It’s that time of year. If you’re reading this, you have your roster pulled up, and even if you don’t want to admit it, you’re wondering, “How am I going to mess up this beautiful roster that I put together?”
We’ve all been there. Don’t worry, I’m a professional.
Well, at the very least, I try hard. Really hard. And with that, I present to you my Week 3 fantasy football rankings that have far too much data supporting them to possibly be wrong.
FIND MORE POSITIONAL RANKINGS: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF
Top 100 Fantasy Flex Rankings
1) Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR | Detroit Lions (at ARI)
2) Rashee Rice, WR | Kansas City Chiefs (at ATL)
3) Bijan Robinson, RB | Atlanta Falcons (vs. KC)
4) Jonathan Taylor, RB | Indianapolis Colts (vs. CHI)
5) Saquon Barkley, RB | Philadelphia Eagles (at NO)
6) CeeDee Lamb, WR | Dallas Cowboys (vs. BAL)
7) Garrett Wilson, WR | New York Jets (vs. NE)
8) Breece Hall, RB | New York Jets (vs. NE)
9) Justin Jefferson, WR | Minnesota Vikings (vs. HOU)
10) Marvin Harrison Jr., WR | Arizona Cardinals (vs. DET)
11) Nico Collins, WR | Houston Texans (at MIN)
12) Derrick Henry, RB | Baltimore Ravens (at DAL)
13) Zay Flowers, WR | Baltimore Ravens (at DAL)
14) Brandon Aiyuk, WR | San Francisco 49ers (at LAR)
15) Trey McBride, TE | Arizona Cardinals (vs. DET)
16) De’Von Achane, RB | Miami Dolphins (at SEA)
17) Ja’Marr Chase, WR | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. WAS)
18) Jordan Mason, RB | San Francisco 49ers (at LAR)
19) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB | Detroit Lions (at ARI)
20) James Cook, RB | Buffalo Bills (vs. JAX)
21) Davante Adams, WR | Las Vegas Raiders (vs. CAR)
22) James Conner, RB | Arizona Cardinals (vs. DET)
23) Chris Olave, WR | New Orleans Saints (vs. PHI)
24) George Kittle, TE | San Francisco 49ers (at LAR)
25) Rachaad White, RB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. DEN)
26) Chris Godwin, WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. DEN)
27) Mike Evans, WR | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. DEN)
28) Tyreek Hill, WR | Miami Dolphins (at SEA)
29) Malik Nabers, WR | New York Giants (at CLE)
30) Josh Jacobs, RB | Green Bay Packers (at TEN)
31) Brian Robinson Jr., RB | Washington Commanders (vs. CIN)
32) DeVonta Smith, WR | Philadelphia Eagles (at NO)
33) Joe Mixon, RB | Houston Texans (at MIN)
34) Alvin Kamara, RB | New Orleans Saints (vs. PHI)
35) J.K. Dobbins, RB | Los Angeles Chargers (at PIT)
36) Travis Kelce, TE | Kansas City Chiefs (at ATL)
37) Kyren Williams, RB | Los Angeles Rams (vs. SF)
38) Travis Etienne Jr., RB | Jacksonville Jaguars (at BUF)
39) Jameson Williams, WR | Detroit Lions (at ARI)
40) Zack Moss, RB | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. WAS)
41) David Montgomery, RB | Detroit Lions (at ARI)
42) DK Metcalf, WR | Seattle Seahawks (vs. MIA)
43) Xavier Worthy, WR | Kansas City Chiefs (at ATL)
44) DJ Moore, WR | Chicago Bears (at IND)
45) Sam LaPorta, TE | Detroit Lions (at ARI)
46) Najee Harris, RB | Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. LAC)
47) Jaylen Waddle, WR | Miami Dolphins (at SEA)
48) Christian Kirk, WR | Jacksonville Jaguars (at BUF)
49) Amari Cooper, WR | Cleveland Browns (vs. NYG)
50) Tank Dell, WR | Houston Texans (at MIN)
51) Drake London, WR | Atlanta Falcons (vs. KC)
52) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR | Seattle Seahawks (vs. MIA)
53) Brian Thomas Jr., WR | Jacksonville Jaguars (at BUF)
54) Tony Pollard, RB | Tennessee Titans (vs. GB)
55) D’Andre Swift, RB | Chicago Bears (at IND)
56) Dalton Kincaid, TE | Buffalo Bills (vs. JAX)
57) Brock Bowers, TE | Las Vegas Raiders (vs. CAR)
58) Zach Charbonnet, RB | Seattle Seahawks (vs. MIA)
59) Michael Pittman Jr., WR | Indianapolis Colts (vs. CHI)
60) Jerome Ford, RB | Cleveland Browns (vs. NYG)
61) Aaron Jones, RB | Minnesota Vikings (vs. HOU)
62) Rhamondre Stevenson, RB | New England Patriots (at NYJ)
63) Terry McLaurin, WR | Washington Commanders (vs. CIN)
64) Keenan Allen, WR | Chicago Bears (at IND)
65) Tee Higgins, WR | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. WAS)
66) Rashid Shaheed, WR | New Orleans Saints (vs. PHI)
67) Ezekiel Elliott, RB | Dallas Cowboys (vs. BAL)
68) Devin Singletary, RB | New York Giants (at CLE)
69) George Pickens, WR | Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. LAC)
70) Kyle Pitts, TE | Atlanta Falcons (vs. KC)
71) Javonte Williams, RB | Denver Broncos (at TB)
72) Stefon Diggs, WR | Houston Texans (at MIN)
73) Carson Steele, RB | Kansas City Chiefs (at ATL)
74) Zamir White, RB | Las Vegas Raiders (vs. CAR)
75) Ty Chandler, RB | Minnesota Vikings (vs. HOU)
76) Bucky Irving, RB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. DEN)
77) Khalil Shakir, WR | Buffalo Bills (vs. JAX)
78) Mark Andrews, TE | Baltimore Ravens (at DAL)
