(Cruz)ing To The End Zone
NFL Week 3 Fantasy Football Top Plays
Quarterback
Andrew Luck didn’t have a great game last week, but what did you expect? He was going up against one of the top defenses in the league and he was on the road. I didn’t expect a whole lot from him last week, so I’m not too worried about his 11-point fantasy outing. This Sunday; however, I’m all over the Stanford graduate.
Luck will be going up against the Chargers this weekend. It’s only Tuesday, but Vegas has this game at a 50-point total, which is very appealing. Higher scoring games = more fantasy points. It’s simple math. Besides the Vegas total — I’m also on Luck because of his matchup against San Diego. They have given up a total of 692 passing yards so far this season (3rd-most in NFL), so look for Luck and the Colts to bounce back this week.
Marcus Mariota
If you’re looking for a cheaper option at quarterback, I really like Mariota this week. Not only is his price tag a thing of beauty, but so is his matchup.
The Raiders have been [horrible] defensively so far. They have given up a total of 819 yards in the air, which is highest in the NFL. So how high is that exactly? Well, the Steelers have given up 695 passing yards, which is 2nd in the NFL. They have had trouble stopping quarterbacks, which is why I’m all over Mariota this weekend. He’s got plenty of weapons to go to and has nice upside. He’s in play in all formats for me this week.
Running Back
Through two weeks of the season, Matt Forte has a total of 50 carries! Yes you read that right — [50] carries. Todd Bowles loves him some Forte and I love me some fantasy points, which is why I’m all over him this week.
Not only is his usage rate through the roof, but he also draws a nice matchup against the Chiefs. So far this season, the Chiefs have been unable to stop the run. They have allowed a total of 248 yards on the ground, which is highest in the NFL. Forte also has 5 receptions on the year and could see that number increase, if Brandon Marshall is unable to suit up this week. Forte has a sweet matchup and a sweeter price tag, which is why I’m all over him this week.
A lot of great expensive options at running back this week, so I decided to give you a cheap guy with upside. And the man who fits the script is, Jay Ajayi.
Arian Foster got hurt last week (groin) and looks like he could miss this week. If he does end up sitting out this contest, Jay Ajayi will be the featured back of this Miami offense. He will get plenty of opportunities to run the ball against a Browns’ defense that has allowed a total of 211 yards on the ground (8th-most in NFL). He draws a nice matchup and has a beautiful price tag, which is why I like Ajayi for tournaments.
He’s a tournament play only because we are not 100% certain on what Gase plans to do with his running backs. I will monitor the situation closely and give you an update this weekend.
Wide Receiver
Larry Fitzgerald has to be drinking from the fountain of youth or something. At 33 years old, Larry is still doing Larry things. He’s recorded 14 catches for 162 yards and 3 touchdowns already this season. He’s been an absolute force on the field and I don’t see the Bills slowing him down.
This season, the Bills have struggled on the defensive side of the football. They have allowed a total of 536 yards through the air (3rd-most in NFL) along with an average of 25 (real life points) per game. I see the Cardinals putting quite a few points on the board this contest, and I also see Larry being Larry, yet again.
Victor Cruz
A punt play that I really like this week is the salsa man himself, Victor Cruz. Cruz has come back from a long list of injuries he has dealt with the past few seasons and looks better than we expected! He’s been targeted 12 times this season and has hauled in eight of those passes. He also has 125 receiving yards to go along with a touchdown. He’s looked good and has a gorgeous price tag, which is why I’m all over Cruz in tournaments. He allows you to pay up for some of those other high priced studs you love and will get his targets as well. Hope to see you salsa, Victor.
Tight End
Walker was quiet in Week 1, but came back strong in Week 2. He hauled in 6 receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown against the Lions. I expect him to have another solid performance going up against a vulnerable Raiders’ secondary. Like I mentioned before, they have given up a total of 819 yards on the air this season (highest in the NFL), which is why I’m all over Mariota’s big target.
Dwayne Allen is next on my list. I expect this Chargers-Colts game to be very high scoring, so I’ll go ahead and grab Allen. He’s Luck’s favorite target in the red zone and draws a favorable matchup against the Chargers.
On the year, the Chargers have struggled covering the tight end position. They have given up a total of 182 receiving yards (3rd-most in NFL) along with one touchdown. I see Allen being a nice tournament play.
Defense
The Browns lost Robert Griffin lll Week 1 and now they are without backup quarterback Josh McCown. Two weeks into the season, it’s safe to say the Browns have had a rough going. The torch will now be passed to rookie quarterback Cody Kessler, which is why I’m all over the Dolphins defense.
The Dolphins’ defense is very affordable and will be playing at home against a guy that the starting unit has to get familiar with in one week. It’s simply not enough time for Kessler to build a rapport with his center, offensive line and receivers. Do you now see why the Dolphins will be the popular play of the week?
Everyone will be all over the Dolphins and will forget about this Broncos’ defense. They are one of the best in the league and have been off to a stellar start. They’ve recorded eight sacks in two games (2nd-most in NFL) and have only allowed 18.5 points per contest (4th-fewest in NFL). While this defense is great, the Bengals’ offensive line hasn’t been all that. They’ve allowed 8 sacks this season (Tied for most in NFL), which is the Broncos’ bread-and-butter. I’m expecting another big performance from the defense and believe it or not, I believe that they won’t be highly owned.