Fantasy Football 2018: Start or sit for Week 3

Start

James White at Detroit – The Patriots backfield has always been one huge question mark. However, we just might’ve cleared some of the fog around the Pats backfield. New England likes James White, a lot. While the likes of first-round pick Sony Michel and the always lovable Rex Burkhead have seen time, White has taken absolute control of passing downs, a valuable and favorable trait to posses in an offense ran by Tom Brady.

New England takes a trip to the Motor City where passing should again be on the forefront of the Patriots attack, a good sign for White owners. Start White knowing he doesn’t need to find the end zone in Detroit to produce points.

Bilal Powell at Cleveland – Another week, another undervalued pass-catching halfback from the AFC East. Powell splits time with fellow back Isaiah Crowell, yet the Jets have made it clear Powell has a role in their offense. With a rookie quarterback on the road, it’s likely Powell will see a lot of check-downs, leading to opportunities such as last week against Miami, catching five balls for 74 yards and a score.

According to ESPN, Powell ranks third on the Jets in targets, a welcome sign of things to come as the team travels on the road to a Cleveland defense that’s been relatively friendly to running backs the past two weeks.

Sit

Austin Ekeler at Los Angeles Rams – Oh man, I’m having a repeat of last week’s anti-good offensive players against a tough defense. Ekeler will get to meet perhaps the league’s best defensive front on Sunday, featuring the likes of Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh. In such a tight matchup, Melvin Gordon will likely be the focus if the Chargers decide to roll through the ground.

Ekeler has proven he deserves the time he’s been getting, yet matchups purely dictate his production/usage, as we’ve seen already. Ekeler won’t be outshining Gordon in this game, leaving little hope for another productive week.

Adrian Peterson vs. Green Bay – Peterson comes into this matchup with a few negative factors working against him. Chris Thompson has elevated himself as a RB1 in fantasy purely based on his ability to score points on the ground and through the air. Peterson’s role is somewhat limited based on his usage, which is to purely pound the football when needed.

The Redskins play host to the Packers, and if Aaron Rodgers is any closer to full health (tip: he is), Washington just might find themselves moving the chains through the air, spelling a limited amount of touches for Peterson. As long as Thompson remains the Skins go-to back, Peterson’s ceiling will continue to be limited unless Washington finds themselves in the lead.