Fantasy & Betting
9/18/24
4 min read
Fantasy Football 2024: Week 3 Rankings For Every Position
It’s never fun when the injury bug bites.
Apologies to those out there who’ll be without players like San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel, Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp, and Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco (just to name a few) for the foreseeable future.
You can rest assured that sorting through the different injury news will be a crucial focus of these Week 3 positional rankings. In addition, we’ve now seen a couple of games from each team and have a considerably better idea of which offenses are clicking and which ones are starting to look doomed.
Let’s start combing through all the rankings, risers, fallers, and possible breakout candidates for Week 3 of the fantasy season:
Week 3 Fantasy Football Rankings
Week 3 Quarterback Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | Opponent |
| 1. | Lamar Jackson | BAL | @ DAL |
| 2. | Josh Allen | BUF | vs JAC |
| 3. | Jalen Hurts | PHI | @ NO |
| 4. | Kyler Murray | ARI | vs DET |
| 5. | C.J. Stroud | HOU | @ MIN |
| 6. | Patrick Mahomes II | KC | @ ATL |
| 7. | Jayden Daniels | WAS | @ CIN |
| 8. | Anthony Richardson | IND | vs CHI |
| 9. | Joe Burrow | CIN | vs WAS |
| 10. | Dak Prescott | DAL | vs BAL |
| 11. | Brock Purdy | SF | @ LAR |
| 12. | Baker Mayfield | TB | vs DEN |
| 13. | Derek Carr | NO | vs PHI |
| 14. | Jared Goff | DET | @ ARI |
| 15. | Geno Smith | SEA | vs MIA |
| 16. | Aaron Rodgers | NYJ | vs NE |
| 17. | Justin Fields | PIT | vs LAC |
| 18. | Sam Darnold | MIN | vs HOU |
| 19. | Matthew Stafford | LAR | vs SF |
| 20. | Caleb Williams | CHI | @ IND |
| 21. | Justin Herbert | LAC | @ PIT |
| 22. | Kirk Cousins | ATL | vs KC |
| 23. | Trevor Lawrence | JAC | @ BUF |
| 24. | Gardner Minshew II | LV | vs CAR |
Quick Takeaways
- In general, the Week 3 schedule presents enough upside matchups that managers can feel, at minimum, pretty good about the top 15. That’s what I would constitute as the “green zone” to choose from.
- The Rams are dealing with a slew of injuries right now. In addition to being without his top two receivers (more to come on that), QB Matthew Stafford is down three members of his starting offensive line.
- Starting LT Joe Noteboom (ankle) and LG Steve Avila (knee) are on injured reserve, and now it’s looking like OC Jonah Jackson could miss some time due to a shoulder ailment. With so many pieces of this starting lineup decimated it will be hard to trust any member of the Rams, especially Stafford. The veteran should only be considered as an option in Superflex lineups.
Trending Up
- Waiver wire darlings Derek Carr and Baker Mayfield are running hot right now. Both aerial attacks rank within the top five of FTN’s pass offense DVOA through Week 2. Individually, the duo also rank first and fourth in EPA per dropback, respectively, according to TruMedia. It remains to see how sustainable each franchise’s early-season surges are, but for this week, managers can feel safe riding the wave.
- This week is particularly advantageous for Mayfield going up against a Denver Broncos defense that ranks 31st in pass defense DVOA while allowing a 91.7 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks, per Pro Football Reference.
- Speaking of EPA per dropback, guess who currently sits sixth on that list despite his team’s offensive woes? Washington Commanders rookie QB Jayden Daniels. He’s yet to record a passing touchdown, but that underlying support is undoubtedly affirming. The former Heisman winner also ranks second in rushing yards (132) among quarterbacks, a number we love to see for fantasy. He might be the real deal. Expect to see Daniels in the top 10 weekly.
Trending Down
- For several reasons, Trevor Lawrence is a prominent faller this week. For starters, he’ll be facing a stout Buffalo Bills unit that ranks within the top 11 of run defense, pass defense, and total defense DVOA thus far in 2024, per FTN. This will be a tough draw no matter what, but significantly more so if TE Evan Engram’s hamstring injury keeps him out an additional week.
- The Jaguars’ offense is also having difficulty getting its wheels turning. Jacksonville ranks 20th in net yards per drive (28.1), 26th in average points scored per drive (1.43), and 28th in third down conversion rate (23.6 percent). Some of these issues can be attributed to Lawrence's lack of success delivering the ball to wide receivers Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis, but there will be more talk on that later.
