Start or Sit These Players on Sunday to Win Week 3 Fantasy

Austin Ekeler – Los Angeles Chargers

Through the first two weeks of the 2021 season, Chargers RB Austin Ekeler sits at RB7 with 34.2 PPR fantasy points. Ekeler was my preseason RB6, so where he is at is where I expected him to be.

Week 1 wasn’t your typical Austin Ekeler game by any means. His 11.7 point outing wasn’t terrible, but the production all came on the ground. Ekeler is typically involved in the passing game. The lack of passing game work was concerning. Was it due to a nagging hamstring injury, was it the new offense in LA? Whatever the reason, Austin Ekeler fantasy mangers need him to be involved in the Chargers’ air attack.

Last week in the matchup with Dallas, Ekeler was more like the RB we have become accustomed to. In the Chargers loss to the Cowboys, he had 18 touches 9 of which were receptions. He totaled 115 yards and 22.5 PPR points.

In Week 3, the Chargers visit the Kansas City Chiefs. This contest has all the indicators of the type of high scoring game that fantasy managers love. Both teams lost winnable games the prior week and both teams will want to make a statement in this interdivisional matchup. The Chiefs enter this one as the 3rd worst against the running back so far this season. The Browns ran all over them in Week 1, and the Ravens did as well. Ekeler should be in line for 20+ touches in this one and will once again be involved in the passing game. I like Austin Ekeler a lot and as a result he is my Start of the Week.

Start

Daniel Jones – New York Giants

In Week 1 during the Giants loss to the Denver Broncos, Daniel Jones completed 22 of 37 for 267 yards and finished the week as QB14. In Week 2, the Giants fell short again and Jones went 22 of 32 for 249 yards. He added in 95 yards on the ground and finished the week as QB4 with 29.46 points.

Jones has more fantasy points through two games than Josh Allen, Aaron Rodgers, Dak Prescott and Matthew Stafford and the same amount as Lamar Jackson. Just like we all figured, right?

I would not expect this to continue much longer, but I certainly do expect this to last through Week 3. Jones gets the Atlanta Falcons this week. In Week 1, the Falcons yielded 28.76 points to Jalen Hurts and another 29.64 to Tom Brady in Week 2.

The Atlanta Falcons have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this year (29.2/game) after finishing the 2020 season allowing the most to the position as well (24.5). Daniel Jones is a great streaming quarterback in all formats this week, and he is my 12th ranked QB. Start Daniel Jones with confidence.

Derek Carr – Las Vegas Raiders

Leading the NFL through two weeks in passing yards is Derek Carr. He is also tops in attempts, top 4 in completions, and tied for 9th with 4 touchdown passes. Carr also has only thrown 1 interception. Derek Carr is a good quarterback, ladies and gentlemen.

He has scored at least 24 fantasy points in the past six games he’s been able to finish dating back to last season, including 25 points in each outing this year against the Ravens and Steelers. He may be slowed by an injured ankle, and he is facing his toughest matchup yet against the Dolphins, but Carr is playing at a level not seen since his MVP type 2016 season. I am going to continue with the hot hand here and fire up Derek Carr in Week 3.

Sit

Jameis Winston – New Orleans Saints

After impressing us all in Week 1 with 5 touchdown passes and 26.62 points, I had Winston as a start in Week 2 versus the Carolina Panthers.

Against the Panthers, we saw the old Jameis Winston once again. Winston had no passing touchdowns, two interceptions and scored just 10.32 points. I wouldn’t expect Winston to be that bad this week against the New England Patriots, but I would expect him to resemble the QB we saw in Week 2 more than the QB we watched in Week 1. Start Winston as your second QB in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues if you have to, but sit him in all 1QB formats.

Joe Burrow – Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow looked alright in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, but he struggled in Week 2 vs. the Chicago Bears. Burrow had only 207 passing yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.

Week 3 should be a much tougher matchup than either the Vikings or Bears. The Pittsburgh Steelers defense should show up. Burrow and the Bengals could benefit if T.J. Watt, Devin Bush, and Joe Haden are out again for Pittsburgh. We did just see Derek Carr score 25 fantasy points against this defense. He’s only a starting option in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues, and in a 1QB format he is a rather easy sit.

Start

Ty’Son Williams – Baltimore Ravens

I really like Ty’Son Williams and I wish I had the stones to make him my start of the week. That said I love his matchup versus the Detroit Lions in Week 3. In two weeks this season, the Lions have allowed 6 touchdowns to the opposing running back and a total of 298 yards.

He’s going to share touches with Latavius Murray and Devonta Freeman, as well as Lamar Jackson. Through two weeks of the season, Williams has been Baltimore’s best running back and I would expect that he continues to separate himself from the pack behind him. I like him as a top-15 back this week, and he is an easy start for me.

Saquon Barkley – New York Giants

Another week on the NFL schedule and another week of me telling you to start New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley. I never thought there would come a time that Saquon would make it into this article, and here he is two weeks in row.

It was expected that Barkley would not see his usual workload the first few weeks of the season as he makes his way back from a torn ACL . Through two games, Saquon has a total of 23 carries for 83 yards and three catches for 13 yards. I suggested you start him last week and he gave you 8.9 PPR points. Through two weeks he is the RB47 with a total of 12.6 points. Last week we saw Saquon bust one for 41 yards and the Giants had him out there for 84% of the snaps after he played just 48% in Week 1. The matchup against Atlanta is excellent, as they have allowed 23.7 fantasy points to opposing backs this season. Week 3 is a get right game for Saquon, so get him in your lineup.

