Week 3 Fantasy Football Rankings

This year has been full of ups and downs (I know it has only been 2 weeks) especially when it comes to top talent fantasy players. Players that we thought were the safest options in the first round are now driving owners crazy. Household names like Le’Veon Bell, A.J. Green, Antonio Brown, and Odell Beckham Jr. are not living up to the round 1 price tag that everyone paid. In times like this you realize that Fantasy Football is a tricky minx that can have you screaming and hip thrusting for joy one week and sobbing in the fetal position the next. This is exactly what we play for. The highs wouldn’t be so high without the lows being so low. In these times of uncertainty and turmoil there is one pillar of hope that you can always rely on and that my friends is FantasyProjection. So buckle up for another week of the roller coaster that is fantasy football and study the below rankings like your life depends on it.

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Quarterbacks
  1. Tom Brady, NE QB vs. HOU
  2. Matt Ryan, ATL QB at DET
  3. Aaron Rodgers, GB QB vs. CIN
  4. Derek Carr, OAK QB at WAS
  5. Matthew Stafford, DET QB vs. ATL
  6. Drew Brees, NO QB at CAR
  7. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT QB at CHI
  8. Philip Rivers, LAC QB vs. KC
  9. Kirk Cousins, WAS QB vs. OAK
  10. Cam Newton, CAR QB vs. NO
  11. Jameis Winston, TB QB at MIN
  12. Alex Smith, KC QB at LAC
  13. Russell Wilson, SEA QB at TEN
  14. Jay Cutler, MIA QB at NYJ
  15. Trevor Siemian, DEN QB at BUF

Aaron Rodgers is 3rd in the rankings this week. He is facing a Bengals team that has allowed the fewest yards/game passing over the first two weeks of football. That sounds intimidation, but A) It’s Aaron Rodgers … Mr. Discount Double Check B) The Bengals have played against the Ravens and the Texans. These are two teams with woeful passing games. The real reason Rodgers is not number 1 this week is driven by the health of his receivers. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb are banged up and that will not make it any easier of Rodgers this week. Fantasy Projection: 323 yards 2 TDs.

When I think about a battle between the Lions and Falcons the only thing that comes to mind is an absolute shoot-out with zero running game from the Lions. Sure the falcons will run the ball with their two-headed dragon of Freeman and Coleman, but in order to keep up with the blazing Falcons offense Stafford is going to absolutely have to sling the ball. Matthew Stafford has been fiery hot to start the season with 6 TDs across 2 games and even got his young athletic TE Eric Ebron involved last week with a TD.I don’t quite think that the Lions have enough fire power to beat the Falcons, but I do believe that the game script will lead to a monster game for fantasy disciples. Fantasy Projection: 285 yards 2 TDs

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Running Back
  1. Jay Ajayi, MIA RB at NYJ
  2. Kareem Hunt, KC RB at LAC
  3. Le’Veon Bell, PIT RB at CHI
  4. Melvin Gordon, LAC RB vs. KC
  5. Todd Gurley, LAR RB at SF
  6. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL RB at ARI
  7. Ty Montgomery, GB RB vs. CIN
  8. Devonta Freeman, ATL RB at DET
  9. Carlos Hyde, SF RB vs. LAR
  10. C.J. Anderson, DEN RB at BUF
  11. LeSean McCoy, BUF RB vs. DEN
  12. Javorius Allen, BAL RB at JAC
  13. Dalvin Cook, MIN RB vs. TB
  14. Leonard Fournette, JAC RB vs. BAL
  15. Marshawn Lynch, OAK RB at WAS

Jay Ajayi is somewhat of a surprise this week at number 1 in the Fantasy Projection Rankings at RB mainly due to his match-up against the high school football equivalent New York Jets. The Jets have given up 185 yards per game (worst in the NFL) and 4 Touchdowns (Most in the NFL) rushing over the first 2 weeks. With a talented RB like Ajayi running over them I expect the Jets to simply roll over and hand him the top position among fantasy running backs this week. Fantasy Projection: Ajayi will rumble for 140 yards and potentially 2 TDs.

Javorius “Buck” Allen looked like he was shot out of a cannon in week 2 after the injury to Danny Woodhead. He rushed for 66 yards and added another 35 yards through the air with 1 TD. If he happens to still be on your waiver wire he is a MUST pick up. If the production Uncle Buck had in week 2 isn’t enough to sell you on starting him in week 3 then mybe the fact that lead back Terrance West only got 2 carries in the second half of the game and has not practiced this week. It appears that West is questionable at best for this week and if Allen gets the entire load expect him to go Buck wild this week…see what I did there? Fantasy Projection: 55 yards rushing and 6 receptions for 50 yards and 1 TD.

