Weather: Week 3 Forecasts
Week 3 is in full swing after Tampa Bay got thrashed by Hurricane Julio inside the Georgia Dome on Thursday. The weather for the rest of this week’s NFL games looks far more calm, as winter hasn’t squeezed its grip on the country quite yet. The main obstacle for NFL teams and fantasy owners alike this week will be wind. NFL quarterbacks can generally deal with reasonable amounts of rain, but wind can create chaos for passing and kicking games. We will pay special attention to these cases this weekend and moving forward, and do our best to predict where fantasy players will be impacted.
Cause for Concern
There are four games that create some worry on the weather front as the Southeast, upper Northeast, and upper Midwest will see the most wind and precipitation on Sunday. Let’s check out the forecasts for these areas of interest:
Oakland at New England (1:00 ET): Temperatures certainly won’t be an issue at Gillette Stadium, as the visiting Raiders will be welcomed with a high of 76 degrees at kickoff. The main potential obstacle in this contest will be thunderstorms and wind that will be rolling into Foxborough later in the afternoon on Sunday. This game kicks off at 1:00 ET, so there is certainly a chance that our fantasy contributors may escape without impact. If the storms arrive early, rain and 10-15 mph winds can be expected.
No need to bench any of the primary fantasy options in this game, and most owners will not likely be leaning on Derek Carr or the muddled Oakland backfield anyway. All New England skill position options look good to go, although some caution should be used when starting either kicker in this matchup as there is potential for wind interference.
Baltimore at Cleveland (1:00 ET): The Baltimore Ravens will visit FirstEngergy Stadium in Cleveland on Sunday in what could be considered the most dangerous weather situation on Sunday’s NFL slate. Temperatures will be in the mid to upper 60’s at kickoff with a 60% chance of rain and thunderstorms. Wind will also be an obstacle in this game, as 15-25 mph winds are expected.
The good news here is that neither Joe Flacco nor Brian Hoyer are top fantasy options to begin with and the sharps in Las Vegas don’t expect much scoring in this game, with an expected point total of only 41. All wide receivers and tight ends in this game should be considered lower tier plays and special attention should be given to the pregame conditions in Cleveland. Luckily this is an early game, so plenty of fallback options should be available if needed. As for kickers, Billy Cundiff and Justin Tucker should be avoided.
San Diego at Buffalo (1:00 ET): The signature Buffalo cold weather has yet to arrive, but the conditions will still be far from comfortable at Ralph Wilson Stadium as the Bills host the visiting Chargers. Temperatures will be just under 70 degrees at kickoff but there will be an 80% chance of rain and thunderstorms. 10-20 mph winds will also be present.
Rainy skies won’t impact the ground games in this one, and we can expect plenty of carries as both the Chargers and Bills are in the top-10 in NFL rushing attempts. E.J. Manuel isn’t a startable fantasy option at this point in the season, and Philip Rivers should be used with caution as the rain and wind could affect his ability to move the ball through the air. As we discussed in the Cleveland game above, take note of pregame conditions in this one. Both kickers, Nick Novak and Dan Carpenter should be dropped for options with better kicking conditions.
Kansas City at Miami (4:25 ET): As has been the case through the first two weeks of the NFL season, Florida will see warm temperatures with a chance for precipitation on Sunday. The Jacksonville Jaguars will escape the rain, but southern Florida cities like Miami won’t be as fortunate. 88 degree temperatures with 75% humidity will be present at kickoff on Sunday as the Dolphins host the Chiefs at Sun Life Stadium. Afternoon thunderstorms, along with a 60% chance of rain are expected for this one, so any fantasy impact will depend on what time the storm fronts arrive in Miami.
The wind won’t be a significant issue in this game, as only 5-10 mph gusts are expected. All fantasy options should be ready to go in this contest, provided that heavy rain and storms aren’t present. Neither Alex Smith nor Ryan Tannehill are top fantasy options this week anyway, so fantasy owners will avoid major issue in this game. Both ground games and receiving units should be fine to start. Caleb Sturgis and Cairo Santos will most likely be safe in the kicking game, but Vegas doesn’t expect this game to be a high scoring affair (42.5 expected total points) so better options can likely be found.
Worry-Free Weather
The following seven games don’t have any serious weather situations in Sunday’s forecast and all involved fantasy options should be started as normal.
Washington at Philadelphia (1:00 ET): Lincoln Financial Field will sit at 83 degrees on Sunday as Washington comes to town. 5-10 mph winds are expected, but shouldn’t be an issue as Kirk Cousins takes on Nick Foles in this NFC East battle.
Houston at New York Giants (1:00 ET): MetLife Stadium will host the first of two Week 3 games on Sunday as the Giants play the visiting Texans. 79 degree temperatures are expected along with a 40% chance of rain. The most severe weather is forecasted after the conclusion of the game, so all fantasy options should be good to go in this one.
Indianapolis at Jacksonville (1:00 ET): Sunny skies and 88 degree temperatures will be present at kickoff when the Jaguars host the Colts at EverBank Field on Sunday. The rough Florida weather will avoid Jacksonville this weekend, so all fantasy players in this matchup should be just fine.
Tennessee at Cincinnati (1:00 ET): Paul Brown Stadium will see some morning storms but should be calm for the start of this game between the Bengals and Titans. A 40% chance of rain and 76 degree temperatures are expected so all skill players can be used as normal. Kickers Mike Nugent and Ryan Succop should be used only in necessity as 10-20 mph winds will make their way into Cincinnati on Sunday.
Denver at Seattle (4:25 ET): The best fall weather of the weekend will be located at CenturyLink Field in Seattle on Sunday as the Super Bowl rematch will kickoff under sunny skies and 85 degree temperatures. All fantasy options will be ready to roll in this exciting matchup.
Pittsburgh at Carolina (8:30 ET): Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte will have clear skies for Sunday Night’s game between the Panthers and visiting Steelers. Temperatures will be in the mid to upper 60’s at kickoff and a pleasant evening of weather is expected.
Chicago at New York Jets (8:30 ET, Mon): Weather will be clear for the Monday Night game this week, as MetLife Stadium should see temperatures in the upper 50’s to low 60’s during the game between the Jets and Bears. The only potential interference in this one could be the wind which will sit between 10-15 mph.
Home Teams Are Dome Teams
Four NFL games will take place indoors or in stadiums with retractable roofs in Week 3, including the New Orleans Saints hosting their home opener.
Dallas at St. Louis (1:00 ET)
Minnesota at New Orleans (1:00 ET)
Green Bay at Detroit (1:00 ET)
San Francisco at Arizona (4:05 ET)
