Fantasy Football Week Three: Start ’em, Sit ’em

We are now two weeks into the new NFL season. Similar to Week One, Week Two was packed full of crazy comebacks, surprising upsets, and a brawl. Unlikely teams are currently sitting atop their respective divisions, and unlikely teams are currently sitting at the bottom of their respective divisions.

To sum all that up, football is back in full swing.

Week Three kicks off with an AFC North showdown featuring the Steelers and the Browns with a current 3-way tie for the division at 1-1 (Steelers, Browns, Ravens), so let’s go ahead and look at who should be starting and who should be riding your bench for this week.

Ian’s Record: 8-4

Start ’em

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB, Chiefs) vs. Colts

Following speculation about his fantasy outlook after two underwhelming seasons in Kansas City, Clyde Edwards-Helaire has come out against the Cardinals and the Chargers and put up respectable numbers, both rushing and receiving.

Heading into Indianapolis, CEH and the Chiefs should have no problem producing on the ground and through the air against a Colts team that tied the Texans week 1 and was just shut out by the Jaguars. The volume he’s receiving currently makes him a reliable RB2 option.

Garrett Wilson (WR, Jets) vs. Bengals

How ‘bout them Jets?

Down 13 points with 1:55 left in the game, New York scored twice in a 60-second span to stun the Browns in Cleveland. The game-winning touchdown? A 15-yard dart from Joe Flacco to rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson.

Prior to this game, teams had won 2,229 consecutive games when up by at least 13 points with 2 minutes left, according to ESPN Stats. The last team to lose? The Browns in 2001 to the Bears.

The Bengals secondary allotted 12 receptions to Diontae Johnson in week 1 and 11 to CeeDee Lamb last week, so expect Flacco and Wilson to ride their crazy comeback into week 3 as they continue to establish chemistry before Zach Wilson returns.

Drake London (WR, Falcons) vs. Seahawks

Similar to Garrett Wilson with the Jets, Drake London is beginning to emerge as the WR1 the Falcons drafted after catching 8 passes and his first touchdown against Jalen Ramsey and the Rams’ secondary.

With defenses distracted by Kyle Pitts, London should continue to break out in his rookie season with a largely favorable matchup against the Seahawks in week 3. The Seahawks have allowed the ninth most passing yards through two weeks, so with the ‘pick your poison’ situation going on with the likes of Pitts and London, I’m banking on London to see similar production this week.

Kirk Cousins (QB, Vikings) vs. Lions

After yet another lackluster prime time performance, some may call me crazy for saying start Kirk Cousins in week 3. If he was playing any other team, I would say sit him, but he’s primed for a big bounce back against what has been a terrible Lions pass defense.

Detroit has allowed the sixth most passing yards through two weeks, as well as allowing the second most amount of points. While the pass rush has looked solid, the weapons Cousins has in Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and Jalen Reagor will be too much for Jeff Okudah, who has yet to perform like a top 3 pick thus far, and the rest of the Lions secondary.

Sit ’em

Robert Tonyan (TE, Packers) vs. Buccaneers

This may be a no-brainer considering Tonyan is owned in only 18.6% of ESPN fantasy rosters, but if you’ve got an injured tight end and are looking for a quick replacement for this week, avoid him.

To this point early on in the season, Tonyan has appeared as a touchdown-or-bust tight end. Through two weeks he only has five catches for 47 yards, so pair that with a Bucs defense that has only allowed 13 points and Aaron Rodgers trying to establish connection with his new receiving corps, and Tonyan being on the waivers in 81.4% of fantasy leagues starts to make sense.

Chase Edmonds/Raheem Mostert (RBs, Dolphins) vs. Bills

With Mike McDaniel’s history of rushing success on the 49ers and building a new RB room in Miami from the ground up, a lot of curiosity and anticipation went into how productive Miami would be out of the backfield. So far, it has not been very productive.

Edmonds, the team’s expected lead back, has yet to surpass 40 rushing yards and neither Edmonds nor Mostert have found the end zone yet.

As a Dolphins fan myself it hurts to say, but I’m expecting more of the same against what looks like an unstoppable Bills team so far.

Marquise Brown (WR, Cardinals) vs. Rams

Even though Drake London just had a field day with the Rams’ secondary, I would never advise starting a receiver lined up against Jalen Ramsey.

While he’s been somewhat productive during DeAndre Hopkins’ absence, Kyler Murray has only been able to find Brown ten times through two weeks for just over 100 yards. The Rams secondary has struggled thus far, but last week’s game-sealing interception was big for Ramsey’s ego, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him lock down Brown.

Pair that with Zach Ertz’s fair share of targets to this point, and I don’t see a stellar performance for Brown this week.

Melvin Gordon (RB, Broncos) vs. 49ers

The Broncos entered this season with what they hoped would be two starting-caliber running backs. Instead, they have a starting running back in Javonte Williams and are forcing Melvin Gordon into the rotation with minimal results.

Don’t get me wrong, neither RB has been great. But with Williams you see more of a tactile back who can also catch the ball while Gordon has seen little to no production in that category.

The 49ers have allowed the second least rushing yards through two weeks. If you’re taking my advice, I would be hesitant about having Williams in your starting lineup, and you definitely shouldn’t have Gordon in.