Yesterday I wrote about some of the worst performances from Week 3, which is pretty upsetting for me to talk about. I hate to see players fail to meet expectations, especially when they are on my fantasy team. Let’s shift to a more positive topic today. Here are some of the best performances from Week 3, and what they mean going forward.
Cole Kmet
Cole Kmet finished Week 3 with 10 receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown. While the Bears ultimately lost the game 21-16, this was the first time we really got a glimpse of what this offense is capable of. Caleb Williams threw the ball 52 times and it is clear that Williams has chosen Kmet as his security blanket. That means he will get plenty of volume going forward, especially as the Bears offense continues to improve. In a year where so many tight ends have disappointed in fantasy, Kmet could be a huge steal. One of the concerns I have around Kmet is that there are so many mouths to feed on the Bears offense. When Keenan Allen returns from injury will Williams lean more on him in short yardage situations? The reality is that Week 3 was not a true reflection of what the rest of the season will look like for Kmet. There will be weeks where his targets are stolen from him by Allen, Moore, and Odunze. However, he has established himself as a Top 10 fantasy tight end and is a must-start in all leagues going forward. In fact, just about everyone on this Bears offense is someone you should consider buying low on while you can. I expect big things from Kmet and the Chicago Bears going forward.
Diontae Johnson
The biggest loser from Week 3 didn’t play a single snap. It was Bryce Young, who watched as Andy Dalton bulldozed the Raiders with the same offense he struggled to have any success with for the past two weeks. In this reinvigorated Carolina offense, Diontae Johnson found himself as the WR1. He brought in 8 receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown. Johnson has been a reception vulture his whole career, which makes him great for PPR leagues. Now, he is in the same situation that he was in with Pittsburgh. With Thielen out, he is the clear WR1 on an offense that is going to be playing from behind most games. The only difference is that now he gets Andy Dalton, who is a much more competent passer than Kenny Pickett. After Week 2 it seemed like Carolina was a black hole for wide receivers. Now after the QB change, Johnson is poised to have one of the best statistical seasons of his career. He is a must-start WR2 in all leagues going forward. Last year Dalton made Thielen a relevant fantasy receiver. This year he will do the same with Johnson.
Sam Darnold and Aaron Jones
Aaron Jones is a player that flew under the radar in most fantasy drafts. Most people thought that he would be an irrelevant back on a bad offense. Well, it turns out that the Vikings offense is really good, and Jones is off to one of the best starts of his career. Last week he had 19 rushes for 102 yards along with 5 receptions for 46 yards and a touchdown. There was an expectation that the loss of Kirk Cousins, along with TJ Hockenson’s absence, would be detrimental to the Vikings offense. Justin Jefferson fell to a late first round pick in most drafts because people were unsure if Sam Darnold would be able to get the ball to him. After Week 3 just about all doubt surrounding the Vikings offense is gone. Not only has Darnold led the Vikings to a 3-0 start, but he also leads the NFL in touchdowns. Darnold finished Week 3 with four passing touchdowns. With all this unprecedented success we must wonder if Darnold and Jones are here to stay, or is this just a fluky start to the season. I think it’s real. Darnold has always been a talented QB, he just was not in a good situation in New York. Now that he finally has a real opportunity in a system that works for him, he is shining. As for Jones, he is a very talented back and it makes sense that he would be thriving on an offense that is hot. Jones and Darnold are both viable fantasy options going forward.
Looking ahead to Week 4, I see big games coming from all these players. It’s great to see these guys succeed, especially players like Darnold who have been through so much in the NFL. A lot will be revealed this Sunday as we look to find the shooting stars for next week before they emerge.
