A number of top quarterbacks suffered injuries during Week 2, and that will have direct implications for Week 3 fantasy football rankings at the receiver position. After all, receivers need quarterbacks to deliver the ball to them. Joe Burrow will be out for the foreseeable future; JJ McCarthy has already been ruled out for Week 3; and Jayden Daniels, Justin Fields, and Brock Purdy very well could all miss their upcoming games.
Luckily, there is tons of depth at the receiver position, so fantasy football managers worried about their star receivers with question marks in Week 3 will have plenty of options to choose from.
Top fantasy football receivers for Week 3
CeeDee Lamb vs. Chicago Bears
The Dallas Cowboys seem to game plan for a big aerial attack week in and week out, but that could be even more so true than usual in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears. The Bears just gave up five passing touchdowns and 52 points in total to the Detroit Lions. Dak Prescott will surely take advantage of Chicago's poor secondary that will struggle even more with Jaylon Johnson expected to miss time because of a groin injury.
CeeDee Lamb is Prescott's favorite target. He had a few costly drops in Week 1 but got back on track in Week 2. He even has double-digit targets and has surpassed 100 receiving yards in both of his performances so far. Lamb always catches a lot of passes, making him a great option in PPR formats, but don't be surprised if he hauls in a deep ball for six this week.
Puka Nacua vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Some fantasy managers were worried about Matthew Stafford's back injury coming into the league. Therefore, they were nervous to select Puka Nacua, which made him a value pick in many leagues. Nacua is WR1 in fantasy so far, as he has 50.7 PPR points already. He could be in line for another huge game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Philadelphia Eagles secondary lost C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Darius Slay, and James Bradberry in the offseason. They still have great young players in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, but the unit hasn't been as impressive thus far.
Furthermore, teams have to focus heavily on Davante Adams, which allows Nacua the freedom to thrive in one-on-one situations. Throughout their time together, as long as they are healthy, Stafford and Nacua always seem to hook up for big games, and Week 3 will be no different.
Justin Jefferson vs. Cincinnati Bengals
The JJ McCarthy experiment has been a rollercoaster ride thus far. The first-year starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings got off to a slow start in Week 1 before looking like a star in the second half of that game. He then returned to poor play in Week 2. Justin Jefferson has paid the consequences of these rookie inconsistencies. McCarthy will miss the Vikings' third game, though.
That means steady veteran Carson Wentz will take over, and he would be smart to get Jefferson involved. Kevin O'Connell and the coaching staff will likely stress the importance of heavily utilizing Jefferson.
Considering O'Connell is a great play-caller, he will likely draw plays up for Jefferson against a horrendous Cincinnati Bengals defense. With Joe Burrow expected to miss three-plus months, the Bengals as a whole will be scrambling, and Jefferson could take advantage even with a new quarterback under center.
Sleeper fantasy football receivers for Week 3
Mike Evans vs. New York Jets
Mike Evans is the embodiment of consistency, yet he has been underrated for years. Evans has never not had 1,000-plus receiving yards, but he has been slightly underwhelming so far this year. Evans has caught five passes for just over 50 yards in both of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' games so far.
The matchup against the New York Jets could be his big break. The Jets are one of the worst teams in the NFL. If Justin Fields has to miss the game, the Jets will likely spend minimal time with the ball in their possession. Therefore, Evans will get a lot of opportunities. Opposing teams are quickly realizing that they have to give Emeka Ebuka his respect, and more focus on the rookie will open things up for the 12-year veteran.
Hollywood Brown vs. New York Giants
Hollywood Brown is a must-play fantasy player until Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy return to the fold for the Kansas City Chiefs. Brown has missed time in recent seasons, but he is looking more like the player fans got used to during his time with the Baltimore Ravens. Brown is more than just a speed threat, as he has proven to be a reliable short-yardage possession receiver with Patrick Mahomes throwing him the football.
The Chiefs are 0-2, but they should quickly turn things around. A blowout win against the New York Giants that gets their season back on track can be expected, and it could very well come as the result of aerial domination led by Brown. Worthy may be back by Week 3, but even if he is healthy enough to play, a snap count should be expected.
Calvin Austin vs. New England Patriots
Calvin Austin made a costly mistake against the Seattle Seahawks, and Aaron Rodgers called him out for it. Rodgers loves Austin, though, and the receiver could make up for his miscue in the upcoming game against the New England Patriots. There has been a clear emphasis on making Austin a bigger part of the Steelers' passing attack.
The New England Patriots have been the second-worst fantasy team against opposing receivers so far. New England's secondary will get better when Christian Gonzales returns, which could happen in the game against the Steelers. However, Gonzales is a big cornerback, so he will likely shadow DK Metcalf.
Fantasy football receiver busts in Week 3
Jerry Jeudy vs. Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers' defense is legit. The Micah Parsons trade was expected to help, but Green Bay has looked arguably even better than expected. The Cleveland Browns, meanwhile, are 0-2 and have struggled with Joe Flacco leading the team, so much so that some are already calling for Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders to take over as the starting quarterback.
Flacco will likely be under center again in Week 3, but regardless of who is quarterbacking the team, a rough day at the office can be expected from Jerry Jeudy.
Ja'Marr Chase vs. Minnesota Vikings
Ja'Marr Chase is arguably the best receiver in the NFL. However, he struggled in Week 1, and then Joe Burrow went down to a turf toe injury in Week 2. Chase is uber-talented, but changes at quarterback are never easy, especially when the player who will be sidelined is one of the best players in the entire NFL.
The Minnesota Vikings have been one of the best teams against the pass so far. They have an elite front seven that will make life hard on Jake Browning, and they have defensive backs to ensure Chase has another underwhelming performance.
Calvin Ridley vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Tennessee Titans have been plagued by drop issues so far this year. Rookie quarterback Cam Ward looks the part, but it hasn't translated to production yet. The Indianapolis Colts just limited Courtland Sutton to one of the worst games of his career, and Calvin Ridley could receive similar treatment in Week 3.
Complete fantasy football WR rankings for Week 3
1. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
2. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
3. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
4. Nico Collins, Houston Texans
5. Malik Nabers, New York Giants
6. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
7. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
8. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
9. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
10. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
11. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
12. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens
13. Jacob Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders
14. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos
15. Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Rams
16. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
17. Davante Adams, Los Angeles Rams
18. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders
19. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
20. Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears
21. Hollywood Brown, Kansas City Chiefs
22. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
23. Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers
24. DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh Steelers
25. George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys
26. Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
27. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals
28. Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers
29. Michael Pittman, Indianapolis Colts
30. Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots
