Thursday Night Football in Week 3 will see two talented running backs on the field in the form of Breece Hall for the New York Jets and Rhamondre Stevenson for the New England Patriots. In a short week, and with Hall having a slight injury concern during the week, should fantasy football managers have any concerns with starting either RB this week?
Should You Start Both Breece Hall and Rhamondre Stevenson in Week 3?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, PFN’s consensus rankings say that Hall is the player to start. His projected 20.2 points include a projection of 74.8 rushing yards, 4.3 receptions, and 39.6 receiving yards. That stat line easily outperforms the consensus projection for Stevenson (11.7 points, 51.7 rush yards, 2.7 receptions, 17.4 receiving yards).
Hall’s Week 3 Fantasy Outlook
If Hall is getting 21 touches for 114 yards and a touchdown, I’m not really worried about the role. Yes, I understand that Braelon Allen looked good (56 yards and a pair of touchdowns on nine touches) last week.
That just reinforced my opinion that he — with Jordan Mason now the starter in San Francisco — sits atop the handcuff rankings, not that he is ready to truly take food off Hall’s plate.
RODGERS TO BREECE HALL. @nyjets take the lead!
📺: #NYJvsTEN on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/9YO7lGki4Y— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024
The touchdown catch was not only a thing of beauty, but it speaks to something that Hall’s raw talent couldn’t assure us of entering this season — the blind trust of his quarterback.
Now that we know that, Hall is a threat to lead all Flex players in fantasy points this season.
His score came on the heels of a 30-yard run after a slow first half. He’s never far away from breaking open a drive and that potential, combined with what likely will be an improving offensive environment with each passing week, makes Hall a difference-maker who could lead you to the promised land this winter.
Stevenson’s Week 3 Fantasy Outlook
If you gave me 25 guesses a month ago, I’m not sure I would have landed on Stevenson as the name on the RB8 line through two weeks, but here we are.
One player last season had consecutive games with 20+ carries, 2+ catches, and a rushing touchdown. His name is Christian McCaffrey. Stevenson has opened the season doing just that (the last Patriots RB to do it was Dion Lewis in 2017), and yet, I remain skeptical.
Very skeptical.
Not only has Stevenson turned his eight targets into just 15 receiving yards, but he’s the sole focal point of opposing defenses. The Patriots have pounded him into a loaded box (8+ defenders) on 45.7% of his carries this season, the sixth-highest rate and a trend I don’t see reversing, given the lack of upside New England’s offense has access to through the air.
Stevenson is a good story through two weeks and will be a better one for you if you can flip him for a reliable RB2 moving forward. The game script has largely worked in his favor, something I’m not sure we see a ton of for the remainder of the season, especially down the stretch when your playoff life is at stake.
Week 14: Bye
Week 15: at Cardinals
Week 16: at Bills
This week, I expect a low-possession game and for the Jets to control the scoreboard. Stevenson, despite his success up to this point, is not a top-20 option at the position for me.