Photo: Kirby Lee, USA Today Sports

BUYING

Andre Ellington RB AZ

After an early season scare with a foot injury that threatened a multi-week abscence, Ellington has suited up for all three games and his total snaps (and snap percentage) have increased in each of them: 39 (53%), 44 (64%), 52 (75%). With a Week 4 bye ahead, his health should be a non-issue and he has performed admirably while playing through the discomfort to the tune of a 4.48 yards-per-carry on 46 rushes. His current touches would also translate to a hefty 293 over a full season, which would be enough for him to produce as a borderline RB1. The absence of a touchdown from his stat sheet, coupled with the injury concern still looming over his head, presents a nice opportunity to trade for him at a discounted price.

Ben Tate RB CLE

When healthy, Tate will slide right back in atop the Cleveland depth chart and he is expected to return following the Week 4 bye. The two rookie backs have proven capable and so he may no longer be the workhorse back that the team intended to use him as, but 15+ touches per week are still within reason. His injury history may leave some owners quesy, but as a talented player in a run-first offense, he'll be an RB2 from the get-go upon his return.

DeAngelo Williams RB CAR

There was no sweet talking in the early diagnosis of Jonathan Stewart's injury as Carolina termed it as a "severely sprained knee." It's safe to assume that he will miss at least a few weeks. Mike Tolbert has also been placed on the Injured Reserve with the Designated to Return tag after suffering a hairline fracture in his left leg. On top of that, their No. 3 running back, Fozzy Whittaker, remains sidelined with a quadriceps injury that is considered week-to-week. In summary, this backfield has been devestated by injuries, but the team is optimistic that Williams will return to action this weekend. The Panthers can't afford to ease him back either, leaving the potential for 20+ touches per game over these next several weeks, which sends Williams ascending up the rankings to an RB2.

Eddie Lacy RB GB

Over the first three weeks of the season, Lacy has tallied zero touchdowns and totaled only 113 yards on 36 carries. Don't be discouraged by his performance so far though as those struggles should have been seen coming since the preseason. The schedule is about to open up, starting with a matchup versus a Chicago Bears defense that has allowed opposing backs to walk all over them dating back to last season. Lacy is the same player as he was heading into the year, a mid-RB1 with touchdown opportunities aplenty in this high-octane offense. Stay the course and target him as a terrific buy-low candidate.

Matt Forte RB CHI

Forte is off to a slow start on the ground with just 146 yards and no touchdowns on 42 carries, which includes two tough matchups versus the San Francisco and New York Jets run defenses. While he has been involved in the passing game with 145 yards and 19 receptions on 22 targets, he has also failed to record a touchdown through the air. Like Lacy, his schedule is about to ease up and the touches (20.3 per game) will keep coming. With Jamaal Charles hurt, Adrian Peterson inactive, and LeSean McCoy's offensive line in dire straights, Forte has risen to rank as the No. 1 running back in PPR formats, remaining only behind McCoy in STD.

Demaryius Thomas WR DEN

For a wide receiver that was ranked by the overwhelming majority to finish second only to Calvin Johnson at the position, his current rankings of 37th and 36th in STD and PPR formats resepctively are disappointing. The targets have been there (27), but he's managed to only reel in 13 of them for 141 yards and just one touchdown. Following the Week 4 bye, his catch-rate and yards-per-reception should begin to normalize, the toughest matchup (Seattle) is behind him, and he remains among the elite WR1s.

Rob Gronkowski TE NE

After averaging just 33 snaps per game in the first two weeks, Gronkowski played 46 this past Sunday, catching three of six targets for 44 yards and a touchdown. Perhaps more notable than the increased snaps is the fact that he's been asked to block more, which is a greater indication of New England's view on where his limitations stand. He's an elite TE1 and for those owners that are in the market for one, you've been granted with another week to send your best offers before Gronkowski blows up for a monster stat line.

SELLING

Giovani Bernard RB CIN

If you held onto Bernard last week, you benefited from another good fantasy performance that was greatly attributed to his two rushing touchdowns. However, once again, it was an inefficient day on the ground with only 47 yards on 14 carries. His season yards-per-carry has now dropped to 3.36 and his career yards-per-carry, including playoffs, to 3.91. Meanwhile, Jeremy Hill notched another 39 yards and a touchdown on just seven carries, continuing to earn a larger role. Bernard will still get enough touches thanks to his use as a receiver to perform as an RB1 this season, but he's closer to the bottom of that tier than where he currently stands at the top.

Stevan Ridley RB NE

Sunday's performance (61 total yards on 19 carries and one reception) wasn't what we had hoped for, but at least the volume of touches was there. With 20 or more touches in back-to-back games, a feat that he may not accomplish again this season, it would be a smart time to trade your stock in Bill Belichick's impossibly tough to predict backfield. Ridley remains just a volatile RB2/Flex play in STD leagues and a troubling start in PPR.

Terrance West RB CLE

News on Ben Tate's recovery has been relatively quiet, but he is expected to return to action following Cleveland's Week 4 bye. If you're still holding onto West, the absence of news on Tate has offered you a small extension on your selling window. Clearly out-performed by Isaiah Crowell, who has now worked his way into a near 50-50 split (31 snaps to 28 snaps in West's favor last week), the next time that Tate gets injured, it could very well be Crowell that is the handcuff to own. The two backs would likely still hold each other down to RB3 value though.

