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Demaryius Thomas on bust alert in Week 3 Fantasy Lames

Each week the Noise highlights 10 over-started names whom he believes are destined to implode leave egg on his face. To qualify, each player must be started in at least 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. Speaking as an accountability advocate, I will post results, whether genius or moronic, the following week using the scoring system shown here. If you’re a member of TEAM HUEVOS, reveal your Week 3 Lames in the comments section below.

SEE WEEK 3 FLAMES HERE

Derek Carr, Oak, QB (51 percent started, $32)
Matchup: at Ten
If Carr drives into the QB top-12 this week, Angelina Jolie dumped Benjamin Button for some nearly bald, overly obnoxious fantasy writer that, coincidentally, is named Brad. That’s my level of confidence in the Oakland passer, who’s notched the seventh-best QB line so far. Holding back the jabs for a minute, the passer moved the meter in clashes against New Orleans and Atlanta. In those efforts he posted a completion percentage just shy of 70, netted a healthy 7.5 yards per attempt and surpassed the century mark in passer rating (107.4). His 21.7 fantasy points per game was also pretty snazzy. But those gaudy numbers came against a pair of rather suspect defenses. Tennessee, an unheralded yet stout pass D, surrendered 6.8 yards per attempt in its first two games. Jason McCourty and Perrish Cox deserve much credit, as the corner duo allowed a combined 18.9 passer rating and sub-50 catch percentage to their Vikings and Lions assignments. After this week, three of Carr’s next four games (at Bal, SD, at Jax) are quite scrumptious, but employ his services in Week 3 and your Fritos are sure to turn stale. Philip Rivers (at Ind), Dak Prescott (vs. Chi) and Brock Osweiler (at NE) are finer alternatives.

Fearless Forecast: 246 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown, 1 interception, 7 rushing yards, 13.5 fantasy points

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Jeremy Langford, Chi, RB (54 percent started, $21)
Matchup: at Dal
Langford possesses only one move on the dance floor. And we can only assume it’s the uncreative, unrhythmic, Dad-like sprinkler head. His lack of shimmy and shake is appalling. Disagree? Re-watch the deplorable runs he logged against Philadelphia on Monday night. A one-footed penguin could’ve showcased more elusiveness. Langford mediocrity, masked by a somewhat vigorous workload, has bubbled to the surface. One of the most unexciting backs according to analytics last year – he ranked outside the top-75 in YAC and tackles evaded per attempt – the sophomore is officially enduring a slump. Called out by John Fox in Week 1 for leaving yards on the field against Houston, he followed up with another flop, amassing 34 combined yards on 12 touches (2.8 ypt) with a TD and fumble lost. If not for two scores, fantasy owners would be calling for his head. His 3.1 ypc and 1.8 YAC are beyond offensive. And he achieved those ‘accolades’ seeing a light front 39.3 percent of the time. Fox, who deployed Jordan Howard more Monday night, has likely grown tired of Langford’s inadequacies. The rookie from Indiana is bulkier, tougher and exponentially more dynamic compared to the incumbent. It’s only a matter of time before he gains the upper-hand. Even if Langford nets another 15-plus touches this week, seek alternatives. Cowboys defenders Sean Lee and Terrell McClain have excelled in the trenches. Through two games, Dallas has given up just 87.5 rush yards per game to RBs. Toss in Brian Hoyer’s general suckiness, and Langford is bench-worthy in Week 3.

Fearless Forecast: 12 carries, 38 rushing yards, 2 receptions, 6 receiving yards, 0 touchdowns, 5.4 fantasy points

Spencer Ware, KC, RB (50 percent started, $25)
Matchup: vs. NYJ
Full disclosure, Ware is a pet player. For most of the summer, yours truly repeatedly tossed Snausages his way. His very alluring 3.8 YAC (in 2015), improved receiving skills and presumed handsome early-season workload arrowed to a fast start. So far he’s delivered totaling 304 combined yards and 18.2 standard fantasy points (RB4) through two games. His 10.1 yards per touch (No. 1 among RBs), 26.7 percent juke rate and 1.39 fantasy points per opportunity are also worthy of a standing ovation. Bravo! But, unfortunately, my favorite ‘Fido’ may not earn his treats this week against New York. Splitting time with Charcandrick West, and possibly Jamaal Charles, along with the unfavorable matchup imply an underwhelming outcome. Darron Lee and Leonard Williams have plugged numerous holes already for the Jets. Jeremy Hill, Gio Bernard and LeSean McCoy experienced little breathing room against them. Collectively, New York has allowed a mere 57.5 rushing yards per game and 3.9 yards per carry to RBs. Because of his multi-dimensionality and the Jets’ exploitability in the short field, Ware remains a back-end RB2 for PPR purposes. However, given the possible crowded backfield, he’s very much a borderline option in standard settings and a circumventable DFS purchase. If Charles does return – he practiced with the scout team on Wednesday – bank on roughly 13-14 touches.

