Mark Andrews is a sit in fantasy Week 3. / Sports Illustrated
Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson or Ja’Marr Chase. Instead, I'll look at the players who could exceed or fail to meet expectations at each position. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my [weekly player rankings,](https://www.si.com/fantasy/week-3-fantasy-football-player-rankings-for-every-position-and-flex-rankings-01k59r33f2zq) which will be updated daily throughout the 2025 NFL season.
1\. Trey McBride at 49ers2. Brock Bowers at Commanders3. Tyler Warren at Titans 4. Sam LaPorta at Ravens (Mon.) 5. Tucker Kraft at Browns6. Travis Kelce at Giants7. Juwan Johnson at Seahawks 8. Jake Ferguson vs. Giants9. Zach Ertz vs. Raiders
10\. David Njoku vs. Packers
**Jake Ferguson at Bears (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox):** Ferguson, listed as a start ‘em last week, went off for nine catches, 78 yards and 16.8 fantasy points in a win over the Giants. He has now seen 18 combined targets in the first two weeks, which ranks second among tight ends, so he’s clearly one of Dak Prescott’s trusted targets. Expect a lot of points in a game against the Bears with a total of 49.5 at DraftKings.
**Zach Ertz vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, Fox):** Believe it or not, but Ertz is the third-best tight end in fantasy football after two weeks. He continues to be a popular target in the pass attack, and this week’s matchup against the Raiders makes him a viable starter. Dating back to last season, their defense has allowed the fourth-most points to tight ends. Keep tabs on the status of Jayden Daniels (knee) before starting Ertz.
**Juwan Johnson at Seahawks (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS):** Johnson has come out of nowhere to become fantasy relevant. He ran a route on 93% of the Saints’ drop backs in Week 2, and he saw a 26.5% target share. Johnson has clearly gained a rapport with Spencer Rattler, and this week’s matchup against the Seahawks makes him a startable asset. Seattle has allowed 10-plus points to two tight ends in two weeks.
**David Njoku vs. Packers (1 p.m. ET, Fox):** Njoku has lost some of his luster while losing work to Harold Fannin Jr. Still, the veteran had a 78% route participation rate and played 14 more snaps than Fannin Jr. in Week 2. This week’s matchup against the Packers is positive too, as their defense has already allowed two tight ends to beat them for 13-plus points in their first two games. I see Njoku as a low TE1.
**Evan Engram at Chargers (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS):** What has happened to Engram? He was out-targeted by Adam Trautman in Week 2, and his route participation rates are lacking that of a starting fantasy tight end. I’d keep him on the sidelines against the Chargers, who have allowed just three tight ends to beat them for more than 12.7 points since last season. They held Brock Bowers to 8.8 points last week.
**Mark Andrews at Lions (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC):** Here we go again with Andrews. Much like last season, he’s started off slowly, with just 2.9 combined points in his first two games (he dropped a sure touchdown in Week 2). This week, he faces the Lions, who have allowed an average of just 8.7 points to tight ends in their first two games. Also, their pass defense has allowed the fewest points to tight ends since 2024.
**Dalton Schultz at Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS):** Schultz was held to 5.9 fantasy points last week, and he’s now failed to score double digits in all but one of his last 19 games dating back to last season. Even without Cade Stover in the lineup, he played just 28 snaps and saw a modest four targets. So, while a matchup against the Jaguars might be good on paper, Schultz is a player I’ll be avoiding if possible.
**Brenton Strange vs. Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS):** Strange has been playing a ton of snaps, but he’s only produced a combined 14.6 fantasy points in his first two games. While I like him as a matchup-based starter, this isn’t a week to get some Strange when he faces the Texans. Dating back to last season, their defense has allowed just 39 yards per game to tight ends. Unless you’re desperate, Strange is a fade.
Published 5 Hours Ago|Modified 7:59 AM EDT