SEC in Fantasy, Week 3: ...OK, so we might have jinxed Cam Newton
SEC in Fantasy, Week 3: ...OK, so we might have jinxed Cam Newton
Well, that hot start for Auburn's top fantasy player wasn't going to last forever. Meanwhile, two rivals are gunning for Alabama's crown after a few breakout performances.
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Auburn fans believe in jinxes. Just check people’s Twitter mentions during football season.
That carried over to fantasy this week. After praising Cam Newton for being the No. 1 SEC player in fantasy football through the first two weeks of the NFL season, he had a modest output of 12.2 points, while Dak Prescott continued to put up ridiculous numbers for the Dallas Cowboys.
Newton’s quieter day — still in a win, mind you — caused Auburn to slip some in the standings, as rival Georgia put together a massive output ahead of the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry in the college game. And don’t forget about LSU, who is coming close to taking down a quarterback-less Alabama for the early-season crown.
In alphabetical order, here are the half-point PPR fantasy best ball scores for each SEC school during Week 3 of the NFL season, along with the updated standings and this week’s All-SEC squad:
Alabama
QB: Jalen Hurts (Eagles) - 0.8
RB: Derrick Henry (Titans) - 26
RB: Kenyan Drake (Cardinals) - 8.4
WR: Calvin Ridley (Falcons) - 14.2
WR: Amari Cooper (Cowboys) - 13.1
TE: O.J. Howard (Buccaneers) - 6.4
FLEX: Jerry Jeudy (Broncos) - 8
TOTAL = 76.9
Even with a quieter Week 3, Ridley is still the No. 1 wide receiver in fantasy football right now. Henry found the end zone for the first time this season — and is now on pace to carry the ball 437 (!) times in the regular season, which would smash the NFL’s all-time record.
Arkansas
TE: Hunter Henry (Chargers) - 7.5
FLEX: Jeremy Sprinkle (Redskins) - 0.0
TOTAL = 7.5
Henry caught five passes for 50 yards in an ever-changing Chargers offense. While he’s yet to score this season, he’s been targeted 23 times in three games, so it’s only a matter of time.
Auburn
QB: Cam Newton (Patriots) - 12.2
RB: Kerryon Johnson (Lions) - 3.5
RB: Peyton Barber (Football Team) - 0.6
WR: Darius Slayton (Giants) - 4.8
TE: C.J. Uzomah (Bengals) - INJ
FLEX: Chandler Cox (Dolphins) - 0.0
K: Cody Parkey (Browns) - 11.0
TOTAL = 32.1
Newton’s hot start cooled off against the Raiders on Sunday, as the first three possessions were two punts and an interception. With a strong running game in the second half, Newton’s passing skills weren’t quite as necessary. Slayton’s fumble at the end of the Giants loss hurt his fantasy production, and Johnson just couldn’t find the end zone in a similar role in Week 3. Finally, Daniel Carlson was replaced by Parkey, who hit both of his attempts for the Browns.
Florida
QB: Jeff Driskel (Broncos) - 11.4
RB: La’Mical Perine (Jets) - 3.3
WR: Brandon Powell (Falcons) - 4.2
WR: Freddie Swain (Seahawks) - 1.8
TE: Jordan Reed (49ers) - 3.3
FLEX: Van Jefferson (Rams) - 0
TOTAL = 24
Driskel struggled in his spot start and was replaced by Brett Rypien in the fourth quarter, so his time in that role for the Broncos might be over. Reed had an extremely unlucky break after a hot start to the season, as he sprained his MCL and will miss six to eight weeks. Powell got on the board for the Gators, though, with injuries at receiver to the Falcons.
Georgia
QB: Matthew Stafford (Lions) - 18.5
RB: Nick Chubb (Broncos) - 23.5
RB: Sony Michel (Patriots) - 15
WR: Mecole Hardman (Chiefs) - 16.1
WR: A.J. Green (Bengals) - 6.1
TE: Charlie Woerner (49ers) - 0.0
FLEX: Todd Gurley II (Falcons) - 14.7
K: Rodrigo Blankenship (Colts) - 12.0
TOTAL = 105.9
This was a monster week for Georgia, which is now closing in on Alabama and LSU for the top spots in the fantasy standings. Chubb has had excellent games in back-to-back weeks, even while splitting carries for Cleveland. Hardman exploded as a target for Patrick Mahomes on Monday Night Football, and Michel and Gurley both got back to their Week 1 ways.
Kentucky
RB: Benny Snell Jr. (Steelers) - 1.1
WR: Randall Cobb (Texans) - 17.5
WR: Lynn Bowden Jr. (Dolphins) - OUT
TOTAL = 18.6
What a game for Cobb, who cracked the All-SEC team this week after getting 17.5 points catching the ball for Deshaun Watson. He nearly doubled Kentucky’s fantasy output in just this week.
LSU
QB: Joe Burrow (Bengals) - 20.4
RB: Clyde Edwards-Helaire (Chiefs) - 15.9
RB: Leonard Fournette (Buccaneers) - 3.2
WR: Justin Jefferson (Vikings) - 27
WR: Odell Beckham Jr. (Browns) - 7.9
TE: Foster Moreau (Raiders) - 9.5
FLEX: Jarvis Landry (Browns) - 5.6
TOTAL = 89.5
Jefferson had THE breakout game in all of fantasy football this week against the Titans, showing that he could be a star pickup early in his NFL career. Burrow has been consistently good with all the volume he’s had so far in his rookie season, and Edwards-Helaire put together a solid MNF performance. LSU is hot on Alabama’s heels for No. 1 in SEC fantasy.
