NFL Power Rankings
After another highly entertaining weekend of action in the NFL, it’s time to reveal our latest NFL power rankings. Like most traditional power rankings, these are set 1-32 based on the quality of a team’s overall performance and record through the first three weeks. However, instead of analyzing each team individually, we here at FantasyData look at a notable fantasy football player from each team, whether in a good or bad context, to provide insight for fantasy football managers to use for the rest of the season.
Injuries, Bye Weeks, and plenty of other obstacles quickly arise, impacting the fantasy football landscape and forcing us to make tough start/sit decisions. Some of these players may be obvious fantasy assets, while others appear as fool’s gold. Then, there are those players that no one is discussing who possess untapped potential that could be unleashed on any of their upcoming opponents. Either way, we need to talk about the good and the bad from a fantasy football context, which means some teams will have great players to analyze, while there are plenty of underperforming teams with players who were acquired with high draft capital that are imploding in fantasy lineups.
NFL fantasy analyst Matt MacKay is here to give us his latest fantasy football analysis for one player from each team, using half-PPR scoring, while ranking all 32 teams from best to worst.
1. Miami Dolphins
RB De’Von Achane – The top name on fantasy waiver wires this week will undoubtedly be rookie running back, De’Von Achane. He didn’t play in Week 1 against the Chargers due to injury and only saw two touches against New England in Week 2, but head coach Mike McDaniel let Achane run rampant in Week 3 in a plus-matchup against Denver’s defense. Achane racked up 18 carries for 203 yards and two touchdowns while catching all four targets for 30 receiving yards and two more touchdowns as a receiver. He played fewer snaps than Raheem Mostert, who also managed to finish with four touchdowns in a 70-20 rout of the Broncos, but Achane’s explosiveness aligns perfectly with the Dolphins’ offense. He’s already a high-end RB2 with top-five overall upside at the running back position following a career game.
2. San Francisco 49ers
WR Deebo Samuel – While Brandon Aiyuk popped in Week 1, Deebo Samuel has been the consistent threat for the 49ers’ passing attack. Samuel has seen seven, nine, and 12 targets to start the 2023 season, averaging 16.7 fantasy points per game and scoring three touchdowns in the past two games. Aiyuk’s absence in Week 3 could inflate Samuel’s numbers a bit, but he’s still a bonafide WR1, especially since he’s still earning red zone touches as a ball carrier, which is how he delivered huge production for fantasy football managers a couple of years ago.
3. Buffalo Bills
TE Dalton Kincaid – The Bills’ new, shiny toy has not been used the way many fantasy football managers drafted him this offseason. During this stretch, Kincaid has an 11.3 percent target share through three games, averaging a meager 4.2 fantasy points per game. He could definitely score a few touchdowns as the season progresses, but for now, the Bills’ offense flows through its top two wideouts, James Cook, and Josh Allen.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
RB D’Andre Swift – While it wasn’t nearly the outing produced in Week 2, D’Andre Swift still carved up a tough Buccaneers run defense in Week 3, averaging 8.1 YPC and 138 scrimmage yards on just 17 touches. He obviously benefits from running behind arguably the best offensive line in the league, but Swift appears to be gaining significant separation from Kenneth Gainwell and the other Eagles’ running backs, handling 39 percent of carries and an eight percent target share, notably higher than Gainwell in both metrics. A run-centric offense means even more fantasy production awaits Swift in upcoming weeks, making him a low-end RB1 with top-five running back upside.
5. Kansas City Chiefs
RB Isiah Pacheco – Kansas City’s offense is dynamic and moves the ball by spreading the ball around, so it’s tough to get excited over any players from a fantasy football context outside of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. The good news is that second-year running back, Isiah Pachecho, is the clear-cut RB1 in the Chiefs’ offense, handling 46 percent of snaps and a 42 percent rush share. Yes, Jerick McKinnon will vulture touchdowns in the red zone like he did in Week 3, but Pacheco’s steady role makes him a mid-range RB2.
6. Detroit Lions
TE Sam LaPorta – Detroit is already leaning heavily into its rookie tight end, Sam LaPorta, as Jared Goff connected on a deep pass for LaPorta’s first career touchdown against the Falcons in Week 3. He’s averaging over 11 fantasy points per game and has a 22.9 percent target share, second behind only Amon-Ra St. Brown, so expect LaPorta’s role to continue at its frenzied pace, making him a top-five tight end rest of season.
