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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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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

DeVonta Smith

Listed as DNP on Tuesday
Vinnie Hinostroza

to Miss 4-6 Weeks
Pyotr Kochetkov

Dealing With Undisclosed Injury
Tristan Jarry

Expected to Be Available Wednesday
Evgenii Dadonov

Doubtful for Wednesday
J.T. Miller

Joins Team for Road Trip
Joel Kiviranta

Ready to Return Wednesday
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Expected to Return on Saturday
Marvin Bagley III

Ruled Out Versus Atlanta
Luke Kennard

Available on Tuesday Night
RJ Barrett

Unavailable Wednesday
Landry Shamet

Out for Wednesday
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Questionable for Wednesday's Matchup With Milwaukee
Bogdan Bogdanović

Bogdan Bogdanovic Considered Questionable for Tuesday
Jauan Jennings

Won't be Suspended
Draymond Green

Will be Questionable for Wednesday Against the Rockets
Goga Bitadze

Downgraded to Questionable
Dereck Lively II

Will Miss At Least 7-10 Days
Paul George

Will Not Play Tuesday against the Magic
Tyrese Maxey

Will Play Tuesday Against the Magic
Omarion Hampton

Chargers Open Omarion Hampton's Practice Window
Joel Embiid

Ruled Out Against Orlando
Lamar Jackson

Returns to Practice
DK Metcalf

D.K. Metcalf Will Be Limited Early in the Week
Isiah Pacheco

Set to Return on Thursday
J.T. Realmuto

Red Sox Showing Interest in J.T. Realmuto
Sonny Gray

Red Sox Acquire Sonny Gray From the Cardinals
Brian Thomas Jr.

Expected to Make his Return in Week 13
Aaron Rodgers

Steelers Have "Great Optimism" Aaron Rodgers Will Play in Week 13
CFB

Jeremiah Smith, Makai Lemon, Skyler Bell Named Biletnikoff Award Finalists
Jayden Daniels

has Been Throwing, Return Timeline Unclear
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As Many as Three NFL Teams Could Have Interest in Hiring Bill Belichick
Tre Johnson

Out Indefinitely With Hip-Flexor Strain
Goga Bitadze

Active Tuesday in Philadelphia
Wendell Carter Jr.

Cleared To Play Against 76ers
Jalen Suggs

Ready to Return Tuesday in Philadelphia
Luke Kennard

Uncertain For Tuesday's Game Against Wizards
Adem Bona

Will Not Play Tuesday Against the Magic
Marvin Bagley III

Listed as Questionable vs. Hawks
Kyshawn George

Could Miss Tuesday's Game
Sam Reinhart

Extends Scoring Streak With Three-Point Effort
Adam Fox

Delivers Two Assists in Monday's Win
Brandon Hagel

Tallies Three Points Against Flyers
Andrei Vasilevskiy

Extends Winning Streak With Shutout Performance
Logan Cooley

Erupts for Five Points in Monday's Win
Mathieu Olivier

Sustains Upper-Body Injury Monday
Zach Werenski

Hurt Against Capitals
Paolo Banchero

Remains Out Tuesday
Isiah Pacheco

Targeting a Return on Thursday
Shohei Ohtani

to Play for Team Japan in 2026 World Baseball Classic
Lamar Jackson

Now Dealing With a Toe Injury
Jake Walman

to Remain Out Tuesday
Ridly Greig

Still Out Monday
Baker Mayfield

Dealing With Low-Grade Shoulder Sprain
Thomas Chabot

Misses Monday's Matchup
Kirill Marchenko

Out Monday
J.T. Miller

Unavailable Monday
Brayden Point

Out Against Flyers
Nikita Kucherov

Good to Go Monday
Chris Godwin

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Warren Schaeffer to Stick Around as Rockies Manager in 2026
Ashton Jeanty

Ankle Injury isn't Severe
Jayden Daniels

to Practice This Week, Considered a Long Shot for Week 13
C.J. Stroud

Remains in Concussion Protocol
Mike Evans

Could Return Before End of Regular Season
J.J. McCarthy

in Concussion Protocol
Tyrod Taylor

to Remain the Jets' Starting QB
Shedeur Sanders

to Make Another Start for Browns in Week 13
CFB

Chris Bell Out for Rivalry Matchup Against Kentucky
Ryan Helsley

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Dan Hooker

Suffers Second-Round Submission Loss
Marcus Semien

Shipped to the Mets on Sunday
Arman Tsarukyan

Gets Submission Win
Brandon Nimmo

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Belal Muhammad

Loses Back-to-Back Fights
Belal Muhammad

Ian Machado Garry Outpoints Belal Muhammad
Alonzo Menifield

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Volkan Oezdemir

Gets Back In The Win Column
Jack Hermansson

Gets Knocked Out
Jack Hermansson

Myktybek Orolbai Knocks Out Jack Hermansson
Shamil Gaziev

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Shines At UFC Qatar
Tagir Ulanbekov

Suffers Third-Round Submission Loss
Kyoji Horiguchi

Makes Triumphant UFC Return
Adolis García

Rangers Non-Tender Adolis Garcia on Friday
CFB

Beau Pribula Expected to Start Against Oklahoma
Dan Hooker

An Underdog At UFC Qatar
Arman Tsarukyan

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Ian Machado Garry

A Favorite At UFC Qatar
Belal Muhammad

Looks To Bounce Back
Alonzo Menifield

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Volkan Oezdemir

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Myktybek Orolbai

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Jack Hermansson

Makes His Welterweight Debut
Kyoji Horiguchi

Returns To The UFC
Elly De La Cruz

Played Through Partially Torn Quad to End 2025
Tarik Skubal

Tigers "Doubtful" to Trade Tarik Skubal

RANKINGS

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RB
WR
TE
K
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RANKINGS
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