Thankfully Week 3 of the NFL saw far fewer injuries than the previous one, but with stars like Julio Jones and Davante Adams sitting out, it allowed players such as Allen Lazard and Brandon Aiyuk to shine for their teams in Week 3 action.
We have also seen a few rookies already performing above expectations at this early stage in their first seasons. CeeDee Lamb has had at least 5 catches in each game to start the year, the big bodied Tee Higgins brought down 2 touchdowns from Joe Burrow against the Eagles, and Justin Jefferson, who didn't exceed 3 catches or 44 yards in either of his first two games, exploded against Tennessee for 175 yards receiving on 7 receptions with a touchdown.
Although there are still plenty of injuries around the league that are of concern to fantasy managers, some of the unexpected performances in Week 3 should give you hope that your season is not over even if your first round draft pick's is. Let's start off with a player who scored the second most fantasy points at the wide receiver position this past week.
(Rostered % from Yahoo! Fantasy Football on 9/28/2020)
Justin Jefferson WR Minnesota Vikings (30% rostered)
The Vikings' first round draft pick in the 2020, Justin Jefferson, entered the pro ranks as the presumptive replacement for Stefon Diggs who was traded to the Buffalo Bills in the offseason. The rookie was not able to impress in training camp and started off the year behind Olabisi Johnson on the depth chart. It didn't take long for Jefferson to have his aforementioned breakout performance, and his 7/175/1 line should be enough to establish him as the second receiving option across from Adam Thielen for the remainder of the season.
Justin Jefferson: 93.8 PFF grade in Week 3. Third-highest single-game grade by a rookie WR since 2006. https://t.co/1EvY3xsG5v— PFF (@PFF) 1601312522.0
While he is only showing a 30% ownership rate currently, he will be one of the hottest waiver wire pickups going into Week 4, so if you need help at WR put your claim in now and cross your fingers. Kirk Cousins has already thrown 6 interceptions and had a horrid Week 2 against the Colts, but if Jefferson can become a reliable option, he finished as the QB15 in 2019 and QB13 in 2018 with the duo of Thielen and Diggs at his disposal. If you need a backup QB and Cousins is available, Jefferson may give him the boost he needs to get his season back on track.
Brandon Aiyuk WR San Francisco 49ers (28% rostered)
The rookie out of Arizona State missed the first game of the year and was eased back into action in Week 2 against the Jets. The 49ers have so many injuries on both sides of the ball, but offensively they were without starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, their top two options at running back in Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman, and star tight end George Kittle this past game against the Giants. Aiyuk provided the shot in the arm that San Francisco needed as they demolished New York on their way to a 36-9 route on Sunday.
Brandon Aiyuk goes untouched for the 19-yard TD run! #FTTB 📺: #SFvsNYG on FOX 📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app:… https://t.co/WoevkEKnan— NFL (@NFL) 1601233725.0
The first round selection contributed 70 yards on 5 receptions to pair with 31 yards on the ground including a touchdown. The versatility that a player like Aiyuk brings to an offense as creative as Kyle Shanahan's should already be causing nightmares for defensive coordinators across the league. Once San Francisco starts to get some players returning from injury, Aiyuk may take on a bigger role in this offense being used as a Swiss army knife. Shanahan may look for mismatches he can create against opponents and get the ball into his speedy receiver's hands in a variety of ways.
Myles Gaskin RB Miami Dolphins (47% rostered)
Gaskin played in seven games for Miami in 2019 and was efficient in his limited usage, but after the Dolphins acquired Jordan Howard and Matt Breida in the offseason, nobody would have expected it would be Gaskin who would be leading their backfield. Howard and Breida will eat into goal line carries for Gaskin, but if the trend of seeing Gaskin take the majority of their offensive snaps, he must be owned in all formats at this point.
Myles Gaskin: - 11 touches - 52 yards Jordan Howard - 1 carry - 1 yard - 1 TD Gaskin managers: https://t.co/LP6wVDfAEJ— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF Fantasy Football) 1600995195.0
He's proven to be an effective pass catcher, and his 22 carries on Thursday night confirms that coach Brian Flores sees him as their best all around back. With so many running backs banged up right now, adding Gaskin to help patch up the holes in your lineup is a no brainer.
