Week 3

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28
September

2015 Rookie Report: Week 3 Sits & Starts

Welcome back to the Rookie Report! Two weeks are in the books (and a Thursday night game), and week 2 was a quiet one for most rookies, but the trio of Matt Jones, Amari Cooper and David Johnson certainly made some noise with monster days. I was particularly impressed by Cooper. I'd like to give a quick shout out to the Reddit user who called me out for thinking Jimmy Smith could slow down the rookie. Cooper dusted him on a long TD early on. With week 2 in the past, let's move on to what to do with the rookies for week 3:

Rookies to Start:

RB TJ Yeldon, JAX (Wk. 3: @NE): Game script might not work in Yeldon's favor with the Pats a 2 TD favorite, but volume and the defensive matchup should be in his favor. With both Denard Robinson and Toby Gerhart dinged up, Yeldon should be on the field for a vast majority of the snaps, and New England has allowed a staggering 5.7 yards per carry this season and also 147 rush yards per game and 3 TDs in 2 weeks. I'm not saying Yeldon will break the century mark, but his volume will give him a high floor and make him a deent RB2 option. His upside may be limited by the game script as well.

WR Amari Cooper, OAK (Wk. 3: @Cle.): After last week, it's hard to doubt Cooper should pretty much be an every week start. Last week's stat line won't be the norm, but he should have a WR3 floor just about every week purely based on volume. Like Jimmy Smith last week, Joe Haden isn't a reason to be scared. The Browns play sides at CB rather than shadowing, and Oakland should move Cooper around so he doesn't only face Haden. Feel safe firing him up again.

Borderline Rookies:

QB Marcus Mariota, TEN (Wk. 3: vs. Ind.): Mariota still posted a decent stat line in a loss to the Browns last week, and this week gets a defense that may be missing all of its top 4 CBs. Mariota has already showed that he doesn't need to use his legs to put up fantasy points, and thus far the Colts have allowed a 104.2 QB rating to Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Fitzpatrick. They also don't generate a ton of pass rush, with just one sack so far on the season. Getting Delanie Walker back can only help Mariota, and he should be decent start in 2-QB leagues, and worth consideration in deeper 1-QB leagues.

RB Melvin Gordon, SD (Wk. 3: @Min.): The Vikings were gashed by Carlos Hyde in week 1, and then held Detroit to under 2.5 yards per carry in week 2. The reality likely falls somewhere in between. Gordon has been impressive in limited work so far, and should see similar volume this week. To really maximize his value, he'll have to find the end zone though. The Vikings are yet to allow a carry of 20+ yards on the year, and Gordon has zero red zone carries through 2 weeks. Gordon is more flex option than RB2 at this point.

RB David Johnson, ARI (Wk. 3: vs. SF): CJ?K is still the 'lead dog' according to head coach Bruce Arians, but David's done enough with the work he has gotten to warrant more of it coming his way. Arians has said as much, stating that David's role will increase as the season goes on. With Andre Ellington still out, Johnson is an upside Flex option this week, but he does have a low floor. He gets a boost in return yardage leagues.

RB Todd Gurley, STL (Wk. 3: vs. Pit.): For the most part, I'd avoid playing Gurley. There has been a lot of talk about him being on a 'pitch count' and will likely see just 10-12 touches assuming he plays. He is a top-shelf talent, however, and that means there is a chance he gets hot and sees some additional carries. With several guys in doubt this week (Ivory, Lacy, Marshawn), Gurley has more upside as a fill-in than most of the alternatives. I've got him ready to go in the league I own him if Ivory sits.

RB Duke Johnson, CLE (Wk. 3: vs. Oak.): The Raiders are among the worst in the league vs. RBs in terms of fantasy points allowed, and while Isaiah Crowell has been more effective than Johnson thus far, Johnson will continue to see a decent amount of touches as the number 2 back. At some point, I would think they will have to start using him in the passing game, which is a specialty of his, but he hasn't been targeted once so far. The upside is likely limited for Duke, but he could have a solid day if they finally start throwing it to him.

RB Matt Jones, WAS (Wk. 3: @NYG): I know, Jones has already played in week 3. I posted an update on Jones on twitter on Thursday afternoon (@shawn_foss). Here is what I posted: "You cant's chase last week's points vs. the Rams. Alfred Morris could see a bigger share of the work this week, especially on the short week. There is one caveat to this though: The Giants have allowed 20 RB fantasy points per game, 7th most in the NFL, and nearly half of them have come in the receiving game. Alfred Morris is essentially a zero in the pass attack, so there is definitely upside for a nice fantasy day from Jones." How did things turn out? Jones actually did continue to play ahead of Alfred Morris and saw 11 carries to Alf's 6. Unfortunately he did fumble going into the end zone, and Chris Thompson saw the receiving back work (8 rec, 57 yds, TD). There will be better weeks for Jones, and the fact that he got more early down work than Morris is a good sign.

Rookies to Sit:

QB Jameis Winston, TB (Wk. 3: @Hou.): Game script should keep Tampa from becoming too pass-happy in this one. It projects as a low-scoring affair, with two mediocre offenses, and Houston may be the best defense Winston has faced yet. They at least aren't as bad as their numbers vs. opposing QBs have been, and I think JJ Watt and company could make life miserable for Winston. I wouldn't be surprised if he has a hard time putting up much more than 10 fantasy points in standard leagues.

