Fantasy Football Outlook: Kirk Cousins, Raheem Mostert, Alexander Mattison (Week 3)

I hope the title of this article doesn’t confuse you guys! Smash starts is always a risky way to talk about anyone from a fantasy perspective, especially when we’re recommending fringe players. You need to understand that these aren’t the best players in fantasy. These are guys who should be started because of existential circumstances.

It’s easy to say to play Christian McCaffrey and Justin Jefferson every week, but nobody needs to know that. Fantasy managers need to know who to start at their flex spots, and that’s why I write this piece.

The premise behind this article is simple. Identify fantasy football smash plays on the fringe of your starting lineup. We rarely recommend a top-20 player at any position, but we want to help you fill those critical flex spots.

Fantasy Football Smash Starts for Week 3

Kirk Cousins (MIN) vs. LAC

Most people drafted Cousins as their backup quarterback, but they will want to start him this week. This guy is chucking the ball as much as anyone, attempting 44 pass attempts in each of the first two games. That’s easy to understand since he has Justin Jefferson and one of the worst defenses in the NFL. It also led to Cousins collecting 34 fantasy points in Week 2, one of the season’s best performances. Carrying that form into a matchup with the Chargers only adds to his value, with Los Angeles allowing the most passing yards in the NFL. This game also has a 54-point total, and it could be the shootout of the week.

Raheem Mostert (MIA) vs. DEN

If you read my offseason articles, you know I drafted Mostert and Jeff Wilson everywhere. My theory was that drafting both of them would land you one elite running back, and that’s panned out perfectly so far. Wilson started the season on injured reserve (IR), allowing Mostert to be the workhorse back. That expanded role led to Mostert tallying 18 carries for 121 rushing yards and two touchdowns in Week 2. That was against a stingy New England defense, and Denver is far from that in the early going. The Broncos rank 24th in total defense, with Miami entering this matchup as a 6.5-point favorite. Please don’t leave Mostert on your bench once again.

Alexander Mattison (MIN) vs. LAC

If you scrolled through Twitter on Thursday, you’d think Mattison was torturing puppies on live television. The hate went way too far in that game because we expect most players to struggle against that elite Philly defensive line. The reason we’re willing to go back to Mattison is his role, playing in 75% of the team’s snaps so far this season. He’s earned that role with Dalvin Cook leaving town, averaging nearly 15 fantasy points per game when Cook has been out in the past. We expect him to return to that player shortly, and a matchup against the worst defense is a great way to get him back on track. Don’t expect Cam Akers to do much after being acquired on Wednesday, either.