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Scott Engel features fantasy football lineup starts/sits for Week 3 (2026). He focuses on key NFL players who are creating tough lineup decisions because of injuries.
This special edition of our Key Starters and Tough Calls feature for Week 3 of the 2026 fantasy football season includes unique and necessary recommendations. Scott Engel's Lineup Spotlights columns usually focus tightly on a limited selection of players.
This week, with widespread injury issues stirring so much fantasy anxiety, we advise you on how to approach players who are uncertain for NFL Week 3. We provide tips on how to deal with potentially inactive players and supply a full list of possible replacements, and also address weather concerns.
You can get access to Scott's Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings in the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. To make the most informed Week 3 lineup decisions, also consult the RotoBaller staff fantasy football rankings and the free Who Should I Start? tool for comparing as many as four players.
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Fantasy Football Week 3: Injury Report Issues
Injury: Hamstring
Recommendation: If we don’t have a clearer picture of Smith’s availability (questionable, limited in Friday's practice) by Sunday, check to see if Makai Lemon is available as a possible Monday pivot option off free agency.
DeVonta Smith (hamstring) is practicing today. pic.twitter.com/MX2VAWs7AH
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) September 25, 2026
Hollywood Brown missed Friday’s practice with an ankle injury, so if Lemon is unavailable, there are no other true recommended pivots. If you have to start a replacement WR or flex option on Sunday and Smith’s status is still uncertain, don’t wait for Monday.
Possible WR and flex replacements for all spotlighted players are listed below the player injury capsules.
WR Jalen Coker
Injury: Ankle
Recommendation: If Coker is active and has no reported limitations, you should start him. My general fantasy rule on situations like this that involve regular fantasy starters is this: If his team clears him to play, then the guy is cleared for my fantasy lineup. Decoys are a rare thing of the past, and we cannot be overly concerned about re-injury when a team medical staff gives the OK.
It is not impossible for a returning player to re-injure himself, but don’t be overly anxious to the point where you could miss out on a very productive day from a player who is no longer sidelined.
WR Zay Flowers
Injury: Hamstring
Recommendation: Prepare to potentially reserve him. There are concerns about the field surface in Rio de Janeiro, which would make playing Flowers seem to be a very risky call for the Ravens. Baltimore also plays in the late afternoon on Sunday, limiting pivot options more.
It is possible we could get a report on the potential availability of players like Flowers, whose status is still uncertain, on Saturday night or Sunday morning, opening up the pivot pool more. Lemon does play on Monday, as does Kalif Raymond, who will work with a veteran QB in Case Keenum.
Keenum is an experienced QB who may not shrink in his emergency role, and can get the ball to his pass-catchers enough for any one of them to post decent numbers.
WR Mike Evans
Injury: Hip
Recommendation: Evans plays in the later window on Sunday. If you have a healthier alternative in a 1 p.m. ET game, save yourself any worries and go with the other guy if we still don’t know fully about Evans by the early kickoffs.
If Evans is cleared to play with no limitations, he should be started in fantasy football. He gets a good matchup draw against an exploitable Arizona secondary.
WR DJ Moore
Injury: Shoulder
Recommendation: Moore will be a game-time decision, so have a pivot option ready. If he is somehow cleared with no limitations, then I would start him. He is too important to the Bills to be cleared without limitations if not fully ready.
Bills WR DJ Moore spoke to a few reporters after practice.
He said he was feeling good and “all signs were good signs.”
On if he’s good to go Sunday:
“We shall see….[need to] check a few more boxes & then we’re good.”
The boxes include stability and simulated contact.
— Joe Buscaglia (@JoeBuscaglia) September 25, 2026
If Moore is out, Joshua Palmer may become quite useful as a possible replacement. He faces his former team, the Chargers. While Palmer has never been consistent for fantasy purposes, Josh Allen is familiar enough with his downfield target to expand the amount of targets this week.
TE Brock Bowers
Injury: Knee
Recommendation: The Raiders play in the late afternoon window on Sunday, so you should have an available pivot who is scheduled for another late Sunday game, or the Sunday night matchup.
Michael Mayer is an obvious pivot option if you have him, but Terrance Ferguson is available in some leagues, and he plays in the Sunday Night Rams-Broncos game.
Puka Nacua is out again, so Terrance Ferguson should be targeted frequently again, and you cannot let the matchup against the Broncos’ pass defense deter you from a possible TE1 alternative. Denver is more vulnerable to TEs in the middle of the field as quarterbacks will sometimes hesitate to test the cornerbacks.