RB Ameer Abdullah, DET (Wk. 3: vs. Den.): Abdullah does his best work in space, and the Broncos don't allow much space, especially in the screen game. They have held opposing RBs to under 4 yards per catch (including 4 catches for 2 yards by Jamaal Charles), and it also doesn't help Ameer that Theo Riddick has had a bigger role than expected. I would be surprised if Abdullah finds his way to 50 yards in this one.

RB Karlos Williams, BUF (Wk. 3: @Mia.): At this point, Williams has a TD run in each game, but that won't be sustainable on the types of workloads he's seeing. For now, he's a handcuff for LeSean McCoy and a TD dart throw each week. He's not a stand-alone option this week.

WR Nelson Agholor, PHI (Wk. 3: @NYJ): Until his production starts to spike, it's hard to trust Agholor in fantasy. It doesn't help that he may draw Darrelle Revis for much of the game in this one. The Jets have been content to let Buster Skrine cover the slot, where Jordan Matthews does most of his work. The tough matchup and limited production thus far make Agholor a poor option this week.

WR Devin Funchess, CAR (Wk. 3: vs. NO): I have a hunch that Funchess has his best game as a pro and scores his first career TD, but through 2 games he has just 2 catches for 24 yards. I'd be crazy to tell you to start him. I'd have to see his role increase before he's a realistic option.

WR DeVante Parker, MIA (Wk. 3: vs. Buf.): Parker's snaps increased a little bit in week 2, but he put up just one catch for 3 yards. Rishard Matthews has unexpectedly emerged as the number 2 WR over Parker, Kenny Stills and Greg Jennings, and until Parker's role increases he has to remain on the bench.

WR Dorial Green-Beckham, TEN (Wk. 3: vs. Ind.): DGB did score his first career TD in week 2, showing that the Titans do recognize what a tough matchup he can be in the red zone, but his usage still isn't where it needs to be for him to be a startable option. A bigger role is coming eventually, especially with the inefficient play of Harry Douglas and Justin Hunter ahead of him. It's just a matter of when.

TE Maxx Williams, BAL (Wk. 3: vs. Cin.): Crockett Gillmore made a big week 2 impact, and despite the Ravens throwing a ton, Williams still strugged to carve out a role in the passing attack, catching just 1 of the 32 Flacco completions. He's best left on the wire outside of dynasty leagues.

Deep League Sleepers & Cheap DFS Options:

RB Thomas Rawls, SEA (Wk. 3: vs. Chi.): Lynch is a game-time decision, and in a deeper league it would make a lot of sense to scoop Rawls just in case. The Bears defense has been bad at all levels, and Fred Jackson is unlikely to be an every down option if Lynch does sit. Remember, the Seahawks liked Rawls enough to trade away Christine Michael, and Robert Turbin is out again this week. I like Rawls a lot when you factor in that the Seahawks are a 2 TD favorite. If they get ahead big, they're more likely to run Rawls than risk an F-Jax injury in garbage time. Jackson is the one who has a role when Lynch is healthy. I think a 75-yard day is very possible if Lynch is out.

WR Tyler Lockett, SEA (Wk. 3: vs. Chi.): I still think Lockett has a big game coming, and why not against the pathetic Bears' defense? Lockett had just 2 catches for 17 yards last week, but was on the field for 32 out of Seattle's 60 offensive snaps. As always, Lockett is worth more in leagues where return yardage matters, but I think he's got a sneaky amount of upside this week as a cheaper DFS option.

WR Ty Montgomery, GB (Wk. 3: vs. KC): Top CB Sean Smith is still out with suspension for the Chiefs, and Montgomery factored into the offense last week with 4 catches against the Seahawks on Sunday night. With Cobb lining up in the slot, there's a chance Montgomery gets to square off with Jamell Fleming on the outside, and Fleming has been burned regularly so far this season. It's sort of a shot in the dark play with Cobb, Adams and James Jones around, but he's already shown he can be a factor.

WR Devin Smith, NYJ (Wk. 3: vs. Phi.): Smith appears to be on track to play this week, and Eric Decker appears to be on track to not play. Coach Todd Bowles says it's not an injury issue at this point, it's just about getting Smith up to speed with his conditioning and the playbook. Smith's best skill is the deep ball, and Philly has allowed 7 completions of 20 or more yards and 2 of 40 or more in two weeks. Smith will likely be a boom-or-bust option this week if Decker sits. Another Jets rookie to keep an eye on though...

WR Quincy Enunwa, NYJ (Wk. 3: vs. Phi.): He's averaged 28 snaps per game in the first two and could also see an increased role if Decker sits. Enunwa would be safer and have a higher floor than Smith, but might not have the home run play upside. He's not a bad lottery ticket type of option in DFS.

That's it for this week. Hopefully it can help with some of your tougher lineup decisions or injury concerns. Feel free to hit me up on twitter with any rookie questions (handle listed above). As always, good luck, trust your gut, and have fun. It's just a game.

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30
September

Week 3 Overview: And the Beat Goes On..

