QB: Sam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles (@Washington Redskins)
It’s safe to say that the 27-year-old Bradford has been disappointing to start the 2015 campaign for the Eagles. He’s looked a little uncomfortable in Chip Kelly’s high-powered, fast paced offense, leading to his mark of four interceptions and only three touchdowns through three games. Despite the troubling numbers, there is one that is exciting for fantasy owners.
In each of the first two games of the season, Bradford had two picks and only one touchdown. Last week, in a win against the Jets, Bradford had a touchdown, but did not throw an interception. This week, the ‘Skins are without lead cornerback DeAngelo Hall after an injury, and if Bradford can continue to get more and more comfortable, his numbers are bound to go up.
RB: Chris Johnson, Arizona Cardinals (vs. St. Louis Rams)
This pick is one I am confident not because of the matchup per say, but more so because the Cardinals are on one of the hottest offensive streaks in the NFL. In the past two weeks, they’ve put up a combined 95 points against two teams in Chicago and at home against the 49ers, both of whom are traditionally defensive powerhouses, even if this season hasn’t been that way for them.
Carson Palmer’s resurgence has this offense playing at an elite level, allowing the Cardinals to be one of the best teams in the NFC ¼ of the way through 2015. Even if Andre Ellington comes back, he will have limited carries. This leaves the opportunity for Johnson to do the majority of the work in the backfield. I don’t know that he’ll be able to mirror his two touchdown performance of last week, but he’ll certainly make an impact in this week’s contest.
WR: James Jones, Green Bay Packers (@ San Francisco 49ers)
It’s a great feeling to be able to have a Packer on this list in back-to-back weeks. Let’s be honest, though, the majority of this credit is due to Aaron Rodgers’ MVP performance through three weeks of the season. Right now, it looks as though Rodgers could take the practice squad and turn it into one of the best offenses in football. Pretty terrifying stuff for opposing defenses.
James Jones has been instrumental for the Pack after they lost Jordy Nelson. He has come in and filled in beautifully, allowing the Packers to continue to run their high octane aerial destruction of an offense. Last week, Jones was targeted eight different times against the Chiefs. Of those eight targets, Jones brought in seven catches for 139 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers D has struggled against wide outs so far this year, so I look for Jones to continue his run of success.
TE: Charles Clay, Buffalo Bills (vs. New York Giants) 
Last week, I put Bills’ QB Tyrod Taylor on this very same list, and he did not disappoint. He put up a very solid 25+ points, depending on your league, helping the Bills score a total of 41 points against a decent Dolphins D. Taylor is on an absolute tear to start off the season, and tight end Charles Clay has been one of his favorite targets in doing so.
Clay is a top 10 tight end in PPR leagues, and has been off to a great start this season as well. He’s already accumulated 150 yards receiving and two touchdowns, just one score shy of his total from all of last season. This week, the Bills square off against the Giants, a defense who has done well to lock down feature wide outs, but has struggled against tight ends. If you’re like me and Gronk is on a bye-week, Clay could be a great substitute this week.
D/ST: Carolina Panthers (@Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
We have our first repeat of the season! The Carolina Panthers have certainly been one of the surprises at this point in the season, beginning their 2015 off with a 3-0 start. No, they haven’t played any top tier teams yet, but they certainly have been more than what we expected. The Panthers D has looked stout, giving up 9, 17, and 22 points in the first three games.
Each game has allowed their opponents to score more than the team before them, but giving up only 22 points will usually lead to good things for your football team. No Luke Kuechly last week was probably one of the bigger reasons the Panthers gave up the points they did, but this week Kuechly is likely to be back. The Panthers’ front office also added another stellar pass rusher this week by trading for Jared Allen. The pressure on Jameis Winston should turn into some turnovers for the Panthers D.
K: Brandon McManus, Denver Broncos (vs. Minnesota Vikin
gs)
Being the kicker on a Peyton Manning team usually equates to high levels of success. You’re often asked to close out drives either via extra points or field goal attempts. Through three weeks, McManus is averaging 11 1/3 points per game, good for fourth best in the NFL. Playing at home in the high altitude against a mediocre team like the Vikings ought to mean points on the board for McManus and the Broncos.
Image: Kevin Hoffman / USA TODAY Sports
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