Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker will face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3. Butker split the uprights to seal the Chiefs victory in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Chiefs could rely more on their star kicker with the loss of a primary weapon on offense. Kansas City placed running back Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve earlier this week, and he should be out for an extended period with a broken leg. If the Chiefs offense becomes less effective in the red zone, Butker could be asked to kick even more field goals for the reigning Super Bowl champions. The Chiefs kicker has not missed a kick this season, nailing four field goals and five extra-point attempts. Butker will look to stay perfect this week on the road in Atlanta. Butker is a must-start kicker.

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The Kansas City Chiefs defense/special teams will take on the Atlanta Falcons on the road in Week 3. The Chiefs defense has been a bit disappointing to start the season, given the high expectations most have for the unit. In the first two games this season, Kansas City has allowed 20 or more points twice and recorded zero interceptions. The Baltimore Ravens were a tough matchup in Week 1 with MVP Lamar Jackson at the helm of their offense, but the Chiefs faltered in Week 2 against a Bengals offense that scored 10 points the week prior. If the Chiefs defense did not score their touchdown in Week 2, they would likely rank within the bottom five amongst fantasy defenses. Kansas City will take on the Falcons this week, who just had a fourth quarter comeback against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. If the Falcons are beginning to find their groove offensively, the Chiefs could have a tough time against this unit. Atlanta also has excellent offensive weapons, including Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Kirk Cousins. While Steve Spagnuolo is one of the best defensive coordinators in football, I would prefer to start a different defense in Week 3.

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs (ankle) was a full participant during Friday's practice and did not carry an injury designation for Sunday's game. The sophomore wideout was a full participant in practice all week and is set to make his 2024 debut against the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon. Downs was sidelined during the first two weeks of the campaign due to a high-ankle sprain he suffered in August. Last season, Downs enjoyed a solid rookie campaign where he caught 68 passes for 771 yards and two scores. Fantasy managers should expect Downs to be one of the top three options in a crowded wide receiver room comprising Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and rookie Adonai Mitchell.

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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. has two rushing touchdowns through two games, maintaining an RB2 status against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3. Etienne Jr. was drafted as a borderline RB1 but hasn't quite lived up to those standards. However, this Monday night matchup on the road is a potential bounce-back game for the Clemson product, given the Bills rank second worst against RBs in fantasy through two games. The passing defense has been great, but the run defense looked vulnerable against James Conner and De'Von Achane. The Jaguars offense overall has struggled, but Etienne Jr. has shown a high floor with his rushing touchdowns and solid volume. The Jaguars could emphasize the running game even more against the Bills, especially if Tank Bigsby returns from injury. The 25-year-old RB is still a good start despite not meeting expectations to start the season in what should be a plus matchup.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice will face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3. Rice has been the most involved Chiefs pass catcher through the first two weeks of the season, and there is no reason to believe that will change moving forward. The second-year receiver has routinely been successful on in-breaking routes closer to the line of scrimmage, but last week, he demonstrated his ability to win down the field. Mahomes and Rice connected on a 44-yard touchdown reception when Rice was matched up one-on-one. If Rice can win consistently at multiple levels, his ceiling will be even higher, considering his safe floor in PPR formats. The 24-year-old will face off against the Atlanta defense, which has allowed the seventh-fewest passing yards per game. Their passing yards per game allowed number may be skewed, given that they have given up the sixth-most rushing yards per game. If the Falcons offense has turned a corner, the Chiefs offense may need to throw more than they have to begin the season. With the loss of Isiah Pacheco to injured reserve, Rice could see an even higher volume of targets moving forward. The Chiefs wide receiver is a rock-solid start in this matchup.

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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (ankle) is off the injury report and set to play on Sunday as the Cowboys face the 0-2 Baltimore Ravens. Lamb did not practice on Wednesday and was upgraded to a limited participant on Thursday and is now a full-go for this weekend. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable locking their first-round selection into their starting lineup on Sunday. Lamb caught five of his ten targets for 61 yards in the season opener. Last weekend, the Oklahoma product caught four passes for 90 yards with a score. Lamb should always be viewed as a high-end WR1 and is worth a look in DFS formats, as he will always be Dak Prescott's go-to option in the passing game.

