Fantasy Football Redraft

Print

Week 3 Quarterback Preview: Will Daniel Jones 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.

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers

Michael Penix Jr., Falcons

Penix is averaging 216 passing yards per game and squares off with a defense that has been quite stout against the pass. The Panthers are allowing only 194.5 yards per game with 2 TDs and 2 INTs through their first two games. Carolina is far less competent against the run, so this looks like a game where Atlanta will lean on their backfield. Penix is a modest QB2 that should only be considered in superflex formats. 

Bryce Young, Panthers

Garbage time production has helped boost Bryce Young's production. Because the Panthers have been trailing, Young's 90 attempts tied for the most in the league entering Week 3. Turnovers and protection have been issues, and this week, Young faces an Atlanta defense that cedes the second-fewest passing yards per game (139.5). View Young as a middling QB2, but don't count on that second-half production piling up in a game where the Panthers are projected to score fewer than 20 points. 

Green Bay Packers at Cleveland Browns

Jordan Love, Packers

After playing in the Week 2 Thursday nighter, Love will face the Browns on extended rest. However, he’ll be without go-to WR Jayden Reed, who was placed on IR. Love ultimately projects out as a fringe QB1.

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars

Lawrence delivered a much better fantasy line in Week 2 but managed just 57% completions while throwing a pair of INTs against a Bengals defense that’s probably not very good. Houston’s D has limited its first two opponents to just 14 and 20 points, making this a good spot to sit Lawrence if you can.

C.J. Stroud, Texans

Stroud's been awful so far, ranking 32nd in fantasy points per game and 36th in Pro Football Focus passing grade. There should be some level of rebound from those depths, but try to not use him against a Jaguars D that ranks eighth in pass DVOA through two weeks.

Cincinnati Bengals at Minnesota Vikings

Jake Browning, Bengals

Browning scored as the QB9 in fantasy points per game in seven starts as a rookie in 2023. Then he ranked QB14 last week on only 70% of the snaps. There's weekly top-12 fantasy upside here as long as WRs Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are healthy. But Browning should only be in 2-QB and superflex lineups this week. His Bengals are implied for just 19.25 points in Minnesota.

Pittsburgh Steelers at New England Patriots

Drake Maye, Patriots

Maye was the QB4 last week, throwing for 230 yards and 2 TDs. He also added 31 yards and another TD on the ground. The Dolphins' defense truly couldn’t stop the Patriots' offense. Luckily, the Steelers are beat up on the defensive side of the ball, likely missing four starters in this game, including pass rusher Alex Highsmith. Maye is locked in as a QB1. 

Aaron Rodgers, Steelers

Rodgers took a step back from QB7 in Week 1 down to QB26 in Week 2. His lack of mobility makes him susceptible to breaking down under pressure. The Steelers’ offense likely isn’t as good as it looked in Week 1 vs. the Jets, but the Patriots have given up two top-24 QB performances so far this year. Rodgers is a low-end QB2 this week.

Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Hurts, Eagles

Hurts can’t get much worse than last week’s performance. In fact, his 101 passing yards at Kansas City marked his fewest in any full game he has played in the NFL. Bet on a rebound from there, and start him in nearly all lineups. But the Eagles do sit tied for just 11th in implied team total for Week 3. So Vegas looks a little hesitant to trust a full bounce back from an offense that has yet to look like last year’s version.

New York Jets at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers

The Jets are middle-of-the-pack against the pass, allowing 198.5 per game through the air. They did surrender 4 TD tosses to Aaron Rodgers in Week 1, so there is some potential here for Baker Mayfield to have another strong outing. Additionally, New York is trotting out Tyrod Taylor, which could keep the Jets more pass-heavy, leading to a better overall game script. Mayfield enters this game with a 5-to-0 TD-to-INT ratio and looks like a good bet to post another top-12 finish. 

Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans

Daniel Jones, Colts

Through two weeks, Jones slots second behind Lamar Jackson in fantasy scoring. Now he gets a Titans secondary that’s dealing with a banged-up L’Jarius Sneed (back). Tennessee’s also struggled to generate sacks, entering Week 3 with the second-lowest sack rate league-wide. Treat Jones as a viable streamer. 

Las Vegas Raiders at Washington Commanders

Marcus Mariota, Commanders

In Week 7, Mariota came in for Daniels after only 10 snaps and was the QB8 in weekly scoring. In Week 18, he was QB6 with only one half of play. OC Kliff Kingsbury’s offense matches well with Mariota’s talent, especially since he can add some rushing upside. The Raiders are 22nd in passing points allowed, so Mariota is a surprising QB1 this week.

