Philadelphia Eagles

10 Fantasy Football sleepers from NFL Week 3

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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These 10 fantasy football sleepers put up big fantasy points Week 3, and definitely need to be on your radar heading into the rest of the season.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (left) and Philadelphia Eagles running back Wendell Smallwood (right) are both fantasy football sleepers after their big win in Week 3 over the Eagles. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports

Week 3 was a great one for the underdog with surprises across the NFL making it a great week for Vegas. It also was a good week for some fantasy football sleepers who put up big weeks despite whir “underdog” expectations. Every week in fantasy football there are stars that come through and some that put up duds resulting in massive letdowns. However, as all fantasy owners know, there are also some very important players that step up each week going from relatively unknown to being need-to-know going forward.  Those players are usually called “fantasy football sleepers.”

Each week at FanSided, I run down the top fantasy football sleepers who emerged the previous week. They typically are players that were off the radar coming into the week but put up noteworthy performances.  Every Monday of the season will feature our top 10 fantasy scoring leaders, our top 10 fantasy football busts, and our top 10 fantasy football sleepers.

In this post focused on the all-important fantasy football sleepers,  I highlight the players that had little or no expectations coming into the week but stepped up and delivered good numbers.  Whether due to bigger opportunities or better matchups, these players came through for their owners who were bold enough to play them.  You definitely want to be aware of these players going forward and many will make our Tuesday list of waiver wire pickups to target.

You won’t find a ton of well-known names on this list unless they came back out of nowhere this week. Instead, these are names you may not know yet, but names you’ll want to at least be aware of going forward.

Make sure to check back later tomorrow for my top waiver wire pickups so that you can improve your fantasy football team going into Week 4. To catch all our fantasy football coverage, make sure to drop a bookmark on our fantasy football hub and follow us on Twitter @FansidedFantasy. You can also check out our new start/sit tool and be sure to let us know how we can help your team be set up for success in the coming weeks.

Let’s dive right into the emerging options from Week 3 as we look at the fantasy football sleepers you need to keep an eye on moving forward.

Sep 25, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle (84) runs with the ball against the San Diego Chargers at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Jack Doyle-TE-Indianapolis Colts

The Colts let Coby Fleener walk this offseason, but that hasn’t stopped them from going to plenty of dual-tight end sets. While Dwayne Allen still gets the most looks from the tight end spot, Jack Doyle is definitely a tight end to watch from our fantasy football sleepers this week.

In Week 1, Doyle was in our fantasy football sleepers as the highest scoring tight end of the week, but most people dismissed that of being a little “fluky” and buoyed by a pair of touchdown catches. However, his strong play the last two weeks has shown he can be more than just a flash-in-the-pan.

Doyle had four catches for 37 yards in the team’s Week 2 loss in Denver, and followed that with six catches for 65 yards in the Colts’ comeback win in Week 3. Doyle didn’t get into the end zone, but he looks like he’ll get even more work while Donte Moncrief is out making him a playable tight end in good upcoming matchups against the Jaguars and Bears the next two weeks.

Sep 25, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (91) tackles Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Eagles D/ST

The Eagles got one of the most impressive wins of the week as they shut down the Steelers vaunted offense and held them to just three points. The Eagles D/ST was the fourth-highest scoring unit this week and have been in the top ten with double-digit fantasy points every week (ESPN Standard scoring).

This week, they held down Big Ben and the Steelers forcing two turnovers and picking up four sacks. Philadelphia got a pair of sacks from Fletcher Cox while Bennie Logan and Brandon Graham also added big hits on Big Ben.

The Eagles didn’t get a defensive or special teams TD this week, but they still still be a unit to target after they have their bye week in Week 4. The 3-0 Eagles come back after the bye with the Lions, Washington, the Vikings, the Cowboys, and the Giants. While they weren’t considered an elite unit coming into the season, they’ve definitely emerged as one of the fantasy football sleepers to try and grab if they’re on your waiver wire.

Sep 25, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) leaves the field after the game against the Chicago Bears at AT&T Stadium. Dallas won 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Dak Prescott-QB-Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys are off to a 2-1 start after a solid win over the Bears on Sunday Night football. They have looked good even without Tony Romo thanks in large part to good performances from Dak Prescott. The first few weeks of the season, Prescott wasn’t an elite fantasy option because he wasn’t throwing touchdowns, but he turned that around this week.

Prescott threw for a touchdown as part of his efficient 19-of-24 passing for a total of 248 yards. He also added a rushing touchdown while turning in a solid 36 yards on four carries.

He is starting to be one of the more solid fantasy football sleepers at QB. He has been remarkably consistent for a rookie and can be a nice bye-week solution if you ned help filling in over the next few weeks.

Sep 25, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Adam Humphries (11) runs with the ball against the Los Angeles Rams during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Adam Humphries-WR-Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs threw the ball a ton on Sunday as they tried to come back from their early deficit against the Rams. Ultimately, their comeback fell short, but one player that emerged with a nice stat line was slot receiver Adam Humphries.

While his numbers were probably elevated due to game situation this week, Humphries deserves some attention after his nine catches for 100 yards. He has seen an increasing workload each week going 3-34, 6-67, and then 9-100. He has been getting more looks than Vincent Jackson and has the potential to continue to be a nice safety-valve for Jameis Winston in Tampa’s up-tempo attack.

Humphries isn’t an option you want to start next week, though, since he faces the Broncos stout defense. In fact, he doesn’t really hit any good matchups until week 7 when Tampa comes off their bye to face the 49ers, Raiders, Falcons, and Bears. You can either snatch and stash him off of waivers, or just wait until week 6 to reevaluate whether Humphries is worth a roster spot at that point. He’s one of the fantasy football sleepers I have my eye on, but I’m not ready to buy in 100% just yet.

