Start or Sit: Week 3 Fantasy Football Wide Receivers

With week 3 quickly approaching, we’ll break down which wide receivers you should have in your starting lineup and which would be better left on your bench. We intentionally exclude players such as Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams as they should be locked in your starting lineup every week. 

Wide Receivers to Start:

Cooper Kupp – Los Angeles Rams

Through 2 games, Cooper Kupp has over 270 yards and 3 touchdowns which puts him at #1 wide receiver in PPR leagues.  Kupp has built an instant connection with new quarterback Matthew Stafford who has significantly improved the Rams offense. Stafford looks to be the missing piece that the Rams needed as Goff was only holding them back. Kupp and Woods both have benefited in fantasy value, with Kupp seeing early dividends. Kupp is a must start in this shootout in what could very well be the potential NFC Championship matchup. If Stafford continues to look Kupp’s wat, he will move into the weekly lock category. 

Marquise Brown – Baltimore Ravens

Hollywood Brown is on pace for a breakout season. He’s been the clear #1 favorite on this Ravens offense who has struggled with injuries to 3 running backs before the season even began. This has forced Lamar to look more to his receivers for help which has benefited Brown the most and should continue to do so, especially with rookie Rashid Bateman yet to make his pro debut. Ravens face one of the worst teams in the NFL which should allow Brown and Jackson to connect for at least one touchdown. 

Julio Jones – Tennessee Titans

The Titans signing of Julio Jones is looking like a smart move. Despite a slow start in week 1, Julio showed he still has it even at his age. He is still one of the better receivers in the NFL, he might not have the speed that he did in his Atlanta days, but he still has the talent. Julio is the #1 option on a good offensive team right now over AJ Brown. Start Julio while he’s getting the targets.

Wide Receivers to Sit:

Jaylen Waddle – Miami Dolphins

Waddle hasn’t had the best of luck in his rookie season. He’s dealt with back to back division rivalry matchups with one being a 35-0 blowout and he’s now had to deal with his starting QB going down. Will Fuller is also returning this week after serving a suspension that dates back to last season and taking a week off for personal reasons. This will limit the opportunities that Waddle has to develop, especially with Brissett at quarterback. Until this offensive line is fixed, we don’t trust any of the Dolphins receiving options in fantasy. 

Michael Pittman Jr. – Indianapolis Colts

Similar to Waddle, the Colts are also going to be having to play another quarterback during this week’s matchup. Jacob Eason is the most likely starter followed by Brett Hundley over Carson Wentz. Even if Wentz plays, he won’t be at his best and they’ll be playing a Titans team hungry to take the division lead alone. Pittman Jr. is a flex option in larger/deeper leagues and could be of some fantasy relevance depending on the game script if Indianapolis has to play from behind paving way for opportunities for Pittman.

Henry Ruggs III – Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders are off to a hot 2-0 start with Derek Carr playing like a top 5 quarterback. The Raiders are looking to start 3-0 against the Dolphins but the Dolphins defense could spell trouble when it comes to fantasy value. The Dolphins defense is one of the better defenses against wide receivers and toughest opponents to face. Ruggs will most likely be covered by Xavien Howard or Byron Jones who are significantly better than Ruggs. This is going to be a long night for Ruggs and his fellow receivers against this top secondary.