This is the Fantasy Nerd's look at the best and worst matchups for Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season. Analysis is aggregated from multiple sources including FN. Rankings are based upon PPR (point per reception) scoring. Given the known conditions, these matchups are the ones to watch and/or avoid.
Please Note: This list does not generally include the elite players that you are going to start regardless of matchup. You don't need us to tell you to start Lamar Jackson, Saquon Barkley, or CeeDee Lamb. Instead, we take a look at other players on your team that we believe either have great matchups or should be avoided for multiple reasons. Factors like opposing defense, performance trending, and peer comparisons may influence our decisions.
Start 'em Dak Prescott (DAL, QB)Dak Prescott, who threw for 361 yards and two TDs in Week 2 vs. the Giants, is primed for another big game in Week 3 against a Bears defense that ranks 30th in fantasy scoring allowed to quarterbacks. I penciled him in for a solid fantasy performance last week and he finished with 26.1 points (after overtime), and the matchup looks even tougher for Chicago after they surrendered 43.9 fantasy points to Jared Goff. With a 50.5-point game total, Prescott carries top-five upside in this spot - a scoring environment that also favors Caleb Williams.
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Most pts to QB
Start 'em Daniel Jones (IND, QB)Daniel Jones has totaled 588 passing yards and five touchdowns through two starts for the Colts, including three rushing scores, and while Indianapolis will likely lean on Jonathan Taylor as big Week 3 favorites at Tennessee, Jones has shown fantasy upside - posting at least 24.8 points in both home games vs. Miami and Denver. He now heads to a Titans defense that bottled up Bo Nix but allowed 21.3 fantasy points to Matthew Stafford, and I'd expect Jones to land in that neighborhood this week, making him a low-end QB1 option.
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5th Fewest Pts to QB
Start 'em Javonte Williams (DAL, RB)Javonte Williams has started the season hot for the Cowboys, following a Week 2 performance of 18 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown plus six catches for 33 yards. He opened in Week 1 with two rushing TDs in Philadelphia (15 rushes for 54 yards, two catches for 10 yards) for 20.4 PPR points, and now draws a favorable Week 3 matchup against a Bears run defense ranked 31st in fantasy that has already allowed multiple backs to exceed 13.1 PPR through two games. Given his early workload and production, Williams profiles as a reliable No. 2 fantasy RB this week.
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3rd Most Pts to RB
Start 'em Kenneth Walker (SEA, RB)Kenneth Walker outshone Zach Charbonnet in Week 2 and, if he sustains that form, projects as the Seahawks' top back for Sunday's trip to New Orleans. In Pittsburgh he ripped off 13 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown plus a 13‑yard catch, a big bounce-back from a quiet Week 1 when Charbonnet outperformed him. Charbonnet still played more snaps against the Steelers, so usage is worth watching, but both backs have upside against a Saints defense yielding 4.7 yards per carry through two games (James Conner and Christian McCaffrey each topped 14.4 PPR). Treat Walker as an RB2 and Charbonnet as a flex option.
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6th Most Pts to RB
Start 'em Rome Odunze (CHI, WR)Despite the Bears' Week 2 loss in Detroit, Rome Odunze emerged as a bright spot and projects to stay hot in Week 3 against a Cowboys secondary that surrenders 13.7 yards per target to wideouts. Now firmly Caleb Williams' primary weapon, Odunze should be started in all formats - he's hauled in 13 catches for 165 yards and three TDs on 20 targets across two games (scoring at least 15.7 PPR points each week). The matchup is especially juicy after Dallas allowed Malik Nabers and Wan'Dale Robinson to combine for 17 catches, 309 yards and three scores on 23 targets in Week 2. With that setup, D.J. Moore also has upside as a borderline WR2 this week.
