It's time for the Week 3 NFL action to ramp up and Sunday's slate features plenty of high-scoring games, great matchups, and intriguing fantasy options. For daily fantasy football players, the options on DraftKings are once again loaded with games featuring huge guaranteed prize pools.
The always-popular millionaire maker is still on the slate, featuring its normal $20 buy-in with $4.2 million in guaranteed money. It's a 150-max entry game, so when building your daily fantasy lineups there, you'll want to get a bit creative.
For players looking at single entry events, three-max options or even cash games, DraftKings makes sure to cover a bit of it all. For the high-dollar fantasy players, there's a $333 game with $250,000 to first place and a $150 option that's a three-max entry event with $100,000 to first.
This week, I'm going to take a new approach to covering the DraftKings games as it may help to provide additional insight into the players I'm targeting most and how I view the top options. First, there'll be a breakdown of my top projected scorers at each position, followed by the best value plays.
Following the evaluation of the names, I'll build one optimal lineup based off one or two of my favorite plays at that position. Each lineup will be unique and different, but the rankings of players and values will allow you to pivot off specific players if you aren't overly interested in them.
It's worth noting that there are quite a few big injuries which have opened up some solid value plays across the board. These options will help us get in some of the top plays, and we'll break each injury down a bit along the way.
Let's dive in head first and start with the quarterback position, where a value play may actually be one of the best options to build around in Week 3.
DraftKings Quarterback Picks
We're going to take a look at the quarterback position first and break down the top plays, values and then create an optimal lineup which will be focused around the best play. To note, the "best play" may not necessarily be the top-ranked player, but could easily be a value play which opens up the rest of the lineup to get a few stars in.
Let's dive in first with the quarterback rankings for Week 3, headlined by arguably the most hyped fantasy quarterback in the NFL currently – Patrick Mahomes.
Top-10 Highest Projected Quarterbacks on DraftKings
– Patrick Mahomes ($7,000) vs. 49ers
– Deshaun Watson ($6,100) vs. Giants
– Jimmy Garoppolo ($6,500) vs. Chiefs
– Matt Ryan ($5,700) vs. Saints
– Drew Brees ($6,400) vs. Falcons
– Kirk Cousins ($6,800) vs. Bills
– Carson Wentz ($6,200) vs. Colts
– Aaron Rodgers ($7,100) vs. Redskins
– Cam Newton ($6,000) vs. Bengals
– Jared Goff ($5,900) vs. Chargers
I'm hopeful Deshaun Watson's ownership is down a bit due to the fact that he's priced semi-close to Jimmy Garoppolo and Drew Brees. Watson began to hit his stride last week by scoring 26.8 DraftKings points against the Tennessee Titans. Now, the Texans play their home opener against a New York Giants defense who looks fine on paper but has played two run-first teams in the Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys. A Watson-DeAndre Hopkins stack will be popular for me.
The projected high-scoring matchup between Garoppolo and Patrick Mahomes is a spot I want to attack. With a total set around 55.5 and the over seeming like a solid bet, I'm more than happy to attack this game in a variety of ways. Both defenses rank in the bottom seven of the NFL in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks and have given up a combined 11 passing touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks in two games.
DraftKings Quarterback Value Plays
*Note: All value plays at quarterback cost $6,000 or less.
My first target is going to be Atlanta Falcons signal-caller Matt Ryan at home against the New Orleans Saints. At a price tag of $5,700 against a team who got destroyed in Week 1 through the air, I love the idea of playing Ryan this week in every format. And for good measure, Ryan has thrown 32 touchdowns and averages just under 295 passing yards per game in 19 games against the Saints in his career, per StatMuse.
Another NFC South quarterback in Cam Newton deserves a spot in 150-max tournaments, even in a matchup that seems tough on the surface against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Surprisingly, both the Saints (No. 3) and Bengals (No. 13) are in the bottom-13 of the NFL in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, per ESPN. The Bengals haven't been terrible, but they've given up 695 passing yard and four touchdowns through two games. I'll happily take a $6,000 Newton in that spot on his home field.
