Week 3 Fantasy Football Rankings: Top Players and Matchups for All Positions
With another week of data points to plot in the NFL season, fantasy rankings are only becoming more reliable. One game can be a fluke, two games can indicate a pattern and three games might mean a trend.
Some patterns have indeed emerged in this nascent season. Unfortunately, injuries have also started to become a factor. Big names at every position, from Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love to Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco to Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua to Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram, and many more, won't be available in Week 3.
Taking all this into account, we'll go over the top rankings at each position heading into Week 3 as well as dive deep into matchups to exploit.
Rankings and scoring projections assume a 12-team redraft league using points-per-reception (PPR) scoring.
Quarterbacks
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Week 3 Rankings and Projections
1. Josh Allen (BUF) vs. JAC
2. Lamar Jackson (BAL) at DAL
3. Jalen Hurts (PHI) at NO
4. Kyler Murray (ARI) vs. DET
5. Patrick Mahomes II (KC) at ATL
6. Joe Burrow (CIN) vs. WAS
7. C.J. Stroud (HOU) at MIN
8. Anthony Richardson (IND) vs. CHI
9. Jayden Daniels (WAS) at CIN
10. Jared Goff (DET) at ARI
11. Brock Purdy (SF) at LAR
12. Baker Mayfield (TB) vs. DEN
Matchups to Exploit
Joe Burrow vs. Commanders: This matchup gets five of five stars from FantasyPros heading into Week 3, and it's not hard to see why. The Commanders defense has looked bleak through two games, giving up 227.5 passing yards per game.
Josh Allen vs. Jaguars: Josh Allen is going to top the QB rankings most weeks regardless of which team he's facing; in Week 3, fantasy managers just happen to have the best of both worlds. Through two weeks, the 0-2 Jags have given up 338 yards to Tua Tagovailoa and 186 to Deshaun Watson.
Running Backs
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Week 3 Rankings and Projections
1. Bijan Robinson (ATL) vs. KC
2. Breece Hall (NYJ) vs. NE
3. Saquon Barkley (PHI) at NO
4. Jonathan Taylor (IND) vs. CHI
5. Jordan Mason (SF) at LAR
6. De'Von Achane (MIA) at SEA
7. Derrick Henry (BAL) at DAL
8. Jahmyr Gibbs (DET) at ARI
9. James Cook (BUF) vs. JAC
10. Alvin Kamara (NO) vs. PHI
11. Josh Jacobs (GB) at TEN
12. James Conner (ARI) vs. DET
Matchups to Exploit
Jordan Mason vs. Rams: FantasyPros actually gives this matchup rating one star, noting that running backs tend to perform worse than their average against the Rams defense. But not that much data has been plugged into those ratings so far this season; meanwhile, we've seen this L.A. defense give up the third-most rushing yards in the league through two weeks, including 91 to the Lions' David Montgomery in Week 1 and 122 to the Cardinals' James Conner last week. Teams have scored at least one rushing touchdown against the Rams in both games so far this year.
De'Von Achane vs. Seahawks: You'd start Achane even if he was playing the league's stingiest run defense through two weeks; that's just how good he's been. He's scored more than 20 points in each of the Dolphins' first two games. In the Week 2 loss to the Bills, Achane led the team in rushing (96 yards on 22 carries) and receiving (69 yards and a TD on 7 receptions) and got four carries in the red zone. The admittedly limited offense is running through him.
Wide Receivers
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Week 3 Rankings and Projections
1. CeeDee Lamb (DAL) vs. BAL
2. Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) at ARI
3. Justin Jefferson (MIN) vs. HOU
4. Ja'Marr Chase (CIN) vs. WAS
5. Rashee Rice (KC) at ATL
6. Mike Evans (TB) vs. DEN
7. Nico Collins (HOU) at MIN
8. Garrett Wilson (NYJ) vs. NE
9. Marvin Harrison Jr. (ARI) vs. DET
10. Davante Adams (LV) vs. CAR
11. Tyreek Hill (MIA) at SEA
12. Chris Olave (NO) vs. PHI
Matchups to Exploit
CeeDee Lamb vs. Ravens: The Ravens have the ignominious distinction of having the poorest-performing secondary through two weeks, giving up 283.5 passing yards per game and a 76 percent completion percentage against. Those numbers have CeeDee Lamb, who's coming off a 90-yard plus score performance against the Saints, salivating.
Ja'Marr Chase vs. Commanders: The matchup is the reason for this start. Chase's quiet outing against the Chiefs in Week 2 (just 7.5 points on four receptions and 35 yards) was surely frustrating for managers, but that's what the Chiefs defense is designed to do. The Commanders, meanwhile, are giving up the 10th-most passing yards in the league through two games.
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Tight Ends
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Week 3 Rankings and Projections
1. Trey McBride (ARI) vs. DET
2. Brock Bowers (LV) vs. CAR
3. Sam LaPorta (DET) at ARI
4. Travis Kelce (KC) at ATL
5. George Kittle (SF) at LAR
6. Dalton Kincaid (BUF) vs. JAC
7. Mark Andrews (BAL) at DAL
8. Kyle Pitts (ATL) vs. KC
9. Dallas Goedert (PHI) at NO
10. Isaiah Likely (BAL) at DAL
11. Zach Ertz (WAS) at CIN
12. Pat Freiermuth (PIT) vs. LAC
Matchups to Exploit
Dalton Kincaid vs. Jaguars: Tight end has been a tricky position to figure out through two weeks of play, from Isaiah Likely outplaying Mark Andrews in Baltimore to Evan Engram completely disappearing in Jacksonville to Travis Kelce having a frustratingly slow start. So why not zag while others zig and put Kincaid into your lineup? He's trending the right direction after catching four of four targets last week for 33 yards and he's set to face a Jaguars secondary that is giving up the third-most receiving yards in the league, 245.5 per game.
George Kittle vs. Rams: Another player who hasn't quite lived up to his ADP through two games, Kittle could have a big week against a Rams defense that's giving up 229 passing yards per game. After posting eight points in Week 1, Kittle came back with 20.6 last week, and he was the 49ers' second-leading receiver behind Deebo Samuel, with seven receptions on eight targets for 76 yards and his first touchdown of the season. Ride that momentum into Week 3.
Rankings and scoring via Fantasy Pros
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