Week 3 Start Sit Advice (Part 1) | MUST-Start Players & Big Names to AVOID (09/24 Fantasy Football Podcast)
The FFT crew previews Week 3 with their favorite plays (Chuba Hubbard, Tyler Shough, Rashad Bateman, Pat Freiermuth, Jalen Warren, Jalen Coker) and players to fade (Baker Mayfield, Rhamondre Stevenson, Luther Burden, Terry McLaurin, Colston Loveland, Bhayshul Tuten), then run through injury news and one key start/sit question for all eight marquee games. The central argument is that with so many backup QBs and banged-up backfields around the league, situational volume and matchup context matter more than name value this week.
This episode is a rapid-fire Week 3 start/sit rundown covering all eight games on the CBS/Paramount+ slate, with hosts Adam, Dave, Jamie, and Heath ranking specific players and fielding live viewer questions. The central argument is that Week 3 is full of "drafted starters" who are quietly falling apart (Justin Herbert, Rasheed Rice, Drake May, DK Metcalf) while backup-caliber and streaming options (Chuba Hubbard, Tyler Shuck, Jalen Warren, Rashad Bateman, Pat Freiermuth) deserve a much bigger role in lineups than their ADP suggests.
The arguments
Chuba Hubbard is a top-10 running back play against Carolina, not just a value flex. Jamie argues the Browns' run defense hasn't allowed a rushing touchdown to a backfield yet, but Chuba's workload is safe with Brooks out and he's shown a touchdown-driven floor (17.9+ PPR points in four of six games last year with 15+ touches). Heath backs this, noting Jonathan Brooks never separated from Hubbard even when healthy.
The Bengals' defense is being underrated, which drags down DK Metcalf, Ramondre Stevenson, and even makes Jalen Warren a sneaky start. Jamie says Metcalf has been shadowed and neutralized by Christian Gonzalez and now DJ Turner, making him barely startable in three-receiver leagues despite 19 targets in two games; Dave counters that the underlying target share (WR17) means the talent issue is matchup-driven, not permanent. Heath separately argues Warren is a top-24 back regardless of Rico Dowdle's status because Cincinnati has allowed the most running-back receptions in the league, and Pittsburgh's run-blocking is bad enough that Warren's receiving work functions as their run game.
Justin Herbert and the Chargers passing game are a sit, with Quentin Johnston nearly unrosterable. Heath is the lowest on Herbert (ranked 17th-18th) because of Buffalo's road environment and LA's collapsing infrastructure (tackles healthy, McDaniel hired, still bad); Jamie is more optimistic given Week 1 play with Ladd McConkie healthy and frames this as a get-right spot before a brutal Seattle matchup in Week 4. Both agree Johnston, with 13 targets and 3 catches, is essentially unstartable right now.
Case Keenum and a diminished Bears passing attack sink Luther Burden, Colston Loveland, and DJ Moore-less Chicago into "avoid" territory. Heath argues that even without Caleb Williams, there was hope the backup QB would funnel volume to Burden and Loveland, but facing the Eagles defense with Keenum erases that upside. Jamie adds that Loveland has been mediocre even independent of the QB change, and both prefer Pat Freiermuth over Loveland this week given Freiermuth's strong career history against Cincinnati.
Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers offense are a firm sit, with Baker possibly droppable. Heath says Tampa's offense never solved its training-camp issues, receivers aren't separating, and the offensive line is struggling, and with Brian Flores' defense up next, he recommends staying away and even cutting Mayfield if a roster spot is needed for a streaming QB.
Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs are shaky despite decent raw opportunity because Seattle's defense is elite. Jamie notes Seattle just held Jacoby Brissett to minimal output and calls McLaurin barely a three-receiver-league starter, with Diggs only marginally ahead of him.
Tyler Shuck is being ranked as a top-seven fantasy quarterback ahead of several higher-drafted names. Heath's reasoning: an offense that can't run forces 35-40 pass attempts weekly, which is enough to make Shuck a preferable start over Joe Burrow, Trevor Lawrence, Matthew Stafford, Drake May, and Justin Herbert this week specifically.
What it means for your roster
- Start Chuba Hubbard as an RB1 this week; he's trending toward top-10 back status as long as the Panthers-Browns game stays competitive.
- Prioritize Rashad Bateman and Jalen Warren off waivers if available — Bateman becomes a top-20 receiver if Zay Flowers sits, and Warren is a legitimate flex/RB2 regardless of Dowdle's status given Cincinnati's pass-funnel run defense.
