Week 3 has a few interesting games on the slate. Oddly enough, only two of them feature two 2-0 teams, as the Atlanta Falcons will head to Michigan and face the Detroit Lions.
Some other games should be fun to watch, especially the Sunday Night Football tilt between the Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins, which could end in a shootout.
Here’s a look at some projections and rankings for the top 50 points-per-reception players for the week.
Top 15 Running Backs
1. Le’Veon Bell (Pittsburgh Steelers) at Chicago Bears: 120 rushing yards, 1 TD, 4 receptions, 50 receiving yards (27 points)
2. Jay Ajayi (Miami Dolphins) at New York Jets: 130 rushing yards, 2 TD (25 points)
3. Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas Cowboys) at Arizona Cardinals: 120 rushing yards, 1 TD, 4 receptions, 40 yards (24 points)
4. LeSean McCoy (Buffalo Bills) vs. Denver Broncos: 80 rushing yards, 1 TD, 4 receptions, 50 receiving yards (23 points)
5. Tarik Cohen (Chicago Bears) at Pittsburgh Steelers: 30 rushing yards, 8 receptions, 60 receiving yards, 1 TD (23 points)
6. Ty Montgomery (Green Bay Packers) vs. Cincinnati Bengals: 60 rushing yards, 5 receptions, 50 receiving yards, 1 TD (22 points)
7. Kareem Hunt (Kansas City Chiefs) at Los Angeles Chargers: 80 rushing yards, 1 TD, 3 receptions, 30 receiving yards (20 points)
8. Todd Gurley (Los Angeles Rams) at San Francisco 49ers: 60 rushing yards, 1 TD, 4 receptions, 40 receiving yards (20 points)
9. Melvin Gordon (Los Angeles Chargers) vs. Kansas City Chiefs: 50 rushing yards, 4 receptions, 50 receiving yards, 1 TD (20 points)
10. Devonta Freeman (Atlanta Falcons) at Detroit Lions: 60 rushing yards, 1 TD, 3 receptions, 40 receiving yards (19 points)
11. Chris Thompson (Washington Redskins) vs. Oakland Raiders: 30 rushing yards, 5 receptions, 50 receiving yards, 1 TD (19 points)
12. Duke Johnson (Cleveland Browns) at Indianapolis Colts: 30 rushing yards, 4 receptions, 50 receiving yards, 1 TD (18 points)
13. Carlos Hyde (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Los Angeles Rams: 60 rushing yards, 1 TD, 2 receptions, 20 receiving yards (16 points)
14. Leonard Fournette (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Baltimore Ravens (in London): 60 rushing yards, 1 TD, 2 receptions, 20 receiving yards (16 points)
15. Buck Allen (Baltimore Ravens) at Jacksonville Jaguars (in London): 50 rushing yards, 5 catches, 50 receiving yards (15 points)
Analysis
The following players on the above list weren’t on the top of their team’s running back depth charts during the preseason: Tarik Cohen, Kareem Hunt, Chris Thompson, Duke Johnson and Buck Allen.
Some of those players still aren’t, but it goes to show that teams are frequently using running backs as pass-catchers, which helps fantasy players in points-per-reception leagues.
All five of them should see ample scoring opportunities during Week 3.
The underdog Chicago Bears might be playing catch-up against the high-scoring Pittsburgh Steelers all game, so Cohen could be featured often in the passing game. The same goes for Chris Thompson against the Oakland Raiders.
Hunt is going to see 20-plus touches per matchup if the first two weeks of the season are any indication.
As for Baltimore Ravens running back Buck Allen and Cleveland Browns running back Duke Johnson, they are key parts in their respective team’s passing attacks. Allen even out-touched fellow running back Terrance West 19-10 on Sunday.
