Welcome to Week 3 of the 2024 season, and our Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em series. Preseason is done, it’s time to put our draft efforts out on the field, and then massively overreact to the outcome (joking!)
As always, if you are struggling with a decision you can checkout our rankings for each Week. Or, if you want a more personal touch, reach out on social media. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server. All stats refer to 1/2 PPR, 6 point per passing touchdown leagues. The number in brackets next to an opponent is that teams rank against the position. Rank 1 is the best possible matchup, Rank 32 is the worst.
Start’Em
Joe Burrow (Bengals) v WSH (1)
Burrow has gotten off to a slow start this season and is yet to top the 300 passing yard mark in either game played. He has two passing touchdowns on the season and sits as QB20 in a Bengals offense that has been inconsistent. This is a make-or-break week for Burrow as he gets a date with the Washington Commanders who rank as the best matchup for opposing quarterbacks and are allowing 23.9 points per game to the position this season. Consider Burrow a locked in QB1 this week with QB1 overall potential.
Kirk Cousins (Falcons) v KC (2)
Cousins has had a nearly identical start to that of Burrow through two games but has thrown an extra touchdown pass which has bumped him up to QB17 overall. The Falcons offense was bound to take some time to mesh together and should be considered a work in progress. This offense is only going to get better with each passing week that they spend together and in a prime matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs who rank as the second-best matchup to the position, he should be considered a top-10 quarterback this week at worst. Cousins may not have the upside of Burrow, but only one quarterback gets to light up the Commanders each week.
Brock Purdy (49ers) v LAR (4)
Purdy has been arguably the best of the three quarterbacks I’m starting this week, but with only one passing touchdown on the season he finds himself as QB19 on the season despite throwing for 319 yards last week. Christian McCaffrey has limited his touchdown upside in the past, but with McCaffrey on the injured reserved, Purdy will have to be less of a game-manager and more of a gunslinger. Look for Purdy to put up a statement game this week when the 49ers need him the most.
Sit ‘Em
Justin Fields (Bears) v LAC (32)
Fields was once a locked-in QB1 when he was starting. Sadly, that situation no longer exists. Despite Fields being the starting quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the currently offensive system they are running has not been conducive to fantasy production for Fields. So far, Fields has thrown for less than 160 yards in both games and with his rushing upside now capped at roughly 50 yards, he no longer has the upside to be a league-winning quarterback. Fields has no passing upside, and his current rushing upside is no longer enough to warrant starting him. Leave Fields on your bench until the Steelers decide to take the handcuffs off him.
Justin Herbert (Chargers) v PIT (31)
Herbert is off to the worst start of his young NFL career and has failed to top 150 passing yards in either game so far. Jim Harbaugh has turned the Chargers into the epitome of a run-heavy team and Herbert no longer has the volume to be a top-10 quarterback. Add in the second-worst matchup for a quarterback in the Pittsburgh Steelers and I’m benching Herbert at all costs in Week 3.
Geno Smith (Seahawks) v MIA (30)
Smith has easily been the best quarterback of the six I’ve discussed as he currently sits as QB10 on the season but this week’s matchup with the Miami Dolphins is not a favorable one and ranks as the third-worst for opposing quarterbacks. The Dolphins are allowing only 10.4 fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and are have been a team to attack on the ground and not through the air. If you have to start Geno this week, temper your expectations.
Start ‘Em
Derrick Henry (Ravens) v DAL (1)
Henry looked much better in Week 2, after a slow start in Week 1. He looks more comfortable in this offense and has seen his role grow. He nearly doubled his rushing yards from week one to two and has seen a rushing touchdown in each week keep him usable for fantasy. This week he goes up against a Dallas defense that has been the best matchup and has allowed 33.4 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs. Fire up Henry and watch him morph into the King Henry of old.
Zamir White (Raiders) v CAR (4)
White has failed to come anywhere close to being the workhorse stud he was billed as for much of the offseason. In fact, his teammate Alexander Mattison has been more productive for fantasy through two games. In Week 3, it’s do or die for White’s fantasy value in a juicy matchup with the Carolina Panthers. Carolina ranks as the fourth-best matchup for running backs and has given up 29.4 points per game to the position. The Panthers are a disaster and are ripe for fantasy production. Either White finished as an RB1 this week, or he is heading to the waiver wire wherever I still roster him.
Tony Pollard (Titans) v GB (7)
Pollard sits as the Rb12 on the season and might be the most boring RB1 in fantasy football. So much so that I didn’t realize he was ranked this high until doing research. He has 144 rushing yards and one touchdown with an additional 52 receiving yards while flying totally under the radar. In Week 3, he gets a great matchup with the Green Bay Packers who are the seventh-best matchup for opposing running backs and are allowing 25.2 fantasy points per game to the position.
Sit ‘Em
James Conner (Cardinals) v DET (31)
Conner has been consistent and productive to start the season and is easily the workhorse in this offense. The problem for him this week is a matchup with the Detroit Lions that will give him a best-case scenario of 50 rushing yards. The Lions cap all running back upside and in order for Conner to not bust this week he will have to hope for 50 rushing yards and a garbage-time touchdown. Sit him if you can.
Aaron Jones (Vikings) v HOU (30)
Jones was excellent in Week 1 but only average in Week 2 after dealing with a lingering hip injury. He currently ranks as RB20 on the season and is an easy avoid this week against the Houston Texans. Houston ranks as the third-worst matchup for opposing running backs and have allowed only 12.7 fantasy points per game to the position. Sit Jones, even if he’s healthy.
