Through the first two weeks of the season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie Emeka Egbuka has been solid NFL fantasy football owners. Will his hot streak ride into Week 3?
While he is not the top target for Baker Mayfield, continue to ride with Egbuka until opposing defenses start locking in on him. Given the balance of the Buccaneers’ offense, that might be hard to do with Mike Evans on the field and eventually Chris Godwin. Going up against a Jets’ secondary that will be focused on taking away Evans, Mayfield will put that trust in his rookie to the test.
This week Egbuka highlights rookie receivers to watch for fantasy football owners. Who to start and who to sit? It’s tough when it comes to first year players who have yet to establish themselves, but based on the first two games and this week’s matchup, here is NFL Mocks’ advice.
NFL Week 3 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em
WR – Emeka Egbuka, WR32, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) vs. New York Jets (0-2)
Keep riding with Egbuka in Week 3 against the New York Jets. In a Monday night win over the Texas, the rookie receiver caught four receptions for 29 yards and a touchdown to give fantasy owners 11.42 points. That is a total of 23.60 points through the first two weeks of his NFL career and just the beginning.
While it would be tempting to sit Egbuka with the Buccaneers going up against a Jets’ secondary featuring Sauce Gardner, Tampa Bay is at home and coming off two games in which they were clutch late in the game offensively. That momentum and a 2-0 record will ride into the matchup vs the Jets. With focus on Evans and limiting Bucky Irving’s impact, there should be plays available for Egbuka and Baker Mayfield will keep looking his way.
WR – Tetairoa McMillan, WR20, Carolina Panthers (0-2) vs Atlanta Falcons (1-1)
The No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is coming off his first career 100-yard receiving game and is looking very much like the best receiver taken in the draft. With 168 total yards receiving over his first two games, Tetairoa McMillan is quickly establishing himself as the Panthers top target and a fantasy football darling.
This week, start McMillan in what is a good matchup against an Atlanta Falcons secondary that could be without their No. 1 cornerback, A.J. Terrell. The Falcons secondary did step up when Terrell went down with injury against the Vikings, but McMillan has been a force the first two games. Expect that to continue in Week 3.
WR – Elic Ayomanor, WR55, Tennessee Titans (0-2) vs. Indianapolis Colts (2-0)
With the Colts secondary locked in on Calvin Ridley Jr, look for Elic Ayomanor to get more targets versus the Indianapolis Colts secondary. In what projects to be a good matchup for fantasy owners, the Standford product is coming off a game in which he caught 4 receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown. He’ll ride that momentum into Week 3 turning into a valuable pickup for fantasy owners.
Look for another touchdown connection in this game between Ayomanor and Cam Ward.
NFL Week 2 Fantasy Football Sit ‘Em
WR – Travis Hunter, WR44, Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1) vs. Houston Texans (0-2)
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft hasn’t been racking up the fantasy points through the first two weeks of his NFL career. With a total of 55 receiving yards in those two games, Travis Hunter has yet to produce an explosive play offensively. That will come, but not this week against a Texans team looking for a win.
Sit Hunter this week going up against either Kamari Lassiter, Derek Stingly Jr. or Jalen Pitre. In this game, Hunter may have more of an impact on defense.
WR – Jayden Higgins, WR83, Houston Texans (0-2) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)
Jayden Higgins is another rookie who will get going eventually. It would be nice if his best game of his rookie career came in a must-win against the Jaguars, but the Texans are likely to rely on their running game and defense to get it done in Duvall County. Over the last two weeks, Higgins has a total of 60 yards receiving, but what is more discouraging for fantasy football owners is that he has just 4 targets.
Although C.J. Stroud has a 77.1 passer rating when targeting Higgins, the Texans are leaning on veteran playmakers like Nico Collins to get the offense rolling until Higgins and fellow rookie wide receiver Jaylin Noel find their niche and groove within the offense.
WR – Matthew Golden, WR58, Green Bay Packers (2-0) vs. Cleveland Browns (0-2)
Could this be the week Matthew Golden goes off?
It’s not a favorable matchup for the No. 23 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The rookie wide receiver has been quiet thus far to start his NFL career. With Jordan Love spreading the ball around, this could be the week he and Golden connect against the Cleveland Browns secondary that is tough so far against wide receivers. Through the first two weeks, Golden has just 3 receptions for 16 yards. It’s hard to see him get going against Denzel Ward and company.
NFL Week 3 Fantasy Football Sleepers
WR – Tory Horton, WR72, Seattle Seahawks (1-1) vs. New Orleans Saints (0-2)
One of the winners in the preseason, Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton is the sleeper this week. After impressing in the preseason, the Colorado State product had had a quiet start thus far but may be waking up after catching his first NFL touchdown pass in the team’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In all, Horton has just 2 receptions on 4 targets, but that could change against the winless Saints in Week 3. Sam Darnold has Jaxson Smith-Nijgba and Cooper Kupp as his primary receivers, but it may be time to work Horton in as the third option.