Three weeks into the season, the fantasy football quarterback market has been turned upside down. Drake Maye, last year's fantasy QB2 and a runner-up in MVP voting, has cratered to QB35, while Brock Purdy has quietly built an MVP-caliber case that's made him one of the most valuable assets in fantasy lineups. The gap between expectation and reality at the position illustrates how quickly perceived value can shift in a format where weekly scoring, not season-long reputation, determines outcomes.
Maye's Numbers Tell a Harder Story Than the Highlights
A 21-yard touchdown run wiped off the board last week was a fitting symbol for Maye's season. His adjusted net yards per attempt is at its lowest mark since 2021 league-wide, and he's absorbed 19 turnovers or fumbles combined with 30 sacks across his past seven games dating back to last season's playoffs. New England's offense has produced just 29 points across 30 drives this year - the fewest through three games by any team since Zach Wilson's rookie stretch. A shoulder injury, the departure of A.J. Brown, and a tougher schedule all offer partial explanations, but none fully account for the scale of the decline. For fantasy managers, the practical question isn't why this happened but how long to keep waiting for a turnaround that hasn't shown real signs of arriving.
Purdy Benefits From System, Health and Accuracy
Purdy has been outscored by only Josh Allen this season, averaging 9.5 yards per attempt despite losing key weapons and somehow taking zero sacks. Kyle Shanahan's scheme continues to generate easy throws and favorable matchups, but Purdy's own accuracy and mobility are doing real work too. Regression is likely - no quarterback sustains a zero-sack pace - but the underlying skill set behind the numbers looks legitimate rather than system-dependent luck.
Secondary Storylines Worth Tracking
Several other situations are shifting the fantasy landscape in meaningful ways:
- Brock Bowers returned from injury to lead all tight ends in targets, operating as Las Vegas's de facto WR1 under new OC Klint Kubiak.
- Jeremiyah Love has taken over Arizona's backfield workload, climbing into RB1 territory after a 26-of-32 opportunity share last week.
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba is outproducing every receiver in football, posting career-high efficiency even with a change at quarterback.
- Zay Flowers has become Baltimore's clear top target, though recurring hamstring issues remain a real variable.
- Malik Nabers faces uncertainty after the Giants' trade for J.J. McCarthy, a quarterback whose track record with downfield passing has previously hurt elite receivers.
Why Weekly Volatility Matters for Fantasy Decision-Making
These swings underscore a core truth of fantasy football: draft position and reputation matter far less than current usage, scheme fit and health. Maye's preseason ranking offered no protection once the offensive line and receiving corps around him deteriorated. Purdy's modest draft cost reflected skepticism about Shanahan's system translating without Brandon Aiyuk and other pieces, yet he's delivered regardless. For managers setting lineups this week, the lesson extends beyond quarterbacks - situational factors like matchup, target share and scheme consistently outweigh preseason expectations, and reacting to real usage patterns rather than name value remains the more reliable approach.