Fantasy football can be a stressful game for all of us. Injuries and poor performance, bad weather and curious calls. Sometimes it’s a struggle just for an NFL Sunday.
We all need some common ground that we can hang our hats on. And with that, we present to you the 2026 Detroit Lions. They just want to please fantasy managers.
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The Lions are now three games deep into the NFL season, and each matchup has been a fantasy bonanza. First came a narrow win over the Saints in Week 1, a 31-30 overtime affair. Not much defense played in Week 2, when the Bills defeated the Lions, 41-31.
And you can add the Week 3 results of the Week to the positive side of the ledger. Detroit held on for a 31-24 win over the Jets, with both teams pushing their expected score totals.
Jahmyr Gibbs was the main man for Detroit’s offense, which racked up 164 total yards and three scores (two rushing, one receiving). Other Detroit angles are pretty muted — Amon-Ra St. Brown was held to four catches for 19 yards (thanks to the touchdown deodorant) and Jameson Williams (4-49-0) and Sam LaPorta (3-44-0) were below expectations. Still, this is a consistent and bankable offense, and Jared Goff (8.4 YPA, 122.5 rating) is a good point guard. This offense will have many correct answers.
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But the right answers also come on the other side of the ball, where Detroit’s defense can’t stop anything, especially against the pass. It’s one thing when Josh Allen, arguably the league’s best player, dominated the Lions last week (five total touchdowns). But the Lions also gave Tyler Shough a QB6 finish in Week 2, and Geno Smith was very good on Sunday (321 passing yards, three touchdowns, no turnovers). As we go to press, Smith is the QB2 in Week 3.
Smith brought a few teammates along for the ride. Garrett Wilson (10-107-1, 13 targets) is having the kind of dominant game we know he’s capable of, and Kenyon Sadiq (7-105-1) looks to be the latest rookie tight end to hit the ground running. It’s a shame Adonai Mitchell (finger) is scratched for this game, as he’s probably out too.
Breece Hall (55 total yards) left with a thigh injury and the Jets basically ditched the running game after that. Also, given the pathetic nature of Detroit’s injury-depleted secondary. Just pump air into the football, and then throw it.
The only negative on Detroit’s upcoming schedule is the Week 5 bye. Otherwise, we look forward to Detroit playing Carolina, Arizona and Green Bay next month. The Lions look like the ultimate fantasy football carnival for 2026.
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Maye, the Patriots continue to struggle
The Patriots have a game in Detroit coming up later this year, in mid-November. Unfortunately for Drake Maye, the NFL isn’t going to let New England bend that game in Week 4. New England was stomped by the Jaguars on Sunday, 35-6, and Maye’s poor start to the season continued. Maye threw two picks, lost a fumble, took three sacks and kept the Patriots out of the end zone.
New England clearly misses top receiver AJ Brown; only journeyman Mack Hollins (6-87-0) was productive downfield on Sunday. But many of Maye’s negative plays this year have been the result of poor decisions or sloppy execution. It’s a surprising turnaround for someone who came within an eyelash of winning last year’s MVP.
Be gentle with the New England fans in your life these days. They’re starting to worry that Maye might be Mac Jones 2.0; the last no. 10 in Foxboro. Jones had a strong rookie year (10 wins, runner-up for Rookie of the Year) but quickly lost his mojo after that. He is the current backup QB in San Francisco.
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To be fair to Maye, his offense didn’t help him. TreVeyon Henderson (8-23-0) and Rhamondre Stevenson (7-22-0) hit nothing. New England also collected nine flags, a common theme across the league in a messy Week 3. We like to think Maye, Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels can fix it.
There is no break in the schedule — the Patriots travel to Buffalo next week. If nothing else, Maye should get plenty of energy in that matchup as the Patriots look to keep pace with Josh Allen’s offense.
Other Week 3 winners
— The Cincinnati carnival looked alive and well, as Joe Burrow led his offense to 27 points and watched the Cincinnati defense still lose the game. The Bengals as usual were tight on concentration — Chase Brown caught 15 touches and Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combined for 15-188-2 on 19 targets. Maybe TE Mike Gesicki (3-37-1) could come out of streaming consideration in October, but for the most part, it’s a narrow target tree. The Bengals and Jaguars could light up the scoreboard in Week 4.
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— Jaylen Warren was Pittsburgh’s beneficiary against Cincinnati, rolling up a splashy 176 total yards. It could have been better — Warren didn’t have a touchdown and one he called back a long time ago with a frivolous hold call. The passing game isn’t very fantasy friendly because even though Aaron Rodgers threw for 292 yards and three scores, he targeted 10 different teammates and nobody had more than three catches. DK Metcalf (3-31-1) had a gift score on a blown coverage, but Pittsburgh’s other scores went to Roman Wilson and Ben Skowronek. Even desperation TE play Pat Freiermuth (2-30-0) was outscored by Darnell Washington (3-67-0). Pittsburgh’s game at Cleveland next week could be a rock fight.
— While I love Harold Fannin Jr.’s talent, I mostly passed on him this summer because of the Cleveland QB room. But Fannin got through last year’s messy situation, and maybe he can do it again. Fannin had nine targets in Sunday’s win over Carolina, and he turned it into a 7-51-2 log, good enough for the top of the TE board. You want more downfield action, but if Fannin can control target share and goal-line equity like this, he’ll exceed his ADP for the second straight year.
— Maybe it was charity to put the Titans in the winner’s bracket — midway through the third quarter, Tennessee was down a first down against an ordinary Giants defense. But the Titans moved the ball well after that point — they finished with 17 first downs — and at least Wan’Dale Robinson (7-57-1) and Tony Pollard (96 total yards) rewarded anyone desperate to get them started. Cam Ward only had one pick and one sack, but he still looks like a confused young player. The Ravens and Texans followed.
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Other Week 3 losers
— In a previous world, Jameis Winston was the ultimate YOLO quarterback, a downfield daredevil who would throw his share of highlight passes and cover-your-eyes interceptions. The current Winston is a different animal, a buttoned-up veteran asked not to lose the game alone. Winston had no turnovers against the Titans but only threw for 118 yards on 5.4 YPA. It could be a long fall for Malik Nabers (5-26-0, six targets) and Isaiah Likely (2-13-0, five targets).
— Seattle played against type in Washington, losing a 33-31 shootout. Somehow the Commanders averaged 258 total yards into 33 points — helped by a defensive touchdown. The Seahawks’ passing game relied on Sam Darnold in catch-up mode (379 yards, four touchdowns, two picks), and of course no one could stop the amazing Jaxon Smith-Njigba (10-128-2). But everything the Seahawks tried on the ground failed miserably – Jadarian Price, Emanuel Wilson and George Holani combined for 39 yards on 17 carries. None of Seattle’s backfield looks playable as the Seahawks prepare for the Chargers in Week 4.