiel Elliot and Rico Dowdle are not much to look at this season. For a better perspective, Lamar Jackson ran for one fewer yard on Sunday than Dowdle has this season (88). If that doesn't say something about the team, I don't know what will. For now, I'm not anticipating much from the Cowboys and that includes many fantasy players within the team.
San Francisco 49ers
The Niners are known for having amazing players who are extremely susceptible to injuries. Week 3 hadn't even started and star running back Christian McCaffrey had already been out, tight end, George Kittle was out and so was star wide receiver, Deebo Samuel. They are all such important assets to the team who just can't avoid injury. Samuel hasn't played a single season since his start in 2019, that has gone without him suffering some sort of injury. McCaffrey's absence in week 1 and the weeks following was definitely some of the toughest news to swallow for fantasy managers who used their first-round pick on him (myself included). Luckily though, and hopefully for many fantasy managers who have McCaffrey, picking up backup running back, Jordan Mason might've just saved many of our seasons. Mason, who has stayed consistent with double digits in all three of his games is looking to fill in McCaffrey's spot for longer than planned. McCaffrey recently traveled to Germany to expedite his prolonged injury on his Achilles tendon, yet the shot he received for it seems to fully heal the injury in 2-3 months! So, while many managers of Mason might've been looking to sell high on him now before McCaffrey comes back, my advice is to hold on to him a bit longer because I honestly think he might be the "McCaffrey" for the 49ers this fantasy season.
Other than Mason, Brandon Aiyuk, who has stubbornly negotiated all preseason for a $30 million deal ended up getting his wish after missing all preseason games and practices. Therefore, he has played horribly these last 3 weeks and while many experts might tell you to hold on to him because any day now, he's going to have that big breakout game that we've all expected sooner, I don't think it's happening any time soon. Jauan Jennings, who filled in for Deebo Samuel had a monstrous game on Sunday, catching 11 of 12 receptions for 175 yards and 3 touchdowns. While he is likely not going to have a game like that this week, he is going to have another great performance as the 49ers go up against the New England Patriots.
Los Angeles Rams
For anyone who's a fan of the Rams, sorry. Starting week 1 with the loss of star wide receiver, Puka Nacua, many managers and fans were devastated by the loss of such a good wide receiver, yet they still had hope for Cooper Kupp who's never disappointed managers and fans alike. Well, in week 2 against the Cardinals, Kupp was injured with an ankle injury, taking him out of the game. While it is sad to see such a promising offense fall apart like this so soon, once Nacua and Kupp return in early to mid-October, we'll be able to see the truly developed Rams offense. Despite their absence, the Rams have still been rolling through teams such as the 49ers who experienced a major upset on Sunday. Running back, Kyren Williams is experiencing a major influx in ball carries due to less confident options for quarterback, Matthew Stafford. As of right now, Williams is one of the best options for running back out there, but many managers are holding on tight to him so, for right now, I'm excited to see the potential of the Rams without their major receivers.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) have another promising offense this year. The domination that they are imposing on the rest of the NFL continues to remind me of the Tom Brady-led Patriots. Quarterback, Patrick Mahomes who hasn't had any outstanding games this season, is doing what needs to be done to secure the wins his team needs. Wide receiver, Xavier Worthy had a surprising week 1 game, getting only 2 receptions for over 45 yards and a touchdown, yet he hasn't been able to perform like that since. Wide receiver, Rashee Rice, on the other hand, has excelled in 3 consecutive weeks, averaging 96 yards per game and a touchdown. Rice is a great receiver to trade for if your team can afford it. Tight end, Travis Kelce is someone who you might need to hit the panic button on. Kelce has scored 15 fantasy points from the first 3 weeks combined and he isn't really performing like "Travis Kelce" does. If you have league mates who are on him, sell him high to them; otherwise, hold on to him and hope that he has a wake-up call in one of these games. Running back, Isiah Pacheco, who got injured in week 2, was since placed on IR unfortunately. As of right now, if you are really lacking running backs, pick up Carson Steele as a backup running back for Pacheco.