- Though Lawrence sits at QB23 for Week 3, don’t give up hope yet. Despite two harrowing weeks, the Jaguars still sit ninth in pass offense DVOA. This week might not be when they turn the corner, but there’s still lots of time for them to figure out their flaws.
Week 3 Running Back Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | Opponent |
| 1.) | Breece Hall | NYJ | vs NE |
| 2.) | Bijan Robinson | ATL | vs KC |
| 3.) | Saquon Barkley | PHI | @ NO |
| 4.) | Alvin Kamara | NO | vs PHI |
| 5.) | De'Von Achane | MIA | @ SEA |
| 6.) | James Cook | BUF | vs JAC |
| 7.) | Jonathan Taylor | IND | vs CHI |
| 8.) | Jahmyr Gibbs | DET | @ ARI |
| 9.) | Joe Mixon | HOU | @ MIN |
| 10.) | Derrick Henry | BAL | @ DAL |
| 11.) | Rhamondre Stevenson | NE | @ NYJ |
| 12.) | Jordan Mason | SF | @ LAR |
| 13.) | David Montgomery | DET | @ ARI |
| 14.) | Rachaad White | TB | vs DEN |
| 15.) | Josh Jacobs | GB | @ TEN |
| 16.) | Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS | @ CIN |
| 17.) | James Conner | ARI | vs DET |
| 18.) | J.K. Dobbins | LAC | @ PIT |
| 19.) | Kenneth Walker III | SEA | vs MIA |
| 20.) | Travis Etienne Jr. | JAC | @ BUF |
| 21.) | Aaron Jones | MIN | vs HOU |
| 22.) | Tony Pollard | TEN | vs GB |
| 23.) | Kyren Williams | LAR | vs SF |
| 24.) | Jerome Ford | CLE | vs NYG |
| 25.) | Najee Harris | PIT | vs LAC |
| 26.) | Ty Chandler | MIN | vs HOU |
| 27.) | Zack Moss | CIN | vs WAS |
| 28.) | Devin Singletary | NYG | @ CLE |
| 29.) | Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | vs BAL |
| 30.) | Austin Ekeler | WAS | @ CIN |
| 31.) | Samaje Perine | KC | @ ATL |
| 32.) | Jaylen Warren | PIT | vs LAC |
| 33.) | Zamir White | LV | vs CAR |
| 34.) | Justice Hill | BAL | @ DAL |
| 35.) | D'Andre Swift | CHI | @ IND |
| 36.) | Zach Charbonnet | SEA | vs MIA |
| 37.) | Chuba Hubbard | CAR | @ LV |
| 38.) | Javonte Williams | DEN | @ TB |
| 39.) | Tyler Allgeier | ATL | vs KC |
| 40.) | Tyjae Spears | TEN | vs GB |
| 41.) | Jamaal Williams | NO | vs PHI |
| 42.) | Gus Edwards | LAC | @ PIT |
| 43.) | Chase Brown | CIN | vs WAS |
| 44.) | Bucky Irving | TB | vs DEN |
| 45.) | Rico Dowdle | DAL | vs BAL |
| 46.) | Carson Steele | KC | @ ATL |
| 47.) | Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN | @ TB |
| 48.) | Antonio Gibson | NE | @ NYJ |
| 49.) | Braelon Allen | NYJ | vs NE |
| 50.) | Miles Sanders | CAR | @ LV |
Quick Takeaways
- The Chiefs will be without Isiah Pacheco for at least six weeks as he undergoes surgery for a fractured tibia. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted on Monday that the team will be hosting former Cleveland Browns veteran Kareem Hunt for a visit, but this backfield will likely feature some split of Samaje Perine on early downs with rookie Carson Steele part of the mix as well. None can be trusted to start in lineups this week, but all should be additions off the waiver wire. For those in a roster pinch, I lean Perine as the favorite.
- This should go without saying, but Kyren Williams is being relegated into RB2 territory, considering three of his five starting offensive linemen are hurt. Yes, he’s the firmly entrenched bell cow in this offense, but diminished fronts are a detriment to even the most talented players.
Trending Up
- James Cook quickly established his billing as a workhorse back in 2024. The third-year runner currently ranks 12th in opportunity share (75.9 percent), according to FantasyData. For context, that’s a 13.5 percent increase from last season. Any time a running back can see well over two-thirds of their backfield’s touches, it’s worth celebrating, but this is a potential “star in the making” gain for Cook.
- Are we sure it’s not 2017 again? Alvin Kamara is playing out of his mind right now, ranking second among backs in offensive rush EPA per game (6.17) with an average of 6.9 yards per touch, according to TruMedia. Despite being selected as the RB17 in the preseason average draft position (ADP), the 29-year-old is an early contender for the year's best value.
