Week 3 Start'em - Sit'em

This is the Fantasy Football Nerd's look at the best and worst matchups for Week 3 of the 2019 NFL season. Analysis is aggregated from multiple sources including FFN. FFN rankings are based upon PPR (point per reception) scoring. Given the known conditions, these matchups are the ones to watch and/or avoid.

Please Note: This list does not generally include the elite players that you are going to start regardless of matchup. You don't need us to tell you to start Aaron Rodgers, Travis Kelce, or DeAndre Hopkins. Instead, we take a look at other players on your team that we believe either have great matchups or should be avoided for multiple reasons. Factors like opposing defense, performance trending, and peer comparisons may influence our decisions.

Start 'em Dak Prescott (DAL, QB)
Coming into this week's rankings at #3 is Dak Prescott. It's Dallas' turn to beat up on the Dolphins who have given up an average of 29 fantasy points to Tom Brady and Lamar Jackson over the first two weeks. With a plethora of options at this disposal, Prescott should have a big game.

Start 'em Jameis Winston (TB, QB)
Winston hasn't lit the fantasy world on fire the first two weeks, but he finds himself ranked just inside our Top 12 making him a low-end starter this week. He completed 16-of-25 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown in the Bucs' 20-14, Week 2 win over the Panthers. Despite the quiet box score, the evening was a big improvement on Winston's nightmarish Week 1. He'll face a Giants defense that has given up an average of 27 fantasy points over the first two weeks to Josh Allen and Dak Prescott. That's a matchup worth the risk.

Start 'em Josh Allen (BUF, QB)
Josh Allen may not be an every-week starter, but before he meets the Pats in Week 4, he's got a plum matchup with the Bengals in Week 3. Russell Wilson and Jimmy Garoppolo averaged 19.6 fantasy points against Cincy in their first two games.

Start 'em Aaron Jones (GB, RB)
Aaron Jones rushed 23 times for 116 yards and a touchdown in the Packers' Week 2 win over the Vikings, adding four receptions for 34 additional yards. He'll have an opportunity to put up similar numbers against the Broncos this week. While Denver does a nice job shutting down the pass, they've given up the 9th-most rush yards through two games. David Montgomery and Josh Jacobs averaged 19 fantasy points against them.

Start 'em Joe Mixon (CIN, RB)
Joe Mixon rushed 11 times for just 17 yards and caught three passes for 10 yards in Week 2 against the 49ers - not exactly the kind of stats that you were expecting when you drafted him, but he was a game-time decision after missing practice time with a low-ankle sprain. Cincy may continue to take it easy on Mixon in practice, but he should see his normal workload for a matchup with Buffalo in Week 3. The Bills gave up 21 fantasy points to Saquon Barkley and Le'Veon Bell. He may not reach that total, but he's still a nice RB2.

Start 'em Sony Michel (NE, RB)
After a disappointing Week 1 start, Michel bounced back big last week against Miami to the tune of 21 carries for 83 yards and a score. This week they'll have the Jets at home in Foxborough. New York just gave up almost 20 fantasy points to Nick Chubb on Monday night and 15 fantasy points to Devin Singletary the week before. Michel should continue to lead the rushing attack for New England.

Start 'em Kenny Golladay (DET, WR)
Kenny Golladay caught 8-of-10 targets for 117 yards and the game-winning touchdown in Detroit's Week 3 win over the Chargers. He should have a field day this week against the Eagles who have given up an average of 25 fantasy points to Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Terry McLaurin.

Start 'em Chris Godwin (TB, WR)
We all knew Chris Godwin was a breakout candidate and he certainly hasn't disappointed. In fact, he's been more productive than Mike Evans. He caught 8-of-9 targets for 121 yards and a touchdown in the Bucs' Week 2 win over the Panthers. Both the catches and yards were new career highs and he has now found the end zone in each of the Bucs' first two games. The Giants are an unimposing Week 3 matchup given that they've allowed the 3rd-most yards through the air.

Start 'em Marquise Brown (BAL, WR)
The Chiefs have given up an average of 20.6 fantasy points to Tyrell Williams, Chris Conley, and D.J. Chark over the first two weeks. Hollywood Brown is firmly in low-end WR2 consideration each week and a potential shootout with the Chiefs is just what the fantasy doctor ordered.

Start 'em Darren Waller (OAK, TE)
Darren Waller caught 6-of-7 targets for 63 yards in the Raiders' Week 2 loss to the Chiefs. He continues to remain a significant focus of the Raiders offense playing almost every offensive snap. That alone keeps him in the discussion for fantasy relevance. In fact, he should compete with Tyrell Williams for the team lead in targets this season. Keep him plugged in.

Start 'em Greg Olsen (CAR, TE)
Yep - that Greg Olsen. The only Panther Cam Newton could find with any frequency down the field last week, Olsen notched gains of 16, 33 and 41 yards. Olsen looked very limited laterally, but he still had excellent speed with a head of steam. 34-year-old Olsen feels like an injury waiting to happen, but he will find himself on the TE1/2 borderline for as long as he can stay on the field. Arizona is a plus Week 3 matchup.

