NFL Week 3 Roundup

Welcome back to the Weekly Roundup. As always, we will be highlighting this past week’s injury report, top performers, underperformers, and surprise producers. There was no shortage of stunning storylines during Week 3 of the 2023 NFL Season, so let’s recap the action.

INJURY ROUNDUP

Mike Williams (LAC) - Knee

• Williams suffered a torn ACL in the Chargers win over the Vikings, effectively ending the veteran’s season after three games. Rookie wide receiver Quentin Johnston should be moved up the depth chart in Williams' place.

Jimmy Garopollo (LV) - Head (Concussion)

• Jimmy G played the entirety of the Raiders Week 3 loss to the Steelers but was unavailable for post-game questioning while being evaluated for a concussion. Garopollo is questionable for Week 4.

Derek Carr (NO) - Shoulder

• Derek Carr’s injury was feared to be much worse upon initial examination. The Saints quarterback is reportedly dealing with an AC Sprain and is expected to make a return sometime this season. Carr will miss several weeks in recovery, leaving Jameis Winston as the starting signal-caller.

Puka Nacua (LAR) - Oblique

• Nacua was able to get in a limited practice on Friday but remains questionable to play in Week 3.

Justice Hill (BAL) - Toe

• The Ravens are dealing with a laundry list of injuries this season. Hill was absent in Week 3, leaving Gus Edwards and practice-squad callup Kenyan Drake to lead the backfield.

Odell Beckham Jr. (BAL) - Ankle

• The Ravens veteran wideout was unable to go in Week 3 despite positive reports on his injury designation. Beckham Jr. remains questionable for Week 4 but should be able to practice in a limited capacity.

Bryce Young (CAR) - Ankle

• The Panthers rookie quarterback is dealing with a minor ankle injury that kept him on the bench in Week 3. Andy Dalton will continue to start for any games that Young misses this season.

David Montgomery (DET) - Quadricep

• Montgomery was forced out of the Lions Week 2 loss to the Seahawks with a quad injury. The veteran running back is expected to miss several weeks in recovery. Rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs will step up as the RB1 for the offense.

Anthony Richardson (IND) - Head (Concussion)

• Richardson was knocked out of the Colts Week 2 contest after being evaluated for a concussion. The big hit came on the rookie’s second rushing touchdown of the first half. There is optimism toward a return in Week 4 but expect a heavy dosage of Gardner Minshew in streaming/DFS lineups for as long as Richardson is sidelined.

Jaylen Waddle (MIA) - Head (Concussion)

• Waddle took a big helmet-to-helmet hit in the closing frames of the Dolphins Week 2 victory over the Patriots. Waddle is expected to return in Week 4 after sitting out the Dolphins Week 3 slaughter of the Broncos.

Joe Burrow (CIN) - Calf

• Burrow re-aggravated a lingering calf strain in Week. He is trending toward playing for the Bengals' Monday Night Football matchup against the Rams but will be a game-time decision.

Saquon Barkley (NYG) - Ankle

• Managers feared the worst when Barkley left the game with a nasty-looking ankle injury. Fortunately, the injury is not severe although Barkley may miss a few games while recovering. Gary Brightwell and Matt Breida appear to be the early favorites to lead the running back committee.

Logan Thomas (TE) - Head (Concussion)

• Thomas remains sidelined with a concussion suffered in the Commanders' Week 2 contest. His situation should be monitored heading into Week 4 as the veteran tight end has a long history of injuries.

Austin Ekeler (RB) - Ankle

• Ekeler is dealing with a significant ankle injury that could keep him sidelined for several weeks. There is always optimism of a speedy recovery but several reports suggest Ekeler will be sidelined until Week 6, leaving Joshua Kelley to shoulder the workload.

Aaron Jones (RB) - Hamstring

• Jones was unable to shed his injury designation prior to the Packers Week 3 matchup, forcing AJ Dillon in the starting spot. Managers can expect more of Dillon if Jones remains out in Week 4.