- Bench or trade Quentin Johnston immediately; the hosts suggest streaming options like Trey Tucker or Dontayvion Wicks over him.
- Sit DK Metcalf and Terry McLaurin in shallower formats — both are barely startable given elite shadow coverage (Metcalf) and Seattle's defensive form (McLaurin).
- Consider cutting or streaming past Baker Mayfield if you need a QB2 solution; the hosts see no near-term fix in Tampa.
- Use Pat Freiermuth over Colston Loveland at tight end this week specifically, and treat Loveland as a hold-not-drop given his draft capital, but expect continued shallow-league drops.
- Chase the streaming QB angle with Tyler Shuck if you're desperate at the position — the volume argument makes him a top-10 play in a bad-process, good-volume offense.
“It's pretty fantastic situation when you can't run the ball and you play fast.” — Heath
Players in this episode
→ Ranked much lower by the hosts than Sportsline's #4 ranking, but they still view Miami as a get-right spot for Rice given the Dolphins' weak pass defense.
↓ With Caleb Williams out and Case Keenum starting against a tough Eagles defense, hosts are avoiding Burden and the rest of the Bears passing game this week.
↑ Splitting third-down work fairly evenly with Woody Marks but still viewed ahead of committee backs like Tuten/Stevenson/Judkins against a bad Colts run defense.
↓ Only getting 28 of 47 team carries in a committee, facing a tough Patriots run defense that's allowed just two RB rushing TDs in its last 14 games; viewed as a low-end RB2/flex at best.
→ Not a sit despite tough Sauce Gardner-level coverage from Denver's Pat Surtain, ranked 10th-12th without Puka Nacua but would drop closer to 18-20 if Nacua plays.
↑ With the Bengals allowing the most RB receptions in the NFL, Warren's role as Pittsburgh's de facto passing-game back makes him a top-24 RB regardless of Jaylen Warren/Kaleb Johnson competition, and a top-flex if Kenneth Gainwell/Jaylen Warren backfield mate sits.
→ Despite a slow start with drops, hosts predict a big game is coming given his talent and target share, calling him a start over several other options this week.
↓ Despite decent history with Marcus Mariota, he's off to a slow start and faces a stingy Seattle defense, making him barely a starter in three-WR leagues.
↓ Facing a dominant Jacksonville run defense and an unclear touch split with Trevion Henderson, he's viewed as a risky low-end RB2/high-end flex rather than a confident start.
↑ With Rico Dowdle-type competition minimal and Jonathan Brooks unproven, Hubbard is viewed as a virtual bell-cow and a number one running back this week, moving up closer to the top 10.
↓ Expected to be shadowed again (this time by DJ Turner after struggling vs. Christian Gonzalez), with poor underlying target/air-yard share metrics; barely a three-WR-league starter.
↓ Tampa Bay's offense looks disorganized, Mayfield is holding the ball too long, and hosts recommend staying far away and even dropping him if needed.
↓ Dealing with a knee injury that has hosts worried enough that one host retracted a 'starter' ranking; suggested picking up DJ Giddens/DJ Dallas as speculative adds.
↑ Now viewed as a must-start after a huge Week 2 performance, with reports he's running faster than in years and leads all pass-catchers in yards after catch this season.
↑ Projected as QB7 this week, ranked ahead of Burrow, Lawrence, Stafford, May and Herbert because the Saints' inability to run forces 35-40 pass attempts per game.
↑ Becoming Daniel Jones' clear lead target (9 targets, 7 catches vs. KC) against a bad Texans secondary; ranked as a top-20 option and preferred over David Montgomery in full PPR.
↑ Currently ranked as high as WR13 by one host, praised as a must-start alongside Tetairoa McMillan in Carolina's pass-heavy offense, though monitoring an ankle injury.
↑ Rookie making plays (garbage-time TD, tough catches) and seeing about six targets a game; ranked as a high-end WR3 with upside for a breakout if the Panthers-Seahawks game turns into a shootout.
→ Value hinges entirely on Zay Flowers' health — a top-20 WR if Flowers sits, but only a confident WR3 if Flowers plays; five-plus targets have consistently produced 15+ PPR points.
↑ Loved this week against Cincinnati given his strong career history versus the Bengals (six TDs, 14+ PPR ppg in last 10 meetings); hosts said they'd start him over Colston Loveland.
↑ Only 7% rostered but seen as a strong pickup given his target share (six-plus targets, nine last week) against a very weak Colts defense.