Zac Stacy RB STL

After totaling 71 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries in Week 2, Stacy followed that up with 12 rushes for 67 yards against Dallas, while being surprisingly involved in the passing game, catching five of six targets for 54 yards. That matchup versus the Cowboys was the easiest on his schedule though, which is about to toughen up exponentially, and through three weeks, he's only played on 51.2% of the snaps. For comparison, he played on 77.2% of the snaps after becoming the lead back in Week 5 of last season. With a Week 4 bye, you'll have an extended window to sell high and his value would increase if you're able to soak up that bye week yourself.

Emmanuel Sanders WR DEN

Although he has yet to find the end zone, Sanders has averaged 8.3 receptions and 111.3 yards per game, which has been good enough to place him sixth in PPR and 13th in STD scoring among wide receivers. Demaryius Thomas' production and Wes Welker's role will undoubtedly begin to grow following the Week 4 bye. If you're content with Sanders as your WR2, he should continue to perform at that level, but now would be the time to sell if you're a ruthless owner that prefers to capitalize on every opportunity.

John Brown WR AZ

With Michael Floyd and Larry Fitzgerald firmly entrenched as the starters, Brown is stuck as the No. 3 receiver, but thanks to three touchdown grabs, he currently sits as 25th among wide receivers in STD scoring. When you look past thre touchdowns, Brown has only nine receptions and 109 yards to his name through three games. Once the touchdowns regress, and they will, Brown will be left stranded as no more than a WR5.

Steve Smith WR BAL

Smith refuses to slow down and has now racked up 290 yards, one touchdown, and 18 receptions on 32 targets through three games. Even with that torrid start, he continues to see less snaps than Torrey Smith (51 to 59 snaps per game), which indicates that the younger Smith remains the team's No. 1 receiver. The elder's current production, which currently has him ranked among the top-six wide receivers, is clearly unsustainable and he should settle in as no more than a WR3.  

WAIVER PICKUPS

Kirk Cousins QB WAS

Cousins could not have picked two better defenses to open up his own season against than Jacksonville and Philadelphia. In those two games, he's averaged 338.5 yards, 2.5 touchdowns, and just 0.5 interceptions per game in the air. Regardless of the level of competition, he would likely have to fall on his face before Robert Griffin III III regains the starting job. The New York Giants formidable defense will pose as a test for Cousins, but with plenty of plus matchups remaining on the schedule, there's bound to be a few more top-12 weeks for the quarterback. He should be picked up in all leagues, especially by those owners who chose to go the streaming route.

Lorenzo Taliaferro RB BAL

Baltimore invested a fourth round pick in this past draft in Taliaferro - a price that denotes the back as more than just a flier. Justin Forsett is the best option on the team, but OC Gary Kubiak clearly does not view him as a lead back, preferring to use him in a third-down COP role. Prior to suffering  the thigh injury that kept Pierce sidelined for this past week, he has been entirely unimpressive and even if he's handed the lead role, his leash won't be long. Should the struggles continue, which can be expected, the team should not hesitate to give Taliaferro an extended look after the rookie impressed with 91 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries last weekend.

Allen Robinson WR JAC

After being drafted in the second round, a hamstring injury slowed his development and he found himself at No. 4 on the wide receiver depth chart. The injury bug has found itself rotating throughout the Jacksonville receiving corps though, which has helped Robinson's snaps to increase in all three games so far. His snap total reached a high of 43 last week, when he totaled 79 yards and seven receptions on 10 targets. That now makes back-to-back games with at least four receptions and 75 yards. Robinson possesses the best skill-set of the group to play on the outside and with Marqise Lee expected to miss at least one more game, he'll have another opportunity to lock down more snaps going forward. For those in need of receiver depth, he can be inserted as a WR4 this week.

Eddie Royal WR SD

While Danny Woodhead wasn't expected to catch 76 passes again, like he did in 2013, he was expected to play a large role in the passing game and tallied five receptions through the first two games before succombing to a season ending injury. Philip Rivers will now have to look elsewhere when dumping off passes and the next in line is Royal, who played on a season-high 71% of San Diego's snaps this past weekend. Through three games, Royal now has 12 receptions, 120 yards, and two touchdowns on 20 targets. His snaps and targets should be high enough going forward for WR4 consideration in deeper PPR leagues.

Larry Donnell TE NYG

With three weeks in the books, Donnell sits atop the New York Giants receivers in targets (23) and receptions (18). He's earned Eli Manning's trust and currently ranks 12th among tight ends in STD and eighth at the position in PPR. With a matchup versus Washington on deck, who opposing teams have attacked through the air, Donnell will be a TE1 and is still available on the waiver wire in the majority of leagues.

Travis Kelce TE KC

Oozing with high-end TE1 upside, Kelce has seen his snaps rise in each of the three games: 19 to 32 to 47. He's also recorded at least three catches in every game with his totals standing at 10 catches, 166 yards, and one touchdown on 15 targets - stats that are good enough to place him 11th and 12th among tight ends in STD and PPR scoring respectively. With his playing time trending upward and the Kansas City receiving crown up for grabs, he needs to be rostered and should even be started in most leagues.

*All snap counts and targets in this article are courtesy of ProFootballFocus.com

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