Week 3 is in the books and we are back with the Concern-O-Meter. With several players returning from last week, what are our thoughts heading into week 4. Week 3 was brutal as we had a lot of key players go down injured. However, once again some of our key players let us down.
What is the Concern-O-Meter?
It’s a traffic light system where we highlight five players at each position who underperformed as we identify if you should be concerned or not ahead of the forthcoming week’s schedule.
No Concern at all
Slight Concern
Very Concerned
Concern-O-Meter Week 3 QB - 12 points or less
Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) 11.44FPts
It feels unfair to include Tua after a couple of injuries kept him out for a chunk of the game but he did return to the field. The truth is though, the Bills just didn’t afford Tua and the Miami offense much time on the field as they possessed the ball for under 20 minutes all game (and still went 3-0) Furthermore, as long as Tua has Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to target then he will be just fine. A short week and a game against the Bengals should see a high scoring back and forth which will get Tua back on track.
Matthew Stafford (LAR) 10.16FPts
After a one week hiatus, he’s back. For the first time as a Rams QB, Stafford didn’t provide a passing touchdown. However, a rare 30 yard dropped pass by Kupp where he was wide open to tap into the endzone would have made for much better reading. A matchup against a solid 49ers defense who rank 2nd for the least amount of points allowed to QBs through 3 games has me slightly concerned.
Russell Wilson (DEN) 9.06FPts
It’s not quite red alert time for Wilson but he’s edging ever closer. after another disappointing week. Before the season started he was dubbed as a league winning fantasy QB, right now he’s probably losing you games. Last week was a game against one of the meanest defenses for QBs, this week he goes up against the 5th most generous defense to the position. If he can’t get it done this week then it’s time to panic. This is the week that he has to come good.
Carson Wentz (PHI) 8.64FPts
No revenge for Wentz in the game against the team that drafted him. It was a brutal outing as he was sacked 7 times by the Eagles defense. Although, Crazy but true, through the first three weeks of the year Wentz is the 5th best QB in fantasy football. Despite a solid start, an upcoming matchup against Dallas, the 9th tightest defense against QBs has me slightly concerned.
Justin Fields (CHI) 6.94FPts
It’s time to give up on Fields. If he was a running back then he’d have an impressive stat line. However, I am getting a deja vu feeling from last week as Fields limited his throwing again, throwing just 17 times with a mere 8 completions. This isn’t sustainable for a viable Fantasy QB starter. Fun Fact: for context on the lack of throwing by Fields, Marquise Brown (24) has more receptions than the Bears receivers combined (23)
Concern-O-Meter Week 3 RB - 9 points or less
Javonte Williams (DEN) 9.0FPts
Williams only just made it on to the Concern-O-Meter this week. I am not worried whatsoever, he still had 15 carries and 3 receptions but just came up against a solid 49ers defense in the Sunday Night punt fest. Next up is the third worst defense against running backs and Williams will feast.
James Conner (ARI) 8.7FPts
Conner is another play who only just made it on to the Concern-O-Meter this week. He’s the clear lead back for the Cardinals but struggled to get rolling against the Rams, averaging 3YPC. Conner also managed to haul in 3 receptions for 18 yards. Next up, an easier assignment against the Panthers should see Conner have a good week.
D'Andre Swift (DET) 7.6FPts
Clearly on a limited snap count this week as Swift recovers from his week 2 knock. Luckily the Lions have Jamaal Williams to step up and fill in the lead role. Nothing to be worried about here though, as Swift continues to recover he’ll be back to being the Lions lead back and one of the best fantasy RBs.
Alvin Kamara (NO) 7.3FPts
I have a lot of shares of Kamara and he is quickly becoming the most frustrating player to have rostered. The thing is, he’s not putting up horrendous numbers as he managed 61 yards on the ground and 7 targets out of the backfield against the Panthers. He just needs more touchdowns, let’s just hope it’s not this weekend as I head to watch the Saints take on my beloved Vikings in London.
Joe Mixon (CIN) 6.8FPts
I’ll be honest, I expected so much more of Mixon this year and he’s not quite lived up to expectations. Mixon’s slow start on the ground continued but the thing that worries me the most was the lack of effectiveness he had against the Jets, Bengals backup back Samaje Perine did a much better job. Next up is a TNF matchup against the 3-0 Dolphins who are middle of the pack for points given up to RBs.
