By: Greg Landry | LineStar Chat: @glandry | Twitter: @GP_Landry

Welcome back to LineStar NFL Takeaways! For those of you new to the community here, this article is published every Tuesday and takes a position by position look at several players whose fantasy performance stood out (both good and bad) and what this might mean in the fantasy landscape as we start to prepare for the week ahead.

I am beyond shocked that I woke up Monday and was not reading headlines about Dan Quinn losing his job as the head coach in Atlanta. Just when everyone was finally starting to forget about the blown 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl, the Falcons are now the first team in NFL history to lose twice in one season while holding a 15+ point lead in the 4th quarter, according to @EliasSports. Check out this tweet from Bears beat writer Jason Lieser:

The Bears, meanwhile, are literally on the opposite path, becoming the first team in NFL history to win two games in a single season where they were trailing by at least 16 points entering the 4th quarter. They were down by 17 points against the Lions in week one before scoring 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Against the Falcons, they were down 16 points before scoring 20 unanswered points.

So, the question is – who gets fired first? Adam Gase or Dan Quinn? Looks like Adam Gase has the advantage since he’s playing on Thursday night this week.

With that out of the way, let’s take a look back at week 3.

What Did We Learn?

Here we'll focus on some players at each position who stood out (both good and bad) and identify if there's any actionable information we can use when building our rosters going forward.

Quarterbacks

Nick Mullens, SF: 25/36, 343 yards, 1 TD

With several key players missing on both sides of the ball, the 49ers still managed to go out and smash the Giants in this one, putting up 36 points on offense and holding their opponent to just three field goals. Mullens was particularly impressive, throwing for 343 yards, a touchdown, and not turning the ball over. While we’ve seen Mullens have success in the past when Jimmy Garoppolo was hurt, I think this says more about how bad the Giants are right now than it does about how well the 49ers are dealing with all the injuries. Without Saquon to lean on, Jones managed just 179 yards of passing and a QBR of only 50.4. He was also the team’s leading rusher. While San Francisco may be able to do enough to stay afloat while they try to get healthy again in real life, from a fantasy perspective, this still isn’t a team I’m very excited about on the offensive side. It’s even worse on the Giants side, as they weren’t able to do anything against a team missing many of its most important defensive players. Bottom line: attack the Giants defense, avoid the Giants offense, and if you want to bargain shop with the 49ers offense just make sure you have proper expectations, as 30+ points isn't realistic with several second and third stringers starting against better defenses.

Baker Mayfield, CLE: 16/23, 156 yards, 2 TD

For the first time since week 15 of the 2014 season, the Cleveland Browns have a winning record. This game revealed something very critical about how the Browns may attack going forward. Kevin Stefanski has brought his run heavy approach from Minnesota and is clearly trying to apply it to the Browns. Why wouldn’t you when you have arguably the most talented back field in football with Nick Chubb (19 carries, 108 yards, 2 TD) and Kareem Hunt (16 carries, 46 yards, 1 receiving TD)? Mayfield is turning into a bit of a game manager of sorts rather than the gunslinger we expected him to be. For the second game in a row, he attempted just 23 passes while Hunt and Chubb combined for over 30 rushing attempts. As long as the game is within reach, the Browns are going to do whatever they can to keep the ball on the ground and prevent Mayfield from turning the ball over. This is good news, obviously, for both Chubb and Hunt from a fantasy perspective, but it’s bad news for the likes of OBJ and Jarvis Landry who are going to have some serious question marks in their volume, particularly if we expect the Browns to keep the game close. This is going to be another team where you need to really stop and think about how the game is most likely to play out and then choose your players based on that scenario.

