This article is part of our Four-Down Duel series.
Here's a look at some recommended plays on FanDuel for Week 3:
Quarterback
Matt Cassel, $6100, KC – Cassel has averaged 19 fantasy points according to Fanduel, yet his price remains low. Granted, he's been playing from behind the first two games, but he's in line for one of the highest scoring games this week. New Orleans has shown the capacity to put up points and also give up a ton of points. Cassel has a ton of weapons at his disposal (one who will be discussed soon enough) and a decent running game.
Running Back
Ryan Mathews, $8300, SD – I typically try and stay away from high-priced players in this column, but I'm going to make an exception here with Mathews. My feeling here is that whomever you are up against (more so in tournaments) will shy away from Mathews since he's coming off an injury. That being said, the injury wasn't to his lower body and the fact that the Chargers kept him out of Week 2's action means he should be totally healed. At one point last season he was a top-5 fantasy running back, and considering Willis McGahee just had a ridiculous game against the Atlanta defense, I'm fine with backing him.
Wide Receiver
Jon Baldwin, $4500, KC – I realize it's kind of hard to recommend a player who received zero targets Week 1 and only got 62 receiving yards Week 2. However, the Chiefs defense doesn't look good and heads into what should be a high-scoring affair in New Orleans. The Saints defense is among the worst in the league, which is a recipe for a good fantasy day. Throw in teammate Dwayne Bowe's big day in Buffalo and Baldwin should see softer coverage against the Saints. Keep in mind that Baldwin is one of the bigger wide receivers in the league at 6-4, 230, yet he still has the speed to get open downfield. He's an especially good play in tournaments.
Ramses Barden, $4500, NYG – One of the cool aspects of Fanduel is that they have games starting with the Thursday night tilt that gives you the option of having an interest before Sunday. With the surprising news that Hakeem Nicks is already ruled out for Thursday's contest, Barden will start at wide receiver. He's an even bigger (6-6, 230) target than the aforementioned Baldwin (although, not as fast), and Barden has the benefit of teams watching Victor Cruz and Martellus Bennett. If you're digging for an even deeper sleeper and are the type of guy who calls a poker flop with 7-2 off-suit, consider Rueben Randle who is $4800.
Justin Blackmon, $5100 – He hasn't done much this season, but Blackmon still has tremendous upside. Take a moment and go out and compare him to Dez Bryant, another Oklahoma State product who started off his career slowly. However, I see immediate upside with Blackmon now that he has a more favorable matchup than last week, when he went up against the Texan's tough defense.
Kenny Britt, $6000, TEN – Another risky play considering Britt is coming off an injury and has shown no fantasy appeal up to this point. However, he's "full steam ahead" this week and Tennessee figures to involve him in the offense more, as the team desperately needs a win. Britt was one of the best fantasy wide receivers before he went down with the knee injury last season. He's healthy now and still has the ability to be an elite option at receiver. Just keep your fingers crossed that Jake Locker decides to throw something more than the five-yard routes than he did last week against San Diego.
Aldrick Robinson, $4800, WAS – He was a complete sleeper in Week 1, going four catches for 52 yards and a touchdown. While he was a disappointment in Week 2 with two catches for 40 yards, he was still able to get open downfield consistently, including a drop on a long throw from Robert Griffin, III. Aldrick should be in the same spot going forward as a slot, speed guy.
Tight End
Kyle Rudolph, $5100, MIN – I wrote about Rudolph before Week 1 and somehow he's still at a low price. While he only caught one touchdown during Week 2, he was targeted for another touchdown that was tipped and landed in Stephen Burton's hands. Rudolph's role both in the passing game and red zone should continue to grow. Remember, he was once the top tight end taken in the draft, even though he was coming off a knee injury.
Fred Davis, $4900, WAS – This is a case where we're wondering what Davis is doing waiting in the shadows. The truth is, Davis has been waiting to work his way from obscurity ever since his suspension last season. Through two games, not much has come from Davis' presence. Going forward is a totally different story. Keep an eye on Davis, who is one of the better pass-catching tight ends in the game. RGIII should start looking his way with more regularity soon.
Tip of the Week
It's usually an easy process to go through and find a defense to stream against a weak opponent. However, that task has been a little more difficult this season. New England at home should have been a good play against a Kevin Kolb-led offense. The Bengals at home should have been better against what was thought to be a hapless Browns offense. So what should you do? With the replacement officials still calling games, the best option here is to take a home defense. While the Bengals and Patriots didn't work out as well as some expected, the home teams are winning and getting calls at a higher rate than normal this season. Therefore, when choosing a defense you should not only find a low over/under number for the game but also target a team that's playing in the friendly confines of their own stadium.
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