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What to do with Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 3 fantasy football

The 49ers offense looks legit, so does that mean we roll out the Jimmy G train again vs. the Steelers? We look at whether you should play or fade San Fran’s QB on Sunday.

By Benjamin Zweiman
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo warms up before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium.  Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers’ offense may be the most least surprising thing to happen so far this season. On one hand, we know what head coach Kyle Shanahan is capable of, but entering the season there were plenty of question marks on the personnel front. Can Jimmy Garoppolo bounce back from a torn ACL? Who will lead a backfield of Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida and Jerick McKinnon? Who will emerge as the No. 1 receiving option outside of George Kittle? Well, most of those questions are still a bit unclear, but one thing’s for sure: this offense is fun.

Now, when it comes to Jimmy G, it’s safe to say (for now) that he’s OK after the injury. He’s completed 67.3 percent of his passes, posting 462 yards and four TDs through two games, and a cool 104.8 QB rating. As a result — along with a strong running attack and defensive effort in Week 1 — the 49ers have scored 72 points, and crazy enough, Kittle has accounted for 0 of them. Garoppolo is averaging just 17.5 fantasy points per game early on, but last week’s performance and this week’s matchup suggest big outings may be on the horizon.

Fantasy Impact: Now, the 49ers will host the Steelers, who lost QB Ben Roethlisberger for the season due to elbow surgery. Insert Mason Rudolph, who looked decent in relief last Sunday vs. the Seahawks, but is still Mason Rudolph. He’s unproven. So we know Pittsburgh’s offense may struggle to move the ball a bit. The Steelers have also struggled on defense, allowing at least 425 total yards in each of their losses this season. Maybe you’re concerned about the Niners going up early and running the ball, but I don’t think that’s Shanahan’s style and I think the Steelers will put some points on the board. With that, Jimmy G makes for a decent play if he’s your QB1. If you’re streaming, also not a bad idea. He may not have an incredibly safe floor, but the ceiling is high and the matchup is appealing.

Recommendation: Start

All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS contests.

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