79) Evan Engram, TE | Jacksonville Jaguars (at BUF)
80) Calvin Ridley, WR | Tennessee Titans (vs. GB)
81) Jaleel McLaughlin, RB | Denver Broncos (at TB)
82) Austin Ekeler, RB | Washington Commanders (vs. CIN)
83) Jaylen Warren, RB | Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. LAC)
84) Jayden Reed, WR | Green Bay Packers (at TEN)
85) Isaiah Likely, TE | Baltimore Ravens (at DAL)
86) Ladd McConkey, WR | Los Angeles Chargers (at PIT)
87) Tank Bigsby, RB | Jacksonville Jaguars (at BUF)
88) Courtland Sutton, WR | Denver Broncos (at TB)
89) Jerry Jeudy, WR | Cleveland Browns (vs. NYG)
90) Demarcus Robinson, WR | Los Angeles Rams (vs. SF)
91) Alec Pierce, WR | Indianapolis Colts (vs. CHI)
92) Tyjae Spears, RB | Tennessee Titans (vs. GB)
93) Joshua Palmer, WR | Los Angeles Chargers (at PIT)
94) Diontae Johnson, WR | Carolina Panthers (at LV)
95) DeAndre Hopkins, WR | Tennessee Titans (vs. GB)
96) Chuba Hubbard, RB | Carolina Panthers (at LV)
97) Jeff Wilson Jr., RB | Miami Dolphins (at SEA)
98) Jakobi Meyers, WR | Las Vegas Raiders (vs. CAR)
99) Jake Ferguson, TE | Dallas Cowboys (vs. BAL)
100) Christian Watson, WR | Green Bay Packers (at TEN)
Top Flex Players To Start in Week 3
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Smith-Njigba, a 2023 first-round pick, was a popular pick to make a Year 2 jump this season. And while his 16 targets last week in New England caught the eyes of casual box-score watchers, I was more intrigued by the type of opportunity he earned in that win than the sheer volume.
Per my Week 3 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em piece:
- Week 2: 172 air yards
- First four career games in September: 38 air yards
We have an extended sample of Smith-Njigba’s ability to win near the line of scrimmage (6.1 average depth of target last season with a 71% catch rate on balls thrown less than 10 yards down field). That single skill — assuming that he’s passed Tyler Lockett as the WR2 in Seattle’s offense — is enough to justify his current price tag.
Some very promising signs on #Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba:
1. Has run 69 routes on 76 Geno dropbacks this season. That's more than Tyler Lockett (62).
2. Still getting a lot of short-area targets, but now mixing in deeper routes. Average depth of target yesterday was 10.6… pic.twitter.com/45PT8IlzFM
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan)
But what if Week 2’s outburst was the start of something? JSN is not undersized (6’0″, 197 pounds), and it’s not as if we’ve never seen him make splash plays (15.4 yards per catch during his time at Ohio State).
Smith-Njigba earned more targets deep downfield last week (six) than he had since Thanksgiving (four), adding a level of upside that I don’t believe is fully accounted for at his current cost.
As for the matchup, what’s not to like? The Seahawks’ backfield is banged up, and with Skylar Thompson under center for Miami, it’s easy to like Seattle from a possession and pass-attempt standpoint.
Since the beginning of last season, the Dolphins have allowed the seventh-highest completion percentage on short passes (under 10 air yards), and when not giving up completions underneath, are often challenged downfield (ninth-highest opponent aDOT over that stretch).
JSN doesn’t come without risk, but if I win by rostering him, I want to win big, something this matchup presents. Seven of the eight receivers to reach 90 receiving yards against the Dolphins since the start of last season also found the end zone.
Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The pride of Penn State has certainly been making fantasy managers smile lately, as Godwin and Baker Mayfield have picked up right where they left off last season, pushing the veteran into the strong WR2 tier in PPR leagues.
Godwin has hauled in at least six passes in five of his past six regular-season games. If you project that stretch throughout a full 17-game season, we’re talking about fantasy’s MVP, given his draft-day cost.
Godwin’s pace (when extending his past six games):
- 113 catches
- 1,600 receiving yards
- 8.5 touchdowns
You don’t have to be a math major to understand that reaching any of those thresholds is unlikely, but Godwin is the top-scoring fantasy receiver to date (1.8 PPR points clear of Nico Collins) and is the only player at the position to finish top 12 both weeks.
At this point, a fifth straight 1,000-yard season feels inevitable. The question fantasy managers will have is about his scoring rate. Entering this season, Godwin saw his touchdown catch total decline in back-to-back-to-back seasons.
Labeling him as a “sell high” is only helpful if there is a buyer in your league. I think we just saw the best two-game run from Godwin this season, but I don’t think he’s a sell-before-this-house-of-cards-crashes type of option.
