Start ’Em, Sit ’Em Wide Receivers Fantasy Football Week 3: Michael Pittman Jr. Stays Hot

DeAndre Hopkins could struggle to produce against a tough Cleveland pass defense.

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 Patrick Mahomes, Christian McCaffrey or Justin Jefferson. 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 2023 NFL season.

Fabs’ Top 10 Wide Receivers

1. Justin Jefferson vs. Chargers
2. Tyreek Hill vs. Broncos
3. CeeDee Lamb at Cardinals
4. Davante Adams vs. Steelers
5. Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Falcons
6. Stefon Diggs at Commanders
7. A.J. Brown at Buccaneers (Mon)
8. Keenan Allen at Vikings
9. Chris Olave at Packers
10. Ja’Marr Chase vs. Rams (Mon.)

Complete Week 3 wide receiver rankings

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

Mark Konezny/USA TODAY Sports

Michael Pittman Jr. at Ravens (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Pittman has had a nice start to the season, scoring a combined 37.3 fantasy points on 16 catches and 153 yards. Regardless of the quarterback under center for the Colts, I’d keep him in lineups against the Ravens. Their defense has allowed 11-plus points to four wideouts in their first two contests, including 28.9 to Tee Higgins last weekend.

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Start ‘Em

Zay Flowers vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Flowers took a small step back in the stat sheets last week, scoring 10.8 points after putting up 17.7 the week before. Still, he was on the field for 58 snaps and could be utilized more this week with Odell Beckham Jr. dealing with an injured ankle. The Colts have allowed 13 or more points to five wideouts in their first two contests, so start Flowers.

Drake London at Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox): I might be a Drake jinx, because I liked him in Week 1 (0 points) and didn’t like him last week (18.7 points). The stats are the stats, though, and this week’s matchup in Detroit makes him a solid option. The Lions have surrendered the third-most points to wide receivers since the start of last season, including 39.9 points allowed per game this season.

Mike Williams at Vikings (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Williams put up a nice line last week, catching eight passes on 13 targets in a loss to the Titans. He has another great matchup this week against the Vikings, who have allowed the second-most fantasy points to perimeter receivers since the start of last season. Vegas thinks this will be a high-scoring affair, too, with a total that opened at a very lofty 51.5.

Jordan Addison vs. Chargers (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Addison has scored in each of his first two NFL games, and this week’s matchup against the Chargers makes him a solid starter for fantasy fans. Their defense has allowed 10-plus points to five wide receivers in their first two games, including 44.5 to Tyreek Hill in Week 1. In what should be a shootout, Addison will be an attractive flex starter.

More Starts
Terry McLaurin at Bills (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
DJ Moore at Chiefs (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)
Gabe Davis at Commanders (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Bargains (DraftKings)
Amari Cooper vs. Titans ($5,700)
Jordan Addison vs. Colts ($5,500)
Drake London at Lions ($5,000)

Week 3 Sit ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Sit of the Week

enny Simmons/USA Today Sports Network

DeAndre Hopkins at Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Hopkins has had a slow start to the season, both in the stat sheets and in terms of his health. Dealing with a bum ankle, he's been missing practice over the last two weeks. He's also got a bad matchup agianst the Browns, who have one of the tougher defenses in the league. In what figures to be a low-scoring game in Cleveland, I'd be fading Hopkins.

Sit ‘Em

Courtland Sutton at Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Sutton has posted respectable totals in his first two games, averaging 12.4 points. Still, the return of Jerry Jeudy and a big game from Marvin Mims could mean fewer targets in the passing game. He’ll also have to face a Dolphins pass defense that hasn’t allowed more than 14.2 fantasy points to an opposing wide receiver in their first two contests.

Michael Thomas at Packers (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Thomas has had a decent start to the season, seeing 17 targets and averaging 11.8 points in his first two games. He does have a tough matchup this week, though, as the Packers have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers since the start of last year. At best, the veteran should be considered a risk-reward flex starter.

Skyy Moore vs. Bears (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Moore had a nice stat line last week after an opening stinker, posting a touchdown and 16 fantasy points against the Jaguars. He was only targeted four times, however, and Moore played in just 39 offensive snaps. By comparison, Marquez Valdes-Scantling played 55 snaps. So, before we all crown Moore a solid starter, I’d consider his actual usage.

JuJu Smith-Schuster at Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Smith-Schuster has scored just 15.1 combined fantasy points in his first two games as a Patriot, and this week’s matchup against the Jets is anything but favorable. No team in the league has allowed fewer fantasy points to wideouts since the start of last season, so this could be another tough afternoon in the stat sheets for Smith-Schuster.

More Sits
Romeo Doubs vs. Saints (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
Jerry Jeudy at Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
Marquise Brown vs. Cowboys (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)

DFS Fades (DraftKings)
Jerry Jeudy at Dolphins ($6,500)
DeAndre Hopkins at Browns ($6,300)
Christian Kirk vs. Texans ($5,400)