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RotoBaller's updated Week 3 quarterback (QB) rankings for fantasy football in 2026. Read the weekend updates for our fantasy football QB rankings and win more.
The 2026 NFL season continues to speed by as Week 3 is here. A few quarterback situations are worth watching, as the Bears could start veteran Case Keenum if Caleb Williams or Tyson Bagent can't play. Jameis Winston will draw the start for the Giants this week against the Titans with Jaxson Dart on injured reserve, while the Commanders will roll with Marcus Mariota vs. Seattle with Jayden Daniels ruled out. At RotoBaller HQ, we break down the quarterback position with our updated fantasy football quarterback rankings for Week 3. Find out where key quarterbacks such as Patrick Mahomes, Trevor Lawrence, Tyler Shough, Geno Smith, Bryce Young, and Kirk Cousins are ranked below.
Our quarterback fantasy football rankings for Week 3 are put together by Nick Mariano. In addition to his rankings, below you will also find a summary of the important fantasy football injury news for this week. Key injuries are always in play, so be sure to check back until kickoff.
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Week 3 Quarterback Rankings for Fantasy Football
Be sure to bookmark our weekly PPR rankings, Half-PPR rankings, Standard rankings.
| QB Tier |
QB Rank |
Player Name |
Pos. |
| 1 | 1 | Josh Allen | QB |
| 1 | 2 | Lamar Jackson | QB |
| 1 | 3 | Jalen Hurts | QB |
| 2 | 4 | Brock Purdy | QB |
| 2 | 5 | Patrick Mahomes II | QB |
| 2 | 6 | Jared Goff | QB |
| 2 | 7 | Dak Prescott | QB |
| 3 | 8 | Trevor Lawrence | QB |
| 3 | 9 | Joe Burrow | QB |
| 3 | 10 | Tyler Shough | QB |
| 3 | 11 | Kyler Murray | QB |
| 3 | 12 | Jordan Love | QB |
| 4 | 13 | Drake Maye | QB |
| 4 | 14 | Bryce Young | QB |
| 4 | 15 | Matthew Stafford | QB |
| 4 | 16 | Justin Herbert | QB |
| 4 | 17 | Kirk Cousins | QB |
| 5 | 18 | Geno Smith | QB |
| 5 | 19 | Bo Nix | QB |
| 5 | 20 | Sam Darnold | QB |
| 5 | 21 | Malik Willis | QB |
| 5 | 22 | Jacoby Brissett | QB |
| 5 | 23 | Baker Mayfield | QB |
| 5 | 24 | Marcus Mariota | QB |
| 6 | 25 | C.J. Stroud | QB |
| 6 | 26 | Daniel Jones | QB |
| 6 | 27 | Deshaun Watson | QB |
| 6 | 28 | Tyson Bagent | QB |
| 6 | 29 | Cam Ward | QB |
| 6 | 30 | Jameis Winston | QB |
| 6 | 31 | Aaron Rodgers | QB |
| 6 | 32 | Michael Penix Jr. | QB |
| 6 | 33 | Case Keenum | QB |
Week 3 Quarterback Outlooks for Fantasy Football
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has been incredibly underwhelming in fantasy football so far this season, but he could have an opportunity to get back on track in a potential shootout against the Jacksonville Jaguars. This game features two teams with high-ceiling offenses that could make deep playoff runs this year. Maye has just one passing touchdown and four interceptions this season, but he has maintained a respectable 67% completion rate.
The biggest obstacle for Maye has been the loss of AJ Brown (hamstring), who was placed on injured reserve after Week 1. Still, Romeo Doubs stepped up in a big way last week, and Maye also has some very non-flashy but reliable options in DeMario Douglas, Hunter Henry, and Mack Hollins. Plus, his mobility should serve him well against a Jaguars defense that has allowed the seventh-most quarterback rushing attempts and the eighth-most quarterback rushing yards this season. Maye is still hanging on to his fringe QB1 status, ranking as RotoBaller's #13 quarterback for Week 3.
Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough completed 27-of-34 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown in last Sunday's 24-17 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Shough orchestrated the offense beautifully, adding an additional nine carries for 23 yards and another score. Through two weeks, Shough has a league-high 662 passing yards, four touchdowns, and a 68.9% completion rate, and comes in as QB5 in fantasy.
He faces a Raiders defense that has allowed the 9th-fewest points to opposing quarterbacks, including just one passing touchdown while forcing three interceptions through two games. Shough is playing with plenty of confidence, and the momentum he has gained to start the season lands him as QB10 on RotoBaller's rankings for Week 3.
Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has been playing out of his mind to begin the season. That should continue in Week 3 against a Cleveland Browns defense that is not nearly as scary as it once was. Young has beaten up on two struggling defenses in the Falcons and Bears to begin the year, but he has looked very confident and in control during both games. He is passing the "eye test," which has led him to the No. 2 spot in passing yards to begin the season.
What is more, Young's weapons have been playing well. Wide receivers Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker (ankle) and running back Chuba Hubbard are all supporting the young quarterback in his breakout. The Browns' defense had a solid outing against the struggling Buccaneers' offense, but this unit was exposed against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1. Expect an outing more similar to the latter from the Panthers in Week 3. With injuries to quarterbacks Caleb Williams (hamstring), Jaxson Dart (knee), and Jayden Daniels (elbow), Young is a great plug-and-play option in Week 3.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in Week 3. Burrow passed for 207 yards and two touchdowns in the 20-6 win over the Houston Texans last week and will try to build on that success this week. The Bengals star took a step back in terms of yardage, throwing 47 fewer passing yards, but his touchdown total increased, and he didn't throw any picks in his second game. Burrow will try to build on the touchdown success while increasing the yardage against a tough Steelers defense.
Through two games, Pittsburgh has allowed the sixth-fewest passing yards and the ninth-most rushing yards. If that trend continues, Burrow could be in for another low-yardage outing on Sunday. The Bengals have the skill players to overcome nearly every matchup, so Burrow has the potential to exceed expectations, but it will not be a cakewalk matchup. It should also be noted that Burrow was not listed on the Bengals injury report this week, signaling that the back issue is now behind him. Burrow is ranked QB9 in our RotoBaller Week 3 rankings, making him a low-end QB1 this Sunday. Fantasy managers should be encouraged by Burrow's upward trend in fantasy scoring, but may need to temper expectations against Pittsburgh.
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will take on the Miami Dolphins on the road in Week 3. Mahomes was listed on the injury report again with a knee injury, but it is the same injury he rehabbed all offseason, and he's practiced fully all week, so it appears to be nothing of concern. Mahomes is coming off a massive performance in the overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts last week. The Chiefs star passed for 382 yards and three touchdowns to lead Kansas City to a 33-30 victory. The veteran QB will look to build on that success in what should be a very easy matchup against Miami.
The Dolphins defense has allowed at least 27 points to opposing offenses in each of the first two games this season, so Mahomes and company should have no problem putting points on the board. The rejuvenated Chiefs offense, due in large part to the addition of Kenneth Walker and a viable run game, has revived the fantasy value of Mahomes and the rest of the Chiefs playmakers. Mahomes is ranked QB5 in our RotoBaller Week 3 rankings, making him a strong QB1 to start on Sunday. Fantasy managers should be encouraged by what they've seen so far, it seems like the high-scoring Chiefs offense of recent memory has returned.
Who Should I Start Tool
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...
Week 3 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players: Patrick Mahomes, Trevor Lawrence, Tyler Shough, Geno Smith, Drake Maye, Joe Burrow, Bryce Young, and Kirk Cousins. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 3.
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 Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our 'Who Should I Start?' tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, player news, and enhanced search results with data to compare with a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 3 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 3 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 3 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Week 3 for Patrick Mahomes, Trevor Lawrence, Tyler Shough, Geno Smith, Drake Maye, Joe Burrow, Bryce Young, and Kirk Cousins:
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