This article is part of our NFL Barometer series.
Week 3 brought another slew of interesting developments on the fantasy front, as two rookie quarterbacks made their regular-season debuts, one quarterback saw his season come to a premature end and other pieces continued to either come to the forefront or sink further downward. Without further delay, let's break down the trajectories of various players heading into Week 4.
Trending Up
Quarterback
C.J. Beathard, 49ers: Hopes may not be high for the second-year quarterback as he steps into a starting role for the moment in the wake of Jimmy Garoppolo's knee injury, but Beathard seemingly has more upside than many might think. After all, he held his own after being tossed into the fire as a rookie in 2017, throwing for 1,436 yards and adding another 136 on the ground (at 5.2 yards per rush) while scoring seven total touchdowns (four passing, three rushing) over seven games. That experience, coupled with improved weaponry around him this season, gives Beathard more upside than it might seem at first glance as he steps back into the top job.
Baker Mayfield, Browns: The inevitable has officially become a reality, as Mayfield has been named the Browns' starting quarterback by head coach Hue Jackson after a stellar debut in Week 3 against the Jets last Thursday night. The 2018 first overall pick completed 73.9 percent of his passes for 201 yards after replacing Tyrod Taylor late in the first half, showing the same confidence and play-making ability he'd flashed
Week 3 brought another slew of interesting developments on the fantasy front, as two rookie quarterbacks made their regular-season debuts, one quarterback saw his season come to a premature end and other pieces continued to either come to the forefront or sink further downward. Without further delay, let's break down the trajectories of various players heading into Week 4.
Trending Up
Quarterback
C.J. Beathard, 49ers: Hopes may not be high for the second-year quarterback as he steps into a starting role for the moment in the wake of Jimmy Garoppolo's knee injury, but Beathard seemingly has more upside than many might think. After all, he held his own after being tossed into the fire as a rookie in 2017, throwing for 1,436 yards and adding another 136 on the ground (at 5.2 yards per rush) while scoring seven total touchdowns (four passing, three rushing) over seven games. That experience, coupled with improved weaponry around him this season, gives Beathard more upside than it might seem at first glance as he steps back into the top job.
Baker Mayfield, Browns: The inevitable has officially become a reality, as Mayfield has been named the Browns' starting quarterback by head coach Hue Jackson after a stellar debut in Week 3 against the Jets last Thursday night. The 2018 first overall pick completed 73.9 percent of his passes for 201 yards after replacing Tyrod Taylor late in the first half, showing the same confidence and play-making ability he'd flashed in the preseason while leading Cleveland to victory. Mayfield should be locked in as a starter moving forward, and given the team's strong offensive cast – including a cadre of solid running backs to help take pressure off him – his future looks bright.
Running Back
Bilal Powell, Jets: Don't look now, but Powell is being featured consistently as a runner – and looking good in the process – over the first three games. He's sandwiched 12- and 14-carry games around a five-tote tally in Week 2, and in the two contests he's seen the double-digit rushing touches, he's averaged an impressive 5.1 yards per carry. While his passing game work has been unusually muted (six receptions on nine targets for 79 yards), Powell's skills in that area are unquestioned. He's been notably more efficient than backfield mate Isaiah Crowell on the ground (who has under three yards per carry in the last two games), so the fairly even timeshare between the two could continue.
Aaron Jones, Packers: Jones made his season debut in Week 3 against the Redskins after serving a two-game suspension to open the season, and he immediately looked like the Packers' most explosive backfield option. Despite coach Mike McCarthy's comments leading up to the contest that Jamaal Williams and Ty Montgomery would both slot in ahead of Jones, the latter actually led the backfield in touches Sunday, albeit with a modest six rushes. Nevertheless, he gained seven yards per carry in his limited work, and he should be in for significantly more volume in games where the Packers aren't trailing throughout, as was the case Sunday.
Christian McCaffrey, Panthers: There's been some skepticism about McCaffrey's ability to handle a true lead-back workload since he was drafted, but what he demonstrated in Week 3 against the Bengals may ultimately prove to be a turning point in his career. The second-year back toted it a whopping 28 times on his way to a 184-yard day on the ground, a nice follow-up to his eye-popping 14-catch, 102-yard effort in Week 2. While McCaffrey's carry volume may not always exceed 20 and there's always concern about Cam Newton vulturing rushing touchdowns, offensive coordinator Norv Turner's apparent willingness to deploy McCaffrey like another No. 22 he enjoyed great success with—Emmitt Smith – could take McCaffrey to an entirely different level.
Wide Receiver
Tyler Boyd, Bengals: John Ross was stealing all the headlines in training camp and preseason, but it was Boyd who quietly opened the regular season as the No. 2 receiver. After a 3-26 line in the opener against the Colts, all the third-year wideout has done since is compile 12 receptions (on 16 targets) for 223 yards and a pair of touchdowns. For those that remember Boyd's strong 2016 rookie campaign (54-603-1), the breakout isn't that much of a surprise, but it's nevertheless encouraging after a lackluster sophomore season in 2017. With No. 1 wideout A.J. Green now suffering from a groin injury as well, Boyd's role could potentially expand further in the next game or two.
