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Should I start Omarion Hampton, Kenneth Walker III, D'Andre Swift for Week 3? Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks and recommendations for the 2025 NFL season.
We're only two games into the NFL season, and much uncertainty remains for many players in fantasy football. For the running back position, nothing is more important than opportunity, as even poor performances can lead to fantasy success if the opportunity is good enough. Just look at Rachaad White's 2023 season.
In this article, we'll take a look at three running backs without clear paths to success, for different reasons. Kenneth Walker III, Omarion Hampton, and D'Andre Swift are all talented, but also carry uncertainty. Walker and Hampton are currently sharing touches, while Swift has control of his backfield but has been inefficient with his workload in 2025.
So, should fantasy managers start Walker, Hampton, and Swift 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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- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Should I Start Kenneth Walker III for Fantasy Football?
When he's healthy, Walker is one of the most exciting running backs in the league. His explosive change of direction, combined with home-run speed, makes him a threat to turn every touch into a big play. The problem is that he isn't often healthy, and Seattle is limiting his workload to try to keep him fresh.
However, Walker was exceptional in Week 2 on that limited workload. Against a Steelers defense that has struggled against the run, he gained 105 yards on 13 carries (8.1 YPC) and scored a touchdown.
LET'S GOOOOO
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/dy9x8w7hhn
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 14, 2025
Compare that to his backfield partner, Zach Charbonnet - 15 carries, 10 yards. Yikes. Charbonnet also did not practice on Wednesday due to a foot injury, meaning that he probably won't be at 100% even if he plays in Week 3.
Walker can be considered an RB2/flex option for Week 3 against the Saints, who have been mediocre against the run so far this season. RotoBaller has him ranked as the RB16 in PPR formats this week, and if Walker earns a bigger workload (15+ touches), he could easily exceed that ranking.
Should I Start Omarion Hampton for Fantasy Football?
The Chargers invested a first-round pick in Hampton in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he hasn't looked like a first-round pick so far. Hampton has rushed for just 72 yards on 23 carries in two games (3.1 yards per carry). To make matters worse, when Najee Harris returned to full health in Week 2, he out-touched Hampton 10-9.
Hampton owners should not press the panic button just yet, but benching him in Week 3 could prove to be a wise decision. The Bolts face the Broncos - who arguably have the NFL's best defense - on Sunday at home. With his performance already being worse than expectations and the presence of a healthy Harris, Hampton cannot be expected to post a great performance this week.
okay, O
📺 @espn pic.twitter.com/iMvgf9Ebj4
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) September 16, 2025
The rookie has flashed at times, but the odds are against him for now. RotoBaller currently has him ranked as RB22 for Week 3. Keep track of his opportunity and performance as the year goes on: Hampton could prove to be a league-winner down the stretch.
Should I Start D'Andre Swift for Fantasy Football?
The Bears are now the third NFL team to find out what a disappointing player Swift is. He consistently struggles to find gaps in defenses, and his efficiency suffers as a result. It seems that Chicago now knows this and may cut into his workload as a result. After giving him 17 carries in Week 1 (3.1 YPC), the Bears limited Swift to 12 in Week 2 (5.2 YPC) and gave rookie Kyle Monangai seven carries.
There's no other way to slice it: if you have Swift on any of your fantasy teams, you should be incredibly concerned. The only thing stopping Monangai from getting a bigger slice of the pie is experience, and he'll have that in a month. To make matters worse, the Bears' offense has struggled as a whole, meaning that Swift won't have many big plays manufactured for him.
Chicago leads the NFL in blocking efficiency, yet ranks dead last in EPA per run. Here is why: D’Andre Swift is holding back this offense.
DEEP DIVE:https://t.co/60iyuw7SXa
— Ficky (@itsfickybaby) September 18, 2025
The guy is simply not talented enough, and RotoBaller agrees: he's ranked as RB28 this week. Avoid starting him this weekend when the Bears face the Cowboys, if you can.
Who Should I Start Tool
Not sure who to start? Check out the 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 Kenneth Walker III, Omarion Hampton, and D'Andre Swift. 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 - Kenneth Walker III, Omarion Hampton, and D'Andre Swift. 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 Kenneth Walker III, Omarion Hampton, and D'Andre Swift compared to others:
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