:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67455968/usa_today_10498991.0.jpg)
The top of this week’s fantasy football quarterback rankings are dominated by quarterbacks facing off in Week 3. Dak Prescott’s Dallas Cowboys head to Seattle to take on Russell Wilson’s white hot Seahawks as Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs take a trip to Baltimore to face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Joe Burrow and Gardner Minshew find their way to the QB1/2 border while Drew Brees and Tom Brady fight to get out of the mid-range QB2 realm.
Week 3’s Tiered Quarterback Rankings
| Rank | High Floor/High Ceiling QB1s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | High Floor/High Ceiling QB1s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
| 1 | Russell Wilson | SEA | DAL | Russ is cooking and this matchup won't do anything to change that. |
| 2 | Dak Prescott | DAL | at SEA | Dak will have all day to throw, facing Seattle's league-worst defensive line. |
| 3 | Lamar Jackson | BAL | KC | This game could easily clear 50 combined points. |
| 4 | Patrick Mahomes | KC | at BAL | One of the tougher matchups for Mahomes all year drops him to No. 4. Game script will be in his favor though. |
| 5 | Cam Newton | NE | LV | Newton could easily finish as this week's overall QB1. The Raiders' defense might be a joke but their offense isn't. The pace will be pushed. |
| 6 | Kyler Murray | ARI | DET | The 2nd-year breakout is in full effect. Kliff Kingsbury is finally able to play at the pace that he wants and Murray is eviscerating opponents in the process. |
| 7 | Josh Allen | BUF | LAR | Per Mike Clay (sourced below), the Bills have the "pass-heaviest offense in the NFL". Unsurprisingly, Allen has risen to the occasion. |
| 8 | Matt Ryan | ATL | CHI | Ryan is second in the league in pass attempts. Assuming Joe Burrow doesn't have another 61-attempt night, we can bank on Ryan taking the torch as being the highest-volume passer as the year progresses. |
| 9 | Ben Roethlisberger | PIT | HOU | Big Ben should light up the hapless Texans defense. |
| 10 | Joe Burrow | CIN | at PHI | Burrow's got the rushing floor and the pass catching corps to post serious fantasy numbers. |
| 11 | Deshaun Watson | HOU | at PIT | Tought matchup but Will Fuller appears to be ready to rock. |
| 12 | Aaron Rodgers | GB | at NO | New Orleans' offense will keep the Packers throwing. |
| Rank | High Floor/High Ceiling QB2s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
| 13 | Gardner Minshew | JAX | MIA | Minshew's efficiency has been outstanding and the Miami defense gives him an opporunity to continue his plus play. |
| 14 | Matthew Stafford | DET | at ARI | Subject to change depending on Kenny Golladay's availability. This is a great matchup though. The Cards' offense will push the pace and the Cards' defense can't stop anything. |
| 15 | Ryan Tannehill | TEN | at MIN | Tannehill's been lethal in the redzone and this is a great spot for the engine to keep on humming. |
| 16 | Carson Wentz | PHI | CIN | Wentz has been hitting his floor. Cincinnati's defense gives him a chance to find his ceiling. |
| 17 | Jared Goff | LAR | at BUF | Buffalo's defense is vulnerable to slot receivers and tight ends. |
| Rank | High Floor/Capped Ceiling QB2s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
| 18 | Drew Brees | NO | GB | Brees can only fall so far with Sean Payton's scheme and Brees' supporting cast. |
| 19 | Tom Brady | TB | at DEN | A trip to Mile High shouldn't yield too much passing work for Brady. |
| 20 | Baker Mayfield | CLE | WAS | Washington's D-line could be a limiting factor. |
| 21 | Daniel Jones | NYG | SF | SF's defense isn't as duanting as it was to start the season but the Giants' injury-depleted team is likely to struggle to move the chains. |
| 22 | Derek Carr | LV | at NE | Carr will be forced to push the pace as New England runs up the score. |
| Rank | Low Floor/High Ceiling QB2s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
| 23 | Mitchell Trubisky | CHI | at ATL | Anyone facing Atlanta has a chance at a Top 12 finish. |
| 24 | Ryan Fitzpatrick | MIA | at JAX | Fitz has as low of a floor as anyone but this matchup is perfect for one of his trademark high-ceiling games. |
| Rank | HighFloor/HighCeiling QB3 | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
| 25 | Justin Herbert | LAC | CAR | Herbert looked great in his last second start last week and Carolina's defense is shockingly bad. With Tyrod Taylor out indefinitely (lung) this is Herbert's ship to steer. His rushing ability catapults his weekly value to a point that he needs to be owned across all formats. As dictated in the Chargers' Team Preview, LAC's run defense schedule helps facilitate the team's overall rushing ability. |
| Rank | Low Floor/Capped Ceiling QB3s | Team | Opponent | Breakdown |
| 26 | Jimmy Garoppolo | SF | at NYG | The Niners should control this one via the ground game. |
| 27 | Teddy Bridgewater | CAR | at LAC | Too tough of a matchup for Teddy to be fantasy relevant. |
| 28 | Philip Rivers | IND | NYJ | High likelihood that the Colts' ground game completely takes over. |
| 29 | Dwayne Haskins | WAS | at CLE | Haskins' is steadily improving but his fantasy prospects are there yet. |
| 30 | Jeff Driskel | DEN | TB | A brutal matchup but Driskel has sneaky rushing and deep ball upside. |
| 31 | Kirk Cousins | MIN | TEN | With Kevin Stefanski gone, head coach Mike Zimmer has no one to protect him from himself. |
| 32 | Sam Darnold | NYJ | SF | Adam Gase is football poison. |
The Buffalo Bills’ passing ratio via Mike Clay, Matt Ryan’s passing attempts, and the Los Angeles Chargers’ run defense schedule.