Courtland Sutton or Chris Olave: Who should I start in Fantasy Football Week 3?

Courtland Sutton had long been languishing with a string of lame-duck quarterbacks before Bo Nix broke out in 2024 and gave the Denver Broncos their first playoff appearance since the days of Peyton Manning and the No Fly Zone.

Meanwhile, Chris Olave is back after concussion problems limited him for much of 2024 and doomed the New Orleans Saints' campaign. He has much work to do to regain the thousand-yard form that defined him in his first two seasons as a pro.

Neither is a particularly big favorite amongst fantasy owners, but one has to be more viable than the other. So who is it?

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Courtland Sutton or Chris Olave: Week 3 fantasy preview

Courtland Sutton

Tennessee Titans v Denver Broncos - NFL 2025 - Source: Getty

Sutton had a strong start in the Broncos' opener against the Tennessee Titans, covering 61 yards and scoring a touchdown on six receptions. However, the Indianapolis Colts completely neutralized him, as he managed just a single six-yard reception.

Despite that, Sportskeeda still considers him a healthy no. 28 in its wide receiver rankings. However, the unbeaten Los Angeles Chargers have secondary weapons to throw at him.

Donte Jackson and Tarheeb Still command a deep cornerback room, while Derwin James, Alohi Gilman, and Elijah Molden constitute a three-headed monster at safety that can clog Sutton's route should he break free from the corners and aim deep.

Chris Olave

Arizona Cardinals v New Orleans Saints - NFL 2025 - Source: Getty

In his first two games so far, Olave has been consistently average, covering 54 yards in each of them. However, he has also yet to score a touchdown - a testament to the paucity of the Saints' quarterback room that features Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough.

Those meager performances have pegged him as a measly WR36 as he prepares to take on the Seattle Seahawks' secondary. That unit boasts a monstrous cornerback duo of Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon, each of whom can shut him down. And should he go deep, there is the safety duo of Julian Love and Coby Bryant to contend with.

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Courtland Sutton or Chris Olave: Week 3 final start/sit verdict

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The result of the analysis provides an intriguing result for the Sportskeeda Start/Sit Optimizer.

While Courtland Sutton has had fewer receiving yards, his performance has had a direct impact on his team's results so far. When he dominated, he won; and when he did not, they lost. He also has the benefit of having superior teammates, like running back JK Dobbins and tight end Evan Engram.

Chris Olave, meanwhile, has seen his efforts be in vain. While he is a good player, that still cannot cover for the weakness of the corps around him. This makes him untrustworthy, at least from the tool's perspective, shifting the favor towards his more experienced peer.