13 insights fantasy football managers need to know ahead of Week 3

I don’t know if you noticed, but there were some injuries in fantasy football last week.

It was just absolute carnage. This list doesn’t even include players already lost in the wreckage, like Jordan Love, Jake Ferguson, and David Njoku. Week 2 was insane — players were lost in practice, during games, or seemingly out of nowhere with sudden beat reporter news drops. We even lost Evan Engram during warmups!

There’s nothing more frustrating for a fantasy manager than dealing with critical injuries this early in the season. It’s a stark reminder that fantasy football can be both unfair and random. One injury can be challenging, but the sheer number of injuries has created situations where a fantasy manager could be missing two or three starters on their roster. My NFFC Super team was looking strong in Week 1… and now it’s missing Cooper Kupp and Kenneth Walker. Woof.

As much as you might want to hear about my fantasy teams or the injuries plaguing them, I’m sure you’re much more interested in winning Week 3… or, in some cases, simply surviving it.

1. In Klint Kubiak we trust 

Move over Ben Johnson. Everyone’s favorite new offensive coordinator is Klint Kubiak. There were increased expectations with Kubiak taking over in New Orleans, but not even the more fervent Kubiak enthusiast could have imagined this.

The Saints have now steamrolled the Panthers and crushed the Cowboys as visitors in “Big D” with a resounding 44-19 victory. They are averaging 45.5 points. A big one is on tap this week against Philadelphia in the “Big Easy.”

2. Rashid Shaheed: Year 3 breakout

The Saints offense under Kubiak has been extremely fantasy-friendly and consolidated. Alvin Kamara is the RB1 overall, Chris Olave is every fantasy analyst’s favorite “buy-low candidate,” and Derek Carr is off to the best start of his career. But the breakout player in New Orleans has been Rashid Shaheed.

Shaheed is currently WR9 on the season. He has scored on TDs of 59 yards (week 1) and 70 yards (Week 2). His yards per route run rate is at an unheard of 4.83.

With the target consolidation in New Orleans, Shaheed’s role should remain unchanged. His big play-ability has been on full display and he will continue to see downfield targets. Shaheed joins Jameson Williams as a Year 3 breakout WR, following in the footsteps of …

3. Nico Collins: Force of nature

Collins broke out last year during C.J. Stroud’s first season at the helm. He stepped up as the focal point of the Texans passing game, especially down the stretch, with two 34+ point outbursts in Weeks 13 and 17. Collins went on to finish as the WR12 overall.

This past offseason, Stefon Diggs was acquired in a trade from Buffalo, and Tank Dell returned from injury, significantly increasing Collins’ target competition. So far, he has been even better. Collins leads the league with 252 receiving yards, a 25% target share, and a yards per route run rate of 3.82, even higher than his 2023 finish of 3.11.

Collins’ emphatic 28-yard TD grab in the second quarter of Houston’s 19-13 win over Chicago was a full-on display of the physicality he brings to the WR position, as he bodied CB Jaylon Johnson with an extra shove at the end of the play. He finished the game with 27.7 PPR points.

4. De’Von Achane: Bell cow

The Bills manhandled the Dolphins on Thursday Night Football, but they could do nothing to slow down De’Von Achane. Achane caught seven passes, giving him 14 on the season — most among all RBs. He leads the entire NFL in yards after the catch with 160. He finished the game with 29.5 points, his second straight Top 5 RB finish.

Achane has incredible spike weeks, but there has been a notable increase in his overall touch volume.

Achane legitimately has a chance to challenge for an RB1 overall finish.

5. But how will Achane perform with Skylar Thompson behind center?

Tua Tagovailoa suffered yet another concussion and his return date is up in the air.

Thompson is the next man in. The last time we saw Thompson start a game, he targeted Jeff Wilson Jr. and Salvon Ahmed nine times. While the sample size is small, it is promising. Adjust your expectations for Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but Achane should remain a Top 5 RB this week.

6. Brock Bowers: The Chosen One at TE

Could we have back-to-back seasons with rookie TE1 overall finishers? Bowers has exploded out the gate, with 15 catches and 156 receiving yards. Both numbers are the most all time for a rookie TE through two weeks. Bowers is not your ordinary TE — he is a big Jordy Nelson-type moveable piece, and the Raiders realize it and are featuring him constantly.

