Week 3 of the 2024 fantasy football season featured big surprises. Who were the big winners and losers? Which players received A and F grades?
Matt Bowen and Tristan H. Cockcroft offer their analysis, and Seth Walder provides his grades. We also asked NFL Nation reporters to answer questions about what happened in the Thursday and Sunday games.
Jump to a topic:
Ranking winners | Ranking losers
Who got an A | Who got an F
Biggest injuries and what's next
Top questions from Week 3
Ranking fantasy winners of Week 3
1. Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
He followed up last week's breakthrough game with arguably an even more spectacular effort against one of the game's best defenses, scoring 28.2 PPR fantasy points against the Cleveland Browns. Nabers did struggle in his one-on-one matchups with cornerback Denzel Ward, turning 12 routes and three targets into only 2.8 points, but the rookie found space on other alignments and again benefited from a hefty role, seeing 12 total targets. With that, he has 37 through his first three career games, the third most by any player since the category began being tracked in 1992 (Puka Nacua 42, Terry Glenn 38). Nabers is a special talent and the Giants' clear passing game centerpiece, so there's no reason to worry even with a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys and Trevon Diggs up next. -- Cockcroft
2. Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Barkley's 33.6 points in the Eagles' Week 3 win over the Saints marked the second time this year he has topped the 33-point mark. Barkley rushed 17 times for 147 yards with a score on Sunday, highlighted by a 65-yard touchdown run, and he also added four receptions, plus a two-point conversion on a rushing attempt. He's a volume runner in the Eagles' offense, behind one of the better offensive fronts in the league, and his home run ability creates even more upside in the lineup. Barkley will stay as a top-three play for the Week 4 game at Tampa.
3. Malik Willis, QB, Green Bay Packers
In two starts as Jordan Love's injury fill-in, Willis has looked plenty competent as an NFL starter, a 180-degree reversal from his Tennessee Titans days. In Week 3, Willis was the highest-scoring fantasy quarterback from the 1 p.m. ET game block. His 25.38 points were more than he scored in his two-year Titans career (22.40 across parts of 11 games). Unfortunately, few reaped the rewards, as he was started in only 0.68% of ESPN leagues, with most of those surely being two-quarterback or superflex leagues. Also unfortunate: Willis will probably return to the bench in Week 4, as Jordan Love (knee) logged some practice time Sunday morning before ultimately being ruled inactive, a signal that Love should be ready for next week. -- Cockcroft
4. Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Henry posted his best numbers as a Raven, dropping 30.4 points on a Dallas defense going through a major transition under a new coordinator. Henry saw a season-high 25 carries in this one, rushing for 151 yards and two scores, and he added a reception for 23 yards. Henry has now rushed for at least one score in all three games this season, and he has totaled 19 or more touches in his past two. Given his volume and scoring upside, you can continue to play Henry as an RB1 for the Week 4 matchup versus the Bills. -- Bowen
5. Jauan Jennings, WR, San Francisco 49ers
With Deebo Samuel out (hamstring), Jennings absolutely lit up the Rams' defense, logging a career-high 46.5 points. Jennings caught 11 of a team-high 12 targets for 175 yards and three touchdowns (two in the red zone). Jennings, whom I had listed as a top streaming target for this week, is now a priority waiver add ahead of the Week 4 game versus the Patriots. -- Bowen
6. Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings
Is he this year's late bloomer, following in the footsteps of Geno Smith (2022) and Baker Mayfield (2023)? It certainly seems it, as Darnold, the Vikings' de facto starter following J.J. McCarthy's season-ending knee injury, has steered his team to three consecutive wins to begin the season while throwing multiple passing touchdowns in each. Darnold's 23.24 fantasy points on Sunday were his most since Week 4 of 2021, and let's not gloss over the fact that he has back-to-back start-worthy scores despite his team facing challenging assignments against the San Francisco 49ers (last week) and now the Houston Texans. Darnold's accuracy has been helped by the Vikings designing lower-risk throws for him, but that's merely elevating his statistical floor to the point of being a weekly two-quarterback/superflex starter. If there was any knock on his Sunday output, it's that a knee issue hampered him for a handful of snaps, an injury worth monitoring through the practice week. -- Cockcroft
7. Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers
There's that game fantasy managers were hoping for when Hubbard emerged as the Panthers' starting running back after Jonathan Brooks was placed on injured reserve. With the team having a field day against the Las Vegas Raiders, Hubbard scored a career-high 27.9 PPR fantasy points, thanks in part to a very promising five catches for 55 yards and a touchdown. Seeing him contribute as a receiver is critical to his value for a team that will probably be trailing on the scoreboard more often than not ... probably resuming in Week 4 against the Bengals. -- Cockcroft
8. Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears
With veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen still down with an injury (heel), Odunze logged 23.4 points on a season-high 11 targets, showing his ability to work all three levels of the field. Odunze finished with 112 yards receiving and a score on six receptions, stretching the defense for an explosive play on a vertical throw and separating on an end zone target to score a touchdown. If Allen is still out next week versus the Rams, Odunze could be a solid WR3 for a Bears offense that found more juice with Caleb Williams and the passing game Sunday. -- Bowen
9. Andy Dalton, QB, and Diontae Johnson, WR, Carolina Panthers
Among the many Week 3 surprises was the performance of the Panthers after the team switched from Bryce Young to Dalton at quarterback. Dalton, started in 0.43% of ESPN leagues, scored 24.6 fantasy points while displaying similar accuracy to his days in Cincinnati but with lower-risk throws. It was his most points scored in a game since Week 7 of 2022, and it helped put Johnson back on the fantasy map, which is the most important takeaway from the change. Johnson saw 14 targets and scored 26.2 PPR fantasy points. The Panthers have a much tougher test against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4, but Johnson at least should be a WR3. -- Cockcroft
Ranking fantasy losers of Week 3
1. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Suffice to say that Eagles-New Orleans Saints, a game with a 49½ over/under, didn't unfold anywhere near as planned. Hurts and the Eagles won 15-12, and he threw for 311 yards but had just 10.94 fantasy points and was working with an injury-ravaged set of receivers by the end of the contest. An interception in the end zone, as well as only eight rushing attempts, limited his production, and it didn't help that he lost a fumble in the second quarter and wasn't overly accurate with his throws. The statuses of A.J. Brown (hamstring) and DeVonta Smith (concussion) will have a huge bearing on Hurts' Week 4 fantasy value at Tampa Bay, but the team has a Week 5 bye, which could help them get back on track afterward. -- Cockcroft
2. Anthony Richardson, QB, and Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts
Fantasy managers were teeming with optimism about what a healthy Richardson, who averaged a position-best 0.45 fantasy points per offensive snap as a rookie (minimum four starts), might do this season, but through three weeks he's shaping up as one of its biggest disappointments. He followed up last week's 9.86 fantasy points with an even uglier 5.08 on Sunday, and while both came while facing tough matchups (@GB, CHI), his accuracy has been a clear problem (49.3% completion, 8.2% interception rates). Worse yet, Richardson's poor passing production has hampered Pittman's production, as the once-consistent wideout has delivered three consecutive games with fewer than eight PPR fantasy points. They'll next face the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have limited quarterbacks to only 8.2 fantasy points per game thus far, meaning more so-so point totals will probably be in the near future for both. -- Cockcroft
3. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
For the second straight week, Lamb was held to just four receptions (on seven targets), as he posted a season-low 8.7 points in the loss to the Ravens. We expected more here, especially when game flow forced the Cowboys and Dak Prescott (51 attempts) to throw with more volume, but it was tight end Jake Ferguson who paced the team with 10 targets. Lamb has yet to record a game with over 20 points this season, but he gets a positive Week 4 matchup versus the Giants' defense. -- Bowen
4. Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots
Thursday's nightmarish loss rekindled fantasy managers' concerns about what can happen to the Patriots' starting running back when the team faces negative game flow. Down by two touchdowns 23 minutes into the game, the Patriots dished out only six carries and zero targets to Stevenson, though he didn't help himself by losing a fumble in the fourth quarter. He scored 0.3 PPR fantasy points in the process, the second-worst output in his career. Though his point total can pretty much only go up from here, it's unlikely to go that far up with a matchup against the 49ers up next. -- Cockcroft
5. Miami Dolphins' offense
The Dolphins' first game with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sidelined as he recovers from the third concussion of his NFL career did not go remotely smoothly, which will inevitably cause panic among fantasy managers of the team's other offensive players. Running back De'Von Achane, the team's lone standout from Week 2, scored only 8.8 PPR fantasy points, effectively taken out of the equation after the Dolphins fell behind by two touchdowns in the first quarter. Wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle scored 7.0 and 6.6 points respectively, and each saw only five targets. Backup quarterback Skylar Thompson was forced from the game due to a chest injury, piling up more questions about how the offense will fare until Tagovailoa returns. That said, the matchup in Seattle was a challenging one, and things do get easier in Week 4 against the Tennessee Titans. Achane, Hill and Waddle should all be fantasy starters for that game, though the degree to which each rebounds will have a lot to say about their rest-of-year viability. -- Cockcroft
6. C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
Kudos to the Minnesota Vikings for their excellent defensive play thus far, as they've limited opponents to 10 points and quarterbacks specifically to 10.6 fantasy points per game. Stroud struggled mightily against them, scoring 9.80 points, his second-worst single game performance in 18 career starts, while being sacked four times and pressured on 45% of his dropbacks. Fortunately, he has a far softer matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars up next, which could restore his top-five quarterback potential. -- Cockcroft
7. D'Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears
With Swift scoring 6.2 points in Sunday's loss to the Colts, he has now posted under 10 points in all three games played this season. And although he has seen double-digit carries in each, Swift is averaging under 3.0 YPC on the season. This Bears run game is really tough to watch right now, as the offensive line cannot create consistent movement up front, and Swift simply isn't finding daylight. Plus, with a lack of receiving usage (six receptions on the season), Swift's overall value continues to slide. He'll be a deeper league flex for the Bears' Week 4 home game versus the Rams. -- Bowen
8. Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After posting back-to-back games with 18 or more points, making him one of my top streaming options for Week 3, Mayfield scored just 8.52 points in Sunday's loss to the Broncos. Sure, Mayfield did complete 25 of 33 passes in this one, but he finished with only 163 yards passing, with one touchdown and an interception. Plus, after posting at least three carries in each of his first two games played, Mayfield didn't record a single rushing attempt against a Denver defense that led with pressure. Mayfield was sacked seven times, and that pressure hampered the Bucs' ability to run longer-developing routes. Mayfield will look to rebound versus the Eagles' defense in Week 4, when he'll remain a QB2. -- Bowen
9. Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints
Carr was dealing through the first two weeks of the season. Deep-ball throws. Explosive plays. Schemed play-action concepts. He scored 21 or more points in both games. But after posting only 7.98 points in the Saints' loss to the Eagles, we need to slow down a little bit here. Carr completed just 14 of 25 throws versus Vic Fangio's defense, his eye level was poor, and the final interception, which closed out the win for Philly, isn't something new. When Carr has been under duress during his career, he has a tendency to put the ball up or throw into traffic. I really like the offensive system and the perimeter speed in New Orleans, but Carr will remain a matchup-based QB2 for me this season. -- Bowen
Injury impact
Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
What we know: Herbert went down in the third quarter versus the Steelers after aggravating an ankle injury that almost kept him out of Sunday's game. Herbert completed 12 of 15 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown before exiting the game.
