Josh Allen

It's not every week a record-setting play wins an NFL game, but that's exactly what happened on Sunday in Week 3.

The Baltimore Ravens beat the Detroit Lions 19-17 on a 66-yard-field goal by Justin Ticker as time expired. He needed every ounce of strength he put into the kick, because it bounced off the crossbar and through the uprights.

JUSTIN TUCKER ARE YOU KIDDING ME.

NFL-RECORD 66-YARD KICK FOR THE WIN 🤯🤯🤯

(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/J01TL9DPNc

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 26, 2021

Elsewhere, we saw Los Angeles Chargers put together a statement win in an early game on Sunday, going on the road to beat the Chiefs 30-24 in a back-and-forth thriller. The key to the Chargers' victory was a late decision to go for it on 4th-and-9 with the game tied at 24. The play led to a pass interference call and a first down, and a few plays later Justin Herbert hit Mike Williams for the game-winning touchdown pass.

The high-stakes action also led to some big fantasy football numbers. We'll take a look at some of the top performers in Week 3. This list will be updated with the scores and top fantasy performers from the later games and Sunday Night Football.

       

NFL Week 3 Results

Panthers 24, Texans 9 (Thursday)

Los Angeles Chargers 30, Kansas City 24

Arizona 31, Jacksonville 19

Cleveland 26, Chicago 9

Buffalo 43, Washington 21

Tennessee 25, Indianapolis 16

New Orleans 28, New England 13

Atlanta 17, New York Giants 14

Cincinnati 24, Pittsburgh 10

Baltimore 19, Detroit 17

Denver 26, New York Jets 0

Los Angeles Rams 34, Tampa Bay 24

Minnesota Vikings 30, Seattle Seahawks 17

Las Vegas 31, Miami 28 (OT)

Green Bay 30, San Francisco 28

     

Top Fantasy Performers

Josh Allen, QB, BUF (ESPN PPR: 37.22 points)

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was up to his usual tricks in a blowout 43-21 win over Washington on Sunday. Allen threw for 358 yards and four touchdowns while adding nine yards and another score as a runner. As ESPN Stats & Info noted, Buffalo hasn't ever had a signal-caller quite like him:

Today is Josh Allen's 5th career game with 4 Pass TD and 300 Pass yards, breaking a tie with Jim Kelly for most in Bills history. pic.twitter.com/qSgnbbs8GG

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 26, 2021

Allen was generous with the football, no doubt aiding some fantasy football quests on Sunday. Cole Beasley had 11 catches for 98 yards, Emmanuel Sanders had 94 yards and two touchdowns and both Dawson Knox and Zack Moss reeled in touchdowns from the fourth-year QB. Even Stefon Diggs had a workmanlike showing, with six catches for 62 yards.

When Allen is on his game, Buffalo's offense is as dynamic as any in the league. He has a bevy of pass-catchers with complementary skill sets at his disposal. Allen had something of a slow start as a passer to the year, but it looks like he's rounding into form after a near-perfect showing against a talented Washington defense.

      

Justin Herbert (ESPN PPR: 30.84) and Mike Williams (ESPN PPR: 33.2)

Speaking of slow starts, there were whispers of a sophomore slump for Herbert after he had just two touchdown passes and three interceptions in the first two games. He put those fears to rest against the Chiefs, throwing for 281 yards and four touchdowns. He did a fine job of taking what the Chiefs defense gave him, and unlike previous weeks, managed to avoid any costly red-zone mistakes.

Herbert's favorite target this week was Williams, who finished with seven catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns, including the aforementioned game-winner. 

Justin Herbert connects with Mike Williams for the CLUTCH TD

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/wNYRuMvLJb

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 26, 2021

After four up-and-down seasons, Williams, 26, is finally looking like what the Chargers had in mind when they took him seventh overall in the 2017 NFL draft. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi has figured out how to make the most of his imposing 6'4" frame, sending him on slant and fade routes where he can use his body to shield defenders. 

Williams is in a contract year, and with four touchdowns already on the season looks well on his way to a massive payday. He may want to look at staying with the Chargers if they can afford him, as there's only a handful of QBs who can match Herbert's arm talent. 

       

Najee Harris, RB, PIT (ESPN PPR: 28.2)

Pittsburgh struggled offensively against the Cincinnati Bengals in a 24-10 loss on Sunday, but that didn't stop rookie running back Najee Harris from putting up big fantasy-football numbers. In fact, Harris benefitted from the disjointed offense and Ben Roethlisberger's inability to find targets downfield. He finished with a staggering 14 receptions for 102 yards, while adding another 40 rushing yards on 14 carries.

