Ostrowski: Week 3 Position-By-Position Fantasy Rankings
By Joe Ostrowski-
(CBS) Already, 13 starting running backs have missed snaps due to injuries and off-the-field issues this NFL season. About 41 percent of first-string backs aren't on the field, and millions of Americans are missing out on opportunities to rack up fantasy points as we approach Week 3.
Most fantasy football drafts had LeSean McCoy, Jamaal Charles, Adrian Peterson, Matt Forte and Eddie Lacy going in the top five to six picks about a month ago. After two games, only McCoy and Forte rank in the top 40 at their position. A guy named Knile Davis (the "K" is silent) was just the top waiver wire claim and is owned in 75 percent of Yahoo leagues.
We hear you, sabermetricians. Small. Sample. Size.
In 2013, we had the same conversation about how the number of running back injuries was an anomaly. But is it?
The "Zero RB" community is laughing at you. These fellow fantasy nerds refuses to draft a running back in at least the first few rounds. They grab elite wide receivers and tight ends early on. The top five performers at wideout were all drafted in the top 10 at their position last year. Consistency. Just something to keep in mind when next year's draft(s) roll around, especially with the high number of leagues that have moved to the PPR format.
If you're interested in learning more about "Zero RB," Shawn Siegele explains it in great detail here.
Now, on to the Week 3 rankings. Each Thursday during the regular season I'll give my rundown on position-by-position fantasy football rankings for the upcoming week's games. It's meant as an easy way for me to give advice to you on your tough lineup decisions. Note that these rankings are based on half-point PPR leagues.
Here goes:
Quarterbacks
1. Aaron Rodgers GB (@DET)
2. Matthew Stafford DET (vs GB)
3. Andrew Luck IND (@JAC)
4. Drew Brees NO (vs MIN)
5. Jay Cutler BEARS (@NYJ)
6. Peyton Manning DEN (@SEA)
7. Nick Foles PHI (vs WAS)
8. Matt Ryan ATL (vs TB)
9. Cam Newton CAR (vs PIT)
10. Tom Brady NE (vs OAK)
11. Tony Romo DAL (@STL)
12. Russell Wilson SEA (vs DEN)
13. Philip Rivers SD (@BUF)
14. Kirk Cousins WAS (@PHI)
15. Ryan Tannehill MIA (vs KC)
16. Colin Kaepernick SF (@ARI)
17. Josh McCown TB (@ATL)
18. Andy Dalton CIN (vs TEN)
19. EJ Manuel BUF (vs SD)
20. Joe Flaccco BAL (@CLE)
21. Ben Roethlisberger PIT (@CAR)
22. Ryan Fitzpatrick HOU (@NYG)
23. Geno Smith NYJ (vs BEARS)
24. Jake Locker TEN (@CIN)
Running backs
1. DeMarco Murray DAL (@STL)
2. LeSean McCoy PHI (vs WAS)
3. Arian Foster HOU (@NYG)
4. Marshawn Lynch SEA (vs DEN)
5. Giovani Bernard CIN (vs TEN)
6. Eddie Lacy GB (@DET)
7. Alfred Morris WAS (@PHI)
8. Le'Veon Bell PIT (@CAR)
9. Matt Forte BEARS (@NYJ)
10. Knile Davis KC (@MIA)
11. Zac Stacy STL (vs DAL)
12. Rashad Jennings NYG (vs HOU)
13. Bobby Rainey TB (@ATL)
14. Andre Ellington ARI (vs SF)
15. Darren Sproles PHI (vs WAS)
16. Stevan Ridley NE (vs OAK)
17. Montee Ball DEN (@SEA)
18. CJ Spiller BUF (vs SD)
19. Joique Bell DET (vs GB)
20. Ahmad Bradshaw IND (@JAC)
21. Lamar Miller MIA (vs KC)
22. Chris Ivory NYJ (vs BEARS)
23. Shane Vereen NE (vs OAK)