Christian Watson (WR) - Hamstring

• Watson has yet to make his season debut, missing the Packers' first three contests while dealing with a hamstring injury. Romeo Doubs and rookie Jayden Reed are picking up the slack in Watson’s absence.

Diontae Johnson (WR) - Hamstring

• Johnson remains sidelined with no timetable for return.

WEEKLY WEIGH-IN

Arizona Cardinals: Bird City Bamboozles Cowboys

• The Cardinals were staring down the pipeline of a potentially winless season before knocking off the NFL’s top defense in a shocking defeat of the Cowboys in Week 3.

• Josh Dobbs continues to prove his utility as the Cardinals' starter despite a perceivably horrendous defensive matchup.

• James Conner is a must-start fantasy asset until further notice. His volume is unquestioned and his efficiency continues to improve despite his age and offensive situation.

Atlanta Falcons: Archaic Offense

• Arthur Smith has called more plays in three tight end sets than three wide receiver sets this season.

• Drake London and Mack Hollins remain the only two wide receivers to have more than 50.0% of the team’s total snaps.

• Jonnu Smith is running more routes with a higher snap percentage than Kyle Pitts.

• Desmond Ridder is a replacement-level bridge quarterback with little-to-no confidence as a passer.

• The only positive takeaway from the Falcons this week is that Bijan Robinson stayed healthy.

Baltimore Ravens: Big Truzz, Big Fumbles

• Lamar Jackson fumbled three times and Kenyan Drake fumbled once (two lost) as the Ravens dropped a close game to the Gardner Minshew-led Colts in Week 3.

• Zay Flowers commanded a team-high 10 targets, doubling Mark Andrews’ total of five as the second leading pass-catcher.

• The Ravens rookie wideout is a superstar receiver in the making.

• Rashod Bateman and Odell Beckham Jr. are seemingly meaningless depth pieces within this offense.

Buffalo Bills: Commanding Respect

• The Bills are dominating both sides of the football after a stunning Week 1 loss to the Jets in overtime.

• Josh Allen and company tallied 37 points against the Commanders in Week 3, allowing just one field goal on the opposing scoreboard.

• The team has now scored 85 points, conceding just 13 points, in their last two games.

Carolina Panthers: Red Rifle Pops Off

• Andy Dalton got the starting nod in lieu of injured rookie quarterback Bryce Young. Dalton completed 34/58 passes for 361 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

• Adam Thielen turned back time as the Panthers top wideout, catching 11 of 14 targets for 145 yards and one touchdown.

• The Panthers were not able to stave off the loss to the Seahawks but the offense as a whole looked much better with Dalton under center.

• Do not, however, expect any changes at the quarterback position moving forward. The Panthers are content with allowing Young to work through growing pains as their long-term franchise quarterback.

Chicago Bears: Barren Fields

• A complete switch from the above paragraph; The Bears are reportedly “unsure” as to whether or not Justin Fields is the long-term answer at quarterback.

• Fields looks incredibly incompetent as an NFL passer, managing just 99 yards on 11/22 completions with one touchdown and one interception.

• The Bears offensive scheme and head coach Matt Eberflus’ laughable negligence have done Fields no favors. Eberflus has now lost 13 consecutive games for the franchise.

Cincinnati Bengals: Burrow Stays Cold

• The Bengals squeaked out a win against the Rams in Week 3 as Joe Burrow and the offense mounted just one touchdown drive.

• Burrow continues to struggle amidst a lingering calf injury, averaging a bottom-feeding 4.7 YDS/ATT while completing just 55.4% of his passes (67/121) for 563 yards (187.7 YDS/G) with two touchdowns and two interceptions this season.

Cleveland Browns: Myles for Mayor

• Myles Garrett was far and away the best player on both sides of the football during the Browns vs. Titans matchup in Week 3. Garrett and company wreaked havoc on the Titans, allowing just 130 total yards and three points.

• Deshaun Watson is frustrated with how bad he has become at football. Watson was fined twice for unsportsmanlike conduct due to grabbing the facemask in Week 3. 

