Updated Week 3 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings

Clearly the weak link of the Jets defense is its secondary and Jordy Nelson and the Packers exploited it last weekend.

Catching nine of his 16 targets for a career-high 209 yards and a touchdown, Nelson led all wide receivers in fantasy points in Week 2 and teammate Randall Cobb (5/39/2) was third.

Through two games, Nelson has 18 catches on 30 targets for 292 yards, all of which lead the NFL, and a touchdown.

This week’s matchup is more favorable than the numbers suggest as the Lions have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season. That said, their secondary is clearly their defense’s weak link as well.

Meanwhile, next up for the Jets secondary is Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and the Bears wide receivers.

While it appeared early on Sunday that both Marshall and Jeffery could miss their Sunday Night Football matchup, both played and Marshall had a huge game for owners that gambled and waited.

Marshall had only five catches for 48 yards, but three of those catches were touchdowns and only Jordy scored more fantasy points last week.

One additional positive as they recover from their injuries, the Bears and Jets will play on Monday Night Football in Week 3 giving them an extra day to heal up.

Here are some more notes on wide receivers:

• Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown left last week’s game to be evaluated for a concussion, but he returned to the game. And despite missing a significant portion of the second quarter, he still finished with seven receptions for 90 yards. A model of consistency, Brown has 18 consecutive games with at least five catches and 50 yards. During that 18-game stretch, Brown has 122/1,705/9 receiving line.

• Rams wide receiver Brian Quick has taken a huge step forward in his third season with 14 catches for 173 yards through two games. Only seven receivers have more receiving yards than Quick, who has finished as a top-25 fantasy receiver in back-to-back weeks even though he has yet to score a touchdown. With a favorable matchup against the Cowboys, Quick is set up to have another productive outing this week.
• With the NFL and NFLPA reaching agreement on a new drug policy, that means that the Broncos will have slot receiver Wes Welker available for Sunday’s game. He’s expected to play on Sunday against the Seahawks, but it’s unclear how large his role will be after not practicing with the team for several weeks and how effective he’ll be given the difficult matchup. Welker was one of the receivers that appeared on the “sit’em” side of my Week 3 Start’em, Sit’em post.
• Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman continues to remain Tom Brady‘s most trustworthy receiver and he has six catches and at least 90 yards from scrimmage in both games. The rest of the team’s wide receivers have a combined 9/66/0 in the first two weeks.
• Miami’s Mike Wallace has scored double-digit fantasy points in each of his first two games with 7/81/1 and 5/56/1 lines. Wallace and the Dolphins have a great matchup against a banged-up Chiefs defense and exploitable secondary that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season.
• Only Nelson has more targets among wide receivers than Ravens receiver Steve Smith Sr. (25). The next highest amount among the team’s receivers is only 10 targets to Torrey Smith, who has had a disappointing 4/60/0 start to the season. In fact, Torrey is tied for fourth on the team in targets with Justin Forsett.
• In addition to Nelson and (Steve) Smith, four other wide receivers have double-digit targets in each of their first two games: Cleveland’s Andrew Hawkins, Detroit’s Calvin Johnson, Philadelphia’s Jeremy Maclin and Indianapolis’ T.Y. Hilton.

Here are my Week 3 fantasy football wide receiver rankings:

1. Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions (vs. GB)
2. Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears (at NYJ)
3. Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys (vs. STL)
4. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay Packers (at DET)
5. A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. TEN)
6. Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos (at SEA)
7. Alshon Jeffery, Chicago Bears (at NYJ)
8. Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers (at DET)
9. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers (at CAR)
10. Mike Wallace, Miami Dolphins (vs. KC)
11. Jeremy Maclin, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. WAS)
12. Percy Harvin, Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
13. Julian Edelman, New England Patriots (vs. OAK)
14. Andre Johnson, Houston Texans (at NYG)
15. Keenan Allen, San Diego Chargers (at BUF)
16. Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota Vikings (at NO)
17. Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints (vs. MIN)
18. Pierre Garcon, Washington (at PHI)
19. Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina Panthers (vs. PIT)
20. Sammy Watkins, Buffalo Bills (vs. SD)
21. Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers (at ARI)
22. Brandin Cooks, New Orleans Saints (vs. MIN)
23. Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis Colts (at JAX)
24. Emmanuel Sanders, Denver Broncos (at SEA)
25. Brian Quick, St. Louis Rams (vs. DAL)
26. Victor Cruz, New York Giants (vs. HOU)
27. Steve Smith Sr., Baltimore Ravens (at CLE)
28. Golden Tate, Detroit Lions (vs. GB)
29. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals (vs. SF)
30. DeSean Jackson, Washington (at PHI)
31. T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts (at JAX)
32. Michael Floyd, Arizona Cardinals (vs. SF)
33. Eric Decker, New York Jets (vs. CHI)
34. James Jones, Oakland Raiders (at NE)
35. Terrance Williams, Dallas Cowboys (vs. STL)
36. Justin Hunter, Tennessee Titans (at CIN)
37. Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. IND)
38. Rueben Randle, New York Giants (vs. HOU)
39. Andrew Hawkins, Cleveland Browns (vs. BAL)
40. Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers (at ARI)
41. Kendall Wright, Tennessee Titans (at CIN)
42. Torrey Smith, Baltimore Ravens (at CLE)
43. Greg Jennings, Minnesota Vikings (at NO)
44. Markus Wheaton, Pittsburgh Steelers (at CAR)
45. Wes Welker, Denver Broncos (at SEA)
46. DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans (at NYG)
47. Mohamed Sanu, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. TEN)
48. Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. IND)
49. Hakeem Nicks, Indianapolis Colts (at JAX)
50. Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs (at MIA)
51. Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
52. Miles Austin, Cleveland Browns (vs. BAL)
53. Aaron Dobson, New England Patriots (vs. OAK)
54. Allen Hurns, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. IND)
55. Rod Streater, Oakland Raiders (at NE)
56. Denarius Moore, Oakland Raiders (at NE)
57. Jermaine Kearse, Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
58. Kenny Stills, New Orleans Saints (vs. MIN)
59. Jerricho Cotchery, Carolina Panthers (vs. PIT)
60. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers (at DET)

* Note: Both Falcons and Buccaneers wide receivers have been removed from these rankings.

More of my Week 3 rankings:

• Week 3 Quarterback Rankings
• Week 3 Running Back Rankings
• Week 3 Tight End Rankings

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