NFL DFS DraftKings Week 3 Lineup Advice

A wild week 2 of NFL DFS is in the books! Odds are, if you crammed your lineup full of Chiefs and Steelers, you liked the results. This week is similar, in that there are a couple of games with high projected point totals that I’ll be heavily targeting when constructing my lineups. My biggest piece of advice? Do your research, but trust your gut!

The purpose of this article is to equip you with information that will help you formulate your NFL DFS lineups for Sunday. I share some of my favorite plays, along with some thoughts concerning a few other popular players as well. Be sure to follow me on Twitter  @BenMcD_Sports as I’ll be sharing updates to my top plays as more information is released closer to kickoff! Thanks for reading, NFL DFS DraftKings Week 3 Lineup Advice!

NFL DFS DraftKings: Quarterbacks

Patrick Mahomes SF @ KC $7,000

The days of rostering Mahomes as a NFL DFS value play are over. His salary has jumped from $6,100 in week 2 to $7,000 in week 3.  Despite being the second highest priced quarterback on the main slate, he’s still worth your consideration. The over/under for this game is hovering right round 56 points, and another shootout seems likely. The 49ers defense is reeling after being shredded by Matthew Stafford to the tune of 347 yards and 3 touchdowns. Eventually Mahomes is going to come back down to Earth, but I wouldn’t bet on it being at home in week 3 against a below average San Francisco defense.

Jimmy Garoppolo SF @ KC $6,500

It won’t just be Patrick Mahomes who benefits from a 49ers/Chiefs shootout. While it’s true that Jimmy G has been a disappointment through the first two weeks of the season, a matchup with against a defense that has allowed the most points to opposing quarterbacks is what we call a “get right game.” What intrigues me most about using Garoppolo is that he’ll be tremendously under-owned given the next name on this list who costs $100 less than the San Francisco QB. One thing to watch as we get closer to Sunday, is the status of Eric Berry. Whenever the Pro-Bowl safety makes his return, he will provide a huge boost to the Chiefs defense.

Drew Brees NO @ ATL $6,400

Welcome to your chalk play of week 3. I’ve been trying find a good reason for Brees to have such a low salary in week 3, and I just can’t find one. This game has the 2nd highest over/under of the day, and points will not be hard to come by. Through two games, it is evident that the Saints have returned to their pass happy ways, and Brees is averaging 40 pass attempts per game after averaging only 33.5 attempts per game in 2017. With this game being played in Atlanta, it’s important to know that the perception that Brees is a far superior quarterback at home isn’t necessarily true. Take a look at his home/road splits from 2017.

• Home – 193/269 2,275 yards, 12 touchdowns, 5 interceptions
• Away – 193/267 2,056 yards, 11 touchdowns, 3 interceptions

This game should be high scoring, and with weapons like Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, Brees shouldn’t have a problem getting to the 19.2 points he’ll need to hit 3x value.

DeShaun Watson NYG @ HOU $6,100

If I’m not using a quarterback from the 49ers/Chiefs or Saints/Falcons shootouts, I’ll be looking at DeShaun Watson. His salary has dropped to $6,100, despite having just scored 26.8 DraftKings points last week. Getting Will Fuller back from injury made a huge impact on the Texans offense, and Watson was able to throw for a whopping 310 yards against the Tennessee Titans. Watson has gone over 40 rushing yards in both games this season, and is playing a Giants defense that just allowed Dak Prescott to run for a career high 45 rushing yards. Watson has one of the highest ceilings in the league and could be criminally under-owned this week with sexier options like Mahomes and Brees available.

Matt Ryan NO @ ATL $5,700

Does $5,700 seem entirely too cheap for Matt Ryan? That’s because it is. It was also too cheap in week 2 when he scored 31.7 DraftKings points. It’s beyond unlikely that Ryan ever has another game with two rushing touchdowns, but he still shouldn’t have a problem returning value at his price point. This Saints defense surrendered 45.3 points to Ryan Fitzpatrick in week 1 and 15.4 points to Tyrod Taylor in week 2. If this game is the back-and-forth affair that Vegas expects it to be, Ryan is going to be one of the best values on the slate.

NFL DFS DraftKings: Running Backs

Alvin Kamara NO @ ATL $9,500

Kamara is in play every week regardless of matchup. However, it just so happens that he has one of the juiciest matchups of any running back in week 3. The Falcons defense is fresh off of a game in which they allowed Christian McCaffrey to haul in an eye-popping 14 receptions. It’s not hard to imagine Kamara matching his week 1 performance when he secured 9 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown. Kamara did underwhelm in week 2 by only scoring 17.9 DraftKings points, but I think that’s his absolute floor. Don’t overthink it. Kamara is the focal point of an offense involved in what should be one of the highest scoring games of the day. He’ll make his way into most of my lineups this Sunday.