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Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy will take on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3. Worthy had two catches for 17 yards and one carry for five yards in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The rookie receiver had three touches, just as he had in Week 1, but failed to break off a big play or score a touchdown in the contest. Worthy will look to increase his role in the offense with the loss of Isiah Pacheco, who has a broken leg. The Chiefs figure to start rookie running back Carson Steele in the backfield, so it remains to be seen how much of a workload they will trust him with. There is a possibility that the Chiefs play-calling shifts back to being more pass-heavy, which would only benefit Worthy with increased volume. The Falcons defense faced two run-heavy offenses the first two weeks of the season, so the Chiefs will likely test the strength of the Atlanta secondary in this contest. An increase in volume for Worthy means more chances for him to make a game-breaking play. Worthy is still a high-upside flex play in this matchup.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Carson Steele will take on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3. The rookie running back figures to get the first shot at the starting job, with the Chiefs placing Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve. Steele already saw multiple touches out of the backfield when Pacheco was healthy, so his starting should not be a big surprise. Veteran running back Samaje Perine should still play a complementary role in obvious passing-down situations, but Steele should get the bulk of first and second downs and goal-line touches. Kansas City also signed former Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt, but head coach Andy Reid has stated that Hunt will not be elevated from the practice squad ahead of the team's Week 3 matchup. The Falcons have allowed the sixth-most rushing yards per game so far this season, so Steele should be able to gain yards on the ground in his opportunities. It remains to be seen just how large of a workload Steele will receive, so he is a risky flex play in his first starting week.

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints, according to Tom Pelissero. The star wideout did not play in last week's game due to a hamstring injury he suffered during practice and will now miss his second-straight game. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the 27-year-old's status next week as he will now set his sights on returning in Week 4 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Last week, DeVonta Smith led the wide receiver room in Brown's absence with seven catches on ten targets for 76 yards and a touchdown. Fantasy managers should consider Smith a low-end WR1 this weekend due to the volume he should see. Tight end Dallas Goedert should see an uptick in targets and should be started in all formats. No.2 wideout Jahan Dotson could also see an increase in work and is worth a look in deeper formats.

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will take on the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week 3. Mahomes has passed for less than 300 yards and thrown fewer than 30 pass attempts in the team's first two games. Despite his lackluster output from a counting stats perspective, the Chiefs are undefeated to start the season. The logical expectation would be that Mahomes would continue this style of play and rely on the strengths of the run game and defense to grind out wins, but this may no longer be a viable strategy. With the Chiefs placing star running back Isiah Pacheco on injured reserve, the Kansas City offense may need to lean more pass-heavy to remain competitive. Mahomes will need to be on his game this week as they face the Falcons, who just had a comeback victory against the Philadelphia Eagles in a primetime matchup. The Falcons offense appeared to figure some things out on their game-winning drive and will look to build on that momentum in this matchup. The Chiefs defense has also been relatively lackluster compared to their high expectations, so this could be a high-scoring affair. Mahomes has been disappointing at the start of the season, but the injury to Pacheco could pave the way for a shift in offensive play-calling. Start Mahomes with confidence in their Week 3 contest at Atlanta.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will take on the Atlanta Falcons on the road in Week 3. Kelce was nearly nonexistent in the team's 26-25 win against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2. The Chiefs tight end caught one pass for five yards and zero touchdowns. It is hard to be excited about Kelce's potential moving forward, considering Rashee Rice surpassed him for the highest target share on the team towards the end of last season and Kelce's poor performance at the start of this season. However, with the injury to star running back Isiah Pacheco, the Chiefs could shift their tendencies to be more pass-heavy going forward. Increased passing volume can benefit Kelce and maybe get him in a rhythm for the rest of the year. The Falcons were a favorable matchup for tight ends in 2023, allowing the sixth-most fantasy points per game to the position, so this could be a get-right game for the veteran pass-catcher. Given the lack of depth at the position and his sustained success in the league, Kelce should still be considered a TE1 in fantasy football.

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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has struggled so far this year, and that likely won't change against the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football. Lawrence ranks 17th among QBs in points per game with 12.3, while the Bills defense ranks 11th best against QBs, allowing 11.6 points per game through two weeks. The Bills faced Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1, and Tua Tagovailoa/Skylar Thompson and the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. Evan Engram missed last week and is still banged up heading into this week, meaning Lawrence's already weak set of weapons might be even weaker in Buffalo. The Jaguars offense has struggled overall, with the lone bright spot being rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. The Jags will have to figure out how to run the ball better and get more production from other weapons in the passing game to successfully move the ball. Before fantasy managers consider starting the former number-one pick, the Jacksonville passing offense must prove themselves in a tough Week 3 road matchup.

