Week 3 of the NFL season is closing in on us and it looks like it will be a wet Sunday across much of the east coast. A tropical cyclone is forming in the Atlantic and it is predicted to hit the eastern seaboard on Sunday. Exact predictions are, of course impossible at this point, but there’s a good chance there will be rain for the New England Patriots at the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills at Washington Commanders and Indianapolis Colts at the Baltimore Ravens.
Weather needs to be extreme to truly impact games, but when deciding between two players who you like equally, it might be a helpful tie breaker. What we really don’t want to see is 20 mph or higher wind speeds. Rain can cause problems, but unless it is a combination of high winds and rain, we usually don’t want to downgrade our fantasy football players too much.
Helpful weather resources include National Weather Service and Accuweather, among others.
Weather for Patriots vs. Jets in Week 3
Forecast
MetLife Stadium is going to see some rain on Sunday, it just depends on how much and when. The high for the day is 66, with a low of 59, and there is a 98% chance of rain. The highest chance of rain during the game is 80% at kickoff, but then it doesn’t fall below 50% for the rest of the game. There are expected to be 14 mph winds, which aren’t typically problematic, but combined with the rain could see teams forgoing extra point attempts in favor of two-point conversions.
Fantasy/betting implications
This may be the best weather outcome for Jets quarterback Zach Wilson as he may not be called on to throw the ball as much with this weather. We should see New York lean on Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook in this game. Garrett Wilson is a tough start with the weather, but he still should be started in 12-team leagues or higher, despite the forecast. It doesn’t change much for the Pats who have a tough matchup against the Jets’ defense.
Weather for Bills vs. Commanders in Week 3
Forecast
It will be a chilly day at FedEx Field. The high is 67, with a low of 61. There is a 91% chance of rain, and there are flood warnings caused by the storm. There is a 44% chance of rain when the game is scheduled to kick off, so it could be colder and rainy throughout this matchup.
Fantasy/betting implications
I already liked Buffalo running back James Cook’s player props since he had a baby this week and typically players in that situation play well in their next game. The weather favors the ground game, so look for Buffalo to try to establish the run early, even against a tough Washington defensive line.
Weather for Colts vs. Ravens in Week 3
Forecast
There is a high of 67 with a low of 61, and a 91% chance of rain for M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday. The chance of rain during the actual game shifts between 48% and 58%, but the good news is that there isn’t a huge worry about the wind which is expected to stay under 10 mph.
Fantasy/betting implications
The Colts leaned on running back Zack Moss a week ago, and it will likely be more of the same against Baltimore. Starting quarterback Anthony Richardson has already been ruled out with a concussion so it will be Gardner Minshew under center. This move likely lessens the value of the Colts’ secondary wide receivers and I would only have faith in Moss and wideout Michael Pittman Jr. for Indy. Baltimore is used to running the ball so it could be a big day for Gus Edwards and a scrambling Lamar Jackson.