DFS NFL: Optimal FanDuel DFS Lineup for Week Three

FanDuel DFS Picks for Week Three – Cash Games

Week two’s FanDuel DFS lineup cashed with ease on the backs of Melvin Gordon and Todd Gurley. This week we see a similar setup with a couple of high floor running backs and two under the radar receivers that should see very favorable match-ups for a good price. Keep in mind these lineups should only be played in cash games. When we say cash games we refer to 50/50 contests and head to head entries but not necessarily big time tournaments with high payouts.

Playing the same lineup in multiple contests can often be a great idea because if you do the right amount of research you should be able to net very positive results and minimize risk. I’ll also be documenting each weeks total to make sure you can trust I’m not just recommending these lineups, but actually using them:

Week One total: 161.9 FD Points (Cashed in 100% of contests)

Week Two total: 134.28 FD Points (Cahsed in 90% of contests)

FanDuel Cash Game Lineup – Week Three 

Quarterback – Matt Ryan – $7,700

Ryan came out swinging in week one in front of every NFL fan in the country and made us all wonder if he spent the offseason taking blood transfusions from 2016 Peyton Manning. Ryan was an MVP candidate just two years ago and after week one a lot of people were left scratching their heads about whether or not he could even be rostered. Thankfully he answered a lot of those questions and bounced back in week two with a huge 30+ point fantasy performance.

This week Ryan takes on the Saints in a game that should be an absolute shootout, with an over/under of 50+ points. A lot of people will be locking Drew Brees into their lineups which is never a bad idea, but if you pay down a little bit for Ryan you can gain an advantage at the running back position. The New Orleans secondary has surrendered the third most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks through the first two weeks and Ryan should easily continue that trend. He’s a somewhat contrarian play in cash games this week but it will definitely pay off.

Alvin Kamara-$8,700

Kamara disappointed fantasy owners a bit last week when he wasn’t able to find the end zone, something he’s only done three times in the last twelve games. Mark Ingram continues his suspension which means this week will be another heavy dose of both Kamara and Michael Thomas. The Saints and Falcons matchup is one to build a lineup around as it has a ton of heavy hitters and two quarterbacks who love to air it out. Kamara serves as both a running back and a pass catcher on a weekly basis so game scripts can be tossed out the window.

Through two weeks he’s generated eighteen targets which would rank him ahead of AJ Green and speaks to the fact that he’s barely even a running back. Kamara is a special player in every way and a game like this will be one in which he should dominate. He’s a high floor, high ceiling option that should be locked in.

Christian McCaffery – $7,900

Fifteen targets. I’ll repeat that: FIFTEEN targets….for a running back. That’s insanity in terms of fantasy football historically, but based on the way Carolina has utilized McCaffery since he came in the league, it was just another day at the office. In week two he benefited from a depleted Falcons linebacking corps but this week should give us more of the same.

The Bengals linebacking corps are average at best, and both Hardy Nickerson and Nick Vigil have surrendered an 85% completion percentage to running backs within their coverage zone. Neither player is a particularly good athlete and they should have a tough time covering someone like McCaffery. He should see at least ten touches on the ground and Cincinnati ranks in the bottom half of the league in fantasy points given up to running backs. McCaffery is a high floor option with the potential for a huge game if he finds the end zone.

Michael Thomas– $9,000

If you didn’t draft Michael Thomas in season long leagues this year…. I am so sorry.

Thomas is not just a product of Drew Brees’ high powered offense, he’s a phenomenal receiver and refined route runner that is working his way into the conversation surrounding the elite group of pass catchers in the NFL.

Putting him into cash game lineups in week one or two would have given you production that mirrored any of the top players on the main slate. Thomas is a no brainer in this contest against the Falcons and will work well alongside Kamara as the offense runs through the two of them. Stacking him with Brees will be one of the chalkiest moves you see all weekend, but he’s just too good to ignore in this matchup. The stars are aligned and the narrative is in place for a third straight week of Thomas lighting up the box score.

Nelson Agholor – $6,600

What if I told you that Nelson Agholor has seen more targets through the first two weeks than Jarvis Landry, Deandre Hopkins and Allen Robinson? Well…. I’m telling you that, so…. react accordingly.

Agholor has been a target monster for a team needing production from its pass catchers and he rewarded every owner who put their trust in that opportunity last week. Carson Wentz will return from injury and is supposedly healthy so it should be even more of the same in matchup against the Colts. This game has sneaky shootout potential if the Colts let Andrew Luck air it out, and Agholor has been a favorite target of Wentz’ since he entered the league. He’s as safe a player as you’ll find on the main slate this week and until Alshon Jeffery returns he will continue to be underrated and underpriced.

Calvin Ridley – $5,000

My apologies for not just having this article be a single sentence that says “anyone playing in the Saints/Falcons game”.

A lot of Julio Jones will show up on this week’s slate and for good reason. The only reason I’m staying away from him is because Jones will see quite a bit of Marshon Lattimore who is still one of the more talented second year players in the league. This should open up some opportunities for Ridley who finally found the end zone in week two and has been integrating himself into the Falcons offense more and more each week.

Ridley will likely matchup against P.J Williams who is no slouch, but based on his college tape and what we’ve seen so far tells us Ridley can produce against man to man coverage better than most of the receivers in the league. He’s incredibly cheap and won’t light your lineup on fire but he should see a decent target share and some red zone looks which is all you’ll need in order to make the choice worth it. You have to pay down in some spots in order to pay up in others, and Ridley is our bargain bin choice so we can fit the big dogs in elsewhere.

Eric Ebron- $5,500

Jack Doyle was ruled out on Friday which is good news for all the Eric Ebron truthers out there. He found the end zone twice in two games which is a good sign at a position lacking productivity. Those performances came with Doyle still in the lineup so there will be plenty of opportunity for him to do even more damage while Doyle sits. The matchup against Philadelphia isn’t the best one for any Indianapolis pass catcher but the Colts should struggle to keep up, opening targets for Ebron and company. Any slate that doesn’t include Rob Gronkowski is a difficult one, but Ebron presents a great bargain at a position that’s sometimes touchdown or bust.

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Flex – Latavius Murray– $5,200

Murray will have close to 100% ownership in cash games on Sunday based on the news that Dalvin Cook won’t be suiting up against the Bills. He should receive a full workload that mirrors any locked in starting running back and the Vikings square up against a team that’s on pace to be historically terrible and allowing over thirty fantasy points a week to opposing running backs.

Normally someone in Murray’s role would have a backup spelling him if they jump out to a big lead, but Murray’s already in that role and his backup Roc Thomas likely won’t see too much work between the tackles. It will be all Murray early on and all Murray late into the fourth quarter. Slot him into every single lineup this weekend.

D/ST – Chicago Bears-$4,300

Seriously, how good is Khalil Mack? He’s one of the few players on the other side of the ball that is an absolute joy to watch when he’s at his best. This Bears team might be the breakout defense of the year and they don’t have any true weaknesses that have been exposed yet. They’ll line up against a Cardinals team that only ran a single play on the opponents side of the field in week two (no seriously, look that up). This matchup should be even more fruitful for Mack and the boys than the Seahawks were on Monday night, and they aren’t even a top three priced option on the main slate. I wouldn’t argue if you wanted to fit the Vikings in somehow, but the next best option is easily this one and it comes at a much better price.

I’ll continue to do these week by week, but in the mean time throw me a follow on Twitter @TheFFGator and don’t hesitate to reach out with any tough lineup decisions you may have.  Good luck this week, and let’s hope we see the same fireworks we saw in week two.