Published in Fantasy Football / NFL

TNF: 9/24/15: Washington Redskins vs. N.Y. Giants
Well, chalk up one for the N.Y. Giants, they cut their losing streak at the expense of the Redskins, 32-21. I guess Eli can talk about his 1st win of the season while Big Bro. Peyton talks about # 3 so far. I'm sure it's been some quite dinners at the folks house these last few weeks. In their previous losses against Dallas & Atlanta, the Giants fell apart in the 4th Qtr & loss. This time they were dominant in the 4th and held on to the victory. The Giants scored in almost every way possible, beginning with Jennings blocking Tress Way's punt for a safety on the Redskins opening series. Andre Williams scored on a 1yd run, Josh Brown kicked 3 FGs and Beckham toasted Bashaud Breeland to settle matters. For Washington, Rashad Ross returned the kickoff 101yds for the final score. Gruden still sticking to his "no QB controversy" every chance he gets, so then, you know it is. This is Washington's 5th straight lost to the Giants. Things just might be looking up for the Giants with Dallas being 2-0 who now have major folks out and Philly is 0-2. The Redskins, well, today, they were just here. Nuff said about that. E. Manning threw for 279yds & 2 TDs, R. Jennings had 11 carries for 32yds & R. Randle had 7 receptions for 116yds & 1 TD. K. Cousins threw for 316yds, 1 TD & 2 ints. M. Jones had 11 carries for 38yds & 1 fumble, J. Reed finished up with 6 receptions for 96yds. I heard that RGIII made up to #2 spot. I'm just saying.

MNF: 9/28/15: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Green Bay Packers.

Aaron Rodgers lights up Chiefs for 5 TDs and drops K.C. like a plague. Now, K.C. did put up a fight but you have to play all 4 Qtrs against the Packers. Smith was getting hit so much, he was just throwing the ball anywhere at one point to avoid the hit. He was sacked a total of 7x. On one of his TDs to Cobb in the 4th, Rodgers set the franchise record with his 4th career game of at least 5 TD passes. The Chiefs did not fail with the dropped passes and GB dropped a few themselves. The bright side for the Chiefs? They stopped their long streak of no TD receptions by a receiver when Jeremy Maclin hauled in a 5yd TD pass with 56 seconds left in the 3rd Qtr. Randall Cobb and James Jones were the preferred targets for the night. Rodgers connected with Cobb for 3 of the 5 TDs. Green Bay built a 38-14 lead early in the 4th Qtr before withstanding a late rush by Jamaal Charles & the Chiefs. Charles rushed for 3 TDs for K.C. Charles 7yd TD with 1:25 left got the Chiefs with 10pts but result was the same for K.C., which lost it's second straight. Despite the 3 TD runs, the Packers put the breaks on Charles from making explosive plays and shut him down to 49yds on 11 carries. The Chiefs were on alert for Rodgers tendency to take advantage of free plays and they still got beat. But Rodger's backup, Scott Tolzien, who sees the greatness of Rodgers every week, said it best. He said, "I mean, to me, it's like watching Jordan in his prime. He's at the top of his game. He makes it all go." Rodgers said what he loved about MJ was that MJ brought his "A" game every night because he knew that each night, there was someone in the stands that had never seen him play and he made sure to put on a show. Same with Rodgers, even on his bad days, he's good! He saw Jordan when he was 8 and said he will never forget it. A. Rodgers threw for 33yds & 5 TDs. His no interceptions at home was almost broken today but the ball was dropped. E. Lacy had 10 carries for 46yds & J. Jones had 7 receptions for 139yds & 1 TD. A. Smith threw for 290yds, 1 TD & 1 int., J. Charles had 11 carries for 49yds & 3 TDs. Did you know that Charles had a speech impediment as a child and he first discovered his football talents playing in the Special Olympics. J. Maclin had 8 receptions for 141yds & 1 TD.

NFC NORTH:

Green Bay Packers: 3-0

Good game, I really enjoyed this one. The Packers skinned the Chiefs, 38-28. Rodgers is just cold!!! Nothing else you can say. Read the MNF update for the details. Well, I can tell you that he won the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Minnesota Vikings: 2-1

Hummm, so they won again and this time, like the last, it wasn't because of A.P. I know they are happy to have him back but they are holding their own as a team as well. He doe's do better with each game. This week before the game, he showed up at the practice facility on his day off to run a series of 100yd sprints, 18 in all. He looks to be in mid-career form now or so I heard. They beat the San Diego Chargers 31-14. Still can't believe that, I thought the Chargers would put up a better fight. His 1st TD was the first time crossing the goal line in more than 22 months, that's 2 years. The last time he scored was on Nov., 24, 2013 @ GB, before a foot injury slowed him down in the stretch that season. Fallout from the child abuse case last year kept him out of all but one game. Rivers was pretty beat up in this game. He was pulled out midway through the 4th Qtr when the deficit was 24pts. He was sacked 4x for a loss of 28yds. He had 2 turnovers and took a hard hit to the mid-section from Anthony Barr in the 3rd Qtr. Peterson tied Randy Moss for 2nd place, (93) on the team's all-time TD list, trailing Cris Carter (110). T. Bridgewater threw for 121yds & 1 int., that's less yds than Peterson rushed for in this game. A. Peterson had 20 carries for 126yds & 2 TDs & M. Wallace had 3 receptions for 49yds. P. Rivers threw for 246yds, 1 TD & 1 int., and a bunch of bumps & bruises. M. Gordon had 14 carries for 51yds & K. Allen finished with 12 receptions for 133yds & 2 TDs.

Chicago Bears: 0-3

I know, same story, different day. Bears lose to Seattle, no, they were shut out by the Seahawks, 26-0. This was the first shut out for my Bears in more than a decade. Dec., 29, 2002 to be exact, they lost to Tampa Bay 15-0 in the season finale. Bennett played against his brother, Bears traded Jon Bostic to Patriots & Jared Allen to Panthers and word on the street is that there may be more. Oh yeah, Clausen says he plays as good as Jay. Really? News flash Claussen, you suck too!! Read about the shut out in Seattle's update.