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons (1-2) have a very promising, strong offense. Led by Kirk Cousins who did fumble the ball twice in week 3, wide receiver Drake London has had a gradual, yet strong start to the season, averaging around 5 receptions and a touchdown per game. Tight end, Kyle Pitts is another promising tight end this season. While he hasn't had any "Dallas Goedert" games yet, his upcoming matchup against the New Orleans Saints should be a nice one for any fantasy managers who have Pitts. The Saints are the second-worst team on tight end coverage which is the perfect environment for Pitts to excel in. Along with Pitts, running back, Bijan Robinson has shown consecutive instances of consistency throughout these first 3 weeks. If you're a fantasy manager who is disappointed with your first-round pick's average performance so far, don't fret. He has had some tough matchups against some strong defenses and his big breakout game is bound to happen within the next couple of weeks.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are a tough team to defend right now, to be honest. Quarterback, Trevor Lawrence has had three mediocre performances in a mediocre offense. Wide receiver, Brian Thomas Jr. has had a decent performance as well, but nothing worth mentioning. On the other side of the field, wide receiver Christian Kirk has, for lack of a better word, sucked this season, scoring only 0.9 fantasy points in week 2 despite the rumors of his exceptional skill in training camp. Overall, I'm not surprised to expect another poor season from the Jaguars this year.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills, who are off to a 3-0 season are one of those teams that are going very far this season once again. Led by quarterback, Josh Allen who is averaging 211 yards and 2 touchdowns per game, Allen is a specimen on the field. With a wide receiver like Khalil Shakir who has caught all 14 of his targets and a running back like James Cook who blew by the Dolphins' defense in week 2 with 2 touchdowns and 78 rushing yards in 11 attempts, the Bills' offense is very sufficient. Tight end, Dalton Kincaid has had a slower start than expected for the season, but he did catch a touchdown and run for over 40 yards in week 3 with only 3 receptions. While Kincaid isn't as promising as many experts made him seem at the beginning of the season, I do think he's a valuable prospect that shouldn't be ignored.
Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels and his Commanders are such an exciting and anticipated team to watch this season. Daniels, who is coming out of winning the Heisman Trophy last year with LSU, is transitioning nicely to the NFL. On Monday we saw him score 100% of his drives to the red zone with the help of running backs Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler, who ended up suffering a concussion by the end of the game. Wide receiver, Terry McLaurin had a mini-breakout game on Monday with exactly 100 receiving yards and a touchdown with only 4 receptions. This offense seems strong and although their first two games of the season were a bit bumpy, I see a lot of potential in the Washington Commanders this season.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals (0-3) seem to have some problems preventing them from consistently scoring on their drives. Quarterback, Joe Burrow threw for 164, 258, and then 324 yards between weeks 1-3, and yet, this team is still failing to put up enough points to beat their opponents. Wide receiver, Ja'Marr Chase finally had his wake-up game after two very slow games. He caught 6 of 7 targets and ran for 118 yards and two touchdowns in week 3. Zach Moss also ran for 58 yards and a touchdown from 12 rushing attempts. These stats sound like a winning team to me, but then why are the Bengals doing so poorly this season? One thing might be they need to incorporate more of their running game. If Burrow is throwing for over 700 yards within these first 3 games and they're still losing, then the passing game doesn't seem to be the issue now, does it? I think implementing their running game more efficiently can create a better balance between the running and passing game and finally bring some wins to the Bengals.
New England Patriots
The Patriots are another one of those teams that are becoming the laughingstock of the NFL. Quarterback, Jacoby Brissett has been hit 30 times this season and the inability of the offensive line to hold back the defensive line is not only showing with Brissett, it's also showing for running back Rhamondre Stevenson who averaged 4 yards per carry and only 0.3 fantasy points in week 3. His previous performances in weeks 1 and 2 were promising for fantasy managers yet the drastic change of week 3's game just goes on to show how bad the Patriots are when they face a strong defense. There's not much more to say about the Patriots for they just seem to be a huge letdown this year.
New York Jets
Thursday night football with the Jets opened up with REO Speedwagon's "Rolling with the Changes" which was such a perfect representation of how the whole NFL is truly rolling with the changes of the New York Jets. Notoriously a bad team, the Jets (2-1) have turned things around and have the potential to be a real threat to many teams this season. Led by 40-year-old quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, the number of viable assets in this team is mind-boggling. Running back, Breece Hall has averaged a touchdown per game as well as over 50 yards per game. His backup, Braelon Allen, who got 7 carries in week 2 scored a touchdown and ran for over 30 yards. While it isn't a great feat, let it be known that Hall is prone to injury and Braelon Allen is going to fill that spot immediately if he does.
While wide receiver, Garret Wilson has had three average games and many managers might still be very high on him, I think it's worth mentioning the lack of chemistry that I'm sensing between Rodgers and Wilson. They don't seem to be connecting as much as they should as seen with Wilson, a wide receiver, not having passed 60 receiving yards yet. In the end, though, it's still the first half of the season and there's plenty of time for that chemistry to grow but if you want more of an immediate receiver and don't want to wait for Wilson to grow on Rodgers, then I would recommend selling him high.
Phew! That was a lot of information to write and read, but I do think it is valuable information. Once again, the season is approaching its fourth week and I feel like there have been a season's worth of surprises and disappointments already. Fantasy football has its moments of excitement and cheering as well as its fair share of regrets when your benched player scored more than half of your starting lineup. The goal of this guide is to not only guide you with next week's predictions but it's also meant to help you gain a better understanding of the NFL teams in general. You'd be surprised how far general knowledge of a team's strengths and weaknesses can take your fantasy team in one season...
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