Sit/Start Week 3: Reviewing All Fantasy Relevant Players In Every Single Game

Game Info

Kickoff: Saturday, Septmeber 24th, 2023, 1:00p Est

Location: Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

Betting Odds: CLE -4.5, 41.5 O/U total via oddhsark.com

Network: CBS

Writer: Dustin Ludke (@TheDunit13 on Twitter)

Tennessee Titans

Quarterback

Ryan Tannehilll (Sit)

The Tennessee Titans went all in this year to make one last playoff push. it hasn’t worked out well so far. They are 1-1 heading into Week 3 but Ryan Tannehill hasn’t been great. He has three interceptions on the year all coming in Week 1 and only one passing touchdown which came last week. He did turn back the clock a little last week and ran a touchdown which is half of what he had last year. He now faces the Cleveland Browns, who statistically have one of the best passing defenses in the league. It’s only been two weeks but the Browns are not giving up points to quarterbacks. It does help that they played a rusty Joe Burrow and draft-bust Kenny Pickett. They will probably continue that trend against over-the-hill Tannehill. It doesn’t project to be a high-scoring game with one of the lowest over-under of the week. Tenessee is a run-first team and if the Browns can’t put up points I expect the passing attempts for Tannehill to be under 25. PFF.com does have the Browns rated at 74.4 in coverage which puts them just outside the top ten. Sit Tannehill this week even in two-quarterback leagues.

Running Backs

Derrick Henry (Start, RB2), Tyjae Spears (Sit, Flex)

The wheels have not yet fallen off of Derrick Henry. He is still the dominating back he has always been. He is still getting the work. He is averaging 20 carries a week and posting a 3.58 yards per carry number. It’s a tough matchup for Henry facing the Browns defense that hasn’t allowed more than 75 yards rushing yet this season, and that was with facing Joe Mixon, Najee Harris, and Jaylen Warren. I still expect Henry to get his carries and be able to wear down the Browns’ defense and pick up yardage. Scoring will be key for him to reach the upper tiers but he is a solid RB2 with RB1 upside.

Tyjae Spears has been a hot name on waivers for two weeks now and looks to continue to get involved. His snap share came down from 54% in Week 1 to only 37% in Week 2 but his carries increased. He saw eight carries this week which almost triples his three from Week 1. His yards per average is outstanding at 6.91 on the season. His role comes when the Titans are in close games. He doesn’t have the pass-catching work that Henry has but can use his speed and shiftiness to create chunk plays. The game script for this game looks to be a lot lower scoring and closer than last week’s shootout with the Los Angeles Chargers. I think Spears should be on your team but I struggle to start him as a flex. He will have a place as the team continues to find ways to rest Henry for later in the season.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

DeAndre Hopkins (Sit, FLEX), Treylon Burks (Sit, Flex), Nick Westbrook-Ikhine(Sit, Flex), Chig Okonkwo (Sit)

DeAndre Hopkins seemed like a trap play last week and performed like it. Despite being 31 years old he still has something left in the tank. He is struggling with injuries but should be fully healthy this week. He is going against the Browns, a team that was rumored to be in on his services yet decided not to pursue him. He will be on the other side of the field from his former quarterback Deshaun Watson. Hopkins could be looking to show the Browns and Watson what they are missing out on. He is going to see coverage from Greg Newsome II if he is healthy. Newsome rates at 76.3 by PFF.com which is 16th out of 98. Newsome does move to be the slot corner when facing three-wide sets. The factors above require Hopkins to be ranked as a FLEX option, but the Titans should be able to move Hopkins around enough to give him at least a chance at finishing closer to his higher end range of outcomes as a WR2 with WR1 upside.

Treylon Burks had a decent week despite playing on only 65% of the team’s total snaps. He ended the game with only four targets catching three of them for 76 yards.  He is losing outside snaps to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Both played wide under 60% of the time. They are okay NFL wide receivers, but not the game-breaking type of players you can trust. They will be drawing coverage from Denzel Ward and Martin Emerson when they are on the outside. They rank as the 41st and 51st best coverage corners. The issue will be when they are in the slot and possibly getting Newsome on them. Neither of them has the volume or the efficient production to make them fantasy-relevant. Westbrook-Ikhine led the team in routes run but only had 22. Burks was down at 18. I’m sitting both this week even if they do get in flex range.

Chig Okonkwo was a hot name in draft season but Hopkins signing there put a huge bucket of water on that fire. He is still playing a good number of snaps. Much like most of the receiving weapons or the Titans, the snap counts went down but targets went up. Chig was able to see four targets catching all of them but only had 34 yards. He now faces the defense that has given up the least amount of fantasy points to tight ends. Until we see signs of what Chig was last year when he excited us all as a late-round tight-end sleeper you can’t start him. I would struggle to start anyone outside of the top five against this defense.