7. Cleveland Browns
RB Jerome Ford – A lot of skepticism surrounded second-year running back, Jerome Ford, following Nick Chubb’s season-ending knee injury. Ford had a big outing against the best run defense in Week 3, racking up two touchdowns, including one as a receiver, to finish with 21.1 fantasy points against the Titans. Due to the Browns’ run-centric offense, paired with a quality offensive line unit, Ford projects to be a borderline RB1 moving forward.
8. Dallas Cowboys
QB Dak Prescott – While Dallas fell to Arizona in Week 3, the play we’ve seen from quarterback Dak Prescott is a bit discouraging. Yes, it’s early, but a bad red zone interception kept the Cowboys from mounting a comeback against Arizona. Prescott has only thrown for three touchdowns this season, with 44 rushing yards and no touchdowns as a ball carrier. The absence of former OC Kellen Moore is looming. If the Cowboys’ defense continues to play at a high level, despite the loss of star cornerback Trevon Diggs, Prescott could become a glorified game manager, dropping him into the QB2 conversation.
9. Seattle Seahawks
RB Kenneth Walker III – Seattle’s rushing attack got going against Carolina in Week 3, as second-year running back Kenneth Walker handled 18 carries for 97 yards and two touchdowns, adding three receptions for 59 yards as a receiver. Rookie running back Zach Charbonnet is only playing 31 percent of snaps with a 21 percent rush share up to this point, while Walker is doubling and tripling these numbers. He’s a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside in a Seahawks offense that historically favors running the football.
10. Green Bay Packers
QB Jordan Love – Green Bay erased a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to mount an impressive comeback win against New Orleans in Week 3. Jordan Love threw for over 250 yards and a touchdown, including a pivotal two-point conversion, and a rushing touchdown where he juked a defender off of an RPO in open space. Love is averaging 22.5 fantasy points per game, demonstrating he can do it all, so until further notice, Love is a streamable player to start in one quarterback fantasy football leagues.
11. Pittsburgh Steelers
RB Najee Harris – It’s been a brutal opening stretch for fantasy managers who took on Najee Harris’ fifth-round ADP. The Steelers’ RB1 looks slow and inefficient, while his pass-catching role is being quickly reduced due to the presence of second-year running back, Jaylen Warren. Harris is only averaging 5.2 fantasy points per game in a Pittsburgh offense that looked better against a bad Raiders defense in Week 3, so if Harris continues to be ineffective on the field, he could quickly be replaced or phased out of the offensive game plan. Harris is a low-end RB2 solely due to his current opportunity usage, still handling a 61 percent rushing share to Warren’s 25 percent in Week 3.
12. Baltimore Ravens
TE Mark Andrews – It’s been rough sledding for Mark Andrews. He’s currently seeing a 15 percent target share, which is half the amount rookie wideout Zay Flowers earned through three weeks. Andrews has found his way into the end zone once, and he’ll be making more end zone trips, but for now, he’s a low-end TE1, falling well below where fantasy managers drafted him in the third or fourth round.
13. Atlanta Falcons
WR Drake London – The run-centric Falcons offense is not designed to play from behind. Quarterback Desmond Ridder looked terrible against Detroit, resulting in Drake London catching two of six targets for 31 yards in Week 3. London saw fewer targets than Kyle Pitts and Jonnu Smith, plus he has pedestrian quarterback play limiting him even more. For now, London is a volatile WR3 with WR2 upside.
14. Cincinnati Bengals
WR Ja’Marr Chase – We all knew it would only be a matter of time before Cincinnati’s star wideout, Ja’Marr Chase, returned to form. He did just that against the Rams on Monday night, hauling in 12 receptions for 141 yards on 15 targets. Chase has yet to find the end zone this season, but upcoming matchups against Tennessee and Arizona present phenomenal opportunities for the talented wideout to produce overall WR1 numbers during the next few weeks.
