Lions WR Josh Reynolds led the team in targets (10) and receiving yards (96) while tying WR Amon-Ra St. Brown for the receptions lead (6) in Sunday's loss to the Vikings. The game didn't mark any change in role for Reynolds, who has been operating with St. Brown and D.J. Shark as Detroit's clear top trio at the position. Chark posted a 3-46 receiving line among 6 targets in this contest. We'd bet on him and Reynolds alternating production, with St. Brown the weekly favorite to lead. TE T.J. Hockenson chimed in with the team's lone TD catch against Minnesota, 1 of his 3 catches for 18 yards among 4 targets.
Lions RB Jamaal Williams racked up 87 yards and 2 TDs on 20 carries in Sunday's loss to the Vikings. He added 2 catches for 20 yards on 2 targets. D'Andre Swift, meanwhile, logged just 7 carries and 4 targets (3 receptions) in a game where he was supposed to be ready for more work. After playing through an ankle sprain the week before, Swift was said to be doing better. A post-game report from Sunday, however, indicated that he might now also be dealing with a left-shoulder issue. We'll see about the specifics on Swift, but this already marks the 2nd 2-TD game of the year for Williams -- both with Swift involved. The team's #2 RB clearly belongs on a roster in pretty much any fantasy football league.
Packers QB Aaron Rodgers completed 27 of 35 passes for 255 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT in Sunday’s win over Tampa Bay. The pick marked Rodgers’ first since Week 10 of last season. He was on-point otherwise, despite playing with a shorthanded WR corps. He hit Romeo Doubs and Allen Lazard for quick-strike scores near the goal line on a day that produced only 2.8 yards per carry. Entering Monday Night Football, Rodgers is just the QB23 in fantasy scoring. Next up is a home date with the Patriots.
Colts rookie TE Jelani Woods scored 2 TDs as a mirage in Sunday's surprising win over the Chiefs. We say mirage because Woods ranked 3rd among Indianapolis TEs in playing time (16 total snaps) and pass routes (11). The TDs marked his only 2 catches amid 3 targets, which tied for 5th on the team. He'll need to pass both Kyle Granson and Mo Alie-Cox in receiving work before Woods can be applied to fantasy football lineups. Alie-Cox matched Woods' 3 targets against K.C., while Granson drew 2.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes completed 20 of 35 passes (57.1%) for 262 yards (7.48 per attempt), 1 TD and 1 INT in Sunday's loss to the Colts. It was a disappointing performance vs. a defense that had been soft against the pass through 2 games. But there's no larger takeaway on Mahomes' outlook here. A Week 4 visit to Tampa Bay looks challenging and might push Mahomes further down our top 12 than usual. Then come matchups with the Raiders, Bills and 49ers before the Week 8 bye. Buffalo and San Francisco don't look like easy spots either. We'll see about Mahomes' specific projections as we get closer.
Patriots QB Mac Jones is "believed" to have suffered a high-ankle sprain in Sunday's loss to the Ravens, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Jones is scheduled for an MRI on Monday to get a better look at the injury. A high-ankle sprain would likely cost him multiple weeks -- and put Brian Hoyer under center for New England. We'll pass along further updates on Jones as we get them.
Chiefs WR JuJu Smith-Schuster tied Travis Kelce for the target lead (8) in Sunday's loss to the Colts, tied Clyde Edwards-Helaire for the reception lead (5) and paced the team with 89 receiving yards. He remained close to Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman in routes: 35 for MVS, 33 for Smith-Schuster and 28 for Hardman. Valdes-Scantling drew 7 targets for the 2nd straight game, while Hardman garnered just 1. QB Patrick Mahomes spread his attempts around less than in the Week 2 win over the Chargers. With Hardman back healthy -- he was in and out of the Week 2 contest -- WR Justin Watson played just 10 snaps; Skyy Moore 8.
Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire scored the team's only rushing TD in Sunday's loss to the Colts. But that 1-yard score wound up part of a 0-yard rushing day on 7 carries for the Chiefs "starter." We'll put that in quotes because Jerick McKinnon wound up playing 8 more snaps and edging CEH in pass routes. Edwards-Helaire still tied for the team lead in receptions (5) by catching all 5 of his targets (for 39 yards). McKinnon matched his 7 carries but drew just 1 target. The primary takeaway here: Trade CEH while he looks like a fantasy asset. He sits 13th among Week 3 PPR scorers, with 1 game left to go, and 3rd among PPR backs through 3 weeks. Rookie RB Isiah Pacheco sat a distant 3rd in backfield use Sunday, playing just 5 snaps.
Colts WR Michael Pittman returned from his 1-game quad injury to draw a team-high 9 targets in Sunday's win over the Chiefs. He turned that into team highs in receptions (8) and receiving yards (72) but watched TE Jelani Woods claim both of the team's TDs. Although operating as the clear top target through his 2 games, Pittman has stopped short of truly dominating in that area, claiming 25.3% of QB Matt Ryan's total attempts in those contests. That level will work for supporting his fantasy production going forward but doesn't match the biggest target hogs around the league. Alec Pierce checked in 2nd among Colts wideouts Sunday with 5 targets in his return from a concussion.
