2022 NFL season: Week 3 fantasy football matchups

Hurts had his big breakout game on Monday Night Football against the Vikings... and his start to the season should only get better as he gets another great matchup this week. Since the start of the 2021 season, Washington has allowed a league-high 21.3 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks -- no other team has allowed over 20 points per game in that same span. The Commanders even allowed Jared Goff to throw four touchdowns and score 26 fantasy points against them last Sunday. Hurts should be ranked as a top-3 fantasy QB this week. 

Burrow has had a slow start to the fantasy season, getting into the end zone just three times through two games. However, things should get easier for him and the Bengals offense this weekend. The Jets have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks since the start of the 2021 season. Lamar Jackson threw two deep touchdown passes and had another 17-yard TD pass against the Jets in Week 1… Burrow & Ja'Marr Chase should connect on at least one deep score in Week 3.  

Can we all sign a petition to never allow Cousins to play in prime time again? It was ugly on Monday Night Football for Cousins and the Vikings offense, as it always is for the QB in prime-time games. The good news? Cousins get to play Detroit's defense at 1:00 p.m. ET this Sunday! The Lions defense showed their struggles on Hard Knocks, and things have not got any better for them in the regular season -- both Jalen Hurts & Carson Wentz have scored over 24 fantasy points against them so far this season. 

The Bills defense is #GOOD. They allowed a league-low 11.3 fantasy points per game to QBs in the 2021 season and have allowed just 4.3 fantasy points per game to QBs this season. Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle went off against the Ravens last weekend, but things will be much more difficult in this matchup. Per Next Gen Stats, the Bills have allowed ZERO deep pass (20+ air yards) touchdowns in their last 19 regular season games played. They have allowed only seven deep completions since the start of the 2021 season (fewest in the NFL). This week will be a tough test to see just how great this new and improved Dolphins offense really is. 

The Buccaneers have allowed just 4.6 pass yards per attempt and one total touchdown this season. Rodgers is averaging a measly 214.5 passing yards per game and has thrown just two pass TDs this season. Rodgers last faced the Buccaneers in Week 6 of 2020 -- he threw for 160 yards, scored zero TDs, and had two interceptions. 

Wilson has had a slow start to the season with his new team and he will have to face an old divisional foe this Sunday night. Wilson has had success in the win column against the 49ers over the years, but through 20 career games, he has never thrown for 275+ yards in a game against them -- and he only had 250+ pass yards in three of the 20 matchups. The 49ers have kept Wilson to two or fewer pass TDs in 16 of the 20 matchups. I trust that Wilson will get back on track and have success with the Broncos… but the turnaround might not happen this week. 

Cook has scored just 21.4 total fantasy points through two games this season. I was expecting a bigger performance against the Eagles defense in Week 2, but the entire Vikings offense fell apart on Monday Night Football. It should get back on track this Sunday against a weak Detroit defense. The Lions have allowed 13 rushing TDs over their last eight games, dating back to last season. In Cook's last matchup against the Lions, he went off for 252 scrimmage yards and two rushing TDs. He should make fantasy managers very happy in Week 3.

The Texans allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL to running backs in the 2021 season and they have not had any more success stopping the run this year. Jonathan Taylor destroyed them on the ground in Week 1, and Javonte Williams averaged 5.0 yards per carry against them in Week 2. Montgomery looked great in Week 2 against the Packers, putting up 122 rush yards on 15 carries. The Bears' offense has not been good, but they seem determined to establish the run.  

Robinson seems to be the one running back that can come back from an Achilles tear and immediately look just as good as before their injury. Robinson has scored 15+ fantasy points in each game this season and saw a big workload in Week 2 with 23 carries in the game. The Chargers have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points in the NFL to running backs since 2021. Start Robinson with confidence this week.  

The Bills defense is not only great at stopping the pass, it is also allowing just 2.9 yards per carry to running backs this season. They held Derrick Henry to just 25 yards on 13 carries in Week 2. On the other hand, Edmonds has struggled on the ground so far this season, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. The Dolphins also seems to prefer to utilize Raheem Mostert -- last week against the Ravens, Mostert had 14 touches to Edmonds' six. 

Barkley had a monster Week 1, putting up 33.4 fantasy points, but came back down to earth in Week 2 with a mediocre 11.8 fantasy performance. The Cowboys have allowed the second-fewest scrimmage touchdowns and fantasy points to the running back position since the start of the 2021 season. In Barkley's last matchup against Dallas (Week 15, 2021), he averaged just 3.3 yards per carry and scored 9.4 fantasy points. 

The Ravens allowed the fewest rushing yards in the NFL in the 2021 season and kept both of their opponents this season to under 90 team rushing yards. Harris will need a large workload in this game to overcome the tough matchup, but he has averaged just 12 carries per game, as he is splitting the backfield with Rhamondre Stevenson. If Harris doesn't get into the end zone this week, it could be a very low scoring fantasy day for him.  