Fearless Forecast (without JC): 14 carries, 56 rushing yards, 4 receptions, 21 receiving yards, 0 touchdowns, 9.7 fantasy points

Demaryius Thomas, Den, WR (59 percent started, $21)
Matchup: at Cin
To the casual fan, Trevor Siemian has scored a ‘B’ on his early season report card. However, the gamer community would award him barely a passing grade. Oh, how the perceptions between fantasy and reality are worlds apart. In a largely conservative offense that leans on C.J. Anderson and a titanic defense, high target totals will likely continue to be few and far between for Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. Despite a tender hip, DT was serviceable last week against arguably the league’s worst and most snakebitten secondary, Indianapolis. On seven targets he hauled in five receptions for 90 yards, netting the majority on a nifty screen in which he bolted 44 yards. Though a promising effort, Thomas will be fortunate to surpass the 60-yard mark in Denver’s first road matchup. The Bengals’ secondary, primarily due to the stifling play of Adam Jones (37.5 catch% and 37.0 passer rating allowed) and Dre Kirkpatrick (40.0 catch%, 4.0 passer rating), played marvelously a week ago, holding Antonio Brown to under 40 yards for only the second time in the WR’s last 52 games. Unless a bout of dysentery suddenly strikes the Cincy D, Thomas will suffer a similar fate.

Fearless Forecast: 4 receptions, 39 receiving yards, 0 touchdowns, 5.9 fantasy points

DT could have his owners on the mat this week against a tough Cincy D. (Getty)
DT could have his owners on the mat this week against a tough Cincy D. (Getty)

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DeSean Jackson, Was, WR (50 percent started, $23)
Matchup: at NYG
Jackson is the Mike Napoli of the NFL, a home-run hitter who often swings and misses. Though spurred on by the hope of a lucrative long-term contract, he is the epitome of a fantasy seesaw. Up in Week 1 (6-102-0), he bottomed out last Sunday catching just three balls for 40 yards against Dallas. Now faced with another intradivisional foe, the Giants, and given the growing toxicity toward Kirk Cousins in the Washington locker room, Jackson is sure to log another mundane performance. Extending an olive branch to Big Blue, I was wrong about New York’s secondary. Perceived as a weakness during the preseason, it’s undeniably one of the team’s strength. The defense as a whole under Steve Spagnuolo has generated major waves, evidenced by its almost impossible 13 points allowed to New Orleans last week. Janoris Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and first-round rookie Eli Apple each have allowed a passer rating under 80 through two weeks. Even better, Jenkins has only conceded a 36.4 catch rate to his assignments. Overall, the Giants have yielded just three pass plays of 20-plus yards and 5.5 pass yards per attempt. And that was against rock solid rookie Dak Prescott and future HOFer Drew Brees. Stunning. Put it all together and Jackson, who rarely tallies more than 20 percent of the targets share, is someone who should ride the pine.

Fearless Forecast: 4 receptions, 45 receiving yards, 0 touchdowns, 6.5 fantasy points

BONUS WEEK 3 LAMES

BonusWeek3Lames16A
BonusWeek3Lames16A

#TEAMHUEVOS Picks of the Week
Each week one fortunate guest prognosticator will have a chance to silence the Noise. Following the rules stated above, participants are asked to submit their “Lames” (1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 1 D/ST) by midnight PT Tuesdays via Twitter @YahooNoise. How large are your stones?

Reader Record: 6-8

Noise Record: 9-11 (Week 2: 8-2; W: Russell Wilson, Eddie Lacy, Todd Gurley, Mark Ingram, Doug Martin, T.Y. Hilton, Sammy Watkins, Travis Kelce ; L: Dez Bryant, Minnesota D/ST )

Follow Brad on Twitter (@YahooNoise) and check out his new TV show, ‘The Fantasy Football Hour,’ Wednesdays on Altitude TV (Channel 681 on DirecTV, 412 on DISH).