Detroit Lions: 0-3
What did you expect? They played Denver and they lost to Denver, 24-12. Read the Broncos update for details.

NFC SOUTH:

Atlanta Falcons: 3-0
How sweet it is for the Falcons. It's even sweeter for Julio Jones who now has 34 receptions through 3 games. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the most receptions in NFL history, for 3 games of course. They got their 3rd win at the expense of, the "man down" Dallas Cowboys, 39-28. I told Lofton his team is going down without Dez then you add Romo, it is a game changer. Matt Ryan hit WR Julio Jones for 2 TDs. Julio had his 3rd straight 100yd game to start the season. He finished up with 164yds and a, put this one in the books, 2yd score late in the 4th Qtr. RB Devonta Freeman didn't ease up on the Cowboys either, he ran for 141yds & 3 scores starting for injured rookie Tevin Coleman. Dallas RB Lance Dunbar had 10 catches for 100yds but several were ill fated attempts to get 1st downs in 3rd and long situations. Cole Beasley was the only receiver to catch a pass. They pretty much took the home crowd out of the game. This is quite a change for the Falcons. If you remember they had not won their 3rd game until WK 10 last season and WK 13 in 2013, so you know they are flying high. According to the NFL, Atlanta is the 1st team to start 3-0 after trailing in the 4th Qtr of each game. M. Ryan threw for 285yds & 2 TDs, D. Freeman had 30 carries for 141yds & 3 TDs, he did his job for the day. J. Jones had 12 receptions for 164yds & 2 TDs. They got him working day & night. B. Weeden threw for 232yds & 1 int., J. Randle had 14 carries for 87yds & 3 TDs, not bad at all JR. L. Dunbar stats listed above.

Carolina Panthers: 3-0
Ho hum, Carolina wins another one. Now, I am sure that I read somewhere in the off season that the Panthers has the 3rd or 5th easiest schedule this year, somebody on that team must be Irish with all the luck they having. It's amazing what a QB can do when he is not crying & complaining all the time. They beat down the doomed Saints, 27-22. They said this is one of the most complete efforts of his 5yr career. He tossed his bud, former Bear, Greg Olsen, 2 TD passes to sweeten up his stat sheet. He put the icing on the cake when he ran in for a score himself. This gave him his 35th rushing TD of his career, tying him with Randall Cunningham & Stever Grogan for 7th most in NFL history by a QB. They said his "maturation" showed in this game, that means he is not crying on the side lines as much. The Panthers are 3-0 for the 1st time since reaching the SB in the 2003 season. This is the 1st game Brees has missed because of injury since he became a Saint in 2006. Luke McCown started in Drew's place. The previous time he started was Sept., 18, 2011, a game in which he threw 4 ints. in a 32-3 loss while playing the Jaguars. Be afraid New Orleans, be very afraid. C. Newton threw for 315yds & 2 TDs, J. Stewart had 14 carries for 52yds and Cam's #1 man, G. Olsen had 8 receptions for 134yds & 2 TDs. L. McCown threw for 310yds & 1 int., M. Ingram had 14 carries for 50yds & 1 TD, B. Cooks had 7 receptions for 79yds.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1-2

It's a sad day in the NFL when the TBB are over the Saints in the NFC South, but that is the case. Even thought the lost to the Texans, 19-9, they are still one game better in the standings than a couple of teams. Read the details in Houston's update.

New Orleans Saints: 0-3

The lost boys, aka: The New Orleans Saints dropped another one, leaving them 0-3 and shaking their heads. Read the 411 in the Panthers update. Brees is still a ? for WK4.

NFC EAST:

Dallas Cowboys: 2-1

You know your team is doing bad when T.O., Terrell Owens says Dallas should give him another shot. As of today, he hasn't heard back from them. Dallas tried to win without Romo & Dez, but it was not to be. Read about their lost to the Falcons in that update.

N.Y. Giants: 1-2

Read about their 1st win of the season against the crashing Redskins. Check out the TNF update, right at the top.

Washington Redskins: 1-2

No surprise here, they dropped the ball on TNF and lost to the Giants, 32-21. Check out that update above.

Philadelphia Eagles 1-2

Eagles finally win one over the N.Y. Jets, 24-17. D. Sproles, aka, Mighty Mouse, led the way. Have you seen the thighs on that guy? It's like the MM cartoon from way back, come on now, some of y'all know what I'm talking bout lol. He started off with an 89yd punt return for a score & added a 1yd TD run. The D caused 4 turnovers & Philly got it's first win. QB, Bradford threw a TD pass to Ryan Mathews, who rushed for 108yds on 25 carries while starting in the place of the injured DeMarco Murray. The Eagles improved to 10-0 all time against the Jet's who had just put the smack down on the Colts on MNF last week. Even though Fitzpatrick threw TD passes to B. Marshall & Jeremy Kerley, it was really pointless when he turns around and throws 3 ints. Even with them holding the Eagles scoreless after halftime. They couldn't add any more points on the board. With this win, the Eagles avoided their 1st 0-3 start since 1999. So much more to read about this game, but I try really hard to keep it short & to the point. Good luck with that huh, lol. S. Bradford threw for 118yds & 1 TD., R. Matthews had 24 carries for 108yds & 1 fumble and on double duty, he had 6 receptions for 49yds. R. Fitzpatrick threw for 283yds, 2 TDs & 3 ints., Ouch! No rushing worth mentioning. My boy, B. Marshall had 10 receptions for 109yds, 1 TD and some butter fingers with 1 int.

