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USATSI

Lamar Jackson has been a quarterback over the past five years with incredible highs and inexplainable lows. So it's never a time to bet on him going nuclear and torching the league. But now may be one of the best times. Through two weeks he has 96 combined passes and rushes for 687 combined yards. To put those numbers in perspective Jalen Hurts has 579 combined passing and rushing yards. QB1 on the season has 529. Patrick Mahomes has 474. 

Jackson's problem, if there's a problem for the guy who currently sits at QB6 averaging 22.8 FPPG, has been touchdowns. This is not the first time this has happened. He posted a less-than-stellar 4.2 passing touchdown rate in 2021. He only scored three times on 112 rush attempts in 2022. But it's not been consistent either. Jackson posted a 5.3% passing touchdown rate last year, including five pass touchdowns in the Fantasy championship. His current pass TD rate is 2.7%, and he's yet to score on the ground.

If you're expecting me to make a buy low case for Jackson right now, you're 100% right. With the way Mahomes, Allen, and Hurts have started the year, I believe there is a legitimate chance that Jackson could be QB1 this year. If you have Allen or Hurts, I believe you can turn them into Jackson plus. 

If you don't have an elite QB, the person who has Jackson probably has an injury somewhere, who doesn't? See if you can give them help at that position while getting a major upgrade at the quarterback position. Jackson has been a Fantasy league winner as recently as Week 17 last year, and his early usage looks like he'll have the chance to be a league winner early this year. Some touchdown variance has given you the opportunity to buy him lower than you should be able to, don't wait until that moment passes.

Let's get to the rest of the preview:

Week 3 QB Preview
QB Preview
Numbers to know
  • 0 -- Rookie QBs have yet to throw a passing touchdown on a combined 196 pass attempts.
  • 550 -- Brock Purdy leads the NFL with 550 passing yards. The Fantasy points should follow.
  • 11.4 -- Derek Carr is averaging 11.4 yards per pass attempt. No one is playing better football through two weeks.
  • 19.6% -- 19.6% of Bryce Young's passes were off target, the worst mark in the league.
  • 205.7 -- Josh Allen is averaging 205.7 pass plus rush yards per game. That would be the lowest mark of his career.
  • 12.1% -- Trevor Lawrence has been sacked on 12.1% of his dropbacks, the highest percentage in the league.
QB Preview
Matchups that matter
Matchups that Matter
Projections powered by Sportsline
JAC Jacksonville • #16
Age: 24 • Experience: 4 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ BUF BUF -5.5 O/U 45.5
OPP VS QB
10th
PROJ PTS
16.5
QB RNK
22nd
YTD Stats
PAYDS
382
RUYDS
53
TD
1
INT
0
FPTS/G
13.3
NYJ N.Y. Jets • #8
Age: 40 • Experience: 20 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs NE NYJ -6.5 O/U 38.5
OPP VS QB
18th
PROJ PTS
15.6
QB RNK
17th
YTD Stats
PAYDS
343
RUYDS
0
TD
3
INT
1
FPTS/G
14.9
LV Las Vegas • #15
Age: 28 • Experience: 6 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs CAR LV -5.5 O/U 40.5
OPP VS QB
28th
PROJ PTS
16.7
QB RNK
19th
YTD Stats
PAYDS
533
RUYDS
4
TD
2
INT
2
FPTS/G
13.9
QB Preview
Waiver Wire Targets
Adds/Streamers (QB Preview)
NO New Orleans • #4
Age: 33 • Experience: 11 year
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs PHI NO -2.5 O/U 49.5
OPP VS QB
13th
QB RNK
11th
ROSTERED
47%
YTD Stats
PAYDS
443
RUYDS
14
TD
6
INT
1
FPTS/G
26.6
It's hard to overstate just how good Carr has been. He has a 12.8% touchdown rate and a 142.4 passer rating. Klint Kubiak's high-motion offense has set this team free, and Carr looks the best he ever has. While there is likely some regression coming, that just means Carr will get to throw more passes in the second half. Add him, and don't be afraid to start him this week.
LV Las Vegas • #15
Age: 28 • Experience: 6 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs CAR LV -5.5 O/U 40.5
OPP VS QB
25th
QB RNK
19th
ROSTERED
13%
YTD Stats
PAYDS
533
RUYDS
4
TD
2
INT
2
FPTS/G
13.9
Minshew is second in the NFL in passing yards and has two elite pass catchers in Davante Adams and Brock Bowers. The Panthers haven't stopped anyone all season, but I expect Andy Dalton to at least make them more competitive on the offensive side of the ball. If they stay in this game, Minshew could be a top-12 QB in Week 3.
CAR Carolina • #14
Age: 36 • Experience: 14 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ LV LV -5.5 O/U 40.5
OPP VS QB
9th
QB RNK
NR
ROSTERED
Generally, when we get a new QB in Superflex leagues, it's someone like Malik Willis or Skylar Thompson. Those guys should be added, but they aren't actually professional quarterbacks like Dalton. He's an instant upgrade for this offense and could be a starting QB2 if you need him in a decent matchup against the Raiders. Don't be surprised if Dalton reinvigorates Diontae Johnson and Chuba Hubbard as well.
One To Stash (QB Preview)
SEA Seattle • #7
Age: 33 • Experience: 12 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
vs MIA SEA -4.5 O/U 41.5
OPP VS QB
8th
QB RNK
15th
ROSTERED
42%
YTD Stats
PAYDS
498
RUYDS
38
TD
3
INT
1
FPTS/G
19.8
I don't really want to start Goff in Week 3 in a low-scoring game against the Dolphins, but he's at Detroit in Week 4 and could be a top-12 option if the offense looks as good as it did in Week 2. Smith is completing 73.9% of his passes so far this season despite the fact that his intended air yards per attempt are up 10% over 2023.
QB Preview
DFS Plays
Top DFS Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
BAL Baltimore • #8
Age: 27 • Experience: 7 yrs.
Weekly Breakdown
MATCHUP
@ DAL BAL -1 O/U 49
OPP VS QB
8th
PROJ PTS
23.8
QB RNK
2nd
YTD Stats
PAYDS
520
RUYDS
167
TD
2
INT
1
FPTS/G
22.7
Jackson is my highest-projected QB on the slate in a game that has the second-highest over/under on the main slate. The Cowboys were just lit up through the air by Derek Carr and gave up 7.8 yards per carry to Deshaun Watson in Week 1. I expect both teams to score a bunch of points, which makes this more of a Jackson game than a Derrick Henry game. The first two weeks of the season, he's averaged 343.5 combined passing and rushing yards per game.
Contrarian DFS Play
Projections powered by Sportsline
IND Indianapolis • #5
Age: 22 • Experience: 2 yrs.
The Bears have a very good defense, which is why Richardson isn't a cash game play this week. But he is my top points/dollar play, and at a low projected roster rate, that makes him a great tournament play. His play has been wildly inconsistent, but the running ability and cannon for an arm make him a high-upside play against any defense.
QB Preview
Heath's projections

My full set of Week 3 Fantasy football projections for every position are now available on SportsLine. You'll find them here. Find out which of my favorite plays are projected to score higher than consensus rankings and which don't live up to their draft hype, at least in Week 2. Projected stats for all starting quarterbacks are available, so be sure to check out the full set of projections at SportsLine.

Who should you start and sit this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 3 Fantasy rankings for every position, plus see which quarterback comes out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that has outperformed experts big-time.