Week 3 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Smartest Matchups to Exploit, Sleeper Plays and More
Through two weeks of the 2024 NFL season, some fantasy football managers are feeling happier than others. There have been plenty of notable injuries thus far, which can have quite the impact on the fantasy landscape, leaving some teams 0-2 in the process.
No matter where a fantasy team stands presently, there's plenty of time to get on track. Or, if you're having better luck than others early in the season, there's time to fall off. So everybody needs to keep a sense of urgency. And the best lineup decisions need to be made.
Another full NFL slate is on the docket for Week 3. Here's some early start/sit advice to help with those upcoming fantasy lineup decisions.
Start 'Em: Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Washington Commanders
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It appears that some early-season rankings may have undervalued Brian Robinson Jr., who is having a strong start as the clear lead back in the Washington Commanders' backfield. The 25-year-old got into the end zone in Week 1, when he amassed 89 total yards. Then, he rushed for a career-high 133 yards in Week 2.
Robinson is getting more touches than veteran Austin Ekeler, and he's making the most of them thus far. It's becoming clear that Robinson will be a key part of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury's scheme moving forward.
In Week 3, Washington has a solid matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, who have allowed 319 rushing yards through two weeks. That makes Robinson a smart fantasy play once again this week.
Sit 'Em: Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos
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Javonte Williams is not performing nearly as well as fantasy managers had hoped through two weeks. The Denver Broncos running back has only 40 yards on 19 carries, an average of 2.1 yards per attempt.
Even though Williams has gotten nine and 16 touches, respectively, over Denver's first two games, the 24-year-old hasn't been doing much with the opportunities. So it's going to be hard to trust him until he can prove a breakout is imminent.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven't been great against the run through two weeks, but their defense should improve moving forward. It could be a challenging matchup for Williams, who hasn't been able to get going.
Start 'Em: Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens
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The Baltimore Ravens' offense has one clear-cut No. 1 pass-catcher: Zay Flowers. The 24-year-old has been targeted 21 times over the first two weeks of the season, turning that into 13 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown.
After getting into the end zone for the first time in this year in Baltimore's Week 2 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, Flowers should carry that momentum into a Week 3 matchup vs. the Dallas Cowboys. The Ravens will likely have plenty of offensive success, as the Cowboys have given up 61 points so far this season (the third most in the NFL).
Flowers needs to be in all lineups moving forward, with him serving as the No. 1 option for quarterback Lamar Jackson. In Week 3, he should put up another big scoring output.
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Sit 'Em: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
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There has been a lot to like about Jacksonville Jaguars rookie wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. through two weeks. He scored his first NFL touchdown in Week 1, then racked up 94 receiving yards in Week 2.
The 21-year-old could eventually be an every-week fantasy starter. However, Thomas has only been targeted eight times so far, and he's mostly been serving as a deep threat.
That may not bode as well in Week 3, when the Jags take on the Buffalo Bills, who haven't been giving up many long passes. It may be best to leave Thomas on the bench for this matchup and then deploy him again when there's a more favorable spot.
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