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Is it time to give up on Arian Foster? - @Rulas_5 (via Twitter)
Michael Fabiano: I'm not sure how you give up a running back who cost you a first-round selection, at least not after three games. Foster did have a bad stat line in Week 3, and this week's matchup against the Seattle Seahawks is anything but favorable. Still, you would have to have a boatload of depth at running back to bench Foster. Here's another thing to keep in mind - no one expected Foster to have a fast start to the season after he missed all of training camp and the preseason due to injuries. My advice for now? Ride the storm.
I have C.J. Spiller, Steven Jackson and Stevan Ridley! Should I look to trade them all now? - T. Karsten (via Facebook)
M.F.: Ouch. The problem here is that all three of these players are buy-low candidates, which means their individual value is on the decline. As a result, you're not likely to get fair market value in a trade. There is some good news with Spiller, who left last week's game with an injured thigh - not an injured knee - and is expected to be available for an upcoming contest against the Baltimore Ravens. Much like fantasy leaguers who have Foster, you would need a ton of depth at running back to bench Spiller as long as he's active. You can go out and grab Jason Snelling or Jacquizz Rodgers to at least help out while Jackson is out - both runners performed well in a loss to the Miami Dolphins - but can you trade a runner whose return date is uncertain? I'm not so sure. As for Ridley, he's fallen to risk-reward status as a No. 2 running back after losing carries to LeGarrette Blount last week. Keep in mind, though, that a lot of those carries came in the fourth quarter when the Patriots were looking to kill the clock. Next up is a contest with the Atlanta Falcons, who have allowed 14.67 fantasy points per game to running backs.
What is going on with Marshawn Lynch? - @LoganHearsey (via Twitter)
M.F.: You're right to be disappointed, as Lynch has posted two bad stat lines in his first three games. With that being said, he also had some bad luck against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Lynch came up just a foot short of scoring a touchdown twice in the contest, and he was later pulled out of the game with his team ahead 31-7. Those sort of scenarios are just something you can never predict. Overall, the man called "Beast Mode" remains a No. 1 fantasy runner for this week's matchup against the Houston Texans.
What should I do with Colin Kaepernick? - C. Redman (via Facebook)
M.F.: When I saw that Vernon Davis was inactive last week, I admit to being a little worried about Kaepernick. The loss of his top option in the pass attack was clearly an issue, as he threw for a mere 150 yards with no touchdowns in a loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He has now produced two bad stat lines in a row, and a short week against the St. Louis Rams does nothing but make him more of a risk. I would have more confidence in Kaepernick on Thursday night if Davis were active, but until then fantasy leaguers need to temper expectations. On a positive note, the Rams have allowed an average of more than 20 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks after three weeks.
What are your thoughts on Josh Gordon? Would you rather own him or Kenbrell Thompkins? - @bobstindt (via Twitter)
M.F.: I was a fan of Gordon coming into the season, but I can also tell you I didn't see him posting 22.80 fantasy points in his first game back from a two-game suspension. I also didn't see that happening with Brian Hoyer under center. Regardless, Gordon is a serious playmaker with big upside who needs to be owned in all fantasy leagues. And yes, I would prefer to have Gordon on my fantasy roster than Thompkins at this point.
With a lot of big-name quarterbacks struggling, is it time to start streaming them just like defenses? - S. Proper (via Facebook)
M.F.: I think that depends on your quarterback. There's no chance I would consider streaming the position if I have Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees or Peyton Manning, for example. However, owners who have the likes of Matthew Stafford, Tony Romo or Russell Wilson (to name a few) are more likely to utilize the streaming philosophy. Just keep in mind that a good matchup doesn't always mean a good stat line for mid-to-low tiered signal-callers. Think about this past week - Sam Bradford, Andy Dalton, Eli Manning and Alex Smith all had tremendous matchups on paper, but none of them scored even 15 fantasy points. So when in doubt, I would still stick with the field general who, as Elliot Harrison likes to say, has more "skins on the wall."
I have Trent Richardson - is it a good idea to grab Ahmad Bradshaw? - @Adanpeterson20 (via Twitter)
M.F.: If you lack for running back depth, picking up Bradshaw as a handcuff for Richardson makes all the sense in the world. Also keep in mind that the offense of coordinator Pep Hamilton needs two runners to find true success in the ground game, so Bradshaw will have some flex-starter appeal in some leagues - especially during the bye weeks. Make no mistake, though, that Richardson is going to be the featured back in this offense once he's up to speed with the play book. That should start as soon as this weekend against the Jaguars.
Who should I start at quarterback moving forward - Andrew Luck, Philip Rivers or Russell Wilson? - Z. Bolinger (via Facebook)
M.F.: Unless you have very deep rosters, I wouldn't keep three quarterbacks. That means either trading (Wilson is a good sell-high option right now) or dropping (Rivers) one of them. I am personally a huge fan of Luck and would keep him in my starting lineups most of the time. That includes Week 4, as he faces a favorable matchup against the Jaguars.
Should I keep Chris Johnson in my starting lineup? He can't seem to find the end zone. - @Kevindeda (via Twitter)
M.F.: At this point, who can you replace Johnson with? The running back position is extremely shallow overall, and you're not going to find much value at the position on the waiver wire if you're in a competitive league. You should also keep in mind that Johnson was not going to re-emerge into an elite fantasy runner - he should have been drafted as a No. 2 back, and he's producing much like a No. 2 back after three weeks. With the byes coming up, it's going to be tough to bench Johnson even when the matchup isn't an attractive one. He faces the New York Jets next.
Is Justin Blackmon a good pickup off the waiver wire? The quarterback position in Jacksonville is a mess! - H. White (via Facebook)
M.F.: No doubt about it. I can tell you this - there isn't likely to be a more talented wide receiver on the fantasy free-agent market than Blackmon. He's also going to be one of the most sought after players off the waiver wire heading into Week 5, so it makes a whole lot of sense to get ahead of the curve and get him now.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
