NFL Fantasy 2023 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Quarterbacks for Week 3
- Quarterbacks
- Running backs
- Wide receivers
- Tight ends
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- Defenses
You have lineup questions, we have lineup answers — at least we hope so. Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is here to help fantasy managers make difficult roster decisions. And you know what is a good move? Starting Patrick Mahomes. But that’s too obvious, so you won’t see the reigning MVP here. Instead, we’re exploring more debatable situations. And if you can’t find a player you are looking for, please check out the latest NFL Fantasy lineup rankings.
Start ‘Em
Tua Tagovailoa wasn’t able to duplicate the transcendent QB1 performance he had in Week 1, scoring just over 12 fantasy points this past Sunday. Still, he leads the NFL with 715 passing yards and is a constant threat for a nuclear performance with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at his disposal. The Broncos’ defense is a tough matchup, but the unit did just allow Sam Howell to throw for 299 yards and two touchdowns. In fact, Denver has allowed multiple passing touchdowns in each game so far. Start Tagovailoa despite the matchup.
I had Kirk Cousins as a sit last week on the road against a tough Eagles defense. Boy, was I wrong. Cousins went off for 28.56 fantasy points — good enough to be the QB2 last week. I will not be making the same mistake twice. Cousins is one of two QBs (along with Tua Tagovailoa) to throw for more than 700 yards in the first two weeks. He’s tied for the league-lead with six passing touchdowns (alongside Jordan Love). And now he gets the Chargers, who have allowed the most passing yards in the league (666) thus far. Cousins — at home, in what projects as one of the highest-scoring games of the week — needs to be in your starting lineup.
After a down Week 1, Jared Goff bounced back in Week 2, throwing for 323 yards and three touchdowns (against one interception) on his way to just under 23 fantasy points. Now he faces a Falcons defense that just allowed three touchdown passes to Jordan Love. But even more importantly, Goff is at home. I’m not normally big into home/road splits, but it’s hard to ignore with this quarterback. Since last season, Goff has averaged more than 24 fantasy PPG at home, with 275 passing yards and 2.6 passing TDs per game — compared to 15.1 fantasy PPG and less than a TD per game on the road. Goff is once again in play this week.
After scoring 16.8 fantasy points in Week 1, Brock Purdy followed that up with 14.74 in Week 2 — but that was after a passing touchdown to Deebo Samuel was changed to a rush (by about an inch). With that TD, Purdy would have finished with just under 19 fantasy points (and that’s not even considering a couple near-miss deep shots he normally hits). He has been a middling fantasy option, but this start is about the matchup. The Giants’ defense didn’t give up a lot of production to Dak Prescott in Week 1, but that was because the Dallas defense (and RB Tony Pollard) did all the scoring. In Week 2, the Giants allowed more than 25 fantasy points to Joshua Dobbs. With Purdy, you get all the airborne production of the NFL’s best cast of weapons. He is a strong streaming option this week. (Oh, and full disclosure, this was originally going to be another Anthony Richardson start, and he is a must-play if active).
Sit ‘Em
This one is bold; I admit that. I’m not saying Trevor Lawrence is a must-sit, but if you have another option you feel good about, take it. Lawrence has thrown just two touchdown passes this season — and now he draws the Texans, who have allowed just one touchdown pass this season. Dating back to the start of 2022, they’ve allowed just 16 passing TD passes in total, fewest in the league. They have more interceptions (17) than TDs allowed in that span. Lawrence played Houston twice last season and threw for 219 yards per game, with no touchdowns and three interceptions combined. This could be a game where the Jags just rely on the ground attack. The bust factor is high this week with Lawrence.
Jordan Love has put up great fantasy numbers, but they’ve been heavily propped up by a high touchdown rate. He’s currently throwing a TD on 11.5 percent of passes — no one else in the league is even above eight percent. Last season, the highest rate in the league was Patrick Mahomes at 6.3 percent. So, yeah, that’s going to come crashing back down to earth at some point. And when it does, the other numbers aren’t all that pretty. Love is averaging 198 pass yards per game and has a 55.8 completion percentage. Plus, in Week 3, he draws the Saints, who’ve allowed just 351 passing yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in total this season.
Matthew Stafford and the Rams have been a fun story to start the season. And while we love Stafford for turning Puka Nacua into the new Cooper Kupp, that doesn’t mean we should be starting the veteran QB in fantasy. Not in this matchup, at least. The Bengals have allowed just 391 passing yards and three touchdowns through two games. Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson had good fantasy days against Cincinnati through their rushing production — Stafford hasn’t compiled 100 rushing yards in his entire Rams career (going on three seasons). I’m not in the business of streaming against defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. Plus, if Cincy QB Joe Burrow is out or limited, this could be a low-scoring game that favors the Los Angeles ground attack. There are better fantasy options this week.
Daniel Jones was a sit for me in Week 1 and a start in Week 2, when he finished as the QB1. On a short week at San Francisco with no Saquon Barkley? Far too dicey for me. The 49ers already have four interceptions this season — second in the NFL, behind only the Cowboys (five). They’ve allowed a 69.4 passer rating, fourth-lowest in the NFL. And they’ve generated pressure on 46 percent of dropbacks — a major pain point for the Giants’ offensive line this season. Jones is strong in the right matchups, but this is not one of them.