While everyone focuses on the big names and high-dollar options, Jared Goff's play to this point has gone somewhat overlooked. While Todd Gurley is unquestionably the workhorse in that offense, Goff has totaled 22.36 and 17.22 DraftKings points in the first two weeks, both of which were blowouts for the Los Angeles Rams.
Now, Goff draws a matchup with a Los Angeles Chargers team who's struggled against quarterbacks in a game which should be close and features an over/under of 48, per OddsShark. There are going to be plenty of points in this one and the Chargers have given up five touchdowns through the air in two games.
Top DraftKings Optimal Lineup Around Favorite QB Play
– QB: Matt Ryan ($5,700)
– RB: Latavius Murray ($5,800)
– RB: Corey Clement ($4,300)
– WR: Michael Thomas ($8,900)
– WR: Julio Jones ($7,900)
– WR: Nelson Agholor ($6,100)
– TE: Eric Ebron ($3,400)
– FLEX: Sammy Watkins ($5,100)
– DST: Houston Texans ($2,800)
Top-10 Highest Projected Running Backs on DraftKings
– Alvin Kamara ($9,500) vs. Falcons
– Todd Gurley ($9,200) vs. Chargers
– Christian McCaffrey ($7,800) vs. Bengals
– Saquon Barkley ($7,600) vs. Texans
– Ezekiel Elliott ($7,700) vs. Seahawks
– Melvin Gordon ($7,400) vs. Rams
– David Johnson ($7,200) vs. Bears
– Kareem Hunt ($6,000) vs. 49ers
– Latavius Murray ($5,800) vs. Bills
– Giovani Bernard ($5,900) vs. Panthers
Tier 2
With there being so many running backs and wide receivers worth playing, I've offered up two tiers of rankings for the two positions. Both lists are ranked based on highest projected and the number of players in tier two will depend on how much I like the options.
– Tevin Coleman ($6,400) vs. Saints
– Leonard Fournette ($6,900) vs. Titans
– Lamar Miller ($5,000) vs. Giants
– Corey Clement ($4,300) vs. Colts
– Chris Thompson ($6,300) vs. Packers
– Matt Breida ($5,400) vs. Chiefs
DraftKings Running Back Value Plays
*Note: All value plays at running back cost roughly $6,000 or less.
While David Johnson comes in above $6,500, he deserves some attention for a few reasons. While the Arizona Cardinals offense looks terrible and Johnson had a rough game last week, it's obvious he needs to have the ball a massive amount for the team to have a chance. This week, the Cardinals draw a Chicago Bears team who's allowed 256 rushing yards, 164 receiving yards and five total touchdowns to opposing running backs. This is a breakout spot for Johnson at potentially low ownership.
The value tier at running back is pretty much loaded in Week 3. Kareem Hunt at $6,000 in a solid matchup which should be high-scoring with the 49ers is more than worth the price tag. Also considering the fact that San Francisco should (and surely will) do everything to slow down Mahomes, Hunt should have a nice day on the ground.
The group of Latavius Murray, Giovani Bernard, and Corey Clement are all going to come with high ownership. Each name will get the start due to the injuries of starters, and both Murray and Clement have top-10 matchups this week. My fingers are crossed that Murray's $5,800 price tag may push at least a few people off him, as the Bills have allowed six combined rushing/receiving touchdowns to opposing running backs. They're one of the worst teams in the NFL against the position and Murray should see a heavy workload.
Clement at $4,300 is going to be major chalk, but the Colts have allowed a league-high 22 receptions to running backs. After seeing the Eagles back haul in five passes in limited action last week, I love his overall spot and of course his price tag.
I'm expecting Gio Bernard to have lower ownership than you'd think, as a matchup against the Panthers isn't the same level of smash spot as the two other names. With that said, Carolina is very beatable on the ground and have allowed 228 rushing yards to this point. Another spot starter in Tevin Coleman also ripped off 107 yards on the ground last week against the Panthers.
Finally, Lamar Miller and Matt Breida are simply players in elite spots. I like Miller more for cash games and single entry tournaments due to his safe workload, while Breida is a great large tournament play after ripping off 138 rushing yards and catching three passes last week. The only issue with the latter is that he's still losing some work to Alfred Morris.
