Don't Believe the Fantasy Hype - Week 3
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Here are four players who have been overhyped for fantasy purposes heading into Week 3:
WR Stefon Diggs, Vikings (at Panthers)
Diggs leads all receivers by a wide margin in receiving yards with 285 through two weeks. He made caught nine of 11 targets in Week 2 for 182 yards and a TD, helping make QB Sam Bradford's Vikings debut a memorable one against rival the Green Bay Packers.
There's little to no doubt that Diggs is the No. 1 receiving option in Minnesota, and he will provide decent returns throughout the year, but spending on him expecting another 100-yard game is foolish. The only reason Vance McDonald had 75 yards against Carolina was that it came on a single play. Diggs runs a variety of routes, but that might not save him Sunday.
The Panthers haven't faced an elite QB through two weeks, but they did limit Broncos WRs Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas to a combined 97 yards in Week 1. There will be weeks worth exploring Diggs, but Week 3 is one to avoid.
QB Derek Carr, Raiders (at Titans)
Carr might be the 2016 version of Blake Bortles. The Oakland Raiders defense has been unable to stop anything through two weeks, allowing an absurd 819 yards through the air through the first two weeks. This has forced Carr to air the ball with abandon, benefiting his and Amari Cooper's fantasy numbers.
The Raiders have played a pair of explosive offenses in Atlanta and New Orleans, both with fairly suspect pass defenses in their own right. The gunslinging atmosphere helped boost Carr's overall performance in order to keep the Raiders in the game. Considering the lack of legitimate targets at QB Marcus Mariota's disposal, Carr will not likely reach those heights a third time.
Instead, expect RBs Latavius Murray and DeAndre Washington to be the focal points of the Raiders offense with Carr throwing fewer than the 42 passes he's averaged so far. One sign in his favor is that he hasn't thrown an interception despite the high volume of attempts. That's not enough to make him a lock.
RB Fozzy Whittaker, Panthers (vs. Vikings)
Whittaker is expected to get the Panthers' share of carries with erstwhile starter Jonathan Stewart sidelined. His ownership in season-long fantasy can be expected to spike closer to the weekend, and his bargain status will have plenty looking his way in daily fantasy. Don't do it.
The Vikings defense is too strong to make Whittaker a viable option in Week 3. With TDs being where most value is found, and QB Cam Newton and RB Mike Tolbert being the top red-zone rushing options, Whittaker needs to run for 100 yards to be relevant. He's not doing that against Minnesota's front four.
With Cameron Artis-Payne also in the fold, a high volume of touches is far from guaranteed. Corresponding to Diggs above, neither offense is a safe option in Minnesota except as contrarian hope.
TE Dennis Pitta, Ravens (at Jaguars)
Pitta will not have another week all season that touches Week 2. He may score a TD here and there, but his nine receptions on 12 targets for 102 yards is not a sign of things to come. Pitta could still be the best TE option in Baltimore, but that's not a positive enough an endorsement to truly believe.
Quarterback Joe Flacco spread the ball around to nine different receivers, which will limit any one player's potential week to week. There are more established receivers in Steve Smith Sr. and Mike Wallace who will take targets away when opponents clue into Pitta's presence. This also marked only the second time he'd ever crossed the 100 yard mark in a single game.
His age combined with his lack of durability - has played a total of nine games since the end of 2013 - and his rising DFS price tag suggest his window as a value play has closed. He could very easily catch two passes for 15 yards on Sunday, creating a massive gap in lineups where he is featured.