Peace out, break-out season
If you’re keeping score, I’m 6-0 on survivor advice (although this week’s teams won by 6, 3 and 3 points. a win’s a win) and a few of my must adds have blown up. Granted my advice to trade Fred Jackson RB BUF has seemed like a bad idea through 3 weeks (another solid start vs NE) but we’ll see how he pans out for the rest of the season. Circle the wagons, Bills fans, I’ll remove my SELL rating in this week’s wrap-up.
Week 3 Fantasy Studs
1. Wes Welker WR NE 16 rec/236 total yards/2 TDs (unconscious, faced him in 2 of my leagues. ugh)
2. Torrey Smith WR BAL 5 rec/162 total yards/3 TDs (injured hamstring)
3. Darren McFadden RB OAK 178 total yards/2 TDs (the 2nd best RB this year behind AP so far)
4. Ryan Mathews RB SD 149 total yards/2 TDs, (a must start when Tolbert RB SD is banged up)
5. Jermichael Finley TE GB 7 rec/85 yards/3 TDs (with Gates TE SD injured crown this guy as the best TE in the NFL)
6. Rob Gronkowski TE NE 7 rec/109 yards/ 2 TDs (Hernandez TE NE is injured, put this guy in Finley’s court)
7. Calvin Johnson WR DET 7 rec/108 yards 2 TDs (megatron and Johnson WR HOU are 1a and 1b)
8. Victor Cruz WR NYG 3 rec/110 yards/ 2 TDs (sneaky plug and play with Manningham WR NYG out, monitor that situation. wouldn’t recommend blowing a waiver wire position on this guy though)
9. Fred Jackson RB BUF 5 rec/161 total yards/1 TD (another one was called back, down at the 1)
10. Ladainian Tomlinson RB NYJ 154 total yards/1 TD (jumped into the hot tub time machine in this losing effort)
Honorable Mention: Mike Wallace WR PIT, Joe Flacco QB BAL, Drew Brees QB NO, Matt Schaub QB HOU, Ahmad Bradshaw RB NYG, Lance Moore WR NO, Tom Brady QB NE (you throw 4 INTs and lose to the Bills you’re not getting on my stud list, regardless of the 387 yards 4 TDs)
Week 3 Fantasy Duds
1. Kenny Britt 3 rec/18 yards/1 FL/1 Torn ACL (RIP, had him on the same team as Charles RB KC. New team name: 2 ACL Tears 1 Cup)
2. Michael Vick QB PHI 176 passing/31 rushing/1 INT/0 TDs (and a non-throwing hand contusion)
3. Frank Gore RB SF 42 yards/1 FL
4. Rashard Mendenhall RB PIT 46 total yards (not living up to his late 1st round, early 2nd ADP so far)
5. Cam Newton QB CAR 158 passing/27 rushing/1 TD/1 2pt conversion (there was a monsoon at this game, looks like the weather really bothered the rookie)
6. Philip Rivers QB SD 266 passing/2 INT/o TDs
7. Hakeem Nicks WR NYG 3 rec/25 yards
DeSean Jackson WR PHI 2 rec/32 total yards
9. Mike Tolbert RB SD 43 total yards
10. Peyton Hillis RB CLE DNP-strep throat. (Seriously? Get this guy some Halls with Vicks Vapor Action, stat)
The news was out on Hills RB CLE at around noon EST, but I couldn’t believe it when I heard it. Sitting out because of strep? I hope it was so bad that he needs his tonsils taken out because this guy is sounding like the anti-Romo. As I type this, Tony Romo QB DAL is playing on MNF with several broken ribs and a punctured lung. Sounds a little more serious than strep. Man up Peyton.
Must Add: Torrey Smith WR BAL (keep an eye on hammy injury, this was the kid’s first start and he absolutely lit it up. As long as Evans is out he’s a viable WR3), Victor Cruz WR NYG (great plug and play while Manningham rests. Big play potential type of guy), Nate Washington WR TEN (new #1 with Britt gone), Denarius Moore WR OAK (if you didn’t grab him last week, now’s the time)
Must Drop: Kenny Britt WR TEN (torn ACL out for season), Peyton Manning QB IND (likely not going to play at all. I’m not sticking around to find out)
Keep an Eye on: James Casey RB/TE HOU (there’s a lot of talent in HOU, if this guy gets a shot he can produce), Bernard Scott RB CIN (would be a must add if he wasn’t on the Bengals. If Benson RB CIN misses time, this guy could net some decent fantasy points)
BUY: Darren McFadden RB OAK, Wes Welker WR NE, Tom Brady QB NE, Rob Gronkowski TE NE, Calvin Johnson WR DET, Jimmy Graham TE NO, Torrey Smith WR BAL
SELL: Chris Johnson RB TEN, Frank Gore RB SF, Mike Williams WR TB, DeSean Jackson WR PHI (looking like the one with health problems or something, not Maclin WR PHI)
HOLD: Rashard Mendenhall RB PIT (PIT looking lousy so far this season, almost time to hit the panic button)
That about wraps it up for Week 3. With the Dallas/Washington game knotted up at 9 a piece halfway through the 3rd quarter, I don’t think there’s going to be anything to report. As for your Week 4 survival picks, I really like Green Bay at home vs Denver. New Orleans over JAX is going to be a popular pick, but I can’t recommend it in good faith (yes JAX is a bad team but with the weather down there anything can happen). I also like Atlanta over Seattle and Tampa Bay over the Indianapolis Colts. Go with sure thing- take the Pack. If you like to save your best teams for last, roll with ATL or Tampa.
