Fantasy Football Week 3: Top plays at each position
BOSTON -- With the first two weeks in the books, now we're really getting into the interesting parts of the fantasy football season. There's time for you to turn around your 0-2 start or win a week if you're playing daily, but if you haven't had much success thus far, you're probably looking for a little help.
Fret no more, for CBS Sports' fantasy football expert Chris Towers is here to rank every position for the new week, giving you the best plays at each spot heading into Week 3.
Quarterbacks
It should come as no surprise that Patrick Mahomes sits atop this week's quarterback rankings. He's fresh off a 305-yard, two-touchdown day against Jacksonville, and he just signed a very nice contract restructure that will make him even more rich. The Chicago defense also gave up 317 passing yards and a touchdown to Baker Mayfield last week, after being burned for three touchdown passes by Jordan Love in Week 1.
Buffalo's Josh Allen (at Washington), Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts (at Tampa Bay), Baltimore's Lamar Jackson (vs. Indianapolis), and Miami Tua Tagovailoa (vs. Denver) round out this week's top five at quarterback.
New England's Mac Jones is the 19th ranked QB heading into his matchup with the New York Jets, while Jets quarterback Zach Wilson checks in at No. 31 -- ahead of just Bengals backup Jake Browning, who will only see action of Joe Burrow's calf acts up.
Read the full quarterback rankings for Week 3 on CBSSports.com
Running backs
San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey continues to run over anyone in his way, racking up 116 yards on 20 carries (5.8 yards per carry) and a touchdown against the L.A. Rams last weekend. Now he has a matchup against a New York Giants defense that has allowed an average of 136.5 rushing yards over its first two games. So once again, McCaffrey is your top play at running back.
Dallas' Tony Pollard (at Arizona), Tennessee's Derrick Henry (at Cleveland), Las Vegas' Josh Jacobs (vs. Pittsburgh), and Atlanta's Bijan Robinson (at Detroit) finish off this week's top five at running back.
Rhamondre Stevenson has just 75 rushing yards through two weeks, and checks in as the No. 12 running back heading into New England's Week 3 tilt with the Jets. New York's Breece Hall ranks 25th while Dalvin Cook is 33rd against the Patriots. Backup Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott, who has just 42 yards on the ground in the first two games, is the 43rd-ranked running back this week.
Read the full running back rankings for Week 3 on CBSSports.com
Wide receiver
It's Justin Jefferson atop the wide receiver rankings, because it's always Justin Jefferson atop the receiver rankings. That would likely be the case even if he wasn't facing a Chargers defense that is allowing 333 passing yards per game -- ranking dead last in the NFL.
After J.J., it's Miami's Tyreek Hill (vs. Denver), Buffalo's Stefon Diggs (at Washington), Detroit's Amon-Ra St. Brown (vs. Atlanta), and Dallas' CeeDee Lamb (at Arizona).
Rookie Puka Nacua of the Rams has come out of nowhere to lead the NFL with 25 receptions over the first two games, and is the 14th-ranked receiver heading into his Monday night matchup with the Bengals.
As for Sunday's Patriots-Jets matchup, New York's Garrett Wilson ranks 32nd for Week 3, while New England's Kendrick Bourne checks in at 40th and JuJu Smith-Schuster at 43rd.
Read the full wide receiver rankings for Week 3 on CBSSports.com
Tight end
No surprises here, as Kansas City's Travis Kelce (vs. Chicago) tops the tight end rankings after hauling in a touchdown in his return last week. Minnesota's TJ Hockenson (vs. L.A. Chargers), Baltimore's Mark Andrews (vs. Indianapolis), Darren Waller of the New York Giants (Thursday night at San Francisco), and Philadelphia's Dallas Goedert (at Tampa Bay) round out the top five tight ends for Week 3.
New England's Hunter Henry has scored a touchdown in each of the first two weeks, and checks in at No. 14 among tight ends for Week 3.
Read the full tight end rankings for Week 3 on CBSSports.com
