FanDuel NFL Lineups: Preseason Week 3 Friday

Welcome back to the FanDuel NFL lineups column for week three of NFL preseason action.  We’re a Daily Fantasy Football column focused on top picks and best value for your weekly FanDuel NFL lineups.  We arm you with information for a big FanDuel NFL payday each week.

After watching new, and sometimes old, names battling for a final spot on a NFL roster during preseason games the past two weeks, we’re finally seeing lengthy starting or second line action for week three of the preseason.

There are still question about who could be targeted by quarterbacks or will get the most carries in the backfield, but we know most of the teams in the NFL treat preseason week three like a dress-rehearsal for the regular season.

We had a great Thursday night, with Carson Wentz dropping 12.16 FanDuel NFL points, Jay Ajayi scoring two touchdowns and loading up 17.3 points.  Kelvin Benjamin (11.6 points) and Alshon Jeffery (10.5 points) were great picks at receiver and we were able to win almost every cash play Thursday.

We continue preseason week three Friday night with another small, but exciting, slate.  Saturday night is again the big slate night, but Sunday will be attractive as well with three games.  So who do we have Friday?

Here’s a look at the scheduled games for the Preseason Week 3 Friday slate:

New England Patriots at Detroit Lions (7pm EDT)

Kansas City Chiefs at Seattle Seahawks (8pm EDT) CBS

PLAY FANDUEL: New users win first contest or get credited up to $120!

A reminder, with all players having a similar salary ($6,000), we need to drop the value part of our picks for FanDuel NFL preseason.  We are focused mostly on who has the most time on the field, but also may have the greatest opportunity for yards and touchdowns.

We’ll check each game, narrow down who will see the most time on the field, and highlight our top picks.  We’ll also check an initial list of lineup picks for this slate.

FanDuel NFL Lineups: Preseason Week 3 Friday – Quarterbacks

Patriots at Lions

While Tom Brady ($6,000) anticipates being on the field for a while Friday night, we can’t imagine the Pats would risk having the 40-year-old future hall of famer on the field too long.  However, they may want Tom and the starters to at least get to a point where they’re in a rhythm, making Brady a playable option.  Still, I think we’ll see more action and productivity from Jimmy Garoppolo ($6,000), who’s having a fantastic preseason.

For the Lions, Matthew Stafford ($6,000) has not looked sharp, yet, this preseason, but we do expect him to have another good year.  The Lions should push Stafford more to find his rhythm, and he’s a solid play Friday.  But like Garoppolo, Jake Rudock ($6,000) is having a great preseason and could see an entire half of football Friday night.

Chiefs at Seahawks

Andy Reid likes to progressively play his starters, longer, over the first three games of the preseason, before turning it over to the roster-spot challenge in week four.  So we’re expecting to see almost a full three quarters of Alex Smith ($6,000) on the field, tonight, in Seattle.  That’s a rare opportunity to own a quarterback, and a starting QB, in a preseason game for that length of time.

However, of all the starting quarterbacks potentially playing tonight, Smith is the least attractive and worst option.  Alex isn’t a big fantasy numbers guy, and he’s playing in a very difficult environment in Seattle.  Despite tonight’s game being a preseason event, the Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll, likes to win even during preseason match-ups.  So we should expect Smith to struggle against this very good passing defense.

Trevone Boykin ($6,000) has been a great quarterback play this preseason, as the Seahawks continue to test-drive the young talented TCU snap-caller.  But Pete Carroll already confirmed the Seahawks are going to try to push their starters into the third quarter, so Russell Wilson ($6,000) is a very good option against a Chiefs defense who’s struggled against the pass, and run, both of which Wilson excels in the game.

FanDuel NFL Lineups: Preseason Week 3 Friday – Running Backs

Patriots at Lions

While it’s tempting to plug Ameer Abdullah ($6,000) into our lineups tonight, with more time on the field, he’s facing a Patriots run defense ranked third in the NFL last season.  Theo Riddick is sitting tonight, so the other considerations for the Lions are Dwayne Washington ($6,000), a favorite of mine last week, and Zack Zenner ($6,000).  But at no point of the game tonight do we feel comfortable with the Lions run game for DFS.

