Week 3 is underway, and it looks like several NFL offenses are starting to find some traction on the field.
The first two winners of the week, the Los Angeles Rams and Jacksonville Jaguars, both dropped over forty points on their opponents. And it was their young stars who led the way.
For Los Angeles, 23-year-old Todd Gurley had a career day as a runner and receiver. And 25-year-old Blake Bortles picked the Baltimore Ravens apart all game on the way to a blowout victory across the pond.
Others who went off this week can be found below:
Away | Score | Home | Fantasy Star | |
Rams | 41-39 | 49ers | Todd Gurley | 113 rush yds, 2 TDs, 5 rec, TD |
Ravens | 7-44 | Jaguars | Blake Bortles | 20-of-31, 244 yds, 4 TDs, 18 rush yds |
Saints | 34-13 | Panthers | Drew Brees | 22-of-29, 220 yds, 3 TDs |
Dolphins | 6-20 | Jets | Robby Anderson | 3 rec, 95 yds, 1 TD |
Buccaneers | 17-34 | Vikings | Stefon Diggs | 8 rec, 173 yds, 2 TDs |
Broncos | 16-26 | Bills | Steven Hauschka | 4-of-4 FGs, 2-of-2 XPs |
Browns | 28-31 | Colts | Jacoby Brissett | 17-of-24, 259 yds, 1 TD, 14 rush yds, 2 TDs |
Texans | 33-36 | Patriots | Tom Brady | 25-of-35, 378 yds, 5 TDs |
Steelers | 17-23 | Bears | Jordan Howard | 138 rush yds, 2 TDs |
Falcons | 30-26 | Lions | Devonta Freeman | 106 rush yds, 1 TD, 3 rec, 32 yds |
Giants | 24-27 | Eagles | Eli Manning | 35-of-47, 366 yds, 3 TDs, 2 INTs |
Seahawks | 27-33 | Titans | Russell Wilson | 29-of-49, 373 yds, 4 TDs, 26 rush yds |
Chiefs | 24-10 | Chargers | Kareem Hunt | 172 rush yds, 1 TD |
Bengals | 24-27 | Packers | Aaron Rodgers | 28-of-42, 313 yds, 3 TDs, 1 INT, 23 rush yds |
Raiders | 10-27 | Redskins | Kirk Cousins | 25-of-30, 365 yds, 3 TDs |
Todd Gurley
Gurley had 16 rushing and receiving touchdowns in his first two seasons combined. He had six last season. After the three he scored on Thursday, he has six in 2017 and is on pace for 32.
Now, of course, it'll be tough (probably impossible) to maintain that record pace, but Gurley is off to the fastest start for a skill player since Calvin Johnson in 2011, per SportsCenter:
"Oh man, it's unbelievable," Gurley said after Thursday Night Football (via NFL.com's Jeremy Bergman). "Just going from the first two years not being able to score like that ... Knowing last year I wasn't able to run the ball as efficient, I gotta open my wings up and do something else."
Gurley's wings aren't just open at this point. They're stretched out and carrying a Rams offense that hasn't looked this promising in years.
Blake Bortles
Following an August 18 preseason game, The Ringer's Danny Heifetz wrote that the "beginning of the end of the Bortles experiment in Jacksonville" had been signaled.
And you can't blame him.
Bortles struggled to show quarterback play that was anywhere near inspiring during camp. And since 2014 (his first NFL season), he has 53 interceptions, tied with Philip Rivers for the most in that span, per Pro Football Reference.
But if you were bold enough to stare that history in the face and start Bortles on Sunday, he rewarded you with four touchdowns and 244 yards. And perhaps most importantly, no interceptions.
If he can continue to throw darts like this one shared by the NFL, he could have a new lease on his career:
Stefon Diggs
There was reason for concern for the Minnesota Vikings offense when Sam Bradford went down with a knee injury. Thanks to backup quarterback Case Keenum and superstar receiver Stefon Diggs, those concerns may already be put to rest.
Diggs absolutely blew up the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' secondary all game. He went off for a whopping eight catches, 173 yards and two touchdowns. The NFL shared video of one of his scores:
Diggs is the kind of playmaker who can almost singlehandedly carry an offense. Whether it's Bradford or Keenum behind center, expect him to put up numbers all season long.
New England Patriots fans may be worried about the defense this season, but as long as Tom Brady's running the offense, there should be plenty of optimism in shootouts.
Sunday, he was surgical on his way to 378 yards and five touchdowns. And perhaps most encouraging, he looks to be on the same page as his new weapon, Brandin Cooks.
This 42-yard touchdown strike to Cooks, shared by the NFL, showed how dangerous his speed can be in the open field:
Even with Julian Edelman out for the year, Brady is piling up ridiculous numbers and developing new weapons within this offense. New England is a machine, and it seems like it'll never slow down.
It's tough to imagine a Seattle Seahawks game in which Russell Wilson goes for 30-plus fantasy points and the team still loses. But because of a rare (at least in terms of the last few years) off day from the defense, that's exactly what happened.
Russell went off, connecting on 29-of-49 pass attempts for 373 yards and four touchdowns. The NFL shared one of his scoring strikes to the corner of the endzone:
.@DangeRussWilson.
— NFL (@NFL) September 24, 2017
+ @dougbaldwinjr.
Incredible @seahawks TD. #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/3HP78O5aQD
Performances like these should be few and far between for the Seahawks. If not, Wilson could be forced to play catchup more than usual this season. That, of course, could lead to more big offensive games like this one.
Kareem Hunt
Is this guy ever going to slow down?
Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Kareem Hunt had an absurd 355 yards from scrimmage and five total touchdowns in his first two NFL games.
He continued his unbelievable start with another 183 yards from scrimmage (172 on the ground) to with a rushing touchdown.
He's not just carrying the Chiefs. He's arguably the NFL's most dangerous offensive player right now.
Want some evidence? Check out this game-sealing touchdown run shared by the league:
Hunt's big-play ability gives Kansas City a dynamism it has lacked for seemingly all of the Alex Smith era. As long as he's on the field, defenses have to account for him as a runner or receiver. That opens opportunities up for others all over the field.
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