Fantasy Football Week 3 Quarterback Start/Sit: Derek Carr, Brock Purdy, Aaron Rodgers and More

Quarterbacks have been really disappointing this season. Just 12 QBs have at least 30 fantasy points through the first two weeks (according to FantasyPros). Here are the number of quarterbacks over the past 11 years who scored at least 30 fantasy points over the opening two weeks:

• 2023: 22
• 2022: 19
• 2021: 25
• 2020: 22
• 2019: 19
• 2018: 22
• 2017: 13
• 2016: 21
• 2015: 16
• 2014: 16
• 2013: 19

I was going to stop after just a few years, but FantasyPros has this data back to 2013, and the relevant numbers kept showing up. Only once in 11 seasons did the 30-point club fall almost as low as in 2024, while just two other seasons (2014 and 2015) were even close.

This has been as slow of a start to a season by fantasy quarterbacks as any time during the past decade. The data above reaches back to another era of football: Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and E.J. Manuel were a few of the names I noticed while scanning through.

Given the dominance of the passing game in today’s NFL, the lack of high-end fantasy quarterback play stands out even more. It’s probably just a small-sample anomaly; no one would be surprised if multiple passers went over 400 yards this week.

With the emergence of running quarterbacks, though, guys will probably put the ball in the air at a high rate less often, making for more rushing yards and less explosive plays. The most likely outcome is that passing picks back up and quarterbacks get back on track, but it’s worth watching to see if this trend continues further into the season.

Let’s look at three quarterbacks to start and three to sit this week in fantasy football. These are guys who are questionable as starters week-to-week; I don’t need to tell you to play Lamar Jackson and bench Andy Dalton. This is more about the QBs on whom you will have to make tough decisions and who has the best chance of succeeding.

Start

Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Carr has been on fire the first two weeks. While his team has won both by a combined score of 91-29, Carr has completed 77% of his passes for 443 yards (11.4 per attempt) with five touchdowns and one interception. He even added a rushing touchdown.

I combed through his game logs, and while I didn’t crunch every number, this is probably the best two-game stretch of Carr’s career, and it’s undoubtedly his best stretch with the Saints. The team made a change to Klint Kubiak at offensive coordinator in the offseason, a switch that appears to be one of the best any team made.

While Carr will regress from the numbers he has now, he could still be a successful quarterback in the new scheme. Matchups will play a big part in that, and Week 3 looks to be in his favor.

The Eagles struggled against the pass last season, one of the reasons they fell off at the end of the year and were beaten in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. Philly allowed the fifth-most passing yards last season, though they were middle of the road in yards per attempt.

They were a bottom-two team in terms of allowing fantasy points to quarterbacks, and that hasn’t improved much in 2024. Jordan Love and Kirk Cousins combined for 501 yards, four touchdowns and just one interception. Both quarterbacks took only one sack.

Even if Carr begins regressing this week, the matchup is good enough to possibly put him in your lineup. Don’t bench a star in favor of the New Orleans QB, but Carr is positioned for another strong fantasy outing.

Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams

Purdy has been strong through two games, just like usual, but hasn’t found the end zone much; that will kill a fantasy performance. Despite 550 yards (8.5 per attempt), Purdy has just one touchdown and one interception while getting sacked eight times. That’s good but a little concerning.

Things will probably be fine. It’s only been two games, and the 49ers have a machine of an offense. Christian McCaffrey is on IR, though, and Deebo Samuel Sr. will now miss a couple games. This team is one injury from crisis mode, especially with first-round receiver Ricky Pearsall out at least two more games.

I’m relying on the offense staying efficient: Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and Kyle Shanahan are all in place, and this team has shown they can produce one of the most consistently awesome offensive attacks in football. Just keep an eye on this situation if things get worse.

The Rams are coming off maybe the worst defensive performance of any team this season. In a 41-10 loss to the Cardinals, LA allowed Kyler Murray to complete 81% of his passes for 266 yards (12.7 per attempt), three touchdowns and no interceptions. He was only sacked once and ran for almost 60 yards.

It was a QB1 performance for Murray, and while Purdy isn’t going to add the rushing value, Murray just showed how vulnerable this team is on defense. Jared Goff had a quieter day in Week 1 against the Rams, throwing for 217 yards with a touchdown and an interception, but he still averaged almost 8 yards per attempt; this is a compromised defense that can be targeted.

