How is your team holding up so far this year?

If your quarterback struggles early in the season, how soon can you press the panic button?

It’s clearly a case-by-case basis, but it could be time to move on from Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa or Colts QB Carson Wentz. Tua is now banged up and Wentz’s chances of a bounce-back year is slipping now with a pair of injured ankles.

A few quarterbacks suffered some major injuries last week. Some will miss time, but most will play, albeit hobbled.

Here is our Fantasy Football Sit/Start for Week 3 of the 2021 NFL season…and enjoy our awesome MS Paint masterpiece of QB Derek Carr of the Las Vegas Raiders.

I want to explain what I mean by “sit” and “start.” Of course you are going to start some of the guys i say to bench this week, because you probably used high draft picks or a lot of money in an auction for them. My ‘sit’ players are guys I am just not completely sold that they will have good weeks. If you have a guy that you are on the fence about, maybe this will help you pick between the players.

START’EM

• QB Daniel Jones (New York Giants) – Jones would have had 150+ yards rushing against the Redskins, but a 50+ yard touchdown run was called back. He has really turned into a dual-threat quarterback in the NFL. He has underrated speed and should have a solid game against a below-average Atlanta Falcons defense.
• WR Rondale Moore (Arizona Cardinals) – I loved Moore at Purdue, so it’s cool to see him playing well at the next level. He is great in the open-field and is a perfect route runner. The Cardinals are loaded at wide receiver, but Moore is a demon with the ball. He has the ability to break a long gain on every short reception. He should do some damage against the Jaguars.
• TE Albert Okwuegbunam (Denver Broncos) – This is a deeper league recommendation. The Broncos offense is tight end-heavy enough that Okwuegbunam is sneaking into fantasy relevancy. Broncos TE Noah Fant is still a top-five fantasy tight end, but I think Okwuegbunam could get some red zone targets in the Broncos offense.
• RB Ty’Son Williams (Baltimore Ravens) – I will continue to list Williams here until people start to bail on his veteran backups. I’ve been all-in with Williams since before Week 1 and he is actually better than I thought he’d be at this point. I didn’t think he could be used much in the passing game, but he played a ton of snaps on passing downs.
• Las Vegas Raiders Defense & Special Teams – Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa injured his ribs last week and backup Jacoby Brissett filled in with limited success. Tua is considered day-to-day and I don’t expect him to be very productive against an underrated Raiders defense.
• RB Elijah Mitchell (San Francisco 49ers) – The Niners backfield is a mess right now. Mitchell injured his shoulder last week, but did come back to play at the end of the game. The rest of the backups Trey Sermon (concussion) and JaMycal Hasty (ankle) are dealing with their own issues. Mitchell might be banged up, but I think he’s the most capable (and most healthy) running back they have right now. He has a great match-up against a below-average Packers run defense.
• WR Darnell Mooney (Chicago Bears) – Bears QB Andy Dalton injured his knee last week, but it looks like the reports of an ACL tear was premature. Rookie QB Justin Fields looks to have received the keys to the franchise, but he’s still pretty raw. Dalton’s playing status is up in the air right now. Mooney has been a big part of the offense so far this season. He has eleven receptions on 15 targets this year. I expect the Bears will focus on shorter passes and Mooney and TE Cole Kmet will benefit.
• TE Chris Manhertz (Jacksonville Jaguars) – This is another deeper league tight end recommendation. It appears that Jags TE James O’Shaughnessy will be out a few games with a high-ankle sprain. Tight ends Luke Farrell and Chris Manhertz will split the duties. Manhertz is the guy I’d want if I had to pick between the two. He’s a huge target and should see some targets against the Cardinals.
• WR K.J. Osborn (Minnesota Vikings) – Osborn has been a breakout star for the Vikings. I didn’t expect him to have a big year as a WR3 in Minnesota, but it’s happening. He has twelve receptions on 15 targets for 167 yards and a touchdown. He faces a rough Seattle pass defense and should get plenty of targets.
• RB Nyheim Hines (Indianapolis Colts) – Colts QB Carson Wentz injured both his ankles in last week’s loss to the Rams. He will test them out in practice this week, but if he does play, he will be physically-limited. I expect a shorter passing game in order to get the ball out of his hands faster (even if backup QB Jacob Eason starts). Hines should see a lot more action in the passing game.
• Buffalo Bills Defense & Special Teams – The WFT offense didn’t look bad under QB Taylor Heinicke last week. He completed 34 of 46 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns (and one interception). The Bills defense will make Heinicke make quicker decisions. Buffalo’s front-seven are fast and can really frustrate a quarterback.
• QB Derek Carr (Las Vegas Raiders) – Carr tweaked his ankle in the Raiders 26-17 win over the Steelers last week. He is listed as questionable, but head coach Jon Gruden said that he thinks he will play. The Raiders passing game has been great. Carr has thrown over 800 yards with four passing touchdowns over his first two games. The Raiders healthy backup is laughingstock QB Nathan Peterman, so I’m sure Carr will suit up and play against the Dolphins. 

