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Facing a mid-tier matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard can most likely be avoided in Week 3. The Vikings' offense has been awry for most of the year, and will be without starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle), starting center Ryan Kelly (concussion), and possibly down to a third-string left tackle depending on the status of starter Christian Darrisaw (knee). Oddsmakers are predicting a low-scoring game -- the Vikings-Bengals matchup is tied for the lowest over/under of the weekend -- with both sides starting their No. 2 quarterback. It's a lot of moving parts that are directly tied to Reichard's involvement in the game, meaning managers probably can find a safer starter elsewhere.

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell has seen a surprising amount of opportunities through the first two weeks of the season and should be involved against the New England Patriots in Week 3. With rookie Kaleb Johnson off to a slow start, Gainwell has been the primary change-of-pace option behind Jaylen Warren. That role, however, hasn't produced much fantasy value, as he's mustered only 59 total yards on his 18 touches. On the plus side, Gainwell's nine targets are fourth-most on the Steelers, and New England has struggled to limit opposing backs in the passing game. Still, the 26-year-old is best viewed as a handcuff and should only be considered as a flex play in the deepest of starting lineups.

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Faced with another solid opportunity for production, Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson is a low-end TE1 candidate against the Cincinnati Bengals, though fantasy managers could certainly be forgiven for being leery about his potential following two straight duds. The veteran tight end is facing a plus matchup for tight ends against the Bengals' defense, but is also coming into the game with four catches, 27 total yards, and zero red-zone targets in two games. Most concerning, the Vikings will be without starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) and could be starting three offensive linemen -- from left tackle to center -- with a combined two NFL starts. It's clear the Vikings are going to have to be more creative offensively in the following weeks, however, and that should mean more involvement for Hockenson.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor shouldn't be considered, even in deep formats, when his team takes on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3. The lack of confidence has less to do with Nailor than with the chaos around him, as Minnesota hasn't shown it can protect its quarterback and is now besieged by injuries. Starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) and starting center Ryan Kelly (concussion) are out. Left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) is questionable and still has not returned from last season's ACL injury, while his backup, Justin Skule (concussion), is out. That could mean a former seventh-round pick snapping the ball to a journeyman backup quarterback being protected by a third-string left tackle -- all of which is bad news for a player who is already his team's fourth option for targets.

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Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said that rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten "has taken a huge jump from the spring" and also compared him to Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving, whom he coached last year. Tuten is focusing on all the little details and is still a work in progress in his first NFL season, but Coen has liked what he's seen, and there's no denying that the 23-year-old is an intriguing hold in all fantasy leagues, especially after the Jags traded Tank Bigsby to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. Bigsby was limited in practice this week, but he's off the final injury report and will play in Week 3 against the division-rival Houston Texans, where he should be viewed as an RB3/flex with upside behind Travis Etienne Jr. Tuten had eight carries for 42 yards and also caught two passes for 32 yards and his first career touchown in last week's loss to the Cincinatti Bengals with an elevated workload.

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren will look to build on his hot start to the campaign in a Week 3 road matchup against the New England Patriots. After struggling against the run in 2024, the Patriots have clamped down through the first two weeks of 2025, allowing just 2.5 yards per carry. They have been vulnerable against running backs in the passing attack, however, and that is an area in which Warren thrives. So far this season, he's hauled in all six of his targets for 108 receiving yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers even hinted earlier this week that Warren could see more opportunities through the air, and added that "every time he touches it, something good happens." He hasn't been seeing a workload that puts him in must-start territory, but fantasy managers should view Warren as a quality RB2 with upside heading into Sunday.

