Fantasy Football Week 3 Last Minute Tips

The first two weeks of fantasy football have passed, and there have been some surprises thus far. Cam Newton has been the biggest surprise of the year, with Bills running back Fred Jackson being another major surprise.

If you have some last minute lineup questions, here are a few suggestions:

Fantasy Football Week 3 Players to Avoid

Ryan Fitzpatrick

This was a toss up for me, considering the fact that Fitzpatrick has played two amazing games to start the year. He already has 7 touchdowns, which came in wins against the Chiefs and the Raiders. The fact that these are the two teams who he played against is why I put him as a player to avoid. The Bills are going up against the Patriots on Sunday, a team Fitzpatrick has struggled against in the past. He will definitely see pressure from their defense.

Look for Fitzpatrick to throw at least one interception against the Pats and to not have another three- or four-touchdown day.

Anyone on the Colts or the Chiefs

Both of these teams are 0-2, and both of the losses for each team were ugly. The Chiefs have been outscored 89-10 in losses against Detroit and Buffalo. The defending AFC West champions probably saw these as easy wins on the schedule before the season, but as they proved last year, any team is capable of coming out and competing for a playoff spot*.

* – The exception to this statement is the Colts. They will not be competing for the playoffs this year, that is, as long as Peyton Manning is out. They have been outscored 61-26 in losses to the Texans and the Browns. Their next two games are both nationally televised night games, which will certainly feature countless mentions of Manning’s effect on the team. Don’t expect anyone on the Colts to put up enough fantasy points to hold their weight in your lineup.

Brandon Marshall

Marshall has had a strong start to the season, with 218 receiving yards along with a touchdown in the first two games of the year. This week he is going up against the Cleveland Browns. This may seem like an extremely bold prediction, but there is a good reason why I have Marshall as a player to avoid: he will be covered by Browns’ corner Joe Haden, who broke up five passes in the season opener. He is among one of the top corners in the league, and will also have safety help to shut down Marshall.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Players to Start

Matt Stafford

Stafford is becoming a fixture in my list of players to start, and he should remain there all season. He has had two great performances against the Bucs and the Chiefs, and he will not slow down this week against the Vikings. The Lions’ defense will give him the ball, and he should throw for a minimum of two touchdowns.

Steve Smith

Smith has the luxury of having Cam Newton as his quarterback, which has led to Smith being the league leader in receiving yards through the first two weeks. He already has 334 yards, which is 63 more than the next closest player in Kenny Britt. The Panthers are going up against the Jaguars this week, and the 0-2 Panthers should win their first game of the year behind a strong performance by Cam Newton. His strong performance will directly benefit Steve Smith.

Ryan Mathews

The Chargers are going up against the Chiefs, which automatically raises his stock this week. He is a threat in the run and pass game, so putting him at the hybrid position of rb/wr would be a smart choice.

 

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