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Fantasy Football Week 3: Start or Sit?

By Dan Thomas

Jan 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) passes the football against the New Orleans Saints during the second quarter at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) passes the football against the New Orleans Saints during the second quarter at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 20, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) throws a pass against the New England Patriots in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 20, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) throws a pass against the New England Patriots in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

Quarterbacks

Start

Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans vs. Oakland Raiders  – Mariota is a good player but typically not good enough to start in fantasy football. However, this is a great week to plug him in. In back-to-back weeks he has thrown two touchdown passes and 225+ passing yards. This week he plays the Raiders who on average are giving up 410 passing yards and 3.5 touchdown passes per game.

Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints – Let me be the first one to tell you: I’m not a Matt Ryan guy. For real life purposes, he has one playoff win in eight seasons. For fantasy football purposes, he’s just been blah for the most part. In my opinion his name is bigger than his game. With that said, his first two games in 2016 have been outstanding. He’s averaging 365 passing yards a 2.5 touchdown passes a game. His matchup with the Saints in Week 3 is as good as it gets. (Unless your’e Eli Manning. In that case, you’ll totally underachieve and let me down. More about that later.)

Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers vs. Indianapolis Colts – Despite missing Keenan Allen and Danny Woodhead for basically all of Week 2, Rivers still managed to throw four touchdown passes. He now gets a Colts secondary who has been marred by injuries. Something to the tune of 225 passing yards and three touchdowns is a reasonable expectation.

Sit

Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. L.A. Rams – In Week 1 we got good Jameis (four touchdowns). In Week 2 we got bad Jameis (five turnovers). Despite the big win in Week 2, I don’t believe the Rams are a good football team. Yet, their defense has been stout against opposing quarterbacks. In Week 3 I think we get a closer version to Jameis Hyde than Jameis Jekyll.

Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals vs. Denver Broncos – Dalton is a underrated and under appreciated fantasy football quarterback. I truly believe that. However, I’m not starting him against the Denver Broncos.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys vs. Chicago Bears – I know the matchup is a juicy one against the Bears. Their secondary wasn’t good to start off with, but now their entire defense is dealing with injuries. Yet, Prescott hasn’t thrown a touchdown in two games. Although I think he gets his first one on Sunday Night Football, his ceiling is limited. You shouldn’t expect more than 15 points from him in Week 3.

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