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Should I start Courtland Sutton, Jameson Williams, Keenan Allen for Week 3? Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks and recommendations for the 2025 NFL season.
Fantasy football managers know that setting weekly lineups can often feel like the most stressful part of the game. Injuries, inconsistent quarterback play, and surprise breakouts can all change the outlook for players in just a matter of weeks. That’s why start/sit decisions are so critical — making the right call can be the difference between a win and a loss. With Week 3 quickly approaching, the spotlight is on several notable wide receivers who come with varying levels of risk and upside.
Courtland Sutton, Jameson Williams, and Keenan Allen are three players generating plenty of lineup questions heading into the weekend. Each brings a unique role within their offense and faces very different matchups that could determine whether they’re fantasy starters or better left on the bench. For managers weighing consistency against upside, this trio provides an interesting case study in how to evaluate usage, efficiency, and defensive matchups.
In this article, we’ll break down the fantasy outlook for Sutton, Williams, and Allen ahead of Week 3. We’ll explore how their quarterbacks are trending, the competition for targets on their respective teams, and the defenses they’ll be facing. With that context in mind, you’ll have the insight needed to make confident lineup decisions and get the most out of your wide receiver spots this week.
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Should I Start Courtland Sutton for Fantasy Football?
Courtland Sutton entered the 2025 season projected to be a key weapon in Denver’s passing attack, especially with second-year quarterback Bo Nix emerging as a quality young weapon. Early expectations were that Sutton’s 135 targets from last season would carry over as a high-usage option in 2025. Unfortunately, the Broncos offense has sputtered out of the gate. Nix owns a modest 82 quarterback rating through two games, completing 67.1% of his passes but struggling with turnovers, as his 4:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio continues to stall drives and limit scoring chances.
Bo Nix goes to Courtland Sutton for the @Broncos TD!
TENvsDEN on FOXhttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/TBE5skQZHw
— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025
Adding to Sutton’s struggles is the emergence of Troy Franklin, who has quickly developed strong chemistry with Nix. Franklin leads the team in targets (15 to Sutton’s 13), pushing Sutton into a secondary role in the passing game. While Sutton has flashed at times, his overall impact has been inconsistent, leaving fantasy managers frustrated by his lack of production compared to preseason expectations.
This week doesn’t present an easy bounce-back opportunity, either. Denver faces a Los Angeles Chargers defense that has the talent to lock down opposing wideouts and limit big plays. Until Sutton shows more involvement and consistency in the offense, fantasy managers are best advised to keep him on the bench in Week 3.
Should I Start Jameson Williams for Fantasy Football?
Jameson Williams is quickly carving out his role as a big-play threat in Detroit’s explosive offense. Through two games, he’s seen nine targets — ranking fourth on the team behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, and tight end Sam LaPorta.
Despite the lower target share, Williams’ efficiency has been impressive. His 131 receiving yards trail only St. Brown’s 160, showcasing his ability to stretch the field and deliver chunk plays when given opportunities.
With defenses focusing heavily on Detroit’s top playmakers, Williams has emerged as the vertical weapon who can flip momentum in an instant.
Jared Goff TO JAMESON WILLIAMS. 82-YARD TOUCHDOWN.
📺: #DETvsCHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/x2g80Yw1vV— NFL (@NFL) December 22, 2024
This week sets up as a golden opportunity for fantasy managers. The Lions square off against a Ravens defense that has been extremely vulnerable through the air. In back-to-back weeks, Baltimore surrendered massive yardage totals — 497 to the Bills and 322 to the Browns. That weakness plays directly into Williams’ strengths as a downfield option capable of capitalizing on soft coverage and blown assignments.
With Monday Night Football providing the national spotlight, Williams could be primed for one of his breakout performances. Given the likely high-scoring nature of this matchup, fantasy managers should strongly consider starting Williams as a high-upside WR3 or flex option.
Should I Start Keenan Allen for Fantasy Football?
It seems Keenan Allen has tapped into the fountain of youth since returning to the Chargers after a one-year stint in Chicago. At 33 years old, Allen has wasted no time re-establishing himself as Justin Herbert’s most trusted option in the passing game. He leads the team with 17 targets through two weeks, while piling up 129 yards and two touchdowns, playing a key role in Los Angeles’ early-season success.
With Quentin Johnston stretching defenses vertically, Allen has been able to dominate underneath, using his route-running savvy to consistently find soft spots in coverage. Herbert has been outstanding to begin the year, throwing for 560 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. That level of quarterback play has kept Allen’s fantasy value steady, especially in PPR formats where his target share provides a strong weekly floor.
Justin Herbert on the move and finds Keenan Allen for a @Chargers TD
LACvsLV on ESPN
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/KEuNq8w8ct— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2025
The Week 3 matchup with Denver will be more challenging. The Broncos rank eighth against the pass, giving up just 184 yards per game through the air. Still, with Los Angeles ranking just 26th in rushing offense, Herbert is likely to keep leaning on Allen in high-leverage situations. Fantasy managers can expect WR3 production, with room for more if the Chargers’ passing attack clicks.
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 Courtland Sutton, Jameson Williams, Keenan Allen. 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 - Courtland Sutton, Jameeson Williams, Keenan Allen. 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 Courtland Sutton, Jameson Williams, Keenan Allen compared to others:
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