What's next: If Herbert is out for the Week 4 matchup versus the Chiefs, backup Taylor Heinicke would be in line to start. Heinicke completed two passes for 24 yards in relief of Herbert and would be expected to manage a run-heavy game plan versus the Chiefs. -- Bowen
DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
What we know: Smith took a hit to the back in the fourth quarter and was sent to be evaluated for a concussion. He did not return to the game.
What's next: As mentioned above, the Eagles are in a rough spot at wide receiver with A.J. Brown and potentially Smith also injured. Jahan Dotson, Johnny Wilson and Parris Campbell are the next three wide receivers on the depth chart, though tight end Dallas Goedert would likely play a larger role and be a top-10 positional option if the top two wideouts can't play. -- Cockcroft
Skylar Thompson, QB, Miami Dolphins
What we know: Thompson left the game in the third quarter with a chest injury, and he did not return. Thompson completed 13 of 19 passes for only 107 yards before leaving the game. Tim Boyle replaced Thompson, throwing for 79 yards in relief.
What's next: With Tua Tagovailoa on IR (concussion) and given his injury history, it's fair to question Miami's backup plans at the quarterback position. Whether it's Thompson or Boyle in Week 4 versus the Titans, Miami's failure to secure a high-level No. 2 could have a major impact on the offense until Tagovailoa is cleared to play again. -- Bowen
Who earned an A this weekend?
Pat Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos
Surtain is scorching hot through three weeks of the season. For the second time this year he allowed just one reception in a game, this time allowing just 8 yards on one target over 32 coverage snaps. His 0.3 yards allowed per coverage snap was the best among all cornerbacks with at least 25 coverage snaps in the early window, per NFL Next Gen Stats. It's not like he had an easy assignment, either: Surtain lined up opposite Mike Evans on 24 of those coverage snaps.
Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence II and the New York Giants' pass rush
The Giants sacked Deshaun Watson eight times in New York's upset win over Cleveland, and it was a great sign as the team got production out of its stars. Lawrence recorded two sacks, and the advanced numbers loved Burns on the day: He recorded a massive 39% pass rush win rate (the average for an edge rusher is usually around 16%).
Who earned an F this weekend?
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
Dobbins has been a nice story to start the season, but his success did not continue in Week 3. Dobbins had 77 expected rush yards on his 15 carries in the Chargers' loss to the Steelers, per NFL Next Gen Stats, but only managed 44. That negative-33 rush yards over expectation was the worst by any running back in Week 3 through the early window, and Dobbins added only 10 receiving yards.
Juice Scruggs, C, Houston Texans
Scruggs recorded a poor 68% pass block win rate at center (the average for a center is 93%) in Houston's loss to the Vikings. It wasn't an easy assignment against the Brian Flores defense that brought stunts and blitzes, but Scruggs was beat consistently, allowing pressure to get to C.J. Stroud.
Lingering questions from Week 3's games
Bo Nix didn't throw a TD pass, but it was far and away his best game as a pro. What improvements did he show in this game that could impact his fantasy production going forward?
After he said he would take a long look at how often Nix had thrown the ball in the first two games of the season -- Nix's 88 dropbacks in the first two games was the third-highest total in the league -- coach Sean Payton still set Nix loose early Sunday, with 24 of his 36 pass attempts in the game in the first half. Nix was 4-of-4 for 70 yards alone on the Broncos' opening drive of the game. And it was a quick-hit, snap-and-throw attack Nix is far more comfortable in because it looked more like the Oregon offense he flourished in. The challenge now will be whether the Broncos can pull that off against a team that pressures more than a Buccaneers defense did while missing several starters Sunday. Nix was not sacked, and a fumble was nullified by a Tampa Bay penalty. "Man, it was huge ... watch him go out there and find his groove,'' wide receiver Courtland Sutton said. "It's only his third week, I think I've spoke at length that it's still early for him. ... I think we got to see a really good glimpse of where he could be and where he could take this offense with him at the helm. ... We can only go as far as he takes us.'' -- Jeff Legwold