Keenan Allen or DeVonta Smith: Who should I start in Fantasy Football Week 3?

DeVonta Smith and Keenan Allen are two wide receivers on opposing spectrums. One is a returning veteran who is proving that he can still dominate games even in his 30s, while the other is a fast-rising youth who already has a Super Bowl title to his name.

In as volatile a realm as fantasy football, wide receivers can fluctuate in performance, going from over 100 yards one night to under 50 the next. Will any of these two men keep their momentum going?

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Keenan Allen vs DeVonta Smith Week 3 fantasy preview

Keenan Allen

Los Angeles Chargers v Las Vegas Raiders - Source: Getty

Allen may have returned to his consistent, if not dominant, self. The Los Angeles Chargers' greatest wide receiver of the 21st century has had over 60 yards, at one touchdown, and 12 fantasy points in each of his first two games, helping the team lead the AFC West.

The Denver Broncos, however, boast a very deep secondary that may prove to be a game-breaker against him. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II is expected to be assigned to him, with safeties Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones forming the last line of defense against him.

DeVonta Smith

Dallas Cowboys v Philadelphia Eagles - NFL 2025 - Source: Getty

Smith, meanwhile, has been rather quiet. He has had only seven receptions for 69 yards, resulting in only seven points. That, however, is to be expected when the Philadelphia Eagles' offense runs around the running abilities of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley.

That, however, may slightly change against the Los Angeles Rams. Even though safety Kamren Curl has been solid, contributing to a 2-0 start, cornerback has been an area of concern, and it has not been helped by a recent injury to Ahkello Witherspoon. Thus, Sean McVay may be more incentivized to throw to his receivers more.

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Keenan Allen or DeVonta Smith: Whom should I start?

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Despite the screenshot from Sportskeeda's Start/Sit Optimizer above, Allen is the prohibitive favorite to be prioritized.

He has not missed a beat despite joining a different offensive system under Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman - it may have helped him, in fact. The two's focus on the power run opens up the passing game, since the threat of it forces teams to try clogging the box, which in turn leaves him and other passing targets open.

The Eagles also prioritize the run themselves, but they do it differently, relying on agility (and speed). And that means that Smith is likely only the third-most important target, which will of course affect his fantasy output.