Week 3 of the NFL season has arrived! Injuries have already thrown a wrench into multiple receiving corps around the league, so it’s time to take a deep dive into the position.
Let’s break down my Week 3 start ’em, sit ’em fantasy football wide receiver picks.
Start ‘Em: Rashid Shaheed (Saints) vs. Eagles
A 59-yard touchdown put Shaheed on the fantasy map in Week 1.
A 70-yard score in Week 2 made it clear that he’s here to stay as a top tier deep-ball threat.
The reigning PPR WR9 — and standard WR5 — has only caught seven balls over the course of two games but he’s made the most of them, averaging a ridiculous 24.1 yards per reception. It’s also worth noting that Derek Carr only completed 11 total passes against the Cowboys, which makes Shaheed’s target share pretty substantial.
Klint Kubiak has completely transformed this Saints offense into a high-octane machine, with Shaheed serving as the perfect big-play complement to No. 1 receiver Chris Olave. From a fantasy perspective, the speedster has drastically outproduced his teammate. While those numbers will likely even out over time, Shaheed has entered must-start territory until he cools off.
Sit ‘Em: Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins) at Seahawks
Waddle is one of the most dynamic playmakers in the league. With the ball in his hands, he can turn a five-yard play into an 80-yard touchdown.
The problem is, with Skylar Thompson set to start this weekend, I don’t expect the ball to make it to Waddle’s hands consistently. In eight career games with Thompson under center, the speedster is averaging 3.9 receptions for 56.1 yards. He’s caught more than five balls just once over that span.
Thompson holds a career passing rating of 63.5 with a 57.1% completion rate. He’s thrown just one NFL touchdown. The harsh reality is, Miami is going to struggle to move the ball, especially against a Seahawks defense that has allowed the third-fewest passing yards per game this year.
Waddle is a star, but there are better options out there until the Dolphins bring in a better quarterback.
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Start ‘Em: Brandon Aiyuk (49ers) at Rams
Just three weeks ago, the notion of starting Aiyuk would’ve been a no-brainer. After all, he’s one of the best receivers in the game and just landed a massive contract extension. However, after holding out for virtually the entire offseason, the star wideout has been quite rusty. Through two games he’s caught just six balls for 75 yards.
All of that said, someone is going to have to make plays for the 49ers this week. Christian McCaffrey is on IR, and Deebo Samuel is now expected to miss a couple weeks with a calf strain. That leaves Aiyuk as the undisputed top receiving threat for Brock Purdy, with George Kittle also expected to see more targets.
The 26-year-old saw a significant increase in snap percentage from Week 1 to Week 2 as he continues to ramp up, and this could finally be the game he fully shakes off the rust and breaks out.
Check out my full Week 3 start/sit article with picks at each position here!
Sit ‘Em: Tank Dell (Texans) at Vikings
Dell appears to be the odd man out in Houston’s receiving room at the moment.
After racking up an electric 709 yards in just 11 games as a rookie, many expected him to pick up where he left off in a high-octane Texans passing attack. That hasn’t been the case so far, as Dell caught three balls in Week 1 and recorded just one reception for -3 yards Sunday night against Chicago.
Nico Collins has a stranglehold on No. 1 receiver role, with Stefon Diggs comfortably checking in as C.J. Stroud’s next-favorite option with 12 targets so far. It pains me to suggest benching Tank as I believe he’s immensely talented, but I need to see proven production before trusting the second-year speedster.
Start ‘Em: Khalil Shakir (Bills) vs. Jaguars
Shakir has emerged as Josh Allen’s definitive No. 1 option, almost doubling up the Bills receiver (Keon Coleman) with the second-most yards. The third-year speedster has racked up eight receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown through a pair of games, most recently finding a path to production in a matchup in which Allen only threw for 139 yards.
This week, Buffalo will take on a vulnerable Jacksonville secondary that has allowed the fourth-most passing yards through two games. As Allen develops rapports with his myriad of new receivers, Shakir will continue to serve as his safety valve. The 24-year-old has breakout game potential this Monday.
Those are my start ’em, sit ’em Week 3 fantasy football wide receiver picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice later this week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
