Bandwagon Riding - Week 3

As is always the case, the NFL regular season is filled with players who surprised the experts by how well  they played.

So how should you respond to these surprising performances? Should you jump on the bandwagon or allow the opportunity to pick up these players pass you by.

Our fantasy coaches, Trip Smith and Bryce Johnson, share their thoughts below.

Let's do a little bit of bandwagon riding. We'll do a couple of players, whether we're going to jump on or off the bandwagon here we go. Off the bandwagon, it's time for bandwagon riding — getting on, getting off, make up your mind. All right, here we go.

Panthers bandwagon riding: Andy Dalton, are you jumping on or off? Do you want him on your fantasy rosters? I'll say yes, with some inconsistency from some of these guys and with bye weeks coming up, I think Andy Dalton is worth having. I don't think he's going to put up the huge numbers that he did on Sunday; that was a nice coming out party. I think they'll rely on the run game most weeks, and they don't play the Raiders every week, but I like Andy Dalton. I'm jumping on the bandwagon, no doubt about it. Dependable quarterback. You notice how Canales revitalized Baker Mayfield's career last year, and I think Dalton could continue to look good throughout this season.

All right, let me throw out some other quarterbacks. You tell me on or off: Daniel Jones, Bo Nix, Aaron Rodgers. All these guys had very nice weeks: Daniel Jones, back-to-back weeks over 20-22 points, zero interceptions. Aaron Rodgers was lighting it up the other night. Bo Nix, running the ball and throwing and Cortland Sutton had a nice game.

I think if Sean Payton can unlock the game plan for how to use Daniel Jones best as a quarterback, he could be a serviceable, weekly plug-in guy. Aaron Rodgers, you're starting to see little signs of the Jets figuring it out on offense, and if he stays healthy, I think he could be very good. He's the one that I’m most trying to catch that bandwagon and jump on before it leaves the station. I'm intrigued by Bo Nix a little bit. I’m leaning toward jumping on his bandwagon.

With Rodgers and the Jets, they've got to run the ball with Breece Hall. As the season goes on, they have to lean on him more instead of relying on Rodgers to light it up every week.

Some receivers to talk about: are you jumping on or off their bandwagon? Amari Cooper, Rome Odunze, Calvin Austin III. Amari Cooper finally wakes up with a monster day for the Browns; Rome Odunze has a breakout game as a rookie; and Calvin Austin III, Steelers wide receiver, had over 20 points this week, four catches, 95 yards, and a touchdown.

I'm on Rome Odunze's bandwagon, and there’s no way I’m jumping on the Browns' bandwagon. No Browns on my team. What about you?

Amari Cooper will be a good wide receiver consistently when DeShaun Watson gets benched, which is coming, but you might have missed your chance to buy low on him. He was dropped in one of my leagues, and I picked him up this week. I feel pretty good about that. Rome Odunze? I just don't think you know what's going to happen when all three of their receivers are healthy. He is a good real-life receiver, but when Keenan Allen comes back, and DJ Moore keeps getting upset about his lack of targets, it'll be hard to start him in fantasy with confidence. Calvin Austin? Why not? The Steelers need someone else to be a receiver, so he’s someone to have on your bench and see what happens.

Speaking of the Bears, I’m jumping on the Roschon Johnson bandwagon because he's been running back 33, averaging just over 10 points per game. Swift is only averaging six and a half points, and there’s no loyalty to Swift. They brought him in this year, but we've seen him in and out of lineups over the last couple of years with injuries. Roschon Johnson is the second guy, and I think I’m buying in. I'm jumping on that bandwagon.

I think I mentioned him earlier, Jalen Tolbert with Dallas — I think he’s worth taking a look at and picking him up on waivers.