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Week 3 Quarterback Rankings & Matchups Analysis

Below you will find our Week 3 quarterback rankings, to help determine your WR starts/sits for this week, brought to you by Edward Gorelik (@EdwardGorelik) and Zach Wilkens (@LopsidedTrades).

Featured fantasy football writer Zach Wilkens also highlights some WR rankings and matchups analysis for Week 3, and draws some matchup conclusions. He tells you who he likes, who he doesn't, and most importantly who he thinks you should be starting in Week 3.

You can also check out our 2015 fantasy football ranking dashboard, for more in depth rankings analysis on all positions including rookies and dynasty leagues.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Week 3 Fantasy Football Rankings - Quarterbacks

RotoBaller
Staff Ranks
Player Name
(Team - Position)
Zach Wilkens
Rankings
Ed Gorelik
Rankings
1 Aaron Rodgers GB vs. KC 1 2
2 Tom Brady NE vs. JAC 3 1
3 Andrew Luck IND at TEN 2 3
4 Russell Wilson SEA vs. CHI 5 4
5 Matt Ryan ATL at DAL 4 7
6 Ben Roethlisberger PIT at STL 7 5
7 Carson Palmer ARI vs. SF 9 6
8 Cam Newton CAR vs. NO 8 8
9 Peyton Manning DEN at DET 6 11
10 Philip Rivers SD at MIN 10 9
11 Eli Manning NYG vs. WAS 13 10
12 Teddy Bridgewater MIN vs. SD 16 13
13 Tyrod Taylor BUF at MIA 15 14
14 Ryan Tannehill MIA vs. BUF 19 12
15 Nick Foles STL vs. PIT 11 21
16 Alex Smith KC at GB 12 20
17 Marcus Mariota TEN vs. IND 14 18
18 Andy Dalton CIN at BAL 17 17
19 Drew Brees NO at CAR 15
20 Matthew Stafford DET vs. DEN 26 16
21 Sam Bradford PHI at NYJ 18 26
22 Colin Kaepernick SF at ARI 21 19
23 Joe Flacco BAL vs. CIN 20 23
24 Ryan Fitzpatrick NYJ vs. PHI 24 22
25 Blake Bortles JAC at NE 22 24
26 Derek Carr OAK at CLE 23 27
27 Johnny Manziel CLE vs. OAK 33 25
28 Kirk Cousins WAS at NYG 25 28
29 Ryan Mallett HOU vs. TB 27 29
30 Brandon Weeden DAL vs. ATL 28
31 Josh McCown CLE vs. OAK 29
32 Jameis Winston TB at HOU 31 30
33 Luke McCown NO at CAR 30
34 Jimmy Clausen CHI at SEA 32
35 Brian Hoyer HOU vs. TB 34

 
 

Week 3 Quick Hit Quarterback (QB) Rankings Analysis

By Zach Wilkens (@LopsidedTrades)

Through two weeks Matt Ryan has been a bit underwhelming at QB13 on the season. However I remain optimistic. First off, he hasn’t had a bad game by any means. He’s thrown for 298 and 363 yards in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively. It’s just a matter of throwing for touchdowns and avoiding mistakes.

Against the Giants this past week, Ryan was one yard short of throwing for a second touchdown as Julio Jones was downed just shy of the goal line. Even though Ryan’s Week 3 opponent, the Dallas Cowboys, have held opposing QBs to under 10 points in both matchups this year, I really think that is a result of the NFC East teams looking like a mess. I remain high on Matt Ryan at QB4 this week.

Last week I gambled a bit on Colin Kaepernick vs the Steelers and it paid off. This week I am continuing to bet against the Steelers secondary with Nick Foles at QB11. I don’t exactly think highly of Foles or his receivers, but the Steelers have allowed the most points to opposing QBs. Despite the small sample size, this is a trend I expect to continue this week. There is a real lack of talent in the Steelers secondary.

On the negative side, I am a little low on Carson Palmer this week at QB9. Palmer has had two great games so far, and I still have him in the top ten, which means he is very startable. However, I am lowering expectations just a bit as this will be a tougher matchup in my eyes.

I am especially low on Ryan Tannehill this week at QB19. Despite Tom Brady’s big week against the Bills I still consider them an elite defense. If you aren’t a future hall of famer like Brady, I don’t expect nearly as much success. I’m surprised Tannehill is the consensus QB11 when he struggled against Washington in Week 1, and the Bills managed to shutout Andrew Luck until late in the third quarter in Week 1. Don’t be surprised if Tannehill doesn’t deliver this week.

Speaking of Andrew Luck, I’m not worried at all and I have him as my QB2 this week. He probably had the toughest start to the season of any quarterback in the league, and I don’t think it’s particularly close. Continue starting him with confidence and consider buying low if you can.

Lastly, one quarterback I would start ahead of Ryan Tannehill this week? That would be Alex Smith. Smith had a big Week 1 and then struggled mightily against Denver. I expected a struggle in Week 2, and I had actually moved him down in my rankings to QB24 last week. This week I have him up at QB13. The Broncos are a potentially elite defense - the Packers are not. The Packers aren’t bad by any means, but I still like the Chiefs offense more than most and I remain optimistic for Smith this week.

 

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Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




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RANKINGS

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RANKINGS
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