Before we get into my favorite wide receivers for fantasy football Week 3, here are a few notes.

Injuries: I'm writing this piece on Tuesday, which means I won't have complete information regarding a number of players injured this past weekend. For the most part, I'll try to avoid highlighting players who might miss time to injury or who might see extra playing time if someone else ahead of them on the depth chart is out.

2023 Defensive Data: This is the final week in which I'll rely more on last year's data than this year's. It's not as if what defenses did in Weeks 1-2 doesn't matter, but for the purposes of evaluating skill-position matchups it still matters a little less than the 2023 numbers.

Pearl Jam: That's right, baby. They're playing at Fenway Park on Tuesday night, and I've decided to rediscover my youth and go to the concert. As a result, this edition of the article might (or might not) be shorter than it usually is. Rest assured, I'm putting the same research time into the piece. I just might (or might not) put a little less writing time into it. And that might (or might not) be a win for everybody, if we're being honest.

Let's get to Week 3.

If you want to find the rest of my favorite positional fantasy football plays for Week 3, see below:

Best Wide Receivers for Fantasy Football Week 3

Here are my preliminary Week 3 favorites. These are the guys who (in some combination)…

  • Might be high in my fantasy rankings relative to the industry consensus.
  • Need to be started in most season-long leagues.
  • Must be added if they are on waivers.
  • Possess underappreciated upside.
  • Have advantageous matchups.
  • Should be considered in DFS.
  • Make for desirable dynasty acquisition targets.
  • Are on teams with player-friendly betting odds.
  • Catch my eye with their player projections.
  • Stand out in our player prop tool.

Some notes…

Updates: After I submit this piece (on Tuesday), any changing opinions I have will be reflected in my fantasy football rankings and my projections (accessible with a FantasyLife+ subscription), which I will update throughout the week.

Rankings Accuracy: Last year I was No. 18 in the FantasyPros Accuracy Contest. That was my sixth season with a top-20 finish.

Scoring & Ordering: All fantasy points are half-PPR scoring unless otherwise stated. Players are ordered within position roughly (but maybe not precisely) according to my rankings.

Abbreviations: Check out the end of the piece for abbreviations I might use.

Sports Betting Data: Odds are as of 12:45 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Sep. 17, and based on the consensus lines in our Fantasy Life Odds Page.

Best WRs for Fantasy Football Week 3

Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals) vs. Commanders

  • Bengals: -7.5
  • O/U: 48
  • TT: 27.75

With just 10-97-0 receiving on 11 targets through two games, Chase has yet to look like himself this season.

But he's still the dude with 3,717 yards and 29 TDs receiving in his first three NFL seasons, Joe Burrow now looks healthy, and Tee Higgins (hamstring) seems likely to miss one more game after not practicing at all last week.

And he has the mother of all matchups against the Commanders, who last year were No. 32 in defensive dropback EPA (0.199), No. 32 in defensive pass DVOA against No. 1 WRs (40.9%), and No. 1 in largest fantasy boost allowed to WRs (+8.3).

In Week 1, they yielded an NFL-high 51.0 fantasy points to the Buccaneers WRs. And then in Week 2 they allowed rookie WR Malik Nabers to go off with 10-127-1 receiving on 18 targets.

This is the bounceback spot.

Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals) vs. Lions

  • Cardinals: +3
  • O/U: 52.5
  • TT: 24.75

Immediately after puttering his way to 1-4-0 receiving on three targets in his NFL debut, Harrison balled out last week with a 4-130-2 performance on eight targets in a 41-10 win:

The top overall player in Dwain McFarland's WR Super Model — not just for 2024 but also for all the history of the Super Model — Harrison is living up to the hype and should continue to do so against the Lions, who last year were No. 29 in defensive dropback EPA (0.109).

Brandon Aiyuk (49ers) at Rams

  • 49ers: -7
  • O/U: 44
  • TT: 25.5

After signing a four-year, $120M contract extension this preseason, Aiyuk has disappointed with 6-71-0 receiving on 10 targets through two weeks.

But Aiyuk has displayed his elite skill set in recent seasons (78-1,015-8 receiving in 2022; 75-1,342-7 in 2023), and he should get as many opportunities as he can handle this week without RB Christian McCaffrey (Achilles, IR) and WR Deebo Samuel (calf).

Under HC Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers are 10-5 ATS (27.0% ROI) and 10-5 ML (35.2% ROI) against the division rival Rams, who have allowed big games to perimeter playmakers — WRs Jameson Williams (5-121-1, nine targets) and Marvin Harrison (4-130-2, eight targets) — in back-to-back weeks.