David Johnson CHI @ ARI $7,200

This one could come back to bite me. Johnson has been the definition of a bust this year, averaging only 11.9 PPG. It might come as a shock, but I am genuinely interested in starting him against a tenacious Bears defense this Sunday. In light of Johnson’s 1 catch performance in week 2, Cardinals Head Coach Steve Wilks has promised to find more ways to get his stud running back the ball in the coming weeks. If Wilks and offensive coordinator Mike McCoy want to stay employed past this season, it would behoove them to gameplan around their best player. It might not be the most efficient day, but Johnson should receive enough volume to return value at his deflated salary. Still, he’s strictly a GPP play.

Chris Thompson GB @ WAS $6,300

I’ve officially come around to the idea that Chris Thompson is a solid option in fantasy football. He’s still yet to receive more than 5 carries in a game this year, but it hasn’t mattered. He has been featured in their passing game and already has 19 catches this year. 13 of those catches came last week in a game in which Washington trailed early against the Indianapolis Colts. Green Bay is a 3 point favorite against the Redskins this week, so the game script could be the perfect fit for Thompson’s talents.

Kareem Hunt SF @ KC $6,000

Hunt’s lack of involvement in the passing game has been one of the bigger surprises of the season. Still, Hunt is averaging 17 carries per game, which is more than enough to provide fantasy goodness in such an explosive offense. It’s actually pretty astounding that the Chiefs offense has managed to score 40 points per game with Hunt failing to find the end zone on the ground even once. It’s only a matter of time until he has a big day on the ground, and it could come as soon as this week in a high scoring affair with the San Francisco 49ers.

Corey Clement IND @ PHI $4,300

This is conditional upon the status of Darren Sproles and Jay Ajayi. If it looks like they will miss Sunday’s game with the Colts, Clement becomes of the top value plays of week 3. Clement saw an increased workload last Sunday and finished with an admirable 6 carries, 30 yards, and 1 touchdown. He was also a key contributor in the Eagles passing attack and caught 5 passes for 55 yards. The Colts just allowed Chris Thompson to catch 13 balls against their defense, so we know their defense is susceptible to versatile running backs. With Carson Wentz back on the field, this game also has sneaky shootout potential. Clement will be a staple in my cash game lineups and is a good GPP play as well.

NFL DFS DraftKings: Wide Receivers

Michael Thomas NO @ ATL $8,900

Thomas is currently on pace to finish the season with 224 catches, 2,144 yards, and 24 touchdowns. He’s looked so impressive that those numbers don’t even seem out of reach. Thomas has been unbelievably efficient, hauling in 28 catches on 30 attempts. The Saints return to a pass-heavy approach gives Thomas one of the highest floors and highest ceilings in all of football. Thomas dominated last year’s matchup in Atlanta, finishing with 10 catches, 117 yards, and 1 touchdown. Look for a repeat performance on Sunday. If I’m only paying up for one wide receiver, it’s a no brainer for me to choose Thomas over Tyreek Hill. $8,500 for a wide receiver who has yet to see more than 8 targets in a game is just too rich for my blood.

Julio Jones NO @ ATL $7,900

I suspect Julio Jones will be the most popular play at wide receiver in week 3. A sub $8,000 salary for Jones in any week is too low, let alone a week in which he’s playing the Saints secondary on his own field. Jones is set up for a huge game with a match-up against a New Orleans defense that is allowing the second most DraftKings points to wide receivers. Are you certain that a Brees/Thomas stack will outscore a Ryan/Julio stack? If you go with the Atlanta pair, you’ll be saving $1,700 that can be spent elsewhere. Of course, if you could find a way to insert Julio Jones into a lineup that features a NO stack, you could really be in business.

T.Y. Hilton IND @ PHI $6,700

You know what I found most exciting about Hilton’s performance on Sunday? The fact that he caught a red zone touchdown. Hilton is looked upon by many as a one-trick pony, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. He is an excellent route runner and has a strong connection with Andrew Luck. He has received 11 targets in each game this season, which is actually less volume than was expected. Philadelphia’s defense ranks #1 against the run and should have no problem stopping the Colts 24th ranked rushing attack this week. As has been the case for most of his career, we’ll most likely see Andrew Luck have to air it out if the Colts are going to have any success on offense. Hilton is past due to surpass the 100 yard mark, and I’ve got a hunch that he’ll hit it this week against an underperforming Eagles secondary.

Will Fuller NYG @ HOU $5,900

I love Will Fuller’s game. More importantly, DeShaun Watson loves Will Fuller’s game. If it seems like Watson is frequently finding Fuller in the end zone, that’s because they’ve never actually played a game together in which they didn’t hook up for a score. Dating back to last year, Watson has connected with Fuller for a total of 8 touchdowns in 5 games. I’ve already stated my belief that Watson is primed for a huge week, and if that plays out, you better believe Fuller will be a big reason why.

Robert Woods LAC @ LAR $5,100

The first time I glanced at the salaries for week 3, Woods was a guy who really stood out to me as one of the more underpriced players. After a few days of research, that opinion has only been solidified in my mind. Brandin Cooks has been a stud in the Rams offense, and deserves all the attention he’s getting. However, it’s not as if Woods has been a slouch. Through two games, his 18 targets actually lead the team, and just last week he had a solid 6 catch, 81 yard performance. Despite a deep receiving corps, Woods rarely comes off the field, as evidenced by his 97% snap count in week 2. The over/under on this game is staying right around 48, which is the third highest total of the main slate. There are going to be a ton of points scored, and with more defensive attention being turned to Brandin Cooks, Woods has a chance to explode this Sunday.

