Fantasy Football WR PPR Rankings Week 3: Who to start, best sleepers at wide receiver

Nick Musial

Fantasy Football WR PPR Rankings Week 3: Who to start, best sleepers at wide receiver image

Whether you're 2-0, 0-2, or 1-1, it's still too early in the fantasy football season to definitively gauge the strength of your squad. As seasoned fantasy owners and NFL fans, it's crucial to recognize that the week-to-week unpredictability of the league is mirrored in the realm of the fantasy world. Our Week 3 fantasy WR PPR rankings aim to guide you in the right direction by pinpointing the right pass-catchers for your start 'em, sit 'em decisions.

When it comes to week-to-week variance, look no further than Brandon Aiyuk's first two weeks. The wideout finished as the overall WR2 in Week 1 following an eight-catch, 129-yard, two-TD effort, then proceeded to post 7.43 points playing second fiddle to Deebo Samuel in Week 2.

Unless your name is Puka Nacua, week-to-week variance is inevitable. As a new week approaches, maintain an optimistic approach, embracing the thrill of possibilities and potential for fantasy greatness.

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Who are the best fantasy WRs Week 3?

Following his 11-catch, 159-yard showing where he was also inches away from a TD, Justin Jefferson (vs. Chargers) is our No. 1 WR for Week 3. Points should be plentiful against the Chargers, as Jefferson has a legitimate chance to replicate his Week 2 output.

WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

Tyreek Hill (vs. Broncos) slots in at No. 2, and while he's essentially matchup-proof, there's a chance Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II holds him in check for Hill's standards. We still have faith Ja'Marr Chase (vs. Rams) will break out against an exploitable Rams secondary, as Joe Burrow's still targeting him at a high clip.

PPR beasts Amon-Ra St. Brown (vs. Falcons) and Stefon Diggs (@ Commanders) both sit as bona fide top-five fantasy plays this week after each wideout saw seven targets in Week 2. Neither reached paydirt, but both could easily record a receiving TD in Week 3 as go-to red-zone options.

WEEK 3 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

Who are the best fantasy WR sleepers, waiver pickups Week 3?

Regarding this week's crop of waiver wire adds, Detroit’s Josh Reynolds (vs. Falcons) looks like the Lions' No. 2 wideout. Reynolds' five-catch, 66-yard, two-touchdown effort against Seattle will result in an increase in his roster percentage ahead of Week 3, and he can work as a WR3 or flex.

Christian Watson's potential return from a hamstring injury lowers the ceiling of Packers' rookie Jayden Reed (vs. Saints), but his high snap share and four-catch, 37-yard, two-TD effort against Atlanta in Week 2 makes him an appealing add.

Fellow rookie Tank Dell (@ Jaguars) already has a strong rapport with C.J. Stroud. In a Houston offense that’s going to pass at a high rate in negative game scripts, Dell's more than worthy of a bench spot and potential start at flex this week.

Other Week 3 waiver wire additions and sleepers include Josh Downs (@ Ravens), Marvin Mims (@ Dolphins), Tutu Atwell (@ Bengals), Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore (vs. Bears), and Adam Thielen (@ Seahawks), but the only two we'd consider starting are Atwell and Moore.

WEEK 3 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em

Who are the biggest potential WR busts Week 3?

We'd be hesitant to start Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore (vs. Cowboys), Romeo Doubs (vs. Saints), Allen Lazard (vs. Patriots), Treylon Burks (@ Browns), and JuJu Smith-Schuster (@ Jets) in challenging Week 3 matchups.

Outside of Brown, none of these WRs see a reliable enough target share to warrant starting them as a WR3/flex against some of the league's best coverage units. The same can be said for Jahan Dotson (vs. Bills), Kendrick Bourne (@ Jets), Courtland Sutton (@ Dolphins), and Rashid Shaheed (@ Packers).

WEEK 3 DFS:
DK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks

What are the biggest WR injuries Week 3?

In Week 2 Christian Watson (hamstring), Diontae Johnson (hamstring), Brandin Cooks (knee), and Jakobi Meyers (head) all landed on their squads' inactive lists. Of these banged-up pass catchers, Watson's the only WR we've included in our initial rankings, as we expect Green Bay's WR1 to make his season debut in Week 3. For the time being, we've left out Johnson, but will monitor their statuses as the week progresses. 

In Week 2, we saw Davante Adams (head), Jaylen Waddle (head), Garrett Wilson (undisclosed), Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle), and Darnell Mooney (knee) each exit their games with injuries. For now, we've kept Adams, Waddle, Wilson, and Mooney in our initial Week 3 rankings but took out Beckham Jr.

We'll be updating these WR PPR rankings throughout the week, so check back for the latest player movement and analysis.

