NFL

Week 3 Fantasy Football Quarterback Streaming: Ryan Tannehill Is in a Perfect Spot

Austan Kas  —  @AustanKas Sep 20th, 2016
Tannehill has a superb home matchup with the Cleveland Browns. What other readily available passers have quality matchups this week?

Quarterback streaming isn't for everyone, but if you're in a standard league -- like a 10- or 12-team league that features just one starting signal caller each week -- grabbing productive quarterbacks who have good matchups off the waiver wire is often doable.

Sure, you won't have the luxury of setting it and forgetting it with Aaron Rodgers as your quarterback, but when the top-end signal callers draw a tough matchup, their upside can be matched by a waiver-wire option in a more favorable situation.

If you're looking for some options from the waiver wire -- regardless of league size -- then we have you covered.

Joe Flacco, our top streamer for Week 2, didn't have a bad week, but he wasn't great, either. Flacco totaled 16.18 fantasy points and finished the week ranked 19th among quarterbacks. Through two weeks, our top streamers have totaled 36.2 fantasy points, which is good enough to be QB13 on the year. That's better than Blake Bortles, Eli Manning and Russell Wilson, all of whom were taken in the first seven rounds in 2016 drafts, per Fantasy Pros average draft position data.

Let's check out the streaming options for Week 3.

Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins

ESPN Ownership: 20.3%

We targeted the Cleveland Browns a week ago, and we'll dive back into the well again this week with Ryan Tannehill.

Thanks to a severely negative game script, Tannehill ended up scoring 23.06 points in a tough Week 2 matchup at the New England Patriots. With Miami down big, Tannehill attempted 45 passes, completing 42 of them for 389 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 picks. While that kind of volume probably won't be there this week, almost everything else is a plus for Tannehill.

Miami is an early 10-point home favorite with an implied total of 25.75 points. Despite one of their games coming against a rookie making his first start, Cleveland checks in 21st in Adjusted Defensive Passing Net Expected Points (NEP) per drop back. The Dolphins will likely be without starting running back Arian Foster, who is dealing with an injured groin, and DeVante Parker is back in the fold after making his season debut last week.



The addition of an outside playmaker should only help open things up for Jarvis Landry, putting Tannehill in a pretty ideal spot this week. Tannehill has been much better at home throughout his career. Over 32 home starts, he's racked up 50 touchdowns to 24 picks, compared to 39 scores and 32 interceptions in 34 road games.

Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens

ESPN Ownership: 26.3%

This is the second in a string of three straight gorgeous matchups for Flacco, who has games against the Browns and Oakland Raiders sandwiched around this week's clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Any optimism the Jaguars had inspired after a busy offseason and a close Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers was obliterated last week by the San Diego Chargers. Without his top pass-game weapon, Keenan Allen, Philip Rivers torched Jacksonville for 220 yards and 4 touchdowns. Through two weeks, the Jags rank 24th in Adjusted Defensive NEP per drop back, and they again look as if they'll be a defense to target.

As we mentioned, Flacco was solid but unspectacular against the Browns in Week 2. Flacco was 25 of 45 for 302 yards, 2 scores and 2 interceptions. He and Mike Wallace hooked up for two more touchdowns while Steve Smith, Breshad Perriman and Dennis Pitta continued to work their way back from injuries. Pitta, in his first action since 2014, made 9 grabs for 102 yards in an impressive performance.

Baltimore's running game has been abysmal thus far, checking in 28th in Adjusted Rushing NEP per play. They get a boost in this one, though, as Jacksonville is 28th in Adjusted Defensive Rushing NEP per play. That should help the Ravens' offense move the ball better than they have, which, in turn, should lead to more red zone chances for Flacco.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

ESPN Ownership: 44.3%

Dak Prescott, who is a little higher owned than we typically cover, is still available in more than 55% of ESPN leagues, and he has a great home matchup with the Chicago Bears.

Through two weeks, the Bears' defense has had a pair of not-too-difficult quarterback matchups in Brock Osweiler and Carson Wentz, and they haven't taken advantage as they rank 15th in Adjusted Defensive NEP per play. There's a chance Chicago will still be sans top corner Kyle Fuller, who has missed the first two games recovering from a knee scope.

Where the Bears have really struggled is against the run, slotting in 24th in in Adjusted Defensive Rushing NEP per play. That spells trouble against Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys' offensive line. Like we covered with Flacco, a good running game is only going to help Prescott as it should allow Dallas to keep the chains moving and make more trips into the red zone.

The jury is still out on Prescott, but he's looked pretty darn good for a rookie. He sits 12th in Passing NEP per drop back, and he completed 22 of 30 passes against a stout Washington secondary in Week 2, throwing for 292 yards and adding a 6-yard rushing score. As a 4.5-point home favorite with an implied total of 25, this may be the best situation Prescott will see before Tony Romo returns.