Fantasy Football 2018: Start or sit for Week 3
By Donnie Druin
Start
Matthew Stafford vs. New England – That’s right, I’m back on the Matthew Stafford hype train. Those of us on this train to a destination still unknown were forced to be quiet after a miserable Week 1 performance before emerging from the shadows after Stafford tossed 347 yards and three touchdowns last week.
Stafford and the Lions will play host to a New England team that just allowed 377 yards and four touchdowns to Blake Bortles (not a typo) just last week. Bortles’ success plays into the optimism for Stafford, and with this game looking to be another duel thanks to Tom Brady, there’s a lot to like here.
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Ben Roethlisberger at Tampa Bay – Big Ben again hits the road, where he historically struggles to heights unheard of when talking about a future Hall of Fame quarterback. Yet, Roethlisberger hopes to keep the hot hand riding into Raymond James Stadium after dealing 452 yards through the air and four total touchdowns against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Buccaneers stroll into Monday night’s game with a depleted secondary, one which wasn’t anything to write home about to begin with. It’s hard to imagine Roethlisberger attempting 60 passes for a second-straight week, but Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Bucs mean business, prompting Big Ben to step his game up. Roll with him under the lights.
Sit
Russell Wilson vs. Dallas – We all made fun of the Seahawks offensive line in the offseason, and at the same time, secretely hoped it propelled Russell Wilson’s fantasy value with his mobility. Through two weeks of the season, the joke has turned to reality, as Seattle’s offensive line woes are undoubtedly the worst in the league. Combine that with a lack of power on the ground and Doug Baldwin still out due to injury, and you already set yourself up for a tough start.
Factor in Dallas’ defense (14.5 points allowed per game thus far, nine sacks and two turnovers as well), and this week simply doesn’t look promising for Wilson. He’s a fringe QB1, so if you’re still on the fence after this paragraph, flip a coin and roll with whatever it landed on.
Philip Rivers at Los Angeles Rams – This might’ve been the toughest call I’ve had to decide on through three weeks of doing these articles. The reliable volume that Philip Rivers has in place is almost so undeniably good that it’s against fantasy football common practice to bench him.
Rivers has benefited in playing weak defenses in the Kansas City and Buffalo, but now stares down what’s considered to be the league’s best defense on the “road” (the Chargers play in LA, but the Rams will still undoubtedly have the home support). What this matchup boils down to is whether you trust offense or defense, and I’m rolling with the defense on this one. A third consecutive stellar week isn’t in the forecast.