Week 3 Fantasy Football Sleepers

Everyone has their definition for most fantasy football terms. The term “fantasy football sleepers” can mean many things. It all just depends on what type of leagues you are in, experience level, etc.

For this weekly article, I will define what I mean when I say sleepers. To me, a fantasy football sleeper is a player who has a low rostered percentage (less than 50%). A player that many are not discussing and even some that most fantasy football players haven’t heard of or considered rostering. Someone who has already produced under the radar or could benefit from a situational change on their respective team.

So, each week, when I mention sleepers in this article, you’ll understand where I’m coming from.

Now, let’s jump into my fantasy football sleepers for Week 3!

(Note: Roster % is as listed for Yahoo! Fantasy leagues.)

Week 3 Fantasy Football Sleepers

Russell Gage, WR, Atlanta Falcons (49% rostered)

I realize a lot of you already roster Russell Gage or at least have someone in your league that rosters him. However, he is worth mentioning.

As I tweeted a few days ago, Julio Jones is dealing with a hamstring issue, and it appears it has worsened after the Week 2 game vs. the Dallas Cowboys.

Through the first two weeks, Russell Gage has more targets, receptions, and touchdowns than Julio Jones. Gage even played more snaps than Jones in Week 2.

• Read the latest NFL news and analysis for Week 3.

I love the production potential for Gage, regardless of Jones’ health status, but if he is limited or misses time, Gage will be rostered in 100% of leagues. Get him on waivers or via trade if you can.

Russell Gage Week 3 outlook: Gage doesn’t have the best matchup in Week 3 against the stout Chicago Bears defense, but he has the benefit of Jones and/or Calvin Ridley being the focal point to allow lanes to open up. He could be Ryan’s top target this week.

Tre’Quan Smith, WR, New Orleans Saints (20% rostered)

I’m a big fan of another situational opportunity — this time, it’s Tre’Quan Smith, who can reap the benefits of Michael Thomas’ absence with an ankle injury.

Before the season, Drew Brees had talked up Smith saying “Tre’Quan Smith is a guy who I think is ready to really blossom and just explode in this offense."

Well, in Week 2, Tre’Quan Smith looked explosive and dangerous after the catch. He caught 5 of his 7 targets for 86 yards. That may not enough to spike his roster percentage too much, which is why you should add him while you can.

Tre’Quan Smith Week 3 outlook: The Saints could find themselves in a shootout against the Green Bay Packers this week. Green Bay has given up a ton of passing yards to their opponents through two weeks. Expect Brees to look Smith’s way often in what should be a high-scoring affair.

Adam Humphries, WR, Tennessee Titans (4% rostered)

If you pay close attention to fantasy Twitter, you will know that Adam Humphries is often brought up in sleeper conversations. If not, that’s OK, that’s why you’re reading this article.

Humphries has 11 receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown on the year. Nothing crazy to have him jumping off the page in a combined two-week span. However, he should see more work now that A.J. Brown’s knee is keeping him sidelined. (Brown has even said that he needs to “take it slow.”)

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Humphries has already been on the field for 55% of the Titans’ offensive snaps through Week 2. It’s safe to expect his snap percentage to increase; he’s been a reliable safety valve for Ryan Tannehill, catching a ridiculous 84.6% of his 13 targets thus far.

Ryan Tannehill has not come back down to earth from his amazing 2019 season. You want pieces of this offense before they are all scooped up by someone else in your leagues.

Adam Humphries Week 3 outlook: Humphries has a favorable matchup in Week 3 vs. the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota has given up the 2nd-most fantasy points to WRs this season. Expect Tannehill to utilize Humphries in the slot early and often.

Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, San Francisco 49ers (11% rostered)

Finally, a position other than wide receiver!

The San Francisco 49ers are dealing with a lot of adversity in their backfield. First, Raheem Mostert has suffered an MCL sprain. Now, Tevin Coleman is expected to miss several weeks with a knee sprain. Jerick McKinnon has been the more popular running back to add to fantasy rosters, but most have forgotten about the other 49ers RB: Jeff Wilson Jr.

Wilson hasn’t been involved in the offense yet, but that’s only because the team hasn’t needed him until now. Last year, he scored 4 touchdowns on just 27 carries.

Because of that, I expect he’ll be used in goal-line situations, which is what you want to see in your fantasy players. He should also see 8-12 carries as the RB2 but could gain more if he outshines McKinnon. I suggest picking him up now and using him as a flex option if you need it. It’s ideal to roster these guys before their fantasy value skyrockets.

Jeff Wilson Jr. Week 3 outlook: There is talk that Wilson could see the most action out of the 49ers’ backfield against the New York Giants in Week 3. As I mentioned, I expect Wilson to get the bulk of goal-line work, which could pay off against the Giants’ struggling defense.

Nate Hamilton is a regular contributor to the fantasy football industry and brings his nearly two decades of experience as a fantasy football player to The Game Day. He provides advice & analysis on a daily basis via Twitter (@DomiNateFF). He has previously written content for FantasyPros, The Fantasy Footballers, and Fantrax. He is a co-author of Amazon’s #1 Best Selling “The Fantasy Football Black Book” with Joe Pisapia. Nate hosts his solo podcast “The DomiNate Fantasy Football Show" and performs weekly AMA live streams on Twitter/Periscope. He is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writer’s Association (FSWA).