Week 3 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Latest Fantasy Football Lineup Advice for Sunday
Week 3 kicked off with a 24-3 New York Jets win over the New England Patriots. It was a great night for New York and a very good one for the fantasy managers of players like Aaron Rodgers, Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson.
Heading into the game, though, it wasn't exactly obvious that the Jets' stars would shine. The Patriots defense played well over the first two weeks, and New England has recently been a tough out for New York.
Heading into Sunday's slate, managers face more tricky situations that could impact lineup decisions.
You'll find a look at some of those situations here, along with start-sit recommendations for some of the week's most daunting matchups.
All analysis is based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.
Start: QB Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Few quarterbacks have been as hot over the first two weeks as Baker Mayfield, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking like a legitimate contender in the NFC.
While it's unlikely that Mayfield will go on to be a league or fantasy MVP, he's morphing into a top-tier streamer who can start in most matchups.
This week's matchup with the Denver Broncos is on the daunting side. Denver has a talented defense and has been a middle-of-the-pack unit against fantasy quarterbacks (15.1 points allowed on average). However, two factors should make Mayfield dependable this week.
For one, Mayfield has added a bit more scrambling to his repertoire this year (55 yards, 1 TD), which should add a few points to his fantasy floor. Secondly, Tampa is still struggling to run consistently, which means their offense goes through the quarterback.
Mayfield might not post top-10 numbers this week, but he shouldn't be a flat-out bust.
Sit: QB Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Due to his scrambling ability, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields has also become a serviceable streamer in 2024. In two weeks, he's produced 273 passing yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and 84 rushing yards.
However, we're fading Fields this week, even in larger leagues. The former Chicago Bears starter has only led one touchdown drive this season, and his fantasy value is largely reliant on that rushing ability.
This week the Steelers will host the Los Angeles Chargers, who rank fifth in rushing yards allowed through Week 3. L.A. has also been terrific against opposing quarterbacks in fantasy.
No team has allowed fewer points (7.4) to the position on average.
Additionally, Fields could face a ton of pressure, as Russell Wilson moves closer to being healthy. One bad performance could potentially lead to Fields losing the starting job.
"Based on the talks I've had with people inside and outside the organization, my sense is that Wilson's stronger command of the offense will give him another shot once ready," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote.
If Fields presses, it could lead to mistakes. If he plays too conservatively, it'll be bad news for fantasy managers.
Start: RB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
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Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor has traditionally been a reliable weekly option because of his PPR floor. However, second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson hasn't regularly gotten him involved in the passing game this year.
Taylor wasn't even targeted in Week 1, and he caught just two passes last Sunday. This week, Taylor will face a Chicago Bears defense that has allowed the 12th-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs.
The good news for managers is that Taylor has still managed to produce this season. He found the end zone in Week 1 and topped 100 rushing yards last week. Even against a stout defensive front, he should produce again in Week 3.
The Bears offense has yet to find a rhythm with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, and there should be little danger of Chicago pulling away early. This should allow Indianapolis to lean on the run throughout the game, which will allow Taylor to compile strong numbers—even if he delivers few chunk plays.
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Sit: RB Devin Singletary, New York Giants
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The New York Giants lost Saquon Barkley in free agency and replaced him with Devin Singletary. While Singletary doesn't have Barkley's upside, he's been a serviceable starter for New York—and, to this point, for fantasy managers.
Singletary tallied four receptions and 52 scrimmage yards in Week 1. He ran for 95 yards and a touchdown in Week 2.
However, Singletary is a very risky play this week against the Cleveland Browns. While Cleveland's defense isn't flawless, it is aggressive and can make life miserable for quarterback Daniel Jones. That could wreck New York's offensive game plan and ultimately leave Singletary with few opportunities.
Despite playing from behind in all of Week 1, Cleveland has faced the eight-fewest rushing attempts through two weeks. It has also allowed the 13th-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs.
Singletary projects as a touchdown-dependent option in Week 3, and Jones can't be counted on to lead many touchdown drives.
Start: WR Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Another positive change we've seen from Mayfield this season is an ability to get multiple receivers involved. He clearly favored Mike Evans in 2023, but he's showing a strong connection with both Evans and Chris Godwin so far this year.
Rookie receiver Jalen McMillan (2 receptions, 53 yards, 1 TD) hasn't been as involved, but he is a threat that must be respected.
Evans caught a pair of touchdown passes in the opener and remains a massive receiving threat. That means he'll likely draft Patrick Surtain II in coverage on Sunday, which should open the door for Godwin.
Godwin has found the end zone in each game so far and has caught no fewer than seven passes. He currently leads the team in targets (16), catches (15) and receiving yards (200)
Surtain is a potential problem, and no team has allowed fewer fantasy points to opposing receivers than Denver. However, Godwin should still provide a high enough floor to justify a flex start in Week 3.
Sit: WR Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
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Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin has traditionally been a reliable fantasy option, but that hasn't been the case with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels under center.
While McLaurin does lead Washington in targets (12) and receptions (8), the offense hasn't placed enough emphasis on pushing the ball down the field. McLaurin's eight catches have yielded just 39 yards.
McLaurin can provide a few PPR points in Week 3, but his ceiling is extremely limited. The Commanders are set to visit the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night, which is a daunting matchup for a rookie quarterback.
The Bengals forced Patrick Mahomes into a pair of interceptions in Week 2 and sacked him twice. Against a first-year signal-caller playing behind a shaky offensive line, Cincinnati should be even more disruptive.
In other words, McLaurin is unlikely to find big plays against a Bengals defense that has allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.
*Fantasy scoring information from FantasyPros.
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