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2nd Most Pts to WR
Start 'em George Pickens (DAL, WR)George Pickens caught his first Cowboys touchdown in Week 2 and steps into Week 3 with a great matchup: Chicago's weakened secondary ranks dead last against wide receivers in fantasy. He posted nine targets, five catches for 68 yards and a score last week and should continue to see volume even with CeeDee Lamb and Jake Ferguson drawing attention; the Bears just gave up five passing TDs to Detroit, with Amon‑Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams combining for 11 catches, 223 yards and four scores. Pickens is a worthy start as a No. 2 fantasy receiver in all formats.
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6th Most Pts to WR
Start 'em Jake Ferguson (DAL, TE)Jake Ferguson turned in a big Week 2, catching nine of 12 targets for 78 yards (16.8 fantasy points), and he enters a favorable Week 3 spot against an injury-plagued, slow-starting Bears defense. With 18 targets through two games - second-most among tight ends - Ferguson has quickly become one of Dak Prescott's go-to options. Given the matchup, he projects to be a high-upside play.
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14th Most Pts to TE
Start 'em Zach Ertz (WAS, TE)Zach Ertz has been a consistent presence, finding the end zone in each of Washington's first two games and leading the team in receiving yards in Week 2, making him a sensible Week 3 option versus the Raiders. He's emerged as the fantasy landscape's third-best tight end after two weeks thanks to steady targets, and the matchup is favorable - Raiders defenses have yielded the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends since last season. That said, his ceiling is higher if starter Jayden Daniels (knee) is cleared to play instead of backup Marcus Mariota, so monitor Daniels' status before setting your lineup.
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5th Fewest Pts to TE
Start 'em Green Bay Packers (GB, DEF)With Micah Parsons elevating Green Bay into a top-five defense, this week's matchup with Cleveland is a must-start. Opposing defenses have been the fourth-highest fantasy scorers through two weeks against the Browns - who have coughed up four turnovers and are averaging only 16.5 points - so the Packers should have plenty of opportunities for big plays.
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5th Most Pts to DEF
Start 'em Cameron Dicker (LAC, K)Cameron Dicker has been perfect on his nine kicks to start the season and should remain a key part of the Chargers' offense in Week 3 against a stout Broncos defense. He sits around 15th in fantasy scoring after two weeks, but I'd keep him active - no team has allowed more fantasy points to kickers so far, and Dicker has a strong track record versus Denver: in five career meetings he's scored at least nine points four times and reached double digits three times.
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Most pts to K
Sit 'em Tua Tagovailoa (MIA, QB)Tua Tagovailoa and Miami's offense will try to get their first win in Week 3 against a Bills secondary that's allowed just 124 passing yards per game, the NFL's stingiest number. He bounced back in Week 2 with 22.6 fantasy points versus New England after a quiet 7.3 in Week 1 at Indianapolis. While he did manage 21.5 fantasy points at Buffalo in Week 9 last season, he's averaged only 15.0 points across his last seven meetings with the Bills. With that matchup in mind, he's only worth starting in Superflex or two-quarterback leagues.
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7th Most Pts to QB
Sit 'em Matthew Stafford (LAR, QB)Stafford hasn't shown any obvious effects from the preseason back issue, but Week 3 presents a stiff challenge as he travels to face an Eagles defense that's been stingy to quarterbacks (11th in QB fantasy points allowed in 2025). He posted 21.3 fantasy points in Week 2 at Tennessee and has historically performed well versus Philadelphia in the regular season (1,645 passing yards, 14 TDs, one INT across seven games), even posting at least 23.2 fantasy points in both meetings last season. Still, given how the Eagles have limited Dak Prescott and Patrick Mahomes to a combined 375 yards, one TD and one INT through two games, caution is the advice.
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7th Fewest Pts to QB
Sit 'em Tyrone Tracy (NYG, RB)Tyrone Tracy's workload dipped in Week 2 - he had six fewer carries than Cam Skattebo - which suggests his role could shrink as the Giants face a stout Kansas City front seven in Week 3. Both backs are questionable plays in that matchup; Tracy led Week 1 snaps (74%) against Washington but produced only 35 yards on 12 touches (including two catches), and in Week 2 he played 42% of snaps for five carries (15 yards) and four catches (36 yards on five targets). Skattebo outperformed him at Dallas, logging 52% of snaps with 11 rushes for 45 yards and a touchdown plus two catches for 14 yards. Given how difficult it is to run on the Chiefs, Skattebo is the preferred, but both Giants backs are only FLEX options in most leagues.
