Welcome to Week 3 IDP Start ‘Em & Sit ‘Em. Here. This column is written by Aaron St. Denis, FSAN’s IDP Expert and perennial Top 5 ranker in the Fantasy Pros Accuracy Competition. Aaron was ranked 32nd overall in 2023 and 3rd overall in 2024. Rostership numbers will be from Sleeper Fantasy IDP leagues.
This series will avoid the “obvious” answers. So, just because I don’t tell you to start the DL1 in the week doesn’t mean you should sit him. It means I just felt it was a no-brainer and didn’t need to be discussed. Also, take these suggestions in context with your lineup. When I say to sit a player, there are obviously going to be situations where you have no choice but to play them. Bye weeks and injuries can cause us to start players we are uncomfortable with. Examine your squad’s situation before blindly following this column. The number in brackets after the player’s name is the rating of how well that defense does against that particular position. A positive number means that they allow more points than average, while a negative number means they allow fewer points than average.
Week 3 Start ‘Em- Defensive Linemen
Start of the Week
Cameron Heyward, Steelers vs. NE (+57%)
Heyward is off to a fine start in 2025. He has totaled 11 points and 10 points over the first two weeks of the season. Heyward recorded 3 tackles in Week 1 and 5 tackles in Week 2. In Week 3, he faces the Patriots, who allow the most fantasy points to opposing linebackers, and he is lined up to put up another solid fantasy game. Start Heyward with confidence.
Start ‘Em
Nnamdi Madubuike, Ravens vs. DET (+52%)
Madubuike has been outstanding to begin the season for the Baltimore Ravens. He has totaled 19 points and 12 points in two weeks. His Week 1 start saw him rack up 6 tackles and a sack, followed by 1 tackle and a sack in Week 2. Week 3 sees him square off with the Detroit Lions, which should allow him another opportunity to put up a monster fantasy day.
Nick Bosa, 49ers vs. ARZ (+43%)
Bosa has been a beast to start off the 2024 campaign. In Week 1, he put up 6 tackles, 1 sack, and a forced fumble for a total of 31 fantasy points. He followed that up in Week 2 with 9 tackles and a sack for 22 fantasy points. Bosa has been elite this season and gets a prime matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Bosa could be in line for a season-best performance, which is saying something considering the start he has gotten off to.
Week 3 Sit ‘Em- Defensive Linemen
Sit of the Week
Mason Graham, Browns vs. GB (-79%)
Rookie lineman Mason Graham is going to be a great defender at some point in his NFL career, but as far as fantasy is concerned, this isn’t the week to target him. He totalled 3 tackles in Week 1 and 5 tackles in Week 2, and while he shows signs of improvement, he is still young and going up against a horrible matchup. The Green Bay Packers allow almost nothing to opposing defensive linemen. They have too many weapons to spread the ball around, which presents few opportunities for Graham to produce. Sit him if you can.
Sit ‘Em
Quinnen Williams, Jets vs. TB (-61%)
Williams put up a monster performance in Week 1, totalling 5 tackles, 1 sack, and a forced fumble for 25 points in Week 1. He then disappointed in Week 2 with only 2 tackles. This week, faces a solid Tampa Bay offense that minimizes the impact of defensive linemen in fantasy leagues. Baker Mayfield gets the ball out quickly, and the Tampa Bay run game is far too solid to dominate. Williams is a great IDP asset, but he should be benched this week.
Abdul Carter, Giants vs. KC (-49%)
The highly drafted rookie out of Penn State has gotten off to a slow start, at least as far as fantasy football is concerned. His Week 3 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs is also worrisome. I fear the Chiefs will be so far out in front in this game that the starters for both teams could be on the bench by halftime. Look to sit Carter this week if you can.
Week 3 Start ‘Em- Defensive Backs
Start of the Week
Budda Baker, Cardinals vs. SF (+36%)
Baker has been one of the best defensive backs in fantasy this season, with 20 and 12-point performances to date. He totalled 10 tackles in Week 1 and 6 in Week 2 and has been a disruptive force for Arizona. This week, he faces off with San Francisco, which has been the best matchup for defensive backs production. Look for Baker to continue with a solid start to his 2025 season.
Start ‘Em
Taron Johnson, Bills vs. MIA (+36%)
Johnson hasn’t exactly been on fire this season. In Week 1, he managed only 4 fantasy points on 2 tackles, and followed that up with a Week 2 absence due to a Quad injury. He looks to be fully healthy for Week 3 and gets a matchup with the Miami Dolphins that allows massive amounts of fantasy points to pretty much every position in football. This is Johnson’s chance to be healthy and produce, and begin to bounce back from a slow start.