Geno Smith, Raiders

Smith’s 180 yards and three INTs on Monday night left him at QB34 for Week 2, following up a QB15 performance in Week 1. The Commanders should be a bit softer than the Chargers, though they have a high pressure rate. Potential volume if the Raiders get behind makes Smith a high-end QB2. 

Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers

Justin Herbert, Chargers

Herbert ranks ninth in Pro Football Focus passing grade and third in total passing yards through two weeks. Denver’s D ranked among the toughest vs. the pass last season, but it sits just 14th in pass DVOA this year and allowed Daniel Jones to throw for 316 yards last week. Herbert’s piloting the league’s most pass-happy offense to date and looks like a comfy weekly starter.

Bo Nix, Broncos

Nix followed a rough opener with 73% completions and 3 TD passes in a narrow loss at the Colts. The Chargers arrive as the fourth-best defense by pass DVOA so far, which keeps Nix out of our top 12 for Week 3. He did throw 4 TDs vs. just 1 INT and run for 86 yards across last year’s two meetings, though. And L.A. just lost key pass rusher Khalil Mack to an elbow injury. That should help the matchup some for Nix.

New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks

Sam Darnold, Seahawks

Darnold is playing well, completing 68% of his passes at 7.9 yards per attempt through two weeks. The Seahawks have been a run-centric offense, as expected, and should be able to pound it as big home favorites against the Saints this weekend. But with Seattle sporting a 24.5-point implied total, there could be enough to go around for Darnold, too. He's a nice QB2 and a potential QB1 spot starter for fantasy owners dealing with an injury at the position.

Dallas Cowboys at Chicago Bears

Dak Prescott, Cowboys

Prescott just torched the Giants for 361 yards and two TDs and gets an even better Week 3 matchup against the Bears. Chicago has allowed an NFL-high seven passing scores through two weeks and will be without starting CBs Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon on Sunday.

Caleb Williams, Bears

Williams has opened the season with QB8 and QB19 fantasy finishes. He figures to remain a volatile fantasy producer, at least early on this season as he settles into HC Ben Johnson's offense. Williams is in an upside spot this weekend, though, at home for a Cowboys defense that was just smashed for 450 yards and three TDs by Russell Wilson last week. Chicago's 24.5-point implied total is tied for seventh-highest on the week.

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers

Kyler Murray, Cardinals

Murray has encountered a rough start, finishing as QB14 and QB23 over the last two weeks. This could be a game where the Cardinals have to match points, which could benefit Murray’s passing. He’s also added rushing so far this season, making this a great bounce-back QB1 spot for Murray.

Mac Jones, 49ers

Jones was QB8 last week with an impressive 279 passing yards and 3 TDs. The Kyle Shanahan system just works for QBs, and great protection upfront gave Jones times to find open WRs. The Cardinals' defense has played well, but they don’t blitz often. Trust Jones as a QB2 this week.

Kansas City Chiefs at New York Giants

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

Rushing production has saved Mahomes' early-season fantasy production. He leads the position with 123 yards and sits tied for second in TDs (2). Mahomes should also get Xavier Worthy (shoulder) back for Sunday’s critical road game vs. the Giants. New York has allowed a near 70% completion rate through two games. 

Russell Wilson, Giants

Wilson followed up a Week 1 dud with a masterful performance last Sunday. He threw for 450 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT, showing an aggressive mentality along the way. Now, he might get LT Andrew Thomas back for Sunday’s matchup vs. Kansas City. Boosted pass volume further brings the potential for Wilson to deliver useful QB2 totals.

Detroit Lions at Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson, Ravens

The Ravens are projected to score 29 points -- the second-most points in Week 2. Jackson is off to a fast start, with a league-leading 7 TDs through Baltimore's first two games. The Lions have allowed 2 TD passes in each of their first two, so Jackson looks primed to have another outstanding outing in a game that has the potential to be a shootout. 

Jared Goff, Lions

There's risk with relying on Goff in an outdoor setting. Still, this matchup with Baltimore offers the highest total for the week, and the Ravens have been awfully soft against the pass so far. The Ravens have allowed the most fantasy points to QBs so far in 2025, and the Lions are loaded with elite skill-position players. Goff has boom/bust potential this week, which makes him a mid-range QB2. 

Week 3 Preview Podcast

Join Matt Schauf and Jared Smola as they preview the Week 3 action and help you set your fantasy lineups:

Next Up

Best Week 3 Moves From Our Experts: Buy These Stud WRs

Next Article  

Kevin English, Senior Analyst

Kevin brings 15+ years of experience as a fantasy analyst and mid-stakes competitor across various formats (redraft, best ball, dynasty, DFS). He finished 1st in FantasyPros Draft Accuracy competition in 2024. Kevin's work has been featured in The Mercury News, NBC Sports/Rotoworld, and FantasyPros.