Allen Lazard WR Green Bay Packers (48% rostered)
There's a lot to like about the 6'5" second year pro. He seems to be establishing a rapport with Aaron Rodgers, he's scored a touchdown in two out of three games in 2020, and his main competition for starting snaps is Marquez Valdes-Scantling, whose reception count has gone down in consecutive weeks, finishing with only 1 catch on Sunday night. While I do think that Lazard has done enough to earn a starting role with the Packers, I want to temper your expectations for the rest of the season first.
Note to self: Add Allen Lazard in fantasy.— Ian Rapoport (@Ian Rapoport) 1601258773.0
Once Davante Adams returns from his hamstring injury, he should see his normal target share again which just leaves table scraps for the rest of the pass catchers in the offense. Also, Aaron Jones is still going to remain a focal point of Matt LaFleur's offensive game plans moving forward eating up 20-25 touches per game. But if you need a WR to plug into your flex, or are looking for depth at the position if you're worried about existing or potential injuries, you could do much worse than Lazard.
Honorable Mentions
Andy Isabella WR Arizona Cardinals (1% rostered) - For the second week in a row Isabella has been notable in fantasy. He had a 54 yard reception in Week 2 and finished with 2 touchdowns in Week 3. He will never be a target magnet in this offense, but if coach Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray continue to find him in space, Isabella appears to be earning the trust of his team.
Rex Burkhead RB New England Patriots (11% rostered) - With James White still away from the team on bereavement leave following the death of his father, Burkhead has been asked to step into his role. Rex produced against the Raiders and finished with a classic James White stat line to honor his teammate. He finished with 7 receptions, 98 total yards, and 3 total touchdowns. It's unknown when or if White will return this season. If you have stock in White, you may want to pick up Burkhead as a precaution.
Carlos Hyde RB Seattle Seahawks (18% rostered) - Hyde has been fine this year as the primary backup to Chris Carson. We saw Carson go down late in the game against the Cowboys, and it's believed to be a mild knee sprain. The oft injured Carson's situation will be closely monitored, and if he were to miss significant time Hyde would be thrust into starter touches.
Tee Higgins WR Cincinnati Bengals (5% rostered) - Higgins had his best game so far as a pro this past week compiling 40 yards on 5 receptions including 2 TDs. Tyler Boyd has again been the Bengals' best receiving option, but as A.J. Green has continued to struggle to shake off over a year's worth of rust, it may be opening the door for Higgins to establish himself as Joe Burrow's second option over the pro bowl veteran.As if there wasn't enough to think about after the rash of injuries on display during Week 2, fantasy managers have been busy hitting the waiver wire rushing to patch up their lineups. You are now probably familiar with players like Myles Gaskin, Keelan Cole, and Dalton Schultz by now after your research this past week. But someone possibly being overlooked at this point in the season isn't even on an NFL roster currently.
The now infamous, Antonio Brown, is currently serving an 8 game suspension that may be extended at the discretion of Roger Goodell pending any new evidence against the future hall of fame receiver. But because of the rapid rate that we are seeing players go down this year, there are Super Bowl contenders that are seeing their opportunity slipping away after only two weeks of play.
Although there is no guarantee that Brown will be signed by a team this year, it may be worth the risk for some of the following teams to explore. If you're a fantasy manager that has lost someone like Courtland Sutton for the season, or that has stock in a player such as Julio Jones whose hamstring injury may keep him out of the lineup periodically throughout the season, Brown's status will be of interest to you starting around Week 6.
One of the more obvious places for Brown to go would be Denver as they have lost their star receiver, Sutton, for the season. However, it's unlikely that John Elway and Vic Fangio would sign off on bringing a personality like Brown in considering they shouldn't be competing for a playoff spot this season.
Including IR & PUP players, #49ers enter Week 3 without..... QB Jimmy Garropolo RB Raheem Mostert RB Tevin Coleman… https://t.co/T7Am7jeJr8— NFL Update (@NFL Update) 1601056079.0
New Orleans is an organization that has had ties to AB in the past and Michael Thomas' status is in doubt, but due to a bit of a nasty fallout from that initial contact the two sides had, this is also a very unlikely union.
