It feels like very few rosters have gone unscathed by the carnage of Weeks 1-2. Along with attacking your waiver wire, knowing which players make solid Fantasy Football Sleepers: Week 3 can help you overcome injuries and other roster issues.
Here are some unheralded players that could be in a position to make solid fantasy football Sleepers in Week 3.
Quarterbacks
Tua Tagovailoa (QB) Miami Dolphins – It’s almost as hard to call Tua a sleeper after last week’s performance as it is to suggest you start him against Buffalo’s elite defense. The Bills’ defense has been nothing short of fantastic, however, fading Tua could still be a mistake this week. The Buffalo secondary is beyond beat up after potentially losing Dane Jackson and Micah Hyde for Week 3 with Tre’Davious White already sidelined. We saw what Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle were able to do last week against All-Pro corners Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters. This week it will be up to rookies Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam to stop them. The matchup may not be as bad as it looks.
Justin Fields (QB) Chicago Bears – The Bears’ passing attack has been useless through two weeks. However, this week they draw the Texans, who are incapable of stopping anyone from doing anything on defense. This is a team that
allowed the corpse of Matt Ryan to throw for over 350 yards on them. Fields should get back on track through the air this week and his rushing upside should be a sneaky good start if you’re streaming a QB this week.
Running Backs
Tyler Allgeier (RB) Atlanta Falcons – Allgeier is going to be a major part of this offense, at least until Damien Williams comes off the IR. Allgeier had as many carries as Cordarrelle Patterson last week and it wouldn’t be a shock if those increased. The Falcons want to use Patterson sparingly this season. This week they match up with the Seahawks who are allowing 146 yards per game on the ground. The talented rookie should have a nice game.
Mark Ingram (RB) New Orleans Saints – Ingram was shockingly productive against the Bucs last week with Alvin Kamara sidelined. He was the clear RB1 for the Saints and rushed for 5.8 yards per carry. Tampa has a dominant run defense. But this week, Ingram draws the Panthers. Carolina is allowing the fourth-most rushing yards in the league. We are still unsure of Kamara’s health, but if he’s out of limited Ingram has fantasy value in Week 3.
Tony Pollard (RB) Dallas Cowboys – Pollard is getting the receiving-down work in Dallas and seems to be part of the plan on the goal line. He’s been more productive and efficient than Ezekiel Elliott so far and only saw one less opportunity last week. Coming off a game with nine carries, seven targets, and a TD, Pollard is getting the valuable touches and should be considered as a flex option weekly.
Devin Singletary (RB) Buffalo Bills – Singletary is the undisputed RB1 in Buffalo. While winning usually is excellent for the value of a team’s top running back, the Bills have been destroying opponents. This has led to them putting in backups in the second half. This game in Miami this week could be closer. If so, Singletary should see more touches than he has so far this season.
Wide Receivers
Darnell Mooney (WR) Chicago Bears – As we mentioned earlier, the Chicago pass defense has been abysmal this season. And Mooney has suffered because of it. The talent is still there and a matchup with the Texans could be just what he needs to get back on track. It’s not time to write him off just yet and he’s worth a look as a flex start against a subpar pass defense. It is now or never for Mooney and the Chicago passing attack.
Treylon Burks (WR) Tennessee Titans – On an offense that desperately needs a playmaker, Burks looks like he’s on the verge of breaking out. We saw some promising signs from him in an otherwise miserable Monday night game. This week he gets to take on a horrific Raiders pass defense that ranks bottom five in the league. This could be the coming out party for this gifted rookie wideout.
Sterling Shepard (WR) New York Giants – We are still trying to figure out the hierarchy of the Giants’ WR corps, but Shepard looks to be the favorite for the WR1 role. He followed up a big Week 1 performance with a 10-target game in Week 2. The matchup isn’t ideal this week against the Cowboys. But if you have a shot to flex a WR1 in what could be a wild NFC East matchup, Shepard has flex appeal.
Robbie Anderson (WR) Carolina Panthers – Anderson has been just as good as D.J. Moore through two weeks. This week, the matchup favors the deep threat. Moore will be shadowed by Marshon Lattimore which should lead to more looks for Anderson. The Panthers will likely be losing this game and looking to throw early and often. While the overall matchup against the Saints isn’t great, the individual matchup makes Anderson worth a look.
Tight Ends
Juwan Johnson (TE) New Orleans Saints – Johnson has established himself as the top TE in New Orleans. Through two weeks he has seen 12 targets and topped 40 yards in both games. If he can get into the end zone with the opportunities he’s seeing he’s as good as any streaming tight end. The upside is there and he could emerge as a breakout candidate as we get deeper into the season.
Mike Gesicki (TE) Miami Dolphins – During the preseason and Week 1, Gesicki looked to have no role in the Dolphins’ new offense. That changed this week as he saw four targets and caught a TD. More importantly, he was heavily involved in the red-zone offense. It’s unlikely he sees the volume he once saw in 2022. Nevertheless, he looks to be a critical red-zone piece in a high-powered passing attack.
