Identifying Week 3 sleepers and avoiding potential duds can make all the difference for your team. Whether you’re looking for under-the-radar players poised for a breakout or trying to dodge early-season letdowns, our team of Featured Pros has you covered. In this article, we’ll dive into the key players you should start and those you might want to bench based on expert insights and analysis.
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Week 3 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Advice
Sleepers
Which player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is a good sleeper start, and why do you think he has upside this week?
Alec Pierce (WR – IND)
“Alec Pierce leads the Colts in receiving yards by over 100 yards. He has the 2nd most targets and receptions while also leading the team in WR snaps. He’s 6th in the league in air yards, 2nd in aDOT, and 8th in yards per reception.”
– Brandon ‘B_Don’ Myers (Razzball)
“Alec Pierce had a monster Week 1, and he followed it up with a solid Week 2 finish. He is currently WR58 and Ranked 116 in the half-PPR flex. Pierce is currently the WR8 overall. No, I do not expect him to keep this pace up. But we can’t ignore the usage. His snaps increased from 84% to 95% from Week 1 to Week 2. His targets increased from three to seven targets. He finished with five receptions for 56 yards and one touchdown last week. Chicago is not a great matchup, but Jaylon Johnson won’t be covering him this week. Pierce is heating up and has shown off the upside already. Well worth the flex consideration.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)
“Alec Pierce has delivered two weeks in a row of top 20 WR finishes, with WR8 in week one and WR19 in week two in half-point PPR. Pierce is up against a tougher Bears defensive in week three who are giving up the 11th fewest fantasy points to opposing WRs in 2024; however, he has the most receiving yards, receptions, receiving touchdowns, and the second most targets through the first two weeks of the season for the Colts. Pierce and Anthony Richardson have had a connection early this season. I anticipate Pierce will get some shots down the field, and one long connection could easily have Pierce outperform this WR58, and 6.8 points are projected in half-point PPR going into Week 3.”
– Derek Dennington (The Good Old Boys Fantasy Football Podcast)
Jauan Jennings (WR – SF)
“Jauan Jennings was a popular waiver wire pickup this week, and with Deebo Samuel on the shelf, he’s going to be viable. This week, he has a good matchup (Rams are 22nd vs. WRs), and he saw 54% of the snaps last week. He’s probably more readily available than someone like Quentin Johnston, meaning he’s more likely to help you in a pinch.”
– Kevin Roberts (Breaking Football)
“Jauan Jennings may not be Deebo Samuel, whose 9.0 average yards after the catch is the best among the 97 receivers with 75 or more catches since 2021. But Jennings ranks 38th among those receivers with a 4.6 average YAC. He would start for a lot of teams, and he is a decent fantasy replacement while Samuel misses time.”
– Scott Spratt (FTN)
Hunter Henry (TE – NE)
“A good sleeper start for me is Hunter Henry. Although he likely won’t garner the 12 targets he did in Week 2, he should get a solid 6-10 targets moving forward. With how dire the tight end situation is right now, Henry’s guaranteed targets make him a great sleeper start in Week 3.”
– Trevor Land (FlurrySports)
Tyler Johnson (WR – LAR)
“Tyler Johnson had a quiet Week 2, but with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua now injured, he’s the clear WR2 in LA. He gets a juicy matchup against the 49ers, who have, for the longest time, been most susceptible to opposing wide receivers. It’s also obvious that the Rams will have to chase this game and put points on the board to have any chance against San Fran. He’s not a strong start, but he’s a viable sleeper option.”
– Ben Wasley (The Fantasy First Down)
Rico Dowdle (RB – DAL)
“Rico Dowdle is my upside playing the week. Dowdle elevated his yards per rush from 3.2 in Week 1 to 4.3 in Week 2. He also received four opportunities in the first drive last week. This coaching staff wants Dowdle to be the guy.”
– Joe Pepe (Beyond The Gridiron)
Jalen Nailor (WR – MIN)
“Minnesota receiver Jalen Nailor is ranked as WR65 and 125th overall and is totally off the radar in most leagues. Nailor hasn’t exactly been swimming in targets, but with the Vikings receiving options being limited, he has found himself in the TJ Hockenson end-zone role. He has scored in both games this season and is seeing his role grow each week. He has finished as WR47 and WR23 and is trending upward. This week’s ranking makes him a solid flex option against a Texans defense that is sure to send their best defenders after Justin Jefferson.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Football Universe)
Jordan Whittington (WR – LAR)
“Unfortunately, the Rams will be without their top two wide receivers for at least the next few weeks, making Jordan Whittington an intriguing flex option in deeper leagues. The rookie receiver was a preseason star, averaging 1.7 half-point PPR fantasy points per reception and 0.39 per route run. More importantly, he saw a 47% increase in snaps played from Week 1 to Week 2, the largest improvement on the team. Many believe the rookie is best suited to fill the void left by Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Meanwhile, Whittington faces a San Francisco 49ers defense that has surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season. The rookie will have plenty of opportunities to rack up fantasy points, with Los Angeles likely in a negative game script for most of the game.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
Chase Brown (RB – CIN)
“One of these weeks, Chase Brown is going to pop off a highlight reel TD run, and then that will be it for Zack Moss. This week, the Bengals have a juicy matchup against the Washington Commanders, so we are going to call it, this is going to be the Chase Brown breakout game. He is the far superior talent in the Bengals backfield.”
– Fantasy Football Goonz (Fantasy Football Goonz)
Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC)
“Quentin Johnston is finally back on the fantasy radar and is a good sleeper start in Week 3. It would not surprise me if he becomes Justin Herbert‘s top target. He does not have the best matchup this week against Pittsburgh and will likely face defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. I do look for Johnson to be a valuable wide receiver for fantasy teams for the duration of the season.”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)
Duds
Which player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week?
Najee Harris (RB – PIT)
“I’m not sure how Najee Harris made his way into the top 40. It’s a low scoring offense with only 2 TDs on the season. The Steelers are also splitting snaps among their RBs (and the RB playing QB), and Najee was outsnapped by Jaylen Warren last game.”
– Brandon ‘B_Don’ Myers (Razzball)
Mike Evans (WR – TB)
“After smashing in Week 1, Mike Evans regressed last week, and I expect him to stay down for at least another week. Denver ranks No. 1 against fantasy WRs, and the matchup through the air isn’t super inviting. It’s likely that you need to start Evans, but if you have a suitable option to pivot to, I’d seriously consider it.”
– Kevin Roberts (Breaking Football)
“Mike Evans had a down week in Week 2; I do not anticipate that changing going into Week 3. Evans and the Buccaneers host the Broncos in week three. On the surface, the matchup looks intriguing. The Buccaneers have been good on offense, and the Broncos have struggled as a team for seasons; however, the Broncos have allowed the fewest fantasy points to the opposing team’s wide receivers in the young 2024 season. Mike Evans will play the X receiver primarily in this game, and Patrick Surtain II has limited both DK Metcalf to 29 yards in week one and George Pickens to 29 yards in Week 2. I anticipate Chris Godwin will have a solid fantasy production day out of the slot, and Mike Evans will have a difficult time meeting the WR11 and 12.8 fantasy points in half-point PPR projected production.”
– Derek Dennington (The Good Old Boys Fantasy Football Podcast)
“Mike Evans is the player in the top 40 flex rankings that is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week. He only had 42 receiving yards in Week 2 and faces defensive back, Patrick Surtain, and the Denver Broncos in Week 3. Chris Godwin continues to see more targets for Tampa Bay versus Mike Evans.”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)
DJ Moore (WR – CHI)
“DJ Moore has finished as WR41 and WR30, you may need to consider benching him. The offensive line is not playing well, and Caleb Williams is off to a rough start. The usage is fine, Moore has seen 18 targets in two weeks. But the quality of targets have been pretty poor. Moore has only been able to bring in 11 of those 18 targets for 89 yards. Right now Sleeper has his line at 61.5 yards and Caleb Williams‘s is at 204.5 yards. Williams completions are set at 19.5 and touchdowns are down to 0.5. It’s not good in Chicago. Good news, they get the Rams and Panthers the next two weeks.”
– David Heilman (Sports Gambling Podcast Network)
James Conner (RB – ARI)
“One player I think will disappoint is James Conner. While he ran wild in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams, the Detroit Lions’ offense is much better. The Arizona Cardinals are going to be in a shootout and it’s hard to see much production from Conner unless he finds the end zone. The game script doesn’t help Conner, making him likely to disappoint this week.”
– Trevor Land (FlurrySports)
Malik Nabers (WR – NYG)
“Malik Nabers had a mammoth week against the Commanders, but that’s not surprising. Every wide receiver blows up against Washington. This week, Nabers is visiting the brutal Browns secondary, and it’s hard to see the Giants passing game getting anything going against one of the league’s best pass defenses. I’m not saying you need to sit Nabers, but if you have a viable alternative, I’d consider it.”
– Ben Wasley (The Fantasy First Down)
Aaron Jones (RB – MIN)
“Aaron Jones will be the disappointing player of the week. With Ty Chandler elevating his game last week and a tough opponent in the Houston Texans, it will be challenging for Jones to reach his optimal fantasy projection.”
– Joe Pepe (Beyond The Gridiron)
“We told you to sell high after his Week 1 performance. Aaron Jones has an extensive injury history and is 30. The risk you take rostering him is real. But now Jones is receiving touch competition from Ty Chandler. I can’t lie to you, folks; Chandler looked like the superior back in Week 2. We would bench Jones this week against an elite Texans run D.”
– Fantasy Football Goonz (Fantasy Football Goonz)
D’Andre Swift (RB – CHI)
“D’Andre Swift is a player I’m not going anywhere near in Week 3. The Bears’ offense has looked totally inept for the first two weeks of the season, and with this many mouths to feed and a struggling rookie quarterback, I have no interest in starting an injury-plagued running back on a struggling offense where he is splitting the backfield work with Khalil Herbert and possibly even Roschon Johnson.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Football Universe)
“D’Andre Swift faces a Colts run defense that looks like the best possible running back matchup after the first two weeks. But the former Eagle has averaged an alarming 0.0 yards before contact. And he’s been stuffed on 37.5% of his carries, the highest rate among regular running backs. I’m worried he may be suffering a similar statistical decline as Miles Sanders when he left the standout Eagles offensive line for the lesser Panthers one in 2023. Swift’s yielding of a short touchdown run to Khalil Herbert in Week 2 could be the tip of an iceberg.”
– Scott Spratt (FTN)
Tyreek Hill (WR – MIA)
“Unfortunately, Tyreek Hill’s fantasy outlook took a massive hit with Tua Tagovailoa going on injured reserve earlier this week. The superstar played four games during the 2022 season without Tagovailoa, averaging a 22.4% target share, 26% target per route run rate, and a 36.5% first-round target share (per Fantasy Points Data). However, he only averaged 12.6 fantasy points per game during those four contests, scoring 9.5 or fewer in half the matchups. Meanwhile, Hill faces a Seattle Seahawks defense that has held wide receivers to 15.1 fantasy points per game over the first two weeks, the fourth-fewest in the NFL. Furthermore, Seattle has two of the highest PFF coverage grade cornerbacks this year – Riq Woolen (84.6) and Devon Witherspoon (70.1). Expect Mike Macdonald to do everything possible to shut down Hill.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
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