Fantasy Football Start/Sits: NFL 2026 Week 3
It's officially Week 3 of the 2026 fantasy football season and as Wade Barrett says: I've got some bad news. If you started 0-2 you're cooked. 0% playoff chance, time to book the trip to Cancun. However, if you want to try to eek out your first win of the season listen up because we've got the best takes around to get your lineup right entering the Sunday slate.
The way we go about this weekly article is: several 4QWI staff members select one player from the major fantasy football positions to write about, whether it be starting or sitting them. We don't communicate at all, and at times there may be some overlap of advice, or even disagreements about the same player. Of course, we will generally avoid the obvious no-brainer starts every week such as Josh Allen and Jahmyr Gibbs. With that, let's get some Week 2 advice poppin.
Quarterbacks:
(@spechty49) Start: Justin Herbert @ Buffalo Bills Buffalo Bills (Sunday, 9/27 @ 1:00 PM EST)
I’m telling you. This will be his first decent fantasy performance. Against a Bills D that has had some high scoring games to start the year, this is Herbert’s chance to do something… anything. There’s not many good things to say about Herbert’s performance so far. But Buffalo is ranked 28th against opposing QBs over the last two weeks. Have faith and stay strong my fellow Herbert owners.
(@Endydoe) Start: Bryce Young @ Cleveland Browns (Sunday, 9/27 @ 1:00 PM EST)
Has Bryce Young finally arrived? The 2023 1st overall pick has gotten off to the best statistical start of his career, with 648 passing yards, six touchdowns and one interception in two games, alongside a rushing tuddy. From a real-life standpoint I have been a Bryce Young truther since the end of the 2024 season, and maybe year four is his true breakout. Steady hands within the Panthers offense such as Tet McMillian, the emergence of Jalen Coker, Chuba Hubbard looking good, and even veteran Darren Waller catching two touchdowns last week, all give Young a healthy selection of weapons as he and the Panthers take aim at the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns are a dead-center matchup for this team as they got surgically destroyed by Trevor Lawrence in Week 1 before holding Baker Mayfield to a middling game in their surprise win in Tampa Bay last week. Sure both teams are 1-1, but the Panthers are the hotter of the two teams. With his current streak alongside several injuries hitting the Quarterback position this season already, Bryce Young should be rostered in most every league. I like him a lot against the Browns this weekn and will be starting him in my main league.
(@jvr1210) Start: Brock Purdy vs. Arizona Cardinals (Sunday, 9/27 @ 4:05 PM EST)
Brock Purdy is in must start territory in his Week 3 match-up against the Arizona Cardinals. I don’t care who you drafted as your QB1 (unless it’s Josh Allen) if you own Brock Purdy, please start him this week. In Purdy’s first two games he has completed 45 of his 56 passing attempts (80.4 completion percentage) for 5 touchdowns, and has added 1 rushing touchdown. Brock Purdy may be entering his prime and is THE man right now.
In Week 3 Purdy will face the Arizona Cardinals whose secondary was shredded by the Seahawks backup QB Drew Lock to a tune of 287 passing yards and two touchdowns with 0 turnovers. Combine an ineffective secondary with a QB who is off to a historic start and the results should be huge.
(@BreTT_Shevlin) Sit: Drake Maye @ Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, 9/27 @ 1:00 PM EST)
It’s officially time to pump the brakes on Drake Maye.
I know, I know. After the breakout 2025 season, sitting Maye feels borderline sacrilegious. He finished second in MVP voting last season, established himself as one of the NFL’s most exciting young quarterbacks, and entered 2026 as a player fantasy managers expected to build around. But through two weeks? Maye has been anything but that guy. And this week, he gets a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that gives us very little reason to expect a breakout.
Through two games, Maye has thrown for just 386 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. The big-play throws that helped make Maye such a fantasy monster last year haven’t been there and I don’t expect much to be different this week in a tough road matchup.
