2026 Fantasy Football: Week 3 Quarterback Rankings

Welcome to our Week 3 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings!

Week 2 brought a lot of clarity to the misconceptions of Week 1. However, we also have plenty of new question marks heading into Week 3. As tempted as I was to lower Justin Herbert in my rankings after a brutal opening week, I held fast and kept him inside my top 10 for Week 2. Unfortunately, he underdelivered once again.

Week 2 Takeaways & Week 3 Process

The situation in Los Angeles is officially concerning. As a result, it is time to press the panic button on Herbert moving forward.

Of course, better days could theoretically be ahead. But when Quentin Johnston is your WR1 and Herbert—a player known for his off-script mobility—only scrambles for two yards, that is a massive red flag. It’s tough to envision a quick turnaround. However, if it is going to happen, it has to be this week in Buffalo, where he’ll be forced to throw to keep pace with a flaming-hot Josh Allen.

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On the flip side, we’ve seen some incredible surprises. For instance, Drew Lock showed some serious chops with 21.4 fantasy points thanks to Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s dominance. Therefore, if Lock is forced to make another start, he’s a surprisingly viable low-end Superflex play.

Meanwhile, Bryce Young and Tyler Shough continue to put up legitimate QB1 numbers through two weeks. I am putting some well-deserved respect on their names this week by ranking both inside my QB1 tier. Barring extreme matchup hurdles or major injury setbacks, they’ve earned that trust. If you took a shot on them on draft day or streamed them last week, give yourself a pat on the back! You know your stuff and you’re likely sitting pretty at 2-0.

Whether you’re 2-0, 1-1, or 0-2, don’t rest on your laurels and don’t panic! There is still a ton of the season ahead, and we take it one week at a time. Without further ado, here are my Week 3 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings!

Tier 1: League of His Own (Still)

1. Josh Allen (vs. LAC)

Josh Allen (QB1): Allen kept his foot firmly on the accelerator following his explosive Week 1 performance (35.7 fantasy points), topping it with a staggering 40.8 fantasy points in Week 2. He carved up the field for 248 passing yards and three touchdowns while adding 69 rushing yards and two more scores on 14 carries. He is the ultimate slam-dunk QB1 for Week 3 and remains in a tier completely of his own.

Tier 2: Elite QB1s

2. Lamar Jackson (@ DAL) | 3. Patrick Mahomes II (@ MIA) | 4. Dak Prescott (vs. BAL) | 5. Brock Purdy (vs. ARI) | 6. Jalen Hurts (@ CHI)

Lamar Jackson (QB2): Lamar didn’t reach his usual sky-high ceiling last week, but his elite rushing floor keeps him locked in as my QB2. Traveling to Dallas—a venue where opposing quarterbacks consistently produce—sets up a massive bounce-back spot in what should be an uptempo, high-scoring affair.

Dak Prescott (QB4): Speaking of that matchup, Dak had a tremendous bounce-back performance of his own. After a quiet 15.4-point outing in Week 1, he shredded the Commanders for 29.8 fantasy points, throwing for 279 yards and four touchdowns while adding 26 yards on the ground. Expect that high-volume production to continue as Dallas hosts a Ravens defense that just allowed rookie Tyler Shough to drop 22.4 fantasy points.

Tier 3: High-End QBs with Upside

7. Jared Goff (vs. NYJ) | 8. Joe Burrow (@ PIT) | 9. Tyler Shough (vs. LV) | 10. Trevor Lawrence (vs. NE) | 11. Kyler Murray (@ TB) | 12. Bryce Young (@ CLE) | 13. Jordan Love (vs. ATL)

Tyler Shough (QB9): Shough just keeps producing. Following a 25.2-point debut in Week 1, the sophomore signal-caller delivered 22.4 fantasy points against Baltimore, recording 252 passing yards, a touchdown, and 23 rushing yards with a score on nine carries. He gets a favorable home matchup against the Raiders where he can easily maintain this QB1 pace.

Bryce Young (QB12): Don’t look now, but Young is sitting as the overall QB2 through the first two weeks of the season. After dropping 32.4 points in Week 1, he backed it up with 24.1 points and three passing touchdowns in Week 2. Ride the hot hand and keep starting him with confidence.

Tier 4: Talented with Tough Matchups

14. Matthew Stafford (@ DEN) | 15. Drake Maye (@ JAC) | 16. Justin Herbert (@ BUF) | 17. Bo Nix (vs. LAR)

Matthew Stafford (QB14): Stafford bounced back in a huge way after a dismal 5.1-point opener in Australia, posting 28.0 fantasy points to finish as the QB6 in Week 2—all without Puka Nacua. With Nacua trending toward a return, Stafford should maintain strong volume, even in a tough road environment in Denver.

Justin Herbert (QB16): Herbert has been a fantasy disappointment so far. While it’s too early to completely drop him into desperation territory, caution is warranted. Traveling to Buffalo forces a high-volume passing script to keep up with Josh Allen. Therefore, this will be his final test to prove whether he belongs in the weekly QB1/high-end QB2 conversation.

Tier 5: QB2s with Some Upside

18. Geno Smith (@ DET) | 19. Malik Willis (vs. KC) | 20. Baker Mayfield (vs. MIN) | 21. Kirk Cousins (@ NO) | 22. Drew Lock (@ WAS) | 23. Jacoby Brissett (@ SF)

Geno Smith (QB18): Ranking Smith here might feel elevated. However, a road matchup in Detroit against Jared Goff forces Seattle to chase points all game. As a result, that negative game script provides a solid passing floor, especially with Adonai Mitchell emerging alongside Garrett Wilson.

Malik Willis (QB19): While this might lean aggressive on Willis, his rushing upside provides a sturdy floor. If Miami falls behind early against Kansas City, Willis will be forced to push the ball downfield and scramble often. Consequently, that gives him enough total volume to finish as a viable low-end QB2 option.

Tier 6: Floor QB2 Options

24. C.J. Stroud (@ IND) | 25. Deshaun Watson (vs. CAR) | 26. Marcus Mariota (vs. SEA) | 27. Cam Ward (@ NYG) | 28. Jameis Winston (vs. TEN)

Tier 7: Deep Superflex & Desperation Plays

29. Daniel Jones (vs. HOU) | 30. Aaron Rodgers (vs. CIN) | 31. Case Keenum (vs. PHI) | 32. Michael Penix Jr. (@ GB)

Check out all of our Week 3 Rankings: Flex Rankings | QB Rankings | RB Rankings | WR Rankings | TE Rankings | MOP Rankings

📊 Fantasy Football Week 3 Quarterback Rankings

Final Thoughts

If you made it all the way to the bottom of this article, it means one thing: you are dead serious about securing a crucial Week 3 victory.

Whether you’re sitting at 2-0, trying to rebound from a 1-1 split, or fighting back from an 0-2 start, don’t rest on your laurels and don’t panic! There is still a ton of the season left to play, and momentum is built one week at a time. Every single matchup matters down the stretch when tiebreakers and total points come into play, so why leave your season to chance later when you can establish control right now?

Trust the process, make those bold lineup decisions, and let these rankings steer your roster in the right direction.

Got a tough start/sit decision this week? Leave a comment down below or hit me up on X/Twitter @AintDunneYet! I’d be happy to break down your lineup dilemmas at QB or any other position on your roster.

Thanks for reading, good luck this week, and God bless. Let’s go dominate Week 3!