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.

• Pat Fitzmaurice’s Weekly Rankings
• Andrew Erickson’s Weekly Rankings
• Derek Brown’s Weekly Rankings

Fantasy Football Smash Starts for Week 3

Zack Moss (IND) at BAL

Looking at snap counts is always one of the most important factors when picking between flexes. That’s what has us excited to use Moss because he played all but one snap in Week 2. He should continue to play that role as long as Jonathan Taylor is out, with Moss totaling 18 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown in that Week 2 gem. He also got four catches and performed similarly at the end of last season. In the two games he played at least 40 snaps last year, Moss averaged 21 carries for 97 rushing yards per game. Facing Baltimore is terrifying, but it doesn’t matter since Moss isn’t coming off the field.

George Pickens (PIT) at LV

I wasn’t excited about Pickens this season, but that changed once Diontae Johnson got injured. That means Pickens is the focal point of the passing game right now, providing four catches for 127 yards and a touchdown in Week 2. The four catches might look concerning, but we’re ecstatic that he led the club with 10 targets after posting seven targets in Week 1. That’s the progression you want to see from a young and talented wideout, making Pickens a potential breakout as long as DJ remains out. Vegas is a beautiful matchup, too, allowing the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL last year.

DJ Moore (CHI) at KC

The discord around the Bears has been a disaster, and it’s easy to understand why. We’re willing to give Justin Fields and Moore another chance, though, because these two are way too talented to perform like this. We saw glimpses of Moore’s potential in Week 2, amassing six catches for 104 yards. He was also doing that in the final months of last season, scoring at least 16 fantasy points in four of the final six games. This is a game where they’ll have to throw to keep up with KC, which is terrific since the Chiefs allowed the most points in the NFL last year. Getting double-digit targets should be in play, and it’d be silly to sit Moore in such a tasty spot.

Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.