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I think Week 3 seemed a bit more as advertised. We saw some massive weeks from some of the most expensive dynasty assets. Some stars, like Justin Jefferson, De’Von Achane, and Breece Hall, got banged up and left their respective games early. NFL analysts have a larger 2026 sample size to work with when making not-quite-as-sweeping generalizations.
In this article series, I am doing my best to keep up with the weekly risers and fallers with dynasty value. As we all know, you should never overreact to just one week for dynasty fantasy football–it’s a game of patience. It matters where the production did (or didn’t) come from. I care much more about targets and touches than touchdowns. Here are my NFL Week 3 risers and fallers.
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Week 2 Risers and Fallers | NFL Dynasty Fantasy Football
3 Players Stock Up
Keaton Mitchell | RB | Los Angeles Chargers | Age: 24.7
I want to highlight Keaton Mitchell as a riser. Some analysts started the year believing that Omarion Hampton would be an every down back, but that is clearly not the case. Mitchell not only fits Mike McDaniel’s scheme perfectly, but also has showcased enough efficiency to merit more opportunities.
In Week 3, Keaton Mitchell took 8 carries for 52 yards rushing. He added 3 receptions on 3 targets, including one for a touchdown. The Chargers have had a rough 0-3 start. If they continue chasing teams, Mitchell is going to see the field more and more as more of a pass-catching back compared to Hampton. Keaton Mitchell is a valuable depth piece with potential league-winning upside if Hampton were to get nicked up and miss time.
Kenyon Sadiq | TE | New York Jets | Age: 21.5
Rookie tight ends are allowed to have slow starts. They have a laundry list of tasks to learn; however, when they do have rookie production, they typically have a bright future ahead of them. Kenyon Sadiq is already proving himself as a future top tight end in the league.
Through the first 2 games, he only had 6 targets. He surpassed that with 8 targets in Week 3. Sadiq capitalized with 7 receptions for 105 yards and a touchdown. He could finish the season as high as dynasty TE4, only clearly behind McBride, Bowers, and Warren (assuming Loveland continues trending down). Sadiq is proving that he was worth the draft capital the Jets spent on him.
Rashee Rice | WR | Kansas City Chiefs | Age: 26.4
Rashee Rice hurt his dynasty value this offseason, but he’s slowly starting to rebuild it. Week 3 was the first week of the season that he truly looked like the focal point of the Chiefs passing attack. Rice finished the game with 9 targets while no other player had more than 3. He converted those opportunities into 7 receptions for 88 yards.
Each week this season, Rice’s targets have trended upwards. I think he’s finally at 100% comfortability after a knee procedure over the summer. Kenneth Walker III will continue to be the top fantasy weapon on this football team, but I think we could see some 20-point performances from Rice in the very near future.
3 Players Stock Down
Brian Thomas Jr. | WR | Jacksonville Jaguars | Age: 23.9
Despite Jaguars offense reaching a flow state against the Patriots, Brian Thomas Jr. didn’t participate. Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington are clearly operating as the top 2 receivers in this offense. Thomas even had fewer targets than the 6th round rookie, Josh Cameron.
It really is puzzling to see the current usage after seeing how talented and productive Thomas was as a rookie. In a rebuild, I’m buying Thomas and hoping for a change of scenery at the trade deadline. The Jaguars clearly don’t value Thomas as a weapon, and they certainly aren’t struggling without him.
Marvin Harrison Jr. | WR | Arizona Cardinals | Age: 24.1
I’ve held off addressing Marvin Harrison Jr. because I want so desperately for him to succeed, but I have to talk about it. Harrison is a shade of the player he was at Ohio State. He seems to already know he’s not getting the ball. Harrison doesn’t look to be giving his best effort on each and every route.
He’s clearly 4th on the totem poll as far as weapons on this team. Trey McBride, Jeremiyah Love, and Michael Wilson are above him on the priority list, and I don’t think this offense can support 4 consistent fantasy scorers. I think he still has a productive football career ahead of him, but Marvin Harrison Jr. may have to switch teams or quarterbacks for that to happen.
Tetairoa McMillan | WR | Carolina Panthers | Age: 23.4
Panthers players that had the same or more targets than Tetairoa McMillan in Week 3: Brycen Tremayne, John Metchie III, and 34-year-old Darren Waller. McMillan unfortunately faced Denzel Ward, who had his number. The hardest part about being the best receiver on your team is going against some of the best cornerbacks in the NFL week after week.
McMillan still has a bright future, but he was partially a victim to a pretty poor game from Bryce Young. McMillan is simply not producing nearly up to par with his value and his potential. He is going to have boom weeks here and there, but I don’t think we can rely on McMillan to get consistent separation against some of the top cover corners in the league. After his next boom week, I think he’s a sell for contending teams.
NFL Week 3 Sign Off
Thank you so much for tuning into this week’s NFL reaction article. Obviously, the fun part about dynasty is staying closely invested in the ebb and flow of dynasty values. Hopefully, this article helped keep you in touch with weekly trends, and I will aim to keep you up to date with rising and dropping values as much as possible this season.
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Don’t miss the Week 4 Waiver Wire Deep Dynasty Stashes and Sleepers!