Fantasy WR PPR Rankings Week 3: Who to start, sit at wide receiver

Rankings based on PPR scoring formats

Rank    Player
1    Justin Jefferson, Vikings vs. Chargers
2    Tyreek Hill, Dolphins vs. Broncos
3    Stefon Diggs, Bills @ Commanders
4    Davante Adams, Raiders vs. Steelers
5    Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions vs. Falcons
6    CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys @ Cardinals
7    Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals vs. Rams
8    Calvin Ridley, Jaguars vs. Texans
9    A.J. Brown, Eagles @ Buccaneers
10    Chris Olave, Saints @ Packers
11    Keenan Allen, Chargers @ Vikings
12    DeVonta Smith, Eagles @ Buccaneers
13    Puka Nacua, Rams @ Bengals
14    DK Metcalf, Seahawks vs. Panthers
15    Deebo Samuel, 49ers vs. Giants
16    Mike Evans, Buccaneers vs. Eagles
17    Tee Higgins, Bengals vs. Rams
18    Mike Williams, Chargers @ Vikings
19    Tyler Lockett, Seahawks vs. Panthers
20    Zay Flowers, Ravens vs. Colts
21    Garrett Wilson, Jets vs. Patriots
22    Terry McLaurin, Commanders vs. Bills
23    George Pickens, Steelers @ Raiders
24    Michael Pittman Jr., Colts @ Ravens
25    DeAndre Hopkins, Titans @ Browns
26    DJ Moore, Bears @ Chiefs
27    Chris Godwin, Buccaneers vs. Eagles
28    Jerry Jeudy, Broncos @ Dolphins
29    Amari Cooper, Browns vs. Titans
30    Michael Thomas, Saints @ Packers
31    Christian Kirk, Jaguars vs. Texans
32    Drake London, Falcons @ Lions
33    Nico Collins, Texans @ Jaguars
34    Jordan Addison, Vikings vs. Chargers
35    Gabe Davis, Bills @ Commanders
36    Marquise Brown, Cardinals vs.Cowboys
37    Jahan Dotson, Commanders vs. Bills
38    Tutu Atwell, Rams @ Bengals
39    Romeo Doubs, Packers vs. Saints
40    Jayden Reed, Packers vs. Saints
41    Treylon Burks, Titans @ Browns
42    Jakobi Meyers, Raiders @ Bills
43    Courtland Sutton, Broncos @ Dolphins
44    Tank Dell, Texans @ Jaguars
45    Elijah Moore, Browns vs. Titans
46    Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks vs. Panthers
47    Skyy Moore, Chiefs vs. Bears
48    Rashid Shaheed, Saints @ Packers
49    Kadarius Toney, Chiefs vs. Bears
50    Josh Reynolds, Lions vs. Falcons
51    Adam Thielen, Panthers @ Seahawks
52    Braxton Berrios, Dolphins vs. Broncos
53    Brandin Cooks, Cowboys @ Cardinals
54    Kendrick Bourne, Patriots @ Jets
55    Rondale Moore, Cardinals vs. Cowboys
56    Tyler Boyd, Bengals vs. Rams
57    Curtis Samuel, Commanders vs. Bills
58    Robert Woods, Texans @ Jaguars
59    Michael Gallup, Cowboys @ Cardinals
60    Allen Lazard, Jets vs. Patriots
61    Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Chiefs vs. Bears
62    Mack Hollins, Falcons @ Lions
63    Donovan Peoples-Jones, Browns vs. Titans
64    Joshua Palmer, Chargers @ Vikings
65    K.J. Osborn, Vikings vs. Chargers
66    Darnell Mooney, Bears @ Chiefs
67    JuJu Smith-Schuster, Patriots @ Jets
68    Rashee Rice, Chiefs vs. Bears
69    Van Jefferson, Rams @ Bengals
70    Allen Robinson II, Steelers @ Raiders
71    Josh Downs, Colts @ Ravens
72    Isaiah Hodgins, Giants @ 49ers
73    Darius Slayton, Giants @ 49ers
74    Rashod Bateman, Ravens vs. Colts
75    Marvin Mims Jr., Broncos @ Dolphins
76    River Cracraft, Dolphins vs. Broncos
77    Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Titans @ Browns
78    Alec Pierce, Colts @ Ravens
79    Cedrick Wilson, Dolphins vs. Broncos
80    Calvin Austin III, Steelers @ Raiders
81    DJ Chark, Panthers @ Seahawks
82    Quentin Johnston, Chargers @ Vikings
83    Jonathan Mingo, Panthers @ Seahawks
84    Jalin Hyatt, Giants @ 49ers
85    Brandon Johnson, Broncos @ Dolphins
86    DeVante Parker, Patriots @ Jets
87    Michael Wilson, Cardinals vs. Cowboys

Week 3 WR PPR fantasy projections, rankings from Draft Sharks

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Nick Musial

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Nick Musial is a Content Producer at The Sporting News. He recently joined the team after studying sport management and journalism at the University of Kansas. Nick’s an avid sports bettor who’s always looking for value.