Fantasy football sleepers are players who are expected to outperform their preseason expectations and provide excellent value for fantasy team owners. Week 3 of the NFL season is always full of surprises, and it’s important to move with the tide of the season, but with only one week in the books, it’s equally important not to overreact.
So, while starting 0-2 is always a disappointment, you don’t want to tear down the house just because one player underperformed.
*More from Fantasy Football Week 3: Sneaky Starts & Sleepers*
With that said, there are some sneaky players that you can pivot to if there are options on your team that don’t look like they’re in as good of an environment as you thought they were when you drafted them. Below, we are going to run through every fantasy roster position and find some Week 3 Fantasy Football Sleepers that your leaguemates are overlooking.
*More from Fantasy Football Week 3: Trade Value Chart, Targets, and ROS Rankings*
Week 3 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Quarterbacks
Brock Purdy, 49ers (@ LAR, 28)
Purdy had a solid game against the Vikings, throwing for 319 yards and a touchdown while adding 12 yards as a runner. The Rams limited Jared Goff in Week 1 but yielded 266/3 to Kyler Murray last week. Even without Deebo Samuel, Purdy should deliver this week.
Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers (vs. DEN, 8)
Mayfield is the QB1 through two weeks, scoring 29.7 against the Commanders and 18.8 against the Lions. The Broncos have been decent against the position, but Geno Smith scored 17.8 in Week 1. Ride the hot hand at home this week.
Get the full Week 3 Fantasy Football QB Rankings!
Week 3 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Running Backs
Tony Pollard, Titans (vs. GB, 16)
Tyjae Spears is โday-to-dayโ with an ankle injury. I currently donโt have him in the projections, so Pollard is coming in as a low-end RB1 this week against the Packers. Even if Spears plays, he could be limited and/or ineffective, which keeps a big Pollard game in play. So far, he has handled 20.5 touches per game, which is elite usage.
Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks (vs. MIA, 2)
Charbonnet is a step down from Kenneth Walker, but he posted 69 total yards and a touchdown on 19 touches and did not cede a single touch to another Seattle running back. The Dolphins have been getting torched by the position, yielding an average of 144 total yards and 2.0 touchdowns on 25.0 touches per game.
Get the full Week 3 Fantasy Football RB Rankings!
Week 3 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Wide Receivers
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks (vs. MIA, 16)
Wait, Smith-Njigba saw 16 targets last week?!? He only saw two targets in Week 1 but followed that up with a 12-catch, 117-yard day against the Patriots. Iโd prefer nine targets in each game instead of these wild fluctuations in usage, but perhaps OC Ryan Grubb made a conscious decision to get JSN more involved after a quiet Week 1.
Khalil Shakir, Bills (vs. JAX, 20)
Through two games, Khalil Shakir leads the Bills in targets (8), catches (8), yards (96), and has one of the team’s three receiving touchdowns. Heโs penciled in as the Billsโ top receiving option, for now.
Get the full Week 3 Fantasy Football WR Rankings!
Week 3 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Tight Ends
Mike Gesicki, Bengals (vs. WAS, 21)
In Week 2, Gesicki led the Bengals in catches (7), targets (9), and yards (91) and currently leads the team in all receiving categories. You read that right. Gesicki had back-to-back 700+ yard seasons and posted the fifth-most receiving yardage (2,053) among tight ends from 2019 to 2021. It seems to be a nice marriage in Cincinnati.
Hunter Henry, Patriots (@ NYJ, 14)
After a quiet Week 1, Henry erupted for 8-109 on 12 targets against the Seahawks. Heโs been a productive receiver whenever called upon, and the Patriots are desperate for pass-catchers with the receiver room underperforming.
Get the full Week 3 Fantasy Football TE Rankings!
Get the full Week 3 Fantasy Football Defense Rankings!