Jared Goff, LAR: 23/32, 321 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT

After a poor performance, on Sunday Night Football no less, in week 1 the Rams have now scored over 30 points in consecutive weeks despite having to travel across the country for 1pm EST starts in both games. This bodes well for what this offense is capable of moving forward. The Rams started off terribly in this one before mounting an “anyone against the Falcons” like comeback only to fall short thanks to a terrible pass interference call at the very end of the game. Still, on the road, against a really good Bills defense, seeing Goff lead four consecutive scoring drives in the second half was encouraging. We know he is well coached and we know the Rams aren’t afraid to pass (Goff finished top five in attempts, completions, and yards last season) so volume will always give him a fairly reliable floor. If we can find those spiked weeks, he almost always goes under the radar from an ownership perspective. Next up, the Giants defense who just gave up 36 points to Nick Mullens. I imagine other pieces of the Rams offense will be popular (Henderson, Kupp, Woods, and Higbee for example). If Goff's ownership doesn't rise along with these guys, he could be an interesting leverage play where you're still getting exposure to those pieces through him but able to differentiate your lineup elsewhere.

Running Backs

Joe Mixon, CIN: 17 carries, 49 yards, 2 receptions, 16 yards  

Sigh. Three weeks of zero production from Mixon is frustrating especially if you own shares of him in season long or best ball. With that said, this is a buy low opportunity now if you can stomach it. We know Mixon is a talented back and he has a reasonable touch floor (15-20 carries and 2-4 targets) each week. As Burrow progresses, it will force teams to pay more attention to the passing game and start to open up more opportunities for Mixon to get free. He’s off the cash game radar for now but in GPP play, where you need to embrace the uncertainty, sprinkling some Mixon across your lineups in MME play is going to pay off over time. Just a question of how long. The Bengals are already showing signs of being more competitive. This offense should continue to get better as the season goes on. Be patient here.

Side note: Did you see the hit Joe Burrow took in this game? Only missed one play: https://twitter.com/EmmanuelAcho/status/1310275878010548224?s=20

Rex Burkhead, NE: 6 carries, 49 yards, 2 TD, 7 receptions, 49 yards, 1 TD

I’m highlighting Burkhead for two reasons. First, yet another example of how impossible the Patriots are going to be to project this season. A week after Edelman, Harry, and Byrd all saw double digit targets no Patriots wide receiver saw more than six targets in this game. Meanwhile, Burkhead lead the way with 10 targets, in addition to six carries, and managed to find the end zone three times. J.J Taylor was the only New England running back who had double digit carries (11). Don’t be fooled by Sony Michel’s stat line (117 yards rushing) he only carried the ball nine times and just happened to break one open for 48 yards. Let's also not forget that at some point James White will hopefully return, which only further muddies these waters. The Patriots are a productive offense but you are throwing darts for fantasy purposes. The second reason I wanted to point out Burkhead is because this is now the third team who has been able to run all over the Las Vegas Raiders. In week one, they faced Christian McCaffrey (23 rush, 97 yards, 2 TD, 3 receptions 38 yards), in week two it was Alvin Kamara (17 carries, 79 yards, 2 TD, 9 receptions, 95 yards), and now in week 3 it was a combination of Burkhead, Michel, Taylor, and Cam Newton who collectively put up 250 yards and 2 touchdowns on 38 carries. The Raiders were bottom ten in rush defense DVOA last season and that trend appears to be carrying over to this season.

Alvin Kamara, NO: 6 carries, 58 yards, 13 receptions, 139 yards, 2 TD

It’s worth noting that Kamara is doing it all as a receiver right now and not as a running back. He’s yet to have a single game with more than 13 carries, but he’s made up for that with 8, 9, and 14 targets. This is important because the extra targets are the direct result of Michael Thomas being hurt. He went down in week 1 and hasn’t played since. While some of the other receivers have seen a small boost in targets as a result, Kamara has been the true beneficiary. I’m pointing this out because it’s possible Thomas returns in week 4 but Kamara is going to be priced based on his recent production. We should assume this will take a dip when Thomas (and his 14 targets per game) is back in the lineup. Could Kamara still produce at this level even when Thomas is in the lineup? Yes, we’ve seen him do it many times before, but it’s less likely. He’s bound to be popular after two monster weeks in a row so just make sure you're factoring this into your decision making process.

