Power Rankings: Week 3
Do you feel it?
That unmistakable combination of dread, confidence, uneasiness, and yearning for glory in the air? Fantasy football is in full effect, and it's not even October.
Two teams remain undefeated, and two others enter Sunday in desperate need of a victory to keep their championship aspirations alive. Oh, and the trade market is already heating up — two deals went down this week, because apparently patience wasn't in anyone's draft-day strategy.
The throne is for the taking. Who wants it more?
1. Devon (3-0)
Last Week's Ranking: 2nd
Devon wasn't at his best this week, but a win is a win, and it earned him an undefeated September. James Cook and Derrick Henry are operating like a two-man wrecking crew, having combined for 35+ points every single week. Mike Evans and Devonta Smith are as steady as they come, and we FINALLY saw flashes of Luther Burden’s upside on Monday night. The only problem is Travis Etienne, who was already splitting time in the backfield before aggravating a hammy. His absence leaves a void in the FLEX spot. The throne is Devon’s for now, but there’s work to be done.
2. Kyle (2-1)
Last Week's Ranking: 3rd
Holy smokes, y'all, Kyle has himself a team. Josh Allen laid an egg this week and this lineup still hung 140, because every position has 20+ point upside. How many of us can legitimately say that? JSN has six TDs and is averaging 30 fantasy points per game, and he fully intends to win OPOY again. Tuten is the lead back in Jacksonville, Skattebo is the guy in NYC, and there isn't an injury or a hole in sight. After this promising start, I can't wait to see how the fantasy gods torture Kyle a month or two from now.
3. Cole (2-1)
Last Week's Ranking: 5th
You can breathe, Cole, because last week's bed-wetting was nothing but a fluke. It's early, but Gibbs has a legitimate shot at LT's single-season fantasy scoring record at RB. If he keeps it up and the rest of the lineup can average a modest ~10 points a game, Cole should be squarely in the championship hunt. The David Montgomery utilization is unsettling, and Malik Nabers has been supremely disappointing - but the talent is there. If Caleb returns from his booboo and sparks the Windy City offense to what it was in Week 1 - watch out.
TRADE GRADE: B+
Mr. Mid is all in! It’s tough to forfeit Javonte’s guaranteed production, and you hate to cut bait on Rome Odunze (especially with the potential for a Caleb stack). But hey, this is Justin Jefferson we’re talking about. Jettas and Gibbs will terrorize GLOAT all season long.
4. Brad (2-1)
Last Week's Ranking: 1st
Drafting Brock Purdy saved John Lynch's job back in 2022, and Brad now understands the feeling, because he no longer has to think about Drake Maye's 7 turnovers and 22 total points across the month of September. Chuba Hubbard and CeeDee Lamb have been more than reliable, but that's where the good news ends this week. The Buccaneers look like one of the worst teams in football, and Egbuka has been pedestrian as a result. With Baker seemingly sidelined for a while, you have to wonder how much worse his production can get. That's a big tumble from #1.
5. Case (1-2)
Last Week's Ranking: 4th
The only explanation is that Case must’ve crossed the street during a black cat parade, because he is by far the unluckiest man in the league. He's averaging over 120 points a week, and his opponents are averaging almost 140. Give the man a break! Otherwise it's going great. Kenneth Walker and Garrett Wilson delivered excellent months, and the roster remains healthy while everyone else gets depleted by the hour. The bad luck has to run out eventually - right? Chase those losses, baby, because scared money don't make money.
TRADE GRADE: A-
I love this trade for both teams. The price of acquiring CMC was far from cheap, which is to be expected when you’re onboarding the top fantasy player of the past decade. The depth took a hit, but rolling out two Top 4 RBs each and every week will feel so, so nice.
6. Chet & Mike (2-1)
Last Week's Ranking: 7th
The Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase stack is pure nightmare fuel for opposing managers. But don’t be mistaken, the real MVP is Chris Olave, who has drawn double-digit targets in every game this season. Those three plus Trey McBride are poised to take this team as far as they're willing to go. The Jalen Coker injury is crushing for a guy who's been such a steal, so let's hope he recovers quickly. Hope Oktoberfest is treating you well, Chetty! Drink one for the boys!
