NFL Week 3 newest buzz, questions, information and fantasy suggestions

We’re on to Week 3 of the NFL season, and league insiders Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano are breaking down the latest news and notable buzz.

There’s a lot to talk about following Week 2. What should the Bengals do in the aftermath of Joe Burrow’s turf toe injury, and what will they do? How are things going with the Aaron Rodgers-Steelers partnership through two weeks? Which quarterbacks in the league are most in danger of being benched?

Jeremy and Dan made some calls around the league to get the latest on those situations. They also identified preseason notions that they’re already adjusting after two weeks of play. It’s all here, as Dan and Jeremy answer big questions and empty their reporting notebooks heading into Week 3.

Jump to:
Bengals’ QB plans | Early Rodgers returns
Early-season surprises | QBs on the hot seat
More notes on Week 3

What’s next for the Bengals with Joe Burrow out? What are you hearing out of Cincinnati?

Graziano: The Bengals believe in Jake Browning’s ability to operate their offense and win games. They cite the work he did over the second half of the 2023 season when Burrow went down because of a wrist injury. They went 4-3 in games Browning started, and he’s now in his fifth season in their system, knows the offense well and has more experience than he had then.

If it goes badly for Browning, and the Bengals are losing, then could I see them considering outside options. (They signed Mike White and Sean Clifford to their practice squad this week.) But they believe they have one of the best, if not the best, backup quarterback situations in the league. Nobody wants to have to test that out, but that’s where the Bengals are right now. If they can win only one of their next four games — at Minnesota, at Denver, home vs. Detroit, at Green Bay — they’ll come out of their toughest stretch of the season 3-3 and in position to contend for a division title and playoff spot with the strong group they have around Browning. If they can go 2-2 or better, they’ll feel fantastic.

Fowler: Browning has earned a lot of credibility inside the Bengals’ organization for his confidence, ability to operate the offense and the relationships he has developed with Cincinnati’s offensive players. He’s known to prepare incredibly hard and completely understands the game plan and opposing defensive schemes.

Is that enough to offset the loss of Burrow? Of course not. But there is a feeling that if Browning and the Bengals can hold it down for a few months, maybe they can get Burrow back for a late-season push. Bengals sources reiterate hope of Burrow being back by mid-December. They know that isn’t a slam dunk, but it’s possible.

Also, the Bengals feel as if luck might be on their side more this season than last, when they lost games every way imaginable. The 31-27 win over Jacksonville on Sunday was a perfect example — getting a red zone stop and then driving 92 yards for a win wasn’t in the 2024 playbook very often. How are we feeling about the Bengals overall as a team, Dan?

Graziano: Yeah, they’re 2-0 and lucky to be there. But that’s a heck of a lot better than their usual September start, which is an unlucky 0-2. It gives them a chance. Let’s say Burrow sits out 12 games (this is an optimistic scenario, as I understand it) and the Bengals go 6-6 in those matchups. They’d be 8-6 and getting Burrow back for a playoff push. Then they win their last three, get to 11-6 and qualify for the postseason? Who’s going to want to play them?

This could all be fantasy, of course. Burrow might not be able to make it back before the end of the regular season, and even if he does, he’d probably be limited. This scenario also requires Browning to play well for almost twice as long as he did in 2023, and for Cincinnati’s defense to outplay expectations by a significant margin. If it doesn’t come to pass, or if Burrow is out for the rest of the season, then I think the conversation becomes one about a quarterback who has sustained a season-ending injury in three of his six seasons, and what — if anything — can be done about that pattern moving forward.

Fowler: How Cincinnati has protected Burrow — or failed to do so — is a valid discussion point. That many in the media are comparing Burrow’s tenure to Andrew Luck’s in Indianapolis should alarm Cincinnati, which probably hasn’t invested enough in the offensive line. While quarterback injuries are a way of life in the NFL, teams that use free agent money and multiple high picks on the O-line typically don’t regret it. Cincinnati’s two examples of that are left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. (a marquee free agency signing in 2023) and right tackle Amarius Mims (a first-round pick in 2024). Both of those moves have worked. On the interior, Cincinnati relies on middle-round rookie Dylan Fairchild, 32-year-old center Ted Karras and journeyman free agent Dalton Risner. That’s not enough.