Colts RB Jonathan Taylor got 21 carries in Sunday's upset win over the Chiefs but turned that into just 71 yards. He added 3 catches for 20 yards among 5 targets, which tied Alec Pierce for 3rd on the team. RB Nyheim Hines ranked 2nd in targets -- trailing only WR Michael Pittman -- and secured 5 catches for 23 yards. Hines continued to see minimal rushing work, logging only 3 carries against K.C. Next up for Taylor is the Titans, who allowed him just 64 and 70 rushing yards in 2 meetings last season -- both Tennessee victories.
Packers WR Romeo Doubs tallied 8 catches for 73 yards and 1 score in Week 3 at Tampa Bay. Fantasy owners were happy early, as the rookie notched 3-35-1 on Green Bay’s first drive alone. The score came on a goal line slant vs. off coverage. Overall, Doubs caught all of his targets and paced the team with a 22.8% target share against a strong Bucs secondary. Sunday’s outing did come with Christian Watson (hamstring) and Sammy Watkins (hamstring, IR) sidelined, but Doubs has earned a weekly role with his performance. Next up is a 3-game home stand vs. the Patriots, Giants and Jets.
Bucs QB Tom Brady finished Week 3 with 271 yards and 1 TD on 31 of 42 passing. Playing without Chris Godwin (hamstring), Mike Evans (suspension) or Julio Jones (knee), Brady watched WRs Breshad Perriman and Russell Gage lose fumbles. Gage did score the team’s lone TD late in the 4th, but the 2-point conversion — to send the game into OT — was unsuccessful. Considering the WR injuries and the banged up O-line, Brady’s performance was actually encouraging. Evans will return for Week 4 (vs. Kansas City) but Jones and Godwin remain uncertain.
Bears QB Justin Fields logged just 17 pass attempts in Sunday's 23-20 win over the Texans, completing 8 for 106 yards, 0 INTs and 2 INTs. Through 3 weeks, Chicago has 10 fewer pass attempts than any other team in the league, with the next lowest being a Giants offense that has yet to play in Week 3. WR Darnell Mooney (6 targets) and TE Cole Kmet (3) assumed their expected positions as Chicago's target leaders, but the shares won't matter until the Bears begrudgingly throw the ball more. Each guy caught just 2 balls vs. Houston.
Playing through a tweaked hamstring, Bucs WR Russell Gage recorded 12 catches, 87 yards and 1 score. The veteran entered Sunday as questionable on the injury report with a hamstring. Tampa Bay, of course, played without Chris Godwin (hamstring), Mike Evans (suspension) and Julio Jones (knee), but it’s still impressive that Gage garnered a 31% target share. Cameron Brate and Leonard Fournette were closest at 15% apiece. Look past Gage’s 3rd-quarter fumble, and this outing couldn't have gone much better. We'll see on the Bucs’ injury situation, but Week 4 turns up an intriguing home matchup with Kansas City.
Texans RB Dameon Pierce rushed for 80 yards and a TD on 20 carries in Sunday's 3-point loss to the Bears. He added 2 catches for 21 yards on 2 targets. Pierce again worked well ahead of RB Rex Burkhead on the rushing side while watching the veteran lead on passing downs. Burkhead led Houston with 4 catches on 5 targets (2nd to Brandin Cooks) but logged only 3 rushing attempts.
Bears RB Khalil Herbert racked up a 20-157-2 rushing line in Sunday's win over the Texans, taking over after RB David Montgomery left in the 1st quarter with a right-leg injury. HC Matt Eberflus called Montgomery "day to day" afterward, so we'll see about his status for Week 4. This might have been the kind of performance (including 7.9 yards per rush) that commands work for the 2nd-year back even when Montgomery's available. A Week 4 matchup with the Giants holds rushing upside as well, especially for an offense that looks vehemently opposed to throwing the ball: 37 run plays vs. 25 dropbacks in Week 3.
Jets LB Quincy Williams left Sunday's loss to the Bengals with an ankle injury. If he misses further time, Kwon Alexander looks like the top candidate to join C.J. Mosley in starter-level playing time. We'll see about the diagnosis.
Chargers EDGE Joey Bosa left in the 1st half of Sunday's loss to the Jaguars with a groin injury. We'll look for more on his outlook for Week 4 (and perhaps beyond) Monday.
Cardinals LB Zaven Collins left Sunday's game against the Rams with a shoulder injury. We'll see about the severity. Collins has spent the past 2 games wearing the green dot on his helmet, meaning he calls the defensive plays.
Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey rushed 25 times for 108 yards in Sunday's win over the Saints. He added 7 yards on 2 catches among 4 targets. It was a light passing day for Carolina, with QB Baker Mayfield attempting 25 passes and completing just 12. Only D.J. Moore exceeded 4 targets (he had 6), and no Panther caught more than 2 passes. WR Lavish Shenault scored on a pass from 67 yards out for the team's only offensive TD.
Search
