This article is part of our Run 'N' Shoot series.
Raise your hand if you predicted the Cardinals, Bengals and Eagles would be the NFL's only 3-0 teams. Yeah, didn't think so. Arizona has to be the biggest surprise here, not just for who they've beaten (the Niners and the otherwise unbeaten Chargers), but by doing it without their starting quarterback and with so many injuries/personnel changes on defense. Consider Bruce Arians the early leader for Coach of the Year.
As for Philly, is there a more fun team in the NFL? The Eagles play at that break-neck pace, are 2nd in the NFL in points scored, and 27th in points allowed. With some of the big-name quarterbacks struggling a bit in Week 3 (more on that below), Philly is the new standard for fantasy carnivals. I wish I invested more in Chip Kelly's crew, but maybe it's not too late. Jordan Matthews? Yes, please. I'd cut Torrey Smith to get in on the Eagles action. Even Jeremy Maclin looks like a low-end WR1, which brings me squarely back to auction night in Stopa10K. I was furious when technical problems kicked me off the draft page and the computer purchased Maclin and Rashad Jennings for me. I'm talking George Brett pine-tar livid. Let's just say with Jennings a rare feature back in New York and Maclin part of the Eagles carnival, I'm not so upset any more.
Before anyone asks me to buy lottery tickets for them, I'm 0-2 the last two weeks despite being the second-high point scorer in the league both weeks. Consider that another reminder why every league should have at least one playoff position based solely on total points.
Was there a more impressive Week 3 performance than the Lions holding the Packers to 7 points (and scoring 9 of their own) with an injury-depleted secondary? If I were a Lions fan, I'd almost want to celebrate with a discount double check / crotch thrust dance. Seriously, we know the Packers offense is good, so that kind of performance from Detroit moves the needle, both in real life and fantasy. Start thinking about the Lions as a weekly fantasy play.
I thought Carolina was a "start 'em and leave 'em" fantasy defense, too, but that abomination against the Steelers forces me to re-assess everything. Do the Panthers miss Greg Hardy that much? Are the Steelers that much better than I realized? Yeah, we knew Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown were good, but where did that performance from the offensive line (against a terrific Panthers front seven) come from? Carolina/Pitt was one of those games that makes me question what I thought I knew about both teams.
Who are the top six quarterbacks in the NFL, right now (real life, not fantasy)? I'll go Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Andrew Luck, and Russell Wilson. I'll entertain arguments about the order of these six, but they're the clear top six, in some order, and I'll go to the mat with anyone who wants to put Tom Brady in this group - he doesn't belong, period, end of story. In fantasy, the question for Brady isn't whether he's a QB1 - we all know he's not - but whether Blake Bortles or Teddy Bridgewater can post better fantasy stats than Brady for the rest of the year. Give me both, and I'd consider an even-money bet that one of the rookies is better than Brady ROS.
San Diego was in a prime situation for a letdown on Sunday, traveling east for a 1pm game coming off a huge, emotional win. Yet the Chargers stuck to their winning formula - ball control, no mistakes, and Rivers making all the right plays. most eye-opening for me on Sunday was the Chargers offensive line - against a terrific Bills front four, Rivers was almost never pressured. Consider San Diego one Peyton Manning injury away from being the prohibitive favorite (not just a contender, they're that already - the prohibitive favorite) to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
I hear you, Bengals fans. I'm just not sure what's any different now for Andy Dalton. Yes, sometimes a team can make a run with a mediocre QB (Joe Flacco comes to mind), but I need to see Giovani Bernard average more than 3.4 YPC to buy in.
Many in the industry are saying to "buy low" on Keenan Allen, and I don't question Allen's talent. My concern for Keenan is the Chargers seem content to play the way they're playing - ball control, dominate time of possession, spread the ball around. Will the Chargers defense be bad enough, like it was at times last year, to force San Diego to throw more? I'm not so sure. I'd still take Allen over the Mike Wallaces of the world, but give me Maclin, Percy Harvin, and Randall Cobb over Allen.
Hate on Brady and the Patriots all you want, but they're still going to have a home game in the divisional round of the playoffs and are as good a bet as anyone to be playing in the AFC Championship Game again. Sadly, EJ Manuel, Geno Smith, and Ryan Tannehill just aren't ready to stop them. Forced to choose one, though, I'd pick Geno. Manuel makes Tim Tebow look accurate, and Tannehill has zero pocket presence.
Week 3 was the poster-child for advocates of #ZeroRB on draft day. Just look at the backs who got 30(+) carries on Sunday: Rashad Jennings, Donald Brown, and Knile Davis. And look at how the first-round running backs (Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy, Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte, Eddie Lacy, Montee Ball) are all struggling.
Buy low: Zach Ertz. On that Philly offense, what are the chances Ertz finishes with better stats than Rob Gronkowski? 40%? Ertz is definitely a top-5 TE, and I'd rather have him than anyone except the big three.
Buy lower: Eddie Lacy. Give me Lacy over Ball and Giovani Bernard ROS. The schedule is much kinder for Green Bay from here on out.
Buy lowest: Trent Richardson. Mock if you will, but he's still getting more touches than Ahmad Bradshaw, and the Colts won't get all the goal-line touchdowns through the air.
Sell low: Torrey Smith. Defenses take away the deep ball and Smith just can't seem to get involved on the intermediate routes. Even a thought-to-be-washed-up Steve Smith Sr. is better. I'd prefer Smith Sr., Jordan Matthews, and maybe even gamble on the upside of someone like Davante Adams.
Buy high: Andrew Luck. Yes, the Colts will run in a few at some point, but what's really going to change here? Indy has no defense, a mediocre-at-best running game, and a terrific schedule (including the NFC East defenses, and if you don't think that matters, look back at Peyton's 2013, when he got to face those same NFC East teams). Just last night, I did an auction with Scott Pianowski and Kevin Payne and Luck went for more than Brees or Rodgers. At worst, it's a top-4 now at fantasy QB.
If you're close in a fantasy trade and the other guy has Stephen Gostkowski, make him add Gostkowski to the deal. The Patriots don't have their bye until Week 10, so that's six more weeks with a top kicker on a good team with a struggling offense. Sign me up.
Carlos Hyde runs like he got shot out of a cannon. Frank Gore is the reliable vet, but with the Niners just 1-2, Jim Harbaugh has to realize changes are in order. Don't let Hyde slip through waivers.
What a brutal injury for Dennis Pitta, who re-injured the same right hip that sidelined him most of 2013. Pitta looked like a top-5 fantasy tight end heading into 2013 but will now likely never be the same. Go get Owen Daniels this week on a Ravens team that throws to tight ends as much as anyone.
It's bizarre to see Chris Johnson and Chris Ivory splitting touches when the latter is so much better than the former.
Quick, who's the best team in the NFC North? Detroit? Green Bay? Chicago? Yeah, I'm not sure, either.
Their game ended four days ago, but the Bucs just allowed another touchdown.
