Week 3 NFL Matchups Analysis: Start/Sit for Fantasy Football (Part 2)

Lou Cappetta analyzes the Week 3 NFL matchups, and provides fantasy football start/sit advice. Set your winning lineups with quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends & running backs.

Week 3 is already here, and there have been a ton of upsets and surprises, not to mention plenty of off-field stuff that may have affected your team. No worries-- we here at RotoBaller.com will dissect the matchups each week and tell you who the best and worst fantasy plays are.

No need to beat around the bush, let's get right to it. If you have questions that aren't answered here, then check out the RotoBaller.com chat rooms. And to read about the rest of this week’s NFL matchups, check out our other matchup articles. Here you can see the Start/Sit &  Matchups Analysis for Games 1-8.

Editor’s Note: make sure to also bookmark our famous fantasy football waiver wire pickups list to find those waiver wire gems, and dominate your football leagues. Our waiver wire list is updated throughout each week of the fantasy football season, for all positions. Good luck RotoBallers!

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
• Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
• FLEX fantasy football rankings
• Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
• Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
• Dynasty fantasy football rankings

Packers @ Lions - Sunday 9/21 @ 1:00 EST

Fantasy Football Matchups We Love

RB Joique Bell - He's proving to be the main running back in Motown, rather than Reggie Bush, as each week passes. He ate up the Packers last year, and the the Green Bay defense has struggled against opposing running backs so far this year.

Fantasy Football Matchups We Hate

Lions DST - I love the Lions defense, but not against Aaron Rodgers. You can find a better matchup elswhere.

High Risk, High Reward Fantasy Football Matchups

RB Eddie Lacy - Lacy did nothing against Seattle last week, and has another tough matchup against the Lions front line this week. The big question here is whether he's fully healthy. You almost have to start him if he's active, but he's a risky play at best this week. James Starks is a non-factor.

Colts @ Jaguars - Sunday 9/21 @ 1:00 PM

Fantasy Football Matchups We Love

Colts DST - Since the second half of Week 1, the Jags have looked terrible. Washington sacked Chad Henne 10 times last week, and the Colts defense is much better than Washington's. Every Colt, including the defense, is a must-start this week.

Fantasy Football Matchups We Hate

The Jaguars - I think this has the chance to be a blowout, especially after what happened to the Colts last weekend. I'll be avoiding all Jaguars this week - including Cecil Shorts, Marqise Lee, Allen Hurns, Allen Robinson, etc - and you should too.

High Risk, High Reward Fantasy Football Matchups

RB Toby Gerhart - If you must start a Jaguar, Gerhart is your guy. The matchup is favorable, but his team is terrible, and Gerhart is banged-up. At most, he's a low end RB2 in deep leagues this week.

Raiders @ Patriots - Sunday 9/21 @ 1:00 PM

Fantasy Football Matchups We Love

QB Tom Brady - I was down on Brady as an elite fantasy QB going into the season, and so far I've been right. A matchup against the Raiders at home is sure to get Brady back on track. Even if he's no longer elite, expect an elite game this week. After all, he still has Shane Vereen, Stevan Ridley, Aaron Dobson, Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola and even Kenbrell Thompkins, Brandon Bolden or Tim Wright at his disposal on offense.

Fantasy Football Matchups We Hate

RB Darren McFadden & Maurice Jones-Drew - Jones-Drew is still recovering from hand surgery and isn't a lock to play, and McFadden did nothing as the every-down back in MJD's place last week. Throw in a matchup against a Bill Belichick defense, and you have yourself two must-sit guys. Latavius Murray is a non-factor as of now.

High Risk, High Reward Fantasy Football Matchups

TE Rob Gronkowski - You know the drill here-- Gronk is the definition of a high-risk, high-reward player. He's never totally healthy, but he always finds the end zone if he's on the field. Once again, he's been limited in practice this week, but if he plays, he could have a monster game against a favorable matchup.

WR James Jones - Jones has emerged as the #1 wide receiver for the Raiders, piling up targets and catches over the past two weeks. He may be able to sustain that pace, but he is mostly a WR4/WR3 option in PPR leagues. Both him and Derek Carr are risky options until they show consistency for a few weeks.

49ers @ Cardinals - Sunday 9/21 @ 4:05 PM

Fantasy Football Matchups We Love

RB Frank Gore - Gore was terrible in his last game against Arizona last year, but the Niners are sure to work the run rather than test Arizona's secondary. The Cardinals also allowed Ryan Matthews and Rashad Jennings to have pretty good fantasy numbers. Carlos Hyde is clearly on the backburner here.

Fantasy Football Matchups We Hate

WR Michael Crabtree - I'd be shocked if San Fran tested the Arizona secondary, and even if they do, Crabtree is sure to be covered by Patrick Patterson. Not a favorable matchup at all. I wouldn't be starting Anquan Bolden either, unless I was desperate for a FLEX or WR3 in PPR leagues.

High Risk, High Reward Fantasy Football Matchups

49ers DST - I'm not sold on the Niners as an every-week defense, but the Cardinals had plenty of trouble scoring against the Giants last week without Carson Palmer. If Palmer misses another game, it could be a big day for the Niners defense; if Palmer plays, I think the San Fran secondary has a chance to be exposed.

QB Colin Kaepernick - With the likelihood that Vernon Davis will miss this week's game, Kaepernick will have less offensive options to work with. He's been pretty solid over the first two weeks, but I wouldn't call him a must start if you have a better QB option for the week.

RB Andre Ellington - Dealing with a lingering injury over the first two weeks, Ellington has played through it but hasn't performed to the level that many had hoped for. He's a fine FLEX play, with RB2 upside, but he has a tough matchup here and I would consider him somewhat risky until he can put the injury behind him. With the news that Jonathan Dwyer has been deactivated, backup running back Stepfan Taylor will be worked into the mix as well.

Good luck in Week Three. With any luck, the focus will return to the action on the field.