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Who Should I Start for Week 3? Fantasy Football outlooks for De'Von Achane, KC Concepcion Jr., Makai Lemon, DeVonta Smith, Keenan Allen, Omarion Hampton, Joshua Palmer, Kenny Gainwell, Puka Nacua.
Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some of the most common Week 3 fantasy football lineup decisions involve players like De'Von Achane, KC Concepcion Jr., Makai Lemon, DeVonta Smith, Keenan Allen, Omarion Hampton, Joshua Palmer, Kenny Gainwell, and Puka Nacua. However, don't worry, we are here to help you make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 3. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
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Week 3 Fantasy Football Outlooks
Below are some fantasy football outlooks written by our NFL team here at RotoBaller, bringing you their fantasy football analysis and advice on which players to consider starting in Week 3:
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is considered doubtful prior to Week 3's contest against the Broncos, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Nacua has a hip injury that kept him out in Week 2 against the Giants as well. Rams coach Sean McVay is hopeful for a Week 4 return for the talented wide receiver. Nacua was targeted nine times in Week 1's Australia game against the 49ers.
He recorded five catches for 74 receiving yards. But his hip injury is a significant concern as he is set to miss his second straight week. He is one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL but needs to return to full health before he can re-establish his connection with quarterback Matthew Stafford. Davante Adams filled in in a big way for Nacua last week, and tight end Terrance Ferguson had a nice game as well.
De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane has been the focus of the offense in the first two weeks of the season, but he has had modest returns despite a heavy workload. Last week against the 49ers, he ran for 74 yards on 20 carries and added 19 receiving yards by catching three of his six targets. He played 86% of snaps in Week 1 and 76% of snaps in Week 2, and he is heavily involved as both a rusher and receiver, giving him a solid floor despite his team's offensive struggles.
Achane and the Dolphins will take on the Chiefs in their home opener in Miami this Sunday, and Achane is the RB13 in RotoBaller's PPR rankings. Even though he isn't an elite option in this tough matchup without much offensive help around him, he still sets up to be a solid RB2 with touchdown potential if Miami's offense can find a better rhythm this week.
Kenny Gainwell, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Kenny Gainwell is off to a slow start with his new team. Through two games, Gainwell has rushed for 25 yards on seven carries, while hauling in four passes for an additional eight yards. Fantasy managers expected much more from Gainwell, who caught a career-high 73 passes with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season.
His value could be on the rise with Bucs' offensive coordinator Zac Robinson saying the team wants to have lead back Bucky Irving on a pitch count. It's tough to imagine Gainwell offering a ton of upside against a tough Minnesota Vikings defense in Week 3. He could be a flex option in PPR formats, but most fantasy managers can probably leave him on the bench right now.
Joshua Palmer, Buffalo Bills
Two games into the 2026 season, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer has just two receptions on five targets. However, the 27-year-old has made the most of his opportunities, as his two catches have come in the form of a 34-yard touchdown and a 43-yard touchdown. Given his effectiveness, Palmer may remain limited to a low-volume, downfield role in the Buffalo passing game.
However, the veteran wideout could be in line for more targets and playing time if Bills WR1 DJ Moore (shoulder) is unable to play in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Moore suffered an AC joint sprain during Buffalo's Week 2 win over the Detroit Lions and is currently considered day-to-day. The Chargers have been susceptible to explosive plays through the air in 2026, allowing six receptions of 20-plus yards and two receptions of 40-plus yards. In deeper league formats, Palmer could be a wide receiver streamer for fantasy managers to consider on the waiver wire.
DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (hamstring) was listed as a limited participant in practice on Friday, according to the team. It is great news for Smith's fantasy managers after he did not take part in Wednesday's practice due to a hamstring injury. The 27-year-old should be on the right track to suit up on Monday night in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears, but it is worth keeping a close eye on his status going into Saturday.
Remember, tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) has not practiced at all this week and is expected to miss multiple weeks with a knee injury that he suffered in the Week 2 loss to the Tennessee Titans. With both Goedert and Smith banged up, it could put more emphasis on receivers Dontayvion Wicks and rookie first-rounder Makai Lemon going into the Week 3 contest.
Smith is Philly's new WR1 with A.J. Brown out of town and is a must-start in fantasy leagues when he is active. The former first-rounder in 2021 came alive this past Sunday, catching 10 of his 13 targets for 117 yards and his first touchdown of the season.
Who Should I Start Tool
You can also see the Who Should I Start tool here.
Week 3 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - De'Von Achane, KC Concepcion Jr., Makai Lemon, DeVonta Smith, Keenan Allen, Omarion Hampton, Joshua Palmer, Kenny Gainwell, Puka Nacua. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 3.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our 'Who Should I Start?' tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, players news, and enhanced search results with data to compare with a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do, is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 3 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 3 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 3 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Week 3 for De'Von Achane, KC Concepcion Jr., Makai Lemon, DeVonta Smith, Keenan Allen, Omarion Hampton, Joshua Palmer, Kenny Gainwell, Puka Nacua.
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