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Week 3 · TE · LAR

Colby Parkinson Week 3 fantasy outlook: role, matchup and start/sit call

Our TE34 for Week 3 — 3.8 projected points at DEN, rostered in 2% of leagues.

By Sally & Tina · Updated September 23, 2026 at 1:09 AM ET

Sit Colby Parkinson in Week 3 if you have a real alternative — 3.8 projected points lands 3.2 under the TE starter line.

Projection
3.8 pts
TE rank
#34
Matchup
at DEN

Colby Parkinson's fantasy role in Week 3

Colby Parkinson goes into Week 3 of the 2026 season as a deep-league TE flyer for the LAR. He is rostered in 2% of leagues and actually started in 0% of them, and we rank him TE34 on our own weekly board at 3.8 projected points.

Roster rates are steady week over week, so his role looks settled rather than in flux.

No injury designation to work around right now, which keeps his projection honest.

Week 3 matchup breakdown

The matchup: at DEN. Our Pepper Meter heat rating for this spot is 1 out of 5, which is how we grade the combination of role, projection and opponent difficulty.

Against a typical starting TE baseline of 7 points, his 3.8-point projection is 3.2 points short. That gap is the whole start/sit argument in one number.

How to play it

Sit Colby Parkinson in Week 3 if you have a real alternative — 3.8 projected points lands 3.2 under the TE starter line.

If you are deciding between him and another TE, compare projections first, then lean on the Pepper Meter heat rating as the tiebreaker.

Sally's take

Peppers & Picks ranks Colby Parkinson (LAR TE), our TE34 this week for Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season at DEN, projecting 3.8 projected points with a mild Pepper Meter rating. On the road against DEN, I expect the game to stay competitive enough that his usage holds. The projection sits about 46% under what a startable TE returns, so I can't pretend the price tag matches the output. Sally keeps him at Mild until the usage says otherwise.

Tina's take

Peppers & Picks ranks Colby Parkinson (LAR TE), our TE34 this week for Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season at DEN, projecting 3.8 projected points with a mild Pepper Meter rating. On the road against DEN, I expect the game to stay competitive enough that his usage holds. The projection sits about 46% under what a startable TE returns, so I honestly can't pretend the price tag matches the output. Tina keeps him at Mild until the usage says otherwise.