An immediate thought brings you to San Francisco as they have been among the hardest hit by the injury bug, dating back to training camps over the summer. While losing Nick Bosa for the season to a torn ACL will greatly affect their defense, the good news for the 49ers are that they are expecting both Deebo Samuel and George Kittle to return around Week 4. This would make AB an afterthought for a team still focused on running the ball.
Here are the three landing spots for Antonio Brown that I think are most likely to happen.
As Aaron Rodgers has started off the season with an efficient 604 passing yards and 6 touchdowns to 0 interceptions, we have been reminded of how good this guy has been with little talent around him. If not for running back Aaron Jones, the Packers may not have gotten off to their hot start as Davante Adams was slowed by a hamstring injury in Week 2.
Allen Lazard and Marquez Valdes-Scantling haven't quite risen to the occasion when given the chance to establish themselves as a second receiving option in this offense. Instead, Jones looks to be the second best reviving option for the Packers.
Detroit Lions v Green Bay Packers Getty Images
The Green Bay front office and coaching staff had taken criticism in the offseason by not adding any significant weapons for Rodgers after reaching the NFC Championship game last year. Rather, they opted to draft a quarterback and running back with their first two picks.
Adding Brown to put opposite a healthy Davante Adams would wreak havoc on opposing defenses. It would allow Aaron Jones and the play action passing game to be even more deadly, and would provide Aaron Rodgers a reliable second option. Rodgers window to win another Super Bowl is not closed, but it is getting to be a smaller opening every year. This move could be made if Green Bay feels it puts them over the top this year.
Poor Deshaun Watson and the Texans had to come into this season without Pro Bowl receiver DeAndre Hopkins after he was traded to the Arizona Cardinals for David Johnson. On top of that they began the 2020 campaign against two Super Bowl contenders in Kansas City and Baltimore, both resulting in losses, and in Week 3 face the rejuvenated Pittsburgh Steelers.
Brandin Cooks appears to have established himself as Watson's new primary target and Jordan Akins has supplanted Darren Fells as their top option at tight end. But for a team that seemed so close to competing for the AFC Championship last season, the cupboard feels a little bare for Deshaun.
Texans have shown ‘The most interest’ in AB The Houston Texans have reportedly been the “most active” team in purs… https://t.co/lKqzkgCBKB— NFL News (@NFL News) 1601043979.0
Adding someone like Brown will depend on whether they can get some wins before the halfway point in the season. As with anyone who would consider Brown this season, they will need to be competing for a playoff spot, but also needing the extra help at receiver that AB would provide to get them there. If Houston can position themselves to still be competing for the AFC South they would fit that description.
The Eagles are in a similar spot as Houston, starting out 0-2 on the season falling short of preseason expectations. But nobody could've predicted just how bad Philadelphia would look these first two weeks. Carson Wentz has been pressured early and often behind a beat up offensive line that has included injuries to Lane Johnson, Jason Peters, and Jason Kelce already.
The receiving group was supposed to be trending up with the healthy returns of Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson to combine with speedy rookie Jalen Reagor. All three head into Week 3 on the injury report, and Reagor headed to the IR unlikely to return before Week 10.
Wentz has been one of the better quarterbacks in the league since being drafted in 2016. This season has not been kind to Wentz though, and through two weeks he is one of the worst QBs in the league according to QBR (quarterback rating) ranking 32nd in the NFL.
"Through two weeks of this season, who has been the worst quarterback in the NFL? A pretty compelling case could be… https://t.co/vcg3t5upq7— Get Up (@Get Up) 1600960020.0
Philadelphia was certainly a favorite in the NFC to compete heading into 2020, and will not give up on winning just because of injuries. If this abomination of a season continues though, people's jobs may be at risk, including Doug Pederson's. Coaches that have their backs against the wall will often step outside of their decision making comfort zone, and for Pederson that may include reaching out to AB for help.