Sep 25, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Wendell Smallwood (28) reacts after a touchdown run against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Wendell Smallwood-RB-Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles went away from Ryan Mathews early in their big win over Pittsburgh, and rookie Wendell Smallwood flourished in his absence. Even though he entered the game as the team’s fourth RB on the depth chart, Smallwood ended up leading the team in carries and rushing yards.

Lots of Smallwood’s work came after the game was pretty much decided, but he did manage to total 79 yards and a touchdown on 17 impressive carries. He could be an interesting option to watch if you’re searching for fantasy football sleepers at RB.

Remember, the Eagles have a bye week this week, but when they return watch how they divide the workload with Mathews, Smallwood, Kenjon Barner, and Darren Sproles all showing they can make plays in certain situations. Smallwood was buried on the depth chart, but he made things interesting with a big week 3.

Sep 25, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Washington Redskins wide receiver Jamison Crowder (80) carries the ball to score a touchdown during the third quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Jamison Crowder-WR-Washington

Crowder is an often-overlooked but usually-productive option for Kirk cousins in Washington. He has found his way into the end zone each of the last two weeks and is definitely deserving of a roster spot in PPR leagues.

On Sunday, Crowder had his season-low in catches with just four, but he set his season-high in yards with 78. He caught a key touchdown in the team’s win on the road in New York which may have saved their season (at least temporarily).

Crowder get enough looks in the Washington attack to be a fill-in starter as bye weeks approach. He and Captain Kirk are back home this week to face the Browns before taking on the Ravens and Eagles the next two weeks. While he may not be a deep-ball specialist like his teammate DeSean Jackson, he gets plenty of targets and can be one of the better fantasy football sleepers to pick up if you are looking for long-term consistency.

Cameron Brate-TE-Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs desperate comeback attempt not only helped Adam Humphries get a spot on our fantasy football sleepers, but it also allowed Cameron Brate to turn in good numbers as he laid his claim to the top job as the Bucs’ starting TE.

Through the first two weeks of the season, Brate had been sharing time with Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, but ASJ was released last week after a DUI arrest. To catch you up on Brate, he’s a huge target at 6-foot-5 and one of Jameis Winston’s go-to options in the red zone.

The third-year TE from Harvard caught two touchdowns in the Bucs’ Week 3 loss and was targeted two other times in the red zone. He finished with ten total targets and five catches for 46 yards. He probably won’t get enough time to be a full-time staring TE option going forward, but he definitely can be used as a one-week fill-in or emergency option if you need to patch together the position a bit.

Sep 19, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears running back Jordan Howard (24) carries the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Soldier Field. The Eagles won 29-14. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Howard-RB-Chicago Bears

One of the top names to target on the waiver wire this week is Bears’ rookie Jordan Howard. I included Howard in my list of RB sleepers Sunday morning, and he ended up playing more than I expected due to the injury to Jeremy Langford.

Howard looked good in spots on Sunday and totaled a very nice 92 total yards against the Cowboys. He ran for 45 yards on nine carries and added 47 yards on four catches. He didn’t get into the end zone, but he showed he can be involved in the offense while Brian Hoyer is running things in Jay Cutler’s absence.

Langford was in a walking boot after the game and Ka’Deem Carey was already hurt before the contest which could leave the Bears backfield to Howard. The rookie from Indiana will try to step up and deliver in good matchups against the Lions, Colts, and Jaguars the next three weeks. If you missed out on all the RB craziness last week or are still looking for fantasy football sleepers at the position, Howard would be my top pickup this week base on his upside and good matchups coming up.

Sep 25, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Terrelle Pryor (11) is tackled by Miami Dolphins free safety Reshad Jones (20) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Terrelle Pryor-WR-Cleveland Browns

Another one of my Sunday sleepers that paid off big time was Browns playmaker Terrelle Pryor who I had in my WR Sleepers for week 3. He redefined the offensive flex position by playing WR, QB, and RB all this week. Even though they forced OT, the Browns weren’t able to get the win, but Pryor had an impressive day at multiple positions.

Pryor played both quarterback and receiver while adding in 21 rushing yards as well. He caught eight passes for 144 yards and completed three-of-five passes for 35 yards. Pryor rushed for a touchdown and was clearly the focus of Cleveland’s creative offense which was dealing with the loss of RG3 and his backup Josh McCown in the first two weeks of the season.

Heading into Week 4, Pryor will be a hot name on the waiver wire, and he’s definitely worth a look for at least one more week. The Browns head to Washington this week as they play their last games without Josh Gordon. Gordon will return Week 5 which will definitely drop Pryor’s receiver chances. However, coach Hue Jackson definitely will continue to use the versatile playmaker as the Browns continue to search for their first win of the season making him one of the more interesting short-term fantasy football sleepers to try and grab for next week.

Sep 25, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian (13) throws a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Trevor Siemian-QB-Denver Broncos

The top fantasy football QB of the week came from a very unexpected place this week. The Broncos got a huge game from first-year starting QB Trevor Seimian. The Northwestern alum was locked in and productive for the whole game against a Bengals defense many think is one of the best in the league. He still is a shaky fantasy football sleeper given his team’s run-first offense, but he showed he can stand and deliver when called upon.

Seimian completed 23 of his 35 passes for an impressive 312 yards. He threw for four scores and no interceptions in this game giving him five passing TDs on the year while averaging 252 yards per contest. This game was definitely his most promising of the year, and it sets him up well for the road ahead.

Seimian should be started in dual-QB leagues in the coming weeks and is even worth a look as a bye-week fill-in or streaming option as he faces the Bucs, Falcons, and Chargers the next three weeks.

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