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Wide Receivers
  1. Antonio Brown, PIT WR at CHI
  2. Julio Jones, ATL WR at DET
  3. Mike Evans, TB WR at MIN
  4. Keenan Allen, LAC vs. KC
  5. Michael Crabtree, OAK WR at WAS
  6. Kelvin Benjamin, CAR WR vs. NO
  7. Odell Beckham Jr. NYG WR at PHI
  8. DeAndre Hopkins, HOU WR at NE
  9. Davante Adams, GB WR vs. CIN
  10. Golden Tate, DET WR vs. ATL
  11. A.J. Green, CIN WR at GB
  12. Michael Thomas, NO WR at CAR
  13. Brandin Cooks, NE WR vs. HOU
  14. Tyreek Hill, KC WR at LAC
  15. Demaryius Thomas, DEN WR at BUF
  16. Dez Bryant, DAL WR at ARI
  17. Alshon Jeffrey, PHI WR vs. NYG
  18. Larry Fitzgerald, ARI WR vs. DAL
  19. Amari Cooper, OAK WR at WAS
  20. Jarvis Landry, MIA WR at NYJ
  21. Terrelle Pryor, WAS WR vs. OAK
  22. Sammy Watkins, LAR WR at SF
  23. J.J. Nelson, ARI WR vs. DAL
  24. Stefon Diggs, MIN WR vs. TB
  25. Jermaine Kearse, NYJ WR vs. MIA

It is very early in the NFL season, but from what I can tell the Patriots pass defense just seems to be missing a step…or a few steps. Over the first two games the Patriots are allowing 362 yards receiving per game (2nd most) and 6 TDs (tied for most). This is a huge reason why DeAndre “The Target Monster” Hopkins is ranked 8th overall at the position for week 3. The other reason is that DeAndre is the entire Texans team when it comes to receiving. Over week 1 and week 2 Hopkins received 16 and 13 targets respectively and in each game snagged 7 catches. With this number of targets DeAndre has the ability to put up WR1 games week in and week out. I expect DeAndre to get the same target share in week 3, but grab even more of those targets for catches against a lack luster Patriots defense. Fantasy Projection: 9 receptions 85 yards 1 TD.

J.J. Nelson BLEW up in week 2 with 5 receptions for 120 yards a 1 TD. It seems like as long as former deep threat John Brown is on the shelf with injuries you can expect to see Carson Palmer make J.J. Nelson very fantasy relevant. Even in week 1 Nelson had 43 yards and 1 TD. I should clarify that I don’t expect this to be consistent production due to the shambled state of the offense, but I do consider him to extreme boom or bust week to week, a lot like John Brown used to be. Nelson takes on the Cowboys defense which is middle of the pack so far this season when it comes to stopping receivers. I expect J.J. Nelson will have a good shot at a long TD and makes a high-end flex play in week 3. Fantasy Projection: 4 receptions 60 yards potential 1 TD.

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Tight Ends
  1. Rob Gronkowski, NE TE vs. HOU
  2. Travis Kelce, KC TE at LAC
  3. Zach Ertz, PHI TE vs. NYG
  4. Jordan Reed, WAS TE vs. OAK
  5. Kyle Rudulph, MIN TE vs. TB
  6. Delanie Walker, TEN TE vs. SEA
  7. Jason Witten, DAL TE at ARI
  8. Martellus Bennett, GB TE vs. CIN
  9. Jack Doyle, IND TE vs. CLE
  10. Eric Ebron, DET TE vs. ATL
  11. Hunter Henry, LAC TE vs. KC
  12. Coby Fleener, NO TE at CAR

Hunter Henry really disappointed fantasy owners in week 1 putting up a goose egg and losing fantasy players (yours truly included) their week 1 match-ups. Of course the sensible reactions to a player getting 0 points is to bench them right?! No you’re wrong, dead wrong, Henry came back in week 2 with 7 receptions for 80 yards. Considering the landscape at the TE position this is a great week and easily puts him in the top TE’s for the week. Although I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him, I do beleive that Henry can have another good week against an injury riddled and weak Chiefs defense. Fantasy Projection: 5 receptions 55 yards 1 TD

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