He trails only Trey McBride with a first read target rate of 26.7% (per Fantasy Points Data), and is third in target share with 23.9 %. It also helps that the Raiders cannot run the ball.

The Raiders have the second-highest pass rate over expectation in the NFL. Not to get too technical, but it just makes sense to pass to Bowers and Davante Adams instead of handing off to Zamir White and Alexander Mattison. Bowers SZN is here to stay.

7. Kyle Pitts: Usage concerns

Pitts scored in Week 1, but Week 2 was a significant setback. He finished with three catches for 20 yards. The box score was ugly, but the underlying metrics were even more concerning.

The hope that “it was all Arthur Smith’s fault” is in the air. Pitts has a 10.9% target share and a 9.6% air yards share, two numbers that will need to tick up quickly to justify his ADP price. A potential get-right game against Kansas City is on the horizon. KC was shredded by Isaiah Likely in Week 1 and Mike Gesicki in Week 2. This is a tilting week for Pitts managers.

8. Malik Nabers: Target hog

How do we even begin to describe Malik Nabers’ incredible performance in Week 2? The Giants lost the game, but Giants fans who have been waiting for an elite playmaker certainly won. Nabers finished with a 67% target share, the highest finish in nine years. His 18 targets were the most a Giants player has had since Odell Beckham Jr. in 2016.

The early returns on Nabers are fantastic.

Yes, the 0-2 Giants are awful, but Nabers has become must-see TV for fantasy football. He has his most difficult matchup of the season this week against the Cleveland Browns.

Nabers was not the only rookie WR with a gaudy Week 2 target share. Marvin Harrison Jr. had a 38% target share and caught two TD passes.

9. Baker Mayfield: The QB1 overall

Mayfield was a feel-good story in 2023, leading Tampa Bay to the NFC South title and winning a home playoff game against Philadelphia. He finished the season as a QB1 and posted career highs in multiple categories.

So far this season, it looks like Mayfield and the Bucs will be even better — a lot better. The Bucs won a huge “prove it” game in Detroit, where Mayfield connected with the red-hot Chris Godwin for a 41-yard TD pass. However, it was the plays he made with his legs that stood out at the end. He had back-to-back 11-yard runs, including a TD on the Bucs’ go-ahead drive.

The TD run was the longest of his career. Mayfield is clearly feeling confident and loose.

Tampa Bay should move to 3-0 this Sunday against Denver.

10. Slow start in Chicago

Caleb Williams is off to a rough start. Chicago’s defense willed the team to a Week 1 win over Tennessee. Hope of a stronger offensive performance in Week 2 faded away quickly. Williams was sacked nine times and threw two interceptions. He is unusable for fantasy and this offense cannot get out of its own way.

Meanwhile in Washington, Jayden Daniels — the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft — is currently the QB6 overall without even passing for a TD.

Did I mention Williams’ rough start?

Don’t let Williams get anywhere near your fantasy starting lineup this week.

11. The Ryan Grubb Effect

Seattle beat Denver with a healthy dose of Ken Walker in Week 1.With Walker missing in action in Week 2, new OC Ryan Grubb’s impact was in full display. The former Washington Huskies OC was one of the most exciting coordinator hires of the offseason, fantasy wise, and this past week showed why.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s breakout performance drew most of the attention. He can be started every week now. Seattle’s skill position personnel are all trending up.

Hosting Miami in Week 3, Seattle has a chance to move to 3-0 for the first time since 2020. Start your Seahawks.

12. Expect to keep hearing a lot about two-high safety coverage

Passing TDs continue to trend down, and most of the blame is being centered around defenses shifting to increased two-high safety looks.

Stay tuned for the Week 3 returns to see if the trend continues.

13. Josh Jacobs and the Green Bay run game

Jacobs rushed for 151 yards, carrying the Packers on his back in a 16-10 Week 2 win. He had 128 rushing yards by halftime, the most by a Packers player since 2001. His 32 rush attempts tied for the third most in franchise history.

Green Bay won their first game of the season without Jordan Love, evening their record at 1-1. Somehow, Love could actually play in Week 3. He has returned to practice, and the gloom and doom following his injury in Week 1 have turned to hope for a rapid recovery.

And that is it for Week 3. Here’s hoping that all of our fantasy teams stay healthy this week…

(Top photo of Rashid Shaheed: Perry Knotts/Getty Images)



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