FanDuel's J.J. Zachariason pointed out just how rare it is for a running back to see that much action in the passing game:

Najee Harris had 19 targets today. That's the second-highest target total from a running back since targets started getting recorded in 1992. (Kamara had 20 in 2018.)

— JJ Zachariason (@LateRoundQB) September 26, 2021

Steelers fans (and fantasy owners) will want to see Harris do more on the ground, as he's averaging just 3.1 yards per carry this season. But it's good to see that he can handle a heavy workload (28 total touches) and help out in the passing game when called upon. It might be premature to call it a breakout performance, but it is a sign that Harris is going to be a key part of the offense moving forward.

       

Matthew Stafford (ESPN PPR: 29.52) and Cooper Kupp (ESPN PPR: 30.6)

After three weeks of play, Matthew Stafford is looking like the perfect quarterback for head coach Sean McVay's offensive stylings. The 33-year-old slinger ripped apart a weak Tampa Bay secondary, throwing for 343 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-24 win. 

The Rams offensive line gave Stafford great protection throughout the game, allowing him to dial-up throws like this one to DeSean Jackson.

DESEAN JACKSON.

75-YARD TD.

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/mxn2yVWR0h

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 26, 2021

As has been the case this season, Stafford spent much of the game linking up with Cooper Kupp. The fifth-year wideout hauled in nine catches for 96 yards and two touchdowns. He just missed a third consecutive 100-yard game to start the year, but his scoring streak is intact and he's up to five receiving touchdowns now.

Kupp isn't the most physically impressive wideout, but when you can run routes like this, you're going to get the ball.

Can watch @CooperKupp run routes all day. #RamsHouse

📺: #TBvsLAR on FOX
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/5ynCTP16lM

— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2021

Like the emerging Herbert-Williams connection, this LA duo could end up being one of the best fantasy partnerships in the league this season.

Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen currently has the best-selling jersey in the NFL, while two rookie quarterbacks rank among the top five heading into Week 1 of the 2021 regular season. 

Mac Jones of the New England Patriots and Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears rank second and fourth in NFL jersey sales since Aug. 1, respectively, according to Fanatics:

Football is BACK! Here are the top-selling NFL jerseys heading into Week 1 pic.twitter.com/aoojEKlHMy

— Fanatics (@Fanatics) September 9, 2021

Jones and Fields making it into the top five against such established players speaks volumes about how high the expectations are for both rookies. 

Tom Brady (No. 3) and Patrick Mahomes (No. 5) are superstars in the NFL, so it's hardly a surprise to see them high on this list. 

Allen has only played at an elite level once in his three seasons, but his historic leap in 2020 catapulted the Bills back to prominence in the AFC. Anyone who has followed the Bills Mafia on social media knows how passionate the fanbase is about supporting their team.

Jones is one of three rookie quarterbacks expected to make their first career start in Week 1. Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Zach Wilson of the New York Jets should also line up under center. 

The Patriots made Jones their starter on Aug. 31 when Cam Newton was released. The 23-year-old had a fantastic preseason, completing 36 of 52 passes for 389 yards and one touchdown in three games. 

How did Mac Jones perform in the preseason by advanced passing metrics relative to the other ten drafted quarterbacks from the 2021 class?

Jones ranked among the top 3⃣ drafted rookies in CPOE (3rd), net passing EPA (2nd), and pass EPA per dropback (2nd).#GoPats | #Patriots pic.twitter.com/wUUhfm2Fsy

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) August 31, 2021

The Bears have opted to go with Andy Dalton as their No. 1 quarterback to start the regular season. Fields should eventually take over the offense after the team traded up nine spots to select him with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 draft. 

Fields, like Jones, also looked good during the preseason. The Ohio State alum went 30-of-49 with 276 passing yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions through the air. He also had 11 carries, 92 yards, one rushing touchdown in three games.

Chicago fans are understandably excited to have a young quarterback with Fields' potential. Even though the wait for him to see the field will be a little longer than they would like, it's clear by sales of his jersey that they will be ready to greet him with open arms whenever head coach Matt Nagy makes the switch.    

Buffalo Bills star quarterback Josh Allen may not be the favorite to win the NFL's MVP in 2021, but he's drawing the most betting attention ahead of the regular season.

ESPN's David Purdum reported Allen "has attracted more bets to win the Associated Press MVP award than any other player at multiple sportsbooks." At BetMGM's sportsbooks, his volume of bets is almost twice as much as Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes.

Caesars Sportsbook lists Allen at 12-1 to be MVP behind Mahomes (5-1) and reigning winner Aaron Rodgers (10-1).