It’s worth noting that Cincinnati’s contract structure — not guaranteeing money beyond the first season of a deal unless your name is Burrow or Ja’Marr Chase — might take them out of the running for top free-agent linemen who want two- or three-year guarantees. And yes, part of this being a recurring issue is Burrow’s willingness to hang in the pocket and wait for routes to develop. He takes the hits — and the physical costs associated with them. But spending more resources on the blockers in front of him will never be a bad idea.

---

What are people around the league saying about Aaron Rodgers’ first two games in Pittsburgh?

Fowler: The early returns are pretty good. His arm strength — which has never been an issue — has held up well. He’s also moving around slightly better than he did a year ago with the Jets. He’s no longer a premier athlete, but he’s enough of one to escape the pocket and manage the game. But as many have pointed out, whether Rodgers’ body holds up over 17 games is the bigger question.

“It was the Minnesota game in London [in Week 5] that marked about six-to-eight weeks of almost zero mobility due to injury,” said an AFC scout of Rodgers’ final season with the Jets. “He was compromised and it showed. But just being a year removed [from the Achilles tear], he seems a little bit more secure and a little less hesitant compared to a year ago.”

Rodgers will face some good pass rushers in the near future, namely from the Vikings (Sept. 28) and the Packers (Oct. 26). What is your expectation for a Rodgers-led Steelers offense?

Graziano: I personally think there’s a ceiling. People can feel as encouraged as they want, but through two weeks, he’s 23rd in QBR, which is pretty close to where he was last season (25th). I think he is what he is at 41 years old.

Sure, he can still throw, but I think he’s only going to thrive if circumstances around him are ideal, and right now they are not. Fundamentally, this offense can be good, but I have my doubts about whether it can be great, which leads to my greater concern about the Steelers: How lousy the defense has looked through two games.

The Rodgers experiment is only going to work if he’s supported by the Steelers’ traditionally strong defense and special teams, and they’ve been extremely disappointing in those two areas thus far. We just accept that the Steelers will be great on defense, but what if this is the season they aren’t? It’s one of the oldest, if not the oldest, defenses in the league, and it’s possible what we’ve seen so far is more of a bad sign than a bad start.

Fowler: The ages of several key defensive stars were hard to ignore when evaluating this group in the preseason and are even more glaring now. Defensive tackle Cameron Heyward is 36. Cornerback Darius Slay is 34. Edge rusher T.J. Watt and cornerback Jalen Ramsey turn 31 next month. While I’m not doubting whether these established stars can still produce, to rely heavily on four over-30 stars on one side of the ball is a challenge.

The schedule over the next month is manageable — Patriots on the road, Vikings and Browns at home, Bengals on the road. Those last three teams currently face quarterback issues. If Pittsburgh’s pass defense doesn’t find its footing against that foursome, it’ll have major problems against the Packers and Colts coming out of the Week 7 bye.

Graziano: Agreed. This whole thing has felt more fragile than usual since the offseason, which was an uncharacteristic one for the Steelers. They made a lot of changes to their roster in a lot of key places, and relying on a 41-year-old quarterback is obviously a significant risk. I’m a believer in Mike Tomlin’s ability to manage his team through a season and get the most out of it. How could you not be, given his track record? But we need to see some encouraging signs here soon. So far, the concerns I had about this team in the offseason feel legitimate. They’re a 60-yard Chris Boswell field goal away from being 0-2.

---

What is one thing you have changed your mind about since the start of the season?

Graziano: I might have underestimated the Falcons’ defense. Atlanta is relying on rookies in four key spots, but all four are playing well and looked outstanding flustering J.J. McCarthy on Sunday night. When I visited their training camp in late July, I talked to defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who was fired up about the new scheme they were installing. He told me, “I wouldn’t want to play us the first couple of weeks of the season.”