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Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game, which puts Justin Fields in line to start his third straight game for the Steel City. Wilson was initially named the team's starting QB but suffered a calf injury before the opening week, which pushed Fields up the depth chart. Fields has led the Steelers to two straight victories, averaging 136.5 passing yards and 42.0 rushing yards per game. Even though Fields is not lighting up the scoreboard, he is putting the Steelers in a position to win games. For the time being, fantasy managers should expect the former first-round pick to continue to be the No. 1 QB in Pittsburgh and be viewed as a high-QB2 given his rushing ability.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Roman Wilson (ankle) is off the injury report and set to make his professional debut on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. The former national champion suffered an ankle injury during camp and has remained sidelined for the first two weeks of the season. Last season at Michigan, the wideout posted a career-high 789 yards with 12 scores on 48 receptions. Fantasy managers should expect the former third-round selection to be eased into NFL action this weekend and should be kept out of your starting lineup. However, he could eventually carve out a starting role in Pittsburgh as the Steelers have not had much production outside of George Pickens in their wide receiver room.

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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor has been a pleasant surprise for the undefeated Vikings offense so far. The third-year wide receiver is one of only five wide receivers to have scored a touchdown in both games for their team to start the year, joining his teammate Justin Jefferson (quadriceps) in that stat category. Nailor will be starting alongside Jefferson again in Week 3 against the Houston Texans, with Jordan Addison (ankle) missing at least one more game. Given that the team will likely be in an unfavorable game script against Houston, expect the team to pass more later in the game, possibly allowing Nailor to make big plays in the receiving game and potentially reward fantasy managers with another score.

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Minnesota Vikings D/ST is the biggest real-life reason the Vikings are 2-0, and they are maybe the biggest positional surprise in fantasy. The first two games saw the Vikings' defense rank in the top-four D/ST units for fantasy each game, the only team that can say that. However, their hands are full in Week 3 as they face a potent offense in the Houston Texans. The Texans offense, led by second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, has been among the stingiest for opposing defenses, as they have had only one turnover through the first two games. Given that the Vikings' strengths on defense is through sacks and turnovers, the Stroud-led offense may be challenging to get explosive defensive performances against. RotoBaller is aligned with this assessment and has Minnesota ranked 22nd among all DSTs for Week 3.

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Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (hip, foot) put in a full practice on Friday and was removed from the final injury report for Week 3. Collins' status was up in the air earlier this week after he did not participate in Wednesday's practice before being upgraded to a limited participant on Thursday. The 25-year-old is a must-start in all fantasy lineups heading into a Week 3 showdown against the 2-0 Minnesota Vikings. After two weeks of the 2024 season, Collins leads all NFL wideouts with 252 receiving yards on 14 catches (18 targets) while also finding the end zone once. Minnesota's defense has been in the middle of the pack so far in terms of defending the receiver position early this year. The Texans could rely on their passing game more this weekend with running back Joe Mixon (ankle) doubtful and Dameon Pierce (hamstring) ruled out for the second straight week.

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Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler showed some explosive playmaking ability in Week 2, as he turned 10 rushing attempts into 82 yards on the ground, with seven of those carries going for at least five yards. The third-year running back has had at least 10 touches each game for the Vikings so far this season and may be needed to maintain steady offensive production in Week 3 against a stout Houston Texans defense. His timeshare with Aaron Jones (hip) could pose some unpredictability for Chandler, though head coach Kevin O'Connell trusts his backup running back; the 26-year-old touches the ball on 55% of his offensive snaps, leading all Vikings rushers. If you're experiencing significant injuries on your team, you could do worse than Chandler as a flex this week.

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Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (hip) had a disappointing Week 2, ending the game as the overall RB32 in 0.5 PPR. That finish was a little misleading, however, as he had a goal-line fumble that was ultimately an eight-point swing if he had scored instead of coughing up the ball. Still, the former Green Bay Packer running back was out-carried by backup Ty Chandler, who had 50 more yards on the ground on only one more attempt. Jones was limited in practice this week with a hip issue but practiced in full on Thursday and doesn't carry an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Houston Texans. Jones still gets the bulk of the passing work and played a robust 61% of the snaps on offense, leaving him as a viable RB2 with low-end RB1 upside.

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Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is officially doubtful to play in Week 3 on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, while Dameon Pierce (hamstring) has been ruled out for the second straight week after not practicing at all. Mixon also missed practice all week after injuring his ankle in the Sunday night win over the Chicago Bears in Week 2. Fantasy managers can now shift the 28-year-old to their benches this weekend and hope he's able to return next week to face the Jacksonville Jaguars. For those hurting at the RB position in fantasy, Cam Akers is an immediate add and will now have flex appeal as Houston's lead back on Sunday against the 2-0 Vikings. Akers took first-team reps this week during practice and would likely be spelled by Dare Ogunbowale with the Texans' backfield beat up at the moment.

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