Fantasy Football Week 3 Fallout

by Emerson Beery · Dynasty Leagues

Week 3 of the NFL season is in the books and PlayerProfiler has fantasy managers covered with the the biggest fantasy football headlines of the week. Standout performances by Kenneth Walker and De’Von Achane created a buzz in the fantasy community, while the New York Jets’ struggles raised questions about their fantasy-relevant players. In this article, we’ll delve into the most significant headlines from Week 3, providing insights and analysis for those seeking to gain an edge in their leagues.

Week 3 Fantasy Football Takeaways

Kenneth Walker’s Walkoff

If fantasy managers have been paying attention to PlayerProfiler this offseason, then they should have been on Kenneth Walker from the start. After struggling with efficiency in the first two weeks of the season, Walker broke out in Week 3. He ran 18 times for 97 yards, added three receptions for 59 yards, and scored three touchdowns. Furthermore, he is No. 2 in the NFL with 19 avoided tackles through three games (Below). All of this while their two starting tackles have been struggling with injuries.

Far too much was made of Seattle’s drafting of Zach Charbonnet, and Walker has all the makings of a top-10 fantasy football running back. His running style can be boom and bust, but he will find the hole for a big gain eventually. Most importantly, he has garnered over a 10-percent target share and is No. 3 in the NFL in red zone touches. Roles that many fantasy analysts had pegged for Charbonnet during the offseason.

The Fantasy Football Week 3 Dynasty Ramifications 

Walker is the clear back in the Seattle backfield and is a top-five running back in dynasty fantasy football leagues. He is a must-start in all fantasy football formats and has favorable matchups against the Giants and Arizona coming up on the schedule. Walker is still a buy in dynasty fantasy football leagues, and I prefer him over Jahmyr Gibbs and Saquon Barkley.

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Charbonnet fantasy managers shouldn’t panic though as he is still one of the most valuable handcuffs in the NFL. However, this caps his long-term outlook because he is set to play the majority of his rookie contract behind Walker. He is likely to carve out a more consistent role shortly but should continue to play second fiddle.

Consider moving off of Charbonnet to a fantasy manager who is still hanging on his second-round draft capital. Javonte Williams or David Montgomery are veterans I would consider trading Charbonnet for. These are players who could begin helping fantasy football teams shortly instead of waiting for an injury. 

De’Von Achane – “Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself”

After totaling 10 yards coming into week three, De’Von Achane had one of the most impressive debuts in NFL history (also telling us how to pronounce his name). He totaled over 230 all-purpose yards and had four touchdowns as the Dolphins went on to blow out the Broncos 70-20. Going back to the NFL Draft, fantasy managers couldn’t have crafted a better fit for Achane than Miami. A former track star, he is only one of five players in history with over 38 PPR points in his first two career games (Below).

The biggest question for fantasy managers is how the playing time will be split between Achane and Raheem Mostert. He has been fantastic in his own right and has seven touchdowns on the season to go with 3.29 Yards After Contact Per Attempt. Mostert is also tied with Walker for the second most avoided tackles in the entire NFL. As great as Achane was, Mostert was just as impressive and will continue to be heavily involved in the backfield.

As a result, both players should be in fantasy lineups this week against the Buffalo Bills. Achane shouldn’t be expected to repeat his impressive debut. However, he should be a borderline RB2. He will likely continue to grow his snap count and his role in the passing game as well. Mostert, on the other hand, is a locked-in RB1 playing for one of the most creative offensive minds in the game. Fantasy managers should be cautious in making a trade for Mostert though considering his injury history. 

The Fantasy Football Week 3 Dynasty Ramifications 

For dynasty fantasy football managers, is there any room to buy Achane after that breakout performance? Not this week as his value is hard to gauge after a single breakout performance. Anyone rostering him is likely selling for nothing short of a king’s ransom at this point too.

Nonetheless, due to the volatility of the running back position, he rockets up to a mid-tier RB2 in dynasty fantasy football rankings. This is easily a player I would rank ahead of the likes of Aaron Jones, Brian Robinson, and Zach Charbonnet.

