Chase, Shaheed among 5 must-start Week 3 fantasy football wide receivers

MIAMI, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Ja'Marr Chase and Rashid Shaheed are among my five must-start wide receivers for Week 3 of the fantasy football campaign.

Chase also leads my weekly Top 50 rankings, which are listed below. CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Brandon Aiyuk also land inside the Top 5 of my rankings.

Marvin Harrison Jr., Tyreek Hill, Mike Evans, Nico Collins and Rashee Rice join those pass catchers in my Top 10.

Aiyuk, Harrison and Calvin Ridley join Chase and Shaheed as my five must-start plays.

Those who roster Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp should bench the wide receivers, as they remain injured. Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown and Tee Higgins stock owners should monitor their injury status before plugging them into lineups.

Wide receivers from Thursday's New York Jets-New England Patriots game were removed from my rankings.

All positional rankings will be updated throughout the week. Players also will be removed from or adjusted within the rankings based on injuries. My quarterback, running back and tight end rankings are available here. My top free agent targets for Week 3 are available here.

Ja'Marr Chase

Chase failed to reach the end zone through the first two weeks of the season, but I see that drought ending Sunday when the Cincinnati Bengals host the Washington Commanders.

The Commanders allowed the most fantasy points and touchdowns to wide receivers through their first two games, including a 10-catch, 127-yard, 1-touchdown effort in Week 2 from Malik Nabers.

They also surrendered two touchdowns to Mike Evans and an 83-yard, one-score effort from Chris Godwin in Week 1. Look for the Bengals to pepper Chase with targets in this home matchup, especially if teammate Tee Higgins misses another game because of his hamstring injury.

When he has been healthy, Chase only had one stretch during his career that included no touchdowns for three-consecutive games. I expect multiple scores and at least 100 yards from the Bengals' top target.

Brandon Aiyuk

Aiyuk is another player who is set to get a lot of looks and is primed to explode in a spectacular matchup. Like Chase, the San Francisco 49ers pass catcher failed to score through his first two appearances of 2024.

This week, he should see more targets because of the absence of 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel. He also will face a Los Angeles Rams defense that just surrendered 130 yards and two scores to Marvin Harrison Jr. The Rams also allowed Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams to go off for 121 yards and a score in Week 1.

Look for Aiyuk to reel in at least eight catches for 80 yards and a score in this matchup.

Marvin Harrison Jr.

Harrison was quiet in his NFL debut, with just one catch for four yards in Week 1. He rebounded with a blaring performance in Week 2, with 130 yards and two scores against the Rams.

I don't expect another multiple-touchdown effort, but Harrison remains a WR1 play for the rest of the season. This week, he'll face a Lions defense that allowed 110 yards and a score to Cooper Kupp in Week 1 and 117 yards and a score to Chris Godwin in Week 2.

I expect Harrison to total at least 100 receiving yards in this matchup. He also should get several scoring opportunities. The star rookie is my No. 6 play.

Calvin Ridley

Ridley can be used as a low-end WR1 or high-end WR2 in Week 3, when his Tennessee Titans host the Green Bay Packers. The Titans veteran was a Top 5 fantasy football play in Week 2, when he logged 87 yards from scrimmage and two scores on five touches against the New York Jets.

The Packers surrendered the fourth-most receiving yards to wide receivers through the first two weeks of the season. I expect this to be a very tight matchup, with overtime as a possibility. Look for Ridley, the most-targeted Titans player, to remain highly involved in their offensive attack.

He is a near lock for at least seven targets and I like his chances to find the end zone for the third time in two weeks. He is my No. 14 play.

Rashid Shaheed

Shaheed is a bit of a dart throw, but deserves consideration as a WR3 option because of his recent production. The New Orleans Saints pass catcher lands at No. 23 in my Week 3 rankings.

Shaheed scored in each of his first two appearances this season. He logged four catches for 96 yards and three carries for 13 yards in Week 2. Saints quarterback Derek Carr also accounted for six total touchdowns (five passing and one rushing) through his first two games.

This week, the Saints will take on a Philadelphia Eagles defense that allowed 88 yards and a score to Darnell Mooney and 54 yards and a score to Drake London in Week 2. It also surrendered 171 yards from scrimmage and two scores to Jayden Reed in Week 1.

This game should be high scoring, lending Shaheed plenty of chances to find the end zone for the third-consecutive week. He is my No. 24 option.

Week 3 wide receiver rankings

1. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals vs. WAS

2. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys vs. BAL

3. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings vs. HOU

4. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions at ARI

5. Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers at LAR

6. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals vs. DET

7. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins at SEA

8. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. DEN

9. Nico Collins, Houston Texans at MIN

10. Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs at ATL

11. D.J. Moore, Chicago Bears at IND

12. DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles at NO

13. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders vs. CAR

14. Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans vs. GB

15. DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks vs. MIA

16. Malik Nabers, New York Giants at CLE

17. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints vs. PHI

18. Stefon Diggs, Houston Texans at MIN

19. Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions at ARI

20. George Pickens, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. LAC

21. Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills vs. JAX

22. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. DEN

23. Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints vs. PHI

24. Drake London, Atlanta Falcons vs. KC

25. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens at DAL

26. Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts vs. CHI

27. Diontae Johnson, Carolina Panthers at LV

28. Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns vs. NYG

29. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks vs. MIA

30. Terry McLaurin, Washington Commanders at CIN

31. Tank Dell, Houston Texans at MIN

32. Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts vs. CHI

33. Demarcus Robinson, Los Angeles Rams vs. SF

34. Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs at ATL

35. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars at BUF

36. Tyler Johnson, Los Angeles Rams vs. SF

37. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins at SEA

38. Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns vs. NYG

39. Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars at BUF

40. Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers at PIT

41. Greg Dortch, Arizona Cardinals vs. DET

42. Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys vs. BAL

43. Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills vs. JAX

44. Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers at TEN

45. Courtland Sutton, Denver Broncos at TB

46. Jakobi Meyers, Las Vegas Raiders vs. CAR

47. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks vs. MIA

48. Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers at TEN

49. Adam Thielen, Carolina Panthers at LV

50. Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers at PIT