By getting a receiver with Brown's speed and route running ability would relieve a lot of pressure off of Carson Wentz by providing him someone that will reliably be open and will come down with the ball in tight coverage. He could be the difference in legitimizing the Eagles passing attack and help to carry them to the playoffs in the second half of this season.
We know Brown can come into a new organization and perform well on short notice after his one game performance with the Patriots last year that included a touchdown. While a lot has happened since then involving Brown, the talent he possesses is still elite. I predict he will be playing on an NFL roster before this season is over and if you're a savvy fantasy manager you will be monitoring this situation.
Each week, we dive into the stats from each NFL game and examine player performances that were noteworthy from a fantasy perspective.
Texans 20 - Chiefs 34
Patrick Mahomes picked up where he left off in the Super Bowl, tossing 3 TDs on a pedestrian 211 yards. Travis Kelce, Sammy Watkins and Tyreek Hill were on the receiving end of his TD throws. Clyde Edwards-Helaire was the talk of the night with 138 yards on the ground and a rushing TD. He had five goal line opportunities but was only able to convert on one, rewarding owners who took a risk on him early in the first.
Josh Allen rushed for a first down against the Jets Getty Images
Jets 17 - Bills 27
Josh Allen had a career day, leading to a top five QB finish this week in fantasy, with 312 yards passing, 2 TDs and 57 yards and a TD on the ground. He also had some bad misses in the passing game and fumbled twice. Devin Singletary only had 9/30 on the ground but also snagged 5 catches for 23 yards. Stefon Diggs had 86 yards receiving and looked dialed in. John Brown had 70 yards and a TD and could have had another on a Josh Allen overthrow. Zack Moss got a lot of goal line looks, and that seems to be where he will contribute this year. The Jets struggled on offense all day. Jamison Crowder converted a long screen pass for a TD to save his fantasy day. Le'Veon Bell left the game with a hamstring injury and will be out for Week 2.
Packers 43 - Vikings 34
A shootout in Minnesota this week with top fantasy performers on both side of the ball. Aaron Rodgers looked vintage this week, tossing four TDs on 364 yards passing. Davante Adams had 156 yards on 14 catches with a TD. Aaron Jones had 66 yards and 1 TD as well. For the Vikings, Adam Thielen had 110 yards and 2 TD catches. Dalvin Cook, fresh off a new contract extension, had 50 yards and 2 TDs on the ground. Kirk Cousins had 259 yards and 2 TDs. Rookie Justin Jefferson only had 2 catches for 26 yards and looks bench-able until more consistent production can be found.
Eagles 17 - Washington 27
A big surprise this week as the Eagles blew a 17 point lead, losing 27-17 to the Washington Football Team. Carson Wentz threw 2 TDs to each of his starting tight ends, Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, but couldn't do much else behind a patchwork offensive line. Goedert had 101 yards on 8 catches, and looks to be challenging Ertz as the team's top tight end. Rookie Jalen Reagor had 1 catch for 55 yards but was otherwise quiet. Dwayne Haskins had 178 yards passing, but it was Peyton Barber who punched in 2 goal line TDs. He had 29 yards on 17 attempts. Antonio Gibson had 36 yards on 9 carries but was not used near the goal line.
JK Dobbins finds the endzone for one of his two rushing TDs on the day.Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Browns 6 - Ravens 38
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens cruised against a depleted Browns defense. Lamar Jackson threw 2 TDs to TE Mark Andrews, who picked up right where he left off in 2019. Jackson had 275 yards and 3 TDs and looked more proficient as a passer. Rookie JK Dobbins converted 2 goal line rushes for TDs, but Mark Ingram is still the starter for now. Baker Mayfield struggled against the Ravens defense, completing 21/39 passes for 189 yards. Odell Beckham only had 3 catches for 22 yards. Austin Hooper contributed 2 catches for 15 yards. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt each had 60+ yards on the ground, but the game got away and pushed the script to more passing for Cleveland in the second half.
