Week 3 Fantasy Football Stock Watch: A Giant Mistake

Photo Credit: Brook Ward

I often sit next to a fireplace with a fine vintage in one hand as I scratch my head and ponder the question that keeps me up almost every night.

How has Eli Manning won two Super Bowls? Honestly, the guy has pedestrian numbers throwing to anyone not named Odell Beckham Jr., he throws way too many interceptions, and is just so average. A career passer rating of 84 does not equate to a Hall of Fame induction as most people believe.

The point of my mini-rant is that the name of a player means nothing, the stats, the situation, and the opponent means everything. Owners need to keep that in mind for this Week 3 Fantasy Football Stock Watch.

Week 3 Fantasy Football Stock Watch

Offenses

The Seattle Seahawks have been abysmal to start the season making Green Bay’s defense look elite in Week 1 and barely outscoring the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2. Russell Wilson has led the offense to just one touchdown, and the offense looks lost behind a dreadful offensive line.

To make matters worse, Jermain Kearse had two touchdowns as a New York Jet this week. Rubbing salt into the wounds. Hey, Seattle, the problem was the offensive line, not the defensive line. As long as Wilson does not receive any new big men he should stay on your bench.

The lone bright spot for the offense would be Chris Carson. Owners who stashed him in the preseason were awarded a back who is now the bell cow, with 20 rushes for 93 yards in Week 2.

Then there is the Cincinnati Bengals. I had Andy Dalton and A.J. Green going down last week, now they are firmly in my dumpster fire section. The offensive line lost Kevin Zeitler and Andrew Whitworth in the offseason and have no talent to replace them.

Dalton was a turnover machine already and a leaky offensive line exposes him as a very average player. Dalton and the offensive line are tanking the value of an offense with so many weapons.

Joe Mixon, Gio Bernard, Jeremy Hill, John Ross, Tyler Boyd, Green, and Dalton should be on your bench in Week 3.

Finally, there is the New York Football Giants. Their offense has been quite minimal so far, and the blame can be squarely pointed at a pathetic offensive line.

Sure there are other issues, but Eli Manning has no time to pass, Odell Beckham Jr. is still hurt, Brandon Marshall is all washed up and there is no running game. Beckham will always get his points just from sheer volume, once he is fully healed.

The rest of the offense is a lost cause due to the line. Avoid everyone outside of OBJ.

 

Quarterbacks

Up

Trevor Siemian, Denver Broncos

Whenever I look at Siemian, Bill Paxton’s famous quote comes to mind. Game managed man, game managed!

Ok, I never said it was a direct quote but Siemian has to be opening eyes as he has been in command of the offense so far. Six touchdowns give him the lead with Matthew Stafford for the lead in the NFL.

Upcoming games against the Buffalo Bills and Oakland Raiders put owners on notice. Names do not matter, points do. Right now Siemian is putting up points, start him.

Down

Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins

Embed from Getty Images

In the preseason I was scoffing at the idea of drafting Cousins, seriously. He is just another Eli Manning; an average quarterback propped up by great receivers. Last year Cousins had Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson.

Now he is relying on Terrelle Pryor and is being exposed right now for the fraud he is and was. He was already a mercurial quarterback and does not have the great players to pad his stats. Cousins bet on himself once again and lost.

So did you if you were hoping Cousins was more than a mirage quarterback.

Dumpster Fire

Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars

You were the chosen one! You were sent to destroy defenses, not throw to them.

Yes, this week is heavy on nerd references, but for good reason. Have to soften the blow of some bad news. The Blake Bortles experiment has failed, after a meh Week 1 Bortles seemed to at least stay away for the interceptions.

Nope, he is back to his ways. Sure the receivers will get garbage time stats but as long as Bortles is under center, owners will need to pray for late touchdowns when the games are out of reach.

Do not feel bad for Bortles, Wilson and Dalton are joining him in spirit up above.

 

Running Back

Up

Carlos Hyde, San Francisco 49ers

I was playing my brother this week and saw him starting Hyde against the Seahawks, I laughed.

He had the last laugh as Hyde went for 100-plus yards and scored more than all my running backs combined. Guess them below to win my respect. Hint, I started three.

After an offseason of whispers spelling Hyde’s demise in the bay area, he is now the focal point of the offense. Buy now if you can while you still can buy low.

C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos

Embed from Getty Images

Anderson has been up and down his whole career. Now with the Broncos offense clicking on all cylinders, Anderson is thriving. Do not expect his production to stop anytime soon.

Chris Thompson, Washington Redskins

Can I give him an upish? You know what yes I can, with a caveat. If Rob Kelley is out then Thompson is an RB1 this week against the Oakland Raiders. Thompson will not get 20-25 carries, his value comes in the passing game.

He is available in your league, now go get him.

Down

Frank Gore, Indianapolis Colts

Despite a touchdown this week, the equation is very simple. No Andrew Luck equals no points.

 

Wide Receiver

Up

Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

Allen has always been one of my favorite Fantasy players, but he just gets hurt too often. While I can never predict an injury coming in the future, I can look at his present stats.

After two games he has 14 catches for 135 yards and one touchdown on 20 targets. Philip Rivers is looking at Allen a lot and so should owners, this seems to finally be the year that Allen puts it all together.

Alshon Jeffrey, Philadelphia Eagles

I was very wary of the whole Eagles’ offense because it was a completely new cast of receivers and running backs. The running game right now is a mess, but Carson Wentz is in command of the passing game.

Wentz and Co. had a very impressive game against a tough Kansas City defense, and Jeffrey posted seven catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. Jeffrey, like Allen, has all the talent in the world but never could stay on the field.

A change of scenery has done wonders for Jeffrey.

Down

DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

Embed from Getty Images

Last Thursday night I witnessed a lot of angry Texans’ fans on Twitter asking why the team had just paid Nuke Hopkins so much money.

Well, it is because he is a transcendent talent stuck on a team that never has a good quarterback. Make no mistake, Deshaun Watson is not good. He will be in the future but right now the quarterback play is subpar.

Hopkins’ value takes a huge dive until Watson shows he is comfortable in an NFL offense.

Stefon Diggs/Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings

This is a downish option because as long as Sam Bradford is out then Diggs and Thielen are flex players at best. If Bradford returns this Sunday, ignore this and start them as you normally would. With Case Keenum, they are both downgraded to flex players.

Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys

Dak Prescott did not get exposed. Ezekiel Elliot did not get exposed.

Dez Bryant got exposed. He is no longer a dominant, explosive player. He cannot gain separation against top-tier talent anymore. Dez now is simply good, not great. Keep him on the bench against great defenses.

 

Tight End

Up

Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys

Last week I said I wanted to wait on the tight ends because everyone had a bad week. Well, I disrespected Mr. Witten who has two very good games in a row. Dak Prescott seems to have made him the go-to target for now.

Owners need to be wary of this and take advantage.

Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

Baby Gronk, well at the very least a more immature Gronk, is now the best tight end in the league. He is the most explosive player at the position, and while he’s on the field mature leaves something to be desired, his determination does not.

Kelce is the best at the position and playing on the hottest team right now. Trade for him if you can before his value grows even more.

Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles

Ertz falls into the Eagles’ offensive renaissance. He posted five catches for 97 yards but has yet to reach the promised land this week. That will all change soon for a favorite target of Wentz.