Lots of injuries plagued a handful of NFL teams in the first two weeks of the season. Week 1 saw the Dallas Cowboys’ No. 1 wide receiver Dez Bryant walk away with an injured foot. A week later, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo broke his collarbone and will miss the next eight weeks. The Packers aren’t without hits as Eddie Lacy sprained his ankle, while Arizona’s Andre Ellington is expected to miss time due to an injured knee.
Thankfully, there are plenty of experts out there who could help solve our fantasy football conundrums. Read on as we take a look as the brightest minds around the internet share their thoughts for the best pickups for Week 3 of the 2015 NFL Season. While you’re at it, you could also take a look at the best spots to bet on this week. Check out our complete picks for Week 3 of the NFL Season as well as the top sleeper teams in the upcoming games.
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Fantasy Football Expert Guide Pickups for Week 3 of the 2015 NFL Season
USA Today
Position
Pick 1
Pick 2
Pick 3
Pick 4
Pick 5
Pick 6
Quarterback
Andy Dalton
Derek Carr
Blake Bortles
Ryan Mallett
Johnny Manziel
Brandon Weeden
Running Back
Devonta Freeman
James Starks
Matt Jones
Wide Receiver
Allen Robinson
Michael Crabtree
Travis Benjamin
Leonard Hankerson
Ty Montgomery
Aaron Dobson
Tight End
Crockett Gillmore
Richard Rodgers
Gavin Escobar
Tim Heaney of USA Today gives us a bevy of picks to boost our fantasy teams for Week 3 of the 2015 NFL Regular Season. He gives us a solid lineup that could have some good performances this coming week of football.
[sc:NFL240banner ]The Bengals’ Andy Dalton has looked close to a QB1 this season after big performances in the past two weeks. A trio of second-year quarterbacks in Derek Carr, Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel should have some nice matchups in Week 3. Ryan Mallet also has the same as he faces a leaky Tampa Bay secondary, which gave up four passing touchdowns to a rookie, Marcus Mariota, in Week 1.
Some backup running backs should also be up for big performances in Week 3 after their team’s starters either got injured or looked a step too slow. Devonta Freeman (Atlanta) and James Starks (Green Bay) should have plenty of touches after the Falcons’ Tevin Coleman and the Packers’ Eddie Lacy were both injured last week. Freeman is an ideal fit for Atlanta’s offense, while Starks was solid, rushing for 95 yards on 20 carries against a tough Seattle defense in Week 2. The Redskins’ Matt Jones is also an excellent pickup after tearing apart St. Louis defense for 123 yards rushing and two scores last week.
Heaney gives us plenty of wide receivers to choose from heading into Week 3 led by the Jaguars’ Allen Robinson. The second year wideout is arguably the best talent in Jacksonville’s receiving corps after burning Miami for 155 yards and two scores on six catches in Week 2. He faces a manageable New England side, which has given up the 30th-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.
If you’re looking for a tight end to shore up your roster, the Ravens’ Crockett Gillmore should have you covered. Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has a knack for making his tight ends look outstanding. Gillmore was unstoppable in Week 2 as he caught two passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns against the Raiders last week.
International Business Times
Position
Pick 1
Pick 2
Pick 3
Running Back
Darrius Heyward-Bey
Wide Receiver
Karlos Williams
Jeremy Langford
Matt Jones
Tight End
Kyle Rudolph
Greg Price of International Business Times is pretty high on the Steelers’ Darrius Heyward-Bey. He’s become Pittsburgh’s No. 2 receiving threat with Martavis Bryant still serving up the two games left in his four-game suspension. Heyward-Bey has topped five or more targets in two straight games. He had a splendid Week 2 performance against San Francisco, racking up 77 yards and a score.
You can also strengthen your backfield with Price’s recommendations of Karlos Williams (Buffalo), Jeremy Langford (Chicago) and Matt Jones (Washington). LeSean McCoy is the Buffalo Bills’ unquestioned starter. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t get some points from backup Karlos Williams. Williams has scored a touchdown in back-to-back weeks and should get plenty of touches as a red zone back for the Bills making him a solid RB2 or flex option.
Kyle Rudolph is emerging as the Minnesota Vikings’ No. 1 option in the receiving game. He accounted for seven targets in Week 2; no other Viking receiver had more than three targets.
A bunch of Michael Beller’s fantasy pickups for Week 3 have already been touched on by the experts listed above. Beller does, however, give a pretty nice quarterback to fill-in for Tony Romo owners. Dalton should be the first choise, but if for some reason he isn’t available, then Nick Foles is there to save the day.
Foles passed for just 150 yards against a Washington team that’s been surprisingly solid this season. But he does have a nice matchup against a Steelers side which allowed San Francisco’s Colin Caepernick to throw for over 300 yards and two touchdowns in Week 2. Considering the Steelers continue to give up considerable yardage to quarterbacks, then Foles should be a solid stream play for the week.
Beller gives us another nice pick, this time at running back, in rookie David Johnson. The Cardinals running back ran the opening kickoff for a score against the Bears in Week 2 to add to his 42 yards and one rushing score. Expect Arizona to get its rookie heavily involved in the running game with starter Andre Ellington still out due to injury.
A pair of players in the receiving corps rounds out Beller’s list. He’s tabbed Cleveland’s Travis Benjamin as a solid wide receiver for your fantasy team after catching a 60-yarder and a 50-yarder, both for touchdowns in the Browns’ Week 2 upset of Tennessee. Detroit tight end Eric Ebron should also be hot pickup as one of the Lions’ go-to targets. Ebron now has nine catches for 96 yards and two scores through the first two games of the season.
