Fantasy football advice, Week 3: Who to start/sit for Buccaneers vs. Texans

If someone were to predict the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win one of their first two games on the season, most would have guessed their Week 1 match against the Tennessee Titans. Instead, the Buccaneers lost to the Titans before beating the New Orleans Saints. Meanwhile, if someone were to predict the Houston Texans to win one of their first two games ... well, that someone would be wrong. Houston looks for its first win against Tampa Bay Sunday.

The Buccaneers will be without tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins Sunday, as he’s been ruled out for the next several weeks with a shoulder issue. The team should have wide receiver Mike Evans back to full strength, however. On the Texans side, the team will still be without running back Arian Foster, and running back Jonathan Grimes is looking unlikely as well. The team is optimistic about getting wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on the field, however, after he suffered a concussion earlier in the week.

The Texans play host to the Buccaneers Sunday, with the game scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. Here’s a look at the fantasy names to consider:

Start ‘em: After sitting out in Week 1 and then used basically as a decoy last week, Mike Evans looks primed for a big Week 3.

Start ‘em?: After a much-discussed preseason, Doug Martin has been relatively quiet through two games, with only 12 total fantasy points. He’s a flex option. ... The return of Evans to full action makes Vincent Jackson a mid-range flex play.

Sit ‘em: After a miserable Week 1, Jameis Winston looked much more competent in Week 2, but he’s still a bit away from real fantasy consideration. ... Charles Sims might be interesting if Martin were to go down, but absent that he’s not in the running. ... Without Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Brandon Myers could offer some super-deep potential, but he’s basically off the radar. ... Kyle Brindza put up big kicking numbers in Week 2, but that seems unlikely to be consistent. ... The Buccaneers’ defense might have potential against a Houston offense without a lot of weapons, but it’s not anything you want to rely on.

Start ‘em: It looks like DeAndre Hopkins will be good to go Sunday, keeping him solidly in starting territory, possibly a WR1. ... The Texans’ defense has underwhelmed so far, but has a top-tier pedigree. The unit gets one more week to prove itself capable.

Start ‘em?: If it comes down to it and Hopkins is out, Cecil Shorts III looks very interesting. Absent a Hopkins scratch, though, Shorts is hard to use.

Sit ‘em: [Houston quarterback] is averaging 17.5 fantasy points a game, if you combine the production of Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett in Week 1. That said, Mallett isn’t likely to be a consistently strong performer. ... The Houston running game is down to Alfred Blue and Chris Polk, neither of whom is likely to give anything like fantasy help. ... Through two weeks, Nate Washington has been a surprise, but he’s unlikely to keep that up. ... Garrett Graham had a Week 2 touchdown, but has one catch for 7 yards through two games. ... Randy Bullock is a below-average kicker on a below-average offense.

Start in every league: Mike Evans, DeAndre Hopkins, Houston defense
Start if you’re desperate: Doug Martin, Vincent Jackson, Cecil Shorts III
Bench: Jameis Winston, Charles Sims, Brandon Myers, Kyle Brindza, Tampa Bay defense, Ryan Mallett, Alfred Blue, Chris Polk, Nate Washington, Garrett Graham, Randy Bullock