Fantasy Football Start/Sit: Matthew Golden, Brian Thomas Jr., Dontayvion Wicks

Week 3 is here, which means your fantasy football roster probably looks like a mix of brilliance, regret, and one guy you only started because his headshot made him look trustworthy. Don’t worry – we’ve all been there. To help you sort through the chaos, our Featured Pros have weighed in with their favorite Week 3 Starts and Duds. Whether you need reassurance before locking in a borderline Flex or you’re trying to avoid another soul-crushing dud, this list has you covered.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Start/Sit Advice

Sleepers

Which player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros Flex rankings is a good sleeper start, and why do you think he has upside this week?

Dontayvion Wicks (WR – GB)

“Dontayvion Wicks could be a very interesting play this week for the Packers against the Browns. With an injury to Jayden Reed sidelining him for the next 6-8 weeks, reps in the Packers’ receiving room are up for grabs. Wicks was solid in the Packers’ Week 2 win against the Commanders, collecting four catches. With Reed out, expect Wicks’ targets to go up. It could happen as early as this week versus a Browns team that was torn apart by the Ravens’ wideouts last week.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

“Jayden Reed broke his collarbone early in Week 2, which is likely why Dontayvion Wicks saw his snap share increase from 46% in Week 1 to 54% in Week 2. Wicks has always had encouraging secondary metrics, led the Packers in targets in Week 2, and is currently fifth in the NFL in average depth of target (Adpt), per PlayerProfiler. Matthew Golden also saw his snap share increase (48% to 59%), but he has been extremely inefficient through two weeks — 0.44 yards per route run versus Wicks’ 2.39 mark. I find it more likely that Wicks is the better play for the next couple of weeks before Golden potentially establishes himself more in the offense. Wicks is a risky play; I wouldn’t be starting him unless I was in a pinch, but he’s a usable option if need be.”
– Charlie Sisian (The Fantasy DC)

“Dontayvion Wicks (Flex Rank: 106) is a sharp Week 3 sleeper with WR3 volume and red-zone upside. With Christian Watson and Jayden Reed ruled out, Wicks steps into a featured role behind Romeo Doubs and Golden. He’s already shown route versatility and earned trust in scoring situations. Last week, he saw six targets and hauled in four receptions. His separation skills and intermediate route tree match up well against a Browns secondary that’s struggled to contain layered concepts and scramble drills. If you’re building a redemption lineup or need a Flex with spike-week potential, Wicks is the kind of bet that pays off before the market adjusts. He’s seeing an uptick in volume, which puts him firmly on the radar as a matchup-driven Flex with touchdown upside.”
– Lawrence Iacona (Gridiron Experts)

Matthew Golden (WR – GB)

“Matthew Golden is an excellent sleeper candidate this week with a clear path to increased volume. While his stat line from the first two weeks doesn’t make for good reading, he had just two receptions for 16 yards in Week 1 and had zero catches in Week 2, from just two targets. However, his snap share increased from 48% in Week 1 to 59% in Week 2, showing the team’s growing trust in him. Even more importantly, fellow wide receiver Jayden Reed suffered a broken collarbone and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks. Given that Reed was the focal point in the passing game, his absence opens up a significant void in targets and snaps that Golden is now poised to fill.”
– Luke Renton (The Franchise Tag UK)

Duds

Which player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros Flex rankings is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week?

Brian Thomas Jr.

“Brian Thomas Jr. has had a terrible start to the season. People want to pin his lack of production on Trevor Lawrence; however, he needs to be able to catch the ball to produce. Last week, he was hit in the chest and dropped a fourth-down target that would have likely iced the game against the Bengals. Combining for five receptions on 19 targets for 60 yards over two games is not what we hoped for at the end of the first round. This week, he faces Derek Stingley Jr., who has held Davante Adams to four receptions on eight targets for 51 yards in Week 1, and Mike Evans to five receptions on 11 targets for 56 yards. It sounds wild, but Thomas is outside of my top-30 receivers this week.”
– Ellis Johnson (FantasyPros)