Fantasy Football Week 3 Rankings: Top Players and Matchups for All Positions

Week 2 of the 2022 NFL season is in the books.

So, we ask you fellow fantasy football managers, is it time to reach for the panic button, or is this when you should be motoring through a victory lap?

That's a trick question, by the way, since the answer is either. An 0-2 start might feel like a gut punch, but it doesn't have to define your season. Similarly, sprinting out to a 2-0 record feels good, but it guarantees nothing beyond this momentary joy.

Since Week 3 is a chance to either rebound from a rough beginning or build on early momentum, let's get you pointed the right direction with rankings for the four skill positions and a matchup worth exploiting at every spot.

Top 10

1. Josh Allen, BUF (at MIA)

2. Patrick Mahomes, KC (at IND)

3. Justin Herbert, LAC (vs. JAX)

4. Lamar Jackson, BAL (at NE)

5. Jalen Hurts, PHI (at WAS)

6. Matthew Stafford, LAR (at ARI)

7. Kyler Murray, ARI (vs. LAR)

8. Derek Carr, LV (at TEN)

9. Kirk Cousins, MIN (vs. DET)

10. Aaron Rodgers, GB (at TB)

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Favorable Matchup: Matthew Stafford at Arizona Cardinals

Stafford has sort of spun his tires so far, throwing four touchdown passes but also five interceptions through two games. A date with the Cardinals defense could be just what he needs to find some traction.

The nicest thing to say about Arizona's aerial defense so far is that is has opened against two tough quarterbacks (first Patrick Mahomes, then Derek Carr), so a lot of teams might struggle in the same spot.

Having said that, other teams might not struggle quite like this. The Cardinals have already yielded 612 passing yards and seven touchdowns while recording just a single sack and zero interceptions.

Top 20

1. Jonathan Taylor, IND (vs. KC)

2. Dalvin Cook, MIN (vs. DET)

3. Christian McCaffrey, CAR (vs. NO)

4. D'Andre Swift, DET (at MIN)

5. Saquon Barkley, NYG (vs. DAL)

6. Austin Ekeler, LAC (vs. JAX)

7. Nick Chubb, CLE (vs. PIT)

8. Derrick Henry, TEN (vs. LV)

9. Leonard Fournette, TB (vs. GB)

10. Alvin Kamara, NO (at CAR)

11. Joe Mixon, CIN (at NYJ)

12. Aaron Jones, GB (at TB)

13. Najee Harris, PIT (at CLE)

14. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC (at IND)

15. Antonio Gibson, WAS (at PHI)

16. Miles Sanders, PHI (at WAS)

17. Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (vs. BAL)

18. Javonte Williams, DEN (vs. SF)

19. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (at NYG)

20. Cordarrelle Patterson, ATL (at SEA)

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Favorable Matchup: Alvin Kamara at Carolina Panthers

Two weeks into the new campaign, Kamara has yet to complete a contest. He exited Week 1 with a rib injury that wound up sidelining him for Week 2.

Hopefully, the time off helped him heal, because he has a chance to put up huge numbers against Carolina.

In Week 1, the Panthers had zero answers for Cleveland's rushing attack, which piled up 217 yards and a touchdown on 39 carries (not to mention the five receptions for 26 yards and a score between Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb). Week 2 was better for Carolina, but it still allowed 100-plus rushing yards and let Saquon Barkley haul in three of his four targets.

Top 20

1. Cooper Kupp, LAR (at ARI)

2. Justin Jefferson, MIN (vs. DET)

3. Davante Adams, LV (at TEN)

4. Tyreek Hill, MIA (vs. BUF)

5. Ja'Marr Chase, CIN (at NYJ)

6. Stefon Diggs, BUF (at MIA)

7. Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET (at MIN)

8. A.J. Brown, PHI (at WAS)

9. Terry McLaurin, WAS (vs. PHI)

10. Mike Evans, TB (vs. GB)

11. Michael Pittman Jr., IND (vs. KC)

12. Jaylen Waddle, MIA (vs. BUF)

13. Deebo Samuel, SF (at DEN)

14. Christian Kirk, JAX (at LAC)

15. Michael Thomas, NO (at CAR)

16. Amari Cooper, CLE (vs. PIT)

17. Mike Williams, LAC (vs. JAX)

18. CeeDee Lamb, DAL (at NYG)

19. Tee Higgins, CIN (at NYJ)

20. Diontae Johnson, PIT (at CLE)

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Favorable Matchup: Mike Williams at Jacksonville Jaguars

With Keenan Allen sidelined in Week 2, Williams went off. He was targeted 10 times and turned those opportunities into eight receptions for 113 yards and a score.

Facing Jacksonville's defense might help him keep the momentum going.

Granted, the Jaguars looked plenty stingy against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2 (195 yards passing and three interceptions), but Indy was without Michael Pittman Jr. and lacks the receiver depth to properly replace him. In Week 1, Jacksonville was on the wrong end of the Washington Commanders' 313-yard, four-score passing performance.

Top 10

1. Travis Kelce, KC (at IND)

2. Mark Andrews, BAL (at NE)

3. Darren Waller, LV (at TEN)

4. George Kittle, SF (at DEN)

5. Kyle Pitts, ATL (at SEA)

6. Pat Freiermuth, PIT (at CLE)

7. Dallas Goedert, PHI (at WAS)

8. Zach Ertz, ARI (vs. LAR)

9. Dawson Knox, BUF (at MIA)

10. Tyler Higbee, LAR (at ARI)

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Favorable Matchup: Tyler Higbee at Arizona Cardinals

Higbee's numbers may not jump off the page just yet, but a jaw-dropping stat line seems imminent based on his involvement. He already has 20 targets—Cooper Kupp is the only other Ram in double digits—and he's hauled in 12 of them for 110 yards.

Maybe Arizona's defense will help Higbee score his first touchdown of the new season.

The Cardinals have been abysmal against tight ends so far, allowing the most points to the position by a mile, per Yahoo. Granted, they have faced good competition to this point—Travis Kelce in Week 1, Darren Waller in Week 2—but that doesn't totally excuse the production. Kelce caught eight of nine targets for 121 yards and a score, while Waller and Foster Moreau combined for nine receptions, 80 yards and a touchdown.