DeVonta Smith (Eagles) at Saints

  • Eagles: +3
  • O/U: 49.5
  • TT: 23.25

Smith has been one of the league's most reliable No. 2 WRs in recent memory: Since his 2021 rookie season, he has been productive (3,178 yards receiving) and efficient (9.0 yards per target).

Plus he's always on the field. Last year, he had a league-high 98% route rate.

And he could produce like a solid No. 1 WR this week because of two factors. First, teammate A.J. Brown (hamstring) suffered a soft-tissue injury late last week and missed Monday Night Football, when Smith had 7-76-1 receiving on 10 targets. Because of the injury type and timing, I doubt Brown will play this week.

Second, No. 1 CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) didn't practice or play last week, and in his absence WR CeeDee Lamb had 4-90-1 on seven targets. Like Brown, Lattimore seems doubtful to suit up in Week 3.

With diminished target competition and a manageable matchup, Smith has a true fantasy ceiling.

The Deep Route

Rashee Rice (Chiefs -3.5, TT: 25) at Falcons: Rice easily leads the Chiefs with 12-178-1 receiving and 15 targets, and the team might lean more into the passing attack now without Isiah Pacheco (leg). Rice should be able to avoid No. 1 CB A.J. Terrell for much of the game, given that this year he has run 52.5% of his routes from the slot (per PFF).

Tyreek Hill (Dolphins +5.5, TT: 18) at Seahawks: In the seven games in which backup QB Skylar Thompson has played at least 20 snaps, Hill has averaged 9.1 targets. With that kind of volume and his unmatched talent (back-to-back seasons with 1,700-plus yards receiving), Hill should be fine.

Chris Olave (Saints -3, TT: 26.25) vs. Eagles: Last year the Eagles were No. 1 in most fantasy points allowed to WRs (36.7), and this year they're No. 3 (23.5). Olave has just 99 yards, but his two prior seasons (back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns) suggest that he will break loose soon. 

Malik Nabers (Giants +6, TT: 16.5) at Browns: In just his second NFL game, Nabers went off with 10-127-1 receiving on 18 targets, and he could've had an even bigger game, as he was No. 1 in Week 2 with 163 unrealized air yards. Sheesh.

Jameson Williams (Lions -3, TT: 27.75) at Cardinals: No. 1 WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (leg) is dealing with an injury, and Williams has 228 yards and a TD on 20 targets and two carries through two weeks. The Cardinals last year were No. 31 in defensive dropback EPA (0.193) and DVOA (29.2%).

Amari Cooper (Browns -6, TT: 22.5) vs. Giants: Despite having just 27 yards receiving, Cooper leads his team with 17 targets this season. For the Giants, perimeter CBs Deonte Banks (52.6 PFF coverage grade) and Cor'Dale Flott (58.6) are exploitable. 

George Pickens (Steelers -2, TT: 18.75) vs. Chargers: Pickens has a scoreless 114 yards receiving through two weeks—but his efficiency is still elite (10.4 yards per target), and he has had to deal with shadow coverage from CBs A.J. Terrell and Pat Surtain. With the Chargers using No. 1 CB Asante Samuel exclusively on the left, Pickens should be able to escape his coverage for most of his routes. 

Calvin Ridley (Titans -2.5, TT: 19.5) vs. Packers: Despite playing alongside two polished veterans in DeAndre Hopkins and Tyler Boyd, Ridley is No. 1 in the league with a 60% share of air yards, which he has leveraged into 7-127-1 receiving (to go along with a 10-yard TD run). 

Terry McLaurin (Commanders +7.5, TT: 20.25) at Bengals: QB Jayden Daniels is a +275 favorite for OROY and has completed 75.5% of his pass attempts. At some point, his No. 1 WR will have more than 3.3 yards per target.

Rashid Shaheed (Saints -3, TT: 26.25) vs. Eagles: With his ability to line up all over the formation, Shaheed should be able to avoid No. 1 CB Darius Slay for most of the game. His 11.7 yards per target, 7.6 yards per carry, and 10 TDs on 132 career opportunities make him an elite big-play threat.

More Fantasy Football Plays for Week 3

Abbreviations

  • Fantasy Points per Game (FPPG)
  • Against the Spread (ATS)
  • Over/Under (O/U)
  • Team Total (TT)
  • Moneyline (ML)
  • Return on Investment (ROI)
  • Adjusted Yards per Attempt (AY/A)
  • Expected Points Added (EPA)
  • Success Rate (SR)
  • Completion Percentage Over Expected (CPOE)
  • Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA)
  • AirYAC (Air Yards + Yards After Catch)
  • Weighted Opportunity Rating (WOPR)
  • Average Depth of Target (aDOT)
  • Short Down and Distance (SDD)
  • Long Down and Distance (LDD)