Week 3 Quarterback Preview: Will Bryce Young Stay Hot?
Top Fantasy QBs for Week 3
Let's break down the key usage notes and matchups that are driving our Week 3 QB Rankings.
TIP
Not sure about your Week 3 lineup? Learn who to start in fantasy football with our 'Who To Start?' tool.
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
The only question with Allen is whether you need to bother starting anyone else alongside him in your lineup or go QB-only to give your opponent a chance.
2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Jackson draws a Dallas defense missing several starters, including CB Cobie Durant, S Malik Hooker, and LB DeMarvion Overshown. His rushing upside remains intact, with Jackson ranking fourth among QBs in scrambles and third in yards on scrambles. Even if Zay Flowers (hamstring) sits, Jackson remains a must-start QB1.
3. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Over the past four seasons, Hurts hasn't rushed for less than 5.0 rushing points per game. This Eagles QB is averaging just 3.1 to this point while not accounting for a rush TD yet, but still ranks as the QB8 on the season. Hurts faces a Bears defense in Week 3 that has allowed the sixth most points to QBs, leaving him projected as a high-end QB1.
4. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Purdy gets a high-end QB1 projection heading into Week 3 following his back-to-back QB1 performances to open the season. The 49ers QB faces a Cardinals defense that not only gave up 3 TDs to backup QB Drew Lock, but lost their top cornerback for the season.
5. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes enters Week 3 following games of 23.7 and 29.0 fantasy points. His Chiefs are now implied for the second-most points (28.25) against a Miami defense ranked last in pass-defense DVOA. Mahomes projects safely inside QB1 territory.
6. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott took advantage of a favorable Week 2 matchup, completing 83.9% of his passes and tallying 4 TDs vs. Washington. The Ravens present more defensive talent but just surrendered 252 yards and a 79.4% completion rate to Tyler Shough. Dak remains a must-start at home.
7. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Lawrence struggled in a tough spot in Denver last week. It was just his second outing among his last 10 dating back to last season with fewer than 2 passing scores. The matchup doesn’t get much easier this Sunday against the Patriots, who sit second in our Pass Defense Power Rankings. But Lawrence is back at home, with his team sporting a solid 24.5-point implied total. Trust Lawrence as a mid-range QB1 this week.
8. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Goff has thrown for 300+ yards and/or 2+ TDs in each of his past five home games. He’ll look to continue that streak against a Jets pass defense that’s allowed just 3.9 yards per pass attempt, although a Week 1 matchup with the Titans and a rain-soaked Week 2 vs. Green Bay certainly helped. New York might remain without S Minkah Fitzpatrick (groin).
9. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Burrow hasn’t met expectations so far this season finishing as QB19 and QB14 in the first two weeks. The Bengals have stuck with a shallow passing game instead of throwing the ball down the field. Part of the reason has been increased pressure on Burrow. The Steelers are the top defense in DVOA through the first two weeks, and fourth in pressure rate (41.5%). Burrow may be on the lower end of a QB1 this week.
10. Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
Is it comfy to trust Murray in his second try at a first game with the Vikings? Probably not. But your comfort level should grow when you realize the Tampa Bay matchup allowed Deshaun Watson to finish QB11 last week. Missing RB Jordan Mason and having RB Aaron Jones play through a knee issue could push Minnesota toward more of a passing lean. That's also the weaker area for Tampa's defense.
11. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Maye has been impossibly bad through 2 weeks, ranking 30th among QBs in fantasy points. So why consider starting him in Week 3? Maye gets his best matchup of the season against the Jaguars, who sit 19th in our Pass Defense Power Rankings. His first 2 opponents both ranked top 8. Maye also continues to run, with 11 carries for 64 yards. He’s certainly not a must-start, but the pieces are in place for a solid fantasy outing here.
12. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Played Thursday night
13. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Shough has finished as QB8 in two straight weeks to open the season. He has struggled at the beginning of games, but he has 475 yards and 4 TDs in the second half this season. It has helped that the Saints have been trailing in both of those games, and this is a spot where the Saints are favorites. That makes Shough a little less appealing, but his upside still makes him a high-end QB2 this week.
14. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
This should be a blowup spot for Herbert. The Bills allowed 274 yards and 2 TD passes to C.J. Stroud in Week 1 and then 327 and 4 to Jared Goff. Each opponent racked up 31 points. It's tough to bet on Herbert, though, after he and his offense struggled to 28 total points across two home contests against the Cardinals and Raiders. He sits high in QB2 territory rather than inside the top 12 because of those struggles.
15. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Young has opened the season with QB3 and QB7 fantasy finishes. Yes, he’s drawn bad Bears and Falcons defenses. But Young is playing well. And the Panthers are going up-tempo (4th in pace) and pass-heavy (2nd in pass rate over expected). That’s a good environment for fantasy production. Young gets another plus matchup this weekend against the Browns, who sit 24th in our Pass Defense Power Rankings.
16. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Stafford finished as the QB6 in Week 2, after he completed 22 of his 31 attempts for 327 yards and 4 TDs without his top WR Puka Nacua. Which could be the case again this week, but against a difficult Broncos defense that's allowed the eighth fewest passing yards despite facing Patrick Mahomes and Trevor Lawrence. Stafford projects as a QB2 in Week 3.
17. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Nix followed a QB31 finish to Week 1, the lowest weekly rank of his career, with a QB18 Week 2. In the first two games since fracturing his ankle, the Broncos QB has rushed for just 0.4 points per game, which is a drastic fall from his 3.9 last season. With Nix still returning to form, he projects as a QB2 in a Sunday night matchup against the Rams.
18. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mayfield ranks 10th among QBs in expected fantasy points per game so far but just 24th in actual. So he's clearly underperformed so far against the Bengals and Browns. Now comes a Vikings defense that's probably the best he will face this season. That adds risk to his Week 3 outlook and leaves him best off on your bench.
19. Geno Smith, New York Jets
Smith has tossed only 1 TD pass through two games, but don’t let that hide his excellent underlying marks. Among 33 qualified QBs, he’s 3rd and inaccurate throw rate and 7th in completion rate. Now he gets an injury-ravaged Lions secondary that’s allowed 658 yards and 6 TDs. The matchup, combined with Smith’s current form, makes him a viable deep-league streamer.
20. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Darnold looks poised to return from his Week 1 glute injury and gets a generous Washington defense. But we'd rather lean away from using the Seattle QB in that first game back if you can help it.
21. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
Don’t look now, but Watson has completed 77% of his passes at 8.5 yards per attempt through 2 games and run for 60 yards on 13 carries. That has him fifth among QBs in fantasy points. We’re not ready to trust him in 1-QB leagues, but he’s at least worked his way into the superflex discussion.
22. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Stroud actually had two solid finishes so far this season as QB16 and QB13. Even without Nico Collins, Stroud went 30 for 55 for 353 yards, rushing for another 29. Collins may miss another week, so that gives Stroud another weak WR unit (though TE Dalton Schultz got the brunt of the targets last week). The Colts defense has allowed the highest yards per pass attempt (9.8) so far this season, but Stroud is no Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes (who the Colts faced over the first two weeks). Treat Stroud as a low-end QB2 whose lack of weapons could impact his scoring.
23. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
Mariota managed four top-13 finishes among his eight starts last year as Washington's injury fill-in. He'll likely be playable at times while Jayden Daniels is out. But not against Seattle, if you can help it. Nine teams are allowing at least as many points per game to QBs as the Seahawks have yielded in total so far.
24. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Brissett ranks as the QB25 through the first two weeks of the season. While the veteran QB has turned the ball over just once this season, his lack of TDs keeps him out of QB2 range. He draws a Week 3 matchup against a 49ers defense that's allowed just one passing TD this season, leading to a fringe QB2 projection for Brissett.
25. Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
Willis is sitting on a 58% completion rate and only 1 passing TD. Miami’s WR corps is banged up as well, with Caleb Douglas missing practice all week and getting ruled out on Friday. Add in Miami’s low implied team total of 17.75, and Willis carries a risky fantasy outlook vs. the Chiefs.