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Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken said he sees veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins getting more snaps on offense as the season progresses. "With every day, his packages are going to continue to grow," Monken said. Hopkins has only been targeted four times in his first two games in Baltimore, but he's caught all four of those targets for 99 yards and two touchdowns (one in each game). The 33-year-old veteran has shown he still has gas left in the tank and has earned a bigger role next to Zay Flowers. He played 35 percent of the offensive snaps in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills, and that number fell to 18% in last week's victory over the Cleveland Browns. Unless he starts seeing more snaps and targets, Nuk is going to remain a low-upside, touchdown-dependent WR4/flex in fantasy. An increase in his playing time would mostly be bad news for Rashod Bateman.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown (groin) has been ruled out for the Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Unsurprisingly, Brown will be sidelined after not practicing since exiting early during last Thursday's game against the Green Bay Packers. For now, Brown should be treated as day-to-day, but he could be headed towards a stint on the injured reserve. Jaylin Lane and Luke McCaffrey figure to split up playing time as the third wideout in Washington. Neither player has done much on the field this season and aren't ideal streaming options right now.

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Washington Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota has been named the starter for the Week 3 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Jayden Daniels (knee) was able to practice on Friday, but the Commanders will take the cautious approach and hold him out of this game. Last season, Mariota tossed four touchdowns without any interceptions while throwing for 364 yards in four appearances with Washington. He's not a great long-term option, but is serviceable for a game or two. Mariota could offer QB2 value given his success with the team last season.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. underwhelmed in Week 2 as the team relied heavily on the run game, completing just 13 of 21 passes for 135 yards and no scores (and zero interceptions) in a 22-6 victory over the Vikings. The game script could look similar on Sunday in a road matchup against a porous Panthers run defense, and a game in which the Falcons are heavy favorites. Even if the passing game gets going in this one, the second-year pro's output could be limited by an average yards per pass attempt of 6.9, which ranks 20th among quarterbacks this season. View the former first-rounder as a mid-range QB2 who has some slight upside with plenty of healthy, able-bodied receivers at his disposal after all practiced in full on Friday, including Darnell Mooney (shoulder) and Kyle Pitts Sr. (toe).

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Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley (oblique) has been ruled out for the Week 3 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Shipley was able to get in a few limited practices this week, but it wasn't enough to clear him for game action. He'll miss his second straight game, but will hopefully return in Week 4. In the meantime, A.J. Dillon figures to serve as the primary backup to Saquon Barkley in the backfield. Tank Bigsby is also an option, but he didn't play at all last week. Honestly, neither back is going to offer streaming value with Barkley being the workhorse back in Philly right now.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) has been officially ruled out for the Week 3 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. As expected, McCarthy will head to the sideline and is likely to miss 2-for-4 weeks of action. In his absence, Carson Wentz will take over under center for Sunday's contest. Wentz has reportedly been impressing the coaching staff during his short time in Minnesota. Wentz hasn't been a full-time starter in a few years, but is certainly capable of holding down the fort in Minnesota. He'll be limited in terms of weapons with Aaron Jones (hamstring) and Jordan Addison (suspension) both out for Week 3. Despite that, Wentz could still offer QB2 value against the shaky Bengals defense.

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Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz has reportedly been impressing the coaching staff. Head coach Kevin O'Connell said Wentz has clearly played a lot of football and he believes Wentz has a great presence. The veteran signal-caller will be under center in Week 3 with J.J. McCarthy (ankle) being ruled out. That means, Wentz is in line to make his first start since the 2024 season. The 32-year-old hasn't been a full-time starter since the 2022 campaign. However, Wentz has a chance to earn the starting role in Minnesota with good play over the next few weeks. He'll be a bit shorthanded with Aaron Jones (hamstring) and Jordan Addison (suspension) both sidelined. Despite that, Wentz does offer some QB2 value against the spotty Cincinnati Bengals defense.

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The Denver Broncos have ruled out tight end Evan Engram (back) from their Week 3 contest this Sunday on the road against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. While Engram was quiet in his first two games with the team and is now set to miss Week 3, head coach Sean Payton said on Friday that the 31-year-old veteran is expected to be a big part of the offense this year. We'll believe it when we see it. The former first-rounder only played in nine games due to injury last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he caught just four of six targets for 33 yards in the first two games this year. Engram's next chance to play will be in Week 4 on Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals, where he'll be a TE2 in fantasy if he recovers from his back injury. With Engram out this weekend, Adam Trautman will be Denver's TE1. Fantasy managers should be able to find better streaming options.

