Last week was carnage from an injury standpoint. We now have 11 of the top 60 position players in drafts sidelined, and it’s driving season-long managers nuts. The good news is that we have DFS, where the injuries aren’t quite as impactful. They can blow up your lineup, but it’s also a great way to capitalize on some of those absences and use those players filling in!
With that said, let’s dive into this week’s cash game options.
Week 3 Cash Game DFS Advice & Picks
The players below are the ones I’m looking at for cash game considerations for Week 3.
Quarterbacks
DraftKings
Lamar Jackson (QB — BAL): $7,500 at DAL
The Ravens are one of the biggest surprise 0-2 teams, but it’s no fault of L-Jax. The former MVP leads all quarterbacks with 23.3 DraftKings points per game, thanks to his elite rushing ability. That dynamic playstyle should be beneficial in a matchup with Dallas because the Cowboys just allowed 44 points last week. This 49-point total is also one of the highest of the week. We should see a shootout between two of the best offenses in football!
Derek Carr (QB — NO): $5,800 vs. PHI
How is Carr below $6K? That will have him as one of the highest-rostered players on this slate, as he is running the ship for the highest-scoring offense in the NFL. Carr has done his part to help that, averaging 22 DK points per game. We don’t expect Philly to slow him down because they rank 30th in passing yards allowed since the start of last season!
FanDuel
C.J. Stroud (QB — HOU): $8,200 at MIN
Stroud has looked fantastic since being drafted last season, and it’s strange to see him fifth in salary on FanDuel. He’s third over on DK and will be rostered heavily on FD because of that discrepancy. A matchup with Minnesota looks tough on the surface, but the Vikings were 24th in passing yards allowed last season.
Justin Fields (QB — PIT): $6,700 vs. LAC
The Fields-Russell Wilson saga has been one of the most fascinating stories in the NFL, with Fields stealing the job from the veteran. We haven’t seen many big fantasy games from Fields yet, but this guy showcased a top-five upside in his time with Chicago. We expect some of those upside games as he gets used to playing with this new offense, and it could happen here since the Chargers surrendered the third-most passing yards in the NFL last season. All of that makes the sub-$7K price tag challenging to understand.
Running Backs
DraftKings
Jordan Mason (RB — SF): $6,200 at LAR
With Christian McCaffrey sidelined, Mason has become one of the biggest stories in fantasy. He’s taken over as the 49ers’ starting running back in CMC’s absence, scoring 20 and 25 DK points in his first two games. This price will have him rostered everywhere because he should be closer to $8K as the workhorse back for San Fran. Not to mention, the 49ers are a 7.5-point favorite, and LA allows the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing backs.
Tony Pollard (RB — TEN): $6,000 vs. GB
I had Pollard in my Week 3 Smash Starts article, and he will be rostered heavily at just $6,000. He’s established himself as the workhorse back in Tennessee, scoring 15 and 18 DK points in his first two games with the Titans. We love that he’s seeing 20 touches a game, and he shouldn’t have any issues here since Green Bay has a 27th OPRK for running backs.
FanDuel
Alvin Kamara (RB — NO): $8,400 vs. PHI
Kamara was falling to the middle rounds of drafts, proving to be the steal of the offseason! The former top player in fantasy is once again leading the league, averaging 33 FanDuel points per game. That’s an unsustainable average, but DFS managers will roster him because he’s been the best player in fantasy and faces one of the worst defenses in the league here!
De’Von Achane (RB — MIA): $7,700 at SEA
Everyone saw Achane do everything for Miami last Thursday, and it appears he’ll be the bell-cow back as long as Raheem Mostert is sidelined. Achane was one of the most dynamic players in DFS last year on only 10-15 touches a game, and it’s scary to think how good he could be with 25-30 touches. He also recorded at least seven catches in both of the first two games. He should be a good bet for 10 targets this week since Skylar Thompson needs a safety blanket.
Wide Receivers
DraftKings
DeVonta Smith (WR — PHI): $6,900 at NO
It’s sad that A.J. Brown is injured, but it will make Smith the focal point of this passing attack. That’s always been the case when Brown has been sidelined, with Smith scoring 15 and 21 DraftKings points in his first two games. He posted similar numbers when Brown has been out in the past, averaging a target share above 30 percent in those circumstances.
Brandon Aiyuk (WR — SF): $6,200 at LAR
We like Aiyuk for all the same reasons we like Smith. Aiyuk is projected to take over as the top receiver in San Fran’s offense with Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey sidelined. That should guarantee Aiyuk 10-15 targets, and he has averaged over 15 DK points per game when Samuel has been out over the last two seasons.
FanDuel
CeeDee Lamb (WR — DAL): $9.300 vs. BAL
Lamb is the slate’s most expensive player and has earned it. The Dallas star has led all wideouts in fantasy points since the start of last season and is simply the safest option out there with his 15-point floor. The main reason people will ride him is because this is expected to be a shootout between two high-powered offenses, with Dallas projected to score 25 points. If they reach that total, Lamb will have 100 yards and a touchdown.
Amari Cooper (WR — CLE): $6,000 vs. NYG
When looking at his numbers, it isn’t easy to get excited about Cooper, but this pricing is out of control. This guy has been above $7K for most of his career, but he’s now being priced around guys like Jalen Nailor, Brandin Cooks, Alec Pierce and Jerry Jeudy. Everyone knows Cooper is way too good to be priced around players like that, and it will likely have him heavily rostered against a subpar Giants defense.
Tight Ends
DraftKings
Colby Parkinson (TE — LAR): $3,600 vs. SF
All DFS managers know that the Rams are without Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, leaving Parkinson as one of the top pass-catchers in this offense. He’s played 85% of the snaps through the first two weeks and could see a career-high in targets because of how shorthanded this team is. Finding a $3,600 tight end with that sort of potential will have Parkinson rostered everywhere!
FanDuel
Trey McBride (TE — ARI): $6,800 vs. DET
McBride is the best bet to finish as the highest-scoring tight end, averaging 11 FanDuel points per game. That’s a massive total when looking at all of the duds across this position. It’s hard to believe that McBride is fourth in salary since the guys ahead of him are struggling so mightily. The game script only adds to his intrigue because this is projected to be the highest-scoring game of the week!
Defense/Special Teams
DraftKings
Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST: $3,300 vs. LAC
The Steelers have looked like one of the best defensive units in the NFL, ranked second in total defense. That should bode well against a weak Chargers offense, ranked 28th in passing yards. That’s why this game has the lowest total of the season, with these teams projected to combine for just 36 points! LA is only projected to score 17 points, and people will roster Pittsburgh at just $3,300 with that much in their favor.
FanDuel
San Francisco 49ers D/ST: $4,400 at LAR
Anyone who’s watched football over the last decade knows that San Fran has one of the best defenses in the league. That always makes them highly rostered on every slate, and you know DFS managers will use them against the Rams. We already talked about how the Rams are missing Puka and Kupp; this could be a get-right game for the 49ers. It’s hard to believe they’re seventh in salary, and they’ll likely be the most rostered D/ST on this slate.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.