Dynasty Fantasy Football Week 3 Buys & Sells

New York Jets Jettison Their Playoff Hopes

The New York Jets’ offense is abysmal, and fantasy managers should begin to question whether any of these skill players are must-starts at this point. The New York Jets fullback Nick Bawden outscored both Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook in fantasy with a rushing touchdown. Additionally, Garrett Wilson wasn’t able to generate much success, generating only 48 yards on nine targets. With Zach Wilson as the signal caller, this offense simply won’t be able to sustain drives long enough to generate any kind of consistent fantasy success.

It’s hard to find the words in a short column to display how bad he has been. Wilson ranks No. 29 in the NFL in both True Completion Percentage and True Passer Rating. His receivers have done their part as well, generating the No. 5-most target separation amongst offensive skill players. 

If the Jets don’t trade for a quarterback, everyone, including Hall, Wilson, and Cook, will be low-end flex options in fantasy football leagues. Hall and Cook are both borderline RB3s until Hall can generate more consistent work as he recovers from an ACL. Wilson still belongs in most fantasy lineups as a WR3, but he has a low ceiling and floor with Wilson at the helm.

The Fantasy Football Week 3 Dynasty Ramifications 

In dynasty leagues, this is particularly tough to swallow as this could turn into a lost year for Wilson and Hall. These two are amongst the most talented players in the NFL at their respective positions. Nonetheless, every skill player is subject to the play of their quarterback. Wilson remains a top 10 receiver in dynasty leagues but could fall further depending on how others perform.

For Hall, I remain bullish, and he remains in my top 3 dynasty fantasy football running backs. He is still returning to 100-percent and put together an incredible performance in Week 1. Despite playing only 31-percent of the snaps, he totaled 147 all-purpose yards on his way to an RB9 finish for the week. His snap share has increased each game, and he will easily overtake Cook when he is fully healthy. However, expectations should be tempered until Aaron Rodgers returns as the quarterback in 2024.

The Two-Minute Drill from Theo Gremminger

Mike Williams Woeful Injury Luck

In a week where both Mike Williams and Keenan Allen were incredible, Williams unfortunately suffered a torn ACL ending his 2023 season. It’s an unfortunate turn for a player who was just hitting his stride with 21 targets in the last two weeks. Allen will now be the unquestioned top target in the passing game, with Joshua Palmer and Quentin Johnston taking on larger roles as well.

Unfortunately, for hopeful fantasy football managers, it is Palmer who is the biggest beneficiary in the short term. He played 61-percent of the snaps in Week 3 compared to only a 24-percent snap count for Johnston. Palmer isn’t a special player either, ranking outside the top 75 players in Yards Per Route Run each of the last three seasons.

This is concerning for Johnston, who isn’t generating anywhere near the same success as his fellow rookie wide receivers. Regardless, both are must-add waiver wire options this week in redraft leagues as part of one of the best passing attacks in the NFL. Both should be priorities, but Palmer would be my slight preference and someone I’d be willing to spend upwards of 20-percent of my FAAB budget on.

The Fantasy Football Week 3 Dynasty Ramifications 

In dynasty fantasy football leagues, Mike Williams likely falls outside the top 36 wide receivers. He carries a $32 million cap hit next season and would only count for $12 million if he were released. As a result, whether or not he is part of the Chargers’ organization in 2023 is very much in question.

On the other hand, Johnston is the player with the most to gain from this injury though as he now will have every opportunity to become a consistent contributor. Being a first-round pick, if he can’t overtake Palmer in the coming weeks serious questions about his dynasty value should begin to arise.

Johnston didn’t have an impressive profile to begin with though with a limited route tree coming out of TCU. He is a WR3 in dynasty leagues and someone fantasy managers should consider selling if someone is anticipating a massive change in his role. Consider pivoting to veteran players such as Terry McLaurin or Chris Godwin who are great buy-lows.