Week 3 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em Fantasy Wide Receivers

Week 3 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em: QB | RB | WR | TE | Team D/K

Start ’Em, Sit ’Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in fantasy football leagues, based on a full-point PPR scoring system. This column will not cover elite NFL players like Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson, Ja’Marr Chase or Trey McBride. Instead, it will focus on players who could exceed or fall short of their statistical expectations at each position. For all your final lineup decisions, check out my weekly player rankings, which will be updated daily.

Note: Streamers listed are players started in fewer than 50% of Sleeper fantasy leagues.

Fabs’s Top 10 Fantasy Receiver Rankings For Week 3

Jaxon Smith-Njigba at Commanders
Ja’Marr Chase at Steelers
Puka Nacua at Broncos
Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Jets
Chris Olave vs. Raiders
CeeDee Lamb vs. Ravens (Brazil)
Justin Jefferson at Buccaneers
Zay Flowers at Cowboys (Brazil)
Devonta Smith at Bears (Mon.)
Christian Watson vs. Falcons (Thurs.)

Complete Week 3 wide receiver rankings

Week 3 Start ’Em Wide Receivers

Start of the Week

DeVonta Smith at Bears (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Smith was my top Week 2 start at wide receiver, and he posted 27.7 fantasy points in a win over the Titans. I’m going to stick with him for another week (yes, it might be low-hanging fruit) against the Bears. With Dallas Goedert (MCL sprain) out, Smith should once again see a ton of targets against a Chicago defense that can be vulnerable against the pass. Look for Smith to post his second straight nice stat line.

DeVonta Smith wiiiide open for a TD 🦅

PHIvsTEN on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/H0pDJCagPi
— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026

Start ’Em

Malik Nabers vs. Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Nabers was brutal last week, catching one pass and missing some snaps due to a shoulder issue. He also lost his quarterback, Jaxson Dart. I’d stick with him this week, as a plus matchup with the Titans is next on the schedule. Their pass defense has allowed good stats to Garrett Wilson and DeVonta Smith in the first two games, so Jameis Winston should look to Nabers often. He remains a No. 2 wideout or flex as a result.

Jalen Coker at Browns (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Coker has been white-hot, posting a combined 16 catches (on 18 targets) for 204 yards and two touchdowns over his first two contests. He also leads all Panthers wide receivers in target share, slightly ahead of Tetairoa McMillan. He’ll be hard to sit this week, too, as the veteran faces a Browns team that has allowed the seventh-most points to wide receivers. Put Coker in your lineup as a No. 2 fantasy wideout or flex option.

Ladd McConkey at Bills (1 p.m. ET, Fox): McConkey’s numbers (three catches, 6.5 points) weren’t great last week, but he was able to play through a rib injury with no reported setbacks. If he’s good to go this week, I’d start him against the Bills. After the first two weeks, their defense has given up the third-most expected points added per target, and only the Colts and Eagles have allowed more fantasy points to slot receivers. This makes McConkey a solid No. 2 fantasy wideout.

Josh Downs vs. Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Downs posted a nice stat line against the Chiefs in Week 2, recording seven catches for 72 yards. He also saw nine targets, as the Colts lost Alec Pierce to an injury. With Pierce (heel) out, Downs should once again be a popular target for QB Daniel Jones against the Texans. Believe it or not, Houston's defense has has allowed the most fantasy points to wideouts after the first two weeks, and the unit ranks fifth-highest in EPA per target.

More Starts

Denzel Boston vs. Panthers (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
Devaughn Vele vs. Raiders (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)
Deebo Samuel Sr. at Dolphins (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox)

Week 3 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire!@sinow https://t.co/2nSGDuir7J pic.twitter.com/88se1K6fOO
— Michael Fabiano (@Michael_Fabiano) September 22, 2026

Wide Receiver Streamers

Dontayvion Wicks at Bears (12%): Wicks has a 17.9% touch share and has scored a combined 27.7 fantasy points in his first two weeks.
Keenan Allen vs. Texans (3%): Alec Pierce (heel) is out; Allen could see more targets vs. a Houston defense that has struggled against wideouts.
Keon Coleman vs. Chargers (1%): DJ Moore injured; Coleman saw six targets and had 12.3 fantasy points in Moore’s absence in Week 2.

Week 3 Sit ’Em Wide Receivers

Sit of the Week

Terry McLaurin vs. Seahawks (1 p.m. ET, Fox): McLaurin should have had a huge Week 2, but a touchdown was called back on replay, and another potential score didn’t happen due to a poorly thrown pass. Regardless, he has had a bad start to the season—Stefon Diggs has been Washington’s best fantasy wideout—and a matchup against Seattle makes him a fade. The Seahawks defense has allowed the second-lowest EPA per target, and no team has given up fewer points to wideouts.

Sit ’Em

DK Metcalf vs. Bengals (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Metcalf, listed as a sit last week, put up a mere 6.7 fantasy points in a loss to the Patriots. He has now failed to score more than eight points in his first two games, and the Steelers offense has sputtered under new head coach Mike McCarthy. I’d keep Metcalf on the sidelines against a surprisingly tough Bengals pass defense that held the veteran wideout to fewer than 10 fantasy points in both of their two meetings last season.

Luther Burden III vs. Eagles (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Burden III was one of my favorite breakout players heading into the season, but things have not gone well over the first two weeks. He has been held to just 15.7 combined fantasy points, and Kalif Raymond has seen more targets. What’s more, the Bears will be playing without their quarterback, Caleb Williams, after he suffered a hamstring injury in Week 2. At best, Burden is a risk-reward flex starter.

Brian Thomas Jr. vs. Patriots (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Thomas Jr. has become a staple of the sit portion of this column. The one-time fantasy superstar has seen his stock sink over the last year-plus, and he has been held to just seven fantasy points per game after the first two weeks of 2026. He also faces a brutal matchup against cornerback Christian Gonzalez and a Patriots defense that has surrendered the seventh-lowest EPA per target so far this season.

Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. 49ers (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Listed as a sit last week, Harrison saw just one target and was held scoreless in a loss to the Seahawks. He had just four targets in his first two games—Michael Wilson and Kendrick Bourne both have more targets—and a matchup against the Niners makes Harrison even less attractive. At this point, Harrison is not only someone to keep on your bench, but he might be to the point of getting released in some leagues.

More Sits

Chris Godwin Jr. vs. Vikings (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox)
Jordan Addison at Buccaneers (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox)
Carnell Tate at Giants (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

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