I still can't believe that I bought into the Los Angeles Chargers this summer ... but I honestly should have seen this coming. Jim Harbaugh is an eclectic dude. So is Mike McDaniel. QB Justin Herbert is dating pop star Madison Beer. I mean, this reads more like the plot of a Lifetime football movie than the makeup of a championship-caliber football team. It makes the plot of "Draft Day" seem believable. Well, maybe outside of a GM trading the sixth overall pick in the draft for three years of second-round picks.
All that said, I'm kind of down with the Chargers this week. Because every time the world is ready to bury the Chargers, they always seem to rise to the occasion.
I'm giving one last run for Herbert, even though I'd probably be better with options like Bryce Young, who has been a popular pickup over the past two weeks on the waiver wire. Young has recorded two of his five best fantasy performances this season alone. He started in just 9% of ESPN leagues in Week 2. I suspect that number is significantly higher this week.
Here are some other notes to get you ready for Week 3 of the season.
Quarterback notes
Jared Goff has scored at least 20 fantasy points in five of his last six games. He wasn't even being drafted as a QB1 this year, but he's going to be carrying a lot of fantasy teams for the rest of the season.
Patrick Mahomes is the victim of having a matchup that's too good. People are afraid the Kansas City Chiefs will be so far ahead so early that they won't throw the ball. But tell me, how will the Chiefs get all of those points? I'm all-in on Mahomes, who is averaging 21 fantasy points per game since the start of last season, second among quarterbacks.
Geno Smith has the best matchup for any quarterback this week, as the Detroit Lions have been very generous to opposing quarterbacks. Is this the kind of thing that will blow up in my face? Yeah, probably. I'm using him as a straight injury replacement, as I'm not ready to bench Herbert for him. But if you had one of the many quarterbacks who are now out this week, let's go!
Running back notes
Running backs struggled in Week 2, with only eight scoring at least 15 fantasy points. The best of the top runners last week was Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor, a guy who kind of drifted through fantasy drafts but has been massive in the early going of the season. This week he gets the Houston Texans, who have allowed the third-fewest points to running backs.
Speaking of Houston, David Montgomery struggled a bit in Week 2 and rushed the ball just six times, a significant drop-off from his Week 1 performance when he had three total touchdowns. He will bounce back this week against the Colts, who have been one of the most generous defenses to opposing quarterbacks, running backs, receivers ... everything. They give up points to everyone.
Kenneth Walker III had back-to-back weeks with 23 fantasy points. He had only one 23+ game last season. My gosh, where would the Chiefs be without him?
Don't look now, but Christian McCaffrey had his 70th game with at least 20 fantasy points. He tied the mark held by LaDanian Tomlinson for most such games since 2000. And YOU were scared to draft him.
Wide receiver notes
It felt like a consolation prize to end up with Jaxon Smith-Njigba on draft night. He has 42.5 points this year, the second-highest scoring receiver game start since the Los Angeles Rams' Puka Nacua last year. He has been incredible.
Fellow Ram Davante Adams has the most points in a game since joining Los Angeles (39.5) last season. He also leads all receivers in receiving touchdowns since last year.
I was a little worried about DeVonta Smith, but he had a career-high 13 targets last week and settled in nicely as the WR1 for the Philadelphia Eagles.
I wish I had more of the New Orleans Saints' Chris Olave in my leagues this year. He recorded his fifth-consecutive 20-point game, which is the longest active streak in the league.
Are we in on the Las Vegas Raiders' Tre Tucker, who had the second-highest-scoring game of his career? Was it a one-week blip or something that can be sustained? TE Brock Bowers is practicing, but I do believe the Raiders offense can support both pass catchers. Although the consistency for Tucker could be an issue, he is worth a roster spot and maybe a start in deeper leagues.
Speaking of teams that need to feature more pass catchers, the Dallas Cowboys are paying a bit of money for George Pickens to get his cardio in. CeeDee Lamb, meanwhile, had his highest point total (35.3) since Week 8 of 2024.
Tight end notes
Dalton Kincaid finally reached his potential with a monster performance for the Buffalo Bills in Week 2. But are we really going to just put him in the elite category? I remember when he was supposed to be the next Travis Kelce -- who looked great on Sunday night, by the way -- when he was coming out of Utah. It took him long enough for that to happen, if that is indeed what is happening.
On that note, I hope that Colston Loveland can get it going. I know a lot of it depends on who is going to play quarterback on Monday night against the Eagles, but the first two weeks have not been what I had been promised. Or, what I promised, to be more accurate. I do appreciate Courtney Cronin writing on these pages that there isn't a Colston Loveland problem on the Chicago Bears, which I agree with. The breakout game is going to happen ... but maybe not this week, as the Eagles are the second-toughest team against tight ends so far this season.