- In case you missed it in my Week 3 waiver wire article, Jets rookie Braelon Allen might be emerging as a premier handcuff to teammate Breece Hall. His breakout performance last Sunday is worth paying attention to.
Trending Down
- Sorry, truthers: Jaylen Warren is not threatening to overtake Najee Harris’ starting gig. Through two weeks, the former UDFA occupies a 13.3 percent opportunity share, well behind Harris' 73.3 percent clip. It’s time to accept you might’ve drafted a handcuff rather than someone with standalone value, but it is encouraging that Warren saw 11 touches in Week 2.
- Javonte Williams is in a disastrous split backfield. There was plenty of reason to be excited about the former second-round pick entering this season now that he’s a year removed from his gruesome 2022 multi-ligament knee injury. Unfortunately, Williams only receives a 37 percent share of Denver’s backfield touches through two games and faces a stacked box front on 12.5 percent of his rushes, the 14th-highest clip among running backs, per FantasyData. It’s getting late early for Williams.
Week 3 Wide Receiver Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | Opponent |
| 1. | Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET | @ ARI |
| 2. | CeeDee Lamb | DAL | vs BAL |
| 3. | Ja'Marr Chase | CIN | vs WAS |
| 4. | Justin Jefferson | MIN | vs HOU |
| 5. | Nico Collins | HOU | @ MIN |
| 6. | Mike Evans | TB | vs DEN |
| 7. | Chris Godwin | TB | vs DEN |
| 8. | Tyreek Hill | MIA | @ SEA |
| 9. | Brandon Aiyuk | SF | @ LAR |
| 10. | Rashee Rice | KC | @ ATL |
| 11. | Malik Nabers | NYG | @ CLE |
| 12. | Garrett Wilson | NYJ | vs NE |
| 13. | Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI | vs DET |
| 14. | DeVonta Smith | PHI | @ NO |
| 15. | Davante Adams | LV | vs CAR |
| 16. | DK Metcalf | SEA | vs MIA |
| 17. | Chris Olave | NO | vs PHI |
| 18. | DJ Moore | CHI | @ IND |
| 19. | Stefon Diggs | HOU | @ MIN |
| 20. | Calvin Ridley | TEN | vs GB |
| 21. | Zay Flowers | BAL | @ DAL |
| 22. | Michael Pittman Jr. | IND | vs CHI |
| 23. | Jaylen Waddle | MIA | @ SEA |
| 24. | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA | vs MIA |
| 25. | Drake London | ATL | vs KC |
| 26. | Jameson Williams | DET | @ ARI |
| 27. | George Pickens | PIT | vs LAC |
| 28. | Xavier Worthy | KC | @ ATL |
| 29. | Amari Cooper | CLE | vs NYG |
| 30. | Jayden Reed | GB | @ TEN |
| 31. | Tee Higgins | CIN | vs WAS |
| 32. | Rashid Shaheed | NO | vs PHI |
| 33. | Alec Pierce | IND | vs CHI |
| 34. | Brian Thomas Jr. | JAC | @ BUF |
| 35. | Terry McLaurin | WAS | @ CIN |
| 36. | Demarcus Robinson | LAR | vs SF |
| 37. | Tank Dell | HOU | @ MIN |
| 38. | Khalil Shakir | BUF | vs JAC |
| 39. | Tyler Lockett | SEA | vs MIA |
| 40. | Keenan Allen | CHI | @ IND |
| 41. | Allen Lazard | NYJ | vs NE |
| 42. | Diontae Johnson | CAR | @ LV |
| 43. | Jerry Jeudy | CLE | vs NYG |
| 44. | Wan'Dale Robinson | NYG | @ CLE |
| 45. | Courtland Sutton | DEN | @ TB |
| 46. | Josh Reynolds | DEN | @ TB |
| 47. | Gabe Davis | JAC | @ BUF |
| 48. | Jakobi Meyers | LV | vs CAR |
| 49. | Andrei Iosivas | CIN | vs WAS |
| 50. | Tyler Johnson | LAR | vs SF |
Quick Takeaways
- Here’s where we get to revisit the Rams’ situation. Puka Nacua is slated to miss five to seven weeks due to a sprained MCL. Cooper Kupp is a potential IR candidate with his ankle injury sustained on Sunday vs. the Arizona Cardinals. This void leaves room for someone to step up, and the wise money is on veteran Demarcus Robinson.
- The veteran has registered a 95.9 route participation rate so far, per FantasyData, and carries the advantage of being incumbent with prior experience in this offense over teammate Tyler Johnson. Both are worth rostering, but only Robinson should be considered as a lineup option in Week 3 (flex-level at best).