Running Backs:
(@jvr1210) Sit: Cam Skattebo vs. Tennessee Titans (Sunday, 9/27 @ 1:00 PM EST)
The New York Giants may be entering an era where they are the most cursed team of this generation. I remember discussing on the podcast that the Giants would be so much fun to watch for the first four games of the season, unfortunately all we got was one game of a healthy Giants offense, who have now lost Jaxson Dart for the remainder of the season. Man was it a fun one game, luckily the Giants have one of the more fun back-ups in the league in Jameis Winston. The Giants are likely in for a roller coaster ride for the remainder of the season with Winston likely to put up 3000 yards and 25 to 30 touchdowns to go along with 20 or more interceptions.
What this means for Cam Skattebo is that defenses are going to start aligning their game plan around stopping Skattebo whose fantasy value will likely suffer the most on the Giants offense without Jaxson Dart. I also worry about the impact an increased volume may have on the long-term health of Skattebo who literally runs head first into linebackers. I would recommend sitting Skattebo despite the favorable match-up this week and see how things play out with the Giants offense in the next couple of weeks.
(@BreTT_Shevlin) Sit: New Orleans Saints Backfield vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday, 9/27 @ 4:25 PM EST)
If you thought the New Orleans Saints were finally going to give us some clarity in the backfield… think again. Because apparently Kellen Moore woke up and chose violence against fantasy managers.
This week, the Saints take on the Las Vegas Raiders, and there are two running backs you could potentially start — Alvin Kamara and Travis Etienne Jr. Our advice? Don’t. Last week, Etienne actually led the Saints backfield in snaps, while Kamara led in rushing attempts and dominated the receiving work. Somehow, that still resulted in just 53 combined yards between the two backs. Kamara has the safer receiving role, while Etienne has the potential for more rushing work, but neither has a workload you can confidently trust yet.
(@spechty49) Sit: Rhamondre Stevenson @ Jacksonville Jaguars (Sunday, 9/27 @ 1:00 PM EST)
He’s back! He’s in mid season form! His fingers are properly buttered and he cannot hold onto the ball. We’ve seen this before. He starts fumbling and the snaps stop coming. Henderson out snapped and out paced him. He can take a seat on the bench until we see the trust come back.
(@Endydoe) Sit: Travis Etienne Jr. vs. Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday, 9/27 @ 4:25 PM EST)
This is a spicy take and one people aren’t going to like. Etienne came at a premium on draft day this season and who could blame fantasy owners? After an 1,100 yard, 7 touchdown campaign in his final season as a Jaguar, Etienne joined the Saints to be their RB1. Thus far, we’ve seen a challenging season for the man who came off your draft boards in the 3rd or 4th-ish round.
Just 26 touches in two games underscores an underwhelming fantasy season thus far, especially related to his ADP. That also includes that fact that Alvin Kamara is back in the mix afetr missing Week 1.On top of that, he is currently nursing a hamstring injury as of writing. Even if he does play, it won’t be at 100% and the Saints will be taking on the Raiders, a team that has allowed 149 yards to running backs in two games, including holding Achane to 36 yards against the Dolphins in Week 1.
Listen, I understand you might not have a better option and if that’s the case, throw Etienne into your lineup if for no other reason than when you drafted him and his name. But, if you happened to pick up some recent spicy flex options like a Denzel Boston or Adonai Mitchell, you might just get more big-play fantasy value this week.
Wide Receivers:
(@BreTT_Shevlin) Start: Jalen Coker @ Cleveland Browns (Sunday, 9/27 @ 1:00 PM EST)
At this point, we’re done calling Jalen Coker a sleeper. Coker has opened the season with 16 catches on 18 targets for 204 yards and two touchdowns, and he’s coming off back-to-back games with eight receptions. He also leads Carolina with a 24.3% target share.
Now he gets a Browns defense that’s allowing plenty of production to perimeter receivers. The only concern? Coker missed Thursday’s practice with an ankle issue after practicing Wednesday, so you’ll want to monitor his status before kickoff.
Assuming he’s active, START JALEN COKER.
The targets are there. The production is there. The matchup is there.
