Deshaun Watson or Gardner Minshew or Sam Darnold: Who should I start for Week 3 fantasy football?

Streaming quarterbacks has become a popular strategy when setting fantasy football lineups. The basic idea is to target a quarterback with upside who is playing in a favorable weekly situation.

Deshaun Watson, Gardner Minshew and Sam Darnold are three potential options when using this strategy in Week 3. Here's a look at which one is the best pick.

Is Deshaun Watson a good fantasy pick in Week 3?

Deshaun Watson

Deshaun Watson was once one of the best overall fantasy football quarterbacks. He recorded three consecutive finishes among the top five players in his position when he was still with the Houston Texans.

He hasn't been the same player during his time with the Cleveland Browns and has played in just 12 games across the past two seasons.

The superstar is quietly having a solid 2024 fantasy football season so far, so he could be on the rise. He currently ranks as the QB14 after his first two games and makes for an intriguing option to target in a favorable matchup with the New York Giants.

Is Gardner Minshew a good fantasy pick in Week 3?

Gardner Minshew

Gardner Minshew beat out Aidan O'Connell for the Las Vegas Raiders' starting quarterback job ahead of the 2024 NFL season. This has yet to result in a breakout fantasy football performance this year as he has finished as the QB17 and QB20 in his first two weeks, respectively.

The good news for Minshew is that he has an ideal opportunity to bounce back in Week 3 against the Carolina Panthers, arguably the worst overall team in the league. This gives him value as a streaming option, though his low floor still makes him a risky pick.

Is Sam Darnold a good fantasy pick in Week 3?

Sam Darnold

Sam Darnold was called upon to take over as the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings when JJ McCarthy suffered an injury before Week 1. The veteran has responded by finishing as the QB14 and QB4 in his first two games of the 2024 fantasy football season.

He will now enter Week 3 as the overall QB11 when he faces off against the Houston Texans. He makes for a solid quarterback to target in fantasy football in what has the potential to be a high-scoring game.

Deshaun Watson or Gardner Minshew or Sam Darnold: Who Should I Start in Fantasy Football Week 3?

Who Should I Start

Sam Darnold is a better Week 3 option for fantasy football lineups than Deshaun Watson or Gardner Minshew. Sportskeeda's Who Should I Start tool projects that Darnold will score at least 3.5 additional fantasy points than Watson or Minshew this week.

The Vikings and Texans are playing in a potentially high-scoring game, which helps Darnold's overall fantasy outlook for Week 3. The fact that he has outperformed Watson and Minshew so far this season further confirms that he is the right pick.