The Latest Injury Updates For Week 3 In Fantasy Football: Jaxson Dart Out For The Year, Jameis Winston In
Fantasy

The Latest Injury Updates For Week 3 In Fantasy Football: Jaxson Dart Out For The Year, Jameis Winston In

In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by Edge Boost.

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Another day where I bring you nothing but news.

Don’t shoot the messenger …

📉 Jaxson Dart is done for the year

As feared, Dart will undergo surgery on his knee after suffering a serious injury to his MCL and PCL.

Fantasy spin: This is obviously brutal news for Dart and the Giants, but we might be able to salvage the situation in fantasy with Jameis Winston. In our updated projections, Dwain McFarland told me he didn’t change much, other than a small bump in targets for the RBs.

😡 Alec Pierce headed to IR

Pierce will miss at least four weeks (could be more) with his heel injury.

Fantasy spin: This cements Josh Downs as a big riser—he has a 93% route participation rate and a 21% target share through two games. FWIW, Laquon Treadwell (76% of the routes) actually ran more routes than Keenan Allen (61%) in Week 2 and is likely the Pierce fill-in on the outside.

🤮 Jonathon Brooks is out for at least six weeks 

This dude just can’t stay healthy. He is going to have core muscle surgery and will be placed on IR.

Fantasy spin: The Chuba Hubbard show rolls on, but keep an eye out for Austin Ekeler, who visited with the Panthers yesterday. AJ Dillon is the current RB2, but Ekeler’s pass-catching skill set would be more intriguing if he makes the team (and I’m not just saying that because he is a Fantasy Life investor).

If you’re looking for some good news, how about this? Brock Bowers, Sam Darnold and Tua are all trending in the right direction to play in Week 3 …

THIS ROOKIE RB IS READY TO SMASH

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Around the Watercooler

The latest fantasy and NFL gossip, news, memes and more from your favorite football nerds …

🏈 Packers vs. Falcons on TNF. Does Penix playing impact fantasy?

🙈 A golden opportunity for a WR to rise in the ranks. For a rookie 1st-rounder, not so much.

😎 These 2 WRs are primed to pop. Be bold & start them.

🗣️ Start Kyler Murray this week? Asking a pair of Matthews.

🎯 Trade for this WR about to get more targets. Not Downs and out.

👀 Is your leaguemate facing a rebuild? Know their record.

📽️ A QB will continue his hot start. Projecting for a big day.

😬 Can you trust these big favorites on the road? Nail-biters coming.

🦁 Boarding the Jets? Lions’ offensive roar might be too hard to quiet.

🤔 Liam Coen discusses Travis Hunter usage. I’ll believe it when I see it.

🤝 What do we do with Marv? A change of scenery would be good.

🚑️ Doesn’t sound like we’re seeing Jayden Reed anytime soon. Ugh.

🫰 Sometimes fantasy is a snap decision. That easy.

Week 3 Starts and Sits From Dwain McFarland

START: Tyler Shough | QB | Saints

The Saints players have been referring to Shough as "Poor Man" after the Ravens' defensive coordinator called him a "poor man's Josh Allen" after Week 1. And you know what? The underlying Utilization data points to some truth in that statement—at least from a usage perspective.

Shough ranks second in the NFL in designed rush attempts at 15%, trailing only Allen at 22%. That comes out to 3.5 designed totes per contest for Shough, who also scrambles 2.0 times per game. The second-year QB is tied with Josh Allen for attempts per game inside the five-yard line at 1.0.

Through two games, Shough is averaging 15.5 rushing yards with 4.5 fantasy points per game on the ground, thanks to the score. It is a small sample, but Shough flashed rushing upside at the end of last season, and if opportunities inside the 5 stick, he could score 5-7 rushing TDs.

When you add that to the passing yardage Shough is compiling, with 294 per game and 1.5 TDs per game when excluding overtime from Week 1, things are looking very good. Whether Shough can keep up those passing numbers is debatable, but with this sort of role, his ceiling and floor improve.

Historically, balanced-archetype QBs who average 2.5-5.5 points per game on the ground have been the second-most likely archetype behind dual threats (5.5+ rushing points per game) to become league winners in fantasy football. 

So far, Shough is averaging 19.3 PPG excluding overtime. QBs averaging 18-20 points have finished QB8 over the last three seasons in the modern era of lower passing-yardage totals.

This week, Shough faces the Raiders, who have held down the struggling pass attacks of the Dolphins and Chargers, allowing only 206 yards and 0.5 TDs per game. But the Saints carry the 10th-highest team total on the weekend at 23.6 as 3-point favorites.

Fantasy Projections

Shough ascends to top-12 status as my QB11, ahead of names like Justh Herbert and Matthew Stafford for Week 3.

MORE STARTS AND SITS AT EVERY POSITION

Freedman’s Fades: Doubling Down

Are you ready? It’s “Wet Blanket” time. Matthew Freedman has released the players he’s fading for Week 3 … and we kick off with a QB who was brilliant after laying an egg in the opener. Going back to laying an egg? Step right up for the fades.

And ICYMI, here are Freedman’s Favorites:

Stock Up & Down: Sorry, Luther

Dwain joins Kendall and Pete to talk through the Utililzation for players heading into Week 3, and the Luther Burden fantasy managers may not like the bearish sentiment among our experts. Subscribe to the Fantasy Life Show and catch every episode during the season. 

PICK UP THESE 3 PLAYERS BEFORE YOUR LEAGUEMATES DO

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