Saquon Barkley or Alvin Kamara Week 3 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Fantasy football projections for RBs

Fantasy football in Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season gives us the choice of Saquon Barkley and Alvin Kamara, two veteran running backs, as our options in the offensive backfield. The two accomplished players will go head to head, and it gives us the opportunity to directly compare them and see who will come out on top.

The Eagles come into this game with a 1-1 record, after losing late in their last game against the Falcons. The Saints, meanwhile, are setting the early season pace with an explosive offense, and sit atop the standings with a perfect 2-0 record.

Is Saquon Barkley a good pick in Week 3?

Saquon Barkley had a dream debut for the Eagles in Week 1 against the Packers. He had two rushing touchdowns and one receiving score. He rushed for 109 yards that game in 24 attempts at 4.5 yards per carry. His output on the field was similar in Week 2 as well, as he recorded 95 yards in 22 carries at 4.3 yards on average but failed to record a rushing touchdown. He has a total of 46 rushing attempts for 204 yard so far.

A missed reception towards the end of the game handed the opposition the advantage, which the Falcons capitalized on, to defeat Philadelphia at home. Now, Saquon Barkley has the chance to recover from that. But it won't be easy.

While the Saints have rightly got plaudits for their offense, their rushing defense is the second-best in the NFL, allowing just 63 yards on the ground per game on average. The 14.5 points per game that they have given up is also the fourth-best in the league. Therefore, fantasy football managers will have to think carefully before starting him.

Is Alvin Kamara a good pick in Week 3?

On the other side is Alvin Kamara, who has been a key component of the New Orleans offense that has scored 91 points in the last two games, far and away the best in the league. In two games, he has 198 yards and four rushing touchdowns in 35 carries. But what has been really impressive is his yards per carry. He is averaging 5.7 yards per attempt, and that has not dipped below 5.5 in the first two weeks of the 2024 season.

The Eagles have improved their offense and defense drastically from the tail end of last season, by changing both coordinators in the offseason. But some problems remain as they have given up 157.5 rushing yards per match in the two games they have played so far. That is among the NFL's lower half and fantasy football managers could look at starting the Saints running back to get some points.

Saquon Barkley vs Alvin Kamara: Who should I start in Fantasy Football Week 3?

Comparing the two of them, it is a tough choice to make for fantasy football managers. Alvin Kamara could have a field day against the Eagles but at the same time, Saquon Barkley has more yards and more attempts this season, which increases his chances of scoring more points.

Our Sportskeeda's 'Who Should I Start' tool gives us an analytic response to this conundrum.

Saquon Barkley v Alvin Kamara - Start 'Em Sit 'Em - Week 3 - 2024 NFL season

Due to Philadelphia's dependence on Saquon Barkley in the backfield, he gets the nod from our fantasy football experts. He is expected to record more rushing yards and touchdowns. On receptions, Alvin Kamara and the Eagles running back have similar numbers. Hence, the overall picture leans towards sitting the New Orleans star and starting his counterpart.