Dallas Cowboys: Exposed as Frauds

• The Cowboys' defense allowed 10 total points through the first two weeks of the NFL season.

• Then, in Week 3, they looked wholly incompetent against a bottom-tier Cardinals offense, allowing 222 rushing yards and 28 points.

• The offense did not fare much better, scoring only one touchdown with three field goals.

• The Cowboys were penalized 13 times for a total of 107 yards.

Denver Broncos: Wrong Side of History

• The Broncos were on the wrong side of a historic offensive performance in Week 3 as the Dolphins ran up the score.

• Russell Wilson and company were only able to muster 20 points of total offense in the face of a 70-point outing from the Dolphins.

• Sean Payton needs to do better as a coach, both on the field and in the locker room.

Detroit Lions: A Rookie Rules the Roost

• Sam LaPorta is the first tight end in NFL history to have five or more receptions in each of his first three starts.

• LaPorta caught a deep 45-yard touchdown from Jared Goff, finishing with eight receptions on 11 targets for 84 yards and the aforementioned score.

• The Lions easily dispatched a bland Falcons offense in a resounding 20-6 victory.

Green Bay Packers: Conditional Love

• Jordan Love made a handful of impressive throws in the Packer's Week 3 win but still remains wildly erratic, completing just 22/44 attempts for 259 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Love has completed just 51 of 96 attempts (53.1 CMP%) this season.

• Rookie wide receiver Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs appear to be swapping weeks as the team’s leading pass catcher.

• In Week 2, Reed led the team in targets (8), collecting four catches for 37 yards and two touchdowns.

• Week 3 was all Doubs as the second-year wideout hauled in five of his team-high 12 targets for 72 yards and one touchdown.

• Christian Watson remained sidelined with a hamstring injury and has yet to make his 2023 debut.

Houston Texans: One Man Tank

• C.J. Stroud has developed an instant connection with his wideouts, upholding fantasy-relevant performances from rookie wideout Tank Dell, third-year riser Nico Collins, and veteran receiver Robert Woods.

• The Texans rookie quarterback has surpassed 300 total yards in each of his first three starts with Dell being the favorite target over the past two games.

• Rookie wideout Tank Dell saw a team-high ten targets in Week 2, catching seven for 72 yards and one touchdown. He followed that up with five catches on seven targets for 145 yards and one touchdown in Week 3.

Indianapolis Colts: Taylor Swiftly Forgotten

• Zack Moss now has two consecutive RB1 outings under his belt in his first two starts as the Colts' leading running back. Moss followed up a 107-yard outing in Week 2 with 155 scrimmage yards and one touchdown in Week 3. The Colts' new leading rusher received 32 touches and should be considered a high-quality streamer against positive matchups for as long as he maintains the starting gig.

• Gardner Minshew stepped up as the starter, leading the Colts to victory while completing 27/44 pass attempts for 227 yards and one touchdown.

• Rookie wide receiver Josh Downs made his presence felt, leading the Colts with 12 targets in Week 3.

Jacksonville Jaguars: Unidentified Failing Offense

• Trevor Lawrence is beginning to unravel as the Jaguars quarterback has struggled to produce in the past two games after a stellar Week 1 performance.

• The Jaguars offense has lost all semblance of identity, scoring just 23 points in the last two games combined.

• Calvin Ridley had 24.1 PPR Points in Week 1. He has since combined for 12.1 PPR Points in Week 2 and Week 3.

Kansas City Chiefs: Love is in the Arrowhead

• The Chiefs effortlessly dispatched a lowly Bears squad in Week 3, walking away with a resounding 41-10 victory.

• Travis Kelce continues to operate as the only fantasy-relevant pass-catcher on the offense.

• Isaih Pacheco (1 Rushing TD), Clyde Edwards-Helaire (1 Rushing TD), and Jerrick McKinnon (2 Receiving TD) combined for four of the Chiefs' five offensive touchdowns.

Las Vegas Raiders: McDaniels Fails Math Class

• The Raiders elected to go for a field goal while down eight points with less than two minutes remaining, inevitably losing the game by five points.

