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Week 3: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Wide Receivers

Courtland Sutton has a sneaky good Week 3 matchup against the 49ers, making him the Start 'Em of the Week.

Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Josh Allen, Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp. Instead, I'll look at the players you have questions about who could exceed or fail to meet expectations at each position. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the NFL season.

Fabs Top 10 Wide Receivers
1. Cooper Kupp at Cardinals
2. Justin Jefferson vs. Lions
3. Stefon Diggs at Dolphins
4. Ja’Marr Chase at Jets
5. Davante Adams at Titans
6. Tyreek Hill vs. Bills
7. Amon-Ra St. Brown at Vikings
8. A.J. Brown at Commanders
9. Deebo Samuel at Broncos
10. Michael Pittman Jr. vs. Chiefs

Week 3 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS & TEAM DEFENSES

Week 3 Start ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Start of the Week

Courtland Sutton vs. 49ers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Sutton is coming off a big game against the Texans, posting seven catches and 19.7 fantasy points. He should continue to see plenty of targets, especially with Jerry Jeudy banged up, and I like the matchup against the 49ers. Their defense has surrendered nine touchdowns and nearly 23 points per game to receivers lined out wide since Week 13, 2021.

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Start ‘Em

Marquise Brown vs. Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Brown has recorded 27.1 fantasy points in his first two games with Arizona, and I’d keep him active in what could be a barnburner against the Rams. SI Sportsbook has the O/U at 50, and L.A.’s pass defense has allowed the third-most fantasy points to receivers lined out wide in their last eight games. Brown has run nearly 80% of his routes out wide in 2022.

DJ Moore vs. Saints (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Moore has a tough matchup on paper this week, facing a Saints defense that’s allowed the fifth-fewest points to receivers lined out wide since Week 13, 2021. However, he’s also scored 15-plus points in four of his last five games against them, including three games with more than 20 points. He should remain in fantasy lineups as a No. 2 wideout or flex starter.

Allen Robinson II at Cardinals (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Robinson bounced back from a Week 1 stinker, scoring 15.3 fantasy points in a win over the Falcons. He’ll be on the flex starter radar again this week, as he’ll face a questionable Cardinals team that has allowed nine touchdowns and the seventh-most fantasy points to receivers lined out wide in their last eight games dating back to last season.

DK Metcalf vs. Falcons (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Metcalf has had a slow start to the 2022 campaign with Geno Smith under center, scoring just 16.1 points in his first two games. I'd keep the faith in the veteran, though, as he has a positive matchup against Atlanta up next. Their defense has surrendered more than 30 fantasy points per game to receivers lined out wide in their first two games of the season.

More Starts

• Christian Kirk at Chargers (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Mike Williams vs. Jaguars (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Jakobi Meyers vs. Ravens (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

DFS Bargains

• Allen Robinson at Cardinals ($5,700)
• Curtis Samuel vs. Eagles ($5,100)
• Jakobi Meyers vs. Ravens ($5,000)

Week 3 Sit ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Sit of the Week

JuJu Smith-Schuster at Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Smith-Schuster has seen 11 targets in his first two games with the Chiefs, splitting time between running routes out wide and from the slot. This week’s matchup against the Colts isn’t great either, as their defense has allowed the 10th-fewest points to the position. It’s also difficult to predict the Chiefs wideouts, so I’d consider Smith-Schuster a risk-reward flex.

Sit ‘Em

Elijah Moore vs. Bengals (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Moore has seen plenty of snaps in his first two games, but he's being out-targeted by Garrett Wilson and is tied with Corey Davis. He's also third in fantasy points in that trio. I'm concerned about Moore this week, as the Bengals have allowed the fewest points to receivers lined out wide after two weeks. That's where Moore has run most of his pass routes.

Darnell Mooney vs. Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): This week’s matchup against the Texans is a good one on paper, as their defense has surrendered an average of nearly 40 fantasy points to wideouts in their first two games. The problem has been usage, as Mooney has seen five targets (two catches) in his first 89 offensive snaps. At best, I’d consider him a risk-reward flex option in most PPR leagues.

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Brandon Aiyuk at Broncos (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Aiyuk produced a respectable 11.3 fantasy points in last week’s win over the Seahawks, but I’d be wary of him when the Niners visit the Broncos. Their defense has been tough on receivers lined out wide, allowing the third-fewest points this season and the fourth-fewest points to the position since Week 13, 2021. I’d keep Aiyuk on the fantasy football sidelines.

Robert Woods vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Woods was considered the No. 1 wide receiver in Tennessee heading into the regular season, but that hasn’t been the case. While he’s played more snaps than any other wideout, the veteran is third in targets and has averaged just 5.1 fantasy points. At this point, Treylon Burks looks like the lone Tennessee wide receiver who is worth a flier in fantasy lineups.

More Sits

• Chase Claypool at Browns (Thurs. 8:20 p.m. ET, Prime Video)
• Jarvis Landry at Panthers (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Allen Lazard at Buccaneers (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)

DFS Fades

• Allen Lazard at Buccaneers ($6,000)
• JuJu Smith-Schuster at Colts ($5,500)
• Darnell Mooney vs. Texans ($5,300)

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Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business to help you win a fantasy championship!

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