Field of Streams: Week Three

In this weekly series, we narrow the focus to just the current week and give you some streaming options for the upcoming games. The goal is to identify a player at each offensive position, as well as a team defense, who is owned in less than 30 percent of leagues and may be in line for a productive outing.

You can read more about this series in the Week 1 installment. We use MFL rates for the ownership percentages.

Let’s take a look at how things went for our top picks in Week 2, using standard PPR scoring. The weekly average through two weeks is in parenthesis.

QB — Ryan Fitzpatrick, 17.36 points (16.63)
WR — Cole Beasley, 5.4 points (9.75)
RB — Dion Lewis, 25.8 points (14.9)
TE — Crockett Gillmore, 25.8 points (15.1)
K — Robbie Gould, 14 points (12)
D — New Orleans Saints, 5 points (2.5)

I struck gold with Lewis and Gillmore. I didn’t foresee Lewis getting as many touches as he did, but I’ll take it. He finished as the week’s third highest-scoring running back. With Baltimore’s lack of weapons, Gillmore, the top tight end in Week 2, is going to be a solid play at the tight end position, at least until Breshad Perriman returns. Fitzpatrick had a fairly efficient outing against the Colts. Beasley and most of the Dallas offense sank when Tony Romo went down. Gould has put up back-to-back 14-point weeks. Surprisingly, Jameis Winston wasn’t a dumpster fire at New Orleans.

In addition to the top picks, I hit on Tyrod Taylor (28.98) as an honorable mention option. It was Taylor’s second straight week as a good streaming play. He was the third highest-scoring quarterback in Week 2.

Here are the streaming picks for Week 3:

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Quarterback

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB NYJ
(owned in 23 percent of leagues)

Fitzpatrick was the pick in Week 2 and we’re sticking with him this week as well. The Jets get a home matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles let Matt Ryan play well in Week 1 and somehow made Brandon Weeden (7-for-7 for 71 yards) look good in relief in Week 2. Fitz-magic played well in Monday night’s win over the Indianapolis Colts, throwing for 244 yards and two scores. With Brandon Marshall at receiver, he has a solid weapon to work with. This actually isn’t a bad week for quarterback streaming options as there are several decent matchups. Weeden (vs. Atlanta), Kirk Cousins (at Giants), Ryan Mallett (vs. Tampa Bay) and Johnny Manziel (vs Oakland) all have favorable matchups, assuming Manziel starts over Josh McCown. Out of those, I’d shy most away from Cousins and Weeden. Cousins has been ultra-conservative through two weeks, which doesn’t scream fantasy success. Weeden’s lack of weapons scares me, even though Atlanta’s pass defense has been shredded thus far.

Honorable mention: Mallett (vs. TB) and Manziel (vs OAK).

Wide Receiver

Leonard Hankerson, WR ATL
(21 percent)

Hankerson ran as Atlanta’s No. 2 receiver in Week 2, out-targeting Roddy White 11-1. There’s no guarantee it happens again in Week 3, but Hankerson has a nice matchup at Dallas. The Cowboys’ pass defense has played well through two weeks, but I’m not buying it. In Week 2, Hank-time turned those 11 targets into six grabs for 77 yards and a touchdown. Flying under the radar as defenses try to slow down Julio Jones, Hankerson is, at worst, Matt Ryan’s third weapon. I also like Travis Benjamin and Justin Hunter this week. Hunter and the Titans face the Colts. He should avoid Indianapolis’ corner Vontae Davis in a game where the flow is likely to lead to a lot of Tennessee pass attempts. Benjamin has been a big-play maven through two weeks (six catches, 204 yards, three touchdowns) and the Browns have a juicy home matchup with Oakland.

Honorable mention: Benjamin (vs. OAK), Hunter (vs. IND).

Running back

Dexter McCluster, RB TEN
(4 percent)

The running back position is pencil thin right now, so I’m digging deep. McCluster got extended work in Week 2 with the Titans falling behind and I foresee a similar game flow for Tennessee’s Week 3 matchup with the Colts. McCluster turned 10 carries into 98 yards and hauled in 4-of-4 targets for 26 yards in Week 2. Chris Polk is the next best option, assuming Arian Foster is out again. Polk led the Texans’ backfield with 14 carries in Week 2, although he mustered just 38 yards. Theo Riddick was the Lions’ two-minute back, and Detroit could be playing from behind quite a bit in Week 3 against Denver. Lance Dunbar, over the 30-percent threshold, is a shot in the dark, as well, as Weeden may play conservatively and dump off to his running backs. James Starks, owned in 45 percent of leagues, is going to be one of the top adds with Eddie Lacy dinged up.

Honorable mentions: Polk (vs TB) and Riddick (vs. DEN).

Tight End

Crockett Gillmore, TE BAL
(10 percent)

I’m going to keep picking him until his ownership rate prevents me from doing so. After last week’s big performance, which was tops among all tight ends, he’s the eighth-ranked tight end for the year and will be a hot pickup this week. Gillmore posted five receptions for 88 yards and two touchdowns at Oakland in Week 2. With Breshad Perriman out until October, Gillmore is Joe Flacco’s second option in the passing game behind Steve Smith. Cincinnati will be a better defense than Oakland, but Gillmore’s opportunity for volume is too great to ignore. Jared Cook has back-to-back five-catch games for the Rams and gets a solid home matchup against Pittsburgh. Scott Chandler is a pure stab at a touchdown. After scoring in the opener, Chandler was targeted twice in the end zone in Week 2 but failed to haul in either pass. New England should pass all over Jacksonville in Week 3 in a game where they are favored by nearly two touchdowns.

Honorable mention: Scott Chandler (vs. JAX), Jared Cook (vs. PIT).

Kicker

Josh Brown, K NYG
(29 percent)

Brown is a perfect 6-for-6 on field goals this year. He’s in a nice spot as the kicker for an offense that’s good, but not too good, meaning they’ll move the ball but likely have to settle for a lot of field goals. The Giants host the Redskins Thursday night. Washington has been surprisingly stingy (13.5 points per game), but I think the Giants will be able to put Brown in some favorable spots. Andrew Franks and the Dolphins host Buffalo in what could be a low-scoring, field-goal fest.

Honorable mention: Franks (vs. BUF), Nick Folk (vs. PHI)

Team Defense

New York Giants
(21 percent)

Defenses have been my bugaboo through two weeks. In Week 3, I’m going with the Giants defense, who get a home matchup against Cousins and the Redskins. In his only game against the Giants in 2014, Cousins had a horrific four-interception outing. With a 2-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio thus far, Cousins isn’t a bad bet for a turnover. He has completed 75 percent of his passes through two games, but he has also been extremely conservative. His average yards per attempt of 6.8 ranks just 23rd in the league. Tampa Bay held the Saints in check last week and they play Houston’s struggling offense in Week 3. Oakland doesn’t have a good defense, but they get the Browns in Week 3.

Honorable mention: Oakland (at CLE), Tampa Bay (at HOU).

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