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September 20, 2024 • 1hr 12min
Week 3 Matchups + Wheel of Shame! - Fantasy Football Podcast for 9/20
Fantasy Footballers - Fantasy Football Podcast
In this episode of the Fantasy Footballers podcast, hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore and Mike Wright break down the Week 3 matchups and provide start/sit advice for fantasy managers. They discuss key takeaways from Thursday Night Football, injury updates, and analyze each game on the Week 3 slate. The hosts also participate in their weekly Fantasy Faceoff segment and spin the "Wheel of Shame."
Week 3 Matchups + Wheel of Shame! - Fantasy Football Podcast for 9/20
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Key Takeaways
- Aaron Rodgers looked much improved in Week 2, completing passes to all areas of the field and showing better mobility. This bodes well for Jets receivers like Garrett Wilson going forward.
- The Jets backfield is becoming a true committee between Breece Hall and Braylen Allen. While Hall is still the lead back, Allen's involvement caps Hall's upside as a potential RB1 overall.
- Several key players are dealing with injuries heading into Week 3, including Joe Mixon, Dameon Pierce, George Kittle, and T.J. Hockenson. Their statuses will need to be monitored closely.
- Jared Goff and the Lions offense are poised for a big bounce-back game against Arizona after two disappointing weeks to start the season.
- The Chiefs offense has shown some cracks early this season without Isiah Pacheco. Patrick Mahomes has not been his usual dominant self statistically.
- Rookie WRs like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Tank Dell and Marvin Harrison Jr. are emerging as viable fantasy options and should be considered for lineups in good matchups.
- Tight end remains a wasteland outside the elite options. Players like Kyle Pitts continue to disappoint while rookies like Sam LaPorta offer upside.
Introduction
In this episode of the Fantasy Footballers podcast, hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore and Mike Wright break down the Week 3 matchups and provide start/sit advice for fantasy managers. They discuss key takeaways from Thursday Night Football, injury updates, and analyze each game on the Week 3 slate. The hosts also participate in their weekly Fantasy Faceoff segment and spin the "Wheel of Shame."
Topics Discussed
Thursday Night Football Recap (1:31)
The hosts discuss the Jets' 30-10 victory over the Patriots, highlighting several key points:
- Aaron Rodgers looked much improved, completing 27 of 35 passes for 281 yards and 2 TDs
- The Jets backfield is becoming a true committee between Breece Hall (16 carries, 54 yards, TD) and Braylen Allen (11 carries, 55 yards)
- Allen is emerging as a legitimate fantasy asset and potential league-winner for those who drafted him late
- The Patriots offense struggled mightily, with Rhamondre Stevenson having just 6 carries for 23 yards and a fumble
Jason noted: "This might be a game where you go, hey, well, there was a fumble right by Breece. I thought there was a fumble lost by Breece."
Injury Updates (14:18)
The hosts provide updates on several key injuries heading into Week 3:
- Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce did not practice Thursday, potentially opening the door for Cam Akers to start
- Jordan Love returned to practice and has a chance to play
- Justin Herbert was limited after not practicing Wednesday
- Michael Pittman was not practicing but was present at practice
- George Kittle was held out with hamstring tightness
- T.J. Hockenson returned to limited practice
Denver Broncos at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (21:32)
Key points for this matchup:
- Tampa Bay is favored by 6.5 points at home
- Javonte Williams is the only Broncos player the hosts feel comfortable starting
- For Tampa Bay, Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Rachaad White (if active) are recommended starts
- The hosts debate whether to start White over players like JK Dobbins
Mike said: "I think I'd go Rachaad White. The Steelers defense is, you know, full legit, and I expect that game to have a solid 30 points scored."
