2021 Fantasy Football: Week 3 Streaming Options
With Week 3 ready to get rolling tonight, I hope that every FantasySP subscriber began the season 2-0. But whether you are undefeated or not, remember, the ultimate goal is a fantasy championship. So don’t get discouraged if you are 0-2 or 1-1. There is still plenty of time to turn it around. We all know that in-season management through the waiver wire is critical, so let’s look at some potential top streaming options as we gear up for Week 3.
There are a lot of players who have already been lost to injury and ruled out such as Tyrod Taylor and Jarvis Landry. Plus, Amari Cooper, Josh Jacobs, Darrell Henderson, Diontae Johnson, Tee Higgins, Derek Carr, Baker Mayfield and Ben Roethlisberger all have been deemed questionable to suit up at this point. So if you are sweating one of your top players not being able to play this week, let’s find some solid replacements who are streamable in Week 3.
Week 3 QB Streaming Options
Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos
Bridgewater has been picked up by quite a few fantasy managers looking for an upgrade at the quarterback position. That said, he is still available in over 50% of leagues. Although he is missing Jerry Jeudy, Bridgewater is now averaging just shy of 300 yards per game through his first two contests. With a matchup on the horizon against the Jets’ porous secondary, Bridgewater is poised to finish as a fringe QB1 in Week 3.
Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Jones would have surpassed 40 fantasy points against Washington last week if not for a horrible holding call that brought back a touchdown run and an awful drop in the end zone by Darius Slayton. That said, Danny Dimes has produced over the first two weeks of the season, against solid defenses too. And this week, he gets an Atlanta Falcons defensive unit that is one of the worst in the entire NFL. Although it hasn’t always been pretty, fantasy points are fantasy points.
If you need a spot-start, Jones is one of the top streaming options at the quarterback position this week. The Giants cannot afford to go 0-3 and Jones is going to light that Falcons secondary up with Sterling Shepard and Kenny Golladay.
Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders
Derek Carr has been the QB4 through two weeks of action. Surprisingly, he’s in the early-season MVP conversation. The matchup this week, however, is against a tough Dolphins secondary. So while I’m not starting Carr over my studs, it’s still difficult not to ride the hot hand unless you have Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Kyler Murray or Josh Allen. Carr will make fantasy owners proud this week. The Dolphins have a good defense, but the emergence of Henry Ruggs could help Carr leap to the next level.
RB Streaming Options
Kenyan Drake, Las Vegas Raiders
Drake has been a staple of this list in back-to-back weeks. Now he appears on it for the third consecutive week. If Josh Jacobs is unable to go, Drake is an obvious streaming option, as Miami is much better against the pass as they are against opposing running backs. That said, Drake didn’t really rise to the challenge last week with Jacobs unable to suit up. What’s more important for Drake is that he gets usage on obvious passing downs and on third down. To this point, he’s been peppered with targets by Derek Carr. Drake has caught five passes in each of his first two outings of the season. He is a PPR monster in his debut season with the Raiders. Regardless of whether Jacobs plays or not, Drake has to be a top streaming option at the running back position.
James White, New England Patriots
Considering Bill Belichick benched rookie Rhamondre Stevenson after his Week 1 fumble, the Patriots had no option but to give the aging veteran James White more touches in Week 2 since New England couldn’t also bench Damien Harris (despite his game-losing fumble). Harris is still the RB1 in New England but White looked great in Week 2. He was able to find the end zone on the ground and was a consistent target of Mac Jones in the short passing game. Just like Drake, White is a PPR gem and can be a solid flex play in Week 3.
Cordarrelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons
While Mike Davis has been incredibly average, Patterson has looked good to start the season and found the end zone on the ground and through the air last week. Going up against a Giants defense that has been giving up a lot of yards to running backs through two games (including J.D. McKissic last week), Patterson is a very solid flier this week. After McKissoc’s strong outing in Week 2 against Big Blue, Patterson seems destined for very similar production considering their similar roles on their respective teams. Patterson actually seems like he may not be playing second fiddle to Davis much longer. If he continues to produce, he could earn the RB1 role in Atlanta. He needs a big game against New York to do that though. I’m expecting big things. You should too.
WR Streaming Options
Rondale Moore, Arizona Cardinals
Moore was everyone’s darling of the week after catching a 70-yard touchdown bomb from Kyler Murray. Although Moore is technically third in the pecking order in Arizona, I expect him to outproduce Christian Kirk and steal the WR2 role. He’s never going to surpass DeAndre Hopkins, but that’s okay. Hopkins demands so much attention that Moore, an excellent route runner, should be able to find plenty of open space in opposing secondaries. Moore is just too explosive of an athlete to bench, especially with Murray tossing him the ball. Start him with confidence against a vastly undermanned Jacksonville Jaguars secondary. The Cardinals are going to put up a lot of points and Moore could very well find the end zone a second consecutive week.
Tim Patrick, Denver Broncos
With Jerry Jeudy out, Coutland Sutton is an obvious start, but the rest of Denver’s pass catchers are hard to predict. That said, Patrick has caught a touchdown pass in each of the first two weeks of the season. He doesn’t have a very high ceiling, but he sees plenty of targets each week and is a solid possession receiver. A favorable matchup against the Jets will result in a third consecutive week with a touchdown. Patrick has emerged as a safe security blanket for Teddy Bridgewater on underneath patterns. Patrick will eat against New York!
K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings
I pinpointed Osborn as one of the top options at the wide receiver position to add off the waiver wire. If you were able to secure him, he is absolutely someone to consider starting. Osborn came out of nowhere to put up massive numbers to begin the season (12 receptions for 167 yards and a touchdown). Plus, he has seen a whopping 15 targets through two games. He’s not going to surpass Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, but with no solid tight end on this offense, the Vikings need Osborn to continue making plays. Kirk Cousins has been putting up big enough numbers to support three productive receivers. Osborn is ready to contribute to your fantasy team’s success.
Sammy Watkins, Baltimore Ravens
A blast from the past! Watkins is settling into his role with the Ravens nicely, and he now has eight catches for 140 yards through two games. The only thing that worries me a bit is the Ravens could very likely blow out the Lions and not need to throw much. But there’s also a good chance Watkins is part of the scoring that leads to the aforementioned blowout, so I think he’s worth the risk if you need help at wide receiver.
TE Streaming Options
Jared Cook, Los Angeles Chargers
I feel like a lot of people just wrote off Cook forever. That’s been a mistake thus far as he’s seen 13 targets in two games to start the season and has been a serviceable option amongst a sea of tight end mediocrity. The matchup against the Chiefs isn’t great, but neither are the other streaming options out there.
Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts
Jack Doyle is a top-10 tight end through two games. Weird, I know. While I don’t think that will last, he’s going to continue to get plenty of looks (12 targets through two games) as the Colts wide receiving corps works through the injuries that have plagued them of late. The Titans are a tough on-paper matchup against tight ends after two games, but they also haven’t exactly faced an above-average (or even average) tight end yet.
The tight end position is incredibly thin, so that is all I’ve got for you. I wish you the best of luck in your Week 3 matchup. Let’s reconvene next week when we are all still undefeated with a 3-0 record!