St. Brown has averaged 26.4 fantasy points per game since Week 13, 2021… only Cooper Kupp (28.2) has averaged more points among all positions during that span. St. Brown took advantage of a week Commanders' secondary last week, and now gets to face the Vikings, who have allowed the most fantasy points to the wide receiver position since the start of last season. St. Brown is an every-week must-start. 

• A.J. Brown
• DeVonta Smith

The Commanders have allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers since the start of the 2021 season. So far, through two weeks this season, they have allowed both Christian Kirk & Amon-Ra St. Brown to record over 115 receiving yards, and St. Brown added two touchdowns against them as well. Brown is a must-start every week, but Smith rebounded after a goose-egg in Week 1 with a seven-reception, 80-receiving-yard performance in Week 2. Both Eagles' WRs should be in your starting lineups this weekend.

Through two weeks, the Jaguars have allowed four WRs to score 13+ points against them this season -- Curtis Samuel (19.2), Jahan Dotson (18.0), Terry McLaurin (13.8) and Ashton Dulin (13.2). With Keenan Allen out in Week 2, Williams had 10 targets for 113 receiving yards and a TD. Allen is questionable for Week 3, but even if he plays, Williams should have another good fantasy outing against a weak secondary. 

Samuel has recorded just 58 receiving yards through two games this season and gets a tough matchup in Week 3. The Broncos were a top-10 fantasy defense against WRs last season and have allowed the fewest fantasy points in the NFL to the WR position so far this season. Both of the Broncos opponents have tried to get the ball to their WR1 but it hasn't work out well… DK Metcalf had just 36 yards on seven targets in Week 1, and Brandin Cooks had just 54 yards on 10 targets in Week 2.  

Thomas has come through for fantasy managers with late touchdowns in both games this season. 81 of Thomas' 122 receiving yards and all three receiving touchdowns this season have come in the 4th quarter when the Saints were climbing back from a big deficit. The Panthers are a tough defensive matchup as they have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points to the wide receiver position since the start of the 2021 season. 

The Eagles have yet to allow a WR to hit 70 receiving yards in a game this season. Justin Jefferson & Amon-Ra St. Brown each saw 12 targets against the Eagles and still did not hit that metric. Their new secondary looks much improved from last season and dominated against the Vikings last week. McLaurin's target share has dropped dramatically this season as teammates Curtis Samuel and Jahan Dotson are eating into his workload. McLaurin was alright last season for fantasy when he was a target hog, but without the consistent targets, he turns into a risky flex start from week to week.  

The Raiders have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points in the NFL to the tight end position since the start of the 2021 season. Both Gerald Everett and Zach Ertz hit 14+ fantasy points in their matchup against the Raiders this year. Hooper had just one reception for 19 yards in Week 2, but he saw five targets in the game. Hooper should continue to see targets this week as the Titans are dealing with multiple injuries at the WR position. Hooper is a decent option off waivers this week if you need a TE to plug into your lineups.  

The Eagles have allowed a league-high 17.0 fantasy points per game to the tight end position since 2021. Thomas is one of 10 tight ends that has averaged 10+ fantasy points per game this season. Most tight ends are not scoring many fantasy points so far this season (what's new?), but Thomas is one of the safer PPR plays this week.  

Higbee leads all tight ends this season with 20 targets through two weeks and he is averaging 11.5 fantasy points per game. He is not exciting and is rarely going to win you a week, but his target volume gives you a safe fantasy floor. This week he will face the Cardinals, who have allowed the most fantasy points in the NFL to TEs this season (by a lot) -- although to be fair, they have had to face Travis Kelce & Darren Waller. Higbee should be ranked as a top 8 fantasy TE this week. 

The Titans have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points in the NFL to the tight end position since the start of the 2021 season. The only TE to score more than 10 fantasy points in a game vs. the Titans since 2021 is Travis Kelce -- he had 13.5 PPR points in Week 7 of last season. Do not sit Waller this week, just temper expectations. 

The Patriots have allowed a league-low 7.3 fantasy points per game to the tight end position since the start of the 2021 season. Over their last 19 games, no tight end has scored 13+ fantasy points in a game against the Patriots -- and only three have scored 10+ fantasy points in a game against them in that span. However, no matter the matchup, Andrews is a must-start in your fantasy lineups every single week. 

After having one receiving yard in Week 1 vs. the Patriots, Gesicki came back to life (a little bit) and put up 41 receiving yards and a TD in Week 2. Unfortunately, he must face the Bills this week, who have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points in the NFL to TEs since 2021 (only the Patriots have allowed fewer). Gesicki is not demanding enough targets to consider starting in this tough matchup.