Are you looking to get the edge for your Week 3 fantasy lineups? Well, you've come to the right place!
Baker Mayfield is all the talk following his scintillating performance in his NFL debut Thursday night, coming in to relieve Tyrod Taylor and leading Cleveland to a come-from-behind victory over the New York Jets. You can expect Mayfield to be a big name on the fantasy radar heading into Week 4.
As for the rest of this week, we're here like always to help you field the best lineup possible.
The ESPN+ cheat sheet provides a rundown of the greatest tips from all of our ESPN+ fantasy football content. You'll find answers to the biggest questions of the week, along with injury updates, matchup advantages and wild-card plays from Eric Karabell, Tristan H. Cockcroft, Mike Clay, Al Zeidenfeld and KC Joyner. It's all the best advice in one handy article.
Here's what our experts are saying about Week 3 in the NFL:
Top tips
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
The secret is very much out on Mahomes, but the matchup against San Francisco presents another opportunity for the rising star. Zeidenfeld explains in his weekly Daily Fantasy Best Buys column why this game sets up so nicely for the young Chiefs quarterback.
"Allow me, and forgive my victory lap on Mahomes, please. The kid is everything truthers like me had hoped he would be and so much more," he writes. "There are just too many weapons at his disposal, and he's done as much as anyone could to get the most out of all of them through the first two weeks as the Chiefs starter. ... The 49ers have allowed quarterbacks to exceed 310 yards or throw multiple touchdowns 15 times since the beginning of last year, and the Chiefs' 'friendly' defense will keep Mahomes throwing deep into games."
Dan Bailey, K, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are going to score a lot of points this season, and after last week's debacle with Daniel Carlson in Green Bay, they have released Carlson and added the longtime Cowboys kicker instead. If you need a kicker, Karabell writes in his Fantasy Stock Watch column, this is the place to look.
"I rarely, if ever, discuss the kickers in this space, but watching one young kicker after another painfully miss makeable kicks on Sunday, it was clear this veteran would quickly find work. He did, and with one of the top NFC teams," he writes. "Bailey and fill-in Rams kicker Sam Ficken are two of the 12 most-added players in ESPN standard leagues. I cannot recall ever seeing kickers, in-season, so generously being added. By the way, definitely drop Greg Zuerlein. Nobody should ever roster more than one kicker, and even if he is out only a few weeks, so what. He is out."
Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
The signing of Josh Gordon boosts Brady's upside this season, per Karabell, who sees the future Hall of Famer's stock on the rise.
"The No. 14 fantasy quarterback after two weeks actually did need a bit of help, and he gets it with the acquisition of Gordon, a true, physically gifted deep threat when he suits up for games," he writes. "One has to believe Patriots management will find a way for Gordon to suit up for games and make magic. Julian Edelman returns in several weeks, and Brady's offense will likely sizzle for the final three months."
Detroit's offense
The Lions face a Patriots defense that was shredded on the road last week by Blake Bortles and the Jaguars, and Joyner points out in his weekly O-Line Rankings that the team has done an excellent job of protecting Matthew Stafford so far this season.
"The Lions graded out as the best pass blocking team in the first two weeks of the season due to ranking third in pass pressure rate (PPR) (19.3 percent), third in quarterback contact rate (QCR) (5.2 percent) and third in sack rate (1.8 percent). This superb pocket protection is part of why Matthew Stafford ranks seventh among quarterbacks in fantasy points on vertical passes (16.6 on aerials thrown 11 or more yards downfield) and Kenny Golladay rates tied for eighth among wide receivers in vertical fantasy points (25). The Patriots' defense does lead the league in PPR (48.4), but Detroit's blocking wall should be able to battle them to a stalemate that keeps Stafford and Golladay in the starter tier at their respective positions this week."
Playing the matchups
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, San Francisco 49ers
Another week, another quarterback facing the Chiefs who likes to sling the ball around the field. Cockcroft writes in his Matchup Map why this sets up well for Garoppolo in Week 3.
