It’s Week 3 in the NFL, and it’s do or die for a number of 0-2 teams in real and fantasy football. Let’s take a look at some players who owners should start and sit .
Start
Lance Dunbar, RB, Dallas Cowboys
The Atlanta Falcons are giving up the most points to opposing fantasy backs so far this year, according to NFL.com. However, a large chunk of those points haven’t been coming on the ground. Consider this, Philadelphia Eagles running back DeMarco Murray had eight carries for nine yards against Atlanta. Ryan Mathews had three carries for four yards. Darren Sproles on the other had five carries for 50 yards. In the passing game, Sproles had seven receptions for 76 yards, Mathews had three for 24 yards and Murray had four for 11 yards and a touchdown. In Week 2 against the New York Giants, Atlanta held Big Blue’s running backs to 97 yards on 23 total carries, including just 12 yards on nine carries for starter Rashad Jennings. Receiving back Shane Vereen was able to gouge the Falcons for 76 yards on eight receptions. I’m not saying to sit running back Joseph Randle, in fact the Cowboys will need to rely on him with both quarterback Tony Romo and receiver Dez Bryant out. I am saying that this matchup seems to favor receiving back Lance Dunbar whose role as a receiver is growing in an offense that needs to find ways to advance the ball.
Isaiah Crowell, RB, Cleveland Browns
Running back Isaiah Crowell rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries last week against the Tennessee Titans. This week Crowell gets an easy matchup in the Oakland Raiders who allowed 63 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Bengals running back Jeremy Hill in Week 1 and 68 yards on 15 carries to Baltimore back Justin Forsett in Week 2. The Ravens’ backup tailback Lorenzo Taliaferro did the rest of the damage with 34 yards on seven carries and a touchdown. The only worrisome part of Sunday’s matchup for Crowell isn’t anything on the Raiders’ defense but rather Crowell’s teammate and rookie running back Duke Johnson. Crowell had just three more carries than Johnson on Sunday, down from the five-carry differential there was between the two in Week 1. Crowell was able to out-produce Johnson on Sunday as he had 4.8 yards per carry to Johnson’s 3.6.
Related players to start: Duke Johnson, RB, Cleveland Browns
John Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals
The last time John Brown played the San Francisco 49ers for real (meaning without Ryan Lindley at quarterback while limping into the playoffs) . That was when Brown was the third option in the passing game. Now he’s the No. 2 option in an offense that’s firing on all cylinders. Brown had the second-most targets in both Arizona’s outings, he had seven in Week 1 and five in Week 2. Even better, the 49ers have been very generous to opposing receivers. Last week, Pittsburgh torched them for a whopping 369 receiving yards among five pass catchers.
Related players to start: Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Gary Barnidge, TE, Cleveland Browns
Here’s a little less obvious pick that may work as a sneaky spot start for those in need at the tight end position. Cleveland’s Gary Barnidge isn’t very well known in fantasy but he was targeted five times in the team’s opener against the New York Jets. That number was second highest on the team. In Week 2 against Tennessee however, he only had one catch for 17 yards. There’s some risk here but the desperate can take solace in the fact that the Oakland Raiders (yes, it’s pick on Oakland day) have surrendered a grand total and 200 receiving yards to opposing tight ends over the past two weeks. Barnidge is purely a matchup-based start. Don’t get cute and start him over tight end Rob Gronkowski, but if you’ve got someone like Miami’s tight end Jordan Cameron and he ends up being inactive for Sunday, Barnidge may be someone to consider.
Sit
Keenan Allen, WR, San Diego Chargers
It’s a tough battle for the San Diego Chargers who head to TCF Bank Stadium to face the Vikings Sunday. The Vikes have graded out in the top 10 among NFL teams in pass coverage and pass rush. In Week 1, the 49ers opted to ride running back Carlos Hyde against a putrid run defense. Last week, the Vikings held the Lions to a pair of touchdowns. Calvin Johnson caught 10 balls for 83 yards and a touchdown. That statline doesn’t really do the Vikings’ effort justice as “Megatron’s” score came at the tail end of the second quarter when the Vikings switched to a softer defense. Chargers’ receiver Keenan Allen is no Calvin Johnson. Also, with a more potent running attack than Detroit’s, the Chargers might lean on the run a bit more Sunday, if they can exploit Minnesota’s run defense.
Jordan Matthews, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
This game between the New York Jets and the Philadelphia Eagles is shaping up to be a tale of two teams. The perennially dysfunctional New York Jets sit at 2-0 and the Philadelphia Eagles are 0-2 despite the massive hype train. I think the Jets go to 3-0 and part of the reason is because of the Jets dominant defense. The Jets have re-established their “No fly zone” secondary with cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. The duo limited Cleveland’s top two wideouts Brian Hartline and Andrew Hawkins to a paltry 44 yards in Week 1. Indianapolis’ T.Y. Hilton and Andre Johnson did not fare much better putting up 72 yards in total. Eagles receiver Jordan Matthews will receive the same treatment. Don’t let Matthews’ six-catch, 80-yard, one-touchdown performance from last week fool you, the Cowboys kept Philly’s offense in check all day and quarterback Sam Bradford struggled mightily. The Eagles will again struggle against the Jets and Matthews will find himself on Revis Island.
Golden Tate, WR, Detroit Lions
Part of fantasy football is learning to watch for trends. For two weeks I’ve had a wide receiver facing the Denver Broncos’ secondary on my sit list. Two weeks, the “Orange Crush Remix” have proved me right. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. The sad part for the Detroit Lions is that their offense is broken and they won’t be fixing it this Sunday night. If there’s one thing the Broncos have shown in two weeks it’s that their passing defense is very, very good. The silver lining in this matchup is that cornerback Aqib Talib missed practice Wednesday due to illness. If that keeps him out of the game, Tate has a chance at a more productive outing. That is an unlikely scenario however. What’s worse is that quarterback Matthew Stafford will face Denver’s stout pass rush, which has already produced seven sacks on the season.
Related players to sit: Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions
Brandin Cooks, WR, New Orleans Saints
I’m not quite ready to label Saints’ receiver Brandin Cooks as a bust just yet but things haven’t gone well for the second-year man out of Oregon State. It looks like things will get worse before they get better. New Orleans takes on the Carolina Panthers in Carolina this week. The Panthers’ defense has been tough on top receivers from teams in the first two weeks of the season. Jacksonville’s Allen Robinson was held to a single catch in Week 1. Meanwhile Houston’s DeAndre Hopkins had just five catches for 53 yards on 11 targets. Injuries to Cooks and Saints quarterback Drew Brees are causes for concern. Cooks suffered an ankle injury in Week 2 and didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday but practiced in full on Friday. Brees has been ruled out of Sunday’s game, making Cooks an even riskier play.
Curb your Enthusiasm
Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions
For the same reasons stated above for Golden Tate, wide receiver Calvin Johnson is an equally dangerous play. If the Broncos try to do one thing, it will be to limit Johnson’s production. Tate may even have a more productive day. If Detroit can get the running game going, perhaps quarterback Matthew Stafford will be able to create some opportunities for Johnson, but the situation looks bleak for the superstar receiver.
Hugh Johnson: 303-954-1037, hjohnson@denverpost.com or @HughJohnsonDP
