After a 0-3 start to the bold predictions column this year, I rebounded by going 2-1 in Week 2. Frankly, batting .333 is reasonable for the spirit of this piece. If I hit too many bold predictions, they’re not bold enough. Yet, if I’m always missing, the picks would be in hot-take territory. This week’s bold predictions are focused on two teams. One of the teams benched their quarterback earlier this week, and the other has a golden opportunity for their running back and defense to eat.

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Fantasy Football Week 3 Bold Predictions

The Panthers Will Have a Top-24 Wide Receiver in HALF and PPR Formats This Week

The Bryce Young era has been a disaster by every measure. Head coach Dave Canales and the organization have mercifully benched him. While a spreadsheet can’t measure morale, continuing to start Young was a recipe for their new head coach to lose the locker room. Andy Dalton won’t turn the Panthers into a powerhouse. Nevertheless, he’s an experienced quarterback who played well in his most recent opportunities.

Among 34 quarterbacks with at least 250 dropbacks in 2022, Dalton was sixth in Pro Football Focus’s (PFF’s) passing grade, tied for 18th in big-time-throw rate (4.1 BTT%), tied for the fifth-lowest turnover-worthy play rate (2.3 TWP%) and 11th in adjusted completion percentage (76.8%). Last year, Dalton completed 34 of 58 pass attempts for 361 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions against the Seahawks in his only start for the Panthers. Carolina’s 27 points in Dalton’s start were the team’s second most since the beginning of the 2023 season.

Revisiting Dalton’s 2022 season, he leaned heavily on Chris Olave. Per PFF, in 12 games played during Dalton’s 14 starts, Olave was targeted on 27.0% of his routes and had 55 receptions (4.6 per game), 776 receiving yards (64.7 per game), 2.43 yards per route run and four receiving touchdowns. Rashid Shaheed was also productive in Dalton’s starts, earning a target on 18.1% of his routes and amassing 28 receptions (2.3 per game), 487 receiving yards (40.6 per game), 2.59 Y/RR and two receiving touchdowns. Dalton was also willing to target unexciting ancillary wideouts such as Marquez Callaway, Tre’Quan Smith and Jarvis Landry.

Dalton also had an affinity for peppering Carolina’s uninspiring collection of wide receivers in his only start last year. Adam Thielen barbecued Seattle’s secondary for 11 receptions, 145 receiving yards and one touchdown on 14 targets. He was targeted on 24.1% of his routes. DJ Chark, Terrace Marshall and Jonathan Mingo were also targeted frequently, and Chark had four receptions, 86 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Dalton will feed his wideouts. Moreover, after Thielen was Dalton’s top weapon last year, Diontae Johnson is Carolina’s best wide receiver this year. The Panthers also invested in their offensive line in the offseason. As a result, while the expert consensus rankings (ECR) have Johnson ranked as the WR34 in half-point per reception (HALF) and point-per-reception (PPR) formats this week and Thielen as the WR52 and WR49, respectively, I expect at least one of them to finish as a top-24 wide receiver in Week 3.

D’Andre Swift is a Top-12 Running Back in All Fantasy Scoring Formats in Week 3

D’Andre Swift against the Colts’ run defense is the opposite of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object. Swift and Chicago’s offensive line have played dreadfully through two weeks.

According to the data suite at Fantasy Points, the Bears are 29th in yards before contact per rush attempt (0.86). Unsurprisingly, Swift has averaged 2.0 yards per carry on 24 attempts, amassing only 48 scoreless rushing yards. He’s also had four receptions for 24 scoreless yards.

It’s a get-right matchup for Chicago’s offensive line and Swift. According to Pro Football Reference, Indy has coughed up an NFL-high 350 rushing yards, one touchdown, five receptions and 25 receiving yards to running backs this year.

Sadly, the Colts could be worse this week. Stud defensive tackle DeForest Buckner was placed on the Injured Reserve (IR) earlier this week, and rookie defensive end Laiatu Latu hasn’t practiced this week.

Despite Swift’s lousy start this season, he’s had explosive showings in 58 career professional contests. Swift has rushed for at least 70 yards 13 times, exceeded 100 rushing yards six times and had at least 80 scrimmage yards 21 times. He’s also reached paydirt in 28 games. It’s unwise to write off an inconsistent home-run-hunting running back such as Swift in a mouthwatering matchup after a dreadful showing through two games in a new offense. Swift is the RB25 in standard and RB24 in HALF and PPR ECR this week, but I anticipate Swift making the most of this matchup and finishing as a top-12 running back in Week 3.

The Bears Have a Top-5 DST in Week 3

The Bears have the DST13 in ECR this week. Fantasy scoring at defense is volatile and unpredictable, but forcing turnovers and racking up sacks are the path to a top-five finish. The Bears have a drool-inducing matchup for forcing turnovers this week.

According to PFF, Anthony Richardson has the highest turnover-worthy-play rate (7.8 TWP%) and is tied for the second-most turnover-worthy plays (five) this year. The inaccurate second-year quarterback is tied for the most interceptions (four) this season. Richardson has had a turnover in four of six career starts, and injuries shortened the two turnover-free efforts. Thus, Richardson has turned the ball over in every game he’s played most of the snaps. Richardson has also lost only one of five career fumbles, indicating he’s been fortunate, too. Richardson’s mobility also hasn’t prevented him from taking sacks. He’s been sacked in five of six career starts, taking multiple sacks three times.

Any defense is intriguing against Richardson. Yet, the Bears have an excellent defense. Per Pro Football Reference, Chicago is tied for the fourth-fewest yards allowed per play (4.5), tied for fourth in turnovers forced (four), fifth in pressure rate (31.2%) and tied for 10th in sacks (six). Finally, Chicago’s defense can go wild if they’re staked to a lead and can pin their ears back.

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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.