15. New Orleans Saints
WR Chris Olave – The loss of Derek Carr in Week 3 still saw wideout Chris Olave draw a team-high 11 targets. Olave has a 33 percent target share through three weeks, averaging 14.4 fantasy points per game. Fantasy managers shouldn’t worry about Jameis Winston under center affecting Olave’s usage, but he certainly isn’t delivering round 2 production as many expected. Upcoming matchups against the Buccaneers, Patriots, and Texans could keep Olave at low-end WR2 production.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
RB Rachaad White – The good news is Rachaad White has zero competition for touches behind him, at least from what we’ve seen through three weeks. White also draws a 12 percent target share, plus 82 percent of rushing attempts for the Bucs, so while he’s only averaging 10.1 fantasy points per game, the volume should continue to come White’s direction for the foreseeable future. He’s a mid-range RB2 with upside.
17. Washington Commanders
WR Jahan Dotson – The second-year wideout many touted as a breakout fantasy football player has not looked the part through three weeks. Jahan Dotson has a 17.4 percent target share, tied for the lead alongside Terry McLaurin, but he’s only averaging 4.4 fantasy points per game. Dotson dealt with a difficult matchup against the Bills in Week 3, but an upcoming matchup against the Eagles’ decimated secondary could be a get-right spot for Dotson. He’s a WR3 with low-end WR2 upside.
18. Indianapolis Colts
RB Zack Moss – The Colts’ entire offense relied on Zack Moss in Week 3, as he handled 30 carries for 122 yards, along with two receptions for 23 yards and a touchdown. Moss has been a nice fixture in the Colts’ backfield during Jonathan Taylor’s PUP injury, and even during Anthony Richardson’s inevitable return from the concussion protocol, Moss could hold onto double-digit touches, making him a mid-range RB2 with low-end RB1 upside in a run-centric offense.
19. Los Angeles Chargers
WR Keenan Allen – Keenan Allen is seeing an elite target share at 33 percent, which saw him catch 18 of 20 targets for 215 yards against Minnesota’s secondary in Week 3. Allen has at least nine targets in every single game thus far, and now, with the ACL tear suffered by wideout Mike Williams, Allen could continue to be a target hog in OC Kellen Moore’s high-flying offense, led by quarterback Justin Herbert, who is playing MVP-caliber football despite a 1-2 record. Allen is a locked and loaded WR1 in all fantasy football formats.
20. Arizona Cardinals
RB James Conner – No one is threatening James Conner’s role as RB1 in Arizona, which has led to a 60 percent rushing share and a 10.0 percent target share through the first three weeks. Conner has scored in back-to-back games, which saw some tough run defenses, so it’s encouraging to see him operate efficiently within the Cardinals’ offense. Conner is a high-end RB2 heading into a brutal matchup on the road against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4.
21. Los Angeles Rams
WR Tutu Atwell – Matthew Stafford has been favoring Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua early in the season due to the absence of star wideout, Cooper Kupp. Nacua’s historic volume and efficiency has a lot of fantasy managers forgetting about Atwell, who wound up scoring his first touchdown of the season in a tough matchup against the Bengals’ pass defense. Atwell is seeing eight to nine targets per game, serving as the Rams’ second-leading receiver in target share at 21 percent, behind only Nacua. Atwell will continue to be leaned on, making him a low-end WR2, averaging 13.9 fantasy points per game.
22. New England Patriots
RB Rhamondre Stevenson – It may be time to start panicking soon regarding Rhamondre Stevenson. The Patriots’ RB1 continues to play 70 percent snaps compared to Ezekiel Elliot’s 34 percent opportunity while toting 52.9 percent of the Patriots’ rushing share. The good news is Stevenson is still averaging a 10.6 percent target share, but the Patriots offense looks stale despite the presence of OC Bill O’Brien. Stevenson has scored once in three games and an upcoming road trip against Dallas’ defense, which is a bottom-three matchup for fantasy running backs, leaves Stevenson as a low-end RB2 with high-end RB2 upside.
23. Houston Texans
WR Tank Dell – Rookie wideout Tank Dell has great rapport with fellow rookie quarterback, C.J. Stroud, who begged the Texans’ front office to draft Dell after he was selected No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Dell has an 18.4 percent target share but is the most explosive playmaker for Houston, averaging 14.9 fantasy points per game. He ripped off an impressive route to score a big touchdown in a statement win over the Jaguars on the road in Week 3, so with another plus-matchup against the Steelers’ secondary in Week 4, Dell can be considered a borderline WR3 with low-end WR1 upside.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
WR Calvin Ridley – After flashing in a big outing against the Colts in Week 1, Jacksonville’s WR1, Calvin Ridley, is averaging just 9.9 fantasy points per game. He had a couple of bad drops, including one in the end zone, against Houston in Week 3. Ridley is still leading the Jaguars in target share at 23 percent, but his high ADP is not paying off in plus-matchups as expected. A revenge game against the Falcons in Week 4, who allow the sixth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers, will tell us more about whether or not Ridley is shaping up to be a bust. Continue starting him as a mid-range WR2 with WR1 upside.