Nick Cross, Colts vs. TEN (+34%)
Cross has been outstanding so far in 2025. In Week 1, he put up 6 tackles and a sack for 19 fantasy points. He followed that up with a 7-tackle, 15-point performance in Week 2. Week 3 sees him face off with the Tennessee Titans, who sport a rookie quarterback and are a prime spot for Cross to add to his first turnover of the season. Expect another strong week from Cross against Tennessee.
Week 3 Sit ‘Em- Defensive Backs
Sit of the Week
Kamren Kinchens, Rams vs. PHI (-49%)
Kinchens has 14 tackles through two games this season for the Rams and has been as consistent as they come. In Week 3, however, he faces off against the defending Super Bowl champions. The Eagles are one of the league’s best offenses, and with a multi-headed attack, they are tough to load up against. Look for Philadelphia to spread the ball around and use a heavy ground attack, which is going to limit Kinchens opportunities.
Sit ‘Em
Byron Murphy, Vikings vs. CIN (-35%)
Murphy is a risky start this Week against the Cincinnati Bengals. The numbers through two weeks indicate that the Bengals are an awful matchup for opposing defensive backs, but with Joe Burrow out, that may not be the situation moving forward. Jake Browning is likely to get the start for Cincinnati, and with him under center, it could be a more enticing matchup for Murphy. I’m not saying you can’t start him in hopes of a major swing with the quarterback change, but I prefer to avoid him if I can.
Kool-Aid McKinstry, Saints vs. SEA (-33%)
The Saints’ defense is on the field a ton, so common sense dictates that McKinstry is a solid play, but the Seahawks appear to have a two-headed monster brewing at running back and are going to limit his opportunity for tackles and interceptions. Sam Darnold is more than capable of committing multiple turnovers, but I’m not willing to risk the Seahawks running the ball at an insane level, especially if they are blowing out the Saints and are running out the clock.
Week 3 Start ‘Em- Linebackers
Start of the Week
Kyle Van Noy, Ravens vs. DET (+47%)
Van Noy has been average through two games. In week 1, he totalled 3 tackles for 5 fantasy points, and in Week 2, he managed only 1 tackle for 3 fantasy points. The Ravens face a high-flying Detroit Lions offense in Week 3, which has been generous to linebacker productivity due to their high volume. Jared Goff isn’t what you would call a mobile quarterback, and he could present him with an opportunity for both a sack and an interception.
Start ‘Em
Edgerrin Cooper, Packers vs. CLE (+38%)
Cooper has been incredible in two games this year. In Week 2, he racked up 12 tackles for 20 fantasy points. He followed that up with 10 tackles and 0.5 sacks in Week 2 for 22 fantasy points. Cooper is a stud and a future first-round IDP pick. In Week 3, he goes up against the Cleveland Browns, who are a run-and-gun offense that operates a gunslinger mentality. Cooper could post 10 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, and a sack against the veteran Joe Flacco in this scary Green Bay defense.
Dee Winters, 49ers vs. ARZ (+38%)
Winters started the year with a 6-tackle performance for 15 fantasy points in Week 1 and followed that up with 8 tackles for 14 points in Week 2. In Week 3, he goes up against the Arizona Cardinals, who are anything but a terrifying offense. The 49ers will look to make an example of Arizona, which is an ample opportunity for Winters to rack up fantasy production. Get him in your lineup this week.
Week 3 Sit ‘Em- Linebackers
Sit of the Week
Joey Bosa, NYJ vs. MIA (-40%)
The Bosas! Start Nick, Sit Joey! Joey has been decent for IDP managers so far this season, but his production is coming off of big plays. He currently has one sack and two forced fumbles, which have helped keep him afloat with only 4 tackles on the year. This week, he faces a Miami Dolphins offense that doesn’t present opposing linebackers with many chances to produce. Mainly because they don’t have the ball very often. Sit Bosa if you can afford to. He isn’t likely to have a good outing.
Sit ‘Em
Dante Fowler, Cowboys vs. CHI (-34%)
There appeared to be plenty of opportunity for a Dallas Cowboys defender to step up with the departure of Micah Parsons. Sadly, that hasn’t been Dante Fowler. Fowler has only one tackle through two weeks and will take his struggling production up against the Chicago Bears, who are not a fantasy-friendly matchup for opposing linebackers. Fowler is one more bad performance away from being waiver wire fodder.
Jermaine Johnson, Jets vs. TB (-31%)
Johnson has been average to this point in the season. He posted 3 tackles in Week 1 and 4 tackles in Week 2, but has been less than impressive. A Week 3 matchup with an exciting Tampa Bay offense that doesn’t allow anything for opposing IDP players. Johnson was once a star in IDP formats, and may be so again this season, but for now, it’s best he stays on your bench.
For your final lineup decisions, check out the FSAN Rankings Page.