Joshua Kelley start or sit: Week 3 fantasy football advice

In a battle of winless teams, the Los Angeles Chargers take on the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday, September 24. Kickoff for the Week 3 matchup is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota.

In what is likely to be a high scoring game, the Chargers have ruled out RB Austin Ekeler due to an ankle injury. That opens the door for backup Joshua Kelley, let’s take a look at his fantasy outlook for Week 3.

Fantasy Football analysis: Chargers RB Joshua Kelley

Kelley underperformed last week, finishing with 13 carries on 39 yards in a tough matchup against the Titans defense. The positive, he played 54 of 68 offensive snaps good enough for a 79% usage rate. With Ekeler sidelined again, he gets a much favorable contest against the Vikings.

Start or sit in Week 3 PPR leagues?

Start. The Vikings allow 166 rushing yards per game, ranked 27th in the league. Don’t let the Week 2 let down fool you as the Titans defense is stout against the run. Expect Kelley to have a much better outing against Minnesota.

Kelley shined in Week 1 with 16 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown against Miami, he can certainly mirror that performance. He carries RB2/FLEX potential.

Start or sit in Week 3 standard leagues?

Start. The absence of Ekeler almost makes Kelley a must start this week, especially in a game that has the highest O/U of 54 points. Minnesota allows a generous 4.8 yards per carry to opposing running backs. Lean on Kelley to receive a high snap usage which will likely lead to scoring opportunities.

Player(s) you would start ahead of Joshua Kelley

James Cook had a breakout game last week, it’ll be interesting to see how Buffalo uses him against the Commanders. Isaiah Pacheco also has a good matchup against the Bears this week. Lastly Raheem Mostert looked impressive last week, he has the chance to have an even better performance facing the Broncos.