What is going on with the fantasy football season?
Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley and Michael Thomas are out of commission, Zach Ertz isn’t even the best tight end on the Eagles, and Lamar Jackson has taken a back seat to Josh Allen and Matt Ryan.
Some of these situations are temporary anomalies, but chances are you’ll still have some lopsided matchups in Week 4 — unexpected players putting up pinball numbers.
It just places more emphasis on finding underrated matchups for your starting lineup.
Start
Bengals QB Joe Burrow vs. Jaguars
A lot was made of Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick’s dismantling of the Jaguars (3 total TDs) last Thursday night — perhaps because most fantasy managers had left Fitzmagic for dead. But don’t forget Ryan Tannehill torched them for four touchdown a week earlier.
Burrow held his own in two road matchups against respectable defenses in the Browns and Eagles, throwing for 300 yards in each game and five touchdowns total, and now he gets the defense that’s fifth easiest on quarterbacks (ESPN scoring).
Also consider: Lions QB Matthew Stafford vs. Saints
Ravens RB Mark Ingram II at Washington
Don’t be discouraged by the Chiefs’ ambush — the Ravens looked rattled on both sides of the ball in that Monday night showdown.
But the heart of what they do on offense is run, and Ingram should be able to do it against Washington despite Baltimore’s three-headed monster of a running back group.
Washington’s tough fantasy ranking against running backs is deceptive because of earlier competition, but both Browns running backs — Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt — wafted through their defense. It instills hope that the two Ravens backs — Ingram and J.K. Dobbins — can eke out fantasy production in that confounding backfield if the matchup is right.
Also consider: Cardinals RB Kenyan Drake at Panthers
Seahawks RB Carlos Hyde at Dolphins
If Hyde isn’t available on the waiver wire, don’t curse the fantasy gods — blame the Cowboys’ Trysten Hill, the culprit behind Chris Carson’s knee sprain that will keep him out for two weeks.
The Seahawks aren’t likely to take any risks with Carson’s long-term health, so Hyde figures to get a lot of work against a defense that gives up a lot of receiving yards to running backs.
Also consider: Steelers RB James Conner vs. Titans
Packers WR Allen Lazard vs. Falcons
Did you know he’s sixth among receivers in average fantasy points (13) over the first three weeks? Lazard has seen an increase in targets each week, but his role is safe even if Davante Adams plays.
I don’t have to tell you the points bonanza that potentially awaits Monday night against the Falcons.
Also consider: Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (or Chase Claypool) vs. Titans
Texans WR Will Fuller vs. Vikings
Fuller inexplicably pulled a disappearing act in Week 2, but roared back with an 11-point day (standard non-PPR format) against the Steelers. The Vikings secondary should be even more forgiving.
Let’s just hope the mere mention of Fuller doesn’t cause him to tweak a hamstring.
Also consider: Bengals WR Tyler Boyd vs. Jaguars
Lions TE T.J. Hockenson vs. Saints
No team has been more giving to tight ends than the Saints, allowing four touchdowns to the position. The Packers couldn’t throw to their three tight ends enough in New Orleans.
Hockenson has been getting a fair amount of targets and his fantasy floor has been 7 points so far this season.
Also consider: Cowboys TE Dalton Schultz vs. Browns
Colts K Rodrigo Blankenship at Bears
The Colts keep losing offensive playmakers, the latest being Michael Pittman Jr. who underwent compartment syndrome surgery late Sunday.
Blankenship has missed a couple, but he’s kicked three field goals or 40 yards or longer this season, including two last week.
This feel like a game where the Colts move the ball but get bogged down in the red zone against a tough Bears defense, and Blankenship gets a few chances to play the hero.
Also consider: Raiders K Daniel Carlson vs. Bills
Ravens defense/special teams at Washington
Expect the Baltimore defense to come out with their hair on fire after getting humbled in primetime by Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. Washington has been handing out sacks like candy, but Dwayne Haskins took the generosity level up with three interceptions in Sunday’s Browns game.
Also consider: Chiefs defense/special teams vs. Patriots
Sit
Eagles QB Carson Wentz at 49ers
Which has been worse, Wentz or his offensive line?
Wentz potentially just lost two more pass catchers to injuries in Dallas Goedert and DeSean Jackson.
And his best remaining option, Zach Ertz, faces a 49ers defense that is second toughest against the position. Wentz appears to have a rapport with Greg Ward, but that does little to give you confidence the QB can get past his erratic play of late.
Also consider: Colts QB Philip Rivers at Bears
Lions RB Kerryon Johnson vs. Saints
It’s official: Adrian Peterson is the lead back in Detroit, and if you thought Johnson and D’Andre Swift’s value couldn’t get any lower, it just cratered.
“It’s not anything that those guys are or aren’t doing,” offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said according to ESPN. “We’re just trying to, again, accentuate their positives and put them in positions to be successful.”
Meanwhile, Bevell called Peterson a “freak of nature.”
“I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but he wants (the ball), we want him to have it and we’ll just keep continuing to go there and spell him with Kerryon, spell him with Swift and kind of go from there.”
Also consider: Jets RB Frank Gore vs. Broncos
49ers RB Jeff Wilson Jr. vs. Eagles
Wilson got a pair of scores (one rushing and one receiving) in the fourth quarter with the 49errs well ahead of the Giants and Jerick McKinnon leaving early with a rib contusion.
There’s a chance both McKinnon and Raheem Mostert return, which would diminish Wilson’s role. And for all the things that have gone wrong with the Eagles, the run defense has been pretty steady. However, if McKinnon or Mostert sits, don’t completely count out Wilson.
Also consider: Patriots RB Sony Michel vs. Chiefs
Jaguars WR Keelan Cole at Bengals
D.J. Chark seems iffy to return, but it may not matter anyway. The Bengals don’t be appear to be as woeful as advertised, particularly with a secondary that includes Darius Phillips, William Jackson III and Mackensie Alexander.
Also consider: Patriots WR N’Keal Harry vs. Chiefs
Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy at Jets
Coach Vic Fangio will start Brett Rypien against the Jets on Thursday.
If you thought Mark Rypien for a second, 1.) He’s actually Brett’s uncle, and 2.) Even Fangio got confused and referred to his own quarterback as “Mark” during a press conference, according to NBCSports.com.
Perhaps Mark’s next in line, given that Fangio gave Jeff Driskel a one-week trial and now has settled on Rypien the Younger. Jets or no Jets, this train wreck is just not conducive to Jeudy’s success.
Also consider: Chargers WR Mike Williams (even if healthy) at Buccaneers
Giants TE Evan Engram at Rams
Engram won’t have as bad a day as he had against the 49ers (3.7 points), but his penchant for underachieving coupled with Daniel Jones’ slow-motion implosion makes for a disastrous combination.
And you just get the feeling that Aaron Donald will be parked in Jones’ lap all afternoon.
Also consider: Bills TE Tyler Kroft at Raiders
Bills K Tyler Bass at Raiders
Raiders games haven’t produced many field goal opportunities, and Josh Allen has been fairly efficient in the red zone (66% completion rate) and overall with an 8.8% touchdown rate — second only to Russell Wilson, according to FantasyData.com.
Bass also has yet to produce a double-digit fantasy day in standard scoring.
Also consider: Giants K Graham Gano at Rams
Patriots defense/special teams at Chiefs
This isn’t Foxboro in December, when the Patriots held Patrick Mahomes to a touchdown and an interception. It’s Mahomes on his own turf in (what should be) a red-hot October.
Also consider: Packers defense/special teams vs. Falcons
