Writing about the cash game options is always interesting because it’s more about predicting rostership than who will have a good game. I always try to implement guys I like along with players who I expect to be widely rostered because that’s the best way to help you! It can be challenging to bridge that gap, but we have a great group of guys this week!
The players below are ones I’m looking at for cash game considerations in Week 3:
Quarterbacks
DraftKings
Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC): $8,300 vs. CHI
Mahomes could be a cash game selection for every game throughout his career. This former MVP rarely scores below 20 DraftKings points and is averaging 23 DK points per game through the first two weeks. We expect that to be his floor going forward, because he finally has Travis Kelce back! Squaring off with Chicago is also sensational, since the Bears have a 25th OPRK against opposing quarterbacks.
Dak Prescott (QB – DAL): $6,600 at ARI
The production from Prescott hasn’t been great, but people will use him in this matchup. The Cardinals have that big green 1st next to their name, which intrigues DFS players. That, paired with his pricing, is amazing for someone as talented as Prescott, who is ranked 10th at the position in salary. Look for Prescott to be rostered in a ton of lineups, but we’re not so sure that’s a great idea in a game that could be a blowout!
FanDuel
Kirk Cousins (QB – MIN): $7,800 vs. LAC
Cousins is going to be tough to avoid this week. This guy has attempted 44 passes in each of the first two games and dropped a 29-point gem in Week 2. That’s not too surprising considering Cuz had the third-most air yards in the NFL over the last two years, and that sort of role makes him impossible to fade against LA, who is allowing the most yards in the NFL! This game has shootout written all over it, and Cousins should benefit from this 54-point total.
Justin Fields (QB – CHI): $7,700 at KC
In my GPP article, we had Fields as a good option on DraftKings, but he will be a cash game selection on FanDuel. We say that because he’s eighth in salary over on FanDuel but he’s fifth on DraftKings, which makes him a much better value on FD! It’s hard not to be intrigued by his upside at this salary. He was the top quarterback in the NFL over the final two months of last season, while Kansas City had the worst defense in the NFL.
Running Backs
DraftKings
Tony Pollard (RB – DAL): $8,000 at ARI
Everyone loves using a workhorse running back for a team that’s a monster favorite. That’s what we have here, with Dallas entering this matchup as a 13-point favorite over the Cardinals. That means Pollard should get all the work he can handle, and he has been averaging over 21 DK points per game through the first two weeks. That will be his floor here, since Arizona is such a fantastic matchup.
Travis Etienne (RB – JAX): $6,900 vs. HOU
Many fantasy managers believe Etienne is due for a breakout season, and this matchup with Houston could be the start of it. The Texans were historically bad against rushers last season, allowing the most fantasy points to opposing backs since the beginning of last year. Etienne scored 26 DK points against them in their last matchup despite getting just nine carries! He should get twice as many this week and will likely be rostered everywhere in such a tasty matchup.
FanDuel
Kenneth Walker (RB – SEA): $7,600 vs. CAR
Walker has been solid through the first two weeks as the workhorse for Seattle. He’s getting almost all of the backfield work and scored 18 FanDuel points in Week 2. We saw this guy average close to that in the final two months of last year, so we expect that to be his floor in this magical matchup. Carolina is surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing backs through the opening two weeks, and Seattle enters this matchup as a 6.5-point favorite!
Jahmyr Gibbs (RB – DET): $7,000 vs. ATL
With David Montgomery likely sitting out, everyone will be in on Gibbs. This guy was already a third-round pick in season-long leagues, and the only thing holding him back has been his role. That shouldn’t be an issue with Montgomery sidelined, and every DFS manager knows that. Gibbs has looked outstanding in his limited opportunities, and this is the perfect chance to unleash the rookie. We don’t mind the matchup either, with Detroit expected to cruise to a win as a sizable favorite.
Wide Receivers
DraftKings
Tyreek Hill (WR – MIA): $9,000 vs. DEN
Hill is going to be a cash-game option all season. He says he wants to reach 2,000 yards and is well on his way. Hill is leading all players with 31 DraftKings points per game and is simply impossible to cover. That’s terrible news for a disastrous Denver defense, who allowed 35 points to the Commanders in Week 2. Miami is much better than Washington, and Hill will feast against this subpar secondary.
Amari Cooper (WR – CLE): $5,700 vs. TEN
It’s hard to believe that Cooper is below $6K on DraftKings. That alone will have him in a ton of lineups, and that doesn’t even consider that Nick Chubb is out as well. That means the passing game will have to be unleashed, especially since Tennessee looks like one of the best run defenses in the NFL. Not to mention the fact that the Titans have a 30th OPRK against opposing wideouts.
FanDuel
Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN): $9,700 vs. DET
We might have Jefferson in here every week. He is the safest option in DFS right now, scoring at least 19 FanDuel points 11 times since the start of last year. He’s also averaging over 20 FD points per game in that span, collecting 11 catches for 223 yards in his last matchup with the Lions. That’s bad news since Detroit is surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing receivers this season.
Stefon Diggs (WR – BUF): $8,000 at WAS
This salary makes no sense. Diggs is second among all wideouts in fantasy points over the last three years and is fifth at the position in salary on FanDuel. He’s also $1,700 below Jefferson, but isn’t that far behind him in terms of production. Diggs should keep that momentum going against the Commanders, with Washington sitting 25th in OPRK against opposing wide receivers.
Tight Ends
DraftKings
Taysom Hill (TE – NOS): $3,300 at GB
There are rumors that Hill will get a ton of carries this week. We saw glimpses of that in Week 2, and they’ll have to get him more involved with Jamaal Williams, Alvin Kamara, and Kendre Miller all missing this game. That makes Hill a cheat code at the tight end position, especially since he’s just $3,300! If people believe he’ll get 10 carries and goal-line work, he’ll be in everyone’s lineup at tight end because he’s not even a tight end!
FanDuel
Sam LaPorta (TE – DET): $5,200 vs. ATL
The tight end position is a disaster, but LaPorta is a glimmer of hope! This rookie has been solid filling in the TJ Hockenson role, picking up five catches in each of the first two games. Not many tight ends are even getting five targets right now, making LaPorta an excellent cash game option at just above $5,000. The matchup isn’t bad either, with Atlanta ranking 23rd in OPRK against opposing tight ends.
Defense/Special Teams
DraftKings
Dallas Cowboys D/ST: $4,400 at ARI
Just look at the fantasy points scored! Dallas is one of the leaders among all players, averaging 26 DraftKings points per game. That’s a laughable total and twice as much as the D/ST in second place. That means people will use them against anyone, and you know fantasy managers will love the free square against the Cardinals, who are of the worst offenses in the NFL.
FanDuel
Tennessee Titans D/ST: $3,800 at CLE
This Titans-Browns game is expected to be a grinder. This total is only 38 points, and Tennessee could thrive against a Cleveland team missing Chubb. That absence led to Pittsburgh scoring nearly 30 FD points in Week 2, and we’ve seen the Titans post some gaudy defensive numbers through the opening two weeks. That makes it hard to understand why they’re 15th in salary at this position, and they’ll be rostered a ton in this spot!
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
Beyond our daily fantasy football content, check out our Daily Fantasy Football Tools. From our Value Plays – which allows you to identify players who are projected to outperform their salaries – to our DFS Cheat Sheets -which help you get a quick read on the day’s players – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