JK Dobbins (Chargers) v PIT (28)
Dobbins is on an early-season heater of epic proportions. After going almost undrafted this offseason, he sits as RB5 in a Jim Harbaugh run-first offense. That all looks to stop this week however, in a matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers who are the fourth-worst matchup for opposing running backs. The Steelers have limited running backs to 14.1 fantasy points per game and are a must-avoid for Dobbins this week.
Start ’em
Chris Olave (Saints) v PHI (2)
Olave has had mixed results this season despite the New Orleans Saints being an offensive juggernaut through two games. The Clint Kubiak designed system is heavy in motion and play action and has allowed the Saints to score at will. This week, they get a matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles who have been a mess on defense for well over a year and rank as the second-best matchup for opposing wide receivers. The Eagles are allowing 41.8 fantasy points per game to the position and should make for a blowup spot for Olave this week.
Brandon Aiyuk (49ers) v LAR (9)
Aiyuk has only six receptions and 71 receiving yards through two weeks and has shown signs of rust after a lengthy hold out. That all changes this week when he gets a matchup with the Los Angeles Rams who allow the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. The Rams are allowing 29.6 fantasy points per game and with the 49ers set to be without Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle, this figures to be the Brandon Aiyuk show in Week 3.
Calvin Ridley (Titans) v GB (12)
Ridley hasn’t been earth-shattering this season, but with two solid performances, he finds himself WR18 overall. I typically avoid the Titans passing game, as Will Levis is too inconsistent to bank on, but in a matchup with the Green Bay Packers he is a solid bet to produce. The Packers are the 12th-best matchup for wide receivers and are allowing 27.7 fantasy points per game to the position. Fire up Ridley as a WR2 this week.
Sit ’em
George Pickens (Steelers) v LAC (31)
Pickens is essentially the lone receiving weapon in the Pittsburgh offense. The problem is, the Pittsburgh offense doesn’t throw the ball very often. Justin Fields is currently averaging 135 passing yards per game, leaving Pickens a touchdown-dependent WR3 for fantasy.
Jayden Reed (Packers) v TEN (30)
Reed got off to such a promising start to the season with 139 receiving yards in Week 1, but that all came crashing down in Week 2 with Jordan Love out of the lineup. Much like with Justin Fields at quarterback, it will be tough for a receiver attached to malik Willis to produce a decent fantasy stat line. Add in a matchup with the Tennessee Titans who rank as the third-worst for receivers, and it’s best to sit all Green Bay receivers this week, even Jayden Reed.
Terry McLaurin (Commanders) v CIN (27)
McLaurin has eight catches for 39 yards this season in what is now a run-heavy Commanders offense. When rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels isn’t handing the ball off to his running backs, he is rushing the ball himself. Daniels has sucked all of the upside right out of Terry McLaurin, making him a must-sit in even a good matchup, which this is not as he faces a Bengals defense that allows the fifth fewest fantasy points per game to receivers.
Start ‘Em
Kyle Pitts (Falcons) v KC (1)
Pitts has started off the year with six catches for 46 yards in two games, but the Atlanta Falcons offense showed signs of coming together last week. This week they face the Kansas City Chiefs who allow the most fantasy points per game to tight ends with an average of 23.1 per game. This is a get-right spot for Pitts, so fire him up!
Brock Bowers (Raiders) v CAR (2)
Bowers is currently the TE2 in scoring, but he is going to be the TE1 in rankings very soon, and for a very long time. He has proven the ability to demand targets at a high-volume from the second he stepped on the field and in a matchup with the Carolina Panthers, he is a must-start. The Panthers are horrible all-around, and are allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends with 15.7. Fire up Bowers and don’t take him out of your lineup again until his bye week.
Jonnu Smith (Dolphins) v SEA (6)
Smith was invisible in Week 1 but recorded six catches in Week 2. This week he figures to be a safety-valve option for a young quarterback in Skylar Thompson. The Dolphins face the Seattle Seahawks this week, who are the sixth-best matchup for tight ends and should allow Jonnu to be a worthy streaming option.
Sit ’em
Mike Gesicki (Bengals) v WSH (32)
Gesicki put up a monster game last week and sits as TE6 on the season, but that’s an incredibly low bar. The Bengals receiving corps looks to be getting healthy and in a matchup with the Washington Commanders, I’d like to avoid Gesicki. The Commanders may be one of the league’s worst defenses, but they are so bad across the board that their opponents don’t require tight end production to beat them. Leave Gesicki on the bench in this matchup.
Luke Musgrave (Packers) v TEN (31)
Musgrave missed Week 1 with an injury and recorded only one catch for six yards in Week 2 and things don’t project to get much better with Malik Willis at quarterback. Add in a matchup with the Tennessee Titans who are tough to pass on and there is no chance Musgrave will be inside my top-15 tight ends this week. Sit him.
Dalton Kincaid (Bills) v JAC (29)
Kincaid was expected to be a target hog with few options in the passing game for Josh Allen. Somehow, that hasn’t been the case through two weeks as he has totaled only six targets for five catches and 44 receiving yards. Buffalo faces Jacksonville this week who ranks as the third-worst matchup for tight ends, allowing only 1.9 fantasy points per game to the position. Looks like another dud is in line for Kincaid this week.
Well, that’s it for our Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em for Week 3 of the 2024 season. Remember, you can check out rankings for each Week. Reach out on social media, you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server.
Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em 2024 Week 2
Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em 2024 Week 2