Carolina Panthers at Las Vegas Raiders (25:10)
Key points for this matchup:
- Las Vegas is favored by 5 points at home
- Andy Dalton is starting for Carolina, making most Panthers players risky starts
- Chuba Hubbard could be a desperation flex play due to opportunity
- For Las Vegas, Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers are must-starts
- The hosts recommend picking up the Raiders defense for their upcoming favorable schedule
Miami Dolphins at Seattle Seahawks (28:09)
Key points for this matchup:
- Seattle is favored by 4.5 points at home
- Skylar Thompson is starting for Miami, significantly downgrading Dolphins pass-catchers
- Tyreek Hill is still a must-start, but Jaylen Waddle is a risky play
- For Seattle, Geno Smith, DK Metcalf, and Tyler Lockett are recommended starts
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba is emerging as a viable flex option after his breakout game
Jason said of JSN: "This was a first round draft pick last year who was said to be the best wide receiver in the draft class. Looked awesome as a prospect and was underutilized with a terrible Shane Waldron offense last year."
Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys (33:05)
Key points for this matchup:
- Baltimore is surprisingly favored by 1 point on the road
- Both defenses have underperformed expectations so far this season
- Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb have a good matchup against Baltimore's struggling pass defense
- Mark Andrews is poised for a bounce-back game
- The Dallas backfield remains a messy committee situation to avoid if possible
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams (36:55)
Key points for this matchup:
- San Francisco is favored by 6.5 points on the road
- The Rams are dealing with significant injuries, including Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua
- Kyren Williams is still a start based on volume, but expectations should be tempered
- Jordan Mason could be in line for a big game as San Francisco's lead back
- DeMarcus Robinson is the Rams WR to target if needed as a flex play
Mike highlighted Mason's projected workload: "Jordan Mason starting running back for the 49ers, his line is 92 and a half rushing yards."
Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals (42:20)
Key points for this matchup:
- Detroit is favored by 3 points on the road
- This game has one of the highest over/unders of the week at 51.5 points
- Jared Goff is a strong streaming option this week
- Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs are must-starts for Detroit
- For Arizona, James Conner and Marquise Brown are viable starts
- Greg Dortch is an intriguing PPR flex option
Jason on the Lions offense: "Golf is a good play this week. He really is. It's difficult to say that. You sound stupid after back to back losses. This is a 51 a half point spread where you know you're gonna throw."
Kansas City Chiefs at Atlanta Falcons (50:30)
Key points for this matchup:
- Kansas City is favored by 3 points on the road
- The Chiefs offense has shown some cracks without Isiah Pacheco
- Patrick Mahomes has not been his usual dominant self statistically
- Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice are the only Chiefs pass-catchers to trust
- For Atlanta, Bijan Robinson is a must-start while Drake London and Kyle Pitts are risky plays
Andy highlighted Mahomes' recent struggles: "Mahomes has not scored 15 fantasy points so far on the season."
Jacksonville Jaguars at Buffalo Bills (55:40)
Key points for this matchup:
- Buffalo is favored by 5 points at home
- Jacksonville's offense has struggled mightily to start the season
- Travis Etienne is the only Jaguars player to consider starting
- For Buffalo, Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, and James Cook are must-starts
- Dalton Kincaid remains a hold but managers should be looking for signs of increased usage
Washington Commanders at Cincinnati Bengals (1:00:05)
Key points for this matchup:
- Cincinnati is favored by 7.5 points at home
- Joe Burrow is poised for a bounce-back game against Washington's defense
- Ja'Marr Chase is a strong buy-low candidate after two quiet weeks
- Brian Robinson remains a solid RB2 for Washington
- Terry McLaurin is a risky start given his lack of production so far
Mike on Chase's outlook: "If you have any inkling that you can go get Ja'Marr Chase, you can tear him away from the team that drafted him. You got to do it right now."
Conclusion
The hosts wrapped up the episode by participating in their weekly Fantasy Faceoff segment, where they build DraftKings lineups to compete against each other. They also spun the "Wheel of Shame," with Jason having to wear a "nose hose" elephant mask as punishment for finishing last the previous week.
Overall, this episode provided comprehensive analysis of the Week 3 matchups along with actionable start/sit advice for fantasy managers. The hosts emphasized the importance of monitoring injuries, capitalizing on favorable matchups, and being willing to pivot away from underperforming stars when necessary. As always, they encouraged listeners to stay active on waivers and continue tweaking lineups up until kickoff on Sunday.