NFL Futures Watch | Week 3

A.J. Brown has gone (likely injured or unavailable), downgrading the Eagles' weapons and forcing more reliance on other receivers like DeVante Smith.

The Packers cannot run the football effectively without Aaron Jones (Jacobs reference appears to be an error in the transcript), and they lost Jane Reed from the receiving corps, stretching an already thin receiving core even further.

Alec Pierce is injured and unavailable for the Indianapolis Colts. The source notes that while he doesn't love losing Pierce, he believes Slayton can fill that role for the offense.

Baker Mayfield has been inconsistent and ineffective for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers through two weeks. The source ranked him 10th among quarterbacks heading into the season but notes he's been all over the place: Week 1 featured all behind-the-line scrimmage passes, while Week 2 showed a 12.5 ADOT with overthrowing receivers by five yards or more. The source attributes much of the issue to offensive play-caller Zach Robinson's lack of adjustment from his Atlanta scheme.

Caleb Williams suffered an injury in Week 2 against the Texans; Brandon Anderson initially feared Achilles but confirmed it looks very minor comparatively and the timeline for return is unknown. Despite the injury, Ben Johnson's offense is strong enough that backup Baygent drove the Bears for two scoring chances late in the game they could have won. Even without Caleb, the offense drops from top-five to league average in Anderson's rankings matrix, which is survivable.

Cam Ward showed signs of life in week 2 against the Eagles, performing not that badly especially against that defense; he had two rushing touchdowns and completed 13 of 20 for 183 yards, though the Titans still lost. Stats-wise still not great, but eye test-wise he looked much better in week two.

Carson Wentz is one of four different starting quarterbacks the Vikings have used to start the season (Brosmer, J.J. McCarthy, Kyler Murray, Wentz), making them the first team in history to win four straight games with different starting quarterbacks.

Case Keenum may start for the Bears against the Eagles on Monday night if Tyson Baygent remains in concussion protocol. Brandon Anderson is uncertain whether Keenum represents a meaningful downgrade from Baygent, and he has Chicago favored against the Eagles even with Keenum starting.

Chris Olave looks like a legit top-five wide receiver in the league right now; he is part of the Saints' number-one passing yards offense in the NFL.

Brandon Kravitz credits Dalton Schultz with a successful prediction, opening the show with 'All hail Dalton Schultz. What a call by you,' suggesting a winning bet or projection on Schultz in the recent NFL weekend.

Dalton Schultz is catching 12 passes for the Houston Texans, indicating limited involvement in the passing game. The source uses this as evidence that the Texans lack other good weapons beyond Nico Collins, suggesting Schultz's usage reflects the overall weakness of the offense.

Daniel Jones is recovering from an Achilles injury for the Indianapolis Colts and can only get healthier. The source notes that Jones can be a running threat when healthy and represents upside for the Colts offense. The source also mentions that if Daniel Jones can get back to full health and be a running threat, it adds to the offensive ceiling.

Darren Waller is the second tight end on the Chargers roster after Ladd McConkie, but the team is so depleted at the position that they may have to bring Justin Herbert's brother out of the practice squad to play tight end.

J.J. McCarthy is one of four different starting quarterbacks the Vikings have used to start the season (Brosmer, McCarthy, Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz), making them the first team in history to win four straight games with different starting quarterbacks. McCarthy had three wins before the recent streak.

Jadarian Price, second in offensive rookie of the year odds, is no longer a strong candidate; he hurt his chest and shoulders, is splitting carries, and was supposed to get all the carries but didn't. Charbonnet is coming back soon, which will further limit his opportunities.

Jalen Hurts has hit passes at an unsustainable rate; Brandon Anderson notes the Eagles' 64% success rate on late downs is 96th percentile and their 30% on early downs is 3rd percentile, a split that is not sustainable even for elite quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen. Anderson believes Hurts will regress and is on 'Philly fraud watch.'

Jalen Hurts was turned into a quarterback by the Titans' defensive scheme in week 2, but he came back and got the win late for Philadelphia against Tennessee.

James Cook and the Bills running game are flowing well; Brandon Anderson notes the offense is dominant and mentions sympathy for James Cook managers, implying Cook is not getting goal-line touches despite the strong running game, as Joe Brady has doubled up second-place teams in quarterback sneaks at the goal line, with those touchdowns going to Josh Allen instead.

Jaden Daniels suffered an elbow dislocation on a goal-line play against the Cowboys in week 2, with the re-dislocation being more likely to happen a second time. The injury timeline is uncertain, but returning too quickly (e.g., after one game away to London) seems too fast; missing two games means playing Monday night in San Francisco, but missing three games (skipping that game) provides a bye week after for recovery, though that would leave the Commanders at 0-6 or 1-5 and raises questions about rushing him back at all.

