Fantasy Analysis: NFL Update - Week 3

Here we go, ramping up for Rams week and getting ready for week 3 in the NFL - this is a make or break weak from my perspective for fantasy, because I like to trust my roster/draft through the first three weeks (outside of FA pick ups to churn the bottom of the roster for potential break out guys of course). By the end of this week, we should have a better feel on who is going to perform and who won't.

Bear with me, mild format change coming...The Weds. articles (switched from Tues to Weds) will now have the positional rankings and be called "preview" and the Sat. will just be an injury/status update, commentary on Thurs. game if needed, and Q&A time.

I forgot my disclosures last week, so here I am, 6-4 on the season and 20-13 in the WCG Pick Em rotation.

WCG Yahoo! Writers League: 0-2, wondering once again why they let me write here

ESPN Prize Eligible League: 0-2, lost both games by a COMBINED 3 points

ESPN Family League: Cruising at 2-0

CBSSports Competitive Money League: Cruising at 2-0, and got an Andre Brown start to this week

NFL League (previously not mentioned because it was experimental: 2-0

Injury Watch:

Probable: RB Beanie Wells & RB Ryan Williams, for all the good they do. RB Trent Richardson should be fine and so should Marshawn Lynch. WR Miles Austin, Roddy White, Julio Jones, Calvin Johnson, Steve Breaston, Robert Meachem, DeSean Jackson, Mike Wallace, TE Jason Witten, Heath Miller, Antonio Gates, Zach Miller. WR Austin Collie should make his season appearance, let's see what this does to the consistent 2nd option Avery. Jamaal Charles is probable but I don't trust him after last week. RB Daniel Thomas is coming back but I doubt he steals much from Bush now. QB Brees will play.

Questionable: WR Greg Jennings probably needs one more week. WR Randall Cobb might miss too. Dexter McCluster. Brandon Lloyd is questionable, go figure! Watch WR Marques Colston closely. RBs Mike Goodson and Taiwan Jones are both Questionable. RB Ryan Matthews should debut this week. RB Steven Jackson is questionable and got benched for like 3 different reasons last week - our defense is good, but his replacement is Daryl Richardson and is worth having if you don't have a good 15-20 touch #2/3 RB IF Jackson misses.

Doubtful: WR Pierre Garcon probably isn't playing.

Out: RB Matt Forte is out (RB Michael Bush is in, hint hint, instant #2 RB status). RB Fred Jackson still out, and the Bills would be crazy to bench Spiller once he is healthy. RB Jonathan Stewart (too late, I know). TE Aaron Hernandez is out for a few weeks at least. Ahmad Bradshaw and Hakeem Nicks (too late again, I know). WR Jeremy Maclin will miss. RB Mendenhall is out until week 5 at least.

Pickups: If he is somehow out there still, you have to have a claim in for RB Andre Brown; I am just not sure Bradshaw can take that job back even if healthy. I am less high on WR Barden simply because its quite possible he drops back to #3/4 on the depth chart the minute Nicks is back on the field...but he could also be their new Plaxico, so if you are weak at receiver and can afford to churn a 5th spot, why not...but I wouldn't start him until I know either Nicks is out again or see how they work on the field at the same time. TE Greg Olsen might be okay after all, but I want to see one more. With TE pickups like Martellus Bennett and Pitta coming before him, he could be the third surprise TE this year. If you saw that one tackle he broke and became a believer, pick him up now.