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Should I start Chase Brown, Stefon Diggs, Sam LaPorta for Week 3? Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks and recommendations for the 2025 NFL season.
Through the first two weeks of the season, managers have had to pivot to alternative options at their FLEX options due to the number of injuries and disappointing starts.
In this piece, we will look at two potent FLEX options and a mid-range TE1 and determine if managers should trust them in their lineups in Week 3.
So, should fantasy managers start Brown, Diggs, and LaPorta in Week 3? Let's dive in and find out.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
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- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
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- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Should I Start Chase Brown for Fantasy Football?
Chase Brown emerged as a league-winner in 2024 after he took over the starting job from Zack Moss. From Weeks 4 through 17, Brown averaged a strong 18.3 PPR points per game.
With him being viewed as the clear frontrunner in the offense at the start of the season, Brown carried low-end RB1 upside heading into Week 1. While Brown was able to find the back of the end zone in this game, he was very ineffective in his workload, totaling just 43 yards on 21 attempts. Then in Week 2, Brown ran for 47 yards on 16 attempts.
With Joe Burrow (toe) out for the next three months, Brown and the Cincinnati offense will see their ceiling capped. Given that Brown was unable to find success in a pass-happy offense with Burrow under center, he may struggle even more with Jake Browning taking over QB1 duties.
Despite this, managers should still view him as a high-end RB2 in PPR formats, given his ability to catch passes. While he may only average around 40 rushing yards per game, his ability to see targets in the passing game means he will still carry a reliable floor, despite his inefficiency.
As a result, Brown projects to carry mid-end RB2 value facing a Minnesota defense that has allowed the 12th-most PPR points to opposing RBs this season.
Should I Start Stefon Diggs for Fantasy Football?
Stefon Diggs was the headliner acquisition on the offensive side of the ball by the Patriots in the spring. Diggs was expected to immediately serve as Drake Maye's go-to target, as he lacked a true WR1 in his rookie campaign.
However, given that he was still recovering from a torn ACL, the veteran wideout was monitored during training camp and was in danger of missing the start of the season. While he was able to sit up in Week 1, Diggs had his workload limited.
In this contest, the veteran logged just 43% of the team's snaps while Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas, and Mack Hollins operated as the starters. Despite this, he still saw a hefty seven targets. Then in Week 2, Diggs logged 51% of the team's snaps and continues to be a reliable target for Maye, seeing five targets.
Overall, he has caught 10 of his 12 targets for 89 receiving yards.
Given his gradual increase in workload, Diggs could be primed for his largest workload this weekend when the Patriots face the Pittsburgh Steelers. The former Buffalo Bill should be viewed as a high-end WR3 facing a Steeler defense that has struggled in the opening month, allowing the 12th-most PPR points to opposing WRs.
Drake Maye Wants to Get Stefon Diggs the Ball More https://t.co/Rkf6LblXvr
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 18, 2025
Should I Start Sam LaPorta for Fantasy Football?
The final player we will look at is Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta. LaPorta enjoyed a monster rookie season where he caught 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. However, he took a step back as a sophomore, catching 60 passes for 726 yards and seven scores.
While the Detroit Lions struggled in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, LaPorta was the lone bright spot on offense, catching six of his nine targets for 79 yards. However, in their massive victory over the Bears in Week 2, LaPorta took a backseat, catching just three of his four targets for a modest 26 yards.
Given his inconsistencies, can managers trust LaPorta as their TE1 in Week 3?
This weekend, the Lions could find themselves in another high-scoring affair against the high-flying Baltimore Ravens. Through two weeks, the Ravens have struggled to contain opposing tight ends, allowing the most PPR points to the position.
While LaPorta plays in a crowded offense, which hinders his weekly floor as Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Jahmyr Gibbs all draw massive target shares, given this elite matchup, LaPorta should be in a great spot to produce as he did in Week 1 and not Week 2.
LaPorta carries top-5 upside at the position in this matchup and should be viewed as a must-start in all formats.
Sam LaPorta Records Quiet Week 2 Performance, 2025 Target Volume in Question? https://t.co/u932mjK024
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 16, 2025
Who Should I Start Tool
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 3 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Chase Brown, Stefon Diggs, and Sam LaPorta. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 3. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 3 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Chase Brown, Stefon Diggs, and Sam LaPorta. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 3.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 3 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 3 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 3 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 3 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Chase Brown, Stefon Diggs, and Sam LaPorta compared to others:
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