Wide Receivers

Allen Robinson, CHI: 10 receptions, 123 yards, 1 TD

After two quiet weeks to start the season, Robinson saw a noticeable boost when the Bears elected to remove Mitchell Trubisky from the game for Nick Foles. Given how flat the Bears looked under Trubisky and the fact that Foles ended up leading an impressive come from behind victory, we should expect him to be the starter moving forward (this is now confirmed). Robinson now has 9,9 and 13 targets through three weeks, which is the fifth most in the league. We know, from watching Foles with the Eagles, he has a tendency to lean on his best weapons as much as possible. Robinson's stock is on the rise. He should continue to compete for most targets in the league and if he can convert those targets into more catches (with a more accurate quarterback) and find the end zone more frequently, he'll quickly rise back to near the top of the wide receiver conversation. With that said, he has a tough matchup this week, so while the long term outlook is positive, this is not likely to be the week you want to go out of your way to roster him.

Tyler Lockett, SEA: 9 receptions, 100 yards, 3 TDs

The Seahawks' passing game is going to be a profitable group to target all year. Russell Wilson is the early season MVP candidate, with another five touchdown passes in this game. The combination of Lockett and DK Metcalf looks to be unstoppable and Wilson seems to have no issue feeding his top weapons. Through the first three weeks, BOTH Lockett and Metcalf are in the top ten in percentage of team targeted air yards. Metcalf is fourth at 46.7% and Lockett is tenth at 36.7%. This means these two receivers make up a whopping 83.4% of Seattle’s targeted air yards. This is a gold mine for fantasy production; tons of talent and a narrow distribution of touches which will lead to plenty of opportunity. I have no concern about either of these guys in any matchup (did you see what Metcalf did against Stephon Gilmore in week two?) With Chris Carson going down, expect this team to lean even more pass heavy than they already are. The only remaining question will be their price tags.

Justin Jefferson, MIN: 7 receptions, 175 yards, 1 TD

One of the obvious problems for Minnesota early in the season has been the missing presence of Stefon Diggs. The Titans did their best to take away Adam Thielen in this one, as defenses can afford to pay more attention to him without Diggs on the field. Thielen saw only five targets catching three for just 29 yards (although he did manage to find the end zone). What Tennessee did not plan on was the 22nd overall pick in this year’s draft having his breakout game. With Diggs in Buffalo now, Minnesota needs Jefferson to step up in a hurry if they are going to have any chance of salvaging this season. After only seeing six targets the first two weeks combined, this may have been the first step toward Jefferson becoming more of a focal point in this offense. So, the question is, how do we handle him going forward? Now that he’s put this game on film, opposing defenses will have no choice but to pay attention. Personally, I’m not one to jump on board with a rookie receiver after one big game in an offense that would clearly rather run the ball than pass. I actually think this benefits Thielen more than anything, as teams will no longer be able to put all of their attention on removing him from the equation. If Jefferson suddenly becomes chalk next week (they have a good matchup against Houston) I’ll leverage with Thielen. To be clear, I have no issue with Jefferson. He's a first round pick out of LSU with tons of talent. But if the recency bias of the DFS community makes Jefferson a popular play, I'll likely look elsewhere and wait for him to fall off of people's radars before I jump back on.

Tight Ends

Jimmy Graham, CHI: 6 receptions, 60 yards, 2 TD

Your top scoring tight end in week three is Jimmy bleeping Graham. This is so 2020 it’s scary. We officially need to pay attention to him now, as it appears the Bears are going to try and revive his career which has dropped off a cliff since he left the Saints way back in 2014. He now has 17 targets and three touchdowns through three games. As if the strong game wasn’t enough, two additional events occurred which further boost his long term outlook. First, the Bears announced that Nick Foles will be their starting quarterback. Seven of Graham’s nine targets came after Foles took over under center. You may recall that Foles LOVES peppering his tight ends as we learned when he was with the Eagles. Secondly, the season ending injury to Tarik Cohen is going to free up some additional targets, of which Graham may benefit. It’s going to feel dirty, but Graham is shaping up to be a serviceable option at a very ugly position.

