NFL Fantasy 2022 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 3: Quarterbacks

After a rough Week 1 in one of the toughest matchups for a quarterback, he bounced back in a better matchup against the Falcons in Week 2. He threw for 272 yards, which included three touchdowns and two interceptions, finishing with 18.98 fantasy points. Stafford has another good matchup this week against the Cardinals, who have allowed the most fantasy PPG to QBs early on at 26.94. That included a five touchdown game to Patrick Mahomes in Week 1 and then allowing 18.98 fantasy points to Derek Carr in Week 2. Even if Stafford is closer to Carr than Mahomes, that is a safe floor, and he brings more upside. Last year in two games against Arizona, Stafford threw for 280-plus yards in each, with five total touchdown passes.  

Burrow has not had the start many expected after last year’s Super Bowl run. The offensive line continues to be an issue for Burrow and the Bengals, despite having four new starters this year. In Week 1, Burrow put up numbers throwing for 338 yards with two touchdowns, while rushing for a career-high 47 yards. But he uncharacteristically threw four interceptions. He fixed the turnover issue in Week 2, but threw for just 199 yards and one touchdown, while being sacked six times by the Cowboys. That was after being sacked seven times in Week 1. However, next week he gets a Jets defense that has just three sacks all year. Burrow is far too talented to struggle like this for long. A matchup like this against the Jets should be the get-right game he and Cincinnati need.  

Cousins was a start in Week 2, and he failed to live up to the billing. Honestly, it's my fault for not realizing it was a national, prime-time game. We know Cousins thrives in that environment! The Philly defense also deserves credit for its performance. But Cousins should bounce back against a Lions defense that has allowed the third-most fantasy PPG to QBs so far this season (26.25). Cousins faced the Lions twice last season, throwing for 275 with a touchdown and interception in the first game and then 340 yards and two scores in the second. Cousins and the Vikings offense should bounce back this week.  

A revenge game! Wentz has played really well to start the season. Wentz has scored 27.7 fantasy points in each game this season and has been a top-5 fantasy QB in each week. Wentz has thrown for over 300 yards in each game with at least three touchdowns in both, throwing seven total. He faces an Eagles defense that has a lot of talent but has showed mixed performances early on. They allowed a ton of points to the Lions in Week 1, before holding the Vikings in check in Week 2. But, this is about trusting the weapons around Wentz. Washington is low-key loaded with playmakers -- having Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, who can beat defenses downfield, while Curtis Samuel, Logan Thomas and the RBs can win underneath. Wentz is in play as a streaming option who could potentially stick as more than that.  

Wilson threw for just 219 yards with one touchdown and interception, finishing with a 66.5 rating while completing fewer than half his pass attempts in Week 2. Perhaps even more worrisome than that is that Wilson has just five rushing yards through two games. If he is no longer running like he used to, we are solely dependent on his arm, which lowers both his floor and ceiling in fantasy football. Wilson now takes on the 49ers, who have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy PPG to QBs so far (9.86). That is heavily influenced by the opponents (Justin Fields and Geno Smith) but this Niners defense is a tough one. That paired with the fact that Russ has struggled out the gate has him as the big name QB to sit this week (was Stafford in Week 1, Tom Brady in Week 2). 

This one hurts because I am a big Tagovailoa believer, and he is coming off of a career game in which he threw for 469 yards, six touchdowns, while scoring just under 39 fantasy points against the Ravens. But this is a much tougher test, facing a Bills defense that has shut down opposing QBs this season after allowing the fewest fantasy PPG, passing yards and TDs to QBs in 2021. Buffalo limited Stafford to just 8.5 fantasy points in Week 1, picking him off three times. In Week 2, Ryan Tannehill scored just 0.88 fantasy points, while throwing two picks himself. It is a very different environment now than it was last year for Tagovailoa, but he struggled in his game against the Bills, throwing for 205 yards with zero touchdowns and one interception. This is a big test for Tua. If he passes and has a big game, then you can feel good about starting him weekly. But I am fine leaving him on the bench in the toughest matchup for a QB.  

Winston went full Winston in Week 2 against the Bucs, airing the ball downfield often, while struggling with turnovers (three interceptions). We also learned before that game that Winston reportedly is playing with four fractured vertebrae in his back. We will never know just how much that impacts Winston’s play on a weekly basis, but it is certainly something that has to have some impact. This week Winston faces the Panthers, who have allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy PPG to QBs (12.01). That is definitely influenced by playing Jacoby Brissett and Daniel Jones, but last year they ranked middle of the pack against QBs. Winston struggled against the Panthers last year, as he threw for just 111 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. This is a week to get away from him.

Ryan has been off to a slow start with the Colts and has scored just 17 fantasy points through two games. That is largely due to one bad game in Week 2, where he was without top wideout Michael Pittman. But still, Ryan has yet to show that we should trust him in this new offense, having thrown four interceptions to just one touchdown. Not only is he struggling passing the ball, but Ryan does not run much at all, meaning he cannot make up for it in that regard. This is a game that could look appealing as Ryan and the Colts might have to throw the ball to keep up with Mahomes and the Chiefs. But with the way Ryan has played to start the year, there are simply better options to stream in Week 3.