The Week 3 matchup between the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs features two teams with strong running games. We’ve got the fantasy projections courtesy of numberFire.
Fantasy football projections, Week 3: Jets-Chiefs featuring Matt Forte, Eric Decker, Jeremy Maclin, more
We break down the Week 3 matchup between the New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs.
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New York Jets
The Chicago Bears may think that running back Matt Forte is over the hill, but in his second game as a member of the New York Jets, Forte did nothing but run downhill against the Buffalo Bills. He rushed for exactly 100 yards and scored three touchdowns in the game. He was a big reason for the team’s first win of the season. Coming into the game against Kansas City, Forte is sitting on 59 touches through two games. It’s clear he’s a much bigger part of the Jets’ offense than most people probably thought he would be at this stage in his career. Forte has been a perennial top-notch fantasy contributor for years and it appears he is not done just yet. Playing at Arrowhead Stadium is tough, but he’ll be in fantasy lineups everywhere, as he should be.
When Forte is busy blocking and does not have the ball in his hands, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will look to wide receiver Eric Decker in the passing game. Brandon Marshall may not play because of a knee injury, which means Decker could be a good bet to find the end zone three straight games in a row. Many people were critical of his decision to leave the Denver Broncos a few years ago, but it appears Decker has the same great chemistry with Ryan Fitzpatrick this year as he did last year. Six catches and a second straight 100-yard game is not unrealistic for Decker this week, especially if Marshall is out.
Kansas City Chiefs
Coach Andy Reid says that running back Jamaal Charles is still one week away from returning to the lineup as he heals an ailing knee. It looks like teammate Spencer Ware is in for another Sunday as the team’s lead running back. Ware only touched the ball 12 times last week against the Houston Texans, but he managed 105 total yards. Charcandrick West saw more action last week than in the team’s home opener, but Ware is still the one with the higher fantasy value for now. The Jets limited LeSean McCoy’s effectiveness last week, but Ware is a bit younger and quicker. He’ll be a great option in deeper leagues, albeit against a solid defense.
In the passing game, quarterback Alex Smith will look to his number one wide receiver, Jeremy Maclin. Maclin only finished with six catches for 68 yards last week, but he was targeted a team-high 15 times against the Houston Texans. Darrelle Revis isn’t what he used to be, and at his current volume levels, Maclin is a good that to score his second touchdown of the season in Week 3. It would also be nice if he could break 70 receiving yards, something he has failed to do so far this season. Either way, Maclin is probably a better play in PPR formats given his production levels.