Colts 20 - Jaguars 27
The Jaguars surprised the whole NFL by upsetting the Colts Sunday. Undrafted rookie RB James Robinson had 62 yards on the ground as well as 30 yards in the passing game. Second round pick, Laviska Shenault Jr, had his first career TD and seemed very comfortable with the offense. Gardner Minshew had a 95% completion percentage, going 19/20 for 173 yards and 3 TDs. Philip Rivers had 2 TDs and 2 INTs in his Colts debut, but was otherwise unable to lead a comeback. Marlon Mack was lost for the year with a torn achilles tendon, which means the Colts' first round pick, Jonathan Taylor, will take over as the main RB for the remainder of the year. TY Hilton had a pedestrian 53 yards on 4 catches, but should improve as the season goes on.
Raiders 34 - Panthers 30
The Raiders pulled out a win on the east coast to start their inaugural season in Las Vegas. Josh Jacobs had 3 TDs to lead the team and is cemented as a top tier RB this year if he can stay healthy. Rookie Henry Ruggs had 55 yards on 3 catches, a promising start. Christian McCaffrey had 2 TDs and 96 rushing yards, while Robbie Anderson had 115 yards receiving and a TD catch as well. Anderson looks like he has the best chemistry with Bridgewater to start the year. DJ Moore had a disappointing 54 yards on 4 catches, but Carolina's passing offense will be much better this year.
Trubisky lead the Bears to 3 TDs in the 4th quarter AP
Bears 27 - Lions 23
Chicago erased a 26-3 4th quarter deficit on 3 Mitchell Trubisky passing TDs and the Bears snuck out of Detroit with a victory this week. Trubisky was 20/36 for 253 yards and 3 TDs while David Montgomery had 64 yards on 13 carries. Anthony Miller and Allen Robinson each had 70+ yards this week with Miller snagging a TD. Adrian Peterson was the bell cow for the Lions, rushing for 93 yards on 14 carries. TJ Hockenson had 56 yards and a TD and rookie Quintez Cephus had 43 yards on 3 catches in place of injured Kenny Golladay.
Seahawks 38 - Falcons 25
Russell Wilson was damn near perfect in Atlanta on Sunday, going 31/35 for 322 yards and 4 TDs. DK Metcalf lead the way with 95 yards and a TD through the air while Chris Carson had 2 TDs through the air. Tyler Lockett also had 92 yards receiving. For the Falcons, Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley each went over 100 yards receiving, with Ridley pulling in 2 TDs as well. Todd Gurley had a score on the ground for the Falcons as well. Matt Ryan had 450 yards passing this week, good for best in the NFL for week 1.
Dolphins 11 - Patriots 21
The new look New England Patriots took care of the Miami Dolphins this week on Cam Newton's 75 yards rushing and 2 TDs. He only had 155 yards on 15 completions through the air. Sony Michel had a rushing TD and 37 yards while Julian Edelman contributed 57 yards through the air. Ryan Fitzpatrick struggled for the Dolphins, throwing 3 INTs this week. Devante Parker was held in check by the Patriots defense, only getting 47 yards on 4 catches. Myles Gaskin led the Dolphins backfield with 40 yards on 9 carries while Matt Breida had 22 yards on 5 carries.
Los Angeles Chargers v Cincinnati Bengals Getty Images
Chargers 16 - Bengals 13
The Joe Burrow show began with a bang and ended with a fizzle this week in Cincinnati. Burrow had a rushing TD this week to pair with 193 yards passing. Joe Mixon had 69 yards on the ground with a fumble while AJ Green led the receivers with 51 yards on 5 catches. Tyrod Taylor had 208 yards through the air. Austin Ekeler had 84 yards on the ground while Joe Kelly had 60 yards and a TD. Hunter Henry had 73 yards through the air, the most on the team this week. Keenan Allen had 37 yards on 4 catches.
Cardinals 24 - 49ers 20
Arizona's Kyler Murray came into Levi Stadium and shocked the 49ers. Murray had 230 yards through the air and with a TD to go along with 91 yards rushing and a TD. Kenyan Drake had 61 yards rushing with a TD. DeAndre Hopkins had a massive 151 yards receiving on 14 catches. Hopkins is going to have a monster year. Jimmy Garoppolo had 2 TDs on 259 yards for the 49ers. Raheem Mostert showed the NFL why he wanted a raise this off season, with 56 yards rushing paired with 95 yards receiving and a TD, he look everything like a top 10 RB this year in fantasy.