(@spechty49) Sit: DK Metcalf vs. Cincinnati Bengals (Sunday, 9/27 @ 1:00 PM EST)
I am the double down king. DK was my WR sit of the week last week and it was on the money. While it might not have been entirely his fault … Aaron Rodgers got absolutely steam rolled. He certainly hasn’t looked great. DK and Rodgers have yet to click. Since joining Pittsburgh DK has posted his career lowest in targets, yards, receptions and 2nd lowest season for touchdowns. Yikes. Not to mention 19 targets and only 8 catches for no touchdowns in two games. Steer clear for a while. He may even end up being droppable.
(@jvr1210) Sit: Stefon Diggs vs. Seattle Seahawks (Sunday, 9/27 @ 1:00 PM EST)
Diggs is off to a hot start with his new team, finding the end zone 3 times in his first 2 games with the Washington Commanders. Unfortunately for Diggs, his starting QB Jayden Daniels suffered a gruesome elbow injury in Week 2, dislocating his elbow, likely landing himself on the injured reserve (although the Commanders have not yet officially placed Daniels on the IR as they are waiting on a specialists recommendation). Regardless, Marcus Mariota will start Week 3 against the Seahawks who have been the best defense in the league so far, holding the Patriots to 10 points and the Cardinals to 7 points. Through their first two games the Seahawks secondary has only allowed 273 passing yards and 2 passing touchdowns while intercepting the ball 4 times. Mariota and Diggs looked decent, but they were playing the Cowboys, the Seahawks present a whole different beast so I would lean towards sitting Diggs in Week 3.
Tight Ends:
(@Endydoe) Start: Oronde Gadsden @ Buffalo Bills (Sunday, 9/27 @ 1:00 PM EST)
Hey, I’m 2/2 on Tight End picks this season so I gotta keep going as the sole tight ender around here.
First, I said to start Isaiah Likely Week 1 and Jake Ferguson last week and both of those predictions were major hits. This week I submit Mr. Oronde Gadsden of the Los Angeles Chargers.
First, let’s rip the bandaid off and address LAC. Yes, they are playing perhaps the worst football in the entire league right now, having lost to the Cardinals and Raiders back to back. Now the gauntlet truly begins as they begin a murderer’s row-type stretch of games with a visit to Buffalo to take on the Bills this week. HEAR ME OUT.
First of all, on a pure-statistics angle, the Bills are an encouraging matchup for Gadsden as they have allowed 14 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown over two games to opposing Tight Ends which puts them in the bottom 10. Besides that, the Bills have allowed 62 points this season, tied with the Dolphins for second most as both the Texans and Lions put up exactly 31 on them. The Chargers have been bad, but in a very early must-win game to stay in the running within the AFC West, I would hope they come out ready to play. If Buffalo’s first two games are any indication, this will be a shootout of a matchup which bolsters Gadsden’s outlook.
With that in mind, fellow Chargers Tight End David Njoku also has hit the IR, opening Gadsden up for an expanded role through the rest of the season. Gadsden has also shown a relationship with Justin Herbert as he posted 664 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie last season. That is compounded with the fact that outside of Ladd McConkey, Chargers pass catchers haven’t really done much. Start Gadsden this week.
(@BreTT_Shevlin) Start: Oronde Gadsden @ Buffalo Bills (Sunday, 9/27 @ 1:00 PM EST)**
**Editor's note: Brett stealing my flow. I am the Tight Ender. Not you. Who do you think you are? Two weeks of my holding this down and not only do you take the position from me you also pick the same player NOT TO MENTION you also said to sit Saints RBs you no good spineless li-
If Oronde Gadsden is still sitting on your waiver wire, stop reading and go pick him up. With David Njoku and Charlie Kolar both heading to IR, Gadsden is now the lone tight end on the Chargers’ active roster. That means opportunity — and lots of it.
Gadsden showed plenty of receiving ability as a rookie, posting 49 catches for 664 yards and three touchdowns, and now he gets a chance to step into a much larger role. The Chargers are also coming off an 0-2 start, meaning there’s a pretty good chance Justin Herbert and this passing game will have to throw their way back into games.
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