NFC WEST:

Arizona Cardinals: 3-0

You knew it was going to be a great day for the Cardinals when they immediately put the 49ers on notice by returning 2 interceptions for a TD in the opening minutes. S, Tyrann Mathieu, who brought back the 2nd TD and later picked off another pass in Arizona's 47-7 slaughter. He had his part in setting an NFL record as the Cardinals became the 1st team in NFL history with a pair of interception returns for scores in the first 6 minutes of a game. To make it feel like Christmas for Mathieu, he was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Larrry Fitzgerald caught 9 passes, he was on fire in this game and he's still my boyfriend, I don't care what anyone says, lol. It's the first time the franchise has had two 40pt victories in a row since 1969. It's also the largest margin of victory since a 44-0 win over Houston in 1970. Palmer won his 9th in a row, the NFL's longest active streak, and is 16-2 in his past 18 starts. The scary part, they can only get better. Kap threw 4 pics in this game, he had a QB rating of 16.7, the worst in his career. I see he still hasn't found his MoJo yet. In his favor, he did score on a 12yd TD run. That's all I got to say about this one. C. Palmer threw for 311yds, 2 TDs & 1 int., C. Johnson had 22 carries for 110yds & 2 TDs and Larry had 9 receptions for 134yds & 2 TDs. C. Kap, smh, threw for 67yds & 4 ints. that's the worse I've seen for any QB. c. Hyde had 15 carries for 51yds & no receiving yards worth talking about.

St. Louis Rams: 1-2

They were handed their 2nd loss of the season at the hands of the Steelers. Check it out in Pittsburgh's update.

San Francisco 49ers: 1-2

Man, go back up 2 spots and read about the 47-7 slaughter they took from the Cardinals in that update.

Seattle Seahawks: 1-2

So Russell was like, ok guys, we are 0-2 but we got the Bears Sunday so we 1-2 going into WK4. I'm just saying, that's how the pep talk went in the Seahawks locker room. The game was really slow for a bit. Tyler Lockett provided a need jolt to his boys with a start to the 2nd half with a 105yds kickoff return for a TD. After that, Wilson, Graham and a defense that was whole again with the return of Kam Chancellor took over. They still didn't look all that great, they were only up 6-0 at halftime. I mean you beat my Bears, that's all I'm saying. But they may have paid for the shut out on the Bears. Already dealing with a sore back and neck and a calf injury that had him limited in practice last week, Lynch has to have an MRI on injured hamstring. I'm just saying, he been put down a lot lately & it may have just caught up with him. He may be out for WK 4. R. Wilson threw for 235yds & 1 TD, T. Rawls had 16 carries for 104yds & J. Graham look like the Saint from past play with 7 receptions for 83yds & 1 TD. J. Clausen, loser, had 63yds & you say you better than Jay. You must have grew up together. M. Forte had 20 carries for 74yds & Z. Miller, who the hell is that, had 1 reception for 21yds. SMH. Pitiful!

AFC NORTH:

Cincinnati Bengals: 3-0

Good game against the Ravens, I honestly could not tell who was going to win this one until the very end. Bengals remained undefeated with a 28-24 win over the losing Ravens. It was the battle of Andy Dalton & A.J. Green against Joe Flacco & Sam Smith Sr. It was truly amazing to watch. When the smoke cleared and the game was over, the Bengal boys came out on top. You just should have saw this one. The Bengals blew a 14-0 lead & twice trailed in the 4th Qtr before Dalton & Green brought them back. This is what I'm saying, it was that kind of game, again, you should have saw this one. The Ravens went ahead for the 1st time, turning a fumble by Dalton into a 41yd TD return by Mosley for a 17-14 lead with 6:49 left. Green immediately got free & caught a pass in stride that he turned into an 80yd score. Green broke a tackle by J. Smith, shook off W. Hill & scrambled into the end zone. The Ravens answered with a 79yd drive that featured 2, 3rd down conversion & ended with Steve Smith catching a 16yd TD pass in front of Dre Kirkpatrick for a 24-21 advantage with just under 4 minutes to go. After that, Green comes up with the game winner and that's all she wrote. I'm so glad I didn't miss this game. Cincinnati has won 4 in a row in this AFC North rivalry for the first time. 5 of the past 6 games have been decided by 7pts or fewer. Baltimore WAS the only existing NFL team NEVER to start 0-3, before this season. It had been a decade since the Ravens began with 2 straight defeats. A. Dalton threw for 383yds, 3 TDs & 1 int., G. Bernard had 13 carries for 49yds. But the real "Superman" A.J. Green had 10 receptions for 227yds & 2 TDs. J. Flacco threw for 362yds, 2 TDs & 1 int. No rushing yards worth mentioning. S. Smith Sr. had 13 receptions for 186yds & 2 TDs. To bad if you missed this game.

Pittsburgh Steelers: 2-1

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, the injury shark gets you. True, the Steelers won this one over the Rams but they paid a heavy price. Big Ben was injured and will be out for at least 4 games. At least he has Michael Vick to back him up and not Clausen. Vick said he was stunned that Ben got hurt, but I bet he grabbed his helmet so quick to hit the field, all you could see was sparks from his feet. Ben hasn't missed a game since 2012. He won his franchise-record 108th game, passing Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw. LeVeon Bell scored from a yard out in the 1st half, his first game back after a suspension, making up for lost time no doubt. The Rams were limited to 2 FG and have scored only 16pts in their last 2 games. Ram's QB said they will say some prayers for Ben. Rams MLB James Laurinaitis became the franchise career tackle leader, passing late Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen. He has started all 99 games since being drafted in the 2nd round in 2009. B. Ben threw for 192yds & 1 int. before going out on a knee/leg injury. L. Bell had 19 carries for 62yds & 1 TD. A. Brown had 11 receptions for 108yds. N. Foles threw for 197yds & 1 int., no rushing yards worth mentioning. K. Britt had 7 receptions for 102yds. Good luck Big Ben.