Peyton Manning was the last player to win back-to-back MVPs, doing so in 2008 and 2009. Jim Brown, Joe Montana and Brett Favre are the only other players to pull off the feat.

History isn't on Rodgers' side in his pursuit of a fourth MVP.

Mahomes is arguably the best pure passer in the NFL. Within an MVP context, his candidacy might be docked slightly by the fact that his supporting cast includes Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce.

Allen enjoyed a breakthrough third season, throwing for 4,544 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2020. He also ran for 421 yards and eight scores.

Thanks in part to Allen's ascendance, the Bills won 13 games and claimed their first AFC East title since 1995 en route to reaching the AFC Championship Game.

Bettors aren't the only ones who like the 25-year-old's odds of winning the NFL's top individual honor. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler recently polled a group of executives, scouts and coaches, with Allen emerging as the MVP favorite.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen finished second in NFL MVP voting last year, and it's garnered him more respect from executives around the league heading into the 2021 season.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday on SportsCenter that Allen's dual-threat ability has made him a popular MVP prediction among execs ahead of next week's season-opening home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Highmark Stadium:

There's some sneaky MVP buzz around Josh Allen right now because I've informally polled some execs around the league about who they think is going to win the award. Allen's name has come up a lot because this is a guy who's in a great offense, a team in contention. I'm hearing Allen has been a lot better at mastering the nuances of the game, the pre-snap protections, all those things you need to win at the quarterback position. And he's going to have the ball in his hands more than Luka Doncic. This is a guy that they're either going to pass or run, probably more than 700 times or around there this year. So, he's set up to potentially win it. I'm sure Patrick Mahomes and those gentlemen will have something to say about that, though.

Buffalo's selection of Allen with the seventh overall pick in the 2018 draft was widely chastised, and it initially appeared the critics may have been right.

The University of Wyoming product struggled as a rookie with nearly as many turnovers (14) as touchdowns (18) while completing just 52.8 percent of his throws across 12 games.

Allen made steady progress in 2019 and then took his game to an elite level in 2020.

Last year, he posted a 69.2 percent completion rate—a 10.4 percent single-season increase—along with 45 total touchdowns (37 passing and eight rushing) while guiding the Bills to a 13-3 record for their first division title since 1995. He ranked third in ESPN's Total QBR behind only the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers, who won the MVP Award, and Mahomes.

Allen and the Bills ultimately advanced to the AFC Championship Game before getting eliminated from the playoffs by Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Buffalo rewarded the 25-year-old California native for his breakout season with a six-year, $258 million contract extension that runs through 2028.

"At the end of the day, it's still a lot of money. As someone alluded to earlier, it's generational wealth and something to be super proud of," Allen told reporters after signing the deal in early August. "The ultimate goal for now is winning, and it's not going to matter if we don't win."

Buffalo's championship window is open for the first time since the '90s, and its ability to potentially chase down the first Super Bowl title in franchise history is directly tied to Allen continuing the play at the MVP level he started to reach last year.

Neither the 2020 Pro Bowl selection nor the Bills as a whole are going to catch anybody off guard in 2021, though. They're now among the hunted in a top-heavy AFC that also counts the Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns as legitimate contenders.

Allen and Co. do have a chance to start strong with three home games over the first four weeks, starting next Sunday against the Steelers.

An 11-year-old Buffalo Bills fan from Syracuse, New York, celebrated the completion of his chemotherapy this week by jumping through a makeshift table.

Joshy Hutchison, wearing a Josh Allen jersey and Bills helmet, smashed through a table constructed of cardboard before ringing the bell to signify the conclusion of his cancer treatment:

WATCH: 11-year-old Joshy Hutchison is a huge Buffalo #Bills fan and he decided to jump through a "table" following his last chemo session in Syracuse! His grandmother Karen Hutchison says he wants to go to a Bills game and meet Josh Allen. (Video via Karen Hutchison) #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/pcQsvW2WTF

— 7 News WKBW (@WKBW) September 1, 2021

Joshy's grandmother, Karen Hutchison, told 7 Eyewitness News in Buffalo that he now wants to attend a Bills game and meet Allen.

That may be a possibility after the Bills' superstar quarterback reacted to Joshy's video:

This is so awesome! https://t.co/sArXBHEPaI

— Josh Allen (@JoshAllenQB) September 2, 2021

Joshy's celebratory dive through the table was inspired by Bills Mafia, which is the nickname for the Bills fanbase.

For several years, many Bills fans have jumped through wooden folding tables at tailgate parties outside Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.

The end of Joshy's chemotherapy comes shortly before the start of the 2021 NFL regular season.

Buffalo will open its season at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 12, and it is widely expected to be a top Super Bowl contender after reaching the AFC Championship Game last season.