Josh Doctson GB @ WAS $3,700

Want a GPP dart throw? How about Josh Doctson? He gets a Packers defense that was just shredded by the Vikings duo of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. Doctson was in on 71 of 74 offensive plays in week 2,  catching 4 of 7 targets for 37 yards. The opportunity is there for a big game. The Washington Redskins just signed Breshad Perriman and Michael Floyd this week, which essentially serves to put the former first round pick out of TCU on notice. A big game this week could go a long ways toward convincing the coaches that he deserves to retain a starting job. Playing Doctson is a shot in the dark, but at $3,700, what do you expect?

NFL DFS DraftKings: Tight Ends

Zach Ertz IND @ PHI $6,800 and Travis Kelce SF @ KC $6,700

I know this is kind of cheating, but take your pick. In the absence of Gronk, there is a legitimate case for either guy to be the #1 option this week. If you play Mahomes, Kelce makes for an elite stacking option. We saw last year how much Wentz loves his stud tight end. Both guys had huge games last week, and you probably can’t go wrong either way. If my feet were held to the fire, I’d say Kelce in cash and Ertz in GPP.

George Kittle SF @ KC $4,500

I am crossing my fingers that Kittle’s dud of a performance in week 2 will drastically lower his NFL DFS ownership on Sunday. Did you watch the Steelers/Chiefs scoring bonanza? The Kansas City defense made Steelers tight end, Jesse James look like a cyborg composed of parts from Gronk, Tony Gonzalez, Fergie, and a real life cheetah. I’ve already exhausted the fact that this game has a monstrous over/under, but it bears repeating. You are going to want exposure to this game. I’m not necessarily opposed to using Kittle in the flex spot to differentiate your lineup and also to save money.

Evan Engram NYG @ HOU $4,300

Check out this tweet by @pyrostag and tell me you aren’t excited to roll with Engram this week. (By the way, if you’re on Twitter, do yourself a favor and follow that account.)

Allow me to make it even simpler. The Houston Texans are very bad against opposing tight ends. Of all the defenses in the NFL, they allow the 2nd highest % of all receiving yards to go to the tight end position. What does that mean for Evan Engram in week 3? It means he’s about to eat. On Sunday night, he was able to bring in 7 catches on 7 targets, for 67 yards and 1 touchdown. I think we could see that plus more on Sunday in this matchup with Houston.

Trey Burton CHI @ ARI $3,900

Burton was everyone’s fantasy darling entering 2018, but the sparkle has somewhat dimmed. I refuse to give up on Travis Kelce 2.0 just yet. That shovel pass score on Monday night was the exact same play that got Kelce into the end zone with Kansas City so many times. If you’re the Bears, it’s important to continue to help Trubisky gain confidence, and what better week to let him air it out than against the Arizona Cardinals? Even if he makes a few mistakes, Chicago shouldn’t have any problems pulling out a win. Allen Robinson has been a target monster in 2018, but with a tough matchup against Patrick Peterson, look for Burton to get extra targets this Sunday.

NFL DFS DraftKings: Defense/Special Teams

Minnesota Vikings DST $4,300

I have a riddle for you guys. What do you expect when a terrible offense led by a rookie quarterback is goes on the road against one of the league’s best defenses? Ready for the answer? An incredibly expensive Defense on DraftKings. However, despite a whopping $4,300 salary, it isn’t difficult to imagine a scenario where the Vikings are worth the cost. With LeSean McCoy looking doubtful for this game with cracked ribs, Josh Allen might have to carry even more of the load. That’s good news for owners wanting to use the Vikings in NFL DFS this week.

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Jacksonville Jaguars DST $4,000

Through the first two weeks of the season, the Jaguars defense has been solid, yet unspectacular. After leading the league in takeaways a season ago, they have only been able to generate 3 so far this year. Factor in that they have only been able to get to the quarterback a total of 4 times, and it isn’t hard to understand why they’re only averaging 9 DraftKings points per game. That should all change this Sunday though. The Titans offensive line is so banged up, I half expected a phone call from Tennessee asking if I’d be available to suit up for them this week. Mariota is expected to play, but could be somewhat limited due to a lingering elbow issue. Everything seems to be set up perfectly for a big performance from the Jags defense.

Dallas Cowboys DST $2,200

The DST position isn’t really one I’m looking to punt on this week. There are just too many good options near the top. However, if you have to spend down, there are some reasons for optimism with the Cowboys D. They have one of the better pass rushes in the league, and as we saw on Monday night, Seattle’s offensive line leaves a bit to be desired. Dallas’ ball control style of offense also mitigates the potential of a high scoring game. I wouldn’t feel confident starting the Dallas defense, but if I’m spending down, they’ll be my top choice.

Thanks for reading, NFL DFS DraftKings Week 3 Lineup Advice! Be on the lookout for my next article which will cover NFL DFS DraftKings Top Stacks for Week 3!