Another TE option who plays later on Sunday is Jake Ferguson, as Dallas faces a shaky Baltimore pass defense. Check to see if he is an available free agent in your league if Terrance Ferguson is already rostered.
The Ravens’ coverage against TEs is not awful, but the secondary can get burned often by WRs, opening up the passing game more for Dallas’ TE to get involved.
Brock Bowers going through some warmups to test his knee #Raiders pic.twitter.com/9ZT4uOXo54
— Adam Hill (@AdamHillLVRJ) September 20, 2026
Injury: Shoulder
Recommendation: Prepare to sit Warren, as he is truly questionable and he is not a regular fantasy starter on many teams, anyhow. Rico Dowdle is out, so if you are looking for a potentially deep RB option, add Steelers rookie Eli Heidenreich, who might be pressed into some action.
Travis Homer is on the practice squad, and he could be activated to possibly see some reps, too.
Fantasy Football Week 3 Weather Factors
The early Sunday Giants-Titans game is the biggest concern right now, as the forecast on nflweather.com indicates rain showers and winds over 20 mph with gusts up to 36 mph.
Jameis Winston is a frequent gunslinger, but the projected conditions in New Jersey could lead to the Giants running the ball often, as Winston is notoriously turnover-prone. Wet and windy conditions make him even more of a passing risk.
Sitting Malik Nabers doesn’t seem like a preferred option unless the conditions are absolutely awful near game time. Reserving Isaiah Likely can be considered, with some possible replacements listed below.
Nasty weather coming Sunday in Jersey for Giants-Titans. pic.twitter.com/ZcKEHt2ltZ
— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) September 25, 2026
Fantasy players don’t want to start anyone from the Tennessee receiving crew even in the best weather. In superflex leagues, though, try to avoid Winston and Cam Ward if possible.
Fantasy Football Week 3 Injury Replacements
We go pretty deep on the options listed here, as the heavy wave of injuries is forcing many fantasy managers to scramble for desperation alternatives. Players listed here can be used as flex options where needed.
We also remind you to keep players who might be deactivated in your flex spot if possible. Don’t put Evans in your projected lineup at WR. A possible benching at the flex spot opens up more replacement options outside of the WR spot.
The players listed here are featured in order of preferred usage if available in your league, and are ranked as flex options. You can still easily see who to pick from the WRs or TEs. Some of the TEs can be viable emergency flex plays.
We have only listed players who are more likely to be available in some leagues' free agent pools. Notes are added where applicable.
- TE Terrance Ferguson
- TE AJ Barner – Washington has allowed four TDs to TEs.
- WR Jakobi Meyers – Revenge game vs NE.
- WR Joshua Palmer
- WR Makai Lemon
- RB Braelon Allen – A TD run or two is possible in a shootout with the Lions.
- TE Jake Ferguson
- WR Malik Washington
- WR Isaiah Williams – Could see more quality touches against the Detroit defense.
- TE Pat Freiermuth
- WR Xavier Worthy – A TD catch is possible vs. the lowly Dolphins.
- TE Michael Mayer
- RB Nicholas Singleton – Titans staff wants to increase his workload this week, and the conditions will require a running focus.
- WR Tre Tucker
- WR KC Concepcion Jr.
- TE Kenyon Sadiq – Another Jet to consider vs. Detroit.
- RB Eli Heidenreich – Could be headed for a decent amount of carries this week.
- WR Rashid Shaheed
- TE Mike Gesicki
- TE Darren Waller
- WR Kendrick Bourne
- WR Cooper Kupp – Windy conditions in Washington might make him a more frequent high-percentage target for Sam Darnold.
- WR Cody White – If Bowers is out again, White has gained the confidence of the Las Vegas staff.
QB Bonus Option: I have Geno Smith ranked as a top-14 QB for NFL Week 3. Those who lost Jaxson Dart or are considering keeping Drake Maye benched should go for Geno this week. He is a promising DFS play, too.
In three games with Seattle at Detroit in every season from 2022 to 2024, Smith passed for well over 300 yards as the Seahawks totaled 116 points. The Detroit secondary is looking like one of the worst units in the league, and Smith is still capable of posting occasional quality numbers for fantasy purposes.
Yes, I know Smith looked terrible last year with Las Vegas, but he was in a horrible situation. His playmaking crew and pass protection with the Jets aren’t anywhere near what they were last year with the Raiders (horrible, and many other synonyms apply).
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