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8th Fewest Pts to RB
Sit 'em Quinshon Judkins (CLE, RB)Quinshon Judkins made his debut a day after signing his rookie deal, leading Cleveland's backfield with 13 touches for 71 yards. Against Baltimore in Week 2 he rushed 10 times for 61 yards and caught all three targets for 10 yards - notable production after missing training camp and with minimal practice - and he should improve as the season progresses. Still, Week 3's matchup with Green Bay, which has yet to allow a RB touchdown (Detroit and Washington combined for just 32 carries, 78 yards, and no scores), makes him a low-end flex this week, though a larger role could be coming.
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6th Fewest Pts to RB
Sit 'em Jerry Jeudy (CLE, WR)Jerry Jeudy caught four passes for 51 yards on a team-high eight targets in Week 2, but after two games he's totaled just nine receptions for 117 yards and no scores on 16 targets, failing to reach 12 PPR points in either outing. The Browns are distributing targets - Cedric Tillman has produced more for fantasy so far, with looks also going to David Njoku, Harold Fannin Jr. and the backs - and Jeudy now faces a Packers defense that has limited several top receivers this season. Given that trend and this matchup in Week 3, it's best to generally avoid Jeudy and Tillman in most leagues.
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15th Fewest Pts to WR
Sit 'em D.J. Moore (CHI, WR)After a quiet outing in Chicago's Week 2 blowout loss, DJ Moore looks poised for a rebound in Week 3 - especially against a Cowboys secondary that's surrendered a league-high 13.7 yards per target to wide receivers. Let's hope that this materializes; however, it has been pretty clear over the past two weeks that Rome Odunze is the primary target. Moore should still produce but at a WR3/Flex level.
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2nd Most Pts to WR
Sit 'em Evan Engram (DEN, TE)Evan Engram was limited and relegated to a secondary role behind Adam Trautman in the Week 2 loss to the Colts, leaving his target share - and fantasy ceiling - murky heading into a tough Week 3 road trip at the Chargers. He was out-targeted by Trautman and ran routes at a rate more typical of a backup than a starting fantasy tight end. Given that Los Angeles has allowed only three tight ends to exceed 12.7 fantasy points since last season and held Brock Bowers to 8.8 last week, he's best left on the bench.
UPDATE: Evan Engram has been ruled OUT for Week 3.
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11th Most Pts to TE
Sit 'em Brenton Strange (JAC, TE)Brenton Strange remains a high-variance option at tight end but draws a Texans unit in Week 3 that surrendered eight TDs to the position last year, making him a boom-or-bust play. Evan Engram, meanwhile, looks diminished - Adam Trautman out-targeted him in Week 2 and his route-running share doesn't match a fantasy starter's workload - so don't be afraid to bench him against the Chargers, who have limited tight ends all season (only three have topped 12.7 PPR points since last year) and held Brock Bowers to just 8.8 last week.
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4th Fewest Pts to TE
Sit 'em Los Angeles Rams (LAR, DEF)Though they're sixth in fantasy scoring over the first two weeks, the Rams' defense is a clear sit for Week 3 - they travel to Philadelphia to face an Eagles offense that has limited opposing defenses (those units have averaged the fifth-fewest fantasy points) while allowing only three sacks and no turnovers so far.
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12th Fewest Pts to DEF
Sit 'em Matt Gay (WAS, K)With only one of three field-goal attempts converted and just seven points in two games, Matt Gay brings little fantasy upside into Week 3. The Raiders have allowed more than eight fantasy points to a kicker only once in their past seven games, so given his continuing long-range issues, Gay is best left on the bench.
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13th Fewest Pts to K