Cleveland Browns: 1-2

The Oakland Raiders handed the Browns this loss, 27-20. Check out that update for details.

Baltimore Ravens: 0-3
Wouldn't believe it, if I wasn't writing it. The Ravens are still searching for a win with yet another loss, this one to the Bengals. Check it out in that update.

AFC SOUTH:

Jacksonville Jaguars: 1-2

So it turns out that the 49er's were not beat up the worst, the Jaguars were. Read the details of the 51-17 stomp you down to the ground beating they took from the Patriots in that update.

Indianapolis Colts: 1-2

They finally pulled one out by the hair of their chiny, chin, chins or by Lucks beard. They beat the Titans 35-33, so they barely won, but it's still a win. This was their first 0-3 start since 2011 and they disparately needed this win, especially since he was the "answer" for the Colts. I still think he's okay, not great. Not saying he won't get there, but he isn't just yet. They trailed 27-14 before Luck got going. Luck threw 2 TD passes, 56 seconds apart. Frank Gore ran for 2 TDs including the winner on a 6yd run with 2:51 left. Luck finally had that rabbit's foot working in his favor. He did add 2 interceptions, but what's a game without a pic six here and there. The Titans, well we know their story, they have lost 13 of 14 against the Colts so this day was not a surprise to them at all. The Titans were down 14-0 in the 2nd Qtr, they scored 27 straight points to take that 27-14 lead. Though they lost, they stayed in the game and that's more than I can say for a few teams. A. Luck threw for 260yds, 2 TDs & 2 ints. F. Gore had 14 carries for 86yds & 2 TDs and T. Hilton had 4 receptions for 94yds. M. Mariota threw for 367yds, 2 TDs & 2 ints., when he grows up in the NFL, he's gonna be on fire. A. Andrews had 12 carries for 49yds & 1 TD. K. Wright had 7 receptions for 95yds & 1 TD.

Houston Texans: 1-2

They finally put one in the win column with the 19-9 win over the Tampa Bay Bucs. Mallett got his 2nd NFL win in his 2nd start this season after Brian Hoyer was benched after struggling in Houston's opener. The Texans didn't care if it was a H.S. team they beat, as long as they didn't join the 0-3 club. Texans, DeAndre Hopkins, who missed practice this week because of a concussion, finished with 8 receptions for 101yds & 1 TD. QB, J. Winston threw for 261yds and a TD but added an int. Mike Evans tried to pitch in but hampered more than helped with a couple of drops. Here is the sad part, after making a 58yd FG, rookie kicker Kyle Brindza, missed one for the 1 extra point and then missed 3 more FG attempts, which would have tallied 10pts, which is what they lost by. We'd be reading a totally different update, if he didn't. Watt snickered as he said the FG kicker helped us out, hell, he gave them the game. One thing Houston can brag about for sure is this. With the Chiefs loss against GB, the Texans are the only team in the NFL that has never lost in Lambeau Field. R. Mallett threw for 228yds, 1 TD & 1 int., A. Blue had 31 carries for 139yds & 1 TD. D. Hopkins, back to work, his stats are noted above. J. Winston threw for 1 TD & 1 int., D. Martin had 14 carries for 46yds & M. Evans had 7 receptions for 101yds.

Tennessee Titans: 1-2

Indy beat these guys 35-33, simple enough. Read about it in the Colts update. Mariota did grab the honors of the Offensive Rookie of the Month for September. In his first 3 starts, the No. 2 overall pick in last April's draft lead the Titans to a 1-2 record, completing 61-0f-97 passes for 833yds & 8 TDs, with 2 interceptions. Jay/Claussen, you guys taking notes yet?

AFC EAST:

New England Patriots: 3-0

Pulverized the Jaguars, 51-17. They didn't even give them a chance for false hope in this game. Jags fresh off their first win, feeling pretty good taking down the Dolphins then this. Talking about skinning a cat alive, the Patriots stripped them of everything in this game. To top it off, Brady gets that 400th TD in the bag. Brady became the 4th QB in NFL history to throw for 400 TDs and he added his 401st, a 13yd pass to Keshawn Martin late in the 3rd Qtr. He Joins P. Manning, B. Favre & D. Marino. LaGarrette Blount had 3, 1yd TD runs & Gostkowski added the extra point on all 6 TDs to run his streak to an NFL record 425 in a row. He has led the NFL in points for each of the past 3 season. By this time, it was 37-10 and the Jaguar fans were knocking each other down to get out and beat the traffic. The Patriots are headed into their by week with a perfect record still intact. Jacksonville was flagged 7x for 114yds, including back-to-back pass interference penalties in the 3rd Qtr. The first one cost them 52yds, the second negated an interception and 82yd return, instead, it put the Patriots on Jacksonville 1. T. Brady threw for 358yds & 2 TDs, L. Blount had 18 carries for 78yds & 3 TDs, dangggg. R. Gronkowski had 4 receptions for 101yds. B. Bortles threw for 242yds, 2 TDs & 1 int. No rushing yards worth writing. A. Hurns had 2 receptions for 70yds & 1 TD.

