Getty Gardner Minshew has the Jaguars offense rolling.
Winning your fantasy football league in 2020 will require a lot of dedication and, yes, a little bit of luck. Fantasy drafts were challenging with no preseason games and the recent round of injuries took out a number of key players. This week’s Start-Sit will help you navigate the uncertainty and make the best lineup decisions possible.
While I want to pick up a lot of the new starting running backs, it is going to be difficult to start most of these players with confidence until we see how the team utilizes the rushers in their new roles. I also understand your team may already lack depth given the rash of injuries and in some spots you may not have a choice.
If you started the season 0-2, there is still plenty of time to turn things around. Likewise, beginning 2-0 can be based on a variety of factors including schedule, and you need to keep your foot on the gas to win your league.
There are a few places below where I cite team defensive numbers for matchup purposes. Keep in mind, we are only through two games so it is admittedly a small sample size.
It is important to hold these statistics loosely, but they are not insignificant given it is the only data we have to go on. One interesting stat to keep in mind for lineup decisions, the following teams are top-five in passing yards: Bills, Falcons, Cowboys, Panthers and Packers.
Here is a look at my fantasy football predictions for Week 3.
Start Bears WR Allen Robinson vs. Falcons & Sit Bucs WR Scotty Miller vs. Broncos
GettyChicago Bears WR Allen Robinson has had an interesting start to the season.
Allen Robinson is coming off a week full of drama but nothing helps the passing game gain momentum quite like playing against the Falcons secondary. Atlanta gave up 78 points in the first two weeks of the season as both Dallas and Seattle threw the ball all over the field. Mitch Trubisky may be a step down from Dak Prescott and Russell Wilson but should be able to have success against a struggling defense.
Despite the emergence of the Bears young receivers, Robinson is still the top wideout in Chicago. The Falcons are giving up the second-most passing yards in the league which opens up the door for Robinson to be a WR2 with upside this week.
Scotty Miller may end up being a consistent fantasy option in the WR3 range this season, but right now unless your name is Mike Evans or Chris Godwin it is hard to start a Buccaneers player with confidence. Tom Brady is still getting a feel for Bruce Arians’ offense, and I would leave Miller on your bench until we are sure he is going to get weekly targets.
WR Starts Week 3: With Courtland Sutton likely missing the season, Jerry Jeudy time is coming early in Denver. Jeudy can be started as a third wide receiver or flex this week but has a good chance to exceed expectations with the bountiful targets that are heading his way.
Many were wondering if Russell Gage was a one-game wonder, but it is clear Matt Ryan is looking his way often. The Falcons are not just giving him a few targets but relying on Gage in critical third-down situations. Gage emerged last season after the Falcons traded Mohamed Sanu and appears to be a weekly start in the WR3 range.
WR Sits Week 3: There are entire offenses that are hard to trust right now. Philip Rivers is still looking for his Keenan Allen in Indianapolis, and so far T.Y. Hilton has been a disappointment. Rivers and the Colts are mixing up their offensive plan from week to week. This is great move to throw off defense but challenging for fantasy players.
Between Parris Campbell’s injury combined with the Jets matchup, Hilton should be a slam dunk, but it is hard to view him as anything more than a low-end third receiver until he develops a connection with Rivers. Chase Claypool has impressed with a few big plays early in his rookie season. We need to see more targets before we feel comfortable putting him in our lineup. The Steelers also face a Texans defense giving up the third-fewest passing yards.
Start Jaguars RB James Robinson vs. Dolphins & Sit Rams RB Darrell Henderson vs. Bills
GettyJames Robinson has been one of the fantasy surprises of 2020.
James Robinson did not get the offseason buzz of his fellow rookies Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jonathan Taylor. When the Jaguars surprisingly released Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville appeared destined for a running back-by-committee approach. Through two games, the Jaguars have demonstrated a lot of confidence in the undrafted rookie.
Robinson is coming off 16 carries for 102 yards and a touchdown while averaging 6.4 yards per carry against the Titans. The new Jaguars running back gets a plus-matchup against a Dolphins defense that is giving up the fourth-most rushing yards. Robinson is firmly in the RB2 category for Week 3 and likely for the foreseeable future.
Overall, I am still bullish on Darrell Henderson’s talent as the running back flew under-the-radar coming out of Memphis in 2019. The challenge is the Rams running back rotation is all sorts of confusing. It is even more challenging to figure out with the injuries to Malcolm Brown and Cam Akers. While I am putting in a waiver claim for Henderson where he is available, he is staying on my bench until the Rams show one of the backs is going to get consistent opportunities.
RB Starts Week 3: Antonio Gibson continues to get more and more work with Washington. It is not an ideal matchup against the Browns defensive line, but Gibson can be started as a low-end RB2. Kenyon Drake is likely already in your lineup, but you can keep him there with confidence given his matchup against the Lions who have allowed the most rushing yards this season.
James Conner did not look limited at all by his injury in Week 2. The Steelers face the Texans which is the second-worst defense against the run so far this season. The Buccaneers backfield remains confusing, but Leonard Fournette appears to have won the favor of Arians. Fournette is in the RB2 or flex range for Week 3 as they take on the Broncos.
RB Sits Week 3: With all of the injuries, there are a lot of new faces in backfields across the league. It is going to be hard to start most of these replacement players with any sort of confidence.
Mike Davis is likely to get the nod for the Panthers with Christian McCaffrey sidelined, but I would avoid starting him in Week 3. He does have a little more upside in PPR leagues given his ability to be utilized in the passing game. Dion Lewis is another player that needs to be rostered, but I would avoid putting him directly in your lineup, even against a banged-up Niners defense.
Plan on sitting Frank Gore and the entire Jets defense as they face the Colts. Until Le’Veon Bell returns to the field, the Jets backfield is one to continue to avoid.
Start Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew vs. Dolphins & Sit Rams QB Jared Goff vs. Bills
Getty Los Angeles Rams QB Jared Goff runs off of the LA Memorial Coliseum field following a win over the New Orleans Saints.
No quarterback has been more of a pleasant surprise through the first two weeks than Gardner Minshew. Not only has the Jaguars quarterback been accurate but Minshew’s rushing ability is particularly helpful for fantasy players with him on their roster. Minshew is coming off a great Week 2 performance with 339 passing yards and three touchdowns. The Jags quarterback should shine against the Dolphins in Week 3.
Jared Goff’s start to the season resembles the Rams run to the Super Bowl two seasons ago. You would be wise to temper your expectations for Goff going against a Bills defense with a strong secondary. With so many good quarterback options, keep Goff on your bench in Week 3.
QB Starts Week 3: With the Falcons defense unable to get stops, Matt Ryan appears to be a must-start each week. Cam Newton is in the same category thanks to his rushing capabilities, and the Patriots are committed to giving their new quarterback red-zone runs which have led to touchdowns. Dak Prescott faces a Seahawks defense that is giving up the most passing yards in the NFL and just lost two starters in Week 2. Philip Rivers gets a plus-matchup against the Jets and should have one of his signature 300 yards passing games.
QB Sits Week 3: We are getting to the point where you can no longer plug Drew Brees into your lineup without thinking about the matchup. From a fantasy perspective, Brees has struggled the first two weeks of the season. Matthew Stafford faces a Cardinals defense that has been one of the best units to start the season. Given the Lions struggles, it is hard to have the courage to plug Stafford into your lineup and the bad matchup means he should remain on your bench.
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