Week 3 Optimal Flex Plays: Jordan Addison is on a roll

For many football fans, team beat reporters and sports media personnel, the season is over and the fat lady has sung the loudest tune. The panic and/or overconfidence is at an all-time high, after two weeks! Come on people let's ride it out, let's let some games get played here. It's been a great first few weeks of the season, ups and downs, things happening all around. Players who were in this column last week like D’Andre Swift, David Montgomery, Puka Nacua and Kadarius Toney (depending on your situation) provided you with some fantasy stability. Zay Jones and Joshua Kelley were duds after dominating in Week 1, happens right? That's what they say. I'm like a confident cornerback who just got burned for a 81-yard touchdown, on to the next play baby. Here are the FLEX plays for Week 3.

WR - Elijah Moore, Browns vs. Titans

Moore hasn’t put up crazy numbers in the first two weeks and is only WR59, but a matchup against the Titans should vault him into your FLEX spot. Thus far he only has six receptions for 79 in his first two games, but he’s by far the team’s runner-up in targets only behind Amari Cooper, who has 17 to his 16. Moore is also being used sparingly as a running back, so far carrying the ball three times for 24 yards. This role could increase with the absence of Nick Chubb. The Browns will face a Titans defense that just let up 16 receptions, 194 yards and two touchdowns to Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. The Titans have given up the third-most fantasy points to receivers thus far which bodes well for Moore and the Browns passing game. This could be a good spot for Donovan Peoples-Jones as well, but Moore has been more active. Look for Moore to have a day.

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WR - Jordan Addison, Vikings vs. Chargers

There is shootout potential here and the rookie wideout could benefit greatly from it. So far, Addison has scored a touchdown in each of his first two games while boasting a WR18 ranking in fantasy. The Chargers' defense has given up the most fantasy points this season thus far to wide receivers. With the game total being 54 points (the highest of Week 3) and the Vikings being only one point underdogs, expect this game to be back and forth. Despite seeing only 11 targets so far, Addison has made the most of them by connecting with Kirk Cousins on touchdowns of 62 and 39 yards. He’ll be the third option in the passing game behind Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson, but there will be enough plates at the table for everyone to eat.

WR - Zay Flowers or Odell Beckham Jr., Ravens vs. Colts

Flowers hasn't gotten into the endzone yet, but through the first two weeks of the season you can already see that he's electric. He's seen 15 targets in his first two games and there is a clear effort to get him the ball through manufactured touches. Don't write off Odell Beckham in Week 3 either, if he's good to go he will eat as well. On the first drive alone for the Ravens in Week 2, Beckham caught 2-of-3 targets for 14 yards, the second of which he was tackled at the 1-yard line going in. Lamar Jackson came right back to him on the next drive for a 15-yard gain. Beckham was then in and out of the lineup with an ankle injury. Both of these receivers will get to face a Colts’ defense that just gave up 20 receptions, 292 yards and two touchdowns to the receiver trio of Nico Collins, Robert Woods and Tank Dell. I like the trio of Flowers, Beckham and Mark Andrews better, what about you?

RB - Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs vs. Bears

Pacheco got back on track by rushing for an efficient 70 yards on 12 carries in Week 2 against the Jaguars. In Week 3 he will face the Bears defense, which is the fourth-worst team when it comes to giving up points to running backs in fantasy. Rachaad White, who struggled in Week 1, gained 103 total yards and a touchdown (on 22 touches) against the Bears in Week 2. The Chiefs are the biggest home favorite at 12.5 points so we could potentially see them go conservative down the stretch if the game works out in their favor. He’s only the RB35 so far this season, but this matchup against the Bears could boost that number with the opportunities he should have to get into the endzone. It's a nice week for Pacheco to be great in fantasy.

WR - George Pickens, Steelers @ Raiders

Who else is Kenny Pickett going to throw the ball to downfield? Without Diontae Johnson in the fold, Pickens saw 10 targets and converted it into four receptions, 127 yards and a touchdown. This included a 71-yard catch and run that helped boost Pickett’s stat line. In fact, if not for Pickett's subpar play, Pickens could've seen an even bigger day from a production standpoint. Pickens will get the Raiders this week who are ninth-worst in terms of giving up fantasy points to wide receivers. In Week 2, the Raiders let up 6 receptions, 92 yards and a touchdown to Gabe Davis who is flukey and sporadic at best. Jack Tatum or Charles Woodson would have to walk out at defensive back for the Raiders to even have a chance at stopping Pickens in Week 3. Pickens will do two things: dominate the Raiders and make Pickett look decent.

RB - Kyren Williams, Rams @ Bengals

Last week I said it was likely the last time that I would put Puka Nacua in a FLEX article and I might be cheating by having Williams here. By now, Williams is an every week start, but I'm putting him here just to put a stamp on that. The second year back gained 100 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns on 20 touches against the 49ers, what do you think he’ll do to the Bengals? Only Christian McCaffrey has scored more fantasy points than Williams so far from the running back position and the Bengals have given up a rushing touchdown in each season. With Cam Akers on his way out of Los Angeles and an afterthought to the Rams, we could see Williams get Todd Gurley-type usage from here on out.