Week 3 Top Fantasy Football Performers & Injury Updates

Sometimes fantasy football is really simple.

You get a top-2 pick and you select Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson. You get a top-5 pick, you select Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

If you did that, you probably won your Week 3 matchup in a cakewalk:

And that’s before we even get to Derrick Henry (21.4), Ja’Marr Chase (20.3), Kenneth Walker (20.3) and James Cook (19.4).

It was definitely a “studs and duds” kind of week.

Unfortunately, by “duds” I mean “injured dudes” … and there are plenty to sift through in the aftermath of Sunday:

De’Von Achane (knee) - There is concern here for a season-ending ACL injury. Absolutely brutal. Get ready to learn Ollie Gordon (see below).
Breece Hall (quad) - Hall left in the fourth quarter after sustaining a leg injury. It didn’t look good. Get ready to learn Braelon Allen.
Justin Jefferson (ankle) - Jefferson left the game early and did not return. Pray it’s a lower-ankle injury and not a high-ankle. Jordan Addison (5-90-1) balled in his absence.
Jalen Coker (quad) - Coker exited the game in the second half and was unable to return. He’s not concerned, but we’ll see. I hope he’s right, because no one wants to learn “Brycen Tremayne.”
Baker Mayfield (thumb) - This looked painful. I will legitimately need to learn “Jalon Daniels” because this is the first I’m hearing of the Bucs’ QB2.

Look below for more concrete waiver wire recommendations …

P.S. “A trio in Rio!” is pretty on theme.

RECAP ALL THE WEEK 3 ACTION

Buy Jahmyr Gibbs, The Future Is Bright

What a runway for Jahmyr Gibbs to continue an incredible runout to his NFL career. In his first three seasons, his total yards never dipped below 1,261, and twice he’s gone over 1,800 yards. In the last two years, he’s combined for 38 TDs. Oh yeah, he just turned 24. The time for forward-thinking fantasy managers to buy in on Gibbs was right after he was selected 12th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Now he’s vying to be taken as the 1.01 in drafts ahead of this upcoming season. With David Montgomery no longer in Detroit, there is no more sharing the spotlight (or touches) for Gibbs. And savvy managers who invested in him are all smiles.

UNest works the same way. You don't wait until your kid is 16 to start building their financial future. You start now, when time is your single greatest advantage. A tax-advantaged investment account that grows with your child, set up in under 10 minutes. The long game is always the smartest play, on the field and off it.

GET STARTED

Around the Watercooler

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

👀 Pregame with Matthew Berry premieres today at noon ET and it airs each weekend on the Roku Channel's Roku Sports Channel.

💪 Darnell Washington is the most fun player to watch in the league. I’m serious.

🏈 Saquon & Slim Reaper are GTG for MNF. What kinda fantasy points can they put up?

🤢 This is not a great stat for Joe Burrow. Not clutch?

🔮 Bears dominated Eagles in Philly last year. Repeat?

👀 Tuten managers need to thank T-Law. He knows.

🐻 Will Chicago lean on D’Andre Swift & Kyle Monangai? Projecting plenty rushing attempts.

💎 Jahmyr Gibbs is inevitable. And JSN, are you kidding me?

😎 We missed you, Sam Darnold. Who’s currently QB3?

🐧 The highs and lows … of the Jaylen Waddle experience.

😣 Did your fantasy lineup fall flat? Got company.

Early Week 4 Waiver Wire: Bidding on a Bell Cow

Alert! Alert! We have what looks like a bell cow fast approaching on the waiver wire!

Ollie Gordon was the Miami understudy to fantasy star De’Von Achane. Then came a gut-wrenching knee injury that is expected to take Achane out for the remainder of the season. Next man up is Gordon, and Alex Cupps advises to open up the FAAB vault to spend a good chunk of your FAAB dollars to acquire Gordon. How much are you bidding? ⤵️

WHICH WR IS WORTH BIDDING UP ON?

Winners/Losers From Week 3: It’s a Love Story

When a player is going through NFL Draft season, it can sometimes feel like it’s just a formality that the player will be headed for Canton and immortalized with a gold jacket. That whole playing the game thing has to happen, and we sometimes forget to wait for the career to materialize. Sometimes injuries and even being underutilized get in the way.

That looked to be the case for two weeks for first-rounder Jeremiyah Love. Then came Week 3 against the 49ers, and let’s just say people can once again dream on what Love’s future will bring. He headlined the winners and losers for the week.

LOVE’S COLLEGE TEAMMATE ON THE OTHER HAND