Concern-O-Meter Week 3 WR - 8 points or less
Chase Claypool (PIT) 7.6FPts
We have had Claypool’s teammate Diontae Johnson here for the past two weeks and as predicted last week, he came good. However, Claypool is seeing significantly less targets than the aforementioned Johnson. With concerns at QB in Pittsburgh I am slightly concerned for Claypool. The thing that saved me putting Claypool on red alert? You guessed it, a game against the Jets.
Davante Adams (LV) 7.6FPts
After what seemed like every target going Adams’ way in week 1, I didn’t expect to see him land on here. However, Adams still had 10 targets, joint most with this week’s hottest waiver wire target Mack Hollins. Unfortunately, Adams could only haul in 50% of his targets for just 36 yards but he continued his touchdown streak. I am not worried at all.
Gabe Davis (BUF) 6.7FPts
After the week 2 absence Davis was back however he didn’t quite hit the heavy heights of his opening day display. After a disappointing Fantasy performance this week, I was somewhat surprised to see that Davis featured on 88% of snaps, the problem was that he only had 6 targets and caught just 3 of them for 37 yards. Despite a lacklustre outing I’m not worried at all. This is a player who has Josh Allen throwing him the ball, he’ll be just fine. Next up for Davis and the Bills is the Ravens, a team who are ranked dead last against wide receivers, giving up a whopping 42.3 points per game.
Rashod Bateman (BAL) 5.9FPts
The problem that Bateman has is that the Ravens have the best receiving tight end in football, Mark Andrews. For context, this week Andrews had 11 targets which was the most amongst the Ravens receivers, Bateman followed up second in targets with 4 but hauled in just 2 of them. Whilst the targets weren’t there this week, the glimmer of hope though is that Bateman averaged 29.5 yards per catch. Add in a tricky matchup against the Bills and I am somewhat worried about Bateman this week.
Tyreek Hill (MIA) 5.3FPts
For the first time this season Hill had less than 12 targets in a game, mustering up a mere 4 targets. However, when you consider that Tua and Teddy Bridgewater combined for just 20 pass attempts, it’s hardly surprising as the Bills restricted Miami to less than 20 minutes on offense. No need to worry as Hill will bounce back against the Bengals in this week’s TNF game.
Concern-O-Meter Week 3 TE - 6 points or less
Cole Kmet (CHI) 6.0FPts
This week Kmet had season highs for targets and receptions, even putting his first Fantasy points on the board. However, as long as Fields is the QB in Chicago I struggle to have faith in any of the Bears receivers, not just Kmet. A stern test against the Giants lays ahead and I am on red alert for Kmet and the Bears receivers.
Irv Smith Jr. (MIN) 5.2FPts
This one pains me. As an Irv Smith truther ahead of the season I thought that last week was the beginning of the revival but nope, he’s back on the Concern-O-Meter. I am slightly concerned this week for Smith Jr as the Vikings face the Saints who have the fourth best defense against tight ends, allowing just 4.3PPG. Plus, playing one of your Fantasy players in the London game is just like playing someone on a Thursday Night game – normally it’s full of misery.
Darren Waller (LV) 5.2FPts
Another Raiders receiver on this week’s list. In my opinion Waller is the Fantasy player who has disappointed the most. Through the first three weeks of the season Waller has just 13 hauls and in the game against the Titans he struggled to hold the ball. Snap count isn’t an issue for Waller, he just needs more productivity and a game against the Broncos who are the sixth most generous in the league to tight ends, allowing 12.0PPG, he should get back on track.
Gerald Everett (LAC) 4.5FPts
The banged up Chargers looked abysmal this week and couldn’t get anything going. Targets weren’t the issue for Everett this week as he had 6, but only secured 2 of them. It appears as though Keenan Allen is set to return this week against the Texans, this is great news for Everett owners as it will free him up more to make the impact provided in week one and two. I am not worried here at all.
Logan Thomas (WAS) 2.5FPts
Thomas is the ultimate boom or bust guy at tight end. He is reliant on getting into the paint and if this doesn’t happen then it’s likely he’ll have a bad week. Next up, the Cowboys who have allowed just 5.3PPG to tight ends. A tricky matchup puts Thomas on red alert this week.
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Image Credit: Ron Chenoy – USA TODAY Sports