Jeremiah Love is a strong pick for offensive rookie of the year at +430 odds (about 20% at prediction markets); he is the default choice because the top six available rookies have significant issues. Love was known as the best rookie in the class and should improve as his high ankle sprain heals week by week, gaining more opportunities. Each week that passes, his stock should get better.

Jonah Coleman is a sleeper option for offensive rookie of the year at 30-1 odds in Denver; there is some opportunity there. The Broncos really like him in between the tackles, and it's hard to win an award like this if you're not a dual threat.

Jonathan Taylor remains elite for the Indianapolis Colts and is a key component of their offensive strategy. The source emphasizes that the Colts want to play with the lead and run the ball with Taylor, who benefits from the best run-blocking line in the game. Taylor's elite status is highlighted as part of the Colts' offensive upside.

Jonathan Taylor remains elite; the Colts' offensive line is still elite, and if Daniel Jones can get back to full health and be a running threat, the offense has a very high ceiling.

Jordan Love is getting pressured at a really high rate and has completed just 9 of 27 attempts under pressure (33% completion rate). With the Packers' offensive line issues worsening after losing Zach Bakhtiari, Love's performance will likely continue to suffer.

Jordan Tyson hasn't hit the field yet for the Saints; his eventual return could raise the ceiling of the Saints' already elite passing offense even higher.

On pace for almost 5,000 passing yards and 77 touchdowns through two games; Brandon Kravitz backs Josh Allen at 50-1 odds for Offensive Player of the Year, citing historical precedent from the 1991 Bills (Thurman Thomas), 2000 Rams (Marshall Faulk), and 2018 Chiefs (Patrick Mahomes)—all MVP/OPOI winners on elite offenses that allowed 30+ points in both early games. Allen's pace is extraordinary even accounting for small sample size.

Josh Allen is a strong bet for offensive player of the year at 50-1 odds; his eyes are drawing all the attention right now, which is allowing other players like Tyler Shuck to fly under the radar.

Josh Downs is a strong buy target; the speaker is spending way too much money on their FAB budget on him in fantasy, indicating high conviction in his value at current market price.

Justin Herbert looks uncomfortable and bad in the Chargers' 0-2 start; he had three fumbles in week 2 (team had six total, recovered five). The source states 'No more excuses. You're just not good enough right now' and notes Herbert looks so uncomfortable right now.

Kyler Murray is listed at 150-1 odds to win MVP despite having played only about four plays so far in the season. Brandon Anderson suggests this is a crazier but potentially viable bet, noting that sometimes MVP is won because a team kept its record up while a star player was out.

Kyler Murray is making his re-debut for the Arizona Cardinals, described as the most fraudulent 2-0 team in the NFL. The source frames the Buccaneers matchup against Arizona as an ultimate get-right opportunity for Tampa Bay.

Makai Lemon, a first-round draft pick, could be involved more in the Eagles offense going forward. Brandon Anderson believes if they can get Lemon involved, the offense has a chance to be dynamic.

Marcus Mariota is still starting quarterback in the NFL for the Commanders after Jaden Daniels' injury, which the source characterizes as gross. With Mariota starting, the Commanders' offense becomes bottom-five for Geico. They're.

Max Brosmer is one of four different starting quarterbacks the Vikings have used to start the season (Brosmer, J.J. McCarthy, Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz), making them the first team in history to win four straight games with different starting quarterbacks.

Michael Penix Jr. is expected to return to the Atlanta Falcons after missing the first two games with an oblique injury. The source notes that if Penix was the starting quarterback and didn't have the oblique injury to start the year, he could help the Falcons maintain a competent offense given their sufficient weaponry and Stefanski's play-calling ability. However, the source also emphasizes that even with Penix's return, the team's overall roster quality, coaching, and difficult schedule limit upside.

Michael Penix Jr. is getting back for the Falcons, which definitely lifts the floor of the team and perhaps gets the window open in some regard on the Atlanta Falcons. The source was considering buying stock on Atlanta because of Penix's return.

Nico Collins is currently injured and his absence is described as the real problem for the Houston Texans offense. The source notes that Collins misses about four games per year for his career and is already hurt this season. His injury is particularly problematic given the Colts matchup this week, a team he historically kills. Without Collins, the Texans are characterized as a bottom-five offense.

Ricky Pearsall is not doing anything in the offensive rookie of the year race; the Raiders are 2-0 with Kirk at quarterback and he is not getting benched right now, limiting Pearsall's opportunity.

Saquon Barkley left the Week 2 game against the Titans with a stinger early in the season, adding to the Eagles' offensive concerns as they struggle to run the ball and create running lanes.

Tyson Baygent entered concussion protocol after Week 2, potentially forcing Case Keenum to start for the Bears against the Eagles on Monday night. Brandon Anderson is uncertain whether Baygent or Keenum represents a meaningful downgrade, suggesting the two backup quarterbacks are similarly valued.