Our mettle as fantasy owners is about to be tested. Week 3 was as wild as it gets in terms of breakout performances, injuries and duds. Here’s what you need to know:
* C.J. Spiller was going to hold the starting gig for the rest of the season and be fantasy’s best player. No more. He sustained a shoulder injury and is expected to miss 1-2 weeks, enough for Fred Jackson to get his nose back in the mix. In Week 4 though, Tashard Choice is going to carry the load.
* Reggie Bush’s knee injury is not considered overly serious, but he has a poor history of playing through pain. Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas are the next men up.
* Matthew Stafford pulled a hamstring while trying to chase down a fumble. Owners must add Shaun Hill ASAP. In fact, a strict handcuff can work here because Hill is a borderline QB1 whenever Stafford sits.
* Well, maybe I was wrong about Jamaal Charles. His knee certainly looked fresh as he put 200 yards on the Saints.
* One of the most interesting developments of the day was the Lions’ usage of Mikel Leshoure. Kevin Smith got benched, and Leshoure carried the ball 26 times in his first NFL game.
* Jake Locker and Christian Ponder are for real. Two high-upside QB2s every week.
* Ryan Mathews returned from his clavicle injury and looked really good despite a fumble. His role will only grow.
* RG3 as a weekly QB1? Of course. He runs, therefore he is.
* I tagged Darren McFadden as the game’s best buy low. Hopefully you got him. If he continues to sustain health, he’s going to be a top-4 RB with ease.