Miller will face the Giants while Breida draws the Chiefs and neither team is great against running backs – specifically pass-catching backs. The Giants have given up 188 rushing yards, 13 receptions, 120 receiving yards and three total touchdowns to the position, and with Miller still Houston's workhorse, there's a lot to love there. For Breida, the fact that the Chiefs have allowed 21 receptions for an absurd 261 yards to backs makes his upside tremendous.
Top DraftKings Optimal Lineup Around Favorite RB Play
– QB: Deshaun Watson ($6,100)
– RB: Christian McCaffrey ($7,800)
– RB: David Johnson ($7,200)
– WR: T.Y. Hilton ($6,700)
– WR: Nelson Agholor ($6,100)
– WR: Cooper Kupp ($4,900)
– TE: Evan Engram ($4,300)
– FLEX: Corey Clement ($4,300)
– DST: Dallas Cowboys $2,200)
Top-10 Highest Projected Wide Receivers on DraftKings
– Julio Jones ($7,900) vs. Saints
– Michael Thomas ($8,900) vs. Falcons
– DeAndre Hopkins ($8,300) vs. Giants
– Odell Beckham Jr. ($8,200) vs. Texans
– Tyreek Hill ($8,500) vs. 49ers
– T.Y. Hilton ($6,700) vs. Eagles
– A.J. Green ($7,500) vs. Panthers
– Nelson Agholor ($6,100) vs. Colts
– Adam Thielen ($7,800) vs. Bills
– Davante Adams ($7,600) vs. Redskins
Tier 2
With there being so many running backs and wide receivers worth playing, I've offered up two tiers of rankings for the two positions. Both lists are ranked based on highest projected and the number of players in tier two will depend on how much I like the options.
– Keenan Allen ($7,300) vs. Rams
– Stefon Diggs ($7,700) vs. Bills
– Will Fuller ($5,900) vs. Giants
– Sammy Watkins ($5,100) vs. 49ers
– Cooper Kupp ($4,900) vs. Chargers
– Larry Fitzgerald ($5,400) vs. Bears
DraftKings Wide Receiver Value Plays
*Note: All value plays at wide receiver cost roughly $6,500 or less.
I'm again going to bump up the "value" cost here a bit just to mention T.Y. Hilton. The speedy wideout faces a Philadelphia Eagles defense which has allowed the third-most passing yards (463) to opposing receivers. He's seen 22 targets over the first two weeks of the season and seems to be hitting his stride with Andrew Luck, it's a great spot and a great price for Hilton.
While the idea of spending up at wide receiver is appealing to me this week, there are a few other values that stand out. Among them is Nelson Agholor, who'll be playing teaming up with Carson Wentz for the first time this season. My one concern with Agholor is whether or not Wentz will have rust, but with the Eagles short on running backs, it may not matter.
Philly is now down Alshon Jeffery, Mike Wallace, and Mack Hollins, leaving Agholor as the clear-cut guy. He's caught 16 passes through two weeks while receiving 22 targets in that span. His upside is high and based on targets alone he has a fairly safe floor, making him a fine play in all formats.
Larry Fitzgerald should be a reliable option in the passing attack, and the Bears have given up 439 yards and four touchdowns to wideouts. Obviously, Arizona's offense looks terrible to this point, which is one of the few things holding me back from rolling him out more.
I'm high on Will Fuller, Sammy Watkins, and Cooper Kupp all for different reasons. I touched on Houston's matchup with the Giants previously, as they haven't truly been tested through the air, and I think some attention going on Hopkins could set up a big opportunity for Fuller.
Both Watkins and Kupp have matchups against teams who have shown struggles against wide receivers, and each has built a strong rapport with their quarterbacks. Obviously, Kupp had all last season to do that, but it's shown as he's seen 16 targets in two games and brought in 11 of them. His ceiling isn't incredibly high, but he's a safe cash play.
Watkins broke out in a massive way last week, and at $5,100 is going to have fairly high ownership. But after catching six passes for 100 yards and drawing a matchup with a 49ers secondary that has allowed 415 passing yards to receivers, he probably deserves it. I'm going to scatter Watkins around my big tournaments but won't have exposure to him in single entries.
