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Who Should I Start for Week 3? Fantasy Football outlooks for Baker Mayfield, Dak Prescott, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Jameis Winston, Aaron Rodgers, Sam Darnold.
Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some of the most common Week 3 fantasy football lineup decisions involve players like Baker Mayfield, Dak Prescott, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Jameis Winston, Aaron Rodgers, and Sam Darnold. However, don't worry, we are here to help you make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 3. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...
Week 3 Fantasy Football Outlooks
Below are some fantasy football outlooks written by our NFL team here at RotoBaller, bringing you their fantasy football analysis and advice on which players to consider starting in Week 3:
Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (glute) will return to the lineup in Week 3 against the Washington Commanders. Darnold was hurt on Seattle's first possession of the season, so he has only attempted two passes this year. However, Seattle has such a great offensive infrastructure in place that Darnold should be able to step back into the starting role with ease. He draws an easy matchup against the Commanders in Week 3.
Washington is allowing 27.24 fantasy points per game to opposing wide receivers. While Darnold does not figure to have a huge outing, he should be highly efficient and accumulate QB2 numbers. For now, he should only be considered in two-quarterback leagues. Do not be surprised if Seattle leans heavily on the running game while they ease Darnold into the 2026 season, limiting his upside in Week 3.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is off to a slow start to the season. Through two games, Mayfield has thrown for 398 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Fantasy managers expected more from Mayfield out of the gate, given his success under center since joining the Bucs in 2023. It's unlikely going to get better for Mayfield this weekend against the Minnesota Vikings defense.
A defensive unit that didn't allow a passing touchdown to the Chicago Bears in Week 2. At some point, Mayfield should turn a corner, but until then, fantasy managers should put him in the QB2 conversation for Week 3.
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson rebounded from a rough Week 1 against the Jaguars and had a good statistical game against the Buccaneers in Week 2. The much-maligned quarterback was 24-for-30 passing for 238 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Watson is still a tough option to start at quarterback as he has a home game with the Panthers in Week 3.
The Panthers defense gave up 59 points to the Chicago Bears in the opening week but rebounded to allow just three points to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2. Both Watson and the Panthers defense are coming off of bounce-back efforts so it will be interesting to see what gives in Week 3. The Panthers have star defensive backs in Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson along with Derrick Brown on the defensive line but will be playing without linebacker Devin Lloyd and safety Nick Scott.
Watson has an emerging bond with receiver Denzel Boston who has touchdowns in each of the first two games. Look for Watson to look Boston's way more in Week 3 and maybe get tight end Harold Fannin Jr. more involved. Watson tossed a TD pass to backup tight end Blake Whiteheart in Week 2. We still need to see more good performances from Watson before considering him a starting fantasy option even in deep leagues.
Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a poor showing in a loss to New England last week but will hope to get back on track against the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3. Through the first two weeks of the season, Cincinnati's defense has given up the eighth-fewest points and the 10th-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.
Even if wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (foot), who is listed as questionable after practicing in a limited capacity this week, is able to return, it's difficult to trust Rodgers and this passing attack to put up fantasy-relevant production on Sunday. The 42-year-old signal-caller should be viewed as a bottom-10 starter at the position in 2QB and superflex leagues.
Jameis Winston, New York Giants
New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston will make his first start of the 2026 season in Week 3 against the Tennessee Titans. Winston replaced the injured Jaxson Dart, who underwent surgery after a significant knee injury sustained against the Los Angeles Rams. Winston struggled in relief last week, completing 11 of 27 passes for 111 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception.
With Dart done for the season, Matt Nagy's offense could become even more run-heavy to limit turnover opportunities. He faces an ideal matchup against the Tennessee Titans, who allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks in 2025. However, rain and heavy winds are expected in East Rutherford on Sunday and could force both teams to lean on their running games, leading to a potential low-scoring affair. In Week 3, Winston is better left on fantasy benches in both single and 2QB formats.
Who Should I Start Tool
You can also see the Who Should I Start tool here.
Week 3 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Baker Mayfield, Dak Prescott, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Jameis Winston, Aaron Rodgers, Sam Darnold. 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, players 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 to 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 Baker Mayfield, Dak Prescott, Deshaun Watson, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Jameis Winston, Aaron Rodgers, Sam Darnold.
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