Start 'em Dallas Cowboys (DAL, DEF)
A matchup with the Dolphins means that the Cowboys are a must-start fantasy defense. It's almost unfair given the point totals that teams have put up on Miami after the first two games.

Start 'em Joey Slye (CAR, K)
Joey Slye has been a nice surprise at the kicker position averaging a stellar 14 fantasy points per game. A matchup with the Cardinals and their double-digit production should keep Slye in K1 territory.

Sit 'em Cam Newton (CAR, QB)
Cam comes into this week's rankings at #21 and he does so with a Questionable tag. Panthers coach Ron Rivera admitted that Cam was uncertain for Week 3 against the Cardinals. He hasn't practiced yet, and while he's getting around-the-clock treatment, re-aggravating the same left foot he initially injured in the preseason makes him a very risky option.

UPDATE: Cam Newton has been ruled out for Week 3.

Sit 'em Andy Dalton (CIN, QB)
Fantasy owners scrambling to pick up the pieces from Drew Brees or Big Ben have found themselves fancy new owners of Andy Dalton, but this may not be the week to use him. Both Eli Manning and Sam Darnold struggled to reach double digits and the Bills secondary has allowed the sixth-fewest yards through the air.

Sit 'em Baker Mayfield (CLE, QB)
It's tough to know what to expect when Baker Mayfield meets the Rams this week. L.A. has allowed the 7th-fewest yards through the air and kept Cam Newton and Drew Brees/Teddy Bridgewater to just 6 fantasy points. Mayfield has the fifth-highest sack percentage through two weeks, and a matchup with Aaron Donald and the Rams isn't likely to help that improve. His only saving grace is his supporting cast. Although Njoku will be sidelined, Landry, Chubb, and OBJ are potent weapons.

Sit 'em LeSean McCoy (KC, RB)
Whether it's McCoy, Damien Williams, or Darwin Thompson, they may all struggle to be fantasy-relevant this week. Shady (ankle) and Williams (knee) are dealing with their own set of injuries which only compounds the problem that they're facing the #1-ranked rush defense in the NFL. David Johnson could only muster up 8 fantasy points last week.

Sit 'em Adrian Peterson (WAS, RB)
Adrian Peterson rushed 10 times for 25 yards and one touchdown in Washington's Week 2 loss to the Cowboys. Without the endzone trip, AP averaged just 2.5 yards per carry. Peterson will find it impossible to produce much of anything in Washington this season given the presumed game scripts the team will continue to face moving forward. Chris Thompson remains the more valuable of the two until Derrius Guice returns.

Sit 'em Latavius Murray (NO, RB)
The Seahawks have allowed the 4th-fewest yards on the ground making this a tough matchup. Murray rushed five times for seven yards in the Saints' Week 2 loss to the Rams. He hasn't fully captured the Mark Ingram role. That's just one problem. The loss of Drew Brees means that Murray needs a positive game script and goal-line opportunities to stay relevant in fantasy. With Teddy Bridgewater under center, that's going to be difficult.

Sit 'em Terry McLaurin (WAS, WR)
One of the top waiver wire additions this week was Terry McLaurin, and as tempting as it might be to plug him into your lineup, slow down. Other than Emmanuel Sanders, no other receiver has topped double digit points against the Bears and that includes Davante Adams.

Sit 'em Alshon Jeffery (PHI, WR)
NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reports that Alshon Jeffery's (calf) status is in doubt for the Eagles' Week 3 matchup against the Lions. Jeffery is specifically dealing with a strained calf. The injury reportedly isn't major, but his status is in doubt for Sunday's game against the Lions.

Sit 'em Corey Davis (TEN, WR)
Corey Davis had three receptions for 38 yards last week against the Colts, which was better than the goose egg he put up in Week 1, but barely so. He did get five targets last week, compared to three in Week 1, but the volume just isn't there. This is a tough matchup against the Jaguars. In four career games against Jacksonville, he's averaged one catch for 14 yards. That's not a misprint. You'll have better options than Davis this week.

Sit 'em TJ Hockenson (DET, TE)
T.J. Hockenson hauled in 1-of-3 targets for seven yards in the Lions' Week 2 win over the Chargers. Unlike his regular season debut, Hockenson had a mere 20 yards as a shallow threat, finishing fourth on the team in targets from Matthew Stafford. It was an extremely disappointing performance following his Week 1 performance. He has TE1 upside on talent alone, but his low floor in this offense has now showed itself. He'll be a questionable start in Week 3 against a tough Eagles defense.

Sit 'em Kyle Rudolph (MIN, TE)
Rudolph now has nine yards through two games. He has been the biggest victim of the Vikings' run-game commitment. Even for good matchups like this week's hosting of the Raiders, Rudolph is completely without ceiling as a TE2.

Sit 'em Denver Broncos (DEN, DEF)
While the Broncos have been tough on the pass, they've been able to be gashed on the ground. They also haven't faced a QB like Aaron Rodgers. If you're streaming defenses, this is a good week to find someone else.

Sit 'em Eddy Pineiro (CHI, K)
Eddy Pineiro was the hero of Chicago in their last second win last week. As exciting as that was, temper your expectation. Washington has given up just two field goals so far this year.

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