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Mike Fanelli gives his fantasy football bold predictions for Week 3 of the NFL season, giving fantasy players something to think about when setting their lineups.
Week 3 is here, and I’m back with another edition of fantasy football bold predictions. This week’s list of bold predictions will include Jayden Daniels, Tony Pollard, Zamir White, Ja'Marr Chase, and Kyle Pitts.
Every week, I will provide some fun and bold fantasy football predictions. While these bold predictions aren’t the most likely outcomes, they are things I believe could happen this week.
Let’s look at my five bold predictions for Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season.
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Jayden Daniels…
Is a massive bust this week
Daniels is the QB4 over the first two weeks, averaging 20.8 fantasy points per game because of his rushing abilities. However, the rookie hasn’t thrown a touchdown in his short career. After totaling 16 rushing attempts for 88 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1, the former LSU star had 10 attempts for 44 yards and zero touchdowns last week.
Jayden Daniels runs it in for his first NFL TD!
📺: #WASvsTB on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/CFzj6rmj8z— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024
Unfortunately, Daniels’ fantasy rushing production dropped 78.9% from Week 1 to Week 2 after failing to score a touchdown in the win over the New York Giants. A lack of passing success has held back the rookie quarterback. He is averaging 205 passing yards per game this season, ranking 19th in the NFL. His 4.9 aDOT is one of the lowest in the league.
Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals have a 0-2 record. Yet, their defense has been outstanding. The Bengals have held quarterbacks to only 10.5 fantasy points per game this season, the sixth fewest in the NFL. Jacoby Brissett had only 121 passing yards and eight fantasy points against Cincinnati in Week 1, which everyone expected.
However, Patrick Mahomes scored only 12.9 fantasy points against the Bengals last week despite throwing two touchdowns. Expect Washington to lean on Brian Robinson Jr. on Monday night, limiting Daniels’ upside against a talented defense.
Tony Pollard…
Will finish as a top-5 running back
The Tennessee Titans repeatedly said their backfield would be a 1-2 punch between Pollard and Tyjae Spears in the offseason. However, Pollard has pulled away with the lead role, totaling 32 more snaps played, 23 more rushing attempts, and four more targets than Spears over the first two weeks. Unfortunately, Spears is dealing with an ankle injury.
Pollard is the RB13 over the first two weeks, averaging 14.8 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. The former Dallas Cowboys star has scored 12.7 or more fantasy points in both contests this year, including nearly 17 in the Week 1 loss to the Chicago Bears. More importantly, the veteran running back is getting valuable touches, accounting for half of the team’s red-zone rushing attempts.
Fantasy players can rejoice in Week 3, as Pollard has an outstanding matchup. He faces the Green Bay Packers in what should be a run-heavy game script for both teams. The Packers have had one of the worst run defenses over the first two weeks, giving up 107 rushing yards per game and 5.5 yards per rushing attempt to opposing running backs.
Furthermore, Green Bay has surrendered 25.2 fantasy points per game to running backs, the seventh most in the NFL. It has allowed opposing running backs to average six fantasy points per game more than the league average. Last week, the Indianapolis Colts backfield averaged 7.4 yards per rushing attempt and had 16.4 fantasy points despite not scoring a touchdown.
Zamir White…
Has over 100 rushing yards
White was one of my favorite running backs to draft this year. Unfortunately, the former Georgia star has had an awful start to the season. He was outstanding at the end of last year when Josh Jacobs missed four games with an injury. White was the RB8, averaging 14.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game during those four contests.
The former Georgia star had the fourth-highest yards after contact per rushing attempt (3.06) among running backs with at least 30 attempts during those four weeks, ahead of Christian McCaffrey and Jahmyr Gibbs (per Fantasy Points Data). More importantly, he had 20 or more touches in every contest, totaling 100 or more scrimmage yards in all but one game.
Many thought the Las Vegas Raiders would have a run-heavy offense in 2024. However, that hasn’t been the case. The team ranks 30th in rushing attempts (39) and eighth in pass attempts (71) over the first two weeks this year. Yet, head coach Antonio Pierce continues to say the goal is to get White 20 or more touches every week.
#Raiders HC Antonio Pierce on Zamir White:
“I’m gonna keep pumping him up. Our goal is to get 20+ touches with him. That was the goal this week, didn’t happen. That’s gonna be the goal this week and every week while he’s the starting running back and I’m here.”
Pierce has a 90%… pic.twitter.com/xLEbPRMs4a
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) September 16, 2024
Thankfully, this is the week where fantasy players can expect White to break out of his slump. He faces a Carolina Panthers defense that has given up the second-most fantasy points per game to running backs this season (29.4). They have surrendered at least 130 yards and a touchdown to opposing running backs in both contests.
If White doesn’t have over 100 rushing yards on Sunday, it’s time to put him on the waiver wire.
Ja'Marr Chase…
Will have over 35 half-point PPR fantasy points
The only one more unhappy with Chase’s start to the season than fantasy players is the superstar receiver. Many expected him to start the year slow after sitting out most of training camp. However, the former LSU star has been awful. He is the WR42 over the first two weeks, averaging 7.4 half-point PPR fantasy points per game.
Chase has only 10 receptions on 11 targets for 97 receiving yards. The superstar hasn’t had more than six targets for 9.2 fantasy points in either game. Last week, he was frustrated with the lack of targets and the team’s 0-2 start. However, that’s excellent news for his fantasy players heading into Week 3.
The Cincinnati Bengals face the Washington Commanders on Monday night. The Commanders have had the worst pass defense in the NFL over the past few years. They have surrendered 44.2 fantasy points per game to wide receivers over the first two weeks. Washington has given up six receiving touchdowns to wide receivers this season, 50% more than any other team.
Last year, Chase had a massive fantasy performance in the Week 5 win over the Arizona Cardinals. He had 15 receptions on 19 targets for 192 receiving yards, three touchdowns, and 44.7 fantasy points. Fantasy players shouldn’t be shocked if the superstar has an all-time performance against an awful Commanders secondary.
Kyle Pitts…
Ends the week as the TE1
Fantasy players have held out hope that Pitts would turn into a superstar since his rookie season. Many called him a breakout candidate after the Atlanta Falcons signed Kirk Cousins in free agency. While the Falcons had a rough Week 1 performance, Pitts caught all three targets for 26 receiving yards, scoring 10.1 half-point PPR fantasy points.
More importantly, the former Florida star had the team’s only touchdown, scoring the seventh of his career. Unfortunately, Pitts was an afterthought in Week 2, totaling three receptions on four targets for 20 receiving yards and 3.5 fantasy points in the win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
KYLE PITTS TOUCHDOWN.
📺: #PITvsATL on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/mEmlF3kpGP— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024
Week 3 is a make-or-break week for Pitts. He faces the Kansas City Chiefs in what should be one of the higher-scoring games this weekend. The reigning Super Bowl champions have surrendered 23.1 fantasy points per game to tight ends over the first two weeks, the most in the NFL.
Kansas City has given up nearly four times as many fantasy points per game to tight ends than the league average (6.6). Tight ends have had at least 11 receptions for 125 receiving yards and 22 fantasy points in both games against the Chiefs. Last week, Mike Gesicki had arguably the best game of his career against Kansas City, totaling seven receptions on nine targets for 91 receiving yards.
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