Fantasy Football Week 3 Rankings: Matchups We Love and Player Stat Projections
Week 3 of the 2022 NFL season has arrived, and hopefully your fantasy football rosters are ready for it.
That could be more challenging than it has been as injuries start to pile up, but all you can do is put your best foot forward and hope the football gods are kind to your team.
Oh, you can also peruse through our weekly rankings here, which include our top picks at the marquee positions and a player with an exploitable matchup at each spot.
Quarterback
Top 10
1. Josh Allen, BUF (at MIA)
2. Patrick Mahomes, KC (at IND)
3. Lamar Jackson, BAL (at NE)
4. Jalen Hurts, PHI (at WAS)
5. Kyler Murray, ARI (vs. LAR)
6. Justin Herbert, LAC (vs. JAX)
7. Matthew Stafford, LAR (at ARI)
8. Kirk Cousins, MIN (vs. DET)
9. Joe Burrow, CIN (at NYJ)
10. Tom Brady, TB (vs. GB)
Matchup to Exploit: Kirk Cousins vs. Detroit Lions
Fantasy managers who sat through Cousins' three-interception outing against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2 probably aren't rushing to put him back out there, but his bounce-back potential is strong.
The Lions have allowed the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, per FantasyPros, and they've been gouged every way possible. Jalen Hurts burned them with his legs (90 rushing yards and a score). Carson Wentz got them with his arm (337 passing yards and three touchdowns).
It's possible (probable?) that this pass defense just isn't very good, and Cousins has the playmakers around him to capitalize on a good matchup.
Projected stats: 283 passing yards, three touchdowns
Running Back
Top 20
1. Jonathan Taylor, IND (vs. KC)
2. Christian McCaffrey, CAR (vs. NO)
3. Austin Ekeler, LAC (vs. JAX)
4. Dalvin Cook, MIN (vs. DET)
5. Saquon Barkley, NYG (vs. DAL)
6. Joe Mixon, CIN (at NYJ)
7. D'Andre Swift, DET (at MIN)
8. Leonard Fournette, TB (vs. GB)
9. Derrick Henry, TEN (vs. LV)
10. Alvin Kamara, NO (at CAR)
11. David Montgomery, CHI (vs. HOU)
12. Javonte Williams, DEN (vs. SF)
13. Aaron Jones, GB (at TB)
14. Antonio Gibson, WAS (vs. PHI)
15. Miles Sanders, PHI (at WAS)
16. James Conner, ARI (vs. LAR)
17. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (at NYG)
18. Josh Jacobs, LV (at TEN)
19. Michael Carter, NYJ (vs. CIN)
20. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC (at IND)
Matchup to Exploit: Joe Mixon at New York Jets
It's been a slightly frustrating start to the season for Mixon. He hasn't found the end zone yet, and his 3.0 yards per carry would easily be a career-low.
At the same time, his volume is top-of-the-charts good. In an era where bell cow running backs are nearing extinction, that's exactly the kind of workload he's getting. He already has 46 carries, plus another 10 receptions on 13 targets.
It feels like a breakout is brewing, and a date with the Jets' defense could do the trick. New York has surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points to running backs so far, per FantasyPros. That's actually an improvement from last season when they gave up more production to the position than anyone.
Projected stats: 101 rushing yards, 27 receiving yards, two touchdowns
Wide Receiver
Top 20
1. Cooper Kupp, LAR (at ARI)
2. Justin Jefferson, MIN (vs. DET)
3. Tyreek Hill, MIA (vs. BUF)
4. Davante Adams, LV (at TEN)
5. Stefon Diggs, BUF (at MIA)
6. Ja'Marr Chase, CIN (at NYJ)
7. Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (at MIN)
8. Deebo Samuel, SF (at DEN)
9. Jaylen Waddle, MIA (vs. BUF)
10. A.J. Brown, PHI (at WAS)
11. Michael Pittman Jr., IND (vs. KC)
12. Brandin Cooks, HOU (at CHI)
13. Christian Kirk, JAX (at LAC)
14. Michael Thomas, NO (at CAR)
15. Terry McLaurin, WAS (vs. PHI)
16. Tee Higgins, CIN (at NYJ)
17. Keenan Allen, LAC (vs. JAX)
18. CeeDee Lamb, DAL (at NYG)
19. Gabe Davis, BUF (at MIA)
20. Courtland Sutton, DEN (vs. SF)
Matchup to Exploit: Davante Adams at Tennessee Titans
Adams is two games into his Raiders' tenure, and it's been a mixed bag so far.
He was jaw-droppingly good in his first game, collecting 10 of his 17 targets for 141 yards and a touchdown. In Week 2, though, he caught just two of the seven passes thrown his way for 12 yards, though he sort of salvaged his week by finding the end zone.
The 24 targets are encouraging, though, and that level of usage will give him a slew of opportunities to post big numbers. That starts this weekend, when he gets a Tennessee defense that has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers and just watched Stefon Diggs snag 12 receptions for 148 yards and three scores.
Projected stats: 9 receptions for 116 yards, one touchdown