• Head Coach Josh McDaniels cited an eight-point game as a two-possession lead, forgetting that two-point conversions exist and touchdowns are worth six points.

• Davante Adams feasted for fantasy managers despite the Raiders' horrendous offensive outputs.

• Josh Jacobs has regressed back to being an inefficient plodder on a bottom-feeding offense.

Los Angeles Chargers: Coffee’s for Closers

• The Chargers were finally able to close out a close game in which they had the lead after three consecutive losses in such outings, dating back to their divisional loss to the Jaguars in the 2022 playoffs.

• The Chargers passing attack steamrolled through the Vikings with Keenan Allen leading the way.

• Allen had a career game, earning 20 targets with 18 receptions for 215 yards while throwing a 49-yard passing touchdown to Mike Williams.

• Unfortunately, Williams suffered a devastating knee injury shortly thereafter and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2023 season.

• Josh Kelley is a meaningless asset despite increased playing time sans Austin Ekeler.

• Quentin Johnston continues to disappoint, catching two of just three targets. Johnston will have to step up in Williams' absence if the Chargers hope to keep their Week 3 momentum rolling.

Los Angeles Rams: Back to Earth

• After a historic start to his rookie campaign, Puka Nacua returned to earth in Week 3. Encouragingly, the rookie still managed to haul in five of seven targets for 72 yards.

• Kyren Williams was bottled up, showcasing a sickeningly low scoring ceiling once he faced inevitable touchdown regression.

Miami Dolphins: Historic Scoring Performance

• The Dolphins scored 70 points against the Broncos in Week 3, marking the second-highest total in NFL history and the highest mark since 1966.

• Head coach Mike McDaniel had zero moral conundrums when running up the score, electing to dial up a 68-yard touchdown bomb with his backups in the game while up 40+ points.

• Raheem Mostert (13 CAR/82 RSH YDS/7 REC/60 REC YDS/4 Total TD) and DeVon Achane (18 CAR/203 RSH YDS/4 REC/30 REC YDS/4 Total TD) combined for eight total touchdowns and 375 yards of offense.

• Tyreek Hill caught nine of his team-high 11 targets for 157 yards and one touchdown.

• Tua Tagovailoa completed 22 consecutive passes before his first incompletion. Tua finished with 309 yards and four touchdowns completing 23/26 attempts.

• All of this occurred while Jaylen Waddle was sidelined with a concussion.

Minnesota Vikings: SK(0-3)L

• The Vikings drop to 0-3 after losing another winnable game against the Chargers in Week 3.

• Justin Jefferson is pacing to set the single-season receiving yards record, continuing his league-wide dominance with seven receptions for 149 yards and one touchdown in Week 3.

New England Patriots: Pats Keep Jets Grounded

• The Patriots' defense conceded a mere 171 total yards, allowing just one touchdown and one field goal to the Jets in Week 3. 

• The stout defensive unit of the Patriots sealed the win after a late Jets touchdown with a Safety of Zach Wilson in the Jets' own end zone.

New Orleans Saints: Carr Crash

• Derek Carr was forced out of the Saints Week 3 loss to the Packers after a forceful hit. Carr is expected to make a return this season but will likely miss several weeks in recovery.

• Jameis Winston stepped up as the leading quarterback, completing 10/16 attempts for 101 yards.

• Chris Olave is a confirmed superstar. The second-year breakout continues as Olave topped the Saints with eight receptions on 11 targets for 104 yards.

New York Giants: Dimes a Dozen

• Daniel Jones and the Giants' offense managed just 12 total points against the 49ers in Week 3.

• Jones looked flummoxed in the face of the 49ers defensive front, finishing the game with 137 yards passing, five yards rushing, and no touchdowns.

• The Giants' rushing attack was non-existent, managing just 29 total yards sans Saquon Barkley.

New York Jets: Grounded Without Flight

• Zach Wilson got his second full start of the 2023 season, tallying 157 passing yards on a 50.0% completion rating (18/36).

