In fantasy football, there are oftentimes players that go overlooked heading into a week of games. Sleepers are left on benches every single week, but sometimes that “big game from out of nowhere” could have been easily predicted and utilized in starting lineups. In this piece, I’ll be tiering and listing some of the sleepers I’ve identified ahead of Week 3 of the 2023 fantasy football season. If they’re on your bench, feel comfortable playing them over a starter with a worse outlook for Week 3. There’s also a chance they could be on the waiver wire, so snatch them up if you’re in need of their services.

I’ll be looking at players rostered in at least 50% of ESPN leagues and tier them in descending order of their percentage started on fantasy teams. In other words: the further down the list, the deeper the sleeper for Week 3’s matchups. If you’re looking for this week’s top waiver wire adds, check out this essential piece from Shane by clicking the link below!

Related Article: Week 3 Waiver Wire Adds

Tier One: Started in 20-50% of fantasy leagues

RB Isiah Pacheco – Kansas City Chiefs (92.5% rostered / 48.9% started)

Isiah Pacheco has had a rollercoaster of a start to the season. The unexpected re-addition of Clyde Edwards-Helaire into the backfield rotation to begin the 2023 season was one that not many fantasy fans had expected. Edwards-Helaire was in many ways underwhelming, while Pacheco was an ascending rookie who performed well as the team’s lead back to close 2022. While the snaps haven’t been what we had hoped, Pacheco looked impressive in his minimal workload last week, when he logged 12 carries for 70 yards in a sloppy win for the Chiefs. The Chiefs get the Bears in Week 3, who have allowed the 27th most fantasy points to opposing RBs through the first two weeks. The Chiefs are a little slow to start the year, but they can turn it on at any given moment, and I imagine Pacheco to ascend as the offense does as a whole, starting this week.

RB Zack Moss – Indianapolis Colts (63.3% rostered / 29.7% started)

Colts RB Zack Moss looked good to end his debut year with the team in 2022, and he also looked great in Week 2 after missing Week 1 while he was still recovering from a broken arm. The Colts needed a running back to step up after Jonathon Taylor was placed on IR before the start of the season. In Week 1, Deon Jackson had 13 carries for 14 yards and lost two fumbles, which is just about as bad as it can get. Thankfully, Moss came back to save the Colts’ backfield troubles by running the ball 18 times for 88 yards and a touchdown. He even added four catches for 19 more yards, while playing a whopping 98% of RB snaps in Week 2. He gets a tough matchup with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3, but his volume should be enough reason to slide him into starting lineups wherever you may need him.

TE Hunter Henry – New England Patriots (50% rostered / 25.6% started)

How TE Hunter Henry survived Wednesday’s waivers and remains rostered in only 50 percent of leagues at this time is pretty crazy to me. Hunter Henry has returned weekly overall TE1 and TE2 performances through the first two games of the 2023 season. He’s clearly one of QB Mac Jones’s most trusted targets, and I expect Henry to be a big part of next week’s game once again. They face the Jets in Week 3, who just gave up two red zone touchdowns to tight ends vs. the Cowboys last week. I suspect he might be once again in the top tight end conversation for at least one more week.

WR Nico Collins – Houston Texans (73.5% rostered / 23.5% started)

Nico Collins has been outstanding through two weeks of the 2023 season. I included him on last week’s list of sleepers in the deepest of tiers, and he exceeded my expectations by delivering seven catches for 146 yards and a touchdown vs. the Colts in Week 2. The Texans may be throwing the ball a lot this season thanks to the game scripts they’ll often find themselves in. Collins, as with most members of this tier, should be started in lineups wherever possible.

Tier Two: Started in 10-20% of fantasy leagues

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