Team of the Week
QB: Justin Herbert, LAC
The matchup started relatively slow, but Chargers-Vikings eventually turned into a high-scoring affair—with Herbert completing 40-of-47 passes for 405 yards and three touchdowns in the win. While not having Mike Williams (knee) will obviously hurt, Herbert and the LA offense should continue to throw the ball around the yard to give him overall QB1 potential.
RB: De’Von Achane, MIA
Achane had just two touches last week in his debut, but he absolutely exploded against the Broncos by turning 22 touches into 233 yards and four touchdowns in a 50-point victory over the Broncos. The door was cracked with Salvon Ahmed (groin) out, and Achane kicked it right open.
RB: Raheem Mostert, MIA
Mostert also went off for Miami in Week 3—rushing 13 times for 82 yards and three touchdowns with another 60 yards and a score on seven receptions. Overall, the headlining backfield duo in Mike McDaniel’s offense combined for an unbelievable eight touchdowns and 91.0 fantasy points yesterday.
WR: Keenan Allen, LAC
The Chargers leaned on Allen heavily to get their first win of 2023, as the veteran wideout caught 18 passes for 215 yards, and he threw a touchdown to Mike Williams for good measure. We’ll see what happens when Austin Ekeler (ankle) returns, but Allen looks like a high-end WR1 play in the new system.
WR: Davante Adams, LV
Speaking of high-end WR1 play, Adams provided just that in a loss to Pittsburgh—catching 13-of-20 targets for 172 yards and two touchdowns. The 30-year-old still appears to be uncoverable, and he arguably has the best touchdown potential in the league (at least at the wide receiver position).
TE: Sam LaPorta, DET
LaPorta was very solid through two games, but he fully broke out against the Falcons with eight receptions for 84 yards and a score. The rookie is looking like an every-week TE1 play, so be sure to pick him up—especially considering the strength of the position—if available in your league.
FLEX: Kenneth Walker III, SEA
Walker followed up last week’s two-touchdown performance with another two-score game in Week 3, and the second-year back has been excellent to begin the season. Overall, Seattle’s starter rushed 18 times for 97 yards and the two touchdowns in a win over Carolina—also adding three receptions for 59 yards.
D/ST: Bills
Buffalo was suffocating against the Commanders—resulting in nine sacks, five takeaways, a touchdown, and just three points allowed. Next week will be an extremely difficult draw against Miami, but Buffalo’s long-term outlook for 2023 is promising for those banking on them being a top D/ST unit.
K: Matt Gay, IND
A backup quarterback and poor conditions were no match for Gay—who helped lead Indianapolis to an upset win by hitting five field goals of 50+ yards, which included the game-winner in overtime. The 24.0 fantasy points might end up being the top score from the position for 2023.
Surprise of the Week: De’Von Achane
The talent of Achane is/was not in question, but the pure dominance came out of nowhere in a 70-20 victory—including encouraging usage in the red zone with the game still in question. He should now draw every-week consideration in lineups based on the combination of ability, speed, and scheme.
Disappointment of the Week: Derrick Henry
Tennessee abandoned the running game for the second time in three weeks, but Henry didn’t have much room to run when they did try their luck on the ground with an aggressive Cleveland front overwhelming a work-in-progress offensive line. The monster runner finished with just 2.0 fantasy points, and he’s averaged 3.2 yards per carry on the year.
Rookie of the Week: De’Von Achane
There is no question about the Rookie of the Week, and Achane—as you’ll see in a second—basically sweeps the fantasy awards for Week 3. The 203 rushing yards were unsurprisingly a rookie franchise record, and Achane should remain an important part of the offense moving forward.
Week 3 MVP: De’Von Achane
The performance by Achane showed why Mike McDaniel badly wanted him in the 2023 NFL Draft, and him being the No. 84 overall pick will probably end up being a steal. Despite a lack of size compared to most NFL running backs, Achane had a 38-carry performance in a win over LSU last year, and his 49.3 fantasy points yesterday might end up being the top overall score of the season.