Judkins, the running back, has been a letdown through two games. However, Jamey Eisenberg believes he is due to break out in Week 3, when the Panthers come to town. The matchup against Carolina is favorable, especially since Panthers linebacker Devin Lloyd is out with a calf injury. Judkins has top-20 upside in all leagues for Week 3, which gives him a real chance to finally show what he can do.
Judkins’ Rough Start
Judkins has scored 9.8 PPR points or less in each of his first two games against Jacksonville and Tampa Bay. He is averaging 2.2 yards per carry, and his best run was 9 yards against the Buccaneers. That is not the kind of start a sleeper should have.
There is one bright spot in an otherwise difficult situation. Judkins had five catches for 27 yards on five targets in Week 2, which came in the first game without Dylan Sampson, who is out with a knee injury. Eisenberg says he hopes that kind of performance continues in the games ahead.
The Carolina Matchup
The Panthers rank No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and that total is based on one game. D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined for 28 carries for 224 yards and four touchdowns, as well as three catches for 33 yards on three targets. The Bears duo was responsible for most of the damage.
The Falcons’ Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. did not have as much success in Week 2, but they still combined for 27 carries for 123 yards and five catches for 25 yards on six targets. The Panthers’ linebacker Devin Lloyd is out for Week 3 with a calf injury, and Eisenberg says that bodes well for Judkins.
Judkins is a risky opening, which is precisely why his name appears on the list.
The Upside Case
Judkins carries the potential to finish inside the top 20 this week, and the schedule works in his favor. The danger is genuine, though. Judkins has not demonstrated that upside yet, but he possesses the talent to reach that level during this matchup.
DFS Lineup Picks
Eisenberg’s FanDuel lineup for Week 3 features Jacoby Brissett, Christian McCaffrey, Kenneth Walker III, Ladd McConkey, Josh Downs, Devaughn Vele, Trey McBride, Chuba Hubbard and the Bengals defense.
The pairing of Brissett and McBride is one he likes. McBride has caught 38 passes for 378 yards and three touchdowns in his last five games against San Francisco. He has also caught 17 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 23 targets in his last two games against the Chargers and Seahawks.
McCaffrey counters the Cardinals’ stack, and he has six touchdowns from the ground and five touchdowns through the air against Arizona in his past five meetings — 78 carries for 399 yards and six touchdowns, and 30 catches for 305 yards and five touchdowns.
This lineup includes Walker and Hubbard as the other running backs, and both have the potential to produce strong performances in Week 3.
The Numbers Behind the Matchup
The Bears duo of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai was the standout against the Panthers in Week 1. They combined for 28 carries for 224 yards and four touchdowns, and three catches for 33 yards on three targets. That performance gives a sense of what the Panthers allow when they are pushed.
The Falcons’ Bijan Robinson and Brian Robinson Jr. did not match that level in Week 2. They combined for 27 carries for 123 yards and five catches for 25 yards on six targets, a more modest output against the same defense.
Key Facts Box
- Judkins has scored 9.8 PPR points or less in each of his first two games
- He is averaging 2.2 yards per carry
- He had five catches for 27 yards on five targets in Week 2
- Carolina is No. 2 in Fantasy points allowed to running backs
- Devin Lloyd is out for Week 3 with a calf injury
- Judkins has top-20 upside in all leagues for Week 3
Judkins is a gamble. He does not come with a guarantee, but the potential payoff is very real. Should he break out, he could finish as a top-20 running back this week. If he does not, his inconsistency has already been exposed, making him a difficult choice.
Source material: “Jamey Eisenberg's Week 3 Fantasy football sleepers and DFS picks: Quinshon Judkins set for a breakout game,” CBS Sports.
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