NFL Power Rankings Entering Week 3

NFL Power Rankings

We watched most of the NFL games in Week 2 go over their expected point total lines, a stark contrast from a slow-paced, mistake-filled Week 1 slate. Whether it was due to preseason rust due to lack of playing, or better matchups, several teams went in opposite directions, while more devastating injuries took out some of the league’s top players, most notably Cleveland’s star running back, Nick Chubb.

These 2023 NFL Week 3 power rankings reflect the strength of each team, ranked 1-32, but we’ve added a twist by inserting a notable player to analyze on each team from a fantasy football context.

For example, the Dallas Cowboys, through two weeks, look like a serious Super Bowl contender, brandishing a stout defense and balanced offense with plenty of talent to move the chains and score touchdowns. Conversely, the Chicago Bears, led by third-year quarterback Justin Fields, have dropped to an 0-2 start after a couple of uninspiring performances against mediocre opponents, putting them at 32nd in this week’s Power Rankings article. NFL handicapper Matt MacKay gives us his fantasy analysis on one player, either good or bad, from each of the league’s 32 teams following an entertaining and action-packed Week 2 slate.

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1. Dallas Cowboys

WR CeeDee Lamb – Game script kept Dallas’ alpha wideout from feasting on the Giants defense in Week 1, as CeeDee Lamb only drew four targets. However, in Week 2, despite facing a talented Jets defense, Lamb recorded 11 receptions for 143 yards, finishing with 19.8 fantasy points in half-PPR formats. This equates to a monstrous 35 percent target share, which could vary week to week based on game script and a talented Dallas rushing attack. However, Lamb is looking like a top-five fantasy wide receiver moving into a Week 3 matchup against the 0-2 Arizona Cardinals.

2. Miami Dolphins

RB Raheem Mostert – Health has been the only factor holding Raheem Mostert back in fantasy football. Now that Jeff Wilson’s injuries have created an even bigger rushing share for the speedy veteran to handle, we can expect Mostert to continue handling around 60 percent of rush attempts moving forward. He’s also been highly efficient in the red zone, scoring three touchdowns during the first two weeks, which makes Mostert a fringe RB1 attached to a potent Dolphins offense.

3. San Francisco 49ers

TE George Kittle – San Francisco is a fantastic team with tons of weapons on offense to rely on. This seems to be the issue for George Kittle, who has nine targets through two games, but only six receptions for 49 receiving yards, leaving him with 7.9 fantasy points scored during this opening stretch. Kittle will have his moments, but it’s tough to predict when they will occur, as the matchup against the Rams presented a golden opportunity. Kittle is quickly losing value in fantasy football, which opens the door for fantasy football managers to look into possible trades, due to the lack of consistency.

4. Kansas City Chiefs

RB Jerick McKinnon – Kansas City relied heavily on Jerick McKinnon to be a red zone machine and de facto wideout in 2022, especially later in the season. He’s started the year with only a 6.6 percent target share, with a meager 2.2 percent rushing share, so there’s not much value in rolling McKinnon into fantasy football lineups. In an offense with unproven talent, outside of Travis Kelce, McKinnon is worth stashing until further notice, or potentially used as a piece in fantasy football trade packages in a crowded, but highly talented, Chiefs offense.

5. Philadelphia Eagles

RB D’Andre Swift – We finally see D’Andre Swift unleashed in Week 2 against Minnesota. Swift handled 58 percent of rushing attempts, recording 175 rushing yards and a touchdown, while adding three receptions for six yards as a receiver. Philadelphia is among the most run-centric offenses in the league, so despite the presence of Jalen Hurts, especially at the goal line, Swift should be the clear-cut RB1 in the Eagles’ backfield, making him a mid-range RB2 with RB1 upside moving forward.

