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Should I drop Sam Darnold for fantasy football Week 3? Is Sam Darnold a safe player to cut? Read the fantasy football waivers outlook.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (glute) didn't get to play much football in Week 1 before a glute injury forced him out of the contest. He wasn't able to suit up for his team in Week 2, either.
In his place, backup QB Drew Lock had a great Week 2 performance, throwing for 235 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout win over the Arizona Cardinals. Interestingly, all three of those scores went to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Darnold may not be in danger of getting supplanted as the starter, but Lock's Week 2 was seriously impressive. Darnold has never thrown three TDs to Smith-Njigba in a game. So should you drop the Seahawks starting QB in fantasy football ahead of Week 3? What's his fantasy football outlook like for the rest of the season?
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Should I Drop Sam Darnold in Fantasy Football?
Darnold finished as the QB13 in fantasy football leagues in 2025. He played in all 17 games and led his team to the Super Bowl, but it didn't always result in elite fantasy production. In fact, he was prone to miserable outings here and there, such as his zero-touchdown, four-interception game against the Los Angeles Rams.
That Week 11 contest was his worst of the season, but it was also one of seven total games in which he had single-digit PPR fantasy points. The former Minnesota Viking doesn't have much rushing upside and is very prone to low-volume games.
82 YARDS FOR JSN
SEAvsAZ on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/HWjVKPmdml— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026
My analysis indicates that the two major drivers of his success last year were offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and the aforementioned JSN. Kubiak is with another team now, and the offense is doing well in his absence, which would lead one to believe that Smith-Njigba is the big factor here.
Indeed, he looks like a future Hall of Fame wideout. Darnold should be fine in 2QB leagues, but he wasn't a hot draft target in 1QB leagues anyway. There's more value in six-point passing touchdown leagues. In 2QB leagues, every starting quarterback is rostered, though, making that a moot point.
If you drafted him in 1QB leagues, you should be hunting waivers for other targets.
Who Should I Pick Up for Fantasy Football?
Quarterback Jordan Love is a prime candidate for waiver wire pickups. He's been gaining some steam in fantasy football circles thanks to the Packers passing the ball at a higher rate this season with running back Josh Jacobs on the commissioner's exempt list.
Love was once a highly coveted fantasy asset before Green Bay brought in Jacobs and revised the offense to make him a featured player. In 2023, Love finished as the QB5 overall in fantasy football thanks to 579 pass attempts, easily the most of his career.
Love goes DEEEP to Golden!@ATLvsGB on Prime Video
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/rJKpsMBYXI— NFL (@NFL) September 25, 2026
If you want someone as a spot starter for Week 3, New York Jets signal-caller Geno Smith would be a good pickup. He'll get the privilege of facing the Detroit Lions in Week 3 -- they have a massively depleted secondary that's been struggling to shut down opposing passers. As a result, they've lost both of their first two games this season.
Smith has a duo of very good pass-catchers in Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell (finger), the team's top-two receivers. That should be enough to help him have a multi-touchdown game against Detroit this coming week.
Geno Smith ➡️ Garrett Wilson for the TD
GBvsNYJ on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/9EsUYlmkpo— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026
A third option is Las Vegas Raiders QB Kirk Cousins. The quarterback of a Klint Kubiak offense always crushes it in fantasy, and he's proving it once again. Kubiak is the head coach of the Raiders. Cousins is in good hands and is currently the QB11 in fantasy football through two weeks.
Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pickup off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...
Who Should I Pickup? Some common 2026 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Sam Darnold, Jordan Love, Geno Smith, and Kirk Cousins. But not to worry, we are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2026. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2026. Our free Who Should I Pickup? tool will help make your fantasy football waiver wire decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to pick up... all free! Make the right decisions.
2026 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on Sam Darnold, Jordan Love, Geno Smith, and Kirk Cousins. He is one of the most common searches for 2026 fantasy football waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy football rankings, projections, and more.
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Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for Sam Darnold, Jordan Love, Geno Smith, and Kirk Cousins:
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