“So, how many guys are left on your team this week?” That was how my conversation started this week with my former roommate, who I talk to about once a week. Time zones now mean we can call before he starts his job as a restaurant manager, and as I come home from my marketing job a few states east. He and I both list off names; at first, no one. Well, unless you count Keenan Allen, we both lost him. Oh, well, and Ameer Abdullah, just him. Did either of us have Adrian Peterson? No, we agreed, but I told him someone who I give fantasy advice to does and I feel terrible.

I’ve come to learn that the more of my friends I talk to before the season starts, the more our rosters tend to overlap. So when someone like Adrian Peterson goes down, unless I’m playing in a league with that person, he probably doesn’t own him because I mentioned staying away (or, in this case of Keenan Allen, totally owns him and is also scrambling for a WR replacement.)

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As true as this is for starters, it’s 1000% more true for sleepers. I asked “Hey, so then who are you targeting this week.” We went through our lists, and then we talked about players we are hoping get starting jobs very soon. “Yeah, I am really dying for Kenneth Dixon to get full time work in Baltimore.” Apparently my roommate loves Kenneth Dixon. Loves him! He’s been high on him since the beginning. “Oh, you mean when I told you he was probably gonna be the man.” No, no, he brushed me off. He’s been watching ESPN, he’s been doing research, it’s definitely not me he heard it from. “No man, I told you when Forsett went down, grab Dixon. Remember, I told you I overpaid for him?” Nope, doesn’t remember. Funny how that happens…

These are how these conversations simply go. Until you have a blue check mark behind your name or are giving your picks next to a large DraftKings logo, these conversations you have with friends tend to have this sort of overlap. We recommend one guy casually, and the next week he is your buddy's "guy." This is, of course, the joy and pain of having friends who are as fantasy-nerdy as you are. These friends don’t remember who liked Odell Beckham Jr. first in 2014, but they’ll damn sure let you know who recommended drafting Jeremy Hill in 2015. Oh, and someone mentioned Dwayne Washington this week. Did I mention how much I love Dwayne Washington?

 

Running Back

LeSean McCoy will either be on my bench or will ruin my week.

I can’t imagine a struggling Bills team leaning on the run in what could be a blowout loss to a very good Cardinals team, but then I would be suggesting I have any idea what is going on in Rex Ryan's head strategically. Though McCoy has bailed you out for two weeks, I would be really nervous to start him in Week 3.

Dear DeMarco Murray, do you like like me? I like like you this week.

I’ll raise my hand right now to tell you I was in the “I think DeMarco is about done in Tennessee” group, so much so I traded him away for pennies on the dollar in my dynasty league. So I know I’m going to feel especially stupid when the Oakland Raiders end up letting DeMarco see value, not so much as a pure runner, but as a pass catching running back. There aren’t a lot of “sexy” matchups in Week 3, the kind where you are happily starting your RB’s and ignoring the scores with a margarita in your hand, but I think Murray is good for at least a touchdown. Unless, like, the Raiders secondary is finally going to come through in one of these games.

Am I going to really start Mark Ingram in Week 2? 

Talk about a guy who has had a rough go of it in 2016. Mark Ingram has yet to break a hundred yards in two weeks, so his matchup vs the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3 feels like a do-or-die for the talented RB. The Atlanta Falcons have played hosts to two consecutive shootouts, giving up 4.6 yards per carry against running backs. I like Ingram in 2016, but if he continues to struggle, Travaris Cadet could see a workload that dwarfs Ingram’s at some point the rest of the way. I’d feel confident with Ingram in a running back slot this week, but know that this could be the last time I recommend him in 2016.

Hold your nose, here comes Dexter McCluster (less than 2% ownership in ESPN leagues)

There aren’t a lot of… what’s the word… “good” options for a RB in Week 3. Dare I say, there are a lot of bad options! But if you are truly hurting at RB in a deeper league (dare I say, a rare 16-league AP and Woodhead owner?), you may not be able to be picky. We know McCluster didn’t get every-week value in San Diego, but he could be the passing down running back in a shoot-out with Indianapolis. It’s not great, but given the injuries to that team you could see him finding FLEX value in a PPR league without much imagination.

 

Wide Receiver

Don't hand me my money back, I'm going double-or-nothing on Mike Wallace

I don’t know how it happened. I don’t know how Mike Wallace, in 2016, became a dominant force in fantasy football. I don’t know how he did it in Baltimore of all places. And I don’t know how he’s going to suddenly go away when facing a Jacksonville Jaguars secondary who still has the footprints of the San Diego Chargers on their chest. Granted, Jacksonville looked better at home vs the Packers and may enjoy the same home-field advantage against Baltimore, but I’m gonna guess the guy who is averaging 16 yards through the air so far is gonna get his.

I will be discarding my Mike Evans and replacing him with two cards from the deck

Did you limp your way to a winning record with Mike Evans as your WR2, grinning from ear to ear at the production he got you? Grin no more pony boy, because the Los Angeles Rams are coming, and they are bringing another game where they’ve got your receivers number! Oh, well, at least one of the two games they have your receivers number! In all honesty, I don’t know how this Rams game will look, considering how dramatically different these games have looked so far, I just wouldn’t feel comfortable with Evans as my WR2 this week.

I begrudgingly will allow Rashard Higgins room to sit on my bench as long as he brought snacks for the rest of the team (less than 1%)

I'm not as upset about this as the title makes it sound, but in a league where I'm already tight on bench room, I'm having trouble taking my own advice. Higgins is suddenly WR3 in the depth chart for the Browns, but I don't know how much playing time he'll get. Google Higgins' name and you'll see him being favorably compared to Will Fuller... so if you missed out on Fuller and have bench room to roll the dice, especially in dynasty leagues where he's still totally un-owned, I'd pull the trigger.

 

Tight End

Parachute? I don't need no parachute, I have Trey Burton

It’s official; I have seen Gary Barnridge dropped in a deep fantasy league, which may be all of the reason I need to start recommending guys who are largely unowned. Burton is playing a Steelers team that is “Eh” against Tight Ends, in a game that may have Carson Wentz looking for friendly faces. Burton is your guy here, and you should grab him now before he’s suddenly waiver wire body numero uno.

Don't cry kids! We will bury Dwayne Allen in the yard

I think it’s fair to say that everyone dropped Dwayne Allen this…. He’s up 7% in ESPN leagues? Seven percent. He saw less of a workload in competition with Jack Doyle, and not more, and he’s up 7%. I cannot recommend running away fast enough.