Buffalo Bills: 2-1
Man, they whipped it on Miami, 41-14. TE Charles Clay scored the Bills first TD, 3 minutes into the game. This was Tyrod Taylor won his first NFL road start and embarrassed the Dolphins on the way. We are only finishing up WK 3 and the Dolphins are already in last place in the AFC East with two consecutive loss. The loss was the most lopsided defeat in a home opener for the Dlphins, who are beginning their 50th season. Buffalo improved to 5-2 against Miami over the past 4 years. The victory was especially sweet for former Dolphins Clay & Richie InCognito, who were co-captains in Buffalo. Fans were booing after less than 12 minutes and by the 4th Qtr, the stadium was mostly deserted. I know this is WK4 news. But, Dolphins Coach J. Philbin said he wasn't worried about his job. Not 1 hour later, I got the next ESPN alert that said he had been fired. So much for job security. T. Taylor threw for 277yds & 3 TDs. K. Williams had 12 carries for 110yds & 1 TD. C. Clay had 5 receptions for 82yds & 1 TD. R. Tannehill, who just year people were comparing him to Dan Marino! Come on man. He threw for 297yds, 2 TDs & 3 ints. No rushing yards worth writing about & R. Matthews had 6 receptions for 113yds & 2 TDs.

N.Y. Jets: 2-1

They were cut off at the pass on their way to an 3-0 start when Sproles and the Eagles said, not today. Read Philly's update on this one.

Miami Dolphins: 1-2

You just never go to work each day, thinking that you will be punked on national TV. Well, that's what happened to the Dolphins. Check it out in the Bills update.

AFC WEST:

Denver Broncos: 3-0

No surprise here as the Broncos move up to 3-0 with a win over the Lions in WK 3. It wasn't a beat down @ 24-12, just a reminder that you ain't going to beat us. Whether it was 3rd or 4th down, 1st or 4th Qtr, Manning at 39, still has it. Manning hit D. Thomas with a 43yd TD pass on a 4th down with 5 seconds left in the half. Then he threw an 11yd scoring pass to Owen Daniels on 3rd down with 2:28 remaining. That lifted the Broncos up for the win for good. He credited the coaching staff with using a pistol formation, giving him the ball in a short shotgun with a RB behind him. Whatever all that is I just wrote, it's working out for the better for Manning and the team. He was only sacked once in this game. That's a load off his body considering he was sacked 7x in the first 2 games. Stafford had 3 turnovers, including a fumble & interception at midfield in the 4th. Detroit was in reach of this one until they were called for an illegal formation. Not only did Denver miss the FG but they got it back and 5yds closer and you know what happened with that, they made the next FG. That put Denver up by 5pts and they never looked back. The last time the Broncos won their first 3 games was in 2013, when they reached the Super Bowl. They could go all the way, but way to early to tell. Still got Arizona & Green Bay out there. P. Manning threw for 324yds, 2 TDs & 1 int., no rushing yards worth writing and D. Thomas had 9 receptions for 92yds, 1 TD & 1 fumble. M. Stafford threw for 282yds, 1 TD & 2 ints. No rushing yards worth writing about, less than 25 on both teams. C. Johnson, now renamed mini tron for the start of the season finished for 8 receptions for 77yds.

Oakland Raiders: 2-1

Sayyyy whatttt, the Raiders went at least 9 games last year before they won one, now they rolling round town, picking up wins. This one was against the Cleveland Browns, 27-20. Derek Carr is doing pretty good for the Raiders. Before this game Carr was 0-8 on the road. Carr threw 2 TD passes and Safety, Charles Woodson made a game clinching interception with 38 seconds left as Oakland snapped an 11 game, road losing streak. This was their 1st road win since Nov., 17, 2013. They said even the ball boys were happy while picking up shoulder pads & other game over stuff to load on the bus back home. Cleveland was driving for a tying TD in the final minute before Woodson stepped in and intercepted Josh McCown, who was trying to hit Travis Benjamin down the right sideline. That's all she wrote folks, game over. D. Carr threw for 314yds & 2 TDs, L. Murray had 26 carries for 139yds & 1 TD & A. Cooper tied it up with 8 receptions for 134yds & 1 fumble. J. McCown threw for 341yds, 2 TDs & 1 int. No rushing yards to mention. G. Barnidge had 6 receptions for 105yds & 1 TD.

Kansas City Chiefs: 1-2

They started off slow, picked up, then slowed down again in this 38-28 loss to the Cheese heads. Read the MNF update to catch up.

San Diego Chargers: 1-2

I got my eyes checked and I'm reading it right. The Chargers have only won 1 of 3 games to start off the season. It was the Vikings that they bowed to on this day. Read the Vikings update for more details.

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19
September

Who Do I Start: Week 3

Published in Fantasy Football / NFL

Each week we'll give you some recommended starters that you need to get in your lineup for one reason or another. Usually, it's because of a good matchup, sometimes it's a player that's trending up, and once in a while it's going to be the secret to your fantasy victory!

Quarterbacks

Matt Ryan @ NO: Included on the list last week, here's a guy who is currently the fantasy points leader at QB in standard leagues and yet is still not owned by 30% of [Yahoo] leagues. If you happen to be in a league where that is the case, I suggest you remedy that quickly! His matchup in week 3 against the Saints (giving up 672 passing yards so far over 2 games) looks pretty advantageous. The Falcons defense is more than suspect, and they'll always keep their opponent in the game - forcing Ryan to keep chucking it.

