Week 3 Fantasy Picks: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Saints vs Panthers

The Carolina Panthers will attempt to secure their first victory of the 2022 NFL season when they host the New Orleans Saints in Week 3. FanDuel Sportsbook's NFL odds list the Saints as 3-point favorites in a game that could come down to a few plays in the fourth quarter.

If you need some help with your fantasy lineups, here's our start 'em, sit 'em advice for this Week 3 NFC South showdown.

Alvin Kamara Fantasy

Start Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints: Fantasy managers have a right to be worried after running back Alvin Kamara missed New Orleans' Week 2 contest with a rib injury. It's the type of injury that can linger and put him on a snap count when he makes his return. That doesn't mean the Saints star should be benched, though. If Kamara is active, start him. The Panthers are allowing the 10th-most PPR fantasy points to opposing RBs so far and got torched by Kamara's receiving abilities in 2021. Across two meetings, the Pro Bowl talent logged 93 receiving yards and 1 touchdown on 9 catches (12 targets). He has an opportunity to produce even if he isn't 100% healthy.

Carolina Panthers D/ST Fantasy

Start Carolina Panthers D/ST: This start recommendation has more to do with the Saints' lackluster offense than it does the Panthers' defense. New Orleans has given up a whopping 32 fantasy points to opposing D/ST units through two weeks, which is the highest mark in the NFL. Quarterback Jameis Winston has been sacked 10 times and thrown 3 interceptions, including a pick-six in Week 2. Head coach Dennis Allen's team has also lost 3 fumbles. This is the perfect time to add Carolina's D/ST and slide them into a starting spot. It's about time the Panthers earn their first takeaway on the year.

Chris Olave Fantasy

Sit Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints: Fantasy managers will look at the box score in Week 2 and want to start Chris Olave in Week 3 because he saw a team-high 13 targets. It's important to keep in mind that Winston was launching one deep ball after another in an attempt to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' deep, though. That same strategy may not be put into place on Sunday. Carolina has given up the second-fewest yards to opposing WRs (218) and is one of two NFL teams yet to allow a WR to score a touchdown. It's not quite time to trust Olave as a viable FLEX option.

Robbie Anderson Fantasy

Sit Robbie Anderson, WR, Carolina Panthers: Robbie Anderson surprised fantasy managers in Week 1 by hauling in 5 of his 8 targets for 102 yards and 1 touchdown. However, he took a back seat on offense in Week 2 by posting only 32 yards on 3 receptions (5 targets). Anderson is always going to be the second option behind DJ Moore and draws a difficult matchup in Week 3. The Saints are allowing the 11th-fewest PPR fantasy points to opposing WRs and held Anderson to 48 yards on 5 receptions across two games in 2021. Anderson should only be started in matchups that give him a clear advantage and this is not one of those matchups.

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Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.