Fantasy Football Risers and Fallers - Week 3 (2025)

September 17, 2025

Adam Koffler's fantasy football risers, fallers, sleepers, and busts heading into Week 3 of 2025. He identifies players at RB, WR, TE with rising and falling fantasy values.

Week 2 is in the books. It's not the time to panic about underperforming players, but we need to examine why they're underperforming. Conversely, are there trends to follow that we need to monitor? The same question applies to overperforming players: are they here to stay?

We have another week of data to analyze, which will help us make informed decisions about our fantasy rosters moving forward. While it's important not to overreact, it's crucial to analyze data and stay ahead of a trend, whether positive or negative.

Below you'll find four of the top risers and four of the top fallers coming out of Week 2 as we look ahead to Week 3. We'll do this every week of the NFL season in hopes of keeping you ahead of the curve. Thanks for reading!

Week 3 Fantasy Football Risers

Troy Franklin, WR, Denver Broncos

Franklin was an afterthought heading into Week 2 as he played behind Marvin Mims Jr. in Week 1.

But then he burst onto the scene against the Colts, leading all Bronco pass-catchers in receptions (8), targets (9), and receiving yards (89) by a wide margin.

Franklin earned some targets in Week 1 (0.25 targets per route run) and was 13th in air yards share (43.4%), but had a route participation rate of just 55.8%. He took advantage of his opportunities, but didn't get enough of them.

But in Week 2, head coach Sean Payton gave the second-year man more opportunities, and Franklin didn't disappoint.

Per Fantasy Points Data, his route participation rate spiked to 84.4%. And the best part, the increased opportunity didn't hinder his efficiency. Franklin's targets per route run (0.33) and target share (30%) increased significantly from Week 1.

Troy Franklin is a star in the making 💫 #BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/pUzs2NAnZn

— SleeperBroncos (@SleeperBroncos) September 15, 2025

He was also seventh in first-read target share (38.1%) behind some of the most elite names at the position. That means Payton prioritized Franklin in the Week 2 game plan after seeing what he brought to the table in Week 1.

Some will say it's a little fluky, but again, we want to be on the front end of these breakout guys. That especially rings true for a 22-year-old in a good offense playing with his old college quarterback in Bo Nix.

Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears

Odunze led the Bears with nine targets in Week 1, but finished just third in receiving yards. With the opportunity present to start the season, many wondered if he would continue to ascend in Week 2. The answer was a resounding "heck yeah!"

Per Fantasy Points Data, Odunze's first-read target actually increased from 27.8% (really good) in Week 1 to 37.5% in Week 2 (great). He finished the week fifth in fantasy points per route run (0.86) behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Puka Nacua, Malik Nabers, and Franklin.

.@RomeOdunze makin' it look easy 😮‍💨

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/S0IeKmW6M3

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 14, 2025

Through two games, Rome has earned the 19th-highest PFF receiving grade (72.8), while teammate D.J. Moore ranks 75th with a 59.9 receiving grade.

Odunze is also earning targets at a much higher rate than he was last season (25% vs. 18%). Buy the Year 2 breakout for a special player who was held back by a poor system in his rookie season.

Jauan Jennings, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Jennings is "day-to-day" with an ankle injury, but it doesn't sound like it's going to keep him out of action. It certainly didn't hamper him much in Week 2.

After being somewhat limited in Week 1, the training wheels were fully taken off in Week 2. Jennings led the team with 89 receiving yards and a touchdown on 10 targets.

WHAT A THROW. WHAT A CATCH.

📺 FOX
NFL+ // https://t.co/Zkva0Y3j2j pic.twitter.com/hauHDrZhMK

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 14, 2025

Per Fantasy Points Data, he bested Ricky Pearsall in target share (23% vs. 15%), targets per route run (0.25 vs. 0.16), yards per route run (2.47 vs. 1.51), and first-read target share (31% vs. 23%).

As this was both receivers' first time playing with Mac Jones, Jennings outplaying Pearsall feels significant, considering Brock Purdy is expected to miss more time.

George Kittle is also out at least another three games, which gives Jennings some very nice short-term appeal.

Per Rich Hribar of Sharp Football Analysis, Jennings and Pearsall have run 47 routes together without Kittle on the field this season. On those routes, Jennings has 13 targets (0.27 targets per route run), while Pearsall has just six (0.13 targets per route run).

It seems pretty clear who the WR1 is in San Francisco (for at least as long as Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk remain out).

Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants

It only took two games, but the Skattebo takeover is happening in New York. As a result of his Week 2 performance, Skattebo was nominated for Rookie of the Week (in just his second career NFL game).

Skateboooo is nominated for @pepsi Rookie of the Week 😤

Vote 🗳️: https://t.co/FvFCrUDWIl pic.twitter.com/pKN93aU0yw

— New York Giants (@Giants) September 16, 2025

He went from just an 18% RB opportunity share in Week 1 to a 54% RB opportunity share in Week 2. Tyrone Tracy Jr. still totaled 10 opportunities, but it was Skattebo that led the way on the ground with 11 carries for 45 yards and a score.

Per PFF, Skattebo had the second-highest rushing grade among all running backs in Week 2 (82.8) behind just Kenneth Walker III (90.8).

Despite Tracy out-targeting the rookie 5-to-3, it was Skattebo who ran more routes (18 vs. 17). Per Fantasy Points Data, Skattebo's route participation rate went from just 7% in Week 1 to 40% in Week 2.