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Green Bay Packers kicker Brandon McManus looks to keep his consistent kicking run going as the Packers head to Cleveland to play the Browns in Week 3. Through two games, McManus has averaged 10 fantasy points per game, with multiple field goals and three extra points made in each contest. With the Packers favored against Cleveland in Week 3, there should be plenty of opportunity for McManus to at least match his production over the season's first two weeks. The weather in Cleveland for Sunday afternoon calls for some thunderstorms, so that could potentially be an issue for McManus. However, I'd still be willing to roll him out as a low-end fantasy starter thanks to the Packers' offense being so potent through two games.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden looks to take advantage of some injury-related shakeup in the receiving room as the Packers head to Cleveland to face the Browns in Week 3. Through two games, Golden hasn't done much to satisfy the hype of fantasy managers, with just two receptions for 16 yards in his first two NFL games. That said, Golden has been the recipient of several deep throws from quarterback Jordan Love that have just missed being huge plays. We'd be talking about Golden much favorably if those plays had gone the other way. For Week 3, Golden could get on track to deliver some fantasy value as the target tree shortens up a bit with Jayden Reed (clavicle, foot) out and Tucker Kraft (knee) banged up. Golden is still a risky boom-or-bust flex play this week for fantasy purposes.

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Los Angeles Chargers rookie wide receiver Tre' Harris was more involved in Week 2, catching two passes for 34 yards on three targets in Monday night's win against the Las Vegas Raiders. He increased his snap share from 7.9% to 30.4% and ran eight routes (27.6% of snaps). The rookie will face a tough Denver Broncos secondary, so Harris will need to make the most of his limited opportunities. Ladd McConkey (bicep) is off the injury report, but if there are setbacks between now and game time, Harris could get the start in three-receiver sets. RotoBaller projects him as WR106, and he should continue to be a valuable stash in most formats.

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Green Bay Packers tight end Luke Musgrave potentially has a solid opportunity ahead of him with the Packers heading to Cleveland to match up with the Browns in Week 3. Starting tight end Tucker Kraft (knee) is questionable and could see his workload limited to a degree, so as a result, Musgrave could operate in more of a receiving role than he has over the Packers' first two games. Through the first two contests, Musgrave has a combined three catches for 36 yards while running under 20 percent of routes per dropback in each of those games. It's been a lean role for the former 2023 second-round pick, but he could carve out a little more of a role depending on the severity of Kraft's injury and how the team chooses to manage his workload. That said, Musgrave is far too risky a play for fantasy managers to rely on in Week 3, so leave him on waivers and out of your fantasy lineups this week.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (ankle, shoulder) is officially listed as questionable to play in a Week 3 divisional clash against the 2-0 Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports that Jennings was not spotted at the portion of practice open to the media on Friday, which is pretty concerning, considering he was unable to practice on Wednesday or Thursday. The 28-year-old picked up a shoulder injury in the Week 1 win over the Seattle Seahawks, but he played in the Week 2 win over the New Orleans Saints and caught his first touchdown of the year. Jennings also picked up a new ankle injury last Sunday. Now dealing with two injuries, it's not looking great for his chances of facing Arizona. He's shaping up as a very shaky and risky WR4/flex in Week 3, especially with quarterback Mac Jones set for a second straight start.

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Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen again made an impact in Monday night's 20-9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, catching five of seven targets for 61 yards and a touchdown. He remains reliable and continues to earn quarterback Justin Herbert's trust in crucial moments, especially in the red zone, where he has a 33% target rate through two games. Allen will face a tough Denver Broncos secondary that is among the best in the league. He will need to use his five-inch height advantage over DB Ja'Quan McMillian, who is allowing only 3.4 yards per target. Teammate Ladd McConkey (bicep) is off the injury report and could see shadow coverage from Pat Surtain, so Allen could receive the majority of the targets. RotoBaller projects him as the WR39 this week, making him a strong flex option, especially in PPR leagues.

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