DFS NFL Week 3 is upon us. Each week, we spotlight three to four core plays to help you build a winning weekly DFS lineup on Fanduel and DraftKings. In building a successful lineup, look for positional values to see where you can save money and players with projected low ownership who can pay 2x-2.5x of their listed DFS salary.
You bank on getting a minimum of 20 points from the quarterback position, you can not miss this position. Expect to pay up at the tight end, you can save at other spots. A successful strategy can be the QB-TE stack. These core plays will give you a nucleus for your DFS build.
Perhaps most importantly, you don’t need me to tell you to start Lamar Jackson or Saquon Barkley in week three. These recommendations are designed to give you players we feel will be low-owned and give you a unique DFS build.
DFS Start ‘Ems
Here are a few of the players we are heavily leaning on in this game. These players are in a good spot to put together a solid performance and have a favorable matchup.
Kyler Murray ($6900 DraftKings and $8300 Fanduel)
Kyler Murray is a top 4 quarterback on FanDuel this week, coming off a 28.54 fantasy point game last week versus the Rams. Kyler through two games is averaging 21.36 fantasy points per game and is a potential shoot-out scenario versus the Lions this week. The Cardinals/Lions game has a slate-high 51.5 implied game total. Arizona took off when they decided to target Marvin Harrison Jr. and Murray ended with a 158.3 QB rating. We considered his counterpart Goff but will spend up and use Murray in DFS week 3.
Brock Bowers ($5400 DraftKings and $6300 Fanduel)
Instead of running back on this start spot, we will change gears and go tight end. Brock Bowers enters week 3 as TE2 in PPR formats. Bowers last week caught all nine targets for 98 yards and has an 88.2% catch rate on the season. He was second in targets last week behind Adams and touchdowns will come with this usage rate. Bowers has overall TE1 in his realm of outcomes.
Chris Olave ($6300 DraftKings and $7100 Fanduel)
The Saints and Derek Carr are one of, if not, the biggest surprises of 2024. Olave was finally targeted as the Saints WR1 last week with a 37.5% target share and his wide receiver metrics pair nicely with the Eagles’ secondary. Olave is priced well at $71oo and would only need 14 points to pay the key FanDuel 2x salary.
DFS Sit ‘Ems
On the flip side, here are a few players we are sitting in this week.
Amari Cooper ($6100 DraftKings and $6000 Fanduel)
An obvious statement, the Cleveland Browns offense has not been good. To be fair, they have yet to have a healthy offensive line, but we have to see Watson and company perform before recommending Cooper. Through two weeks, Cooper has 5 catches for 27 yards with a 29.4% catch rate and is WR82 in PPR formats. The Browns also shifted to a more run-focused game plan in week two, which caps Cooper’s upside. In a game with an implied game total of 38.5, we pass on Cooper in DFS week three.
Brandin Cooks ($5500 DraftKings and $5900 Fanduel)
We may have seen a changing of the guard in week two for the second option in the Dallas Cowboys passing offense. Jalen Tolbert outpaced Cooks in targets, catches, and yards last week. Brandin Cooks finished with only 2 catches for 19 yards in a negative Dallas game script. Cooks was also seventh in targets for Dallas, he is a sit for us in week 3.
Michael Pittman ($6100 DraftKings and $6200 Fanduel)
Much like Amari Cooper, you are not using Michael Pittman in DFS week 3. Through two games, Pittman has 7 catches for 52 yards and a 46.7% catch rate. We have to see some production before inserting him into our DFS lineups. Pitman is currently WR61 in PPR and quarterback Anthony Richardson has a 49.1% completion rate and a 63.1 QB Rating.
Total Apex Stud of the Week
Amon-Ra St. Brown ($8200 DraftKings and $9100 Fanduel)
We chose St. Brown over Chris Godwin because Tampa faces the tough Denver secondary. Just like Goff, St. Brown is in a game with a slate-high 51.5 game total and shoot-out potential. Spending up at one wideout spot can be done if we find value at the other spots. Amon-Ra had a 32.7% target share, 18 targets, and 11 catches for 119 yards last week and is in a great spot against a bottom-third pass defense. Much like Bowers, with that type of usage, the touchdowns are coming.
Total Apex Dud of the Week
Mike Evans ($7200 DraftKings and $8300 Fanduel)
Chris Godwin though the first two weeks is the Bucs WR1. Evan’s production has tailed off in week two and because he mostly lines up on the perimeter looks to be matched up with Patrick Surtain Jr. Surtain and the top-ranked Broncos pass defense, are coming off consecutive weeks of shutting down DK Metcalf and George Pickens. We expect Mayfield to continue to look more at Chris Godwin due to his slot usage this season. You are not sitting Evans in redraft leagues but for DFS there are better options.
Stack of the Day/Week
Favorable Stacks: Jared Goff-Amon-Ra St. Brown/ Baker Mayfield-Chris Godwin (Fantasy WR1 through week 2) and Joe Burrow- Jamar Chase.
Additional recommended starts include Jared Goff, DJ Moore, Malik Nabers, Xavier Worthy, and Brandon Aiyuk.
Conclusion
Each week in DFS your payline for FanDuel is approximately 125 points, which is 2x per player. For example, a player with a $4500 salary needs nine points. DraftKings pay line is approximately 134 points, which is 2.5x per player. So for a $4500 salary that player would need 9.9 points. We also want a DFS lineup unique to the masses. You want players that are projected for low ownership.
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