What a Week 2 in the NFL. From on-field injuries to off-field indictments, this week’s player rankings are missing quite a few marquee names.
Jamaal Charles and Vernon Davis were both bit by the injury bug last week; Charles suffered a high ankle sprain in the first quarter of Sunday’s Chiefs-Broncos game, and Davis supposedly has a “deep bruise” on his left ankle. Charles did not participate in practice, and Davis was still on crutches on Wednesday, but keep an eye out, because if they suit up, you’ll want to make sure they’re in your lineup.
Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy were both placed on the Exempt/Commissioner’s Permission List, meaning they cannot participate in team activities while they sort out their legal troubles. Jonathan Dwyer was also deactivated by the Cardinals on Wednesday after his arrest for alleged aggravated assault.
For those who read last week’s Fantasy Football Preview, I was pretty gung-ho about Michael Floyd taking on the Giants’ weak defense. Unfortunately, nerve damage held Carson Palmer out and Drew Stanton ended up under center, immediately wiping out the prospect of a good day for any Arizona receiver.
Week 3 is set to kick off tonight with a matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons.
Check out the Top 10 fantasy players at each offensive position (except Kicker) below:
Player Rankings, Week 3
QB
1. Drew Brees, NO (vs. MIN)
2. Andrew Luck, IND (@JAX)
3. Aaron Rodgers, GB (@DET)
4. Matthew Stafford, DET (vs. GB)
5. Nick Foles, PHI (vs.WAS)
6. Peyton Manning, DEN (@SEA)
7. Tom Brady, NE (vs. OAK)
8. Cam Newton, CAR (vs. PIT)
9. Matt Ryan, ATL (vs. TB)
10. Jay Cutler, CHI (@NYG)
RB
1. LeSean McCoy, PHI (vs. WAS)
2. Marshawn Lynch, SEA (vs. DEN)
3. DeMarco Murray, DAL (@STL)
4. Giovani Bernard, CIN (vs. TEN)
5. Matt Forte, CHI (@NYJ)
6. Arian Foster, HOU (@NYG)
7. Alfred Morris, WAS (@PHI)
8. Eddie Lacy, GB (@DET)
9. Le’Veon Bell, PIT (@CAR)
10. Montee Ball, DEN (@SEA)
WR
1. Calvin Johnson, DET (vs. GB)
2. Brandon Marshall, CHI (@NYJ)
3. Jordy Nelson, GB (@DET)
4. Dez Bryant, DAL (@STL)
5. Julio Jones, ATL (vs. TB)
6. Demaryius Thomas, DEN (@SEA)
7. Randall Cobb, GB (@DET)
8. Alshon Jeffery, CHI (@NYJ)
9. Julian Edelman, NE (vs. OAK)
10. Antonio Brown, PIT (@CAR)
TE
1. Jimmy Graham, NO (vs. MIN)
2. Rob Gronkowski, NE (vs. OAK)
3. Julius Thomas, DEN (@SEA)
4. Zach Ertz, PHI (vs. WAS)
5. Greg Olsen, CAR (vs. PIT)
6. Martellus Bennett, CHI (@NYJ)
7. Kyle Rudolph, MIN (@NO)
8. Jason Witten, DAL (@STL)
9. Dennis Pitta, BAL (@CLE)
10. Antonio Gates, SD (@BUF)
Honorable Mentions
1. Knile Davis, KC, RB (@MIA) – If Jamaal Charles can’t go for the Chiefs on Sunday, look for Knile Davis to have a big game against the Dolphins. The Chiefs are adept at moving the ball on the ground, and the second-year running back out of Arkansas should supply at least one touchdown for savvy fantasy owners.
2. Travis Kelce, KC, TE (@MIA) – Kelce figures to be a big part of Andy Reid’s game plan moving forward, so while he may not be a week-to-week starter just yet, if you’ve got him on your bench, keep him safely stashed away for now. Kelce had four nice catches for 81 yards last week; it’s only a matter of time before he can hang with the other top tight ends in the league.
3. Patriots Defense (vs. OAK) – I didn’t rank team defenses this week because unless you have San Francisco, Carolina, or Seattle, you’re probably picking up a different defense every week. If, however, you have New England, play them with confidence this week against the Raiders; Oakland has lost 14 straight games in the Eastern time zone.
For any last-minute lineup questions, contact me on Twitter @NussBB.