Matthew Stafford among 4 fantasy football quarterbacks to avoid in Week 3
· Yahoo Sports
Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Matthew Stafford is among my four fantasy football quarterbacks to avoid in Week 3 of the 2026 NFL campaign.
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Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott and Brock Purdy lead my weekly Top 20 rankings, which are listed below. Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow, Bryce Young, Jared Goff and Justin Herbert are my other Top 10 plays.
Jayden Daniels and Jaxson Dart are among the quarterbacks who sustained injuries in Week 3 and should be removed from starting lineups. Continue to monitor the status of other injured passers before kickoffs.
My Top 50 running back and wide receiver rankings can be found here. My Week 3 waiver wire/free agent targets are also available.
Players from Thursday's Green Bay Packers-Atlanta Falcons game were removed from my rankings. Each of my four quarterbacks to avoid rank outside the Top 14 of my quarterback rankings and should likely not be started in leagues that include at least 14 teams.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is among my fantasy football players to avoid in Week 3. File Photo by Joe Marino/UPIMatthew Stafford
Stafford, the top fantasy football quarterback last season, is QB18 through the first two weeks of 2026. The Los Angeles Rams veteran failed to throw a touchdown pass in Week 1, when he logged just 155 yards and threw an interception.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in Tampa, Fla. File Photo by Jon Robichaud/UPIHe bounced back with a 327-yard, four-score performance in Week 2, but now is set to face a tough slate of secondaries. That daunting schedule starts with a meeting with the Denver Broncos on Sunday in Denver.
The Broncos allowed the eighth-fewest passing yards through two weeks. They allowed just 184 yards to Patrick Mahomes in Week 1 and 189 to Trevor Lawrence in Week 2.
Quarterback Bo Nix (10) and the Denver Broncos will host the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in Denver. File Photo by Jon Robichaud/UPIStafford could salvage his day with multiple touchdown tosses, but I don't expect a high yardage total, especially if star pass catcher Puka Nacua misses a second consecutive game. Stafford sits at No. 16 in my Week 3 rankings.
Trevor Lawrence
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen leads my Top 20 rankings for Week 3. File Photo by CJ Gunther/UPIThe aforementioned Lawrence started the season with a 245-yard, four-score performance against the Cleveland Browns, but came back down to earth in Week 2 against the Broncos.
This week, Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars will face the New England Patriots. The Patriots allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks so far this season. They allowed just one passing score through two weeks and just held Aaron Rodgers to 187 yards in Week 2. Rodgers also logged two turnovers in that matchup.
Look for the Patriots to control tempo in this matchup. Lawrence could air it out if the Jaguars fall behind, but I don't expect major fantasy production. He sits at No. 18 in my Week 3 rankings.
Baker Mayfield
Mayfield caps my list of Top 20 quarterbacks for Week 3. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers gunslinger totaled just one passing score through the first two weeks of the season. He also failed to eclipse 220 passing yards in either start during that span.
This week, Mayfield and the Buccaneers will face the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings allowed 387 passing yards and two scores to Jordan Love in Week 1, but held the Chicago Bears to just 163 passing yards and no scores in Week 2.
I expect the Vikings defense to keep that momentum in this matchup. Temper your expectations for Mayfield, who is off to a slow start and set to clash with a formidable defense.
Bo Nix
Nix logged two touchdown passes and two interceptions through his first two starts of the season for the 1-1 Broncos. He totaled just 131 yards in Week 1 against the Chiefs, but responded with a 288-yard performance in Week 2 against the Jaguars.
Now, he'll face a Rams defense that allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks through two weeks. That run included an allowance of just 131 passing yards to the New York Giant in Week 2. The Giants also failed to throw a touchdown pass in the meeting.
Look for Aaron Donald and the Rams defensive line to continue to gel. I expect this to be a low-scoring contest, with the Rams defense forcing conservative play from the Broncos offense.
It's hard to see Nix, who is not inside my Top 20 rankings, providing even low-end QB1 value.
Week 3 fantasy football quarterback rankings
1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills vs. LAC
2. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs at MIA
3. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens vs. DAL
4. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys vs. BAL
5. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers vs. ARI
6. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles at CHI
7. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals at PIT
8. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers at CLE
9. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions vs. NYJ
10. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers at BUF
11. Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings at TB
12. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts vs. HOU
13. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints vs. LV
14. Drake Maye, New England Patriots at JAX
15. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans at IND
16. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams at DEN
17. Geno Smith, New York Jets at DET
18. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. NE
19. Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders at NO
20. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. MIN