Fantasy football start/sit: Jay Cutler takes aim at Jets defense
Every week, our friends at Bruno Boys Fantasy Football take a look at every NFL game on the slate and offer up their recommendations of players to start or sit, based on that week's matchups.
(Disclaimer: Some picks may not agree with -- or may run counter to -- the rankings and other opinions expressed elsewhere on this site. As always, fantasy owners are encouraged to absorb as much information as possible to make an informed decision for their teams.)
Fantasy rankings: How the players stack up at each position in Week 3
Start
49ers RB Carlos Hyde. Hyde ran over a stout Seattle Seahawks defense in Week 2, finishing with 124 rushing yards on 15 carries and hauling in three Brian Hoyer passes. His versatility should give the Rams problems. Los Angles allows 152 yards per game to opposing running backs.
Ravens RB Javorius Allen. Allen finished with 66 rushing yards on 14 carries and had five receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown. Even if he loses touches to Terrance West, the dual-threat running back should own a Jaguars defense that struggles against running backs.
Dolphins QB Jay Cutler. Cutler looked sharp in his Dolphins debut, completing 24 of 33 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers. Expect a productive showing against a Jets secondary that has allowed five touchdown passes in two games.
Browns WR Rashard Higgins. He took advantage of Corey Coleman’s broken hand, torching a stubborn Baltimore Ravens secondary for 95 yards on seven receptions. The Colts rank 29th against the pass and give up 308 yards per game.
Giants TE Evan Engram. The rookie looked good in his first two games, catching eight passes and a touchdown and showing a nice rapport with QB Eli Manning. The Eagles are vulnerable against the tight end position, allowing 13 receptions for 139 yards and a touchdown to opposing tight ends through two games.
Broncos QB Trevor Siemian. The Broncos offense is flying high, and Siemian is getting playmakers Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders and C.J. Anderson the football. The Bills haven’t played an opponent with the weapons the Broncos possess.
Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin. The Panthers got Benjamin more involved in the offense this week. Expect his production to continue to rise in Week 3 against the Saints’ 32nd-ranked passing defense.
Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben has been efficient to start the season, and he should have a breakout game against a lowly Bears defense allowing more than 9 yards per completion.
Falcons QB Matt Ryan. Ryan has thrown for 573 yards and two touchdowns against zero turnovers for the 2-0 Falcons. Though he has yet to have a monster performance, it could happen against the Lions. This game is expected to be a shootout and Ryan should air it out all afternoon.
Vikings WR Adam Thielen. Despite QB Sam Bradford being out, Thielen was Case Keenum’s most trusted option in Week 2. Bradford could be back, and the Bucs allowed 290 passing yards to the Chicago Bears in their opener.
Texans RB Lamar Miller. Miller has had back-to-back lackluster performances. But he is averaging 20 touches per game and he has a plus matchup against the Patriots, who rank 28th in the NFL against the run and allow a league-high 6 yards per carry.
Seahawks RB Chris Carson. The rookie showed flashes of brilliance in the preseason and has taken over as the Seahawks’ lead running back. He had 93 yards on 20 carries in Week 2 and should see another 15 to 20 touches in Week 3 against a Titans front that allows 104 yards per game against the run.
Packers WR Davante Adams. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb were hurt on Sept. 17, which will increase Adams’ work. Coming off a breakout 2016 season (12 touchdowns), Adams should post another great game against a Bengals team that can’t get right.
Raiders TE Jared Cook. The ninth-year veteran has had a consistent share of targets, even with Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper on the team. The Redskins had trouble containing tight ends this season.
Cowboys WR Dez Bryant. Bryant is off to a slow start by his standards. Week 3, however, is a gift to Bryant owners because the Cardinals have given up the most fantasy points to wide receivers this season.
Sit
Rams WR Sammy Watkins. Watkins lacks chemistry with QB Jared Goff. Don't expect much to change against a 49ers secondary that ranks No. 7 in the NFL against the pass (176 yards per game).
Jaguars WR Allen Hurns. With Allen Robinson out for the year, Hurns had six receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown in Week 2. But the Ravens defense will pressure QB Blake Bortles into bad decisions.
Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski. Gronk got loose in Week 2 (six receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown), but a groin muscle injury forced him to the sidelines in the second half. The Texans are tough on tight ends.
Buccaneers WR DeSean Jackson. If the speedy wideout doesn’t get free for a deep ball, he’s limited in his production. Deep balls shouldn’t be counted on in a tough Week 3 matchup.
Lions TE Eric Ebron. Many armchair general managers keep waiting for an Ebron breakout that never happens. Now he appears to be Matthew Stafford’s fourth option.
Bears RB Jordan Howard. Expected to carry over his talent after a successful rookie season, Howard has lost touches and passing downs to rookie running back Tarik Cohen and had to leave the Bears’ Week 2 blowout loss with a shoulder injury.
Saints RB Adrian Peterson. It’s evident that the Saints are a pass-first team and Peterson doesn’t factor much into their game plan. Unless Peterson gets loose on one of his limited touches, it’s going to be another game to forget.
Bills RB LeSean McCoy. McCoy finished with 9 rushing yards on 12 attempts. He’s dealing with nagging groin and wrist injuries, and the Broncos just held Ezekiel Elliott to 8 rushing yards.
Jets RB Bilal Powell. He had six rushes for 13 yards and failed to catch a pass in a blowout loss to the Oakland Raiders. The Dolphins will bottle up the Jets’ running backs all afternoon.
Eagles RB LeGarrette Blount. Blount rarely saw the field in Week 2 and finished with no carries and one reception for 0 yards.
Colts WR T.Y. Hilton. No Colts offensive player has missed QB Andrew Luck more than Hilton. Neither Scott Tolzien nor Jacoby Brissett caters to Hilton’s playmaking ability down the field.
Titans QB Marcus Mariota. He’ll be hard-pressed against the Seahawks’ swarming defense. Seattle ranks 10th in the NFL against the pass.
Chargers TE Hunter Henry. After seeing no targets in Week 1, Henry caught all seven targets last weekend for 80 yards. But the Chiefs earlier shut down New England Patriots star TE Rob Gronkowski.
Bengals RB Joe Mixon. He still isn’t getting the carries he deserves and likely won’t in a game in which the Bengals figure to be playing from behind and abandoning the running game.
Redskins RB Samaje Perine. RB Rob Kelley left Week 2 with an injury, so Perine likely will be a hot name on the waiver wire. But the Raiders defense has been tough against the run this season. Plus, Perine was held to 3.2 yards per carry in Week 2 and shares work with Chris Thompson.
Cardinals QB Carson Palmer. If Palmer couldn’t get it right against the Indianapolis Colts, we absolutely wouldn’t recommend starting him against the Cowboys.
PHOTOS: Best of NFL Week 3