Week two saw Detroit's Jahvid Best take top honors, while week one's hero, Arian Foster, crashed back to earth. The flipside of the Motown showdown was the 3 TD performance by the Eagles' LeSean McCoy.
This week Detroit faces off with the Minnesota Vikings, who are without WR Sidney Rice, and are now dealing with a gimpy Percy Harvin, so expect a monster day from Adrian Peterson.
Baltimore's Ray Rice has been a fantasy disappointment through the first two weeks, but expect a solid day in Week 3 as he gets to chew up the Brown's rush defense.
Last week, I warned that Chris Johnson was likely to struggle against the Steelers, and he did, rushing for only 34 yards. This week he faces the Giants, so he should get back on track. Likewise, we should see good days from other big names like Frank Gore and Maurice Jones-Drew.
Injuries to Ryan Mathews and Michael Turner led to big days for Jason Snelling and Mike Tolbert. Both Mathews and Turner should play this week, though I would still handcuff Snelling to Turner, especially with Jerious Norwood out for the season.
With Kevin Faulk now out in New England, there is a big void in the Patriots run game. While many expect Sammy Morris to fill it, I think BenJarvis Green Ellis will get the chance to shine for the team. He's a sneaky waiver grab for deeper leagues, and I think he could surprise as early as this week vs. Buffalo.
Now on to Week 3:
--STARTS--
Week 3 – RB Start of the Week – Knowshon Moreno, DEN |
UPDATE: Moreno hurt himself at practice this week and will NOT play. With Laurence Maroney also hurting, Correllbuckhalter looks to get most of the snaps. Moreno has looked very good through 2 weeks, despite losing snaps, and a TD to Correll Buckhalter. A Week 3 match-up with the Indianapolis Colts, the same team that allowed a fantasy windfall to Arian Foster in Week 1, should bode well for a third straight week of solid fantasy performance. Outside of the big guns like AP, Johnson, etc...Moreno stands the best chance of having a beast of a day. |
Other guys who have decent match-ups this week include DeAngelo Williams, Cedric Benson and Ahmad Bradshaw. And while I don't like Jahvid Best's match-up with the Vikings, he's proven to be too good to bench so far.
Tim Hightower, ARI vs. OAK | For two weeks now I've recommended playing Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells, and for two weeks in a row he's gone from probable to out at the last minute.Whether Beanie Wells plays or not, I like Hightower to have a good 100 yard day and a score against a terrible Raiders rush defense. |
Rashard Mendenhall, PIT @ TB | With Charlie Batch under center look for a heavy dose of the run game with the Steelers on the road in Tampa. This means good things for Mendy. |
Pierre Thomas, NO vs. ATL | Thomas was all set to have a solid week, then Reggie Bush broke his fibula. The Saints will rely on Thomas even more this week. |
Mike Tolbert, SD @ SEA | After announcing Monday that Mathews was fine and would play this week, the Chargers are now stating that Tolbert will likely play instead, and he should have a solid game against Seattle. Keep an eye on last minute changes though. |
Michael Turner, ATL @ New Orleans | Turner's off to a bad start with a match up vs. the Steelers and a groin injury last week against the Cards. Look for him to get back into the fantasy win column with a solid day against the Saints rush defense which looked very bad against the 49ers and Frank Gore. Jason Snelling will steal some snaps but Turner should find the 100 mark and a score. |
LeSean McCoy, PHI @ JAX | While I don't expect a repeat of last week, McCoy should be a stud again with a match-up with the Jaguars. |
Darren McFadden, OAK @ ARI | McFadden's looked excellent the first 2 weeks after 2 dismal seasons, taunting fantasy owners. Last week Falcon's back RB Jason Snelling torched the Cards, so McFaddy should have a 3rd solid week. |
Steven Jackson, STL vs. WAS | The touchdowns are always questionable, but Jackson always has a nice yardage day in excess of 100 yards. |
--SITS--
Week 3 – RB Sit of the Week – Cadillac Williams |
For the last two weeks the Pittsburgh Steelers rush defense has been stifling, just as it was in 2009, when they took top honors. And when you can stifle the likes of Chris Johnson and Michael Turner, that's saying something. So with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers trotting out Cadillac Williams, well let's just say this week it's best to leave the car in the garage and find another method of transportation. |
Marshawn Lynch feels like he's closer than ever to leaving Buffalo, but for now he's still there, and with a week 3 match-up with New England, both he and Fred Jackson will find it difficult to put much together. Still Jackson is regaining his fantasy viability.
Jerome Harrison, CLE @ BAL | Harrison doesn't light me on fire anyway, but this week he faces a tough Ravens defense. |
Brandon Jackson, GB @ CHI | Let's face it, if you can't feed on the Bills rush defense, you don't deserve to be starting, and more than likely new blood is going to be leading the charge in Green Bay. |
Miami RBs vs. NYJ | Only the Steelers and Ravens have been stingier to RBs so far, and with carries split 2 ways, this is a good week to use alternative firepower. |
Dallas RBs @ Houston | The Dallas offense seems out of sorts anyway, but I'm not expecting big things from Marion Barber or Felix Jones in Week 3. The Texans have allowed only 70 rushing yards through 2 weeks so far. |