They were right in the Week 1 game against Tampa Bay until the end and beat up Minnesota in Week 2. Maybe the rookie edge rusher combination of Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., helped by the veteran leadership of Leonard Floyd, is a lot better than the pass rushes of recent Falcons teams. And I know they’re excited about rookie defensive backs Billy Bowman Jr. and Xavier Watts. Can they sustain this all season and make a real run at the postseason?

Fowler I thought the Chiefs’ offense would be just fine, and part of me still believes that. But the concerns are only growing. The Chiefs believe the passing game will be markedly better when Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown are running their three-receiver sets. Still, we’re going on multiple years of just OK offensive output — Kansas City hasn’t been truly elite on that side of the ball since 2022.

The run game is not efficient. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have yet to find the chemistry that has carried them for most of the past decade. Mahomes clearly needs more help. He’s trying to make it happen, running more than he should this early in the season. He’s in his prime, was excellent in camp and might find a way to carry this offense through a full season. Perhaps the Chiefs are buying time and can turn it on late, but it’s just becoming increasingly more difficult to buy into that.

Graziano: I get the sense that the Chiefs are frustrated by the repetitive nature of this — their WR room being decimated every year by injuries and other issues. But they expect it to improve once Worthy is back and Rice comes off his suspension. I think that’ll help the run game, too. And they really should be able to get right Sunday against the Giants. It’s too early to give up on Andy Reid and Mahomes, but the concerns are legit.

I also didn’t think the Dolphins were going to be as terrible as most people thought, and my optimism has been difficult to defend. They’re 0-2 and have looked bad in both games, and it’s hard to imagine them turning it around at Buffalo on Thursday. The Dolphins did a lot of work in the offseason to try to transform their team culture, but the on-field product has been tough to watch. They need to make improvements fast.

Fowler: I entered the season with mild concerns about Miami, given its replacement of several key players with more cost-effective options. It feels like a mini-rebuild. But the offense had always been functional with a passing game featuring quarterback Tua Tagovailoa along with receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Some around the league wonder if defenses have caught up with Mike McDaniel’s offense. Thursday will be another test of that.

I’ve also changed my tune on quarterback Spencer Rattler and the Saints’ offense. I thought the product would be worse than it has been, given the transitional state of New Orleans’ roster and Rattler’s background of being a fifth-round pick in 2024. But Rattler has been solid, and I heard consistently last season that New Orleans’ previous staff was sold on him, blaming a severely depleted roster for many of his previous struggles. But New Orleans at least looks capable despite its 0-2 start. Kellen Moore is one of the brighter offensive coaches around and that’s showing so far.

---

Which quarterback is most in danger of being benched?

Fowler: Cleveland’s situation bears monitoring. Joe Flacco is safe for now, but like most bridge quarterbacks fending off a rookie backup, the only way to successfully keep the job is to win a few games. That was the case with Jacoby Brissett eventually losing the job to Drake Maye in New England last season, though that situation was different because of Maye’s status as the No. 3 pick. But that general theme applies.

Otherwise, teams pivot to the younger option, thinking that the player can spark the offense or provide hope for the future. Flacco has maintained his arm strength and can still move a little. He was very crisp in Week 1. But Dillon Gabriel’s mobility is an asset if or when Cleveland turns to him.

Graziano: Flacco is probably the right answer here, for all the reasons you say. The Giants’ Russell Wilson probably held off the Jaxson Dart chatter for at least a week or two with his 450-yard performance in Dallas, but Wilson has a first-round pick waiting behind him who everyone knows will take over. It’s just a question of when. The Giants don’t want to rush Dart, but as you point out in the Cleveland example, it’s tough to keep the kid on the bench when you’re not winning.

Fowler: Yeah, we hit that Giants’ QB outlook hard last week; it’s worth watching. Otherwise, the NFL’s quarterback picture is pretty clear, so I’ll throw two NFC North wild cards out there.

