Running Backs
Top Handcuffs
Andre Ellington, ARI- The running back carousel continues in Arizona as the team struggles to replace David Johnson. Chris Johnson still lead the Cardinals in carries in Week 3 but he averaged a meager 1.4 yards per carry in a tough matchup against the Cowboys. Ellington has solidified himself as the team’s pass catching back since Johnson’s injury, averaging nearly four catches on five targets for 35 yards which in PPR leagues is good for 7.5 fantasy points. Add in the additional carrying opportunities he has started to receive and we are looking at nearly 10 fantasy points. In Week 3 Ellington finished with five catches on eight targets for 59 yards and added five carries for 22 yards. If this is the type of workload we can expect from him going forward then he could very well be the RB to own in Arizona.
C.J. Prosise, SEA- The running game in Seattle is in shambles with both Thomas Rawls and Eddie Lacy out of the picture which leaves rookie Chris Carson and Prosise as the running back duo in the offense. Carson had a solid Week 2 but did little to impress in Week 3 while Prosise has yet to be featured much as a ball carrier though his receiving skills are keeping him somewhat fantasy relevant. We saw a glimpse of what Prosise can do as a feature back last season before he suffered a season ending injury and it might not be too long before he gets another crack at it as he is already seeing the majority of snaps at the position.
Chris Thompson, WAS- There was some sleeper value around Thompson heading into the year after he set career highs in both rushing and receiving yards in 2016 but few could have predicted this type of start. While assuming his primary pass catching duties Thompson has also been a very effective runner and his four total touchdowns through three weeks is just one behind his career best mark which he set last season over 16 games. With both Rob Kelley and Samaje Perine dealing with minor ailments the running back to own in Washington looks to be Thompson.
Wide Receivers
Top Handcuffs
Willie Snead, NO- Snead will return to the Saints offense in Week 4 after serving his three game suspension and SHOULD be the team’s No.2 receiver against the Dolphins. Snead caught a career high 72 passes last season for 895 yards and four touchdowns. Given that the Saints still throw the ball a ton there is plenty of fantasy value here as opposing defenses look to shutdown Michael Thomas.
Will Fuller, HOU- Fuller returned to practice last week and there was a chance he might have taken the field against the Patriots but ultimately Houston decided to sit him out. Heading into Week 4 Fuller should get another full week of practice under his belt with the likelihood of him suiting up against the Titans being a favorable one. Fuller is a down field threat and could take the pressure off DeAndre Hopkins in the passing attack as Deshaun Watson continues to develop at the quarterback position.
Geronimo Allison, GB- With Randall Cobb ruled out for Week 3 many figured Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams would see the biggest bump in the Packers offense but it was Allison who went on to lead the team with six catches for 122 yards on eight targets. Allison showed some potential last season when the Packers were dealing with injuries to their receiving group and caught a few passes in Week 2 when both Nelson and Cobb were injured against the Falcons. We saw Davante Adams have a career year last season when the opportunity presented itself and this could be Allison’s time to do the same.
Tight Ends
Top Handcuffs
Vernon Davis, WAS- With Jordan Reed missing Week 3 due to injury and the likelihood that he sits out until after the Redskins bye week the fantasy world will scramble to pick up Vernon Davis off of waivers. With Reed sidelined in Week 3 Davis caught five passes for 58 yards and a touchdown. With Reed injured last season Davis put up enough fantasy numbers to be considered a TE1 in all formats which showed that the talent is still there for the former Pro Bowler.
David Njoku, CLE- The Browns passing attack leaves much to be desired but the rookie tight end has now seen four targets in back to back games and more importantly he has also found the end zone in back to back games. While it is tough to predict touchdowns it is a good sign that the team has at least looked his way in the red zone.
Player News
Panthers released TE Jordan Matthews.
Matthews converted to tight end a few years ago and hasn’t made much noise at the position. The change has, however, likely kept him in the league for a few more seasons. He appeared in four games with the Panthers last year but didn’t record any stats on offense. The Panthers also released or waived WR Dax Milne, C Andrew Raym, and TE Colin Granger.
Dolphins released LS Blake Ferguson.
The team also waived CB Ryan Cooper Jr., DT Neil Farrell and OL Chasen Hines. Ferguson has been the team’s long snapper for five seasons and earned a three-year contract extension just before the 2023 season. He should be able to find work snapping footballs farther than the average snap elsewhere in the league.
DetroitLions.com’s Tim Twentyman believes rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa “could make his earliest impact on special teams.”
It’s not much of a surprise, as most rookies cut their teeth with special teams duties. Twentyman mentioned return duties as a possibility, though the former Razorback never returned kicks or punts in college. At 6'4/212 with 4.43 wheels, TeSlaa is an explosive athlete who never translated his physical traits to on-field production at Arkansas. The Lions clearly saw potential for him to do so in the pros and traded two future third-round picks to move up to No. 70 overall for him. It’s going to be a slow burn for TeSlaa in the pros, making him a dynasty-only fantasy option.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team does not “have any feelings on competition” when asked about the quarterback room.
O’Connell was asked about a potential quarterback competition on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday and was unclear on whether J.J. McCarthy would have to compete to start. He said, “we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase.” O’Connell discussed first putting Brett Rypien and the newly acquired Sam Howell in a position to play before any competition would occur. He continued that McCarthy is “owning it” this offseason and is taking snaps from starting center Ryan Kelly. After missing last season with a torn meniscus, McCarthy has been ramping up workouts in the offseason and is the front-runner to start for the Vikings in 2025. As of now, Howell looks to be reinforcement at the backup spot in case it turns out McCarthy is not ready to start.
Texans re-signed DT Foley Fatukasi.
Fatukasi initially joined the Texans last offseason on a one-year contract. The 30-year-old was a rotational defensive lineman, tallying four tackles for loss and one sack. He returns to Houston for 2025, where he will be a part of a deep Texans front seven.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports Tyreek Hill’s second wrist surgery was part of the original plan and his timeline remains unchanged.
Hill announced the second surgery on social media and Pelissero quickly added some context to the situation. The speedy receiver suffered the wrist injury just before the start of the season and it lingered throughout the year, though he never missed a game because of it. If the second surgery truly is a non-story, an offseason to recover might be what Hill needs to return to form after a down 2024 season. On the other hand, Hill is 31 years old, played his worst football last year, and his offense prioritized targets for Jonnu Smith and De’Von Achane. As it stands, Hill might have the highest risk-reward split in fantasy drafts.