Monday Night Fantasy Football Start Decisions and Rankings: Jameson Williams, David Montgomery, Mark Andrews and More
Breaking down the week 3 Monday night game between the Lions and Ravens and looking at the top fantasy players from each team.
Week 3 of the NFL regular season wraps up with a very fun battle between the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions.
Let's go over the top fantasy football options for the contest, then rank the offensive skill players in case you need some last-minute starting lineup help.
Use the FantasySP start/sit tool for help with any last-minute lineup decisions.
Quarterbacks
Lamar Jackson and Jared Goff are two good/great fantasy quarterbacks.
If you roster Jackson, you are starting him weekly, even in tougher matchups. On paper, this is an average matchup for him, so expect pretty good results from Jackson.
It's a very favorable matchup for Goff, but Baltimore's defense looked much better in week 2 after letting Josh Allen run and throw all over them in week 1.
Jackson was my No. 2 fantasy QB going into week 3, and I think he's the clear choice over Goff tonight, even though the matchup says to trust Goff more. If you have to start Goff (who I ranked eighth), then be expecting some good fantasy results too.
Jackson is projected for 22 fantasy points in our FantasySP system, while Goff is at 16 points.
Running Backs
The running backs in this game are stellar as well.
Detroit has Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, while Baltimore leans on Derrick Henry. Justice Hill is the secondary back in Baltimore.
Gibbs has 34 touches over 77 offensive snaps played in the first two weeks. He has 113 rushing yards and a score, while hauling in all 13 of his targets for 41 yards.
Montgomery has 27 touches over 48 snaps. He's rushed for 82 yards and a score and caught all five of his targets for 22 yards.
Henry struggled in week 2, but still has 192 rushing yards and two scores and a 13-yard reception on his lone target because of a monster week 1 outing. Henry has 30 touches over 63 offensive snaps.
Hill has played 45 snaps, but logged just nine touches. He's negative-seven yards on five carries and 21 receiving yards on four catches and five targets.
It's a great matchup for the Detroit backs, as Baltimore had allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing RBs coming into week 3. Detroit's defense presents a tougher challenge, and were a below-average matchup for the week.
With the favorable matchup, I had Gibbs as my No. 1 fantasy back for week 3. Henry landed at No. 10, while Montgomery also made the cut at No. 27.
Gibbs is projected for 25 PPR fantasy points, which was the most this week. Henry is set for 18 PPR points, while Montgomery is at 12 points. Hill checks in at six PPR points.
Gibbs is a must-start fantasy back every week, and so is Henry for that matter, even coming off a slow game. Montgomery is a flex-level starting option, and in a good matchup tonight, is someone I really like on Monday night. Hill is just a deep-league starter, and I'd try to avoid him in this tougher matchup.
Wide Receivers
There's some good fantasy wideouts in this contest as well.
Baltimore has been led by Zay Flowers early on. DeAndre Hopkins has shown some life as well, while Rashod Bateman has struggled to get going. Devontez Walker and Tylan Wallace also are worth mentioning.
In Detroit, Amon-Ra St. Brown leads the show. Jameson Williams is another good option, while Kalif Raymond and Isaac TeSlaa are some depth options.
St. Brown has 17 targets through two weeks, catching 13 of them for 160 yards and three scores. He's played 113 offensive snaps.
Williams is at 117 offensive snaps, and has caught six of his nine targets for 131 yards and a score.
Raymond has 30 yards on three grabs and four targets - he's played 76 snaps. TeSlaa has played 20 snaps, but has two highlight-reel grabs for 42 yards and a score across two targets.
Flowers has 218 yards and a score on 14 catches and 20 targets through two weeks. He has played 90 snaps so far.
Bateman has been held to 25 yards across four catches and eight targets. He has played 70 snaps.
Hopkins has played just 28 snaps, but had four grabs for 99 yards and two scores across four targets.
Walker has played 13 snaps, while Wallace is at 44 snaps. Walker has 26 yards and two touchdowns across two catches and targets. Wallace has 25 yards and a score on two grabs and two targets.
I had St. Brown ranked sixth coming into the week. Flowers was No. 10, while Williams was 29th.
After those three, I don't like anyone else as a standard league starting option. Even though he's started slow, I still like Bateman next of any of the remaining receivers - he and Hopkins are better deep-league starting options, and a lot of that has to do with a bit more favorable matchup. To round things out, I'd take: Raymond, Wallace, TeSlaa and Walker.
The projections have St. Brown tied for the most-projected PPR points (20) for week 3. Williams is at 11 projected points. Flowers is at 16 PPR points, while Bateman is at nine and Hopkins six.
Tight Ends
There's two good tight ends in this contest, but only one who has done anything this season.
Sam LaPorta is the Lions' top tight end, and has played 111 offensive snaps so far. He has 105 yards on nine catches and 11 targets, but most of that came in week 1 - he was held in check in week 2, despite the Lions' offense erupting.
Brock Wright has a TD grab and 28 yards, but on just three catches and targets so far. He's played 55 offensive snaps for the Lions and is only an option in the deepest leagues out there.
Baltimore's Mark Andrews has struggled so far. He's played 83 snaps, but only has seven yards on two catches and four targets.
Charlie Kolar has played 64 snaps, but doesn't have a target. He's a non-factor in the fantasy world.
Despite a slow week 2, I still had LaPorta as my No. 4 fantasy TE for week 3. Andrews was way down at No. 17.
It's a very favorable matchup for LaPorta, which is why I was a fan of his this week. The Lions are a tough test on tight ends so far, which gives me another reason to skip Andrews after his slow start.
LaPorta is projected for 14 PPR fantasy points, which was tied for the second most this week. Andrews is set for 10 points.
Kickers
Tyler Loop kicks for the Ravens, while Jake Bates does the kicking for the Lions.
Loop has made all four of his field goals and nine of his 10 extra points so far. Bates is 3-for-4 on his field goals and has made all eight of his extra points.
Both of these players are good fantasy options because of the high-powered offenses they kick for. In a game with an over/under of 53.5 points, I like starting either kicker.
I see Baltimore winning this one at home, so I'd give Loop the slight edge.
Both guys are projected for seven fantasy points.
Defenses/Special Teams
In a high-scoring game, I don't like either of the D/STs, even though they are each capable of turning in good performances.
The Ravens' D/ST is projected for six points, while the Lions are set at just five. I'd have avoided these defenses in week 3.
If I had to choose one, I'd take Baltimore by a slight margin. Both could be negative fantasy performers if this turns into a high-scoring showdown.
Offensive Overall Rankings (OP or Flex Spots)
1. Lamar Jackson
2. Jahmyr Gibbs
3. Jared Goff
4. Amon-Ra St. Brown
5. Derrick Henry
6. Zay Flowers
7. Sam LaPorta
8. Jameson Williams
9. David Montgomery
10. Rashod Bateman
11. DeAndre Hopkins
12. Mark Andrews
13. Kalif Raymond
14. Tylan Wallace
15. Justice Hill
16. Isaac TeSlaa
17. Devontez Walker
18. Brock Wright
