Eric Karabell is a senior writer for fantasy baseball, football and basketball at ESPN. Eric is a charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame and author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments".
The best player in fantasy football succumbed to a serious injury on Sunday, so you know the end-of-season rankings have to look different as we head into Week 4. In addition, the former best wide receiver in the league, who recently joined an unbeaten team, no longer plays for said team, and that adjusts the rankings. How about some good news? Well, we have plenty of it, whether it is a rookie quarterback demanding notice or a few wide receivers -- rookies and veterans! -- performing ahead of expectations. Good luck in Week 4 and beyond!
QB Stock Up
Daniel Jones, New York Giants: Look, that was an incredible performance for someone in his first start, the likes of which we really had not seen before. However, this remains a rookie and a Giant, and his top weapon, arguably the best running back in all the land, is out for a while. Jones lit up the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense, not the 1985 Bears. I move him way up, but the coronation to QB1 has to wait.
Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts: Color me impressed with Brissett, even though I recommended him in the wake of the surprise Andrew Luck retirement. Brissett has scored 16.5, 16.3 and 20.8 fantasy points, and the schedule gets easier the next fortnight. There could be near-top-10 advancement as others struggle.
Dwayne Haskins, Washington Redskins: Did you see what Case Keenum did on Monday night? Here comes another turnover! Sure, the veteran was facing the fearsome Bears defense, but one has to think winless Washington saw what happened to the Giants and they are more than thinking about getting their own hotshot rookie into games soon. Like now.
QB Stock Down
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers: Well, someone has to say it, and if not me, then who? Rodgers still has yet to score 15 fantasy points in a game, despite his team starting 3-0. He seems miffed with new head coach Matt LaFleur, as if the former wants to really air things out and the latter is merely concerned with winning games. A Thursday home game with reeling Philadelphia could fix all this ... or Aaron Jones could score all the touchdowns.
Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns: I intended to drop him lower in the rankings, for his three-game fantasy points total is a mere 34.1, or less than Daniel Jones achieved just on Sunday, but we need to be a little patient, too. Mayfield or Philip Rivers, for example ... we cannot abandon all the preseason hype so soon. Mayfield has skills, has weapons. I do not like what I see, but I also see only nine quarterbacks deserving of a top-10 spot in our rankings. Mayfield is not one of them, for now.
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings: We still see the ol' Washington gunslinger on occasion, mainly when he makes ill-advised throws, but the Vikings have a top running back and a defense and they simply do not want Cousins losing games. That is not what fantasy managers want. I would cut him for Brissett, Jones and, if we had some clarity that Gardner Minshew II of the Jaguars was keeping his starting role even when Nick Foles returns, him too.
RB Stock Up
Mark Ingram II, Baltimore Ravens: He appears to be a perfect fit in this offense, and Ingram no longer loses touches to Alvin Kamara or, really, anyone. He is averaging 6 yards per carry and he should breeze past double-digit touchdowns.
Darrel Williams, Kansas City Chiefs: I am not going to pretend we know exactly how things shake out in this productive backfield, but the "other" Williams is younger than Damien Williams and his knees are, as far as we know, healthy. Darrel Williams could keep this intriguing role for a while.
Wayne Gallman, New York Giants: Now in his third season, Gallman relieved Saquon Barkley and turned five carries into 13 yards. Yawn. Still, until the Giants get someone to push him for touches, a starter is a starter and volume matters. Gallman caught passes as a rookie, but I am not excited about his initial flex value. As for Barkley, there is a big difference between missing four weeks and eight weeks with the high-ankle sprain, so keep him rostered, of course, but be realistic, too. The Giants have their bye week in mid-November and could be patient.
RB Stock Down
Todd Gurley II, Los Angeles Rams: Hey, it is not like you were not warned. I tried. Many of us did! Gurley remains a RB2 for me based on the statistical upside and the fact most players ranked after him are flawed as well. But as expected, precious few receiving targets are coming his way and he is a bit too touchdown-dependent, with no guarantee Malcolm Brown is not the touchdown option! Honestly, what did you expect? It is probably too late to trade him for a safer RB2. Next up, a fall to flex range.
Duke Johnson Jr., Houston Texans: It does not make sense that a proven pass-catcher gets ignored like this, but Johnson, after a productive debut, has 57 total yards and four targets in two contests since then. That is not good. I left Johnson in RB3 range, and ahead of teammate Carlos Hyde, but neither inspire confidence at this point.
Sony Michel, New England Patriots: This was documented in Monday's blog entry looking ahead to Week 4, so no need to pile on, but I came thisclose to giving rookie Damien Harris a top-60 spot. Do not be surprised if the Michel struggles continue -- 2.4 yards per tote against this competition? -- and Harris gets a chance.
WR Stock Up
Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers: Allen is on pace for more than 2,100 receiving yards, so while that figure seems unlikely, give him credit. Allen has received double-digit targets in each game, and Mike Williams, well, has not. Those who expected more of a time-share are seeing one receiver dominating, and since Allen played all 16 games each of the past two seasons, I refuse to hold prior injuries against him.
Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams: His return from a knee shredding is incredible, and he sure looks like the top weapon in this offense, running backs included. We used to rank the three Rams wide receivers in the same area, back of the WR2 discussion. Kupp has 140 yards after the catch, more than Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods combined. He looks unstoppable.
Several Kansas City Chiefs: OK, so Sammy Watkins is down a bit, while Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson move up. For now, the order of Patrick Mahomes' wide receivers is Watkins, injured Tyreek Hill, Hardman and Robinson, but perhaps this will be fluid for another month. Regardless, I thought people exalted Watkins to WR2 -- or more -- status much too quickly.
Three New England Patriots: Yep, move 'em all up. Antonio Brown is out of the league, so Julian Edelman is a borderline WR1, Josh Gordon a WR2/flex and Phillip Dorsett matters.
WR Stock Down
Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings: Diggs has six more receptions than you and I do. Adam Thielen is getting his numbers, but Diggs is not, and the Bears are next on the schedule. It is possible the Vikings rely more on the passing game for an upcoming stretch with the Eagles, Giants, Redskins and Chiefs, but perhaps two wide receivers cannot be top-20 options in this restructured offense.
Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns: No, I still would not drop him, and I did not expect him to flirt with 100 catches, but this is just ridiculous. Preston Williams, Bennie Fowler and Damiere Byrd have more receptions. Do you know those players? Landry leaves the top 100, and it does not seem so wrong.
Darren Waller, Oakland Raiders: Little is going right for this offense/team/whatever, but Waller is getting plenty of opportunity and, at this position, that matters when we cannot find a solid 10 players to fill the top 10.
Jordan Akins, Houston Texans: Multi-touchdown games from a tight end get noticed, and Akins, a third-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft, might finally be emerging.
TE Stock Down
David Njoku, Cleveland Browns: Injuries stink. Njoku cannot return until Week 12, but for the deeper leagues, that could make him relevant at an important time. I have Njoku and a future Hall of Famer who claims he is retired at the back end of the top-40 tight ends, you know, just in case.
