Week 3 Fantasy Football RANKINGS & Tiers: QB, RB, WR, & TE + Starts & Sits (09/24 Fantasy Football Podcast)
The FFT crew (Jamey Eisenberg, Dave Richard, Heath Cummings) ran through Week 3 consensus rankings and start/sit advice across RB, WR, QB and TE, leaning heavily on the wave of injuries (Saquon Barkley, Zay Flowers, Mike Evans, Nico Collins, Puka Nacua, Aaron Jones, Jalen Warren/Rico Dowdle) that are scrambling lineups. They also flagged emerging waiver-wire pivots at every position for managers replacing injured QBs (Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Jackson Dart) and banged-up skill players.
This Week 3 rankings episode is dominated by injury chaos across the running back and wide receiver positions, with the hosts spending most of their time triaging which banged-up stars are safe to start and which backfield/receiver committees are still too muddy to trust. The central argument is that this is a week to lean on situational reads (matchups, target share trends, offensive coordinator comments) rather than name value, because so many "obvious" starters are questionable or splitting work.
The arguments
Chuba Hubbard is a start even though the touch share is uncertain. Dave and Heath agreed Hubbard is at minimum a top-15 back against Cleveland because Carolina has thrown more than expected through two weeks and the Browns' run defense, while solid, is more vulnerable on the ground than through the air. Dave floated Hubbard could see 60-90% of backfield touches with no real threat from A.J. Dillon or Chuba's backup mix, making him startable regardless of exact split.
The Saints and Giants backfields are unstartable committees you're forced to play anyway. Heath called Travis Etienne the "most borderline RB2 you can find" since Kamara out-touched and out-targeted him even banged up, and said if Kamara plays and Etienne doesn't get clarity, you sit him if there's any bench alternative. Dave was similarly lukewarm on Cam Skattebo, liking the Titans matchup but disliking the goal-line committee work, landing him as only a top-20 back.
Injury-replacement running backs (Bigsby, Dobbins/Harvey, Jadarian Price) deserve flex consideration this week. Dave pegged Tank Bigsby as flex-worthy if Saquon Barkley sits, citing a beatable Bears run defense, while warning he'll be droppable the moment Barkley returns. Heath ranked J.K. Dobbins ahead of Bigsby (RB28) purely on health, but noted R.J. Harvey is the better play if cleared because Denver's tough Rams matchup favors pass-catching work over between-the-tackles runs.
The Jamison Williams "boom-or-bust WR3" label holds, and he's a sit this week. Dave argued Jared Goff will lean on quick, short throws to Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs against a Jets defense whose coordinator, Aaron Glenn, has extensive inside knowledge of Detroit's offense from his prior staff role. Heath backed this, reiterating Williams remains a boom-bust WR3 who's better as a bench stash than a lineup lock.
Bryce Young's receivers (Coker, McMillan) and Young himself are legitimate rest-of-season starts, not just streaming plays. Heath made the strongest case here, citing 37.5 pass attempts per game, only four sacks on 80 dropbacks, and Carolina generating the league's second-most explosive passing plays behind only Buffalo. He argued Coker and McMillan can both sustain top-15 WR production as long as Young keeps playing this well, and even ranked Deshaun Watson above Justin Herbert this week based on Watson's 8.5 YPA and rushing production.
Justin Herbert has lost hosts' trust entirely. Heath said he resisted the temptation to bump Herbert up despite a plus matchup against Buffalo's defense, pointing to two straight ugly performances, more interceptions than touchdowns, and offensive line and playcalling issues layered on top of Herbert's own struggles. Dave agreed, ranking Trevor Lawrence and even Jordan Love ahead of Herbert this week.
Zay Flowers' practice status is the swing factor for the entire Ravens/Falcons wide receiver picture. Heath was explicit: if Flowers doesn't practice Thursday, start Christian Watson, Drake London, and Matthew Golden over him; if he's a limited participant, still prioritize those three; only a full practice clears him as a must-start. This ripples into Rashod Bateman's value as well, since Flowers' return would hurt Bateman more than Mark Andrews.
What it means for your roster
- Start Chuba Hubbard confidently as a top-15 RB regardless of exact touch distribution against Cleveland.
- Sit Travion Etienne if Kamara plays and Etienne's role stays diminished; check for any viable bench alternative first.
- Stash or start Tank Bigsby only if Barkley is ruled out; drop him immediately once Barkley returns to health.
- Sit Jamison Williams this week in favor of a more clearly-defined WR3 option; don't panic-drop him for the season.
- Prioritize Jalen Coker and/or Ted McMillan as high-end WR2/low-end WR1 plays, and consider starting Deshaun Watson over Justin Herbert if you're deciding between struggling quarterbacks.
- Check Zay Flowers' practice report before finalizing your lineup—if he's anything less than a full go, start Christian Watson, Drake London, or Matthew Golden ahead of him, and lean Bateman over Mark Andrews if Flowers sits.
“He's the start of the week, and I'm excited to see what he's going to do.” — Jamey Eisenberg
Players in this episode
→ Status uncertain for Monday night vs Bears; his absence would open flex value for Tank Bigsby.
↓ Viewed as a sit this week with Patriots leaning on defense/run game; considered a buy-low candidate for later in the season once weapons return.
