What happened in fantasy Week 3: Tre Tucker, Caleb Williams stuff stat sheets, and QB change coming?

What happened in fantasy Week 3: Tre Tucker, Caleb Williams stuff stat sheets, and QB change coming? originally appeared on The Sporting News

While many of us probably have Baltimore Ravens or Detroit Lions playing on Monday Night Football, the Sunday for Week 3 of fantasy football probably was a major decision day for many players.

Anyone moving to 0-3 may already be thinking about NFL DFS or selling, if it's a dynasty league. Managers with at least one win now feel like they can continue their quest for a playoff berth.

How did your teams do this week? When pondering your (early) place in your championship chase, find out who stole the show and, in general, what happened in fantasy football Week 3.

➕ TOP FANTASY PICKUPS: Week 4 waiver wire

Biggest Fantasy Week 3 Performances

WR Tre Tucker, Raiders 

43.9 ... PPR ... points. 8 catches, 145 yards, 3 TDs. The game was in garbage time, but the slot wideout caught all of Geno Smith's TD passes.

Tucker also found the end zone in Week 1 and saw eight targets in Week 2. The third-year snare should continue a weekly role that may keep the upside pieces of Dont'e Thornton and Jack Bech at bay. 

Of course, theoretically, as Brock Bowers (knee) regains his burst after his knee injury, Tucker's volume may dwindle. However, being overly optimistic about such a setback may bite those who are overly optimistic.

Tucker, therefore, could be the new safety valve and red-zone threat who feasts in the meantime.

RB Jonathan Taylor, Colts

Taylor piled up the second-highest fantasy points total behind Tucker (35.8 PPR points) with his 102-yard, 3-touchdown day on the ground that also saw him gain 4 targets.

One huge beneficiary of the Daniel Jones Renaissance is JT, who leads all fantasy running backs with 338 rushing yards and 75.1 fantasy points (pre-Derrick Henry on MNF).

Shane Steichen's offense can support a rusher of this magnitude, and the threat of Jones' wheels helps to keep defenses soft on the tailback.

QB Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Williams was ranked QB4 in our Week 3 quarterback rankings, and he paid off our confidence with a 37-point fantasy day (298 passing yards, 4 TDs) to lead all QBs through Sunday Night Football.

Sure, the Dallas Cowboys defense is a doormat of a fantasy matchup for QBs and will be a top weekly streamer target moving forward.

However, the increased involvement of Luther Burden III might've triggered the true upside of this Bears offense under first-year head coach Ben Johnson, which elevated the Detroit Lions.

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QB Jalen Hurts, Eagles

'You want me to pass? Fine!' The Eagles' on-field general was challenged by the Los Angeles Rams and rose (flew?) to the occasion.

Ranking second among all QBs heading into SNF with 36.04 fantasy points (6-point pass TD scoring), Hurts piled up 3 touchdown tosses to go along with a prototypical 40-yard, 1-TD output on the ground.

LA's effective stifling of Saquon Barkley (55 scrimmage yards, 2.6 yards per carry) prompted Hurts and the game script to lift WRs A.J. Brown ( 6-109-1) and DeVonta Smith (8-60-1) out of fantasy purgatory. Hurts even sent a TD Dallas Goedert's way to break the seemingly league-wide TE curse.

Expect WR2 ceilings for Brown and Smith weekly, and you'll be fine. Hurts remains a bona fide fantasy QB1.

TE Hunter Henry, Patriots

Drake Maye leaned on the veteran with 11 targets that resulted in an 8-90-2 day. Given how the TE position has burned many fantasy players, Henry likely will be a sought-after waiver wire target.

If nothing else, he's the safest red-zone option, given how much trouble Rhamondre Stevenson has had holding onto the football.

RB Jordan Mason, Vikings

Aaron Jones' stint on injured reserve started off lucratively for Mason's fantasy managers, on the back of his 116-yard, 2-TD day. 

Expect the Zavier Scott-Cam Akers backup tandem to fight amongst each other, with Mason handling a heavy majority of backfield touches, especially to keep Carson Wentz comfortable in Kevin O'Connell's offense, which he ran, in part, while with the Los Angeles Rams.

Mason should provide borderline fantasy RB1/RB2 expectations for as long as Jones is sidelined.

More big fantasy Week 3 stat lines

• WR Courtland Sutton, Broncos (26.8 PPR points): Bo Nix rebounded in a big way, in part targeting Sutton downfield with precision.
• RB Omarion Hampton, Chargers (24.9): Najee Harris' season-ending injury (more on that below) opens up Hampton to be the lead back.
• QB Geno Smith, Raiders (26.1): As noted, Smith was heaving the rock constantly in a failed comeback attempt against the Washington Commanders. He was basically playing catch with Tre Tucker all day.

📋 Click to see our landing spot for all of our fantasy football rankings.

Top Week 3 Fantasy News

Ankle injuries include CeeDee Lamb (TBD), Mike Evans (TBD), James Conner (major), Najee Harris (major)

Lamb (ankle) and Evans (hamstring) are a TBD for Week 4, while Conner and Harris appear to be done for the season.

📈 Omarion Hampton and Trey Benson.... 

Disastrous Michael Penix Jr. benched for Kirk Cousins

Head coach Raheem Morris did not like that, meaning Penix looked like he was seeing ghosts during the 30-0 loss. The Washington alum went 18-for-36 with two interceptions, including a pick-six.

The offense may turn back to its $180 million backup, which would likely elevate the weekly upside of Drarke London, who's averaging just 10.6 PPR points per game.

Kyle Pitts remains a weekly TE1 candidate, mostly in PPR.

Disastrous Michael Penix Jr. benched for Kirk Cousins