SIT’EM

• RB Devonta Freeman (Baltimore Ravens) – Freeman didn’t play great last year as an early-season replacement for Giants RB Saquon Barkley and he isn’t getting many opportunities this year with the Ravens. The Ravens have Ty’Son Williams (who I think is the only Ravens running back worth rostering in fantasy football) and Latavius Murray on the roster. They even have veteran Le’Veon Bell chilling on their practice squad.
• QB Tua Tagovailoa (or Jacoby Brissett) (Miami Dolphins) – Tua injured his ribs in last week’s game and backup QB Jacoby Brissett relieved him with little-to-no success against the Bills. Tua is day-to-day right now, but he will face a tough Raiders defense. If Tua can’t play on Sunday, I don’t expect a big game from Brissett either.
• WR Brandon Aiyuk (San Francisco 49ers) – Aiyuk will most likely become fantasy football-relevant soon, but he just isn’t getting enough targets right now. He was working through a hamstring injury, but there could be more to him not seeing as much action. I wouldn’t cut him right now, but I would bench him and try to pick up Cardinals WR Rondale Moore or Giants WR Darius Slayton.
• RB Kenyan Drake (Las Vegas Raiders) – Drake is owned in over 90% of leagues, but he was out-carried by Peyton Barber last week. We also don’t know the status of RB1 Josh Jacobs (foot), which if he’s healthy, further derails any fantasy hope for Drake.
• QB Ryan Tannehill (Tennessee Titans) – The Titans face division rival Colts this week. Indy is limping into the game where they will be without WR T.Y. Hilton and possibly QB Carson Wentz. I expect a big game on the ground from RB Derrick Henry. There’s a chance that the Titans could amass a large lead and Tannehill could just hand the ball off in the second-half. I think we will see run-first offense from the Titans on Sunday.
• WR Will Fuller (Miami Dolphins) – Fuller returned to practice for the first time this season after finishing up a suspension. As I mentioned earlier, the Dolphins could face some challenges passing the ball this week. Wide receivers Jaylen Waddle and DeVante Parker have been solid this year. The Dolphins may try to work Fuller in slowly into the offense.
• TE Eric Ebron (Pittsburgh Steelers) – Ebron dealt with a hamstring injury this preseason. I’m not sure if it is still bothering him right now though. He has been a ghost in the offense to this point. He only has four targets this season and one of those were a reception. Ebron also has rookie TE Pat Freiermuth breathing down his neck, who was a bigger part of the offensive plan last week. 
• Washington Football Team Defense & Special Teams – The Footballers are usually in the mix for a streaming start on defense, but they face a Bills offense that packs a punch. There are better options to stream this week. I would rather have the Raiders or the Titans defense in Week 3.
• RB James Conner (Arizona Cardinals) – Conner isn’t involved enough in the passing game, as he isn’t a great pass blocker and people have questioned his hands. It has handicapped his fantasy value with the Cardinals. I would suggest that RB Chase Edmonds is the only Cardinals running back I’d roster in a standard league.
• Chicago Bears Defense & Special Teams – The Bears offense could put their defense in some bad field position on Sunday. Bears rookie QB Justin Fields will have some growing pains and mistakes will be made. Heck, even if Andy Dalton is healthy to go, he makes a lot of mistakes too. He will face a crazy good pass rush against the Browns. Chicago could force a few turnovers on defense, but I just think their offense could kneecap them. I’d avoid streaming the Bears defense this week. I’d look to add Carolina or Baltimore’s defense.

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About the Author…

Bobby Roberts (otherwise known as Sweetbob) is the creator of ‘America’s White Boy’ and contributor at Project Shanks. His writing has been featured on ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, Sports Illustrated’s Hot Clicks, Guyspeed, and various other sites. You can follow him on Twitter at @Sweetbob.