Will Fuller always has a chance to make a big play. Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images
The second week is in the books, and I have more sleeper plays for Week 3. Let’s take a peek at how I did last week, and then look ahead to this week’s slate of games. My criteria for a good game is around 100 total yards and/or a TD. Last week was decent considering I’m not picking studs. Here’s how I did in Week 2.
James White (NE): Right, 83 yards with 7 catches in a PPR
James Conner (PIT): Right
Lamar Miller (HOU): Wrong, they got behind early
Dion Lewis (TEN): Wrong
TJ Yeldon (JAX): Wrong
JuJu Smith-Schuster (PIT): Right (Wow)
Cooper Kupp (LA): Wrong, but 12 ppr points didn’t kill you
Mike Williams (LA): Right, thankfully he scored
Brandon Marshall (SEA): Wrong, thought he would get a revenge TD
Eric Ebron (IND): Right
Jack Doyle (IND): Wrong
Jordan Reed (WAS): Wrong, though he's a decent play again this week.
Not a great week going 5-7, but these are sleeper plays. We’ll try and do better this week. I have included some REALLY deep plays, OJ Howard for example, so a lot of these guys should only be used if you're really hurting due to injuries, or you're looking for a good value play in DFS.
Week 3
RB
Jordan Howard (CHI): You’re probably starting him every week, but he has a really nice matchup, so fire him up. Arizona gives up the most fantasy points to RBs this year.
James Conner (PIT): You can’t sit him, and this will probably be the last time he appears in this article. He’s in must-start territory, but I included him because his matchup is terrific. The Bucs give up over 38 FPTS/G to RBs.
Latavius Murray (MIN): With Dalvin Cook out for this week's game, Murray is a nice start. He’s playing the Bills, enough said.
Matt Breda (SF): The Chiefs are a Top 5 matchup for RBs and have already given up 21 receptions to the RB position. Alfred Morris is not much of a receiver.
WR
Keelan Cole (JAX): It’s always dangerous starting a Jags receiver, but he’s a decent play this week. The Titans are giving up over 52 FPTS/G to the receiver position. If you have the stones, and are thin at WR, his matchup suggests he could come through.
Chris Godwin and DeSean Jackson (TB): Hopefully, Ryan Fitzpatrick has a little more magic left in him. The Steelers are giving up a ton of production to WRs. Joe Haden’s return could be an issue, and I don't advise starting both of these guys on the same team.
Will Fuller (HOU): When Fuller plays with Watson usually good things happen. The Giants are pretty decent against receivers by the numbers, but if you need some upside, give Fuller a shot.
Nelson Agholor (PHI): Carson Wentz is coming back, and who else is he going to throw to besides Zach Ertz?
TE
Eric Ebron (IND): Jack Doyle is now officially out for this week's game against the Eagles. Ebron should get an uptick in targets, so he's worth starting this week for sure.
Jesse James (PIT): He’s hard to trust, but his matchup is fantastic. The Bucs are giving up over 20 FPTS/G to TEs. If you're desperate, he's a decent option.
George Kittle (SF): He let us down last week, but we’ll give him another shot. The Chiefs are giving up the 3rd most points to the position.
OJ Howard (TB): He’s a long shot, but the matchup is really good. This is only if you’re stuck and need a TE.
QB
Jimmy Garoppolo (SF): I think Jimmy is worth a shot this week and is a Top 10 option. This should be a shootout with the Chiefs.
Matt Ryan (ATL): Don’t count on him getting two rushing TDs again this week, but he should put up some points against the Saints.
The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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