Are Patriots' Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson Worth Starts Against Jets in Week 3?

Taking a look at the Patriots best fantasy starting options for week 3.

Week 3 of the NFL regular season begins with an AFC East battle between the New York Jets and New England Patriots.

Let’s take a look at the best fantasy football starting options for each team, beginning with the Patriots.

Looking for start/sit help? Be sure to check out the FantasySP Who Should I Start tool.

Jacoby Brissett Fantasy Outlook

Brissett has been serviceable through two weeks. He’s been under 150 passing yards in both games, with just one touchdown and no interceptions. Brissett rushed for 32 yards in week 2 after having just six in week 1.

The matchup in week 3 against the Jets is not favorable for Brissett, as the defense has surrendered just 11 fantasy points per game to QBs in the first two weeks. Quarterbacks have passed for 423 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while rushing for 48 yards on six attempts. They’ve been sacked six times.

Brissett is projected for just 11 fantasy points in week 3, putting him near the bottom of the league.

Running Back Fantasy Outlook

Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson have been a good 1-2 punch in the first two weeks of play.

Stevenson got 28 touches in week 1 before 23 in week 2. He’s rushed 46 times for 201 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 15 receiving yards on five catches and eight targets.

Gibson had seven touches in week 1 before getting 12 last week. He’s rushed 18 times for 114 yards, while adding a seven-yard reception on his only target.

JaMycal Hasty has only played three snaps and gotten one touch, so you can avoid him unless Stevenson or Gibson are a late scratch.

It’s an average matchup for the Pats’ backs, as the Jets’ defense has allowed 21 fantasy points per game to opposing RBs so far. Opposing backs have 229 rushing yards and a score on 51 attempts, while adding 96 receiving yards on 10 catches and 12 targets.

Stevenson is projected for 15 PPR fantasy points, while Gibson is at just five.

Wide Receiver Fantasy Outlook

Only five New England receivers have played so far this season.

K.J. Osborn leads the team with 91 offensive snaps, while Demario Douglas is at 77, Ja'Lynn Polk 76, Tyquan Thornton 69 and Javon Baker six.

Osborn has eight targets, but has just four catches for 28 yards. He’s caught both of his red zone targets.

Polk has three catches on four targets for 18 yards and a score. He caught his only red zone target.

Douglas has 12 yards on two catches and three targets, with none of that in the red zone. Thornton has 27 receiving yards on two grabs and three targets, again with nothing in the red zone. Baker hasn’t been targeted this season.

It’s another favorable matchup for the Pats’ players here, as the Jets’ defense has allowed 33 fantasy points per game to opposing receivers so far. Opposing wideouts have 258 yards and a touchdown on 19 catches and 33 targets.

Polk and Douglas are each part of the top 76 wide receivers in the week 3 projections, but barely. Douglas is projected for seven PPR points, while Polk is at just six.

Tight End Fantasy Outlook

Three tight ends have played for New England, with Hunter Henry easily being the top option.

Henry had a big week 2 showing and leads the team with 127 receiving yards. He’s accomplished those numbers on 10 catches and 15 targets. Henry hasn’t caught either of his two red zone targets so far. He’s played 111 snaps, easily the most on the team.

Austin Hooper has five targets across 73 snaps played. He’s made three receptions for 36 yards, but has no work in the red zone and had just one target last week.

Jaheim Bell has played one snap through two games, so he can be avoided in all league types until he starts playing more.

It’s another pretty average matchup for New England players. The Jets’ defense has allowed eight fantasy points per game to opposing TEs so far. Opposing TEs have nine catches on 11 targets, going for 69 yards.

Henry is projected for 11 PPR fantasy points in week 3, making him the sixth-best fantasy TE in the projections.

Kicker and Defense Outlook

Joey Slye does the kicking for New England.

He’s five-of-six on his field goal tries, with all five makes under 40 yards and the only miss coming over 40 yards. He’s made his three extra-point tries.

Slye is projected for six fantasy points in week 3.

The Patriots’ defense was good in week 1 and then got beat up pretty good in week 2. They are likely to be down a couple starters as well.

The Jets’ offense looked better in week 2 than it did in week 1, but the opponent changing from the Niners to the Titans definitely played a role in that.

The Pats’ D/ST is projected for eight fantasy points this week.

Who to Start in Week 3

This matchup is the worst one on Thursday so far, but being an inter-division battle spices things up a bit. I see this being a defensive battle, with New York winning 16-13. Check out more odds and betting details here.

The Patriots don’t have many fantasy starters in standard leagues, but we’ll talk about everyone.

Brissett is definitely not an option in standard leagues, and really shouldn’t be considered in deeper leagues either. Only play him if you absolutely have to.

Stevenson has been one of the better fantasy backs this season, and with an average matchup, I think he needs to be in your lineups, regardless of your league setup. 

Gibson is also a pretty solid option, but I’d trust him in deeper setups. He could be used in a pinch in a standard league, but I’d bet you have better options on your roster (or available on the waiver wire).

I don’t like any of the Pats’ receivers as standard league starters. I honestly don’t like them much in deeper setups either. In terms of how I’d rank them for those of you in incredibly deep leagues, I’d go: Polk, Osborn, Douglas, Thornton, Baker.

I like Henry as a starting TE this week, depending on who your top option is, of course. He's coming off a big game and has an average matchup. He's the only fantasy player I would really want to play outside Stevenson.

Hasty, Hooper and Bell can all be avoided in all league types as well. Hooper is the “best” option among the three, with a tossup then between Hasty and Bell.

I see a couple field goal attempts for Slye, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to add him for a week 3 start. In deeper formats, where there’s less kickers available, Slye is a fine option.

As for the Patriots’ defense, they are a pretty good unit, but coming off a rough showing and maybe being down a few starters and key contributors, I wouldn’t want to play them against the Jets. I don’t think Aaron Rodgers will have a vintage performance by any means, but I also don’t see the Pats’ defense creating a bunch of big plays to be worth playing in fantasy. I’d only start them in a deeper setup.

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