Your complete fantasy football guide to Week 3
Through the first two weeks of the NFL season, the No. 1 quarterback -- in both passing yards and fantasy points -- is Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons. Just like we all predicted.
To be fair, the sample size is still very small, and he's faced the Buccaneers and Raiders to begin the year. But ... has Ryan been good because he's faced bad defenses? Or have the defenses been bad because Ryan has been so good? We may still be asking that question next week because he'll face the 31st-ranked New Orleans Saints defense on Monday night. What a fantastic finish to Week 3 that should be.
To help you sort everything else out, as well as build your optimal daily fantasy lineup, we have assembled all our best offerings of the week into one location.
Let’s start with the one thing most fantasy owners want to know ...
Who should I start?
The most basic question of them all. The best thing to do is check our updated Week 3 rankings, courtesy of FantasySharks.com.
Fantasy football rankings: Week 3
Who’s in?
-- Cameron Artis-Payne. He was inactive for the first two games, but will be on the field and play a significant role in the Carolina Panthers offense with Jonathan Stewart out. He'll get the start and split time with Fozzy Whittaker, but don't expect too much. Mike Tolbert and Cam Newton are still the primary red-zone threats.
Who’s out?
-- Adrian Peterson. Of all the injuries to running backs last week, Peterson's had by far the greatest fantasy impact. His torn meniscus will require surgery and the Minnesota Vikings on Friday placed him on injured reserve. The earliest Peterson can return is now Week 11.
Owners who drafted him as one of the top five backs are now scrambling to replace his production. However, Peterson didn't really produce much in the first two weeks (31 carries, 50 yards) anyway, so why are people so excited about Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata?
– Corey Coleman. The hits just keep on coming for the Cleveland Browns. After losing a quarterback to injury in each of the first two weeks, the rookie wideout (who had 104 receiving yards and two touchdowns last week) broke his hand in practice. Third-string quarterback Cody Kessler couldn't be making his first NFL start under any worse circumstances, so go all-in on the Miami Dolphins defense.
Who’s questionable?
-- Sammy Watkins. The foot injury that ended his 2015 season has cropped up again. The Buffalo Bills wideout has been largely ineffective so far with six catches for 63 yards, and he hasn't practiced at all this week. Fortunately, the game vs. the Arizona Cardinals is an early kickoff so fantasy owners can wait to see if he's active.
– Delanie Walker. His hamstring injury has flown under the fantasy radar, but it should be monitored closely since he's one of the few tight ends who are every-week fantasy starters. A matchup vs. the NFL-worst Oakland Raiders defense makes his status even more important.
-- Jamaal Charles. After missing the first two weeks as part of his recovery from knee surgery, Charles is almost ready to make his 2016 debut. When he does, don't expect a full workload. Spencer Ware (304 total yards, TD) has done an outstanding job in the feature back role so there's no need to push Charles too quickly.
-- Alshon Jeffery. He missed practice Thursday and was limited Friday because of a hamstring injury. The Chicago Bears playing in the Sunday night game, coupled with Jay Cutler's iffy status, make Jeffery a dangerous player to count on in Week 3.
Every week, we highlight the top injury concerns fantasy owners are facing. But remember, everything is subject to change, so be sure to make one final check before kickoff.
Week 3 injuries that will have the greatest fantasy impact
The best thing to do is keep an eye on USA TODAY Sports' NFL home page and follow USA TODAY Fantasy Sports on Twitter.
USA TODAY Fantasy (@USATODAYfantasy) | Twitter
Where’s the extra edge?
– Still torn over which borderline players to sit or start? Marc Caviglia of Bruno Boys Fantasy Football examines some of this week’s tough calls.
Start or sit: Don't forget about Michael Floyd
– For The Win's Steven Ruiz has this week’s fantasy studs, duds and sleepers.
Week 3 fantasy studs, duds and sleepers: Todd Gurley's breakout is coming
-- If you're looking for some players who could emerge unexpectedly this week and be worth starting in deep leagues ... or who could put you over the top in daily fantasy, check out these deep sleepers from TheFantasyGreek.com.
Darren Sproles tops this week's deep fantasy football sleepers
-- We'll also answer your questions on Sunday morning before the games start on Facebook Live and in our weekly chat. Stay tuned to the home page for the link sometime Saturday night.
How's the weather?
The conditions can have a major impact on how each game unfolds, especially later in the season. Keep up-to-date in real time with NFLWeather.com.
What about the matchups?
Here are the NFL rankings in total yardage gained and given up through the first two weeks of the season.
