Week 3 has arrived! We now have two weeks of data to create a sample size for the 2025 NFL season, which is enough for certain workloads, snap shares and other trends to develop. With that in mind, let’s break down my start/sit Week 3 fantasy football picks.
Start/Sit Week 3 Quarterbacks
Start ‘Em: Daniel Jones (Colts) at Titans
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it’s time to fire up Danny Dimes as a strong QB1.
A week of elite production is one thing, but back-to-back fantastic outings have firmly put Jones on the fantasy radar ahead of Week 3. The 28-year-old drew a tough matchup last Sunday against a formidable Broncos defense and proceeded to make light work of it, racking up 318 total yards and two touchdowns, finishing with 22.8 fantasy points.
Playing alongside Jonathan Taylor has paid dividends for the dual-threat QB, as Jones can operate successfully as a rusher and passer out of play action. The veteran has already eclipsed one-fourth of his total 2024 numbers through two contests with the Colts. Tennessee does boast a capable secondary, but after that performance against Denver, you should start Jones with confidence.
Sit ‘Em: Kyler Murray (Cardinals) at 49ers
J.J. McCarthy was originally primed to earn the “Sit of the Week” title at quarterback, but he dodged it because he will be unavailable for Sunday’s contest.
As a result, I’m pivoting to a player whose fantasy potential I actually have relative optimism about for the year. Murray’s litany of offensive weapons and rushing capabilities gives him a decent fantasy floor, but we haven’t necessarily seen the upside through two contests. Kyler has racked up 18.3 and 15 fantasy points respectively, to open the year, slotting him in as QB16.
That’s not what fantasy managers who drafted Murray in the sixth or seventh round were hoping for. Still, there’s room for improvement. That said, I don’t expect it to occur in Arizona’s upcoming tilt with the 49ers. Despite losing a myriad of defensive playmakers, San Francisco has been dominant against opposing quarterbacks, holding them to 13.6 fantasy points per game thus far. With Arizona’s offense not operating up to its fullest potential, there are better options at QB out there this week.
Check out all of my Week 3 start/sit QB picks here!
Start/Sit Week 3 Running Backs
Start ‘Em: Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots) vs. Steelers
The Tre’Veyon Henderson preseason show appears to have just been the opening act for Stevenson, who has served as the clear top running back in New England to open the season.
After dominating backfield touches in Week 1 but not translating them into production, the veteran back made a statement against Miami. Stevenson took 11 carries and five receptions for 142 total yards and 21.2 fantasy points. Receiving work is supposed to be Henderson’s advantage, but the rookie only managed a pair of catches to go along with his three carries for 10 yards.
While I do expect the speedy Ohio State product to ultimately make more of an impact, as long as Stevenson holds onto the ball, he’ll continue to operate as the top back. That should prove beneficial for his fantasy outlook against the Steelers, who just allowed Kenneth Walker to run all over them in Week 2.
Sit ‘Em: David Montgomery (Lions) at Ravens
As a David Montgomery truther for the entirety of his career, I must admit… I am concerned. His weak production in the season opener could be chalked up to Green Bay’s stifling defensive line, but only managing 13.1 PPR points and 12 touches in a 52-21 rout of the Bears? That’s noticeable for all the wrong reasons.
In the past two years, Montgomery has dominated on the ground in blowouts, grinding away at opposing defenses with 20 or 25 carries. This year, it appears his usage may be held in check by the Lions to avoid injury risk at 28 years old. Meanwhile, the reigning fantasy RB1 is also seeing a significant downtick in touches, as Jahmyr Gibbs only received 15 opportunities.
With Ben Johnson out of the picture, it seems the Lions are looking to throw the ball more. That’s bad news for their RB2, making me wary of his outlook against Baltimore.
Check out all of my start/sit Week 3 running back picks here!
Start/Sit Week 3 Wide Receivers
Start ‘Em: Troy Franklin (Broncos) at Chargers
Teammates at Oregon, it appears Bo Nix and Franklin have rekindled their college rapport after an underwhelming rookie campaign for the latter. Franklin caught just 28 balls in his first NFL season, and he’s already racked up almost half that total through two games to open the year.
While Courtland Sutton remains the clear top dog in Denver’s offense, it’s actually been Franklin who has emerged as Nix’s favorite target through the first two weeks. The 22-year-old dominated against Indy, racking up eight receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown, good for 24 fantasy points. Franklin led all Denver receivers in snap percentage (85%), routes, targets, catches and yards.
That almost certainly won’t remain the case moving forward, as Sutton is bound to get more involved. That said, Franklin’s production cannot be ignored, as he’s ascended to WR3/Flex territory for Denver’s Week 3 clash with the Chargers.
Sit ‘Em: Stefon Diggs (Patriots) vs. Steelers
Diggs has actually received a decent target share to open the year, as Drake Maye has spread the wealth around New England’s receiving corps. The veteran star has earned 12 targets turning them into 10 catches for 89 yards. A lot of Diggs’ stuff has been in the short-to-intermediate range, allowing Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins and Kyle Williams to handle the deep routes.
While that can be beneficial for a PPR receiver, Diggs isn’t receiving quite the volume that’s necessary to translate his short yardage gains into fantasy success. That likely won’t change this week against Pittsburgh, as a matchup with a confirmed not-washed Jalen Ramsey looms. There will be plenty of opportunities for Diggs to return to prior form, but this probably isn’t one of them.
Check out all of my Week 3 WR start/sit picks here!
Start/Sit Week 3 Tight Ends
Start ‘Em: Jake Ferguson (Cowboys) at Bears
Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson were the fantasy story of the epic Cowboys-Giants duel in Week 2, combining for north of 65 points. However, Ferguson quietly put together an effort that earned him the PPR TE3 finish on the week. The 26-year-old turned 12 targets into nine receptions for 78 yards. That 16.8-point outing comfortably put him among the best at his position on Sunday, but this isn’t likely a one-week boom.
Ferguson has long been one of Dak Prescott’s favorite targets when healthy. While the continued emergence of George Pickens will be a story, that will affect CeeDee Lamb, not the tight end. Ferguson operates as Prescott’s safety blanket for everything underneath and intermediate, a role that won’t be challenged by anyone on Dallas’ roster.
This week, the Cowboys draw the Bears, who have allowed a combined 79 points through two games. Ferguson should have no problem remaining in TE1 territory.
Sit ‘Em: Harold Fannin Jr. (Browns) vs. Packers
Fannin will certainly be a popular waiver wire target after two productive weeks, but I’ll give you one reason why you should avoid the rookie:
The Packers defense.
Yes, Fannin has drawn 14 targets through two contests and turned them into 12 receptions for 111 yards. Yes, he may have surpassed David Njoku as the top tight end on the roster. Allow me to repeat myself: You do not mess around with the Packers defense. Micah Parsons and company have now terrorized two of the NFL’s best offenses in Detroit and Washington. With all due respect to Joe Flacco and the Browns, they are not even close to the Lions or Commanders in quality.
Barring a wild turn of events, the Browns will struggle mightily. Fannin will get other chances to produce at a high level, but this is not one of them.
Check out all of my start/sit Week 3 TE picks here!
Those are my start/sit Week 3 fantasy football picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy football positional start/sit Week 3 analysis over the coming days.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
