We are now in the third week of the fantasy football season. As always, it is crucial to know what players are the preferable starts. Taking player talent, performance, and matchup into account, here are my Week 3 WR rankings.
Top 80 Fantasy WR Rankings
1) CeeDee Lamb | Dallas Cowboys (vs. BAL)
2) Amon-Ra St. Brown | Detroit Lions (at ARI)
3) Ja’Marr Chase | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. WAS)
4) Rashee Rice | Kansas City Chiefs (at ATL)
5) Justin Jefferson | Minnesota Vikings (vs. HOU)
6) Nico Collins | Houston Texans (at MIN)
7) Mike Evans | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. DEN)
8) DeVonta Smith | Philadelphia Eagles (at NO)
9) Davante Adams | Las Vegas Raiders (vs. CAR)
10) Brandon Aiyuk | San Francisco 49ers (at LAR)
11) Marvin Harrison Jr. | Arizona Cardinals (vs. DET)
12) Chris Olave | New Orleans Saints (vs. PHI)
13) Malik Nabers | New York Giants (at CLE)
14) Tyreek Hill | Miami Dolphins (at SEA)
15) Garrett Wilson | New York Jets (vs. NE)
16) DK Metcalf | Seattle Seahawks (vs. MIA)
17) Chris Godwin | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. DEN)
18) Drake London | Atlanta Falcons (vs. KC)
19) Zay Flowers | Baltimore Ravens (at DAL)
20) Jameson Williams | Detroit Lions (at ARI)
21) Tee Higgins | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. WAS)
22) DJ Moore | Chicago Bears (at IND)
23) Michael Pittman Jr. | Indianapolis Colts (vs. CHI)
24) Tank Dell | Houston Texans (at MIN)
25) Stefon Diggs | Houston Texans (at MIN)
26) Calvin Ridley | Tennessee Titans (vs. GB)
27) Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Seattle Seahawks (vs. MIA)
28) Terry McLaurin | Washington Commanders (vs. CIN)
29) Rashid Shaheed | New Orleans Saints (vs. PHI)
30) George Pickens | Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. LAC)
31) Diontae Johnson | Carolina Panthers (at LV)
32) Amari Cooper | Cleveland Browns (vs. NYG)
33) Jaylen Waddle | Miami Dolphins (at SEA)
34) Khalil Shakir | Buffalo Bills (vs. JAX)
35) Xavier Worthy | Kansas City Chiefs (at ATL)
36) Christian Kirk | Jacksonville Jaguars (at BUF)
37) Jauan Jennings | San Francisco 49ers (at LAR)
38) Brian Thomas Jr. | Jacksonville Jaguars (at BUF)
39) Jayden Reed | Green Bay Packers (at TEN)
40) Rome Odunze | Chicago Bears (at IND)
41) Courtland Sutton | Denver Broncos (at TB)
42) Ladd McConkey | Los Angeles Chargers (at PIT)
43) DeAndre Hopkins | Tennessee Titans (vs. GB)
44) Joshua Palmer | Los Angeles Chargers (at PIT)
45) Jakobi Meyers | Las Vegas Raiders (vs. CAR)
46) Tyler Lockett | Seattle Seahawks (vs. MIA)
47) Keon Coleman | Buffalo Bills (vs. JAX)
48) Brandin Cooks | Dallas Cowboys (vs. BAL)
49) Demarcus Robinson | Los Angeles Rams (vs. SF)
50) Jerry Jeudy | Cleveland Browns (vs. NYG)
51) Quentin Johnston | Los Angeles Chargers (at PIT)
52) Gabe Davis | Jacksonville Jaguars (at BUF)
53) Darnell Mooney | Atlanta Falcons (vs. KC)
54) Wan’Dale Robinson | New York Giants (at CLE)
55) Josh Downs | Indianapolis Colts (vs. CHI)
56) Tyler Johnson | Los Angeles Rams (vs. SF)
57) Jalen Nailor | Minnesota Vikings (vs. HOU)
58) Ray-Ray McCloud III | Atlanta Falcons (vs. KC)
59) Adonai Mitchell | Indianapolis Colts (vs. CHI)
60) Christian Watson | Green Bay Packers (at TEN)
61) Romeo Doubs | Green Bay Packers (at TEN)
62) Greg Dortch | Arizona Cardinals (vs. DET)
63) Jalen Tolbert | Dallas Cowboys (vs. BAL)
64) Adam Thielen | Carolina Panthers (at LV)
65) Ja’Lynn Polk | New England Patriots (at NYJ)
66) Michael Wilson | Arizona Cardinals (vs. DET)
67) Jordan Whittington | Los Angeles Rams (vs. SF)
68) Jalen McMillan | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. DEN)
69) DeMario Douglas | New England Patriots (at NYJ)
70) Mike Williams | New York Jets (vs. NE)
71) Andrei Iosivas | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. WAS)
72) Alec Pierce | Indianapolis Colts (vs. CHI)
73) Rashod Bateman | Baltimore Ravens (at DAL)
74) Dontayvion Wicks | Green Bay Packers (at TEN)
75) Allen Lazard | New York Jets (vs. NE)
76) Britain Covey | Philadelphia Eagles (at NO)
77) Noah Brown | Washington Commanders (vs. CIN)
78) Luke McCaffrey | Washington Commanders (vs. CIN)
79) Tyler Boyd | Tennessee Titans (vs. GB)
80) Marvin Mims Jr. | Denver Broncos (at TB)
The Top Wide Receivers To Start in Week 3
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. WAS)
Early reports suggest Tee Higgins might be returning this week. Obviously, if that is not the case, do not start him. If he does, everything about why I love Joe Burrow applies to Higgins.
The Washington Commanders allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers last season. They were just completely torched by Malik Nabers for 127 yards and a touchdown on 10 receptions.
Obviously, everyone is starting Ja’Marr Chase. But if the Cincinnati Bengals have the offensive day I think they will, there will be plenty to go around.
A returning Higgins should immediately step back into his WR2 role. At his peak, Higgins was a borderline WR1 for fantasy. It’s been a rough start to the season with Higgins’ hamstring strain, but he is set to reward fantasy managers’ patience in Week 3.
Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens (at DAL)
I really can’t tell if this Dallas Cowboys defense is good. It certainly didn’t appear so against the New Orleans Saints last week.
The Cowboys gave up long reception after long reception after long reception. Derek Carr completed passes of 39 yards, 70 yards, and 57 yards.
After being used mostly underneath in Week 1, Zay Flowers saw his average depth of target increase significantly in Week 2. Flowers caught seven passes for 91 yards and a touchdown.
Most importantly, Flowers has established himself as Lamar Jackson’s clear top target. He is well ahead of Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. In a game that should be high-scoring between two potent offenses, Flowers shapes up as a borderline WR1 this week.