Fantasy Football Flashback: Lamar Jackson leads Week 3's most reliable players

I’m excited to bring you the inaugural edition of the Fantasy Football Flashback, where we'll recap the top-10 scoring leaders on Yahoo Fantasy from the previous week. Each week for the remainder of the 2022 season, this column will celebrate the top accomplishments of the most reliable players and offer actionable advice that will help you to better handle these players in future weeks. Let’s get started.

No. 1: Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens, 40.42 points

Jackson threw for just 218 yards in a Week 3 win over the Patriots but was otherwise a stat-stuffer, who tossed four touchdown passes, ran for another score and accumulated 107 yards on the ground. The Louisville alum has produced a remarkable 12 TDs during the initial three weeks in the season, which has made him the top fantasy scorer at any position to date. Jackson could be on his way to repeating his MVP 2019 campaign.

No. 2: Khalil Herbert, RB, Chicago Bears, 29.90

Herbert is one of three unlikely names on this list, as he entered Week 3 as the backup to David Montgomery. But Montgomery left the game early with a knee/ankle injury, and 157 rushing yards and two TDs later, Herbert was the top non-QB scorer for the week. There was already buzz that Herbert was a threat to Montgomery’s featured role, and it seems likely that Chicago’s coaching staff will give the 24-year-old a significant workload next week. Fantasy managers should aggressively pursue Herbert on the waiver wire (he is 50% rostered), as he would be very valuable in the event that Montgomery misses a significant amount of time.

No. 3: Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles, 27.60

Hurts got down to business early on Sunday, throwing three second-quarter touchdown passes before putting things in cruise control when the Eagles took a 24-0 lead into the fourth quarter. The dual-threat QB was less aggressive on the ground than usual (20 rushing yards), which was likely a reflection of the score. Hurts is the No. 3 QB after three weeks, and he is shaping up as one of 2022’s best value picks. The Eagles have arguably the most favorable schedule of any team this season, which contributes to my decision to avoid selling high on Hurts in potential fantasy trades.

No. 4: DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles, 26.90

Smith outshone his more heralded teammate, A.J. Brown, on Sunday, catching 8 of 12 targets for 169 yards and a highlight-reel touchdown in the corner of the end zone. The Alabama alum has 15 catches in the past two weeks, after surprisingly being held without a catch in Week 1. My gut reaction is to hold Smith, but the presence of Brown could limit his upside enough that I would at least listen to any solid trade offers that were sent my way.

No. 5: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills, 26.70

The Bills offense was anything but smooth in a narrow loss to the Dolphins, but Allen was a fantasy star nonetheless. The hulking pivot threw a whopping 63 passes, completing 42 of them for 400 yards and two scores. And he used his size and speed to gain 47 yards on the ground. Allen sits second behind Jackson in total fantasy points this season, which is unsurprising for someone who was the first QB selected in most drafts. Simply put, those who paid up for Allen are getting what they hoped for. And with many star QBs having disappointing seasons, Allen is more valuable than expected.

No. 6: Mack Hollins, WR, Las Vegas Raiders, 25.96

Hollins posted the most surprising WR performance of Week 3, catching 8 of 10 targets for 158 yards and a TD. Although the absence of Hunter Renfrow surely helped Hollins to obtain more volume, he also tied Davante Adams for targets and had double the targets of Darren Waller. This performance didn’t come out of nowhere, as Hollins caught five passes for 66 yards in Week 2. Still, I see the 29-year-old as more of a speculative waiver claim than someone who is a priority.

No. 7: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars, 25.18

Lawrence took advantage of a banged-up Chargers team by throwing for 262 yards and three scores. This is the third week in a row that the former No. 1 overall pick has had a solid game, which shows that he can move past the Urban Meyer disaster from a year ago. Still, Lawrence has yet to have a massive performance, and his spot on this list is mostly due to Week 3 having been a low-scoring week overall. The Clemson alum has entered the QB1 discussion but remains a borderline start outside of superflex leagues.

No. 8: Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens, 24.90

Andrews continues to be Lamar Jackson’s favorite target by a long shot, garnering 13 targets in a Week 3 game in which no other Raven was thrown to more than four times. The fifth-year pro is averaging 81.7 yards per game, which is actually slightly higher than his average during his dominant 2021 season. With so few tight ends possessing game-breaking potential, Andrews is a true difference-maker and is worth a massive return on the trade market if you even want to consider an offer.

No. 9: Jamaal Williams, RB, Detroit Lions, 23.70

Much like Herbert, Williams took advantage of an injury to his team’s top RB to post a terrific stat line. The former Packer carried the ball 20 times for 87 yards and two scores, and he could be in line for a heavy workload the next few weeks now that D’Andre Swift is nursing a potentially significant shoulder injury. Currently rostered in 62 percent of Yahoo leagues, Williams falls behind only Herbert as the top RB option on this week’s waiver wire.

No. 10: Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals, 23.00

Burrow held serve in Week 3, taking advantage of an easy matchup against the Jets to throw for 275 yards and three scores. More importantly, the LSU product managed to stay upright more than usual, absorbing just two sacks after being sacked 13 times in the initial two weeks. Burrow remains a mid-level QB1, with the Bengals offensive line being the biggest key to his success in the coming weeks.

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