6. Baltimore Ravens

WR Zay Flowers – The rookie wideout continued to dazzle in Week 2, feasting on downfield targets and several red zone touches. While Flowers was unable to punch in his first career NFL touchdown, it’s only a matter of time before he does so, especially with an upcoming matchup against the Colts in Week 3. Flowers is a high-end WR3 with WR2 upside in an increasingly pass-centric offense that does not appear to have as deep of a wide receiving corps as initially thought.

7. Buffalo Bills

RB James Cook – It was frustrating to watch James Cook play so well, yet cede valuable touches to back-up running backs Damien Harris and Latavius Murray, but he is clearly the Bills’ preferred RB1. getting any piece of Buffalo’s offense in fantasy football is a must, especially when Cook handled 21 touches, turning them into over 150 scrimmage yards against the Raiders in Week 2. Cook is a fringe-RB1 for the remainder of the fantasy football season.

8. Atlanta Falcons

WR Drake London – Concerns about Atlanta’s lack of passing attack were put to rest in Week 2, as the Falcons engaged in a back-and-forth battle against the Packers, pulling off a 25-24 comeback win at home. Second-year wideout Drake London finally got more involved, leading the Falcons with a 24 percent target share, while hauling in his first touchdown of the season. London is a WR2 with fringe-WR1 upside, although game script will dictate a lot of his production moving forward.

9. Seattle Seahawks

WR Tyler Lockett – Watching Tyler Lockett seal a walk-off win with a diving touchdown to the corner pylon should remind us all of how talented the Seahawks’ veteran wideout remains. While D.K. Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are also top-tier talents, Lockett has command of the offense in Seattle, while Geno Smith fed him a team-high ten targets against Detroit in Week 2. Lockett may have games where he disappears or doesn’t get used as much, but he’s a mid-range WR2 with WR1 upside once again in 2023.

10. Washington Commanders

RB Brian Robinson Jr. – In Week 2, facing a good Denver defense, second-year running back Brian Robinson handled 78 percent of rushing attempts, converting them into 18 carries for 87 yards and two touchdowns, with another two receptions for 42 receiving yards. Clearly, first-year OC Eric Bienemy prefers Robinson over Antonio Gibson in the Commanders’ offense, plus Robinson was recovering froma. gun shot wound during his rookie campaign. Expect Robinson’s usage to stay high moving ahead, even in a tough Week 3 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.

11. New Orleans Saints

WR Michael Thomas – Derek Carr targeted Michael Thomas early and often in Week 2, despite the presence of Chris Olave. Thomas appears to finally be back to full health after several seasons spent in and out of the lineup, which means we could see Thomas put up solid WR2 numbers in fantasy football for the rest of the season.

12. Detroit Lions

TE Sam LaPorta – Jared Goff has quickly found a new target he likes in rookie tight end, Sam LaPorta. He’s been a bit behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds in terms of a consistent target share, but five and six targets against tough opponents in his first two career games bodes well for the talented tight end heading into a Week 3 contest against Atlanta. LaPorta is a TE1 in PPR formats moving forward.

13. Jacksonville Jaguars

WR Christian Kirk – Head coach Doug Pederson promised to get Christian Kirk more involved after a quiet outing in Week 1 and he wound up being truthful, as Kirk saw a 34 percent target share against the Chiefs in Week 2. He turned this into 11 receptions for 110 yards, so if he can continue being somewhere in between Week 1 and Week 2 opportunity, Kirk profiles as a mid-range WR2 with low-end WR1 upside in a dynamic Jaguars offense.

14. Green Bay Packers

WR Jayden Reed – Rookie wideout Jayden Reed doubled all other Packers wideouts in targets against Atlanta, finishing with four receptions for 37 yards and two touchdowns. He’s been a playmaker right out of the gate for Matt LaFleur’s offense, helping Jordan Love spread the ball around a young and inexperienced Packers offense. Reed has had at least five targets in both games so far, making him a WR3 with WR2 upside against the Saints in Week 3.

