RADIO
The NFL season is moving along and so are fantasy seasons. This season has been filled with more injuries than anticipated, unfortunately leaving many teams and fantasy squads to test their depth. Through three weeks, guys like Chris Godwin, Christian McCaffrey, and Saquon Barkley have hardly made much of a fantasy impact.
As we go forward, the good news is that many skill players will have their roles stabilized, meaning the fantasy values of many players should hopefully begin to become clear. For this week, there is an overwhelming number of wide receivers I will be discussing as opposed to other positions, which means I’m hoping you all have been following my advice since some players mentioned in this column from before are now rostered above 15%.
Let’s look at some players who could be worth a look in very deep leagues heading into this fourth week considering the injuries have been piling up. As a reminder, players listed in this column will always be rostered at or below 15% in Yahoo leagues.
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Free Agent Quarterbacks
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Miami Dolphins- 7 %
Say what you want about his future and Tua, but Fitz is out there on the field having fun. Not to mention he donned a stellar post-game shirt as the “elder statesman” of the team after Week 3’s win against the Jags, but that’s a whole other conversation.
Now, on to the football portion of this section. Fitzpatrick has tossed at least two touchdowns per game in the past two games along with ZERO picks, which is astounding considering he’s always giving out free gifts to the opposing defense at times. If he plays and Tua doesn’t, the veteran offers decent upside (if he can hold off on the picks) and is a streaming option in favorable matchups.
Nick Foles, Chicago Bears- 2 %
Let’s hope this section doesn’t feature a revolving carousel of Chicago Bears quarterbacks going forward, but we do have a new Bears QB on the list this week. In true storybook fashion, Nick Foles came to the rescue once again in place of his team’s starting QB, albeit in a much smaller fashion in Week 3 of the 2020 season. This time, he orchestrated a come-from-behind-win against the Falcons, which deserves credit (even though the Falcons are notorious for blowing leads).
Nevertheless, Foles is now the starting QB in Chicago and offers the same upside as Mitchell Trubisky considering the fact that he actually gets to play now. It’s understandable Foles is a risky choice to use each week because his role can be taken away anytime, but for deeper leagues, he offers solid value and upside depending on the matchup going forward. If Foles gets streaky, he can put up big numbers.
Free Agent Running Backs
Rex Burkhead, New England Patriots- 10%
Though the Patriots have a stable of backs, Rex Burkhead’s value should not be undermined and he has been a factor since he arrived in New England a few seasons ago from Cincinnati. This season, the back has seen at least six rush attempts in all three games and has compiled at least 32 rushing yards and 47 receiving yards in two of three games.
No, it’s not elite production, but it could stabilize or even increase in the coming weeks. Therefore, Burkhead is a solid flex option to pick up.
Brian Hill, Atlanta Falcons- 2 %
It seemed Todd Gurley II would be the only Atlanta Falcons back with fantasy relevance heading into this season, but Brian Hill is now trying to make a case otherwise. The Wyoming product made excellent work of his nine carries in Week 3, converting it to 58 yards and a score.
Though Week 3 was his mini-breakout, there is no denying he is the RB2 on this team. Though the carries could fluctuate each week, Hill offers potential in the rushing and passing game, meaning he’s worth a stash right now. Just monitor how he does the next couple of weeks before deciding if you want to start him.
Free Agent Wide Receivers
KJ Hamler, Denver Broncos- 12 %
Many Broncos fans know their team is ravaged by injuries right now, and that means young players must step up. An intriguing option is rookie wideout K.J. Hamler out of Penn State. Hamler is known for his speed and will now be the WR3 on the team going forward (behind Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick) with Courtland Sutton out for the season.
Despite the shaky QB situation, the rookie has seen at least five targets in the past two games, and that has the potential to increase as he gets acclimated to the NFL. Not to mention he can bring fantasy value off one big play. Hamler has a solid chance to establish himself as a great receiver on this team alongside another rookie WR in Jerry Jeudy.
James Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers- 11 %
Washington and Diontae Johnson were expected to compete for the WR2 role on Pittsburgh this season, meaning Washington’s role would have been decent regardless of whether he is the WR2 or WR3. Now, Johnson is dealing with a concussion, leaving his status going forward uncertain for now.
If Johnson can’t play, Washington has a chance for a bigger role—and it only won’t be for a couple of weeks. In fact, this WR has quietly seen his receptions and targets go up each week this season, culminating in five receptions and seven targets in Week 3. This is an encouraging sign for his value on this offense and rapport with Big Ben.