Calvin Ridley, Falcons: Ridley offered hints of a possible breakout in Week 2 with a 4-64-1 line, and he enjoyed an official NFL coming-out party in Week 3 at the expense of the Saints. The rookie exploded for seven receptions, 146 yards and three touchdowns, flashing his diverse skill set while scoring from 18, 75 and nine yards out. With Julio Jones often the subject of attention from multiple defenders and Mohamed Sanu far from an insurmountable hurdle to vault for the No. 2 job, Ridley looks primed for an expansive role as the season unfolds.
Sammy Watkins, Chiefs: Back in the preseason, Watkins was firmly headed in the opposite direction as he struggled to develop a rapport with second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes. However, the light seems to have come on over the last two games, proving that the connection between the two is alive and kicking. Watkins has 11 receptions for 155 yards over that span, and he scored his first touchdown in a Kansas City uniform in Week 3 versus the 49ers. Similar to Ridley, Watkins should continue benefiting from coverages being heavily steered toward the No. 1 receiver in his offense, Tyreek Hill.
Robert Woods, Rams: Woods is one of those players who quietly seems to hum along season after season, providing solid numbers but never quite getting the level of attention he likely warrants. He provided a tangible reminder of what he's capable of in the right system in Week 3, as he torched the Chargers for 10 receptions, 104 yards and two touchdowns. He's seen no fewer than nine targets in any of the first three games – five of which have come in the red zone – and already boasts five grabs of more than 20 yards, while his 358 Air Yards impressively leads the Rams despite Brandin Cooks supposedly being the team's deep threat. With the offense running like a well-oiled machine, Woods should continue to see plenty of opportunities.
Tight End
Jesse James / Vance McDonald, Steelers: While McDonald is the more prominent of this duo Tuesday morning after an epic smackdown of Buccaneers safety Chris Conte on his way to a 75-yard touchdown Monday night, the reality is both players have shown some nice downfield upside this season. James had averaged a whopping 24.8 yards per reception over his first two games before a quiet one-catch, seven-yard tally Monday, while McDonald finished with 112 yards on four receptions in Week 3. With Le'Veon Bell away from the team, perhaps for good, the tight end position seems to be acquiring more prominence in the Steelers offense, and both players have the ability to exploit any opportunities they get, especially with so much defensive attention on Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster.
Trending Down
Quarterback
Sam Bradford, Cardinals: It's curtains for Bradford as far as the starting quarterback job in Arizona is concerned, at least for the time being. The veteran looked positively pedestrian once again in Week 3 before coach Steve Wilks finally pulled the trigger and brought in rookie Josh Rosen, who's now also been named the starter for Week 4. While the offense hasn't been very imaginative overall (hence the wait-and-see approach on anointing Rosen with a Trending Up label this week), Bradford also held plenty of blame for after committing six turnovers and averaging 5.0 yards per attempt.
Running Back
David Johnson, Cardinals: It admittedly feels strange to list Johnson in this category, but the early-season numbers don't lie. The former Pro Bowler hasn't topped 48 yards rushing or 30 through the air over the first three games, and a combination of game flow and general ineptitude on the part of the Cardinals coaching staff has limited him to between nine and 13 carries. With Rosen now taking over at quarterback, the sledding could get even tougher on the ground for Johnson, who appears set for a season-long diet of eight-man fronts.
Wide Receiver
Rishard Matthews, Titans: An argument can certainly be made for the entire Titans passing attack being stuck in a general malaise, but at least Corey Davis and Taywan Taylor have shown something of a pulse. The same can't be said for Matthews, who may be showing the aftereffects of missing extended time this summer due to a torn meniscus. The veteran has just six targets through three games, leading to three receptions for 11 yards. While he's likely to see more attention in coming weeks, the Titans' less-than-inspiring quarterback situation doesn't lend much reason for optimism either.
Chad Williams, Cardinals: Williams remains the Cardinals' No. 2 receiver on paper, although that designation has seen better days than on this team's offense. A combination of atrocious quarterback play and Williams' own deficiencies has seen him haul in just one of 10 targets for eight yards through three games, numbers that are hard to believe when one factors in he's played 127 snaps overall. With Rosen now at quarterback, Williams' prospects likely stay at about the same level at minimum, if not potentially worsen.
Tight End
Jonnu Smith, Titans: As alluded to in Matthews' entry, the Titans air attack has left plenty to be desired through three games, and Smith is part of that. The second-year pro's trajectory was much more positive a couple of weeks ago in the wake of Delanie Walker's season-ending injury, but he's done nothing with his starting opportunity thus far. Despite playing a robust 115 snaps over the last two weeks, Smith has drawn just two targets (both in Week 3), logging just one catch for nine yards. As with Matthews, Smith is also at least partly held back by the Titans' inconsistent quarterback play, dampening his overall outlook.