What if the Bears’ Caleb Williams doesn’t find his footing in Ben Johnson’s timing-and-rhythm passing game by, say, Week 10? I think Williams showed positive signs in Sunday’s loss in Detroit. But the feeling coming out of Bears camp was that, despite Williams’ otherworldly talent, the offense was a bit crisper with Tyson Bagent running the huddle. Is Johnson willing to be patient here? I think so. And Williams’ immense talent is a commodity worth betting on. But these coaches feel pressure to win — three-year grace periods no longer exist — and Johnson didn’t draft Williams. Just thinking out loud.

In Minnesota, what happens if Carson Wentz catches fire over these next few weeks and recharges Minnesota’s offense? Does that then become a temporary reset for J.J. McCarthy after he returns from his high ankle sprain, if only for a few games? Taking the Vikings’ word about their belief in McCarthy, such a move would be a surprise. But aside from the fourth quarter in Chicago, McCarthy’s play has been worrisome.

Graziano: Man, if the Vikings moved off McCarthy, they’d pretty much be acknowledging that everything they told us about their faith and belief in him this offseason was a ruse. I think the Vikings really believe he’s at the stage of his development where he needs to play, and I would expect him to get the job back once he’s healthy.

But you make a good point. If Wentz has them humming, it’d be worth wondering whether they’d stick with him. This is a team that won 14 games last season and knows it has a roster capable of making the playoffs. The Vikings want this to be a key development year for McCarthy, but they also want to win games.

---

What else are you hearing this week?

Graziano’s notes:

• The Cowboys’ defense post-Micah Parsons is a work in progress, but the team has some hope that reinforcements are on the way. The signing of veteran edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney should help bolster the front while Dallas awaits health improvements on the back end. DaRon Bland’s absence isn’t expected to be long-term, and Trevon Diggs should continue to settle in and play more snaps as he works his way back from injury. Dallas also believes third-round rookie Shavon Revel Jr. — who opened the season on the non-football injury list while working his way back from a knee injury he suffered in college last year — will be a big help once he’s able to return to the lineup in Week 5. The Cowboys also expect to get linebacker DeMarvion Overshown back from his knee injury at some point in October or November.

The Cowboys are learning a new defensive scheme under coordinator Matt Eberflus, and it has come under fire from some after Russell Wilson and Malik Nabers ate their zone defense alive in Sunday’s thriller. But they point to Week 1, when they held Saquon Barkley to 60 rushing yards and the Eagles’ top two receivers to 24 yards combined, as an encouraging sign that Sunday wasn’t who they’re always going to be this season.

• The Buccaneers are off to a 2-0 start in spite of a patchwork offensive line that hasn’t had left tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee) and lost right tackle Luke Goedeke (foot) in Monday night’s game. They’ve played last season’s starting center, Graham Barton, at left tackle the first two games and were planning to do that until Wirfs comes back, but another shuffle is possible if Goedeke has to miss time (as Jeremy reported he will). Tampa Bay is getting low on bodies on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Defensive tackle Calijah Kancey (torn pec) is a major loss for the run defense. Don’t be surprised if the Bucs are calling around about defensive linemen ahead of the trade deadline.

• The Chiefs’ offense feels like it’s going to continue to struggle until Xavier Worthy is back from his injury (likely within the next couple of weeks) and Rashee Rice returns from his suspension in Week 6. Patrick Mahomes worked with both of those receivers throughout camp, and as we discussed here last week, he doesn’t have his timing down yet with the likes of Tyquan Thornton and Hollywood Brown.

But in the meantime, the Chiefs remain puzzled by their struggles in the run game. They believed Isiah Pacheco was running like his old self in camp and that he would be productive right out of the gate; he has not been. They need to find ways to generate more productive offense with him and Kareem Hunt, or else don’t be surprised if at some point soon rookie Brashard Smith gets a shot. The Chiefs view him as a different kind of back than those two — more of a receiver type who can make explosive plays in space. Once they trust the rookie to handle all of the running back responsibilities, he could be a factor in their offense. They were very impressed with him in camp.

