Fantasy Football: 3 Quarterback Streaming Options for Week 3

Streaming quarterbacks remains an integral part of fantasy football for those who were willing to wait on the position in favor of loading up their lineups in drafts.

It's not always the preferred option, as putting top-shelf guys in your lineup and forgetting it is always nice, but you can get some great value on the waiver wire each week to start at the position, keeping you competitive on a week-to-week basis.

Whether it's 10-team or 12-team leagues, there are going to be options out there to choose from.

When it comes to streaming a quarterback, there are multiple factors in play with none being more important than the defense they're opposing. From there, you can look at the situation they're in, what they've been doing as of late, and more. All of this matters -- especially when you're trying to find points at the most important position in football.

Week 3 has a number of good matchups for lower-tier quarterbacks, so the waiver wire should give you options. Here are three quarterbacks to consider for your lineups.

Quarterback Streamers for Week 3

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Week 3 Opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

Matthew Stafford is, well, pretty much the same guy he's always been -- just a bit older -- which means he should be on fantasy football radars moving forward.

Stafford has finished with 300-plus yards in each of his first two games. As a result, the Los Angeles Rams have looked far more competent than anyone was willing to give them credit for heading into the season. The Rams' offense was able to score 23 points against the daunting San Francisco 49ers defense and will have a better matchup on Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Through the first two weeks, the Bengals have allowed 21.7 and 22.9 points to Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson. While Stafford doesn't have the rushing upside that both Watson and Jackson offer, he should still be able to continue his success.

Coming into the season, the secondary of the Bengals was ranked 15th by Pro Football Focus, so they're nothing to worry about -- especially with how Puka Nacua and company have played with Stafford throwing them the ball. Now, he just needs to start throwing some touchdowns.

One touchdown in two weeks feels more like bad luck for Stafford than anything else, seeing that he's already thrown the ball 93 times. The beauty of using Stafford this week (and in the future) is that the Rams should be playing from behind, so he's going to have to throw -- a lot. Though, if Joe Burrow and the Bengals keep playing the way they are, things could be much like Week 1 and 2 for the Rams, where it's back and forth -- still a game script for Stafford to deliver.

If you're in need of quarterback help, Stafford is someone to consider.

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

Week 3 Opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

Welcome to garbage time with C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. Sometimes, you should be taking advantage of bad teams in fantasy football and this is one of them.

The Texans have shown in their first two weeks that it's going to be a long year. Sure, they had some fight in them Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens, but Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts showed where they really are at this stage -- not great.

However, that doesn't mean the fantasy numbers can't add up, though, as Stroud and the offense look more and more capable. The rookie signal-caller's final line looked great by the end of their loss to the Colts because he finished with 384 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. It wasn't a perfect game, as he did have a fumble, but based on the eye test alone, there's plenty to be excited about with Stroud moving forward.

The matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars this week is a well-timed one for Stroud. The game is opening at 44.5 over/under, so points should be expected. And if they have to mostly wait until the second half for Stroud, so be it.

Anthony Richardson scored 21.9 fantasy points in Week 1 against the Jaguars, and Patrick Mahomes scored 22.2 in Week 2. This isn't to say Stroud offers the rushing ability of Richardson or compares to Mahomes, but it is to say that points are to be had against the Jaguars, and the Texans rookie can make it happen.

Being rostered by so few teams in redraft leagues, Stroud not only should be added from the waiver wire as a streamer this week, but he could become a weekly starter sooner rather than later.

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 3 Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been a fun team to watch this season, and about 99% of the reason is Baker Mayfield.

Last week, Mayfield was a streamer for good reason, and he went on to finish with 18.4 points. He ranks as the QB14 on the season, and while it's not a "sexy" output week after week, it's solid nonetheless.

The realization has hit for many that despite Mayfield's many struggles in the past, he has a supporting cast on offense that is arguably the most talented he's ever had.

Mike Evans has seemingly enjoyed the work with his new quarterback, as he finished Week 2 with 6 receptions for 161 yards and a touchdown. That's one week after having 6 receptions for 66 yards and, you guessed it, a touchdown. Chris Godwin has had two straight weeks of 5 catches for 50-plus yards, so things are going well. Add in that the Bucs are 2-0 to make it all the better.

Week 3 is going to be their toughest matchup of the season, though, as they take on the reigning NFC Champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles are also 2-0 and are likely to be one of football's best all year -- but their defense can be beaten as we've seen through the first two weeks.

Against the Eagles, Mac Jones finished as the QB2 in Week 1 while Kirk Cousins finished as the QB1 in Week 2. They're giving up a lot of fantasy points through the air, and for a guy like Mayfield, this makes him the best streamer of the week.

Jones and Cousins have the same play style as Mayfield, so it's not crazy to expect some gaudy numbers if he can keep it up. If this game were in Philadelphia, maybe we'd stay away, but with it being in Tampa Bay on a Monday night, this feels as good as any to roll out Mayfield in your lineup.

We know who Mayfield is by now -- but if the Eagles are putting up points, he should be able to put up some great garbage time points at the very, very least. Grab him from the waiver wire and start him.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.