BBNFL Week 3: Ray Davis scores; Bud Dupree nabs second career interception
We are three weeks into the NFL season and for some of you, your fantasy football hopes are already quashed. You may as well trade off the one or two good players you have to actual contenders in your league and refocus your Sundays cheering for former Kentucky players instead. The BBNFL has been action-packed in 2024 with former ‘Cats making big play after big play every week.
This past weekend was no different.
The most heartwarming highlight came via the first career touchdown for Ray Davis. On Monday Night Football, the Buffalo Bills were giving out touchdowns like Oprah gives our cars and the one-time Wildcat was the last player to drive into the endzone. The scoring run came from three yards out, but on the night, Davis rushed the ball seven times for 22 yards and caught the only pass thrown his way for another yard.
Ultimately, the Bills dominated the Jacksonville Jaguars 47-10. Despite his team getting pulverized, Josh Hines-Allen still topped all former Kentucky players in PFF grades in Week 3, coming in at 80.1.
Bud Dupree comes away with his second career interception
Now that Randall Cobb has shifted his talents to the broadcast booth, Za’Darius Smith and Bud Dupree are the longest-serving active players of the BBNFL. Smith and Dupree have been in the league since 2015 and on Sunday, Dupree, now with the Los Angeles Chargers, came away with his second career interception.
It wasn’t quite as graceful as Brandin Echols‘ interception on Will Levis last week, but Dupree came away with the ball off multiple caroms giving the Chargers a much-needed turnover in a tie game.
That’s why you practice the tip drill, kids.
Of course, no Bud Dupree interception will ever top the one he returned for the game-winning touchdown for Kentucky against South Carolina 10 years ago, but this one was cool nonetheless.
Dru Phillips exits the game early with an injury
Dru Phillips played only seven snaps for the New York Giants on Sunday, forced to exit with a calf injury. He did not practice on Monday, putting into question his availability in when the Giants take on the Cowboys on Thursday Night Football on a short week. Let’s hope this is nothing too serious as the rookie out of Kentucky has been an absolute stud early into this professional career.
Phillips’ college and now NFL teammate, Wan’Dale Robinson had a solid outing for the G-men, hauling in seven of his eight targets for 61 yards.
Robinson was a deep threat when he was wearing blue, however, the Giants have chosen to utilize his skills underneath quite a bit. Wan’Dale leads the NFL in targets between zero and nine yards, relying on his Rob Dillingham-like shiftiness to gain yards after the catch.
If you’re lucky, you can probably still pick him up at the top of your fantasy football waiver wire.
Other BBNFL Notes:
- The struggles for Will Levis are mounting quickly. This week, the player whom he beat out for the Tennessee starting job, Malik Willis, showed him up as a member of the Green Bay Packers, getting the win and looking like the better QB. If Levis can eliminate the turnovers (he had three more on Sunday), his great plays will outweigh the bad ones, but Titan fans have yet to see that thus far.
- After being a healthy scratch last week, Jamin Davis returned to the field for the Washington Commanders on Monday night. The former first-round pick played just 15 snaps and finished the game with two tackles. Something is up with Davis and the Washington coaching staff.
- Veteran Bud Dupree got an unconventional interception on Sunday, but fellow veteran Za’Darius Smith went the more traditional route for an edge rusher and got a sack. The Browns fell to the Giants, however, 21-15.
BBNFL snap counts and PFF player grades for Week 3
PFF grades reflect the players’ respective offensive or defensive grades unless the snap count listed is special teams (ST), in which case it is the special teams’ grade.
| Player | POS | Snaps | Stats | PFF Grade |
| Josh Hines-Allen (JAX) | LB | 45 | 2 tackles, 1 assist, 1 QB pressure | 80.1 |
| Dru Phillips (NYG) | DB | 7 | 1 tackle | 76.7 |
| Ray Davis (BUF) | RB | 12 | 7 rushes, 22 yards, 1 TD, 1 rec, 1 yard | 76.4 |
| Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG) | WR | 42 | 8 targets, 7 rec, 61 yards | 73.7 |
| Brandin Echols (NYJ) | DB | 14 (ST) | 1 assist | 71.4 |
| Lonnie Johnson Jr. (HOU) | DB | 14 (ST) | No stats | 68.5 |
| Keidron Smith (DEN) | DB | 11 (ST) | 1 tackle | 66.6 |
| Za’Darius Smith (CLE) | LB | 33 | 3 tackles, 1 sack | 62.4 |
| Luke Fortner (JAX) | C | 2 (ST) | No stats | 60.2 |
| Landon Young (NO) | OL | 1 | 0 pressures allowed | 60 |
| Jamin Davis (WAS) | LB | 15 | 2 tackles | 57.2 |
| Will Levis (TEN) | QB | 54 | 26/34 passing, 260 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 3 rushes, 12 yards, 1 fumble | 54.7 |
| Brenden Bates (NYJ) | TE | 11 | 0 targets | 54 |
| Trevin Wallace (CAR) | LB | 11 | 1 tackle | 49.7 |
| Josh Pascal (DET) | DL | 18 | 0 tackles, 1 penalty | 41.3 |
| Bud Dupree (LAC) | LB | 41 | 1 tackle, 1 QB hit, 1 INT | 41 |
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