Week 2 was filled with injuries. How two explosive offenses respond to critical injuries in Week 2 are two of the four storylines for Week 3. However, the storylines for this week don’t all revolve around injuries. Instead, a second-year wideout is coming off a breakout performance, and a struggling offense pulled the plug on their starting quarterback.

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Fantasy Football Storylines

What Will Miami’s Offense Look Like Without Tua Tagovailoa?

Unfortunately, Tua Tagovailoa had another scary concussion on Thursday. Skylar Thompson is the next player up, but the club also signed Tyler Huntley as depth. Thompson didn’t play at all last season after starting three games as a rookie in 2022. In addition to starting three games in 2022, Thompson had two other games with over 20 pass attempts, expanding the sample a bit.

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), in Thompson’s three starts and two contests with over 20 pass attempts in 2022, Thompson and Teddy Bridgewater had 220 dropbacks. In that five-game sample, Miami’s non-quarterbacks had 137 rush attempts, with Tyreek Hill toting the rock five times for 20 yards and a touchdown, and Jaylen Waddle had two rushes for 17 scoreless yards. Jeff Wilson (4.4 yards per carry) and Raheem Mostert (5.0 yards per carry) were efficient, even without Tua. The following table shows the passing-game usage for Hill, Waddle, Wilson, Mostert, Salvon Ahmed and Myles Gaskin.

Waddle is the most significant loser without Tua and isn't a must-start player. Hill was force-fed volume, and if De'Von Achane can consolidate most of Miami's backfield work, he can remain a steady contributor. Waddle can move back into starter consideration if Thompson has improved since his rookie season.

Can Quentin Johnston Build Upon a Breakout Showing in Week 2?

Quentin Johnston had the type of dreadful rookie season many players don't recover from. LA's first-round pick in last year's NFL Draft has put his stinker behind him, coming out with encouraging numbers through two weeks in his sophomore campaign. Johnston has reeled in eight receptions for 89 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 11 targets this year. He caught two touchdowns against the Panthers in Week 2.

Touchdowns can cover up mediocre underlying data. Yet, Johnston's advanced stats were exciting. The sophomore's 25.0% target share was tied for the 18th-highest mark among wideouts before Monday Night Football.

Moreover, he's had a tantalizing first-read target share.

Leaders in first-read target share through 2 weeks (per @FantasyPtsData):

Cooper Kupp - 52%
Malik Nabers - 50%
QUENTIN JOHNSTON - 39%
Justin Jefferson - 38%
Davante Adams - 38%
AJ Brown - 37%
Keenan Allen - 35%
Garrett Wilson - 35%

- Jake Tribbey (@JakeTribbey) September 16, 2024

Finally, Johnston's 43 routes are the most for the Chargers this season. The arrow is pointing upward for Johnston. He's a worthy waiver claim.

How Will Kansas City's Isiah Pacheco-less Backfield Shake Out?

Isiah Pacheco is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a fibula injury. Clyde Edwards-Helaire will miss at least two more games while the reserve/non-football illness list with PTSD. Even when or if he returns, CEH isn't guaranteed playing time.

The Chiefs are bringing in Kareem Hunt for a visit today, but Carson Steele and Samaje Perine should get the first crack at filling Pacheco's void. Steele has had nine rush attempts, 27 rushing yards, nine passing snaps, six routes and zero targets. Meanwhile, Perine has had zero rush attempts, 17 passing snaps, 13 routes, three targets, two receptions and 13 receiving yards.

Presumably, Perine will handle most of the passing downs and the two-minute drill, and Steele will lead the team in rush attempts. Interestingly, Steele has two rush attempts inside the 10-yard line, possibly indicating he's their preferred goal-line option. Gamers shouldn't blow a massive portion of FAAB on Steele or Perine. Still, I prefer to claim Steele ahead of Perine, and if either climbs ahead in the two-back committee, they could be a more reliable fantasy option in a loaded offense in a few weeks.

Can Andy Dalton Elevate Carolina's Offense?

According to Sumer Sports, Bryce Young is 29th in EPA per play (-0.37) this year and has surely slipped to 30th after Kirk Cousins' performance on Monday night. Last year, among 36 quarterbacks with at least 229 snaps, Young was 33rd in EPA per play (-0.22). The Panthers have been unable to run a competent offense with Young.

They'll ask savvy veteran Andy Dalton to guide the offense. In one start for last year's dysfunctional Panthers, Dalton had 34 completions on 58 pass attempts for 361 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions and took three sacks. As a result, the Panthers had 27 points on the road against the Seahawks. Carolina had only one higher-scoring effort last season.

Dalton peppered his wideouts with targets in that contest. The Red Rifle might salvage the fantasy value of Diontae Johnson. Still, gamers with viable alternatives to Johnson for their WR3 or flex spot should wait a week to see how Dalton and the Panthers play this week.

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