It's Week 3 and it's time to take a look at the players from the AFC and the matchups they have this weekend.
Shockingly, Donald Brown has averaged 5.1 yards a carry versus the Jaguars with 239 yards on 47 attempts. Against every other opponent he has averaged 4.0 yards per carry. This season, in games against the Bears and the Vikings, Brown averaged a mere 3.7 yards per carry.Reggie Bush has run wild this season, and it just might continue in Week 3 as he faced a Jets team that he has averaged 6.8 YPC against in two games. His success also goes back more than just two games as he has averaged 126.7 yards per game over the past six contests.Jamaal Charles (knee) should be good to go this week â even with his bruised knee. He faces a Saints run defense that has allowed 372 rushing yards, not to mention five overall touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving).Ryan Fitzpatrick has posted a 97.3 QB Rating with 16 TDs and eight interceptions in the month of September as a starter with the Bills. The last two times he has faced the Bills he has thrown for only two scores while maintaining a strong QB Rating at 98.0. That doesn't mean a hell of a lot in fantasy football of course.
The past two times that Joe Flacco has taken on the Patriots, including the playoffs, he's thrown only one interception and four touchdown passes.Blaine Gabbert has an 82.3 QB Rating in two starts against the Colts. Through two starts this year that mark is 84.9. So far through two games the Colts have allowed the 11th most points to the quarterback in fantasy football.BenJarvus Green-Ellis has scored 12 times in his last 18 games and he has seven scores in his last eight games vs. the NFC. This week he faces a Redskins club that has all kinds of injuries all over the place though they have yet to allow a rushing score through two weeks.Rob Gronkowski has 19 touchdown receptions in his last 18 games, and since entered the league in 2010 he leads the NFL with 29 touchdown receptions. His opponent this week, the Ravens, hasn't allowed a TD to the tight end in two games but they have allowed 12 receptions for 206 yards.Darrius Heyward-Bey is averaging a robust 109.3 yards per game in his last three contests at home. With the Steelers defensive backfield banged up they have allowed wideouts to go for 309 yards in two games this season.Stevie Johnson has scored a touchdown in 3-straight games. He faces the Browns this week, and it's not like their defensive backs have been impressing anyone this season. The last time he faced the Browns he caught five balls for 42 yards.Maurice Jones-Drew averaged 94.6 and 100.4 yards per game on the ground the past two years. In 12 career games against the Colts he has averaged 101 yards per game including 169 yards on 25 carries in their last meeting. In those 12 contests MJD has scored 12 times, nine rushing and three receiving.Chris Johnson has been awful the first two weeks this season. Still, he has 28 career rushes of 30+ yards tying him with Frank Gore for the most among active players. This week he faces a Lions team that he gouged for 125 yards and two scores in their lone matchup. Through two weeks the Lions are middle of the pack at 18th overall in fantasy points allowed to the running back position.Peyton Manning did all of the following while with the Colts, but he sure has feasted on the Texans in his career with 42 TDs and just eight interceptions in 18 games (those are the most scores he has thrown for against any club).
Will Robert Meachem finally break out this week for the Chargers? It was with the Saints, but in three previous matchups against the Falcons he caught 15 balls for 245 yards and two touchdowns.Jeremy Mincey has racked up three forced fumbles in his last two games versus the Colts. As if that wasn't enough, he's also wrapped up Colts' QBs for five sacks.Marcedes Lewis has 35 receptions against the Colts in his career, his highest total vs. any opponent. Through two games this season the Colts have allowed only four receptions to the tight end, the lowest total in football (tied with the Texans and Saints).Ryan Mathews faces a Falcons defense that has allowed an average of 130 yards rushing per game this season. He has the look of an RB1 in his first game back this season.Terrance Newman of the Bengals has nine career interceptions against the Redskins, all while he was with Dallas, his highest total versus any club.Calvin Pace has three sacks in his last three contests against the Dolphins.Jason Pierre-Paul has seven sacks in his last six games. The last time JPP faced the Panthers he had two tackles, but no sacks.Ray Rice enjoys facing off against the Patriots. In four career meetings, including the playoffs, he has averaged 129 yards from scrimmage a contest while averaging 4.9 YPC. He hasn't reached the end zone in the four meetings though.Ben Roethlisberger has thrown for 553 yards, five scores and just one interception in his last two starts against the Raiders. The Steelers are 44-4 when Big Ben has a QB Rating of 100, and his mark in the last two contests against the Silver and Black is 125.7.Mark Sanchez is dealing with a sore lower back but in three games against the Dolphins has has thrown for six scores versus three interceptions.
In his only career start against the Broncos Matt Schaub threw for 310 yards and a score (It was way back in December of 2010). He's also done a very efficient job in his last six starts on the road as he has thrown for 10 touchdowns against only one interception.C.J. Spiller is the second back in NFL history, the other was all-time great Jim Brown (1963), to rush for 100 yards in each of the first two weeks of the season while averaging at least 8.0 yards per carry in each game. In his one game against the Browns he averaged 4.1 YPC on just eight attempts.Demaryius Thomas had a career best eight receptions last week. He's caught at least four passes for 76 yards in six of his last seven regular season contests.Mike Wallace has scored twice this season giving him six scores in his last six games in the month of September. The last time he faced the Raiders he caught three balls for 116 yards and, you guessed it, a touchdown.J.J. Watt of the Texans has 1.5 sacks in each of his two games this season. Peyton Manning better have his head on a swivel.Reggie Wayne has 15 receptions for 206 yards this season through two games. In his career, 20 matches vs. the Jaguars, he has hauled in 117 passes for 1,672 yards and six touchdowns. The last time he faced them, Week 17 last season, he caught eight balls for 73 yards, and in each of his last four games he has caught at least six passes for 71 yards.RANDOM START OF THE WEEK(That one player you would never consider starting but for some reason he might be worth a look if you're desperate.)Jermaine Gresham, TE, BengalsI imagine there are might still be a few people out there holding out hope that Gresham will emerge this season despite the fact that he has a total of seven catches for 67 yards through two games. Well, Week 3 provides a matchup that might allow him to do just that. This week he and his mates face a Redskins' defense that has been beaten to the tune of 11 receptions, 129 yards and two touchdowns by the tight end position this season. It's put up or shut up time for Mr. Gresham.
Ray Flowers can be heard daily on Sirius/XM Radio on The Fantasy Drive on Sirius 210 and XM 87, Monday through Thursday at 7 PM EDT and Friday's at 9 PM EDT. Ray's analysis can be found at BaseballGuys.com and his minute to minute musings can be located at the BaseballGuys' Twitter account. Player News
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