Mississippi State
QB: Dak Prescott (Cowboys) - 29.5
WR: Isaiah Zuber (Patriots) - 1.3
TE: Jordan Thomas (Cardinals) - 0.0
TOTAL = 30.8
Prescott was on the losing end of yet another incredible quarterback duel this week, but it’s not his fault — no matter what Jerry Jones says. He’s thrown for 922 yards over the last two games. Absurd. Elsewhere, Isaiah Zuber was promoted from the Patriots’ practice squad and is the first non-Dak player on the board for the Bulldogs this year.
Missouri
QB: Drew Lock (Broncos) - INJ
TE: Albert Okwuegbunam (Broncos) - INJ
TOTAL = 0.0
Everybody’s hurt. That’s sad.
Ole Miss
RB: Jordan Wilkins (Colts) - 5.0
WR: D.K. Metcalf (Seahawks) - 17.0
WR: A.J. Brown (Titans) - INJ
TE: Evan Engram (Giants) - 3.7
FLEX: Dawson Knox (Bills) - INJ
TOTAL = 25.7
Metcalf almost cracked the All-SEC team this week, with that early fumble on a certain touchdown costing him. However, he made the game-winning grab for the Seahawks, so all is forgiven in Seattle.
South Carolina
RB: Mike Davis (Panthers) - 19.1
RB: Rico Dowdle (Cowboys) - 0.0
WR: Bryan Edwards (Raiders) - 5.8
WR: Damiere Byrd (Patriots) - 4.2
TE: Hayden Hurst (Falcons) - 6.6
FLEX: Jared Cook (Saints) - 3.1
K: Ryan Succop (Buccaneers) - 9.0
TOTAL = 47.8
Davis continues to look great in place of Christian McCaffrey, catching plenty of balls from Teddy Bridgewater and making some noise in the running game. Hurst had a 1-yard catch for a touchdown, so that’ll work.
Tennessee
QB: Joshua Dobbs (Steelers) - OUT
RB: Alvin Kamara (Saints) - 38.2
RB: Jakob Johnson (Patriots) - 1.1
WR: Cordarrelle Patterson (Bears) - 1.3
WR: Josh Malone (Jets) - 0.0
TE: Luke Stocker (Falcons) - 1.1
FLEX: Jason Witten (Raiders) - 0.0
TOTAL = 41.7
This is the Kamara show. Everybody else, just stay out of the way.
Texas A&M
QB: Ryan Tannehill (Titans) - 13.2
RB: Cullen Gillaspia (Texans) - 1.1
RB: Trayveon Williams (Bengals) - OUT
WR: Mike Evans (Buccaneers) - 13.2
WR: Josh Reynolds (Rams) - 6.0
TE: Jace Sternberger (Packers) - 5.1
FLEX: Damion Ratley (Giants) - 3.4
K: Randy Bullock (Bengals) - 12.0
TOTAL = 54.0
Tannehill’s streak of multi-touchdown games came to an end, but he still threw for more than 300 yards in a close victory. Evans caught two 1-yard passes, both for touchdowns. The Bucs obviously don’t want to wear out Tom Brady’s arm. After his ugly miss in Week 1, Bullock has been automatic for the Bengals and cracked the All-SEC team this week.
Vanderbilt
RB: Khari Blasingame (Titans) - 0.0
RB: Ke’Shawn Vaughn (Buccaneers) - OUT
WR: Trent Sherfield (Cardinals) - 0.0
TOTAL = 0.0
Yeah.
FANTASY STANDINGS THROUGH WEEK 3
Alabama: 278.3 (last week - 1)
LSU: 268.2 (2)
Georgia: 264.4 (4)
Auburn: 191.7 (3)
Texas A&M: 165.8 (5)
South Carolina: 127.9 (6)
Tennessee: 117.6 (7)
Florida: 96.7 (8)
Mississippi State: 88.2 (10)
Ole Miss: 87.9 (9)
Kentucky: 40.6 (11)
Arkansas: 28.6 (12)
Missouri: 11.9 (13)
Vanderbilt: 1.0 (14)
WEEK 3 ALL-SEC FANTASY TEAM
QB: Dak Prescott (Mississippi State/Cowboys) - 29.5
RB: Alvin Kamara (Tennessee/Saints) - 38.2
RB: Derrick Henry (Alabama/Titans) - 26
WR: Justin Jefferson (LSU/Vikings) - 27
WR: Randall Cobb (Kentucky/Texans) - 17.5
TE: Foster Moreau (LSU/Raiders) - 9.5
FLEX: Nick Chubb (Georgia/Browns) - 23.5
K (tie): Rodrigo Blankenship (Georgia/Colts) or Randy Bullock (Texas A&M/Bengals) - 12
TOTAL = 195.2
Not quite as high-scoring of an All-SEC team this week, but that has a lot to do with a quiet week for the league’s tight ends. Prescott and Kamara might be the top two in the backfield for the rest of the season, unless we can reverse this jinx for Newton.
If Georgia or LSU have big Week 4 performances, we could be talking about a new No. 1 team next Tuesday. For Auburn, the issue will be holding off the likes of Texas A&M, South Carolina and, well, Kamara. It might take some breakouts from Johnson and Barber for the Tigers to get rolling again.
That does it for another week of SEC in Fantasy. Again, we’ll keep track of this all NFL season on Tuesdays here at The Auburn Observer.
Up next on The Auburn Observer: The final free piece of the September preview comes out Wednesday morning, breaking down Auburn’s new-look defensive line after a great showing over Kentucky and before a showdown against Georgia.
Then on Thursday, it’s the first premium podcast episode — a preview of the Auburn-Georgia game with a special guest — and another story for paying subscribers. The Aubserver Mailbag will follow on Friday, so send in your questions for it on Twitter @JFergusonAU or via email at the1andonlyJF@gmail.com.