It took just two games for the Arizona State product to steal the job from Tracy like he's stealing souls on the football field every time he touches the rock.

Cam Skattebo vs. Donovan Wilson was a heavyweight fight pic.twitter.com/8HTmV0ziyI

— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) September 15, 2025

Other Fantasy Football Risers:

• Bhayshul Tuten
• Jaylen Warren
• Jakobi Meyers
• Zay Flowers
• Trey Benson
• Keenan Allen
• Wan'Dale Robinson
• Cooper Kupp

Week 3 Fantasy Football Fallers

Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

Jeanty didn't look very good in his NFL debut last week. But we chalked it up to a "tough" matchup in Foxborough and "rookie jitters."

But then in Week 2, he didn't look great again, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry on 11 rush attempts. The problem, however, is that the Raiders cut his workload pretty significantly.

Jeanty lost two-minute offense snaps to Dylan Laube and long-down-and-distance snaps to Zamir White, something that didn't happen in Week 1. His RB opportunity share decreased from 87.5% to 68% in Week 2.

This likely came as a result of the negative game script, but it's not ideal that the Raiders didn't use Jeanty in highly valuable two-minute offense snaps.

Per Fantasy Points Data, Jeanty's route participation fell from 48% in Week 1 to just 37% in Week 2. He also ranks just 45th of 50 qualifying running backs (minimum 10 rush attempts) with 2.7 yards per carry through two games.

Jeanty also ranks just 44th of 50 backs in yards before contact per attempt (0.67). The offensive line play is not helping his case whatsoever.

There's no reason to fully panic quite yet on Jeanty, but we need to understand the facts and react accordingly. It's ok to adjust our priors based on two weeks of data.

Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Just like with Jeanty, it hasn't been pretty for Hampton in the early going. But unlike the situation in Las Vegas, the rookie running back in Los Angeles is sharing a backfield with a guy (Najee Harris) making up to $9M this season.

You'll recall, Jim Harbaugh and company sought out Harris in free agency, signing him in March before the 2025 NFL Draft, where they selected Hampton with their first-round pick.

Hampton had the backfield to himself in Week 1, recording an 89.5% RB opportunity share. With Harris ramping up following a fireworks incident that cost him most of training camp, Hampton's RB opportunity share fell to just 50% in Week 2.

That's a big difference! But it made sense given Hampton's struggles in Week 1, when he averaged just 3.2 yards per carry and -1.67 rush yards over expected per attempt.

He followed that up with another poor performance in Week 2, when he averaged just -1.3 rush yards over expected per attempt.

Another issue for Hampton's ceiling case in fantasy football is his lack of involvement in the passing game. Despite a 50% route participation rate through two games, he has just a 6.6% target share and a 0.11 targets per route run.

Per Fantasy Points Data, Hampton's first-read target share of 4.4% ranks 31st among running backs. He's just not very involved in the passing game.

On top of his struggles as a runner and lack of involvement in the passing game, Hampton had a costly fumble towards the end of the game vs. the Raiders. That could further diminish his role in the short term.

Maxx Crosby absolutely wrecked this play for the turnover 😤

LACvsLV on ESPN
Stream on @NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/Pq5XxRxbzo

— NFL (@NFL) September 16, 2025

Khalil Shakir, WR, Buffalo Bills

Shakir suffered a high-ankle sprain during training camp. Maybe that's affecting his performance, but the utilization isn't what we've come to expect from him.

Through two games, Shakir has just a 9.1% first-read target share (per Fantasy Points Data). That ranks just 86th among wide receivers. Some guys with a higher first-read target share include Casey Washington, Chimere Dike, and Xavier Hutchinson.

In 2024, Shakir averaged 0.27 targets per route run. Through two games this season, he's earning just 0.15 targets per route run. That's a pretty significant difference.

Keon Coleman appears to be on the verge of a breakout season, and Joshua Palmer has also eaten into Shakir's target share.

To make matters worse, the Bills prefer to be a run-heavy team and have two extremely favorable matchups upcoming against the Dolphins and Saints. Josh Allen threw the ball just 25 times in Week 2, a game in which the Bills won 30-10.

It might be best to sit Shakir in the short term, at least until the Bills have a more competitive game on the schedule.

Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams

Trouble in paradise for King Kyren? Head coach Sean McVay said after the Rams' Week 2 game that he'd ideally like to see something like a 65/35 split between Williams and Blake Corum.

#Rams HC Sean McVay on the ideal split between Kyren Williams and Blake Corum:

“I think what you’re looking for is something around a 65/35 ratio for those guys. I think you want Kyren playing about two-thirds of the time, and Blake playing the other third.” pic.twitter.com/4vR3rJxpDY

— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) September 16, 2025

If you're a Williams fantasy manager, that is not what you want to hear, considering Kyren's biggest asset in previous seasons was his massive workload.

In 2024, Williams had the second-highest RB opportunity share (82.8%) and fifth-highest weighted opportunities per game (15.8) among running backs.

That bellcow usage propelled him to a back-end RB1 finish despite averaging just 4.11 yards per carry.

Corum was used more in last week's game, even finding the end zone on some valuable red zone opportunities. It wasn't like that in previous seasons, when Kyren would get almost all of the red zone touches.

It might be a good time to sell Williams if there are still people who believe in what he's become over the last two seasons.

Other Fantasy Football Fallers:

• Marvin Harrison Jr.
• Tyrone Tracy Jr.
• D.J. Moore
• Kayshon Boutte

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