Updated Week 3 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings

Here are my Week 3 fantasy football quarterback rankings:

1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints (vs. MIN)

There’s no place like home: Brees averaged 9.12 Y/A at home vs. 6.86 Y/A on the road with 27:3 TD-to-INT ratio at home vs. 12:9 TD-to-INT ratio on the road in 2013. With two games on the road and two finishes outside the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks, Brees should bounce back with a big performance at home.

2. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (vs. GB)

After finishing as QB2 in Week 1 (346 pass yards, two pass TDs and one rush TD), Stafford finished outside the top 12, but he has a friendly matchup this week against the Packers. Only three teams have allowed a pair of top-10 fantasy quarterbacks through two weeks and the Packers are one of them.

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3. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (at DET)

Against an exploitable Jets secondary, Rodgers threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns in Week 2 and he has a similar type of matchup this week. In other words, Detroit’s defensive strength is their defensive line and their weakness is their secondary. In his past three games over the previous two seasons against the Lions, however, Rodgers’ numbers have been modest: 683 passing yards, three TDs and one INT with 43 rushing yards and a score.

4. Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears (at NYJ)

Cutler has back-to-back top-10 weeks including a four-TD and QB2 performance on Sunday Night Football. Cutler has a great opportunity for another huge week against a Jets secondary that just gave up a league-high 28.64 fantasy points to Rodgers in Week 2.

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5. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts (at JAX)

Facing the Jaguars, who have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to fantasy QBs, Luck & the Colts should get their first win of the season. If there’s any concern for Luck, it’s that the Colts establish an early lead on the Jags, who have been outscored 75-10 in the past six quarters, and we see a lot of the run game. Through two games, however, no quarterback has more fantasy points than Luck (22.79 per game).

6. Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. WAS)

The only quarterback in the leauge with a pair of 300-yard games to start the season, Foles and the Eagles have struggled with their starts. That said, they have finished strong with a pair of second-half double-digit comebacks to improve to 2-0. Foles in the first half of games: 25/45, 7.24 Y/A, zero TDs and two INTs. Foles in the second half of games: 23/37, 8.84 Y/A, three TDs and no INTs.

7. Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos (at SEA)

Manning has yet to throw for more than 269 yards in a game, but he has thrown three touchdowns with no interceptions and finished as a top-four fantasy quarterback each week. That said, the Seahawks have held nine of their past 11 regular-season opponents to less than 200 passing yards and we’ve seen how well their defense played against the Broncos in the Super Bowl.

8. Tom Brady, New England Patriots (vs. OAK)

Far from “terrific,” Brady has finished outside the top-25 fantasy QBs in Weeks 1 and 2. The challenge for Brady to put up QB1 (top-12) numbers this week could be that the Patriots are favored by slightly more than two touchdowns, which could lead to many more rush attempts than pass attempts. One good thing from a fantasy perspective is that Belichick and the Patriots rarely take the foot of the accelator in blowouts.

9. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (vs. PIT)

In his first three NFL seasons, Newton has finished as a top-five fantasy quarterback or better each season. In his 2014 debut in Week 2, Newton finished as the QB5 with 281 yards and a touchdown, a two-point conversion and 19 rushing yards.

10. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)

Generally underrated by most in fantasy football, Wilson is one of four QBs that have finished as a top-10 fantasy quarterback in both of the season’s first two weeks despite throwing for just 191 and 202 yards, respectively. An efficient passer with the dual threat as a runner, Wilson has a four-to-none TD-to-INT ratio so far this season.

Based on data from PFR, only five QBs have more games with multiple passing TDs since Wilson entered the league in 2012. And only two QBs have more rushing yards than Wilson since 2012.

11. Geno Smith, New York Jets (vs. CHI)

As I noted in my fantasy football waiver-wire column, Smith has averaged more than eight fantasy points per game from his rushing stats alone over his past six games. During that span, he has rushed 48 times for 250 yards and four touchdowns.

12. Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco 49ers (at ARI)

Coming off a dud four-turnover performance, Kaepernick will face the Cardinals for the fourth time in his career. Through his first three matchups, he has had success — 279.33 Y/G and 6:1 TD-to-INT ratio.

13. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys (vs. STL)

The Rams have held both of the starting quarterbacks they have faced to under 180 passing yards, but those quarterbacks weren’t exactly elite: Matt Cassel and Josh McCown. That said, Romo has yet to finish as a QB2 in 12-team, two-QB leagues as the QB29 and QB25 in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively. That’s about to change, but I still have ranked outside my top 12 and he appeared on the “sit’em” side of my Week 3 Start’em, Sit’em column.

14. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers (at BUF)

After a modest start (QB25) against the Cardinals, it would be foolish to expect a huge week from Rivers against the league’s best secondary in Week 2. With 284 yards and three touchdowns against the Seahawks, however, Rivers finished as a top-three QB in Week 2. Rivers has a middle-of-the-road matchup this week against the Bills so maybe he’ll score the most fantasy points this week.

15. Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs (at MIA)

While he lacks a strong arm and playmakers at receiver, two positives with Smith are that he doesn’t generally turn the ball over (Week 1 aside) and his mobility (509 rushing yards in 17 games in Kansas City).

16. Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins (vs. KC)

Off to a slow start (209.5 Y/G and 5.17 Y/A), Tannehill has averaged just 14.83 fantasy points per game, but he gets a favorable matchup against against the Chiefs this week. Dealing with multiple defensive (and offensive) injuries, the Chiefs have allowed two top-six fantasy quarterbacks to begin the season.

17. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. TEN)

Dalton and the Bengals continue to lose pass-catchers to injury: Marvin Jones before the season, Tyler Eifert in Week 1 and A.J. Green in Week 2. Green (toe) is expected to play in Week 3, however. Dalton threw only 23 passes in Week 2 and I’d expect a heavy dose of Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill against the Titans this week.

18. Kirk Cousins, Washington (at PHI)

With Cousins taking over for an injured RG3, he looked impressive against the Jags on Sunday. After all, he threw a 20-yard touchdown pass on his first throw of the game. The Eagles have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks so far this season so we could see another solid performance for Cousins.

19. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens (at CLE)

About to face the third of three AFC North rivals to start the season, Flacco has finished as QB15 in both Weeks 1 and 2 to the Bengals and Steelers, respectively. In 12 career games against the Browns, Flacco has averaged 208.17 yards per game and thrown 15 touchdowns to only six interceptions.

20. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (at CAR)

Coming off a dud performance (217 yards, no TDs and one pick), it won’t get any easier for Big Ben this week against the Panthers.

21. E.J. Manuel, Buffalo Bills (vs. SD)

I’m certainly not suggesting that Manuel should be started, but only three teams have allowed two top-10 fantasy performances to opposing quarterbacks and the Chargers are one of those teams.

22. Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders (at NE)

While they haven’t faced elite quarterbacks, the Patriots have allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks so far this season. And while Carr has played reasonably well in his first two NFL games, he isn’t elite — at least, not yet. That said, there is potential for some garbage-time production here as the Raiders are more than two-touchdown underdogs.

23. Jake Locker, Tennessee Titans (at CIN)

After a top-six performance to open the season, fantasy owners were salivating over the expected slam-dunk matchup against the Cowboys in Week 2. Instead Locker was 18/34 for 234 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Against one of the league’s top defenses, Locker should stay on your bench this week.

24. Matt Cassel, Minnesota Vikings (at NO)

No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks through two games, but it’s hard to trust Cassel with Adrian Peterson out indefinitely. Cassel was fantasy’s QB32 last week with four picks as the crowd began chanting for Teddy Bridgewater.

25. Eli Manning, New York Giants (vs. HOU)

The Giants passing offense continues to struggle, but they looked better, much better, in Week 2 than they did in Week 1. Manning completed two-thirds of his pass attempts, but he threw another two interceptions giving him a 3:4 TD-to-INT ratio through two weeks and 31 interceptions over his past 18 games.

26. Chad Henne, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. IND)

The Jags continue to stick with Henne at quarterback even though rookie Blake Bortles would give the offense a better opportunity to score points. Then again, if Henne keeps getting hit as often as last week (sacked 10 times), the team may not have any choice but to make a change.

27. Austin Davis, St. Louis Rams (vs. DAL)

At this point, it appears that Davis will start over Shaun Hill. Either way, Davis and/or Hill should be on your bench despite the favorable matchup against the Cowboys.

28. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Houston Texans (at NYG)

Among quarterbacks that have started (and finished) two games this season, none have fewer pass attempts than Fitzpatrick (41). While he has yet to throw an interception, he’s averaging just 172.5 yards per game and remains a low-end QB2 at best.

29. Drew Stanton, Arizona Cardinals (vs. SF)

Stanton will get another start with Carson Palmer sidelined and shouldn’t be near anyone’s starting lineup.

30. Brian Hoyer, Cleveland Browns (vs. BAL)

Through two games, Hoyer nearly led the Browns to a come-from behind win over the Steelers in Week 1 and led them to a win over the Saints in Week 2. From a fantasy perspective, though, Hoyer has averaged just 217 yards per game with two total touchdowns and has finished outside the top 20 QBs each week.

* Note: Both Matt Ryan and Josh McCown have been removed from our rankings.

More of our Week 3 rankings:

• Week 3 Running Back Rankings
• Week 3 Wide Receiver Rankings
• Week 3 Tight End Rankings

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