NFL Preseason Week 3: DFS Picks for Thursday, August 22nd
Welcome to the 2019-2020 NFL season! Specifically, welcome to another cycle of NFL DFS as we enter the third week of the NFL Preseason and are exactly two weeks away from the real deal. Be sure to follow me @AlexMcKinnonDFS for daily & weekly DFS guidelines and up to the minute news and notes.
NFL Preseason Week 3: DFS Picks for Thursday, August 22nd
The first two weeks of the season have been completely unpredictable from a DFS standpoint with a limited appearance from starters across the league and countless unsolved position battles. Thankfully, we receive a dose of normalcy in the third week of the preseason which is well known as a ‘dress-rehearsal’ for the starters. It also serves as the best gauge point for coaches to make roster decisions in a situation where the inexperienced and unproven players are able to face serviceable competition. Let’s take a look at the storylines and players with the best DFS potential from the slate on Thursday.
Giants @ Bengals
New York Giants: The Giants are off to a great start with rookie Daniel Jones at the helm despite some exciting QB ‘beef’ between Jones and Cleveland Browns mega-star Baker Mayfield. With week 3 of the preseason upon us, it’s time to see how much gas Eli Manning has in the tank in the wake of Jones’ recent performances.
The two-time Super Bowl winner has an expiration date, how soon that date is will be answered soon. On a less significant note, the battle between Paul Perkins and Rod Smith continues for the primary backup role behind Saquon Barkley. Although, I find it unlikely they will make the same impression on the Giants fans…
Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals fresh-faced head coach, Zac Taylor, is taking a unique approach to the traditional style of the third week of the preseason…
"“Guys will be ready to play against Seattle. We will not play (starters) the first half and into the third quarter like it has been done in the past. I think the trend, and I don’t really care what the trend is, is the guys will play a series-or-two shorter than what has happened in years past. Whether that’s good or bad, that’s what we believe in — keeping our guys fresh and healthy. They’re getting enough work. We feel good about our plan.”"
It’s difficult to argue against protecting your player’s health at all cost but for a team that was 6-10 last season, more reps for the starters may have been the wiser choice. With both AJ Green and John Ross struggling with injuries, the receiving corps appears to be bleak. Damion Willis and Stanley Morgan Jr. have been active in the first two weeks and Auden Tate is another target to keep an eye on.
Players to use in DFS: Daniel Jones (QB-NYG), Tyler Boyd (WR-CIN)