Buccaneers 23 - Saints 34
Tom Brady got off to a rocky start in Tampa Bay, throwing 2 terrible INTs to go along with 2 passing TDs and a rushing TD. He looked rusty and was not on the same page as some of his teammates. Ronald Jones had the lion-share of carries, having 17 for 65 yards. Chris Godwin led the receivers with 6 receptions for 79 yards. OJ Howard had a TD reception, on 36 yards. Drew Brees struggled to get the ball to his receivers, but his defense did enough to slow the Bucs while he fed the ball to Alvin Kamara. Kamara had 16 rushing yards and a TD as well as 51 receiving yards and a TD. Jared Cook pitched in 80 yards on 5 catches.
CeeDee Lamb had a great debut for the Cowboys.startelegram.com
Cowboys 17 - Rams 20
The Cowboys struggled to get their offense going against a (possibly?) underrated Rams defense. Zeke Elliott had a rushing and receiving TD. Amari Cooper had 81 yards on 10 catches while Michael Gallup had 6 catches for 50 yards. Rookie Ceedee Lamb had 59 yards on 5 catches. The Rams pounded the ball with Malcolm Brown, who had 79 yards and 2 TDs. Cam Akers had 39 yards on 14 carries. Right now, the backfield seems to be Brown's to lose, as Akers looked nothing like a starting RB against an exploitable Cowboys defense. Robert Woods had 105 yards receiving while Cooper Kupp had a disappointing 40 yards.
Steelers 26 - Giants 16
Big Ben is back! Roethlisberger had 229 yards and 3 TDs on Monday night while James Conner left the game early with an ankle injury. Benny Snell filled in admirably, rushing for 113 yards on 19 carries. Rookie Anthony McFarland Jr did not see an attempt. JuJu Smith-Schuster had 69 yards and 2 of Ben's TDs, while James Washington accounted for the other. Diontae Johnson had 57 yards but also had a costly fumble. Daniel Jones was under duress all night from the Steelers defense, throwing for 279 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs. Saquon Barkley had 15 rushes for 6(!) yards, as he could get nothing going against Pittsburgh. Darius Slayton had over 100 yards receiving and looks to be Jones' favorite target.
Titans 16 - Broncos 14
The late Monday night game brought a defensive battle. The Titans' Ryan Tannehill had 249 yards and 2 TDs, while Derrick Henry had a massive 31 carries for 116 yards. Corey Davis had over 100 yards on 7 catches, and his production deserves attention, as he was second fiddle to AJ Brown (5-39 yards) last year. Drew Lock had 216 yards and a TD in his debut. Noah Fant led the Broncos receivers with 81 yards on 5 catches and 1 TD. Melvin Gordon dominated the RB touches for Denver, gaining 78 yards on 15 carries with a TD. He also had a costly fumble deep in Titans territory. He looks to be the RB play though right now in Denver. Jerry Jeudy had a nice debut with Cortland Sutton injured. He had 56 yards on 4 catches and looks startable against exploitable defenses.
In 2020, quarterback is a very deep position that provides value in the later rounds of drafts and is spearheaded by the duo of Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes.
Jackson had an MVP season in 2019 tossing 36 touchdowns to pair with 1,206 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns making him the highest scoring fantasy quarterback by nearly 73 points to the second leading point getter, Dak Prescott. Regression is expected from Jackson this season, as Baltimore has hinted at trying to reduce their franchise quarterback's exposure to taking hits by limiting his rushing outside of the pocket, but I find it hard to believe that it will be to the extent that many experts are projecting.
I think what will be more likely is for the 36 passing touchdowns to come down closer to the 28 to 30 range with some increased passing yardage and the rushing total to be about the same. Mahomes just inked a new deal that will make him one of the highest paid athletes in history, and it still somehow feels like he is being underpaid. The Chiefs are tailor made for a quarterback of his skill set, and they have speed everywhere. Mahomes dealt with some injuries in 2019, but if he's able to play a full slate this year, it's very possible that he finishes as QB1.