While the Patriots defense is stellar against the run, the Lions are mediocre and that opens the door for a running back pick from the Pats.  Dion Lewis ($6,000) has seen limited preseason action this August, but when on the field is very productive.  Brady recently indicated the Pats will have their starters on the field longer against the Lions, so we should see Lewis get more hand-offs and Dion is a favorite target, out of the backfield, for Brady.  So we’re expecting a big night from Lewis tonight.

Chiefs at Seahawks

With Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise confirmed out for Friday night’s game, we have to strongly consider Eddie Lacy ($6,000), Mike Davis ($6,000), and Alex Collins ($6,000) against a Chiefs defense ranked 26th against the run last season.  Of the three backs, we think Lacy should get the most calls with the starters through two to three quarters of football on Friday night, and is the best option from the Seahawks at running back.

The Chiefs are expected to keep Spencer Ware ($6,000) and Charcandrick West ($6,000) on the field for a good portion of the game Friday, but against the Seahawks run defense, one of the best in the NFL, in Seattle I’m fading all Chiefs offense on Friday night.  Kareem Hunt ($6,000) and C.J. Spiller ($6,000) should also see some garbage time hand-offs tonight, and are a sneaky pick for a touchdown or two against a lesser defense.

FanDuel NFL Lineups: Preseason Week 3 Friday – Wide Receivers

Patriots at Lions

The Patriots have great defense against the run and pass, but are better against the run.  And while Stafford has struggled this preseason, he’s still a top two tier quarterback and performed well with the Lions offensive coordinator last season.  Marvin Jones ($6,000) and Golden Tate ($6,000) are great targets from the Lions, but we can’t ignore Kenny Golladay ($6,000) getting some time with the first line last week, and his awesome production so far this preseason. Golladay is chalky, but we’ve need to play him.

We know Brady wants more time on the field Friday night, and if the Patriots give it too him, he’s likely going to hit his new favorite target, Brandin Cooks ($6,000) often.  Cooks is another likely chalky play, but has the most upside of all the receivers on the Patriots tonight.  If you’d like to fade Cooks, and the chalk, pivot to Julian Edelman ($6,000) or Chris Hogan ($6,000).

Chiefs at Seahawks

With Tyler Lockett ($6,000) likely not playing Friday night, Doug Baldwin ($6,000) is a strong pick at wide receiver from the Seahawks.  We already talked about how much we like Wilson tonight, and Baldwin is one of his favorite targets.  Baldwin will be chalky, so Paul Richardson ($6,000) and Jermaine Kearse ($6,000) are also great plays.

We don’t love the Chiefs passing game and are mostly fading their offense tonight.  But it will be interesting to see how Tyreek Hill ($6,000) handles the Seahwaks passing attack and he could be a dynamic play Friday.

FanDuel NFL Lineups: Preseason Week 3 Friday – Tight End / Kicker / Defense

We have plenty of great tight ends options tonight, with Kelce and Rob Gronkowski ($6,000) on tonight’s slate.  I love Travis, but against the Seahawks I’m not as excited about his DFS output tonight.  But with the potential for Brady to stay on the field longer, and Gronkowski back in the lineup last week, we know Rob is going to get some solid shots at touchdowns, and he’s easily the best TE option tonight.

For kicker we’re going to go with the safest pick, Stephen Gostkowski ($6,000) as we expect the Patriots and Seahawks to score the most tonight.  If you’re fading Gostkowski, plug in Blair Walsh. For defense, we love the Pats against the Lions, but we think the Seahawks have a better night against the Cheifs.  Either is a good pick tonight.

So after reviewing all the options, we put together our favorite lineup for the day.  Here’s a look at our Final FanDuel NFL Preseason Week 3 Friday Lineup:

QB – Wilson (SEA)

RB – Lacy (SEA)

RB – Lewis (NE)

WR – Baldwin (SEA)

WR – Cooks (NE)

WR – Golladay (DET)

TE – Gronkoswki (NE)

K – Gostkowski (SEA)

D – Seattle Seahawks

Once again, we have $6,000 left over, but there’s no way to avoid it.  Still, we have FanDuel to thank for finding a way to make the NFL preseason a more enjoyable event!

Next: Fantasy Football: Zero Running Back Strategy

Good luck with your FanDuel NFL plays Friday night, and stay tuned to Fantasy CPR on Twitter for all the late breaking lineup news and roster updates!