Sep 14, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) rushes the ball for a 46 yard gain against the Oakland Raiders in the first quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Week two was full of injuries and a lot of fantasy disappointment. Don’t get too down in the dumps over the injuries your fantasy teams had over the weekend, because there is still a lot of football to be played.
This week, Week 3, I will be going over the matchups game by game, giving you a fantasy MVP from that game.
With my prediction of a “fantasy MVP,” I am trying to give you the less popular selections, because the studs on your teams like Dez Bryant are obvious starts for you on a week-to-week basis.
The mid-tier to sleeper talents are who I’m focusing on to help you make some of your tough start-sit decisions. If you need additional help, feel free to contact me on Twitter: @bmatz08.
Let’s look at my fantasy football MVPs for Sept. 17-23.
Thursday, Sept. 18
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons (8:25 p.m. ET)
Bobby Rainey, RB (Tampa Bay):
Last week, he ran for 144 yards against the Rams. This week he will be playing Atlanta and their deplorable defense. Expect Rainey to put up solid fantasy production.
Projection: 110 yards rushing, 1 TD
Sunday, Sept. 21
Sep 14, 2014; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins (14) runs after a catch as Miami Dolphins strong safety Jimmy Wilson (27) pursues during the first half at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
• San Diego Chargers at Buffalo Bills (1 p.m. ET)
Sammy Watkins, WR (Buffalo)
Watkins had his coming out party against the Dolphins, recording eight receptions for 117 yards and a TD. I expect Buffalo quarterback E.J. Manuel to continue targeting Watkins frequently.
Projection: 7 receptions, 96 yards
• Dallas Cowboys at St. Louis Rams (1 p.m. ET)
DeMarco Murray, RB (Dallas)
Murray had 29 rushes for 167 yards and a TD against the Titans last week. The Rams gave up 144 yards rushing to Tampa Bay running back Bobby Rainey. I expect Murray to duplicate what he did against the Titans. He is Dallas’s feature back and will get over 20 carries during this game.
Projection: 120 yards, one TD, 2 receptions for 15 yards
• Washington Redskins at Philadelphia Eagles (1 p.m. ET)
Kirk Cousins, QB (Washington)
Robert Griffin III dislocated his ankle early last Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Cousins rose to the occasion, throwing for 250 yards and 2 TDs. Cousins is one of the better backup QBs in the NFL. He is very talented, and I expect him to take advantage of this opportunity.
Projection: 280 yards, 2 TDs
• Houston Texans at New York Giants (1 p.m. ET)
Arian Foster, RB (Houston)
Foster is going to get a lot of touches in this game. Week 1, he had 27 touches, and last week, he totaled 28 touches. Both games were against favorable matchups, against Washington and Oakland. The Giants defense is just as bad as his two previous matchups, and Foster should get a lot of work – and a lot of fantasy points – in Week 3.
Projection: 130 yards rushing, 2 TDs
• Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints (1 p.m. ET)
Brandin Cooks, WR (New Orleans)
I love Brandin Cooks, and he’s going to be a must-start every week. He had a rocky outing last week against the Cleveland Browns, only recording seven fantasy points, but the Browns are tough on defense, and Cooks gets targeted a lot. Cooks will get his opportunity against a Vikings team that got rolled on by the Patriots on Week 2.
Projection: 9 receptions, 95 yards, TD
• Tennessee Titans at Cincinnati Bengals (1 p.m. ET)
Mohamed Sanu, WR (Cincinnati)
AJ Green is currently suffering from turf toe. This is Sanu’s time to shine. Last week, he reeled in three receptions for 84 yards and a TD. Sanu’s targets will increase, as he’s a big fast receiver who can’t stretch a defense.
Projection: 4 receptions, 90 yards
• Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns (1 p.m. ET)
Andrew Hawkins, WR (Cleveland)
Against the Saints, Hawkins was targeted 12 times, tallying up six receptions for 70 yards. Hawkins is Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer‘s favorite target. Hawkins should receive plenty of looks again this week against the Ravens.
Projection: 7 receptions, 77 yards
• Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions (1 p.m.)
Davante Adams, WR (Green Bay)
This game is going to be fantasy fireworks, as both teams produce high volumes of fantasy points on a weekly basis. Adams caught five passes for 50 yards last week against the Jets, and I’m going to go out on a limb and nominate him as the MVP of this game. He’s a very talented rookie from Fresno State who was drafted in the second round, and he is starting to earn playing time.
Projection: 4 receptions, 60 yards, TD