Fantasy Football Week 3 Low-Ranked Starters: Drake Maye, George Pickens and More

Last week, I highlighted one player at each offensive fantasy football position who was listed outside the starters at the position but had the upside to finish among that top group. The results were OK, finishing with a 50%-win rate on the predictions:

• Drake Maye lived up to the billing, finishing tied for QB3 with 230 passing yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions, 31 rushing yards, and a score on the ground.
• Travis Etienne followed up a big Week 1, with 71 rushing yards and 18 receiving yards on two receptions, also scoring through the air. That put him at RB11 in standard and RB14 in PPR.
• Keon Coleman was a victim of Buffalo's success on the ground, catching just three passes and 26 yards while the Bills threw only 25 times for 148 yards. He finished outside the top 50 WRs.
• Brenton Strange also had a modest day, catching three passes for 17 yards, leaving him far outside the fantasy starters.

Let's do it again and look at one fantasy player at each offensive position who isn't listed among the Week 3 fantasy starters but will play up to that level and finish among the top of his position. Rankings are based on our FantasySP projections; we are using the top 10 as the cutoff for “starters” for quarterbacks and tight ends and the top 20 for running backs and wide receivers.

Use FantasySP's weekly projections to find players set for big weeks and help make your toughest lineup decisions.

Quarterback

Drake Maye, New England Patriots vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

We'll go back with Maye for a second straight week. I mentioned the stats above; he took care of a Miami defense that was also beat up by Daniel Jones and the Colts in Week 1. As we get more weeks of games, we'll find teams who are beaten regularly by the run and/or pass. Pittsburgh represents that vulnerable team against the pass right now.

In Week 1, Justin Fields threw for 218 yards on 9.9 yards per attempt and ran for 48 yards and two more scores against the Steelers. Sam Darnold kept the good times rolling against Pittsburgh, throwing for 295 yards on 8.9 yards per attempt in Week 2.

Pittsburgh has big names that make it seem like they should have a good defense, but they have been handled by two straight teams that otherwise had rough passing games when they didn't face the Steelers. I am looking for Maye to have another strong fantasy performance in Week 3.

Running Back

Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs @ New York Giants

This is a tough one to project big things, as Pacheco hasn't made any type of fantasy impact so far. He has essentially split usage with Kareem Hunt: Pacheco has 15 carries and five targets, and Hunt has 13 carries and four targets. Guys sharing the backfield don't generally have high fantasy ceilings.

The matchup here is the real star. New York has allowed the second-most yards per rush attempt through two weeks and the most total rushing yards. They allowed the ninth-most yards per attempt and sixth-most rushing yards last season, showing extended struggles against the run.

So, if we know the matchup is right, the question is whether you can trust the player in question. Pacheco is at least a flex player, and he could be argued as a low-end RB2 this week because of the matchup (though I'm not going to push that hard). Some won't like the risk; there's a very low floor if KC abandons the run again or leans toward Hunt.

I am putting some faith in Pacheco and saying that he finishes among the top 25 RBs in Week 3. I understand those who shy away, but Kansas City is likely to get back on track at some point, and what better time than against a subpar defense.

Wide Receiver

George Pickens, Dallas Cowboys @ Chicago Bears

The Bears have allowed more yards per pass attempt this season than any other team; they were second worst in that category last season. There's plenty of evidence showing them as a below-average pass defense, and it doesn't help to be missing Pro-Bowl-level players with injury.

After starting well against the Vikings in Week 1, Chicago eventually allowed J.J. McCarthy to make plays at will late in the game. The Bears were then picked apart by the Lions in a statement game in Week 2, as Jared Goff threw for 334 yards on 11.9 per attempt with five touchdowns and no interceptions.

I want to go after the Bears with all kinds of passers and pass catchers, and Pickens could be a beneficiary in Week 3. After a bit of a quiet first game (three catches, 30 yards), he had a better Week 2, catching five of nine targets for 68 yards and a touchdown. Facing the Giants in the second week was a lot nicer than Philadelphia in Week 1.

The Dallas passing game ebbs and flows with the matchup at times, and that falls in their favor in this one. You're always starting CeeDee Lamb, but Pickens also deserves a spot in a lineup in essentially every league this week.

Tight End

Kyle Pitts Sr., Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers

This is another one based around the matchup. Carolina has allowed the 11th-most yards per pass attempt, but they have been especially susceptible against tight ends, allowing the third-most fantasy points to the position in 2025; they ranked second in the same stat in 2024.

The Panthers were expected to be bad, but Pitts is more of an enigma. He was a top-five pick in 2021 and had over 1,000 yards as a rookie. Pitts has since then averaged around 50 catches, 600 yards, and three touchdowns over three seasons; that's fine for a middling tight end, but Pitts has higher expectations.

There was once again buzz around Pitts in the preseason that he was making a connection with quarterback Michael Penix Jr. There has been volume in the first two games but not efficiency, as Pitts has caught 11 of 13 targets for 96 yards. That has him 14th in standard and 11th in PPR.

Pitts is on the fringe of the fantasy starters at his position and has a good matchup here: I'd say that gives him a good outlook to finish the week among the top 10 TEs. Pitts has a little more value in PPR than standard.