Fantasy football: Bowers, Smith among 4 must-start Week 3 tight ends

MIAMI, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Brock Bowers and Jonnu Smith are among my four must-start fantasy football tight ends for Week 3.

George Kittle leads my Top 20 tight end rankings, which are listed below. My Week 3 quarterback, running back and wide receiver rankings also are available. These positional rankings will be updated based on developments, including injuries.

Kittle and Kyle Pitts join Bowers and Smith as my must-start options. Travis Kelce, Sam LaPorta and Mark Andrews join Bowers and Kittle in my Top 5.

Those with stock in Evan Engram and David Njoku should monitor their injury status before plugging them into starting lineups.

George Kittle

Kittle was the top tight end in Week 2, when he hauled in seven catches for 76 yards and a score. The San Francisco 49ers veteran also totaled four catches for 40 yards in Week 1.

He is now set to face a Los Angeles Rams defense that just allowed six catches for 67 yards to Trey McBride and an 18-yard touchdown catch to Elijah Higgins in a Week 2 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Look for Kittle, who totaled 13 targets over the first two weeks, to continue to draw a lot of looks in this matchup. i expect at least eight catches for 80 yards and a score from the 49ers veteran.

Brock Bowers

Bowers sits at No. 3 in my Top 20 rankings. The Las Vegas Raiders rookie leads all tight ends with 17 targets through two weeks. He also is tied with Kittle for averaging the second-most fantasy points per game among tight ends.

Bowers registered nine catches for 98 yards in Week 2 after a six-catch, 58-yard showing in Week 1. I expect the rookie to reach the end zone for his first career touchdown in Week 3, when the Raiders host the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers allowed touchdowns to New Orleans Saints tight ends Foster Moreau and Juwan Johnson in Week 1. Los Angeles Chargers tight end Will Dissly totaled three catches for 29 yards in Week 2 against the Panthers.

Bowers is a near lock for at least seven catches. He also has a great chance to reach the end zone against the Panthers, who have allowed the most points in the NFL.

Kyle Pitts

Pitts totaled three catches in each of his first two games. He totaled 46 yards and a score on those catches, which came off seven targets.

Like most tight ends, Pitts is a touchdown-or-bust play, but I love his chances against the Kansas City Chiefs. I expect the Atlanta Falcons to be playing from behind for the majority of this matchup, with quarterback Kirk Cousins targeting Pitts when Chiefs defenders smothering his wide receivers.

The Chiefs allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends through two weeks, a stretch that included giving up a league-high 30 targets for 25 catches, 276 yards and a score to the position.

Bengals tight ends Mike Gesicki (seven catches for 91 yards) and Erick All Jr. (four catches for 32 yards) just experienced success against this defense in Week 2. The Chiefs allowed nine catches for 111 yards and a score to Isaiah Likely in Week 1.

This is as good of a matchup as Pitts will have all season. He is my No. 7 play.

Jonnu Smith

Smith is a dart-throw TE1 in Week 3. The Miami Dolphins veteran is my No. 10 option. Smith and the Dolphins will travel for a matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, who allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to tight ends through two weeks.

Smith was underwhelming in Week 1, with just one catch for seven yards. He bounced back with six catches for 53 yards in Week 2.

The Dolphins will start backup quarterback Skylar Thompson in Week 3 because of starter Tua Tagovailoa's placement on injured reserve and could struggle to move the ball deep down the field. Look for Thompson to utilize the Dolphins running backs and Smith on shorter routes when he isn't connecting with outside playmakers.

I expect Smith to log at least five catches for 50 yards in this matchup against a Seahawks defense that just eight catches for 109 yards to Hunter Henry.

He is my No. 10 option.

Week 3 fantasy football tight end rankings

1. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers at LAR

2. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs vs. ATL

3. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders vs. CAR

4. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions at ARI

5. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens at DAL

6. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals vs. DET

7. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons vs. KC

8. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans at MIN

9. Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills vs. JAX

10. Jonnu Smith, Miami Dolphins at SEA

11. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys vs. BAL

12. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles at NO

13. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots at NYJ

14.Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals vs. WAS

15. Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars at BUF

16. Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens at DAL

17. Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders at CIN

18. Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints vs. PHI

19. Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks vs. MIA

20. Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams vs. SF