Week 3 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Play or Bench Advice on Top Fantasy Football Stars

The 2024 NFL season has already brought some unexpected twists to the fantasy world. We've seen both underwhelming performances from usual fantasy stars, and injuries have taken several more out of lineups entirely.

This year's list of injured stars already includes Jordan Love, Tua Tagovailoa, Christian McCaffrey, Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp and Deebo Samuel.

Managers should still find some obvious must-start situations in Week 3, but a few lineup decisions may be more difficult. Here, you'll find a look at some of the tougher matchups for top fantasy standouts and a few start-sit recommendations.

All picks are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

When the Las Vegas Raiders lost Josh Jacobs in 2024 free agency, Zamir White became the team's new lead back. Through two weeks, White has failed to produce impressive numbers on the ground 66 rushing yards), but he has added some PPR value.

White only carried nine times for 24 yards against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, but he caught three passes for another 14. Head coach Antonio Pierce believes that White can be more productive with better line play.

"It ain't Zamir. The big boys up front gotta block. They know it," Pierce said, per Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

This could be a breakout week for White, who is worth a start in the flex. The Raiders host a struggling 0-2 Carolina Panthers team that is missing its best defender, defensive tackle Derrick Brown.

Carolina's offense may be more efficient after making the switch from Bryce Young to Andy Dalton at quarterback. However, Las Vegas should still have a chance to get an early lead and grind out the game on the ground.

The Panthers have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs this season.

The thought of sitting Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon may seem outlandish. The former Cincinnati Bengals standout rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown in his Texans debut. While he only rushed for 25 yards in Week 2, he still caught three passes for 25 yards.

However, Mixon also suffered an ankle injury against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. The injury is not considered "long term or serious," according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. That doesn't mean, however, that Mixon will be at 100 percent.

Mixon only carried twice for five yards after he reentered the game on Sunday.

If Mixon isn't ready for a full workload, Houston may lean on backup Cam Akers, who averaged 4.6 yards per carry against Chicago.

The Texans also have a tough road matchup with the Minnesota Vikings this week, which doesn't bode well for a banged-up running back. Minnesota has allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy points to the position through the first two weeks.

At the very least, managers should consider other options before committing to Mixon.

New Orleans Saints receiver Chris Olave didn't get off to the hottest start this season. The 2023 fantasy standout caught just two passes for 11 yards in New Orleans' opener. He was better in Week 2 (four catches, 81 yards), but some concern still surrounds the third-year wideout.

In Klint Kubiak's offense, Rashid Shaheed (7 catches, 169 yards, 2 TDs) may be replacing Olave as Derek Carr's top target.

However, there are enough balls to go around, provided the Saints don't move away from the pass early, as they did against Carolina in Week 1. That shouldn't be a significant concern this week against the Philadelphia Eagles, who have loads of offensive talent, even if A.J. Brown (hamstring) doesn't go.

The revamped Eagles defense, meanwhile, is still struggling against the pass. Only the Washington Commanders have allowed more fantasy points to opposing receivers this season.

Olave's numbers should be closer to what we saw last week than what we saw in Week 1.

Over the past four years, Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin has been a reliable fantasy option, if not an outright star. During that span, the 29-year-old has appeared in all but two games and has recorded four straight 1,000-yard campaigns.

However, McLaurin doesn't offer the same fantasy stability right now. Washington has a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels, and its passing game has largely been focused on giving him easy completions.

Running back Austin Ekeler and tight end Zach Ertz are Washington's two leading receivers.

Daniels has tried to get McLaurin involved (12 targets), but he's struggled to find him down the field. McLaurin does have eight receptions through two weeks but has tallied just 39 receiving yards.

This doesn't mean that McLaurin should be dropped, he's just not a strong option for Week 3.

There should come a point where the Daniels-McLaurin connection clicks, but it's unlikely to happen this week. The Commanders have a Monday night road game against the Bengals, who have allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.

*Fantasy scoring information from FantasyPros