24. Frank Gore SF (@ARI)
25. Reggie Bush DET (vs GB)
26. Bernard Pierce BAL (@CLE)
27. Terrance West CLE (vs BAL)
28. Doug Martin TB (@ATL)
29. Jeremy Hill CIN (vs TEN)
30. Pierre Thomas NO (vs MIN)
31. Donald Brown SD (@BUF)
32. DeAngelo Williams CAR (vs PIT)
33. Khiry Robinson NO (vs MIN)
34. Chris Johnson NYJ (vs BEARS)
35. Matt Asiata MIN (@NO)
36. Danny Woodhead SD (@BUF)
37. Steven Jackson ATL (vs TB)
38. Trent Richardson IND (@JAC)
39. Fred Jackson BUF (vs SD)
40. Jonathan Stewart CAR (vs PIT)
41. Toby Gerhart JAC (vs IND)
42. Isaiah Crowell CLE (vs BAL)
43. Justin Forsett BAL (@CLE)
44. Darren McFadden OAK (@NE)
45. Maurice Jones-Drew OAK (@NE)
46. Shonn Greene TEN (@CIN)
47. Damien Williams MIA (vs KC)
48. Carlos Hyde SF (@ARI)
Receivers
1. Calvin Johnson DET (vs GB)
2. Brandon Marshall BEARS (@NYJ)
3. Jordy Nelson GB (@DET)
4. Julio Jones ATL (vs TB)
5. Dez Bryant DAL (@STL)
6. Randall Cobb GB (@DET)
7. Antonio Brown PIT (@CAR)
8. Andre Johnson HOU (@NYG)
9. Demaryius Thomas DEN (@SEA)
10. Alshon Jeffery BEARS (@NYJ)
11. Mike Wallace MIA (vs KC)
12. Julian Edelman NE (vs OAK)
13. Jeremy Maclin PHI (vs WAS)
14. Percy Harvin SEA (vs DEN)
15. Vincent Jackson TB (@ATL)
16. Keenan Allen SD (@BUF)
17. Cordarrelle Patterson MIN (@NO)
18. Reggie Wayne IND (@JAC)
19. Michael Floyd ARI (vs SF)
20. Roddy White ATL (vs TB)
21. Brandin Cooks NO (vs MIN)
22. Kelvin Benjamin CAR (vs PIT)
23. TY Hilton IND (@JAC)
24. Golden Tate DET (vs GB)
25. Larry Fitzgerald ARI (vs SF)
26. Eric Decker NYJ (vs BEARS)
27. Pierre Garcon WAS (@PHI)
28. Michael Crabtree SF (@ARI)
29. Sammy Watkins BUF (vs SD)
30. Mohamed Sanu CIN (vs TEN)
31. Marques Colston NO (vs MIN)
32. DeAndre Hopkins HOU (@NYG)
33. DeSean Jackson WAS (@PHI)
34. Brian Quick STL (vs DAL)
35. Emmanuel Sanders DEN (@SEA)
36. Steve Smith BAL (@CLE)
37. Andrew Hawkins CLE (vs BAL)
38. Wes Welker DEN (@SEA)
39. Mike Evans TB (@ATL)
40. Victor Cruz NYG (vs HOU)
41. James Jones OAK (@NE)
42. Greg Jennings MIN (@NO)
43. Torrey Smith BAL (@CLE)
44. Terrance Williams DAL (@STL)
45. Kendall Wright TEN (@CIN)
46. Aaron Dobson NE (vs OAK)
47. Rueben Randle NYG (vs HOU)
48. Davante Adams GB (@DET)
Tight ends
1. Jimmy Graham NO (vs MIN)
2. Julius Thomas DEN (@SEA)
3. Rob Gronkowski NE (vs OAK)
4. Greg Olsen CAR (vs PIT)
5. Antonio Gates SD (@BUF)
6. Zach Ertz PHI (vs WAS)
7. Dennis Pitta BAL (@CLE)
8. Niles Paul WAS (@PHI)
9. Delanie Walker TEN (@CIN)
10. Martellus Bennett BEARS (@NYJ)
11. Jordan Cameron CLE (vs BAL)
12. Larry Donnell NYG (vs HOU)
13. Jason Witten DAL (@STL)
14. Dwayne Allen IND (@JAC)
15. Jared Cook STL (vs DAL)
16. Kyle Rudolph MIN (@NO)
17. Charles Clay MIA (vs KC)
18. Travis Kelce KC (@MIA)
19. Jermaine Gresham CIN (vs TEN)
20. Heath Miller PIT (@CAR)
21. Levine Toilolo ATL (vs TB)
22. Derek Carrier SF (@ARI)
23. Owen Daniels BAL (@CLE)
24. Jeff Cumberland NYJ (vs BEARS)
Joe Ostrowski is a host, producer and update anchor at 670 The Score. He hosts the Fantasy Nerd Herd show on Friday from 10 p.m.-midnight along with Adam Harris that you can here by streaming here. Follow him on Twitter @JoeO670 and feel free to ask him fantasy football questions.
