Streaming quarterback, kicker and defense has been a strategy I've used successfully for years.
Last season, I parlayed that success into a series of weekly recommendations of the top streaming options at those three positions as well as tight end — a position I don't recommend streaming week-to-week, though still offer recommendations for fantasy players who may need a short-term rental.
[Access Real-Time Fantasy Rankings Until Kickoff]
I'm continuing that series of weekly recommendations this season. Here are the results so far:
- Defense: DEF4
- Quarterback: QB30
- Kicker: K17
- Tight end: TE9
It's been an unideal start for our quarterback streamers, but we're only two weeks in — it'll get better moving forward.
Now without further ado, let's go streaming!
Note: All recommendations are available in at least 50% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues as of writing.
Week 3 Defense Streamer
Colts vs. Jets
- Rank: DEF1 [Go To My Full Rankings]
- Available in: 56% of leagues
Let's not overthink this one: The Colts are my No. 1 defense this week purely thanks to their opponent. If Jamison Crowder cannot suit up again this week, the Jets' starting wide receivers will be Chris Hogan, Braxton Berrios and Josh Malone.
Fire up the Colts.
Week 3 QB Streamer
Jaguars QB Gardner Minshew vs. Dolphins
- Rank: QB9 [Go To My Full Rankings]
- Available in: 68% of leagues
Despite dubbing Minshew as the top late-round flier at QB during draft season, even I underestimated him for the first two weeks. That ends now.
He's the QB9 in my initial Week 3 projections and has a great matchup against the Dolphins, who may be without top cornerback Byron Jones.
Minshew could end up being more than a one-week rental as his next three opponents are the Bengals, Texans and Lions. There's a chance that he'll be valued as a QB1/2 at the end of that stretch, and I would consider selling high at that point. He faces the Ravens and Bears in Weeks 15 and 16, so I wouldn't feel great about leaning on him in the fantasy playoffs.
We're only in Week 3, so anything can happen by then.
Week 3 Kicker Streamer
Seahawks K Jason Myers vs. Cowboys
- Rank: K3 [Go To My Full Rankings]
- Available in: 57% of leagues
Myers is in a prime spot this week. The Seahawks are 5-point favorites in a game that should be a shootout with a 55.5-point total (compare real-time odds here).
Myers has only one field goal attempt this season, but I can assure you that's not because Pete Carroll is all of a sudden an "analytics coach" (thank God he's finally letting Russ cook, at least). The Seahawks have had a 100% touchdown success rate in the red zone this season. To put that in perspective, the top team for this metric usually ends up closer to 70%. Expect some of those drives to stall and turn into field goal attempts in the future.
[Play NFL DFS? Access Our Industry-Leading Tools & Projections For Just $4.95]
Week 3 TE Streamer
Washington TE Logan Thomas @ Browns
- Rank: TE16 [Go To My Full Rankings]
- Available in: 68% of leagues
Thomas has an extremely high floor for a waiver wire TE. His routes run per dropback have been 85% (Week 1) and 95% (Week 2), which is elite for a TE. Thomas has also been Dwayne Haskins' top target through two games with 17 targets (one more than Terry McLaurin).
I mentioned heading into Week 1 that this may be the easiest season to stream TE ever. Having an option like Thomas available in 68% of leagues is proving that theory correct.
