NFL Week 3: Why these 3 players have sneaky upside at RB, WR and TE

Week 2 was another reminder that touchdown equity doesn't always show up at the top of the board, especially in a lower-scoring week compared to Week 1.

Beyond the week's chalk, a handful of role players with expanding opportunity found the end zone in spots the market wasn't fully pricing in, and Dimers' NFL predictions and NFL player props models are now flagging three of them as carrying real upside into Week 3.

Whether you're building a lineup, betting props, or just want to know who to watch on Sunday, these are three players worth having on your radar.

What makes a "sleeper"

The definition of a "sleeper" in fantasy or NFL betting can vary significantly based on the league format or the particular betting market, but for the purposes of this article, we've specifically only looked at players who meet all three of these criteria:

• Projected for less than 10 half-PPR fantasy points by Dimers
• Outside Dimers' Top 30 WRs, Top 30 RBs and Top 15 TEs
• Carries at least a 20% chance to score a TD

More than just the players below fall into this camp, so be sure to check out Dimers' NFL Player Projections hub to find them all.

WR Denzel Boston (Browns)

Game: Browns vs. Panthers

Week 3 positional rank: WR52

Denzel Boston has scored in both of his first two career games, an accomplishment few Browns rookies have matched, and he's done it with the kind of home-run explosiveness that makes him all but a must-start in fantasy lineups: a 46-yard score in his Week 1 debut against Jacksonville, followed by a spinning, tackle-breaking 55-yard touchdown in Week 2 against Tampa Bay.

That's 154 yards and two touchdowns across just 11 targets.

Our projections for Denzel Boston vs. the Panthers.

In Week 3, Dimers has him projected outside the touchdown radar most bettors are watching, ranked as WR52 for Week 3 at 8.7 PPR points off 38.1 receiving yards and a 26.5% anytime-touchdown probability, but the profile here is boom-or-bust by definition.

A single explosive play, and a fringe WR3 becomes a top-10 finisher for the week. Boston gets a Panthers defense in Week 3 that just held Atlanta to three points, but gave up 59 to the Bears in Week 1.

RB Jonah Coleman (Broncos)

Game: Broncos vs. Rams

Week 3 positional rank: RB42

Denver's backfield picture got a lot murkier in Week 2, but that's only part of the reason Coleman is on this list, as he's already made a case for a bigger workload.

Both J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey went down with hamstring injuries in the same game, and carry real questions about their Week 3 availability against the Rams on Sunday Night Football.

Coleman, meanwhile, made the most of his own opportunity in that game with 10 carries for 39 yards and 3 catches for 19 yards in the Week 2 win, capped by the go-ahead touchdown and a workhorse finish, chewing up 33 of his 39 rushing yards on Denver's clock-killing final drive.

Dimers' Week 3 projection for Coleman, RB42 at 7.0 PPR points and a 27.4% touchdown probability, still assumes Dobbins and Harvey are part of the mix until either sees their status updated, and Dobbins' lead on the backfield is tenuous at best, projecting for only 1.2 yards more than Coleman, and nearly 10% less for a touchdown.

If either is ruled out, and especially if both are, Coleman is set up to see a workload well beyond what that ranking suggests.

TE Darren Waller (Panthers)

Game: Browns vs. Panthers

Week 3 positional rank: TE17

Waller has been nothing but efficient through two weeks, turning 5 targets into 5 catches and 2 touchdowns, including a pair of red-zone scores in Carolina's 34-3 rout of Atlanta in Week 2.

The Panthers have a clearly defined WR1 and WR2, but the third passing-game option behind them is still up for grabs, and Waller is one of only three Panthers players besides QB Bryce Young to find the end zone through two games.

Dimers has him projected as its TE17 for Week 3 at 8.1 PPR points, 29.8 receiving yards and a 31.9% anytime-touchdown probability, the highest mark of any of these three players.

With a perfect catch rate and a red-zone role that looks locked in, Waller carries some of the highest touchdown equity outside the position's top tier.

Unique to Waller on this list, he appears in Dimers' NFL Player Props with multiple betting edges, including in one of our Sweet Spot markets.

NFL data in 2026 with Dimers Pro

Every player, team and betting insight in this article comes straight from Dimers Pro, your go-to resource for the NFL season.

You can find picks, props and predictions for every game via Dimers' NFL Predictions, and Dimers Pro subscribers get access to recommended bets, edge ratings, Signals and the best available prices all season long with a football season pass covering both NFL and college football.