Week 3 Fantasy Picks: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Rams vs Cardinals

Two teams looking to gain an edge in the race for the NFC West title meet head-to-head in Week 3 as the Arizona Cardinals host the Los Angeles Rams. FanDuel Sportsbook's NFL odds list the Rams as 3.5-point road favorites in a game that is full of playmakers on both sides of the football.

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

Tyler Higbee Fantasy

Start Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams: The Cardinals have allowed 3 touchdowns to opposing tight ends through two games this season after allowing only 2 touchdowns to opposing tight ends all of last season. Arizona is also allowing the most PPR fantasy points to the position so far. Something has changed in their pass coverage and it is not working. Tyler Higbee's 20 targets, 12 catches and 110 yards receiving yards are all second on the Rams only to Cooper Kupp. He is constantly being trusted by quarterback Matthew Stafford and his upside gets even higher when considering this game has one of the highest point totals on the Week 3 slate. Start Higbee on Sunday.

Kyler Murray Fantasy

Start Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals: The Rams' secondary has had a rough start to the 2022 season. It's a group that has posted the sixth-worst pass defense DVOA rating in the NFL and is allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. That bodes well for Kyler Murray's chances of balling out in Week 3. Murray has accounted for 2 touchdowns in each of the first two games and has only been sacked three times. That level of comfort in the pocket should lead to efficient passing numbers against a defense that cannot stop giving up chunk plays through the air. Don't hesitate to start Murray.

Cam Akers Fantasy

Sit Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams: Yes, last week was a big step in the right direction for running backs Cam Akers. He turned 17 touches into 62 yards and played in 43% of the offensive snaps. However, he still only averaged 2.9 yards per carry and was not utilized as the goal-line back. That role belonged to Darrell Henderson, who scored a rushing touchdown in the win. If Akers ever fully takes over this backfield, it will not be until later in the season. His fantasy ceiling in Week 3 is capped as a result, especially against a Cardinals team that has posted the 11th-best rush defense DVOA rating in the NFL.

Darrel Williams/Eno Benjamin Fantasy

Sit Darrel Williams/Eno Benjamin, RB, Arizona Cardinals: There's a possibility that starting running back James Conner does not suit up for Arizona on Sunday as he continues to deal with an ankle injury. When he was on the sidelines during Week 2's contest, Darrel Williams and Eno Benjamin split the workload right down the middle. Each player saw 8 carries and played in around 45% of the offensive snaps. The likelihood of that happening again on Sunday leaves neither player with much upside from a fantasy football perspective. Williams is the one to add as he looks to be the goal-line option, but he's not worth starting yet.

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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.