Mo Alie-Cox, IND: 3 receptions, 50 yards, 1 TD

Jack Doyle was active but didn’t see the field (granted he didn’t have to with the Colts' defense doing the heavy lifting in this one). The three targets isn’t anything to write home about, but keep in mind that Rivers only had to throw the ball 21 times in this one. In more competitive games, where Rivers falls under his normal pass attempt volume, he seems very confident looking for Cox, who also managed to find the end zone in this one. Jack Doyle’s health has been a major question mark now for a couple of seasons so it might be time for Cox to officially seize control of the starting tight end job in Indianapolis. Again, at a very thin position, this is a situation worth keeping an eye on.

Darren Waller, LV: 2 receptions, 9 yards

Throw this one out. The Patriots schemed to take away Waller. With Henry Ruggs missing the game, Hunter Renfrow ended up benefitting as a result. Waller is fine, he’ll continue to be a focal point of this offense and he’ll bounce back from this game in a hurry. The Patriots are always looking to take away the opposing offenses best weapon and they executed well here. Don’t overreact. Just throw this one out and move on.

Key Injuries To Watch

In this section we'll take a look at some key injuries and what the potential impact may be for fantasy purposes.

Note: As a reminder, I’m writing this on Monday, so the news below may change depending on when you read this. Use the NFL beat writers twitter feed (which is directly inside your LineStar account) as well as the news page to get up to speed.

Tarik Cohen, RB, Chicago Bears

Cohen tore his ACL just a few weeks after signing a three year extension in Chicago. There are two ways this could play out: 1) David Montgomery becomes a three down back (ideal situation) or 2) the Bears try to get Cordarelle Patterson to play the Tarik Cohen role.

Russell Gage, WR, Atlanta Falcons

Gage went down with a concussion. This is particularly interesting with Julio Jones battling an injury of his own. Look for Ridley to see an increase in his already ridiculous 46.7% targeted air yards. Olamide Zaccheaus also saw six targets with both Jones and Gage on the sideline so he’s a name to tuck away as we wait for more news.

Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Godwin and Evans seem to be taking turns getting hurt. Godwin left the game in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. Should he miss time, Mike Evans becomes the clear #1 in this passing offense while Scotty Miller should also see a boost (and already seems to be developing chemistry with Tom Brady).

Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

Goedert suffered an ankle injury and did not return. The extent of the injury is not yet known. The Eagles are banged up everywhere. While I have very little faith in this offense right now, the upside here is this creates a very narrow distribution of targets. Ertz had ten targets in week 3 and Greg Ward had 11 targets. It's going to force us to consider these guys based on volume alone, even with the offense struggling.

Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Johnson suffered a concussion in the second quarter. Expect James Washington (who led the Steelers in targets and receptions on Sunday) to play a bigger role should Johnson miss time.

Jordan Reed, TE, San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers cannot catch a break, it's absurd. This also may very well be the end of Jordan Reed’s career, who flashed incredible abilities whenever he was on the field but was on the field very infrequently due to injuries. The 49ers have confirmed a sprained MCL which means Reed will head to the IR and miss six to eight weeks. If Kittle misses another week, Ross Dwelley will step in as the number one tight end (he produced a couple of weeks last season when Kittle was hurt). Also look for Brandon Aiyuk to see more targets (assuming Deebo Samuel is still out).

Michael Pittman, JR, WR, Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are now missing Parris Campbell and Pittman, although we don’t yet know the full details of Pittman’s injury. Assuming the Colts are in passing situations (they showed us this week they aren’t afraid the lean on the run), TY Hilton will be an absolute target monster while Zach Pascal should slide in as the new number two option.

Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Fortunately, Carson’s injury is only a sprain and not a torn ACL as most of us watching that game assumed. This was about as dirty of a play as it gets from Trysten Hill, who was not penalized. It’s not clear how much (if any) time Carson will miss. With journeyman Carlos Hyde the next man up, expect the Seahawks to lean pass heavy. Why wouldn’t they with Russell Wilson at quarterback?

🚨 Get 3 Free Months of LineStar Premium 🚨

Get 3-months of LineStar Premium for new users to SuperDraft who deposit/play $10!

Terms: Partnership offers do NOT renew. See SuperDraft landing page for full terms and conditions. Must be a new user to SuperDraft and deposit and play a minimum of $10 to qualify. If you have an existing LineStar Premium subscription you get a Hat/Tee/Pen combo instead of the 3-months.