Introducing 4th and Inches, the Ram Sports Editors’ weekly guide for all things NFL. Like an offensive coordinator facing fourth-and-short, picking between winners and losers, or starts and sits, can feel like an impossible choice. Don’t know who to pick? Let us decide for you.
Week 3 Picks:
Games with an asterisk beside them represent our locks of the week
Patriots @ Jets
Jonah (7-9): Patriots
Griffin (7-9): Patriots
Joe (5-11): Patriots
Chargers @ Steelers
Jonah: Steelers
Griffin: Chargers
Joe: Chargers
Texans @ Vikings
Jonah: Texans
Griffin: Vikings
Joe: Texans
Eagles @ Saints
Jonah: Saints
Griffin: Saints
Joe: Eagles
***Broncos @ Buccaneers*** – The Bucs look legit, while the Broncos are still finding their footing with Bo Nix at the helm. By all metrics, the Bucs should glide to victory at home.
Jonah: Buccaneers
Griffin: Buccaneers
Joe: Buccaneers
Packers @ Titans
Jonah: Titans
Griffin: Packers
Joe: Titans
Giants @ Browns
Jonah: Browns
Griffin: Browns
Joe: Browns
Bears @ Colts
Jonah: Colts
Griffin: Bears
Joe: Colts
Panthers @ Raiders
Jonah: Raiders
Griffin: Raiders
Joe: Raiders
Dolphins @ Seahawks
Jonah: Seahawks
Griffin: Seahawks
Joe: Seahawks
Ravens @ Cowboys
Jonah: Ravens
Griffin: Cowboys
Joe: Ravens
Lions @ Cardinals
Jonah: Lions
Griffin: Lions
Joe: Lions
49ers @ Rams
Jonah: 49ers
Griffin: 49ers
Joe: 49ers
Chiefs @ Falcons
Jonah: Chiefs
Griffin: Chiefs
Joe: Chiefs
Jaguars @ Bills
Jonah: Bills
Griffin: Bills
Joe: Bills
***Commanders @ Bengals*** – Despite the heartbreaking way the game ended, the Bengals looked like a playoff team again while on the road against the Chiefs last week. Expect them to harness their anger and newfound momentum to crush a middling Commanders team in front of a raucous home crowd.
Jonah: Bengals
Griffin: Bengals
Joe: Bengals
Fantasy Football:
Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em:
QB
Jonah: Anthony Richardson (Sit) – While Richardson’s highlights are indeed generational, his consistency simply is not. Not only is he averaging a meager 13 completions per game, but his tape reveals that he is also apparently way out-of-sync with his star wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. Couple these facts with the reality that he will be squaring off against a tough Bears defense, and Richardson looks like he may be in for a rough week.
Griffin: Derek Carr (Start) – The Saints QB has scored on every drive he’s led so far this season, and he’s facing one of the worst pass defenses in the league. He’s practically begging you to start him.
Joe: Joe Burrow (Start) – After an underwhelming week one and a decent week two, look for Burrow to break out against a poor Commanders secondary. While his top target, Jamarr Chase, has been neutralized by the Patriots and Chiefs, the Commanders simply don’t have the same answers — expect big numbers from Cincy’s offense for week three.
RB
Jonah: Alvin Kamara (Start) – After two amazing weeks in a row, a lot of people think Kamara may be due for a regression. Those people would be wrong. Stay on the Kamara hype-train, especially considering the Saints are squaring off against the Eagles: a team that running backs have had some success against this year.
Griffin: Jahmyr Gibbs (Start) – Jamyr Gibbs has been a reliable back in his second year. In week three, he goes up against a poor rushing defense in Arizona, so expect him to have elite production.
Joe: Jahmyr Gibbs (Start) – Gibbs has looked explosive in his sophomore campaign, despite having his opportunities cut in half by David Montgomery. Expect a big game from Gibbs, who faces a Cards defense that surrendered 130 rushing yards to the Bills in week one.
WR
Jonah: Garrett Wilson (Sit): In what will likely be a slow, slugfest of a game between the Jets and the Patriots, Garret Wilson will likely not see his normal target share. Couple this with the fact that it will likely be budding superstar Christian Gonzalez covering him for the majority of the game, and I cannot foresee Wilson having a super productive game.
Griffin: Rashid Shaheed (Start) – This pick goes hand in hand with my Derek Carr pick because I truly believe they will torch an inexperienced Eagles secondary. You can count on Shaheed to catch another deep ball in week three.
Joe: Wan’Dale Robinson (Sit) – While Robinson has far surpassed expectations to start 2024, his target share is unsustainable as he enters a matchup with Cleveland’s top-notch secondary.
TE
Jonah: Kyle Pitts (Start) – Hear me out — I know the hype surrounding Pitts has never actually led to solid on-field production, but this might just be the week he breaks out. Not only has his quarterback, Kirk Cousins, seemingly begun to find his stride, but he is also facing a Chiefs defense that has struggled mightily to guard the Ravens’ and Bengals’ respective tight ends.
Griffin: Dalton Schultz (Sit) – The Vikings are coming off of a good defensive outing against the 49ers, and Schultz didn’t show enough on Sunday Night to indicate that he will have success in Minnesota.
Joe: Dalton Kincaid (Sit) – It’s been a sluggish start for Kincaid, and while intuition tells me he’ll progress to the mean, it may not happen against a Jags D that has allowed just two PPR points per game to opposing TEs.
DEF
Jonah: Browns (Start) – They are good and are going up against the Giants. I really don’t think that I need to elaborate any further than that.
Griffin: Browns (Start) – I agree with Jonah. Daniel Jones is so horrible, and the Browns defense has been solid for the last five years. That sounds like a recipe for success to me.
Joe: Raiders (Start) – I would never in good conscience recommend starting the Las Vegas Raiders defense against a team that isn’t the Carolina Panthers, but they’re playing the Carolina Panthers, so, start them!