25. New York Giants
TE Darren Waller – Watching Darren Waller and Daniel Jones in Week 3 against the San Francisco 49ers was flat-out brutal. Waller had several bad drops and has yet to score a touchdown with the Giants. Waller leads the Giants with a 20 percent target share, but averaging 6.4 fantasy points per game is not what fantasy managers wanted when they drafted Waller in the fourth and fifth rounds of fantasy football drafts. He’s still a TE1, but the Seattle Seahawks have played well against the tight end position, so Waller will continue to be a high-volume player on a bad offense with boom-bust outcomes.
26. Las Vegas Raiders
WR Davante Adams – Jimmy Garoppolo looked Davante Adams’ way 20 times in Week 3, resulting in the star wideout going for 13 receptions and 172 yards, along with two touchdowns, scoring 35.7 fantasy points. The Raiders’ rushing attack has not looked good, so as long as its defense continues to play poorly, expect Adams to continue earning an elite target share as an unquestionable WR1 with top-five upside at the position rest of season.
27. New York Jets
RB Breece Hall – The Jets’ RB1, Breece Hall, averaged a putrid 1.5 YPC in an ugly 15-10 loss to New England in Week 3. This follows the four total carries he earned in a blowout against Dallas in Week 2. Hall is a byproduct of the Jets’ inefficient offense with Zach Wilson under center while splitting carries with Dalvin Cook. Hall is looking like a high-end RB3 with RB2 upside until further notice.
28. Tennessee Titans
RB Derrick Henry – It’s not a great offense in Tennessee through three weeks, which is affecting Derrick Henry’s production. The big-bodied running back is also ceding targets to rookie Tyjae Spears, leaving him with a 71.8 percent rush share in a one-dimensional offense with one of the league’s worst offensive line units. Henry is averaging 10.6 fantasy points per game, but if his passing volume is getting outsourced, there’s not a ton of room for optimism. Bigger games are in store, most likely, but Henry is a mid-range RB2 until further notice.
29. Minnesota Vikings
QB Kirk Cousins – Despite being 0-3, Kirk Cousins has been putting in work for the Minnesota Vikings. Cousins has thrown nine touchdowns and over 1,000 yards through three games, averaging 23.6 fantasy points per game. Minnesota has a pass-centric offense that relies on Cousins to find their explosive playmakers, so he’s a legitimate QB1 in fantasy football leagues despite lacking any rushing upside.
30. Carolina Panthers
WR Adam Thielen – Andy Dalton’s first start for the Panthers this season immediately elevated Adam Thielen’s production, surging to 11 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown on a team-high 14 targets. Thielen also scored a late touchdown with Bryce Young under center, as he’s functioning as the savvy veteran playmaker within a young, inexperienced offense. Thielen is a fringe WR3 with WR2 upside moving forward, but could get a bump into mid-range WR2 territory in a revenge game against a porous Vikings secondary in Week 4.
31. Denver Broncos
WR Courtland Sutton – Courtland Sutton has emerged as Russell Wilson’s favorite target, garnering a 24.2 percent target share through three weeks. The next closest is Javonte Williams at 12.6 percent. Sutton is averaging 11.8 fantasy points per game, hauling in eight of 11 targets for 91 yards and a touchdown in Week 3. Another prime matchup against the Chicago Bears’ pass defense awaits in Week 4, making Sutton a mid-range WR2 with high-end WR2 upside.
32. Chicago Bears
WR D.J. Moore – Viewed as a savvy move in the offseason, D.J. Moore’s arrival in Chicago in exchange for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft does not appear to be working out well, at least through three weeks. Moore does lead the Panthers with a 17.9 percent target share, along with tight end Cole Kmet. Moore did manage to snag a late garbage-time touchdown reception against the Chiefs in Week 3, logging 11 receptions on 15 targets in the league’s worst offense. Moore is in store for better days, but until we see the Bears’ offense turn it around, it’s hard to value Moore as anything more than a high-end WR3.