Washington offers great flex potential going forward and should not be undervalued on this good Steeler offense.
Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders- 10%
With Tyrell Williams out of the mix this season, Hunter Renfrow’s role was set to increase. Now, with rookie Henry Ruggs III dealing with a hamstring injury and Bryan Edwards going down with an ankle injury in Week 3, Renfrow has a chance to establish himself as a top target for Derek Carr.
The Clemson product posted his best totals of the season in Week 3, getting six receptions for 84 yards and a score on nine targets. Though he’s likely the third-best passing option on this team (behind Darren Waller and Ruggs), Renfrow is a strong candidate to provide flex value on a weekly basis.
Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills- 9 %
After proclaiming how Cole Beasley is consistent, proven, and reliable, here I am writing about him again in this column. And the wideout is also making a case every week to be picked up in fantasy, as he posted another week of consistent stats in Week 3 with six receptions for 100 yards on seven targets.
WR2 John Brown went down with a calf injury in Week 3 and Beasley’s role could increase even more going forward. Regardless, he’s easily the most valuable player on this week’s column considering the numbers he has put up this season.
Randall Cobb, Houston Texans- 6 %
Though Randall Cobb’s name hasn’t been heard much since leaving the Packers, the veteran is slowly emerging as a valuable target for Deshaun Watson on a Houston team lacking a true WR1.
The 30-year-old has had at least four receptions and four targets in the past two weeks and posted a season-best 95 yards in Week 3. Cobb merits flex value in deep leagues given the growing stability in his role.
Kendrick Bourne, San Francisco 49ers- 6 %
The 49ers are still lacking in WR depth aside from Bourne and Brandon Aiyuk, meaning the former has a chance to carve out a big role for himself and show his abilities. On his part, Bourne has seen at least four receptions, five targets, and 63 yards in the past two games, which is an encouraging sign for the 25-year-old. Bourne’s value is probably going to stay high for now, at least until George Kittle and Deebo Samuel return. Nevertheless, he could remain in the flex tier for the rest of the season if he makes the most of his opportunities now and proves his role should stay large.
Adam Humphries, Tennessee Titans, 5 %
I was debating about whether to put Humphries or Kalif Raymond on this list for this week, but it’s important to note that Raymond’s Week 3 line of 118 yards receiving seems like an outlier considering he didn’t put up anything in the prior weeks.
Humphries, on the other hand, has been consistent. The Clemson product has now notched at least four receptions, six targets, and over 40 yards receiving in all three games. With A.J. Brown out for now, the roles of Corey Davis and Humphries have certainly increased, but Humphries’ role should stay consistent throughout the season as the WR3 on Tennessee.
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals- 4 %
Finally, Bengals fans saw the connection that they hope to see for quite a few years between Higgins and Joe Burrow in Week 3. The big-bodied rookie is making a case to be the WR3 on the team and has now gotten at least three receptions, six targets, and 35 yards in the past two games. Higgins is knocking on the door of flex value going forward.
Andy Isabella, Arizona Cardinals- 1 %
2019 pick Andy Isabella broke out in Week 3, posting four receptions for 47 yards and two scores on four targets. The second-year receiver has the talent and should see a bigger role behind DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk going forward. This is also considering he posted 67 yards in Week 2, meaning the consistency is slowly starting to pick up.
Free Agent Tight Ends
Mo Alie-Cox, Indianapolis Colts – 9 %
It was another solid outing for Mo Alie-Cox in Week 3, who posted three receptions for 50 yards and a score on three targets after getting over 100 yards in Week 2. The tight end is becoming a favorite target for Philip Rivers, which bodes well for his fantasy value as a TE2. He’s worth a stash right now, as it’s best to monitor whether he can sustain these numbers for a couple more weeks before deeming him starting-caliber.
Jimmy Graham, Chicago Bears – 8 %
Yes, he may be old and not as elite in fantasy anymore, but Jimmy Graham flashed the potential he still has in Week 3, getting six receptions for 60 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets. It’s still important to temper expectations for Graham based on this performance because he can be equally hapless on the field as evidence of his one catch for 18 yards in Week 2. The Week 3 performance was encouraging, but it’s best to only stash Graham for now and see how he does with Nick Foles for a few games before deeming a worthy TE2.
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