Sunday's fantasy takeaways: Struggling stars bounce back
After a disappointing start, several players returned to the good graces of their fantasy owners Sunday with long-awaited breakout performances.
-- Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers directed scoring drives on four of his five possessions to finish 15-of-24 passing for 205 yards and four TDs. While it may seem as if the Packers offense hasn't been clicking on all cylinders -- they entered Week 3 ranked 29th in total yards -- Rodgers has now thrown for seven touchdowns to only one interception and run for two more scores.
-- With even his own receivers expressing unahappiness with the passing game during the week, Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian responded by throwing for 312 yards and four TDs in Cincinnati. Emmanuel Sanders was on the receiving end of two scoring tosses, while Demaryius Thomas pulled in another.
-- Held to a total of nine catches and no touchdowns in his first two games, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Allen Robinson was much more involved in the attack this week. He caught seven balls for 57 yards and found the end zone twice.
-- And Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley scored his first two touchdowns of the season as he rushed for 85 yards on 27 carries.
Those performances serve as a reminder that patience is a virtue in fantasy football -- especially when dealing with extremely talented early-round picks.
Mr. Everything
The Cleveland Browns started their third different quarterback in three weeks. But in their desperation, they may have just uncovered a secret weapon in wideout Terrelle Pryor, a former quarterback who took a few snaps from center himself.
Pryor completed 3-of-5 passes for 35 yards, which only added to his totals in a huge game for fantasy owners. He ran the ball four times for 21 yards and a touchdown. And as a wide receiver, Pryor caught eight passes for 144 yards.
It all added up to a 31.9-point fantasy outing in PPR leagues, 23.9 in standard scoring.
Welcome back, Jimmy
The Seattle Seahawks have had difficulty getting on track this season, ranking 26th in the league in total offense over the first two weeks. But they may have found an exciting new weapon in tight end Jimmy Graham. One of the game's most potent weapons during his career with the New Orleans Saints (46 TDs from 2011-14), Graham struggled through an injury-marred 2015 after being traded to the Seahawks.
He had just four receptions for 53 yards in his first two games this season, but exploded for six catches, 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a rout of the San Francisco 49ers.
Dominant defense
Defenses aren't usually the difference in a fantasy matchup, but the Kansas City Chiefs certainly made their presence felt against the New York Jets. The Chiefs forced two fumbles and intercepted Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick six times, returning one of them for a touchdown in a 24-3 victory.
Broad Shoulders Award
Our weekly honor for the player who single-handedly carried his fantasy owners to victory goes to Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Jones. He caught six passes for 205 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including one from 73 yards out just before halftime. In leagues that count receptions in their scoring system, Jones racked up 38.5 fantasy points.