• Garrett Wilson is a YAC monster, capable of taking any target to the house for six points but even he cannot withstand the continuous dysfunction of such poor quarterback play.

• Breece Hall was frustrated with his usage as the team continued to monitor his usage on a pitch count despite an incredible Week 1 performance.

• Dalvin Cook is dusty.

• Fullback Nate Bawden scored the team’s only touchdown.

Philadelphia Eagles: The Swift Era

• D’Andre Swift has quickly established himself as the most effective and efficient running back on the Eagles roster. Swift followed up a stellar Week 2 performance by rushing for 130 yards on 16 carries in Week 3.

• A.J. Brown’s sideline antics from Week 2 must have been duly noted by the coaching staff as the team appeased their top wideout with 14 targets in Week 3. Brown hauled in nine for 131 yards, leading the Eagles in all receiving categories, save for Olamide Zaccheaus’ unecessary and unpredictable touchdown grab.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Steel Curtain Call

• The Steelers rode a resilient defensive performance to victory in Week 3, downing the Raiders 23-18.

• The team forced three interceptions and one fumble with seven total team sacks.

• Kenny Pickett appeared more confident than in weeks past but hit his ceiling at 235 yards and two touchdowns.

• Najee Harris is a liability on your fantasy rosters.

San Francisco 49ers: Bay Area Beatdown

• After three weeks of action, the 49ers appear to be the most well-rounded and dominant team in the NFL.

• They are allowing just 14.0 points and 278 total yards per game on defense (both ranked top 3) while putting up 30.0 points and 408 yards per game on offense (both ranked top 3).

• The 49ers' 30-12 victory over the Giants extends their regular season winning streak to 13 games and Brock Purdy’s regular season winning streak to nine games.

Seattle Seahawks: A One-Headed Backfield

• Kenneth Walker III found the end zone twice, leading the Seahawks backfield with 18 rush attempts for 97 yards.

• Zach Charbonnet will surely need an injury to Walker III if he hopes to make a significant impact in his rookie season. Charbonnet had nine rush attempts for 46 yards, catching one of two targets for negative one yard.

• DK Metcalf was limited in practice throughout the week but suited up without limitations, catching six of his team-high eight targets for 112 yards.

• Geno Smith found rookie wideout Jake Bobo for his first-ever NFL touchdown.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: One Shy of Baker’s Dozen

• The Buccaneers managed to score just 11 points against the Eagles in Week 3, mounting just one touchdown drive, one field goal drive and securing a Safety against the offense.

• Baker Mayfield regressed after two impressive starts, completing 15/35 attempts for 146 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

• Mike Evans appears to be the only startable fantasy asset on the Buccaneers’ roster as Rachaad White and Chris Godwin continue to post menial stats.

Tennessee Titans: King Without a Crown

• The Titans' offense got devoured by Myles Garrett and the Browns, posting just 130 yards of total production with no touchdowns.

• Derrick Henry managed just 1.8 yards per carry, tallying 20 yards on 11 attempts.

• Henry’s 2.0 PPR points are the lowest total of his NFL career in any game in which the running back has at least 10 carries.

• Tyjae Spears continues to reap significant volume from Henry.

• Spears out-snapped Henry 25 to 17 in the Titans loss. The rookie running back has now outpaced his veteran teammate in playing time during two of three games.

Washington Commanders: Oh Howell No

• Leading into Week 3, The Commanders boasted a 2-0 record on the back of a very solid rushing game from Brian Robinson and surprisingly competent quarterback play from first-year starter Sam Howell.

• Howell imploded against the Bills, mounting zero touchdown drives with four interceptions.

• Antonio Gibson fumbled again. His role moving forward may be non-existent.

Much respect, thank you for reading. If you have any continued thoughts and would like to share, I am always available for an open conversation on Twitter: @PsychWardFF or Instagram: @psychwardff.

You can find my other works as the Lead Writer and DOC at Broto Fantasy Football.

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By Matt Ward