Purdy is likely to continue racking up yards, and he’ll throw more touchdowns just by pure luck if nothing else. This is a strong fantasy quarterback facing off against a team that has struggled mightily stopping the pass. Things are in Purdy’s favor.

Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns vs. New York Giants

We just saw Washington rookie Jayden Daniels put together a strong performance against the Giants: 79% completion, 226 yards (7.8 per attempt) and 44 rushing yards. He didn’t get in the end zone, hurting his overall fantasy score, but it was a successful day for the young quarterback.

Watson is a very similar player to Daniels in that he has the ability to get out and run but isn’t as strong throwing the ball right now. It’s a super small sample, but Watson currently is averaging the lowest yards per pass attempt and highest yards per rush attempt (other than his seven-game rookie year) of his career.

The best way for Watson and the Browns to be successful is probably to rely on his running ability and the play action game to get him on the move. Racking up rushing yards is a great way to create a decent fantasy floor and give more chances at finding the end zone. I’m not counting on him being a consistent option, but there are weeks in which Watson will be someone to consider.

This is one of those weeks. The Giants were dominated by the Vikings in Week 1, so Sam Darnold didn’t have to do much, but he completed 79% of his passes at 8.7 yards per attempt, throwing two touchdowns and an interception. New York has allowed quarterbacks to succeed in the first two weeks.

Don’t count on him as a high-level player, but Watson could have weeks as a feasible fantasy option because he will run the ball, and the matchup against the Giants is a great target.

Sit

Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons vs. Kansas City Chiefs

After a poor Week 1, Cousins bounced back against the Eagles, particularly at the end of the game when his team needed a score. He finished with 241 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions and just one sack.

He’s facing one of the toughest defenses around, though, as the Chiefs had maybe the best pass defense in the league last season and boast stars at every level.

Cousins has been limited in his movement while returning from an Achilles tear, and whether that’s by design or just his limitation when the play starts, Chris Jones is going to be rushing from the inside, creating havoc in the pocket. If Cousins can’t move, the Falcons will either have to get the ball out of his hands quick or scheme to slow down the star defensive tackle.

Cousins as a fantasy player is very dependent on his opponent. Last week against the Eagles was a good time to consider him, but against a tougher opponent like Kansas City, he shouldn’t be in lineups unless you’re desperate in a two-QB league.

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh has been very good against quarterbacks through two weeks:

• Week 1, Cousins: 155 yards, 6 per attempt, 1 TD, 2 INT
• Week 2, Bo Nix: 246 yards, 7 per attempt, 0 TD, 2 INT

That’s not a murderer’s row, and Nix did OK, but the Steelers have superstars on their defense, led by pass rusher T.J. Watt, and they will be a headache for every quarterback. The pocket doesn’t last long with Watt on the field.

Herbert has only thrown the ball 46 times in the first two games as the team has had leads and experienced success running the ball. It has worked in terms of winning games, but Herbert’s stat line has suffered, leaving him as a poor fantasy option.

Herbert’s season line looks like one good game when he’s slinging it at his best: 31-46, 274 yards, three touchdowns, one interception. In what could be a low-scoring game against a good defense, Herbert is likely to be held to a modest box score again, making him a player to keep on the bench.

Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets vs. New England Patriots

Rodgers hasn’t starred in his return to action: He’s been under 200 yards in both games, with three total touchdowns and one interception. Rodgers has been fine. He hasn’t been a fantasy starter, though, and isn’t set up for success in Week 3.

As many questions as they have on offense, the Patriots create just as many issues for their opponents on defense. New England had a top pass defense last year and held Joe Burrow to 164 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in Week 1.

Really big caveat: The Pats just got shredded by Geno Smith when the Seahawks took down New England in overtime in Week 2. Smith threw for 327 yards, and while he had 44 attempts, that’s still a good 7.4 yards per attempt. It was a successful day for the Seattle passer.

I’m willing to bet on the longer period of the Patriots playing solid pass defense, though, and project them to go back to shutting down their opponents. This is likely to be another low-scoring game, with both teams featuring good defenses and compromised offenses.

The running backs will be fantasy starters in this one, but everyone else is questionable at best (including Garrett Wilson).