NFL Week 3 Fantasy Football 2025 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

Chicken Little was right! The sky is falling! The end is near! It's all over!

Those are the thoughts racing through the minds of fantasy managers who have started the 2025 campaign 0-2. There are any number of reasons why some managers are struggling. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was invisible in Week 1 and saw his fantasy season effectively ended by a toe injury in Week 2. The Las Vegas Raiders have decided that handing the ball to running back Ashton Jeanty is just dumb. More than a few big-name receivers are in the Witness Protection Program.

There are problems galore—problems that have caused some to come out of the gate and promptly fall flat on their fantasy faces.

However, there's still plenty of time to turn things around, peel off a couple of victories and get back to .500. There's just less margin for error. Have to start the guys set to blow up and sit the ones who will just blow.

If only there was a resource that told you which was which.

That would be super-helpful.

Author's Note: "Starts" have a started percentage at NFL.com of less than 60 percent or do not exceed a maximum DFS salary threshold at DraftKings. "Sits" have a started percentage over 70 percent or exceed a minimum salary threshold. "Sleepers" have a started percentage of less than 30 percent or don't exceed an even lower salary threshold.

Quarterbacks

AP Photo/Lynne Sladky

Patriots QB Drake Maye

Start 'Em

Drake Maye, New England Patriots [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,300]

Maye was tabbed as a potential breakout candidate this season, and to date he's been quietly solid—eighth in fantasy points among signal-callers two weeks into the season. As odd as it feels to write this, the Steelers are a defense to attack right now—29th in total defense and 25th against the pass.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (at CHI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,900]

Prescott bounced back from a pedestrian Week 1 last week against the New York Giants, surpassing 350 yards through the air. It's still early in the season, but so far the Bears look the part of a delicious matchup for quarterbacks—Jared Goff just shredded them to the tune of 334 passing yards and five touchdowns.

Sit 'Em

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. DEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,200]

Given the carnage under center this week, sitting fantasy football's fifth-ranked quarterback after two games likely isn't feasible for many managers. But the Broncos have one of the best secondaries in the NFL, and Denver has allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.

Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (at SF) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,100]

The Cardinals are 2-0, but that's as much in spite of Murray as because of him—he's 17th in fantasy points at his position two games into the season. Now Murray has to hit the road to take on a 49ers defense that held Murray under 200 passing yards the last time he traveled to Santa Clara.

Sleeper

Carson Wentz, Minnesota Vikings (vs. CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,000]

It takes a hearty soul to trot out Wentz, who hasn't had even 200 passing yards in a game since he was with the Washington Commanders in 2022. But there is no shortage of passing-game weapons in Minnesota, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell is the quarterback whisperer, and the Cincinnati defense is scaring exactly zero people.

Running Backs

AP Photo/Morry Gash

Packers RB Josh Jacobs

Start 'Em

Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings (vs. CIN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,400]

Aaron Jones Sr. has landed on injured reserve with a bad hamstring, which means a featured back workload for Mason for at least the next four games. The first of that quartet of contests should be a good one—the Bengals have given up more PPR points to running backs this year than any team in the AFC.

Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots (vs. PIT) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,300]

Stevenson owned the New England backfield in last week's win over the Miami Dolphins, out-touching TreVeyon Henderson 16-5 and racking up 142 total yards. This week the Patriots take on a reeling Pittsburgh Steelers defense allowing 149.5 rushing yards per game—fifth-most in the league.

Sit 'Em

Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers (at CLE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $7,000]

The volume has been there for Jacobs—42 carries in two games. The 27-year-old has found the end zone in both games this season. But Jacobs is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry, Cleveland's run defense is surrendering just 45.5 yards per game and the Browns just held Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens under 25 yards on the ground.

Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams (at PHI) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,400]

Williams is off to a start that is neither freezing-cold nor red-hot—he ranks just outside the top-20 in PPR points two games into the season. It's not going to get any better Sunday in Philadelphia—the Eagles have long been a difficult team to run on, and the Rams are playing their second straight game in the Eastern time zone.

Sleeper

Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks (vs. NO) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,800]

After out-pointing Kenneth Walker III in the season opener, Charbonnet's Week 2 was ungood—15 carries for 10 yards while Walker topped 100 yards on the ground. Look for Charbonnet to rebound in Week 3 against a winless Saints team that has struggled to stop the run dating back to 2024.

Wide Receiver

AP Photo/Ryan Sun

Bears WR D.J. Moore

Start 'Em

Marquise Brown, Kansas City Chiefs [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500]

With the Chiefs all kinds of short-handed at wide receiver, Brown has been the team's top wideout, hauling in 15 passes over Kansas City's first two games. The Giants secondary has been abysmal through two games, allowing the fourth-most passing yards per game and the most PPR points to wide receivers,

D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears (vs. DAL) [DraftKings DFS Value: $5,400]

Moore (and the entire Bears passing game) has been quiet over the first two games of Ben Johnson's tenure as head coach. But if ever there was a "get right" week for the Chicago offense this is it—no team in the NFC is allowing more passing yards per contest than the 283.0 the Cowboys are surrendering.