7. Pete (1-2)
Last Week's Ranking: 11th
Pete entered Week 3 in must-win territory to avoid the dreaded 0-3 hole, and he delivered with authority by frying up a 160 burger. Four guys topped 100 yards from scrimmage, including Jeremiyah Love, who posted the first big game of his career. The headline was in Atlanta, where Michael Penix's return fueled MAJOR performances from both Drake London and Bijan Robinson. There are no real struggles here, and depth looks like a strength if the injury bug chooses to bite.
8. Tom (3-0)
Last Week's Ranking: 10th
George Kittle has officially replaced Ryan Reynolds as the star of the Deadpool franchise, because the way he regenerated that achilles is something only Marvel can drum up. Who needs Jayden Daniels when you have Tyler Shough? The real MVP has been Lady Luck, as Tom's opponent has failed to top 80 points three weeks in a row. Jadarian Price was the draft-day X-factor, but he's contracted a nasty case of fumble-itis and may not even be startable moving forward. Nico Collins needs to return ASAP, because this skeleton roster can only skate by for so long.
9. Ryan (1-2)
Last Week's Ranking: 6th
Harold Fannin went off.….. on the bench….. and unfortunately he was the only bright spot on the entire roster. Ryan may have just endured the worst injury-plagued weekend in league history. His 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round picks all exited early, which ultimately resulted in the lowest scoring output recorded this year. Justin Jefferson rolled an ankle, Breeze hurt his leg, and De'Von Achane’s season will be spent on the IR. Carnell Tate drawing 9 targets is encouraging, but if they all miss time, I'm not sure there's a conceivable way out of this mess. All eyes are on Jordan Tyson and his eventual return.
TRADE GRADE: B-
When your roster gets butchered like livestock, you’re forced to make difficult decisions. It’s hard to come out on top when you’re forfeiting the best player in the transaction, but Javonte is a safe bet for 15+ touches per game in a strong offense, and Rome Odunze is a gamble on draft pedigree and upside. Remember when he was a Top 10 WR in the first half of 2025? That wasn’t that long ago.
10. Austin (1-2)
Last Week's Ranking: 8th
Welcome to the party, Brock Bowers! TheNapa kid made a statement in his return, but nobody else showed up. Austin's first three weeks are a Green Day song come to life: wake me up when September ends. Few teams have been hit harder by injuries, and now we're hearing surgery "isn't entirely off the table" for Puka, which is a gulp-inducing sentence. This team needs to tread water near .500 and pray that Puka and A.J. Brown return healthy, and return fast. We may also need to put an APB out on Jameson Williams, because the home run hitter hasn't topped 50 yards in a game yet this season.
11. Bachich & Reese (0-3)
Last Week's Ranking: 9th
Let's not sugarcoat it: this has been a miserable start to the year. Zay Flowers and DJ Moore had quality weeks after getting dinged up, but the rest of the squad was quiet. Omarion Hampton and Jonathan Taylor were drafted to be the engine, so when they combine for 14 points, the chances of a W plummet like a lead balloon. If Breece Hall ends up on the shelf with a quad issue, Braelon Allen becomes an immediate asset, either in the starting lineup or on the trade table. A revitalized Pete awaits in Week 4 in what can only be defined as a must-win matchup.
12. Henry (0-3)
Last Week's Ranking: 12th
Call Jodie Foster, because we've officially entered the panic room. Kenyon Sadiq had one heck of a coming-out party, but that's where the good news ends. There are no meaningful injuries, which means there's no one to blame but the roster. At some point Henry has to wonder if his answer at QB is someone other than Justin Herbert, who looks broken in Los Angeles. How long is the leash on one of his all-time favorite Ducks? This is usually when Henry blows up the league with a patented trade, so stay tuned! I wrote this before the trade - I called it!
TRADE GRADE: B+
There’s no one like CMC, but the price is fair. It isn’t 2024 anymore, and it’s been an underwhelming start to the season, but Saquon is a strong candidate for positive regression given how often the ball is in his hands. Meanwhile, Christian Watson is sitting pretty as the WR3. Hank’s work it cut out for him, but this feels like a productive move.