Cleveland Browns

Quarterbacks

Deshaun Watson (Sit, QB2)

Anyone who has watched Deshaun Watson play can clearly see glimpses of the quarterback he once was but then also signs that he is way past his prime. He has matched his touchdowns production, two, with his interceptions. He has yet to throw over 250 yards and is only completing 55% of his passes. The Browns are now looking at a team with no Nick Chubb and a 1-1 record. Watson’s offensive line has not been treating, allowing him to be sacked nine times already this year, which has helped contribute to his three fumbles. Now facing the Titans who don’t have a dominant pass rusher like T.J. Watt, but do still bring plenty of pressure. The Titans currently rank 14th in pass rush according to PFF.com. Watson will have to protect the ball more than he has this season if he wants to get into my fantasy lineups. He has a slight rushing upside, which keeps him in QB2 range. He has had five carries a game and is averaging 6.09 yards per carry. The Browns are on a shorter week and working in new running backs, so I expect Watson to come out swinging but still not excited about starting him. I think you can find other options in better matchups, but Watson will be a high-end QB2 this week.

Running Backs

Nick Chubb (OUT), Jerome Ford (Start, RB2) Pierre Strong (Sit, Flex) Kareem Hunt (Sit)

The whole NFL world was in pain on Monday night when Nick Chubb went down with a horrific knee injury. If you saw replays you know that he is done for the season, even without official reports. It’s a shame to see one of the top rushers go down. We still have to move on and look to see who will step up into that role for the Cleveland Browns.

Jerome Ford got the first crack at it after the Chubb injury. He finished the night with 106 yards on 16 carries. He also saw four targets for 25 yards and a touchdown. Rumors were instantly swirling that the Browns would sign or trade for another running back but they have put a ton of faith into Ford this offseason and I expect him to be the bellcow back. The Tennessee Titans have one of the better run defenses in the league. They have only given up on average five fantasy points to running backs which is second-best. Their run defense is rated at 68.2 by PFF.com which is 9th best. It’s a tough matchup for Ford who is stepping into a big role. I still like him this week as an RB2 but I’m not expecting massive upside for him. His pass-catching ability keeps his floor high enough

Pierre Strong will be the backup unless they sign someone but even that new running back will need time to get familiar with the playbook. I wouldn’t expect Strong to be anything more than a change-of-pace player. He could end up vulturing touchdowns from Ford. In Monday’s game, Strong saw more red zone work than Ford. You can’t trust him in your fantasy lineup and probably should be left on waivers.

I’ve been a firm believer that Kareem Hunt is washed. There is a reason that he wasn’t signed until now. Yes, he knows the system but he wasn’t great last season in that system. The Browns picked Jermone Ford this offseason over Hunt. I’m not starting a guy who hasn’t played in a while and is just now getting onto a team.

Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends

Amari Cooper (Start, WR2), Donovan Peoples-Jones (Sit), Elijah Moore (Sit, Flex), David Njoku (Sit, TE2)

Amari Cooper‘s groin is legendary at this point. It was rumored that he would miss the game due to a groin strange but he ended up suiting up against the Pittsburgh Steelers and posted ten targets, catching seven of them for 90 yards. This week’s matchup with the Titans isn’t the best. He will be facing Roger McCreary who PFF.com rates at 78.7 in coverage which is 13th best among the 95 corners rated. McCreary does move around in the formation and might shadow Cooper but Cooper is still a top receiver who should be get open, and be a viable WR2.

Elijah Moore was looking like a smash play when Cooper was out but he ended up seeing nine targets but only caught three of them for 36 yards. It’s a far cry from the production we were seeing from him back in his rookie year. He now faces Sean Murphy-Bunting who rates at 72.9 in coverage. Moore has been lackluster in his short time in Cleveland. He has done enough to be a low-end flex play but I don’t see much upside for him.

Donovan Peoples-Jones has taken a back seat this year with Moore now in the fold. He only played on a handful of snaps each week and is returning kicks. He has always been a boom-and-bust play and this year it’s been mostly bust. He is starting to lose snaps and opportunities to David Bell. With how poorly Watson has been playing I’m not willing to start either this week. I’m probably putting them back on waivers.

David Njoku has been involved in the passing game but not as big of a part as people had hoped. He is only seeing three and a half targets a game, and has yet to reach the end zone. The Browns’ passing game is just not potent enough to make Njoku fantasy relevant. He lacks the volume, and the red zone work isn’t there. Given that this is a middle-of-the-road matchup I’m not starting Njoku when I can find a better option on waivers.