Sit 'Em

A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. LAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,300]

Brown has been invisible so far this year—six catches for 35 yards in two games. The 28-year-old isn't going to stay on the side of a milk carton all season long, but this week's matchup with the Rams could be another tricky one—the Rams have given up the eighth-fewest PPR points to wide receivers in the early-going this season.

Garrett Wilson, New York Jets (at TB) [DraftKings DFS Value: $6,200]

There are multiple reasons to fade Wilson in Week 3 if possible. For starters, he'll be playing with Tyrod Taylor at quarterback with Justin Fields in the concussion protocol. He also faces a Tampa Bay defense that has given up the fifth-fewest PPR points to wide receivers so far this season.

Sleeper

Kayshon Boutte, New England Patriots (vs. PIT) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,600]

After topping 100 receiving yards against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1, Boutte caught just one pass in last week's victory over the Miami Dolphins. But that lone catch went for a touchdown, and he should bounce back nicely Sunday against a Pittsburgh defense that has gone from a Steel Curtain to a lace one.

Tight Ends

AP Photo/David Richard

Browns TE Harold Fannin Jr.

Start 'Em

Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns (vs. GB) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,600]

Fannin cooled off a bit last week against the Baltimore Ravens, but he still out-produced David Njoku for a second straight week. The Packers have given up the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season. The Browns are also all but certainly going to be playing from behind this week. And next week. And the week after that.

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots (vs. PIT) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,800]

So far this season, Hunter Henry has been very, well, Hunter Henry—10-plus PPR points in one game and a complete vanishing act in another. Look for Henry to get things back on track against the Steelers, who have suddenly forgotten that playing defense is a thing. Has that been mentioned yet?

Sit 'Em

Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens (vs. DET) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,300]

It's still too early in the season to say that Andrews is washed. But this is the second September in a row that Andrews has pulled an Amelia Earhart and vanished from the face of the earth. Fantasy managers can't start a guy who has two catches and is averaging 3.5 yards per reception.

Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders (vs. LV) [DraftKings DFS Value: $4,200]

The ageless wonder has found the end zone in both games to start the 2025 season, and he sits third in PPR points among tight ends. But the Raiders have given up the fifth-fewest PPR points to tight ends in 2025, and with Jayden Daniels out Sunday there are issues under center as well.

Sleeper

Jonnu Smith, Pittsburgh Steelers (at NE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,600]

Smith isn't exactly piling up receiving yards in his first year with the Steelers—he has 42 of them after two weeks. But Smith has averaged five targets a game, has caught nine passes and found the end zone. No pass defense in the NFL has been worse this season than the Pats—New England is allowing a staggering 315 passing yards per game.

Team Defenses

AP Photo/Danny Karnik

Falcons LB Kaden Elliss

Start 'Em

Indianapolis Colts Defense (at TEN) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,300]

The Colts are arguably the most surprising team in the NFL this year, and two weeks into the season Indianapolis ranks fifth in total defense and just outside the top-12 in fantasy points among defenses. They'll crack the top-10 in Week 3 after playing rookie quarterback Cam Ward and a Titans offense that has struggled to move the ball.

Atlanta Falcons Defense (at CAR) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,200]

The Falcons looked great defensively last week in Minnesota, racking up six sacks, taking the ball away four times and allowing less than 200 yards of offense. That doesn't mean the Atlanta defense is the 1985 Bears, but the Panthers have been making opposing defenses look good dating back to last season.

Sit 'Em

Baltimore Ravens Defense (vs. DET) [DraftKings DFS Value: $3,200]

The Ravens rebounded from Week 1's crushing defeat in Buffalo with a blowout win over the hapless Cleveland Browns. But the Ravens are 31st in the league in both total defense and pass defense, and the Lions looked a lot more like last year's buzzsaw of an offense in last week's demolition of the Chicago Bears.

Pittsburgh Steelers Defense (at NE) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,800]

As of the writing of this piece, the Steelers were being started in over 60 percent of leagues at NFL.com in a favorable matchup on paper with the New England Patriots. But the Steelers have allowed over 30 points in both games this season—to the offensive powerhouses that are the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks.

Sleeper

New England Patriots (vs. PIT) [DraftKings DFS Value: $2,600]

The Patriots have not been a good defensive football team in 2025, at least against the pass. But the Patriots are third in the league against the run, edge-rusher Harold Landry III has gotten off to a hot start in his first year in Beantown and the Steelers have given up the seventh-most fantasy points to defenses in 2025.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow Gary on X at @IDPGodfather.