- The only reason Jauan Jennings isn’t in the top 50 this week is because teammate Brandon Aiyuk has been relatively dormant this season, and I do expect him and TE George Kittle to be the primary beneficiaries of Deebo Samuel’s absence due to a calf injury. Still, Jennings is an intriguing option to stash on benches. He’s already registered a 53.3 percent route participation rate with his teammates healthy and has seen at least four targets in each game.
Trending Up
- I stayed low on Malik Nabers through the first two weeks, but at this point, his obscenely high volume is hard to ignore. The LSU product ranks first among receivers in target share (38.5 percent) and second in air yards share (55.6 percent). It appears Nabers is poised to mirror his home stadium counterpart, Garrett Wilson of the Jets. Are we confident in the quarterback play supporting these young stars? Not entirely, but when the ball comes your way almost one-third of the time, you can’t ignore that.
- The woes of the Jaguars’ receivers are a topic I alluded to earlier. Christian Kirk is an absolute zero right now and doesn’t even deserve a full blurb at this point, but the reason it was mentioned prior is that there is one factor that seems to be working for Lawrence. Rookie Brian Thomas Jr., who played opposite Nabers at LSU, is having a sneaky breakout, ranking ninth in fantasy points per target (3.1) among wideouts with at least five targets in 2024, per FantasyData.
- Though he sits behind Gabe Davis in target share, the acronymous BTJ could see his status elevate, assuming he can maintain efficiency. Week 3 vs. the Bills will be a big test. If he passes, Thomas Jr. might well be a weekly WR2.
Week 3 Tight End Rankings
| Rank | Name | Team | Opponent |
| 1. | Sam LaPorta | DET | @ ARI |
| 2. | Trey McBride | ARI | vs DET |
| 3. | Brock Bowers | LV | vs CAR |
| 4. | George Kittle | SF | @ LAR |
| 5. | Mark Andrews | BAL | @ DAL |
| 6. | Dallas Goedert | PHI | @ NO |
| 7. | Travis Kelce | KC | @ ATL |
| 8. | Evan Engram | JAC | @ BUF |
| 9. | Kyle Pitts | ATL | vs KC |
| 10. | Dalton Kincaid | BUF | vs JAC |
| 11. | Hunter Henry | NE | @ NYJ |
| 12. | Zach Ertz | WAS | @ CIN |
| 13. | Noah Fant | SEA | vs MIA |
| 14. | Pat Freiermuth | PIT | vs LAC |
| 15. | Colby Parkinson | LAR | vs SF |
| 16. | Mike Gesicki | CIN | vs WAS |
| 17. | Isaiah Likely | BAL | @ DAL |
| 18. | Tyler Conklin | NYJ | vs NE |
| 19. | Luke Schoonmaker | DAL | vs BAL |
| 20. | Chig Okonkwo | TEN | vs GB |
| 21. | Taysom Hill | NO | vs PHI |
| 22. | Tucker Kraft | GB | @ TEN |
| 23. | Dalton Schultz | HOU | @ MIN |
| 24. | Greg Dulcich | DEN | @ TB |
Quick Takeaways
- The complicated nature of the tight end position makes it difficult to put together a comprehensive analysis based on a two-week sample. For now, you should continue to trust the “big name” players you already roster, but I promise not to leave you hanging.
- There are seven tight ends who’ve played in both games with a registered target share of at least 20 percent in their team’s offense. In order, these names are Hunter Henry (31.9), Trey McBride (28.9), Brock Bowers (25.0), George Kittle (22.8), Isaiah Likely (21.4, though he took a bit of a back seat in Week 2), Mike Gesicki (20.6), and Pat Freiermuth (20.0).
- While he’s been a bit of a letdown thus far in 2024, Dalton Kincaid is registering a 100 percent route participation rate. He also doubled his targets (four) in Week 2, and it looks like he’s going in the right direction. Don’t give up hope now.
Potential Breakouts
- Though it didn’t amount to much (three catches for 16 receiving yards), Greg Dulcich led his team with eight targets in Week 2 vs. the Steelers. Injuries have slowed the former third-round pick to date in his career, but don’t forget how good he was as a rookie in 2022.
- Though Dulcich didn't become the Broncos' primary tight end until Week 6 of that season, from that point through Week 16 (when he got hurt again), Dulcich ranked 13th in target share (17.1%), sixth in team air yards share (21.7%) and third in average depth of target (11.3) among tight ends. A viable fantasy starter might still be within him yet, folks.