You simply cannot go wrong with either Mahomes or Jackson as your fantasy quarterback. The only questions are going to be: How early do you have to select them, and what are you sacrificing in order to get them? In most mock drafts I've seen and been a part of both are going in quick succession of each other and usually between the middle of the second round and middle of the third round. That's very early based on modern draft strategy, but you will be paying for their high ceiling and week to week consistency at the position if you decide to go that route.
Now that we've covered the two obvious studs at the position, let's take a further look into some other options for your team with a less hefty price tag based on ADP.
Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks
Findbet Overall ADP 48
Findbet Position ADP 5
I didn't go far down the list until I got to the first QB I wanted to discuss–that being Seattle's Russell Wilson. It's no secret he's one of the best in the game at the position, but I don't think he gets enough credit as a fantasy producer. Based on Yahoo scoring, Wilson finished as QB4 in 2019, and going backwards to 2015 he finished 9th, 1st, 9th, and 3rd. He's shown the ability to sustain consistency as a top 10 fantasy quarterback with the ability to reach the top 5.
Wilson also continues to provide some production with his legs, and at only 31 years old he isn't losing a step yet. Seattle has a nice receiving tandem in Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf and added veteran tight end Greg Olsen in the offseason. There have been rumored links to Antonio Brown and Josh Gordon, as Wilson himself has hinted that he would like for the organization to explore those options. Even if the Seahawks decide not to bring in any additional talent before or during the season, Wilson has shown an aptitude for maximizing the talent of his teammates and the ability to win games on his own. He will be someone you can target around the 5th round of drafts, and he may be a safer option compared to Kyler Murray who will only be entering his sophomore season with the Cardinals, or Deshaun Watson who lost his primary target in DeAndre Hopkins to Murray's Cardinals.
Matt Ryan Atlanta Falcons
Findbet Overall ADP 82
Findbet Position ADP 10
Entering his age-35 season, Ryan has established himself as one of the perennial NFL passing leaders in an offense that ranked 3rd in 2019. With the addition of running back Todd Gurley, the Falcons will hope to improve one of the league's worst rushing attacks which should help to open up passing lanes downfield for Ryan to find Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley more often. Although Austin Hooper was a large part of the Falcons' passing attack, the team wasted little time in acquiring Hayden Hurst from the Baltimore Ravens to fill the gap. Add to that a potential outbreak performer in Russell Gage, who performed well last season while filling in for Calvin Ridley due to injury, and Ryan will have a full complement of weapons to throw to, making him a solid fantasy quarterback that you can select in the middle to later rounds of drafts. The combination of passing volume in Atlanta and elite players around him make Ryan one of my favorite QBs currently being slept on in fantasy drafts.
Baker Mayfield Cleveland Browns
Findbet Overall ADP 130
Position ADP 16
There may not be a more polarizing player at the position, both from a fantasy perspective and in terms of his legitimacy as an NFL quarterback. After a stellar rookie season, Mayfield fell flat in 2019, albeit with the addition of Odell Beckham to pair with Jarvis Landry and the emergence of Nick Chubb as a dominant running back in the league. Fast forward to 2020, and the organization has a new GM in Sashi Brown and coach in Kevin Stefanski that look to correct the mistakes that were made under the John Dorsey and Freddie Kitchens regime.
The hype surrounding the Browns this year is giving me deja vu back to the 2019 offseason, but this year it just feels more warranted. Learning that both Beckham and Landry were dealing with injuries throughout the 2019 campaign–and being able to look back now at what may be the Browns' biggest dumpster fire for a coach since their return in 1999–provides some perspective into what may have caused the regression for Mayfield. Beckham has stated that he feels 100% healthy now, and Landry should be ready to go for the start of the season, although maybe not at full capacity as he's still recovering from offseason surgery.
Considering Mayfield was such a hot commodity only a year ago and his surroundings have improved on nearly every front, I think Mayfield could be a league winning steal at the ends of drafts this year. Even if Mayfield doesn't pan out to be the real life winning QB for the Browns, he could be this year's Jameis Winston that can win you your fantasy league, due to the fact he's surrounded by top end talent at every position (Running backs - Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Receivers - Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry, Tight ends - Austin Hooper, David Njoku).