Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 3: Smart Matchup Plays, Sleepers and More

Every fantasy football enthusiast is aware which players must be started on a weekly basis. Benching the likes of Peyton Manning, LeSean McCoy or Calvin Johnson due to an unfavorable matchup simply isn't wise. However, fringe players and spot starters continue to plague fantasy owners on a weekly basis.

We've had some unexpected results through two weeks of the 2014 NFL season, and with that comes unexpected fantasy performances. Some players who were expected to have big seasons have fallen out of the limelight. Conversely, some previously unheralded players have suddenly taken the fantasy spotlight.

Will we see favorable matchups allow struggling players to rebound in Week 3? Should we rush to the waiver wire to pick up a certain sleeper poised for a big game? Let's go ahead and answer those two questions, and rank the top 10 players at each position, before Week 3 gets underway.

Solid Week 3 Matchup Players

Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons

Scott Iskowitz/Getty Images

The Buccaneers haven't exactly started the year with a bang offensively. The team ranks 28th in total offense after two disappointing outings. While rookie Mike Evans hasn't produced much to this point—he's recorded nine receptions for 86 yards—he's likely to break out in Week 3 against the Falcons.

Atlanta currently owns one of the league's worst passing defenses after being torched by the New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals in consecutive weeks. Even though Cincinnati lost A.J. Green in Week 2, Mohamed Sanu was able to easily pick up the slack, recording three receptions for 84 yards and a score.

The Falcons had difficulty containing the physical Sanu—just as they did against Marques Colston in Week 1—so we can expect that trend to continue in Week 3 against the 6'5", 231-pound Evans who will have a chip on his shoulder after the way Tampa Bay's Week 2 contest ended.

Stevan Ridley, New England Patriots vs. Oakland Raiders

Jim Mone/Associated Press

Ridley hasn't been the most reliable of running backs in recent years. His fumbling issues continue to make him a risky start due to head coach Bill Belichick's limited tolerance for turnovers. Ridley didn't do much in Week 1, but was a huge factor in Week 2, leaving fantasy owners wondering what to expect in Week 3.

Well, a conclusion can be easily drawn here. Ridley has yet to fumble this year, and the Patriots were able to establish the run against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 by handing the ball to Ridley 25 times. This resulted in winning the time-of-possession battle and pummeling the home team by a score of 30-7.

Expect the Patriots to employ that strategy once more in Week 3—this time against an Oakland Raiders team that is allowing an average of 200 rush yards per game this season.

Notables

Player	Pos.	Team	Opponent
Jeremy Hill	RB	Cincinnati Bengals	Tennessee Titans
Delanie Walker	TE	Tennessee Titans	Cincinnati Bengals
Sammy Watkins	WR	Buffalo Bills	San Diego Chargers
Cordarrelle Patterson	WR	Minnesota Vikings	New Orleans Saints
Ahmad Bradshaw	RB	Indianapolis Colts	Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 3 Sleepers

Evan Vucci/Associated Press

Sleepers can make or break a fantasy team on any given week. Gambling on one of these players is an incredibly high risk, but could also yield nice rewards. There were a few players who proved they can be viable fantasy options in Week 2, and based on their teams' current situations could continue that trend in Week 3.

While not every sleeper is worthy of a start just yet, there are some that should most certainly be plucked off the waiver wire immediately. Here's a look at the top 10 sleepers to keep a keen eye on.

Player	Pos.	Team	Week 2 Production
Niles Paul	TE	Redskins	8 rec., 99 yds., 1 TD
Allen Robinson	WR	Jaguars	4 rec., 75 yds.
Kirk Cousins	QB	Redskins	22/33, 250 yds., 2 TD
Terrance West	RB	Browns	68 rush yds., 22 rec., yds., 1 TD
Knile Davis	RB	Chiefs	79 rush yds., 26 rec. yds., 2 TD
Travis Kelce	TE	Chiefs	4 rec., 81 yds.
Miles Austin	WR	Browns	6 rec., 44 yds., 1 TD
Bobby Rainey	RB	Buccaneers	144 rush yds., 30 rec. yds.
Brian Quick	WR	Rams	7 rec., 74 yds.
Danny Woodhead	RB	Chargers	32 rush yds, 28 rec. yds.

Week 3 Positional Rankings

AJ Mast/Associated Press

Fantasy rankings simply wouldn't be complete without a list of the top players at each position. Here's a look at who is likely to produce big days for their fantasy owners in Week 3.

Quarterback	Running Back	Wide Receiver
Tight End	Defense	Kicker
Drew Brees	LeSean McCoy	Calvin Johnson
Peyton Manning	Adrian Peterson	Jordy Nelson
Aaron Rodgers	DeMarco Murray	Julio Jones
Matthew Stafford	Giovani Bernard	Demaryius Thomas
Matt Ryan	Arian Foster	Brandon Marshall
Andrew Luck	Eddie Lacy	Andre Johnson
Nick Foles	Alfred Morris	Dez Bryant
Andy Dalton	Frank Gore	Reggie Wayne
Colin Kaepernick	Stevan Ridley	Michael Crabtree
Philip Rivers	Bobby Rainey	Alshon Jeffery
Jimmy Graham	Patriots	Stephen Gostkowski
Julius Thomas	Bengals	Dan Bailey
Antonio Gates	49ers	Cody Parkey
Kyle Rudolph	Texans	Blair Walsh
Martellus Bennett	Panthers	Adam Vinatieri
Zach Ertz	Colts	Greg Zuerlein
Jordan Cameron	Dolphins	Matt Bryant
Travis Kelce	Bears	Mason Crosby
Delanie Walker	Ravens	Shayne Graham
Greg Olsen	Browns	Justin Tucker