The NFL season is in full swing, so it’s time to set your lineups for Week 3 of the fantasy football season. There were a lot of injuries among the top ten wide receivers: Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Cooper Kupp all left the game early, in addition to A.J. Brown being out for Week 2. Deebo Samuel, Kupp, and Brown are all assumed out for Week 3. Below are the wide receiver rankings, tiers, and analysis for Week 3.
Wide Receiver Rankings for Week 3 Fantasy Football
Tier 1: Alpha Wide Receivers
1. CeeDee Lamb
2. Justin Jefferson
3. Ja’Marr Chase
4. Amon-Ra St. Brown*
The top tier of the Week 3 wide receiver rankings is full of injuries. Jefferson left the game with quad contusion, but he is not expected to miss any games. He had a 97-yard touchdown before leaving, showcasing his elite talent. He moves up to second in the rankings for this week.
Chase gets a smash spot against the Commanders secondary which is not good. Malik Nabers had ten receptions and 127 yards on 18 targets last week. This is the week that Chase breaks out.
*St. Brown left the game, but reports indicate that it was only cramping and a contusion. There is a small chance he might miss at least one game, but if he is on the field, he is a top-five lock after receiving 19 targets in Week 2.
Despite being hobbled during Sunday’s game, Lions WR Amon-Ra initially was determined to have only a contusion and cramping, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 16, 2024
Tier 2: Low-end WR1s to High-end WR2s
5. Tyreek Hill
6. Nico Collins
7. Rashee Rice
8. Garrett Wilson
9. Davante Adams
10. Mike Evans
11. Marvin Harrison Jr.
12. Malik Nabers
Collins is off to a great start this season, ranking as the overall WR2 through the first two weeks. He has the best connection out of the three wide receivers for the Texans. Collins jumps into the top ten for Week 3 as a low-end WR1.
Nabers had a standout Week 2, scoring 28.7 fantasy points. He was the WR3 for the week and is currently the overall WR3 for the season. Despite facing a tougher matchup against the Browns, his high target share gives him WR1 potential each week.
Tier 3: Solid WR2s
13. D.J. Moore
14. Chris Olave
15. Drake London
16. Brandon Aiyuk
17. DK Metcalf
18. DeVonta Smith
19. Zay Flowers
20. Chris Godwin
Aiyuk has struggled in the first two games, totaling only 13.1 total fantasy points. He did not participate much in the preseason as he was holding out. He needs more reps with Purdy to get on the same page. Week 3 presents a great opportunity for him to improve, as the 49ers face a Rams team that recently allowed 41 points to the Cardinals. This is the week that Aiyuk can get back to form with Samuel out with an injury.
Flowers had 22.1 fantasy points in Week 2. He has seen at least double-digit targets in both games to start the year. He is Lamar Jackson’s go-to receiver. The Ravens face a big game against the Cowboys, who just allowed 44 points to the Saints. Expect Jackson, Flowers, and the Ravens to bounce back and put up a lot of points in this game.
Tier 4: WR3s or FLEX plays
21. George Pickens
22. Jaylen Waddle
23. Stefon Diggs
24. Michael Pittman
25. Jameson Williams
26. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
27. Terry McLaurin
28. Brian Thomas Jr
29. Ladd McConkey
30. Calvin Ridley
31. Amari Cooper
32. Jayden Reed
33. Rashid Shaheed
34. Demarcus Robinson
35. Tank Dell
36. Khalil Shakir
Williams has scored 24.4 and 14.4 fantasy points in the first two games, with nine and eleven targets, respectively. He remains a big play threat, and Jared Goff is getting him the ball. While Sam LaPorta will likely see more targets eventually, Williams only needs one big play to meet his projection.
Smith-Njigba had a monster Week 2, with 16 targets, 12 receptions, and 117 receiving yards. The good news is that Metcalf also had double-digit receptions and over 100 receiving yards. Geno Smith proved he can support two great wide receivers, and JSN has moved ahead of Lockett on the depth chart. The sophomore season breakout for Smith-Njigba is officially here.
Some other notes on this tier: Waddle takes a hit without Tua Tagovailoa, Reed will continue to struggle without Jordan Love, and Shaheed has a deep touchdown in both games but only has nine targets on the year.
Main Image: Troy Taormina – USA Today Sports