• The Titans have been pleased with what they’ve seen from rookie quarterback Cam Ward, particularly his connection with fellow rookie wide receiver Elic Ayomanor. But they do know they need to open things up a bit and generate more variety and explosiveness on offense. Part of the issue they’re dealing with is that their offensive line — in which they’ve invested a ton of resources — hasn’t played the way they hoped it would. The absence of tackle JC Latham from Sunday’s game with a hip injury is part of the reason why. The Titans need Latham back.

They also believe their running game will be more dynamic when running back Tyjae Spears can return from his ankle injury. Unfortunately, that won’t be until Week 5 at the earliest. Tennessee opened with matchups against two particularly tough defensive fronts in the Broncos and Rams, and it is hoping it can get things going in the coming weeks against some more vulnerable run defenses.

• A name to file away and remember as a potential second-half breakout candidate: Cleveland rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond. He signed late after going undrafted because of sexual assault charges that were eventually dropped, so he’s getting up to speed in the offense. But the Browns have plans for him, and don’t be surprised to see him work his way into a larger role as the season goes along.

Fowler’s notes:

• The starting quarterbacks turnstile is a trend to watch yet again this season. Last year, 59 different quarterbacks started at least one game, nine shy of a league-record 68 from 2022. Just two weeks into this season, the number is already on the climb. Up to five starters could be out in Week 3: Burrow (toe), McCarthy (ankle), likely San Francisco’s Brock Purdy (toe, shoulder) and possibly either/both Washington’s Jayden Daniels (knee) and New York’s Justin Fields (concussion). More injuries will come, and in the season’s second half, struggling teams will inevitably shuffle through QBs while looking for a spark or evaluating the future. Given the supply and demand at the game’s most important position, don’t be surprised if this year’s final tally is high.

• While the coaching carousel won’t spin for another three-plus months, some are making early cases to get on the ride. A group of up-and-coming defensive coordinators could get harder looks from teams filling head coaching roles. Jeff Hafley (Packers), Chris Shula (Rams) and Jesse Minter (Chargers) were not heavily featured in this past cycle, but don’t be shocked if that changes. All three coaches have their defenses in the top five in total scoring through two weeks. Packers coach Matt LaFleur firmly believes Hafley has what it takes to be a head coach as early as 2026. Shula is on the NFL league offices’ radar as a prime candidate. And Minter has done an impressive job for Jim Harbaugh dating back to 2024.

• Sources classify Worthy as “50-50” to return for Week 3 against the Giants, noting optimism but also the need to see him handle a fuller practice workload. “Have to see how he looks with real practice reps,” the source said. Worthy practiced in a limited capacity Thursday and Friday of last week, and the Chiefs will ramp up his workload coming off the shoulder injury.

• Bucs wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr. (knee) is progressing well in practices, but people I’ve talked to believe a Week 3 return might be ambitious. Week 4 against Philadelphia, however, feels like a real possibility.

• In other injury news, Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards (hamstring) is considered a long shot to play Sunday against the Cowboys. Bucs right tackle Luke Goedeke (foot) avoided major injury Monday night against Houston but could miss multiple weeks after he aggravated a preexisting injury.

• Mike McDaniel’s messaging to the Dolphins amid the 0-2 skid, according to a player I spoke to this week: Be present and control what you can, knowing it doesn’t matter if 0-2 or 2-0. The only thing that matters this week is beating Buffalo. Dolphins players still believe that Miami’s locker room is strong enough to reverse course. They believe the culture is better after the franchise moved on from several key players, many of whom did not appear happy there.

But all of that doesn’t matter much if Miami doesn’t show what one player called a “better brand of football,” particularly with run defense and third-down defense, which will attempt to keep Josh Allen in the pocket and limit his rushing ability.