15. Indianapolis Colts

QB Anthony Richardson – Despite a ton of skepticism from the media, Anthony Richardson has looked every bit the part of the player he projected to be during the NFL Draft combine. Richardson already has four total touchdowns, including three as a ball carrier, but was placed into the league’s concussion protocol early in Week 2. Assuming he returns soon, Richardson is a bonafide QB1 in all fantasy football formats due to his rushing upside and improved passing mechanics.

16. Tennessee Titans

WR Treylon Burks – DeAndre Hopkins’ arrival in Tennessee has not diminished Treylon Burks’ prospects as the WR1 in the Titans offense. He’s been limited to only seven targets across his first two games this season, still managing to hit 76 receiving yards in Week 2 against the Chargers. Burks will need to be efficient if this volume continues, but I sense an uptick in targets soon, which makes Burks a buy-low WR3 candidate with WR2 upside.

17. Los Angeles Rams

WR Puka Nacua – Through two games, rookie fifth-round wideout Puka Nacua has set historic records with his volume and ability to catch seemingly any pass from Matthew Stafford. Nacua has caught 25 receptions on 35 targets, while drawing a 39 percent target share. Nacua may slow down a bit, but not much, with the expected return of Cooper Kupp after Week 4. Until that happens though, Nacua is a locked and loaded WR2 with WR1 upside in an offense filled with opportunity for the rookie to continue capitalizing on.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

RB Rachaad White – A slow Week 1 turned into a productive Week 2 for Rachaad White, as he finished as the RB9 in half-PPR scoring formats. White took 17 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown, along with catching all five passes for an additional 30 receiving yards, putting him over 100 scrimmage yards against a porous Bears run defense. White will face a tougher task against the Eagles in Week 3, but Tampa Bay’s offense is currently humming, despite all preseason expectations, so value him as a mid-range RB2 with low-end RB1 upside.

19. Pittsburgh Steelers

WR George Pickens – The injury to Diontae Johnson has opened up more volume for second-year wideout George Pickens, who cashed in with an explosive 71-yard touchdown reception against a talented Browns defense in Week 2. Pickens led the Steelers with 10 targets, plus a good matchup against the Raiders secondary in Week 3 keeps him cemented as a fringe WR2 with WR1 upside.

20. New York Giants

TE Darren Waller – It was only a matter of time before we saw the Daniel Jones to Darren Waller connection occur. A great matchup against the Cardinals didn’t result in a touchdown, but Waller did finish with eight targets, recording six receptions for 76 yards, good enough to be the TE4 in PPR formats in Week 2. His matchup against the 49ers in Week 3 will be tougher, but Waller remains a high-end TE1 moving forward.

21. Cleveland Browns

RB Jerome Ford – The brutal injury Nick Chubb sustained on MNF against Pittsburgh has put Jerome Ford into the Browns’ new RB1 role until further notice. Ford ripped off an impressive run, switching the field and showcasing his speed, while cashing in with a touchdown in the red zone. Ford is young and plays behind one of the league’s best offensive line units, so he’ll likely be a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside, unless another running back prospect, like Kareem Hunt, is brought in to lighten his workload.

22. Las Vegas Raiders

RB Josh Jacobs – Alarms may be sounding off regarding Josh Jacobs, who has not looked even remotely close to himself when comparing this season’s start to his relentless production in 2022. However, the Raiders were in a low-scoring defensive battle in Week 1 against the Broncos and get routed by Buffalo in Week 2, so Jacobs has not had a ton of opportunity to get going just yet. He’s a fringe RB1 that could get going against the Steelers, Chargers, and Packers in upcoming matchups.

23. New England Patriots

TE Hunter Henry – Quietly, Hunter Henry has outperformed most other fantasy tight ends, scoring touchdowns in both games and garnering the Patriots’ second-highest target share. The arrival of Mike Gesicki made a lot of fantasy managers hesitant to draft Henry as their TE1, but his role in Bill O’Brien’s offense appears to be firmly entrenched, so go out and acquire Henry off of league waiver wires if he’s still available to roster.

