This article first appeared on RotoBaller.com
By Tom Vecchio (@DFS_Tom)
Welcome to Week 3 of the NFL season. There are tons of contests on both major DFS sites, and this is the time of year to cash in. Below are my DraftKings DFS Lineup Picks for Week 3.
These DraftKings lineup recommendations are based on match ups, recent performances, overall upside/talent levels, and other factors such as Vegas odds, home field advantage, and more. There are still quite a few great value plays available, so read on to find out which players are the best for Week 3.
Good luck with your DraftKings DFS lineups!
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DraftKings DFS Quarterbacks – Week 3 Picks
Alex Smith – KC @ LAC (DK $5,900)
Spending down at quarterback is a popular trend in DFS, so let’s take a look at Alex Smith, a nice mid priced player this week. We all saw what Smith did in Week 1 vs the Patriots, throwing for over 350 yards and four touchdowns. He won’t have the level of production every week, as he only put up 251 yards and a single touchdown last week, but up against the Chargers this Sunday, puts him in a good spot. The Chargers have the 19th DVOA against the pass this season, and with a game that has a 47.5 over/under, it puts Smith in a good spot. If you are looking to stack a receiver with Smith, look at Travis Kelce or Tyreek Hill, they both have over 14 targets this season, and Kelce has gotten 50% of the red-zone targets.
Derek Carr – OAK @ WAS (DK $6,800)
If you want to take one of the higher priced quarterbacks this week, consider Derek Carr from Oakland. He has five touchdowns and no interceptions on this young season, and is up against Washington who has the 20th DVOA against the pass. There is a good amount of value out there this week at other positions, so you could consider Carr as a cash game option. He has multi touchdown upside, as he has shown in the first two games. He is playing in the Sunday night game, so always nice to have a points boost at the end of the day. In terms of stack, look at Amari Cooper or Michael Crabtree, as they are the two top targets for the Raiders passing attack.
DraftKings DFS Running Backs – Week 3 Picks
Jay Ajayi – MIA @ NYJ (DK $7,700)
Ajayi is looking like the workhorse back for the Dolphins, as he played on 94.1% of the teams snaps in Week 2. Take note, Ajayi didn’t practice on Wednesday due to knee soreness, and is listed as questionable. Be sure to check throughout the week for updates. In his first action of the season, which was Week 2 due to the hurricane, Ajayi saw 28 carries for 122 yards and no touchdowns. If he stays at this level of touches and production, he will be one of the top fantasy backs this season. Ajayi is up against the Jets who have the 27th DVOA against the run this season, making this a very favorable match up for him.
Ty Montgomery – GB vs CIN (DK $6,900)
Montgomery is the ideal back you want to play on DraftKings, he has seen 10 or more rushing attempts and one touchdown in each of the first two games, along with four or more receptions in each game. Being that DraftKings is a full PPR site, those catches out of the backfield are extremely valuable. The Packers are up against the Bengals who have the 19th DVOA against the run, and have looked very bad through the first two weeks of the year. Montgomery had both a rushing and receiving touchdown last week, and the duel threat out of the backfield is a fantastic asset in fantasy.
DraftKings DFS Wide Receivers – Week 3 Picks
Antonio Brown – PIT @ CHI (DK $9,000)
Brown had a bit of a down week last game, but that was mainly due to the fact he was shadowed by Xavier Rhodes, corner back for the Vikings. He is in a great bounce back spot this week against the Bears who have the 31st DVOA against WR1. In Week 1, we saw Brown have 11 receptions on 11 targets, and that is the level of production we should be expecting from him this week. He has also yet to find his way into the end zone, and this looks like a prime spot for him to do so.
Amari Cooper – OAK @ WAS (DK $7,100)
Cooper is priced down a bit after last week where he only had four receptions for 33 yards. He has huge potential, and showed that in part during Week 1 where he had 13 targets and one touchdown. Cooper is in the Sunday night game vs Washington, who has the 20th DVOA against the pass. He also leads the team in targets with 20, and red zone targets with five. Cooper may go against Josh Norman, so this is a tough match up for him, but prime time game, big players will show up.
DraftKings DFS Tight Ends – Week 3 Picks
Jason Witten – DAL @ ARI (DK $4,500)
Witten is showing that father time hasn’t caught up with him yet, as he has seven or more receptions and one touchdown in each of his first two games. Super, super consistent to start the year, and is showing he is one of Prescott’s favorite targets, as he had 13 of them in the last game. Looking like a sure fire cash lock of the week, but take note, this is the Monday night game, so you will have to play on the expanded slate to get him in your lineups.
DraftKings DFS Defenses – Week 3 Picks
Buccaneers at Vikings (DK $3,200)
The Buccaneers are coming off a big game last week vs the Bears where they put up 19 DraftKings points. They were forcing turnovers seemingly on every drive, and held the Bears to only seven points. The Bucs make a goo play this week if Sam Bradford is out, which would put Case Keenum as the starting quarterback. Keenum really struggled last week against the Steelers, and if that trend continues, this puts the Bucs’ in a great spot.
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