Daily Fantasy Football: Best daily fantasy picks on Fanduel, DraftStreet, and DraftKings for Week 3
By Leo Howell
Week 4 of the fantasy football season is upon us, which means another week with a fresh start for daily fantasy football players.
Daily fantasy football uses a salary cap system for picking teams for its most popular games, and that means looking for the best values will help you win every week. Saving in some areas while spending big in other areas will lead to the best team which scores the most points.
This week, we’ll be taking a look at players and citing their values on DraftKings (where you can get a bonus on your first deposit just for clicking that link!), DraftStreet, and FanDuel. If you’re curious about rules, scoring systems, and other available games, be sure to check them out.
So who are the best players to play this week? Which have the best prices for their potential scoring performances? Which players are overpriced, and worth avoiding completely? Check out my picks, and leave yours in the comment section below.
Best Values
Geno Smith, QB, New York Jets ($11,062 on DraftStreet)
The Jets take on the Tennessee Titans this week, and that’s admittedly not the best matchup for a quarterback. But Smith benefits from the lack of one dominant target on offense, meaning the Titans’ good corners won’t be as big of a concern. Smith can spread the ball around and get great production for his price.
You’re not taking Smith to be the best QB of the week, but his discount cost helps you pick up other great players at other positions.
Bilal Powell, RB, New York Jets ($4,200 on DraftKings)
On DraftKings and FanDuel, Powell is still insanely low. You have to use him, you’re losing if you don’t. He’s the primary ball carrier for a decent offense with a good offensive line.
Powell should be used until his price catches up to his role as the starting running back for a team that needs to run the football to succeed.
Marlon Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens ($5,000 on FanDuel)
The Ravens take on the Bills this week, who allowed big plays galore to the Jets last week. Look for Brown to get in on that action as well.
Brown isn’t a household name and he has no previous success, so his price is still low. Take advantage of that and use a player who’s going to be featured in an offense with uncertainty at the running back position.
Worth the Price
Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears ($12,600 on DraftStreet)
Forte and the Bears take on the Lions this week, which is a better matchup than any of his previous games, when he’s been a consistent performer. LeSean McCoy’s price has elevated with his quick start to the season, but Forte’s remains low. That means he’s your choice for “reliable, high-priced running back” until Adrian Peterson returns to form.
Wes Welker, WR, Denver Broncos ($6,800 on DraftKings)
This is almost a value, but since the price is so high I included it in “Worth the Price.” Welker has a chance to be a top-5 receiver this weekend against the Eagles, who will have no answer for him in the slot.
This game should be high-scoring, and Welker has proven he’s a frequent target in the Denver offense.
Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orleans Saints ($8,400 on FanDuel)
If you save money at other positions (for instance, if you start both Powell and Brown, listed above), you have to use the money you saved on Graham. He is going to provide at least a decent line, and he could potentially give you game-changing points.
Graham is used by a lot of people, so you don’t gain a huge advantage by using him. But when you don’t use him, and you whiff on the tight end you try to use, you fall way behind everyone who used Graham that week.
Must Avoid
Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles ($9,200 on FanDuel)
Vick’s price has just gone too high for him to deliver value. Allow his price to balance out a bit until you start to play him again. He doesn’t have a bad matchup against the Broncos, but he has to deliver a massive game to make his price worth it.
Gio Bernard, RB, Cincinatti Bengals ($5,900 on DraftKings)
The Browns have a decent run defense, and Bernard’s price has gone up quicker than some other sleeper running backs (like Bilal Powell, Willis McGahee and Joique Bell). You might have benefited from Bernard last week, but he’s too expensive this week to justify playing. Wait for his price to come back down.
Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions ($14,705 on DraftStreet)
Calvin is just not worth spending this much when he plays the Bears. It’s too risky of a matchup to pay a huge premium just to get Johnson. When Brandon Marshall is $2,000 cheaper, and Welker is $1,000 less than that, there’s no reason to spend on Megatron.