Week 3 Recap: Injuries Altering Early Backfields

 

CTDB Week 3 Recap: Injury Bug Bites

Week 3 was a study in competitive balance. Scores ran tightly from a weekly high of 132.9 (Josh) to a low of 111.0 (Will) — a 21.9-point spread that’s far narrower than usual. The takeaway: no one is an easy out this season.

At the top, custom J and Chunky Monkeys both moved to 6–0, cementing themselves as the early favorites. Right behind, Jail Yard Boyz (5–1) and Gang Green (4–2) are keeping pressure on.

But the real story was the injury fallout. Najee Harris (Achilles) and James Conner (ankle surgery) are both done for the year. That elevates Omarion Hampton with the Chargers and Trey Benson with the Cardinals to major keeper relevance — conveniently, both already rostered by Victor and Evan. 

Game of the Week: Jail Yard Boyz defeats the Phreaks

The league’s first true photo finish. Heading into Monday night, Ping trailed but still had Jahmyr Gibbs, while Victor had Sam LaPorta. Gibbs erupted for 24.0 FPTS, but LaPorta’s 9.5 just barely kept Victor afloat. Final margin: 1.6 points.

Victor’s win was built on Jalen Hurts (37.3) — irony not lost on Ping, a diehard Eagles fan who had to watch his QB1 torch him for a fantasy loss. Vikings D/ST (29.0) also delivered the kind of fluky ceiling that flips weeks. The WR corps (Chase 6.4, Nabers 2.3, Higgins 2.0) sputtered, but Victor survived.

Ping’s team once again looked strong. Gibbs (24.0), Nacua (21.8), and Jefferson (10.0) did their jobs. But Eagles D/ST (3.2) and Brian Thomas Jr. (6.5) couldn’t match the fireworks on the other side.

Implications: Victor improves to 5–1 with a roster that can win in multiple ways. Ping falls to 2–4, but his scoring is much stronger than his record — a dangerous profile for future opponents.

Other Matchups

custom J (Josh) 132.9 – LA Buffy (Roger) 111.6

• Josh: Projected 126.4 → Scored 132.9 (+6.5 vs PROJ)

• Roger: Projected 114.6 → Scored 111.6 (–3.0 vs PROJ)

Josh flexed contender status again. Lamar Jackson (35.9) stole the show, while Tyreek Hill (13.4) and Trey McBride (12.4) added stability. Broncos D/ST (6.0) was the only weak link.

Roger rode David Montgomery (28.9), but James Conner (1.6, injured) and Marvin Harrison Jr. (10.7) capped upside. The Texans D/ST (4.0) didn’t help either. A decent week, but not enough against the league’s high scorer.

Chunky Monkeys (Evan) 120.2 – City of Angels Masterminds (Marcus) 116.6

• Evan: Projected 116.6 → Scored 120.2 (+3.6 vs PROJ)

• Marcus: Projected 125.7 → Scored 116.6 (–9.1 vs PROJ)

Evan’s rebuild-that’s-not-a-rebuild keeps humming. Drake Maye (25.9) delivered a breakout while Jayden Daniels nursed an ailing knee, with George Pickens (15.3) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (14.6) adding support. The Seahawks D/ST (9.0) was steady. With CeeDee potentially out for a few weeks, Evan's stable of receivers only got stronger. 

Marcus leaned on Dak Prescott (29.7) and James Cook (26.0), while kicker Brandon Aubrey (18.0) chipped in. But Courtland Sutton (1.1) and Breece Hall (7.8) dragged the total down. As a Cowboys fan, at least he could enjoy Dak’s fantasy fireworks.

Crunch Bunch (Eddie) 118.0 – Battle Angel (Will) 111.0

• Eddie: Projected 122.8 → Scored 118.0 (–4.8 vs PROJ)

• Will: Projected 123.1 → Scored 111.0 (–12.1 vs PROJ)

Eddie got enough from his WR1/WR2 punch: A.J. Brown (19.7) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (17.2). Kenneth Walker (16.8) and Jordan Mason (23.6) carried the RB load.

Will had strong RB play — Kyren Williams (18.2) and Javonte Williams (14.6) — but his Mahomes/Kelce stack (17.4 + 8.1) fell flat. As a Cowboys fan, Will had to watch Mahomes and Kelce not only fail him in fantasy but also knock off Dallas’ playoff rivals in real life.

Gang Green (Greg) 122.6 – A Squad Called Blitz (Thien) 114.0

• Greg: Projected 139.3 → Scored 122.6 (–16.7 vs PROJ)

• Thien: Projected 128.9 → Scored 114.0 (–14.9 vs PROJ)

Greg survived a down week thanks to Josh Allen (31.2) and Christian McCaffrey (19.0). Zay Flowers (19.4) was the WR bright spot. His FAAB splash — $26 Zach Ertz, $25 Juwan Johnson — shows a clear commitment to fixing TE. Ironic given that Greg was the team that booted Bowers from the keeper list - though Brock hasn't exactly been a vanguard of fantasy performance so far either.

Thien actually got spikes from Jonathan Taylor (31.3) and Mark Andrews (24.1), plus solid outings from Bijan Robinson (19.2) and CeeDee Lamb (20.4). But the supporting cast let him down. As a 49ers fan, watching his team go 0–6 is becoming a painful Sunday ritual. CeeDee is reportedly out for a few weeks dealing with a high ankle sprain - something Thien will have have to navigate.

Weekly Awards

• Highest Scorer: custom J (132.9) — powered by Lamar Jackson.

• Lowest Scorer: Battle Angel (111.0) — an off week for Mahomes/Kelce.

• FAAB King: Greg (Gang Green) — $51 on TEs (Ertz + Johnson).

• Future Investment: Trey Benson (Evan) — Conner’s injury hands him the keys.

• Win-Now Hero: Vikings D/ST (29.0, Victor) — the true margin of victory.

• Keeper Goldmine: Omarion Hampton (Victor) — Harris’ injury gives him a clear lane.

• Game of the Week MVP: Jalen Hurts (37.3, Victor) — torched Ping, an Eagles diehard, for the win.

League Pulse Check

• 6–0: custom J, Chunky Monkeys — different roster builds, same result.

• 5–1: Jail Yard Boyz — survived a nail-biter, now chasing the top.

• 4–2: Gang Green — contender pedigree, shoring up TE.

• 3–3: Crunch Bunch — gritty, not pretty, but playoff-relevant.

• 2–4: Philadelphia Phreaks — record doesn’t match scoring strength.

• 2–4: LA Buffy — needs WR breakout to rise.

• 1–5: City of Angels, Battle Angel — competitive but can’t finish.

• 0–6: A Squad Called Blitz — JT and Andrews popped, but depth is a canyon.

Parity is real: the scoring band is shrinking, and every decision matters. With cousins continuing their sweep and injuries shaking up the RB market, Week 4 could be the most pivotal waiver week yet.