Johnson is capable of doing this, so expect him to continue to be featured in the passing game going forward, especially with wide receiver Corey Coleman out indefinitely with a broken hand, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
Top 25 Wide Receivers
1. Julio Jones (Atlanta Falcons) at Detroit Lions: 10 receptions, 130 yards, 2 TD (35 points)
2. Mike Evans (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) at Minnesota Vikings: 10 receptions, 130 yards, 1 TD (29 points)
3. A.J. Green (Cincinnati Bengals) at Green Bay Packers: 9 receptions, 120 yards, 1 TD (27 points)
4. Antonio Brown (Pittsburgh Steelers) at Chicago Bears: 7 receptions, 110 yards, 1 TD (24 points)
5. Michael Crabtree (Oakland Raiders) at Washington Redskins: 8 receptions, 100 yards, 1 TD (24 points)
6. Jordy Nelson (Green Bay Packers) vs. Cincinnati Bengals: 8 catches, 90 yards, 1 TD (23 points)
7. Keenan Allen (Los Angeles Chargers) vs. Kansas City Chiefs: 7 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD (22 points)
8. Golden Tate (Detroit Lions) vs. Atlanta Falcons: 7 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TD (21 points)
9. T.Y. Hilton (Indianapolis Colts) vs. Cleveland Browns: 7 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TD (21 points)
10. Odell Beckham Jr. (New York Giants) at Philadelphia Eagles: 6 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TD (20 points)
11. Dez Bryant (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Arizona Cardinals: 6 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TD (20 points)
12. Randall Cobb (Green Bay Packers) vs. Cincinnati Bengals: 7 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD (20 points)
13. Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals) vs. Dallas Cowboys: 7 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD (20 points)
14. Demaryius Thomas (Denver Broncos) at Buffalo Bills: 6 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD (19 points)
15. DeVante Parker (Miami Dolphins) at New York Jets: 6 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD (19 points)
16. Kelvin Benjamin (Carolina Panthers) vs. New Orleans Saints: 6 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD (19 points)
17. Michael Thomas (New Orleans Saints) vs. Carolina Panthers: 5 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD (18 points)
18. Tyreek Hill (Kansas City Chiefs) at Los Angeles Chargers: 4 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD (17 points)
19. Robby Anderson (New York Jets) vs. Miami Dolphins: 4 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD (17 points)
20. DeAndre Hopkins (Houston Texans) at New England Patriots: 5 receptions, 60 yards, 1 TD (17 points)
21. Jarvis Landry (Miami Dolphins) at New York Jets: 9 receptions, 70 yards (16 points)
22. Martavis Bryant (Pittsburgh Steelers) at Chicago Bears: 3 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD (16 points)
23. Alshon Jeffery (Philadephia Eagles) vs. New York Giants: 6 receptions, 70 yards (13 points)
24. Terrelle Pryor (Washington Redskins) vs. Oakland Raiders: 6 receptions, 70 yards (13 points)
25. Jeremy Maclin (Baltimore Ravens) at Jacksonville Jaguars in London: 5 receptions, 70 yards (12 points)
Analysis
It feels strange to even type this, but if you’re having start/sit debates, consider rostering a New York Jet or Miami Dolphin wide receiver.
That game has a low over/under total (41.5) per OddsShark, but here are a few factors to consider.
First, the Jets defense looked awful against the Raiders in a 45-20 blowout. It didn’t look all that much better in a 21-12 loss to the Buffalo Bills the week before, but the Bills have one of the weaker offenses in football and they were still able to rack up rushing yards behind running back LeSean McCoy.
Second, if the Dolphins break out to a lead, the Jets are going to be forced to go to the pass. The Dolphins defense is certainly respectable, but don’t be surprised if someone like Robby Anderson or Jermaine Kearse sneaks by the secondary for a long touchdown.
Furthermore, Dolphins wideout Jarvis Landry is a points-per-reception force to be reckoned with, as he can amass 10 or more points in a game on catches alone. He may not find the end zone often, but he’ll make up for it with his receptions.
Top 10 Tight Ends
1. Zach Ertz (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. New York Giants: 7 receptions, 100 receiving yards, 1 TD (23 points)
2. Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs) at Los Angeles Chargers: 7 receptions, 80 yards, 1 TD (21 points)
3. Jordan Reed (Washington Redskins) vs. Oakland Raiders: 6 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD (20 points)
4. Rob Gronkowski (New England Patriots) vs. Houston Texans: 5 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD (18 points)
5. Evan Engram (New York Giants) at Philadelphia Eagles: 4 receptions, 50 yards, 1 TD (15 points)
6. Charles Clay (Buffalo Bills) vs. Denver Broncos: 4 receptions, 50 yards, 1 TD (15 points)
7. Hunter Henry (Los Angeles Chargers) vs. Kansas City Chiefs: 4 receptions, 50 yards, 1 TD (15 points)
8. Delanie Walker (Tennessee Titans) vs. Seattle Seahawks: 4 receptions, 50 yards, 1 TD (15 points)
9. Benjamin Watson (Baltimore Ravens) at Jacksonville Jaguars (in London): 4 receptions, 50 receiving yards, 1 TD (15 points)
10. Jared Cook (Oakland Raiders) at Washington Redskins: 4 receptions, 40 yards, 1 TD (14 points)
Analysis
Raise your hand if you thought New York Giants tight end Evan Engram would be the team’s leader in targets following two games.
It’s doubtful anyone thought that in the preseason, but Engram has caught eight passes on 12 targets for 93 yards and a touchdown.
The New York Giants offense has been anemic, with the team only scoring 13 points in two games. Left tackle Ereck Flowers has struggled, the pass-catchers are dropping balls, the run game can’t get anything going and big plays seem near-impossible to execute.
Therefore, Engram might continue to be a security blanket for quarterback Eli Manning. The 23-year-old rookie enjoyed a successful college career at Ole Miss, and his success there seems to have translated to the NFL, so expect Manning to target Engram often this season.
Also expect Buffalo Bills tight end Charles Clay to see a lot of targets this year. He has amassed 12 in two games, leading to seven catches for 76 yards and a score.
Granted, much of that production came in Week 1 against the New York Jets, but Clay has been playing with quarterback Tyrod Taylor for two-plus seasons now and has an established rapport with him.
The Bills’ wide receiving unit was revamped in the offseason, so none of those wideouts can make that claim. Hence, Clay may continue to see a lot of passes thrown his way.
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