↑ Excellent recent history with Michael Penix Jr. returning; safe as a No.2 WR, possibly a hidden No.1.
→ Improved play against Colts but limited to a No.3 WR role given lower Chiefs pass volume and target competition.
↓ Hosts are ready to bench him after two poor performances, noting more interceptions than touchdowns and offensive struggles heading into a tough Buffalo matchup.
↓ Role has been poor even before injury; Kamara out-touched him in Week 1, making him a borderline RB2 you may be forced to start if he plays.
↓ Sit this week with backup QB Case Keenum starting against a tough Eagles pass rush; don't drop him long-term.
↑ Good matchup vs Titans; expected to lead Giants in touches despite sharing goal-line work, viewed as a top-20 RB.
↑ Back to must-start status even in a game the Chiefs may not need to pass much, given his strong start to the season.
→ Top-10 WR if he plays, but his practice status is the key; if he doesn't practice, Watson/London/Golden would be preferred.
→ Low-end starter with upside as Jacksonville leans on him against a tough Patriots defense; hosts split on confidence but lean toward starting him.
↓ Heath wants to sit him despite lead-back role, calling him a trap play against a strong Patriots run defense; buy-low candidate if he struggles.
↑ Trending to play after shoulder injury; viewed as top target in an increasingly aggressive Bills passing attack, a No.2 fantasy WR.
↑ With or without Rico Dowdle, Warren is viewed as a strong RB2 due to the Bengals' weakness against pass-catching backs; would start him over Travis Etienne in PPR.
↑ Reiterated as this week's start-of-the-week alongside Hubbard.
↓ Considered a boom/bust No.3 WR who may see fewer downfield shots against Aaron Glenn's Jets defense, which knows Detroit's tendencies.
↓ Tough matchup vs Seattle's elite secondary makes him a fade this week; potential buy-low trade target afterward.
↑ Trending toward being cleared; would be a flex if active given Rams' tough run defense pushing dump-offs.
↓ If healthy, great matchup vs Arizona, but hosts are skeptical he'll play a full game given recurring soft-tissue issues; view him as only a No.3 WR if active.
↓ Target share has dropped significantly under Deshaun Watson; not a top-12 start this week.
↑ Sleeper play with favorable game script vs Giants; could get ~15 touches and find the end zone.
↑ Now a set-it-and-forget-it start given Packers' pass-heavy approach and his big-play ability, including drawing two DPI calls last week.
↓ Practiced in a walking boot with a toe injury and looks unlikely to play, boosting Warren's role.
↑ Hosts view him as the start of the week, at minimum a top-15 RB against Cleveland given the Panthers' pass-heavy tendencies and the Browns' strong run funnel.
→ Currently the healthiest Broncos back and ranked ahead of Bigsby; could see more work if Harvey/Coleman remain limited.
→ Borderline QB1 given concentrated pass volume, though offensive line injuries (losing starting RT for the year) raise concern about protection.
↓ Dealing with a knee injury; Dave leans toward him not playing despite being pulled into the start column, with DJ Dallas/Demond Claiborne unproven replacements.
↑ Good matchup vs Tampa's shaky secondary upon return from concussion; could be a low-end QB1 if he plays.
↑ Called a top-10 QB for the week after back-to-back strong games; matchup context (opponents' defenses) discounted as less relevant.
↑ Good touchdown equity in a high-scoring Ravens matchup regardless of Zay Flowers' status.
↓ Concern about touchdown dependency; Baltimore could take him away in the red zone, making him risky despite last week's two-score game.
↑ Coming off a huge game and viewed as a strong start again vs a Colts defense he's produced against before.
↑ Actually referenced as a TE with double-digit PPR points in each of first two games; expected to keep producing vs Raiders.
↑ Emerging as Colts' lead receiver with heavy target volume; viewed as a strong No.2 WR play vs Texans.
↑ Sleeper flex option as Chiefs are big favorites over Dolphins; efficient with broken tackles and could see 12+ touches.
→ If Kamara plays, hosts would not start Etienne.
↑ Would slide in as a No.2 WR option if Evans sits, given expanded target share.
↑ Playing like a top-15 WR alongside Tetairoa McMillan in Carolina's explosive passing attack behind Bryce Young.
↑ Liked as a starter due to high pass attempts, low sack rate, and a functioning downfield scheme even against Cleveland.
↑ Sleeper if Puka Nacua sits, potentially seeing more targets as a No.2 receiving option.
↑ Would be in the flex range if Barkley sits, given a shaky Bears run defense; likely droppable if Barkley plays.
↑ Has been a top-20 PPR WR two straight weeks and viewed as a reliable flex as long as Deshaun Watson starts.
↑ Deep sleeper with target share expected to rise to ~33% with Caleb Douglas gone, potential 8-11 point floor.
↑ Good pivot play given a favorable schedule and a Lions defense that's allowed the most fantasy points to QBs.
↑ Historically strong against Bengals (6 TDs in last 10 meetings), good spot this week.
↑ Surprising sleeper with strong efficiency metrics (8.5 YPA, 76% completion, rushing yards); hosts would start him over Justin Herbert this week.
↑ Sleeper red-zone option against Carolina/Cleveland game script; has scored recently.