24. Minnesota Vikings

WR Jordan Addison – The arrival of rookie wideout Jordan Addison has already resulted in back-to-back touchdowns for the wiry speedster. Addison benefits from playing opposite of star wideout, Justin Jefferson, while Kirk Cousins continues to shred defenses with his accuracy. Addison is a mid-range WR2 and could climb up into WR1 territory if he continues to get five to six targets per game.

25. Los Angeles Chargers

WR Mike Williams – Mike Williams out-targeted Keenan Allen in Week 2 in a plus-matchup against the Titans, securing a whopping 33 percent of targets, but he only produced 12.6 fantasy points, while Allen scored two touchdowns and doubled Williams’ fantasy output. Williams is attached to a good offense and a solid quarterback, despite the lack of wins thus far, so keep him plugged into fantasy lineups as a low-end WR2 with high-end WR2 upside.

26. Cincinnati Bengals

RB Joe Mixon – Cincinnati’s offense in general has been disappointing, including RB1 Joe Mixon. He was a volatile player in 2022, and while he’s averaging over 70 percent of rushing attempts for the Bengals, he’s fourth in team target share and couldn’t cash in on several red zone touches in Week 2. Mixon will definitely get his production in certain games, but the lack of burst, combined with an inefficient offense, should make fantasy managers concerned. He’s an RB2 with low-end RB1 upside moving forward.

27. New York Jets

WR Garrett Wilson – Zach Wilson’s presence against the league’s top defense still saw Garrett Wilson house a 68-yard receiving touchdown in Week 2. Wilson has a 30 percent target share through two weeks, and should continue to be the focal point of the passing attack. He’s a high-end WR2 with WR1 upside in all fantasy football formats.

28. Denver Broncos

WR Marvin Mims Jr. – Denver head coach Sean Payton used his first draft pick to acquire rookie wideout Marvin Mims, who scored his first career touchdown against Washington with a 60-yard touchdown reception in Week 2. Mims only played 24 percent of snaps with a seven percent target share, so as explosive as he looked, we still need to be cautiously optimistic. A Week 3 road trip to Miami doesn’t get any easier, so let’s value Mims as a WR4 with WR2 upside for now.

29. Houston Texans

WR Tank Dell – Yes, Nico Collins was dominant in Week 1 and Week 2, but we saw rookie wideout Tank Dell emerge in his own right against the Colts this past weekend. Dell, who rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud begged Texans brass to draft, recorded seven receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. He also played 78 percent of snaps, more than Collins, while leading the Texans with a 23 percent target share. Dell is a streamable FLEX option as a mid-range WR3 with WR2 upside for now.

30. Arizona Cardinals

RB James Conner – James Conner was fed the ball early and often to keep the Cardinals’ offense ahead of schedule in Week 2, resulting in a touchdown. Conner wound up recording 23 carries for 106 yards against the Giants, while catching all five targets thrown his way in Week 1. Conner was drafted late enough to return value as a high-end RB2 in PPR formats, but its his volume that keeps him in fringe RB1 territory.

31. Carolina Panthers

RB Miles Sanders – After a strong Week 1, the New Orleans Saints shut down Carolina’s run game, removing Miles Sanders from being an effective fantasy football running back in Week 2. Sanders managed 3.1 YPC on 14 attempts and caught three of five targets for a total of four receiving yards. Better days are ahead, especially against Seattle and Minnesota in Week 3 and Week 4, so keep Sanders plugged into lineups as a mid-range RB2 with low-end RB1 upside.

32. Chicago Bears

QB Justin Fields – The Bears look like the worst team in the league right now, as Justin Fields has struggled to stay competitive within OC Luke Getsy’s offense. Fields has hardly had any designed runs, while he threw a bad interception late in the fourth quarter against the Buccaneers in Week 2, ending any momentum or chance to mount a comeback. The rushing upside should keep Fields locked into lineups as a QB1, but if this poor play continues, with an upcoming trip to Arrowhead Stadium against the Chiefs in Week 3, it may be time for fantasy managers to panic.

NFL Power Rankings Entering Week 3