"Overshadowed by Mahomes' 10-touchdown start to the season has been the Chiefs' atrocious defensive play, encapsulated by their worst-in-the-NFL marks in terms of passing yards per game allowed (430.0), 20-yard completions (14) and fantasy points per game allowed to quarterbacks (34.0)," Cockcroft writes. "That Mahomes has been putting opponents in early holes and forcing them to play catch-up -- something that should repeat in Week 3, considering that the 49ers' defense hasn't performed especially well, either -- only helps strengthen his counterpart's matchup, as does the fact that this is a Chiefs home game, and home teams have outscored visiting opponents by an average of 2.4 points since the beginning of last season (postseason included). Garoppolo's play through two weeks hasn't been quite on par with that of his brilliant, five-start conclusion to 2017, but it hasn't exactly been poor, either, and this is easily the best matchup he has faced so far. If there's a drawback here, it's that Marquise Goodwin (quadriceps) might not be ready to play -- he put in a limited practice on Wednesday -- in which case he'd have to rely more upon Dante Pettis and Trent Taylor. Garoppolo will be asked to throw early and often, and he should find enough openings in this secondary to post QB1 numbers."
JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Another player Cockcroft likes due to his matchup this week is Smith-Schuster, who has overshadowed Antonio Brown so far this season and has a chance to keep it going against the Buccaneers.
"Not that there was any doubt that you should start him this week, but if Smith-Schuster's bigger game than Brown's in Week 2 took you by surprise, brace for the possibility of a repeat on Monday night," he writes. "The Buccaneers haven't just been bad against opposing slot receivers; they've allowed 40 more PPR points to them than any other team in the league, and in fact, the 95.8 points allowed to opposing slot receivers are more than all but six teams have allowed to all receivers on the field (perimeter and slot) through two weeks. Losing cornerback Vernon Hargreaves for the season only compounds matters. Smith-Schuster, incidentally, has scored at least 15 PPR fantasy points out of the slot in each of the first two weeks and has a league-high 39.5 of his 48.0 points when lined up there."
Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Thielen has already built a noticeably good rapport with Kirk Cousins, hauling in 18 of 25 targets, including a memorable touchdown that helped tie the game last week against the rival Packers. Now, he faces the Bills, which Clay sees as potential for another big game.
"The Bills entered the season already a mess at corner behind stud Tre'Davious White, and injuries to Phillip Gaines and Taron Johnson, along with Vontae Davis' midgame retirement, have just added to the trouble," he writes. "Rafael Bush, who is really a safety, has been forced into slot duties and figures to operate in the same capacity in Week 3. That's great news for Thielen, who has aligned inside on 62 percent of his routes this season. White figures to travel with Stefon Diggs (78 percent perimeter) and Thielen (38 percent) when they're aligned on the outside, which obviously is more trouble for Diggs than it is Thielen. Downgrade Diggs slightly and upgrade Thielen."
Jordan Howard, RB, Chicago Bears
Howard hasn't reached the end zone yet in 2018 and is coming off a quiet Week 2 showing against Seattle, but the struggling Cardinals give him a chance at a breakout game.
"The Bears are favored on the road, but this game has a low total, something that doesn't bother me much with a running back as involved in a team's offense as Howard," Zeidenfeld writes. "The Cardinals have been good on a per-carry basis, but due to game flow, they've allowed the fifth-most rushing yards through two weeks. I really like Howard's price this week both because of the volume he's received so far on the ground but also based on how much more involved he has been in the Bears' passing game this year versus last. Howard quietly has eight catches on nine targets through two games this season (he had seven catches over his final five games of 2017)."
Injury impact
Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings -- Cook (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's home game against the Bills but says he intends to return for Week 4's big Thursday night game against the Rams.
LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo Bills -- McCoy (ribs) practiced on a limited basis for a third straight day Friday and is considered questionable for Sunday's road game against the Vikings.
Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots -- Gronkowski (ankle) was moving well at Friday's practice, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, and though he is listed as questionable, it would be surprising if he didn't play Sunday night at Detroit.
Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons -- Freeman (knee) didn't take part in practice on Thursday. He is questionable for Sunday's home game against the Saints.
Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars -- Fournette (hamstring) is still listed as questionable for Sunday's home game against the Titans.
Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals -- Fitzgerald (hamstring) practiced in a limited capacity on Thursday. He is listed as questionable for Sunday's home game against the Bears.
Marshawn Lynch, RB, Oakland Raiders -- Lynch (shoulder) was a limited participant at practice on Thursday and is questionable for Sunday's road game against the Dolphins.
DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller V, WRs, Houston Texans -- Both Hopkins (thumb/ankle/hamstring) and Fuller (hamstring) were limited at practice on Thursday and are questionable for Sunday's home game against the Giants.
Evan Engram, TE, New York Giants -- Engram (ankle) was a limited participant at Thursday's practice, but head coach Pat Shumur said he expects the tight end to be "fine" for Sunday's road game at Houston.
Jay Ajayi and Darren Sproles, RBs, Philadelphia Eagles -- Both have been ruled out for Sunday's home game against the Colts.
Corey Clement, RB, Philadelphia Eagles -- Clement (quad), who would be the starter since Ajayi and Sproles are both out for the Eagles, is questionable for Sunday.
Marquise Goodwin, WR, San Francisco 49ers -- Goodwin (quad) is considered a game-time decision for Sunday's game in Kansas City.
Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans -- Henry (back) was a limited practice participant Thursday and is questionable for Sunday's game at Jacksonville.
Jack Doyle, TE, Indianapolis Colts -- Doyle (hip) has been ruled out for Sunday's road game against the Eagles.
Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts -- Mack (foot/hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday.
Greg Zuerlein, K, Los Angeles Rams -- Zuerlein (groin) will be out "at least a few weeks," according to coach Sean McVay.
Lottery tickets
Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
"We all thought that this was going to be John Ross' season to shine, but based on snaps and targets the first two weeks, Boyd is going to be the secondary wide receiver to own on the Bengals," Zeidenfeld writes. "With one fewer target than A.J. Green so far as well as the team lead in air yards -- all while playing 81 percent of the snaps -- I'm extremely interested in Boyd as a value option in Week 3 without considering the matchup. When we actually factor in that since the beginning of last season Carolina ranks as a bottom-10 defense in TD/INT rate, completion percentage and slot touchdowns allowed, it becomes that much more palatable."
George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
"As mentioned above, Marquise Goodwin might be absent or limited for Sunday's game, but even if he's good to go, Kittle is probably going to assume a larger role in this one, considering the strength of the matchup," Cockcroft writes. "The Chiefs struggled mightily to contain the Steelers' tight end duo of Jesse James and Vance McDonald in Week 2, and for the season, they've allowed a third-most-in-the-NFL 2.7 PPR fantasy points per target to the position. Kittle has been a go-to option for Garoppolo this season, catching a team-high seven passes on a team-high 13 targets, and that's unlikely to change this week."
Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons
"Before we get to Ridley, let's first get to Julio Jones," Clay writes. "Expect Marshon Lattimore to shadow Jones in this one. Lattimore is one of the game's better, young corners, but it's tough to downgrade Jones when Lattimore has struggled out of the gate and after Jones lit up New Orleans in two meetings last season with Lattimore shadowing him in both games. Jones caught 12 of 22 targets for 247 yards on 62 routes in those games. He made 11 catches on 18 targets for 228 yards on 45 routes when aligned against Lattimore. Now to Ridley, who will primarily see struggling Ken Crawley on the other side of the formation. Crawley has been heavily targeted, and receivers aligned across from him are averaging 0.95 fantasy points per route this season. In all, Crawley has allowed 208 yards. Only Malcolm Butler has fared worse in each category. Ridley is a sneaky flex this week."
Big question of the week
Who will run the ball for the Eagles in the absence of Jay Ajayi (back) and Darren Sproles (hamstring)?
With both Ajayi and Sproles already ruled out for Sunday's game against Indianapolis, it leaves Corey Clement and Wendell Smallwood as next on the depth chart. Only one problem: Clement, who likely would have received the lion's share of the carries, popped up on Friday's injury report due to a quad injury and is now listed as questionable.
Clement is expected to play, but if he's limited or doesn't play, Smallwood and possibly Josh Adams, a rookie out of Notre Dame who has yet to record a carry or catch this season, will need to carry the load.