Ryan Fitzpatrick @ KC: Fitzpatrick is still out of the top 10 (currently #13 in overall fantasy points at the QB position in standard scoring leagues), but he's spreading the football around this year with new additions to the offense like Enunwa and Forte. The Jets know that this could be their last chance to make a playoff run for quite some time and they will be fighting to the bitter end of every matchup this year. Fitzpatrick could end up a good short-term start or may even become your QB1 as long as guys like Bortles and Cousins are underperforming. Owned in 41% of Yahoo leagues currently. (Keep your eye on Marshall's health, though, Fitz's ceiling comes down if Marshall is not on the field).

Running Backs

Isaiah Crowell @MIA: Crowell exploded last week with 133 yards and a touchdown. Granted, most of that was from a specific play, but his performance so far this year has been raising more than a few eyebrows out there, and he'll be going up against a Dolphins rushing defense that is giving up the 2nd most yards per game. A must start until he proves otherwise!

Mark Ingram vs. ATL: Ingram has just not had the opportunities on offense yet this season - with only 21 carries over 2 games, the Saints need to commit a little more to the running game. That has been mentioned in recent press conferences, etc and an excellent matchup against the Falcons on Monday could be the catalyst for a top-10 fantasy performance for Ingram.

Wide Receiver

Mike Wallace @JAX: Wallace finally has a QB with some arm strength that is willing to send a few far downfield - that's all he needs to be a productive fantasy receiver. He's actually propelled himself to be the #6 fantasy WR in standard scoring leagues (as of Monday evening). Going up against the Jaguars shouldn't prove a much more difficult situation for Wallace to rack up his customary 3 or 4 receptions. Cross your fingers for the touchdown that makes him a commodity from week-to-week.

Tight End

Kyle Rudolph @ CAR: I would not normally recommend fantasy plays against a stout Panthers defense, but Kyle Rudolph has proved so far this season to be one of the highest targeted Vikings' pass-catchers (8 targets in both week 1 and week 2) and is currently situated as the #10 TE thus far in the season. With an upgrade to QB in Sam Bradford, I think we'll see more of Rudolph - especially as a red zone threat.

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19
September

Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 3

Published in Fantasy Football / NFL

Two weeks of football are now behind us in this young season and injuries impacting the fantasy playing field are already starting to pile up. I know this first hand after getting burned by early game injuries to Jonathan Stewart and Arian Foster just to name a few! Regardless of if you've been unfortunate to lose key players on your fantasy team to injury or not, this advice is geared to help better position yourselves with waiver picks for both the short and long term.

Note: all waiver picks listed here will have only been owned in 50% or less of Yahoo leagues at the time of publication.

Quarterback

Ryan Tannehill (MIA) - 29% owned - Tannehill was involved heavily last week against the Patriots, netting 389 yards and 2 TDs on 45 pass attempts while also adding another 35 yards on the ground from 6 carries. With Foster's status up in the air for week 3 you should expect similar results from Tannehill against a beatable Cleveland defense.

Honorable mention: Joe Flacco (BAL) - 29% owned

Running Back

Jerick McKinnon (MIN) - 24% owned - It's been announced that Adrian Peterson suffered a torn meniscus in week 2 which should leave him sidelined this coming week if not longer. This makes McKinnon a must add as the favorite for early down work in the Vikings backfield. The only downside is history has shown McKinnon will lose goal-line touches to Matt Asiata which limits his touchdown potential.

Fozzy Whittaker (CAR) - 5% owned - After Jonathan Stewart injured his hamstring last week Whittaker entered the game and put up 100 yards rushing on 16 carries while adding another 31 yards on 3 receptions. Stewart is expected to miss either one or two games with his injury which makes Whittaker a good bet to start while he is sidelined. The matchup isn't ideal against a tough Vikings defense, but if you are in a bind and need a starting running back for the week Whittaker is available.

Honorable mention: Matt Asiata (MIN) - 2% owned

Wide Receiver

Tyrell Williams (SD) - 48% owned - Williams looks to be the number two passing option in San Diego after the season ending injuries keep piling up to the Chargers skill players; Danny Woodhead was the latest victim after they already lost Keenan Allen and Stevie Johnson. As long as he can avoid the injury curse going around he is a good bet for week to week fantasy production on a pass happy team with a terrible defense.

Victor Cruz (NYG) - 37% owned - Cruz has been showing signs of life after missing the last season and a half from a patellar tendon tear, putting up 8 catches on 12 targets for 125 yards and a touchdown. I still think he needs to show a little more before I would trust him in my line up, but I also think this is the week to invest and put a waiver claim since it could pay off big if he can return to his old form.

Honorable mention: Jamison Crowder (WAS) - 6% owned

Tight End

Dennis Pitta (BAL) - 11% owned - Pitta has had an extremely injury-riddled career but he is healthy (for the moment) and looks to have a big role in the Ravens offense after grabbing 9 receptions for 102 yards on 12 targets. This type of volume would put him in the weekly TE1 conversation if it were to continue so he's worth a grab.

Honorable mention: Jacob Tamme (ATL) - 6% owned

Defense/Special Teams

Miami Dolphins (MIA) - 7% owned - The Dolphins defense are an interesting streaming play this week since Cleveland is forced to start their rookie 3rd string quarterback Cody Kessler. History shows Kessler is likely to make mistakes in his first start which means Miami is a good bet to rack up fantasy points