Top DraftKings Optimal Lineup Around Favorite WR Play
– QB: Matt Ryan ($5,700)
– RB: Saquon Barkley ($7,600)
– RB: Lamar Miller ($5,000)
– WR: Julio Jones ($7,900)
– WR: T.Y. Hilton ($6,700)
– WR: Will Fuller ($5,900)
– TE: Eric Ebron ($3,400)
– FLEX: Larry Fitzgerald ($5,400)
– DST: Dallas Cowboys ($2,200)
Top-10 Highest Projected Tight Ends on DraftKings
– Travis Kelce ($6,700) vs. 49ers
– Zach Ertz ($6,800) vs. Colts
– Evan Engram ($4,300) vs. Texans
– Eric Ebron ($3,400) vs. Eagles
– Jimmy Graham ($4,900) vs. Redskins
– Jordan Reed ($5,400) vs. Packers
– Kyle Rudolph ($4,100) vs. Bills
– George Kittle ($4,500) vs. Chiefs
– Jared Cook ($4,000) vs. Dolphins
– Trey Burton ($3,900) vs. Cardinals
– Austin Hooper ($2,900) vs. Saints
DraftKings Tight End Value Plays
*Note: All value plays at tight end cost roughly $4,000 or less.
Once again, I'm going to break the $4,000 value rule when evaluating DraftKings pricing to toss some attention in the direction of New York Giants tight end Evan Engram. At only $4,300, Engram makes for a top target this week, especially considering the fact that he was just recently removed from the injury report completely. He also is fresh off a game when he pulled down all seven of his targets for 67 yards and one touchdown.
Engram's matchup with the Texans is solid from a fantasy perspective, as they've allowed nine receptions, 138 yards and one touchdown on just 10 total targets. Houston's defense hasn't been truly tested by a tight end yet, and Engram could make life miserable for them.
With Jack Doyle being ruled out, Indianapolis Colts tight end Eric Ebron may be one of my favorite value plays on this entire slate. Through two games, the former Detroit Lions tight end has totaled seven catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets, which aren't numbers that will blow you away. But he's also been losing work to Doyle, and it's certainly led to a negative fantasy impact.
Per Football Outsiders, Doyle has dominated the offensive snaps in comparison to Ebron, out-snapping him 77-37 in Week 1 and 59-16 in Week 2. The bulk of those snaps are expected to go to Ebron in a matchup against an Eagles defense which has allowed six catches for 120 yards and one touchdown on nine targets to opposing tight ends.
The last two names I want to point out specifically are Trey Burton and Austin Hooper. While Burton draws the Cardinals and Hooper the Saints, neither team has gotten destroyed by tight ends to this point. The Cardinals have allowed two touchdowns, making Burton's red zone potential intriguing. The issue with the Bears tight end is that he and Mitchell Trubisky haven't been able to hit for big plays.
In Week 1, Trubisky hit his tight end on just 1-of-6 targets. Fortunately, Week 2 was a different story, as Burton hauled in all four targets that came his way, but for just 20 yards and one touchdown. If Burton can get some space, he'll be in for a huge day.
Hooper is essentially the definition of a salary-saving play here. He's $2,900 and caught five passes last week for 59 yards and one touchdown. The Saints vs. Falcons game should feature plenty of points and there's plenty of reason to believe Hooper sees at least 5-8 targets and gets a few red zone looks as well.
Top DraftKings Optimal Lineup Around Favorite TE Play
– QB: Patrick Mahomes ($7,000)
– RB: Latavius Murray ($5,800)
– RB: Lamar Miller ($5,000)
– WR: Odell Beckham Jr. ($8,200)
– WR: Sammy Watkins ($5,100)
– WR: Larry Fitzgerald ($5,400)
– TE: Travis Kelce ($6,700)
– FLEX: Corey Clement ($4,300)
– DST: Dallas Cowboys ($2,200)
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DraftKings Week 3 Fantasy: Top Optimal Lineups, Rankings & Picks