Sit

Sony Michel – Los Angeles Rams

Sony Michel could get the start with Darrell Henderson dealing with a rib injury, so Sony needs to be rostered in all leagues. I’m just not so sure this is the week to drop him into your starting lineup. We’ll see what his involvement will be in the passing game, but it’s doubtful he’ll have much success running against Tampa Bay. In two games against Dallas and Atlanta, the Buccaneers have given up 99 rushing yards and one touchdown on 32 carries. Michel had 10 carries for 46 yards in relief of Henderson last week at the Colts. I’m not excited to use him in this matchup, but I could understand if you need to use him as a flex.

James Robinson – Jacksonville Jaguars

James Robinson looked better in Week 2 than he did in Week 1. Hopefully that is an indication that he is moving in the right direction. I do not want to trust him in Week 3 against Arizona. More importantly, I don’t want to trust that the Jaguars will use him property. Robinson went from 8 total touches and 51 total yards in Week 1 at Houston to 14 total touches and 64 total yards in Week 2 against Denver. He should be a 18-20 touch a week type of RB. The Cardinals haven’t allowed a rushing touchdown yet in matchups with Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook, and Robinson I fear needs one to be anything more than a flex type start in Week 3.

Start

AJ Brown – Tennessee Titans

After the first two weeks of the 2021 season, Tennessee Titans Wide Receiver A.J. Brown is the WR47 overall with 22.2 PPR fantasy points. Brown leads the NFL in drops as well.

What I like about A.J. Brown other than the fact he’s an elite WR is the amount of targets that he is seeing this early in the season. Brown has 17 through two weeks, which is a 16 game pace of 136, 30 more than his career high set a season ago. Brown will be just fine, and this week he has the opportunity to take advantage of the Indianapolis Colts in an important divisional battle. Season to date, the Colts have allowed 407 yards and 5 scores to the opposing WRs, and 48.8 fantasy Points–the 6th worst. Start A.J. Brown, as he is a top-10 WR this week.

Sterling Shepard – New York Giants

I had originally planned on having Kenny Golladay as a start after back-to-back sits to start the season until I saw him pop up on the injury report with a hip ailment. Enter Sterling Shepard.

Shepard has had a surprising start to the 2021 season with 16 catches for 207 yards and a touchdown on 19 targets in two games. If you look back even further you’ll find a trend of productivity. Shepard averaged 13.5 PPR points a game last season and 14.2 the season before that.  The Falcons are the gift that keeps on giving for opposing WRs, as they have allowed five touchdowns to the position in two weeks.

Sit

Jaylen Waddle – Miami Dolphins

I love Jaylen Waddle, especially when the rookie has the ball in his hands, because good things tend to happen. Last week Waddle saw eight targets, and he is second amongst Dolphins WRs in target share. That is the good news. The bad news is that the team will be without starter Tua Tagovailoa this week and leaving Jacoby Brissett under center. As a result, I am looking elsewhere for a starter and I am sitting Waddle.

D.J. Chark – Jacksonville Jaguars

Finding D.J. Chark in my weekly start/sit article likely doesn’t came as a surprise to many, especially with him listed as a sit. The reality is I am not much of a Chark fan at all. With that being said, Chark has had an up and down start to his 2021 season. His 3 catch Week 1 was bolstered by a 41 yard TD reception in garbage time that led to a 17.6 point WR24 finish. He followed that up 2.9 point WR87 Week 2. In two weeks, Chark has caught 4 of 16 targets. This week’s matchup against the Cardinals isn’t terrible, but Chark is third in target share behind Marvin Jones Jr. and Laviska Shenault. What’s more, rookie Trevor Lawrence leads all quarterbacks with a 39 percent uncatchable pass rate to this point. Sit Chark in Week 3.

Start

Kyle Pitts – Atlanta Falcons

Clearly I am the Kyle Pitts truther on the RotoHeat team. I have been championing the rookie since January. In Week 1 we didn’t see much from Pitts and the Flacons, and in Week 2, we saw more of what I was expecting. Pitts finished his second career start with 5 catches on 6 targets for 73 yards. In Week 3, the Falcons are without WR Russell Gage, and they face the New York Giants who through two weeks are the 3rd friendliest defense to the opposing TE. I am starting Kyle Pitts everywhere I can this week.

Noah Fant – Denver Broncos

Noah Fant has been solid for fantasy managers, averaging 12.8 points over his first two games. That’s no surprise though, as Teddy Bridgewater ranks second amongst quarterbacks in targeting tight ends. This weekend’s matchup against the Jets is a positive one, too, as the Jets have surrendered the most fantasy points (20.2 PPG) to opposing tight ends over their last nine games.

Sit

Gerald Everett – Seattle Seahawks

I am high on Gerald Everett this season, and I think he has more good fantasy games than bad ones, but I am avoiding him this week against the Minnesota Vikings. I expect Everett to split snaps with Will Dissly this Sunday, and I also expect Russell Wilson to attack the weak Vikings secondary with Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. Everett scored in Week 1 at the Colts but had just two catches for 20 yards on two targets. He only had two targets again in Week 2 against Tennessee, and it’s too risky to trust him in most leagues as of now. He could score and prove me wrong here, but I’ll play the odds and leave him on my bench.

Eric Ebron – Pittsburgh Steelers

Eric Ebron has disappeared from the Steelers passing attack to start the season. After two weeks, he’s seen fewer snaps and targets than rookie Pat Freiermuth. The veteran also has a difficult matchup against the Bengals, who have allowed just two touchdown receptions and the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing tight ends in their last nine games dating back to last season. Sit Eric Ebron and consider dropping him as well.

Thank you for reading Start or Sit These Players on Sunday to Win Week 3 Fantasy

For all your start/sit questions be sure to reach out to me on Twitter @RotoHeatSully.

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