Week 3 Fantasy Football Rankings: TE, K, DEF

George Kittle readies to make his 2022 debut in Denver, Zach Ertz hunts for easy receptions vs. the Rams, and Tyler Higbee tries to prove he can be a TE1.

Other positions: Quarterback | Running Back | Receiver

Week 3 Tight Ends

TE Notes: It was encouraging Week 2 for Darren Waller, who got isolated on a linebacker in the red zone and was promptly found for a touchdown by Derek Carr. With Davante Adams terrifying opposing defenses in the painted area, Waller is going to have no shortage of plus looks. … George Kittle (groin) finally appears ready to make his 2022 debut. With Jimmy Garoppolo under center and the 49ers perhaps wanting to lighten the snaps/blocking burden on Kittle as he rounds back into game shape, one can hope his primary Week 3 contributions are in the receiving game. … Falcons coach Arthur Smith has been concerningly defensive about his Kyle Pitts usage. It doesn’t seem like the man necessarily knows how to drive his stick-shift Lamborghini. Hopefully this faith isn’t blind, but it’s impossible to believe the big game isn’t coming. … Dallas Goedert‘s 10 targets don’t blow the doors off the barn, but he has turned them into 142 yards in this high-functioning offense. The Commanders are a good matchup.

Healthy in Week 2, Zach Ertz commanded 11 targets. Kyler Murray has nowhere better to funnel the ball. … Pat Freiermuth has been one of the Steelers‘ lone bright spots. Expect Mitch Trubisky to continue checking it down. … With Amon-Ra St. Brown and D’Andre Swift making the Lions’ offense more dynamic, T.J. Hockenson seems to be settling in as a “clean up on aisle three” targets compiler. … With the Rams’ offense running low on ideas, “lots of Tyler Higbee targets” is currently taking the day. The Cardinals bled fantasy points to Travis Kelce and Darren Waller in Weeks 1 and 2. Those tight ends are actually good, of course. … Gerald Everett, frustrating though he is, is being put in better position to make plays than Dawson Knox. As feared, Knox isn’t commanding a bigger target share to offset what was all but certain touchdown regression. … With the Commanders cutting it loose like few teams in the league, Logan Thomas is soaking up plenty of cheap looks.

Speaking of cheap looks, Evan Engram has been receiving them in Jacksonville. The Jags have been putting Engram in position to contribute yards after the catch. … Irv Smith showed signs of life in Week 2. It was just in time for what fantasy managers hope is a pointsapalooza with the Lions this week. … Hunter Henry has found himself milk cartoned through two games. With there being so little to call home about in the TE12-20 range, I feel forced to bet that Henry’s red zone looks will eventually return. … As long as Joe Flacco is starting and posting at least 44 attempts, Tyler Conklin will provide usage-based TE2 appeal. … Cole Kmet‘s doughnuts are a fluke. The bigger problem is that he will have a nonexistent ceiling if the Bears don’t start letting Justin Fields throw at least 25 times per game. There has been no indication that is in the offing. … Mike Gesicki is resurfacing solely because he has some play-making ability in what is shaping up to be a spiked-week offense. … Nothing has changed for David Njoku. … Juwan Johnson is positioning himself for TE2 weeks.

Week 3 Kickers

Week 3 Defense/Special Teams