You cannot be static playing this game.

Opinions you had in the past must be malleable, no matter how hard-set. 

To win at fantasy means you must adjust those expectations. If you don’t you’ll left in the dust. 

What’s great (and paradoxically horrible at the same time) about this game is that nothing is constant. There are no sure-fire players or teams. Try as we may to predict the outcome based on matchups, past performance, talent, peripheral coaching and players—hell, even the weather–we eventually find ourselves at the same conclusion.

That conclusion is this: I never saw that coming.

Tua Tagovailoa just passed for six touchdowns last Sunday.

Six.

I write these words and I still don’t believe them.

I don’t believe them because I never saw that coming. 

What happened last Sunday was interesting from a coaching perspective. Last year Miami shut down the Baltimore offense running a zero-coverage defensive scheme. They dared Lamar to throw into man coverage against two of the better cornerbacks in the league while they blitzed him from every direction. The Ravens averaged 27.6 points/game up until that point. The Dolphins that week held them to 10. 

The question then Sunday was how were the Ravens supposed to counter to a scheme that held them in check. It would have to be against man coverage, and it would be up to Lamar Jackson to connect with Rashod Bateman to open this up, which they did in the second quarter.

The thinking is that if Jackson could make them pay enough times for playing man coverage without any help on the back end the Dolphins would relent from their zero-coverage looks and go into a traditional zone-2 or -3. Once Jackson hit Bateman for that 75 yard touchdown the floodgates opened. What turned into a 7-7 game snowballed into a 35-14 Ravens lead with seconds left in the third quarter.

We could see this coming. This was a possibility if the Ravens could master the Dolphins’ scheme.

What happened next no one saw coming.

The Dolphins offense went nuclear. 

In the fourth quarter alone, Tua threw for four touchdowns.

We thought that if the Ravens could unlock Miami’s stranglehold they’d win. All they had to do was successfully counter what the Dolphins were throwing at them. They just never saw Miami’s counter to their counter, and that counter involved none other than Tua Tagovailoa throwing four frickin’ touchdowns in a matter of twelve minutes. 

I write these words and I still don’t believe it.

But I have to.

We all have to now. 

Because that’s how one must play this game. 

Fantasy football Week 3 start ’em

Quarterbacks to start in Week 3

Kirk Cousins vs Detroit

Quick! Start Kirk Cousins now while this is a home day game that, as of right now, will not be on national television. Just when he punches you in the gut with a bad game in which you started him he’ll counter with an uppercut for sitting him in a game he goes off for four TDs. Welcome to the joy of drafting Cousins for your lineup. It will be a 17-round boxing match that will leave both of you begging for it to end. 

Jalen Hurts vs Washington 

Right now I am just going to blindly start any quarterback that plays the Commanders.

(::checks the Week 3 schedule::)

Oh cool, it’s Jalen Hurts. Even better. QB1 finish here we come. 

Running backs to start in Week 3

David Montgomery vs. Texans

He’s at home and the Texans would love nothing more for you to run on them. That and funnel all your throws to your no.1 receiver, but this is the Bears, and for all we know Equanimeous St. Brown is their top receiver. They’re stubborn about running the ball, and run the ball they shall. Start Monty against the 27^th-ranked fantasy defense against the run.

Leonard Fournette vs Green Bay

For all the hype Green Bay received in the offseason about improving their defense it doesn’t seem to have shored up against the run. They gave up 126 yards against the Vikings in week 1 and followed up by allowing 180 to the Bears. They’re now flying down to hot and muggy Tampa where Rodgers never plays well (more on this later) and Tampa’s offense right now is Fournette. Mike Evans is suspended, they’re signing Cole Beasley off the streets and they may be rushing Chris Godwin back from injury. They will be relying on Fournette on this one, so start him without hesitation.

Wide receivers and tight ends to start in Week 3

Amon-Ra St Brown vs Vikings

He is officially on fire, and this carried over from last season. Goff loves to hyper-target him and he will find a way to 8+ receptions for his seventh-straight game. That is not ending against a Minnesota team that got torn up in the air on Monday. 

DK Metcalf vs Atlanta

I know. 

He has been horrible. 

Like close your eyes and dare not look horrible.

But there are a few things working in his favor. #1: Pete Carroll talked publicly about Geno Smith airing it out more and focusing on getting the ball to DK. #2: He is much better at home. Go look at his home/away fantasy splits. He’s much more likely to score in Seattle. #3: He is playing Atlanta who are 30^th against pass catchers through the first two weeks of the season.

I think you can start him this week and be quite pleased. 

You may just want to close your eyes when you do.

Tyler Higbee vs Cardinals

Once upon a time you wanted to play your tight ends against Arizona. They perennially ranked last in the league and were an easy bucket for TE streamers. Defensive coordinators noticed this sieve in their defense and tapped down on this position, for the recent past you did not want to play tight ends against the stingy Cardinals. Well, we’re back. The Cardinals now are back to being horrible against tight ends, so fire up Tyler Higbee this week. This is as close to the eternal return you’ll get with football. 

Fantasy football Week 3 sit ’em

Quarterbacks to sit in Week 3

Kyler Murray vs Los Angeles Rams

He saved your week against the Raiders by pulling off the comeback, but the Rams are not the Raiders. Remember too that the Rams have the Cardinals’ number and have consistently found a way to lock down their division rival. They’ll lock Ramsey on Hollywood Brown leaving…Greg Dortch to carry them to victory? Don’t be so sure of this and pivot from Kyler Murray.

Aaron Rodgers vs Tampa Bay

This is another call based on historical data. Rodgers simply is not good in Tampa, especially in the September heat. The last game in Tampa ended with a 160-0-2 line, and that could’ve been much worse. Tampa Bay’s defense is elite, and his connection with his receivers is still a work in progress. You’d be better off playing a (gulp) Wentz or Goff over Aaron Rodgers this week. 

Running backs to sit in Week 3

Devin Singletary vs. Miami

This is both a usage call and the fact Miami is stellar against the run. The Bills are using a committee at running back and would rather march down the field through the air. Through two games he has run the ball a total of 14 times, and both of those are in blowouts. They simply take him off the field when they’re ahead, so he’s unable to get any cleanup duty which generally bodes well for the starting RB. The end of last season where he ran the ball 20+ times may not come back. 

Chase Edmonds vs Buffalo

This is also a usage call. He got a ton of work in Week 1 and then saw five rushes the following week. Miami is still figuring out their offense, so this one may take some time. I don’t advise dropping him now, but he shouldn’t be anything more than a bench stash until we have clarity. 

Wide receivers and tight ends to sit in Week 3

Marquise Brown vs LA Rams

For reasons discussed above, the Cardinals’ offense is stuttering at best, and now he’s going up against one of the best lockdown corners in the league. Seek other receivers this week.  

Mike Gesicki vs Buffalo

That was really cool that Gesicki scored a week after posting 1 catch for 1 yard against the Patriots in the opener. Oh, the Bills are just as good against the tight end position, if not better, so back Gesicki goes on your waiver wire.