DraftKings NFL Week 3: Top Picks & Lineup Strategy

Sunday's Week 3 slate on DraftKings includes 13 games and features Ravens-Cowboys, a marquee matchup that will take place in Brazil, as the highest-total game. The status of Zay Flowers will be important to monitor for that one. Zooming out, it's another slate where Jahmyr Gibbs is the clear cream of the crop, but he's expensive and there are other elite players in good spots to consider as well. Tough decisions will have to be made. 

I've highlighted the top options for cash games and included some of my favorite stacks for GPPs. As usual, leverage and correlation are paramount to winning large-field tournaments so keep that in mind when building lineups. If you're only concerned with rostering the best projected players, cash games are better suited. Good luck. 

Note: All prices listed come from DraftKings, but most of the logic can be applied to other sites across the DFS industry. Discussion is limited to players from the "main slate" of games kicking off at 1 p.m., 4:05 p.m. and 4:25 p.m. EDT on Sunday. The strategy below is meant for large-field tournaments, where payouts typically are limited to ~20 percent of lineups, with the majority concentrated at the very top.

The Games

Point-Per-Dollar Value

These are the players with the best projections relative to their salaries — good plays both for cash games and large-field tournaments. While we don't want our GPP lineups to look like cash-game lineups top to bottom, there's nothing wrong with using a few chalky plays.

• RB Kenneth Walker at MIA ($7,400)

Walker is averaging 28 touches in two games as a Chief. He's carried the ball 47 times for 290 yards and caught nine passes for another 79 yards. That's sky-high usage through two weeks and now he gets a favorable matchup against the lowly Dolphins where the game script should call for a heavy dose of the run. Only Jahmyr Gibbs projects better from a point-per-dollar standpoint.

• WR Parker Washington vs. NE ($6,000)

Washington continues to be a revelation for Jacksonville, as he's clearly emerged as the No. 1 option for Trevor Lawrence. He's coming off seven catches on 12 targets last week against Denver and the advanced metrics love his route-running ability. 

UPDATE: Moving Garrett Wilson ($6,300) slightly ahead of Washington given the Jets injuries at WR/TE and the more favorable matchup inside the dome in Detroit. 

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Other Cash-Game Options

Quarterback: Josh Allen vs. LAC ($8,000), Trevor Lawrence vs. NE ($5,700), Tyler Shough vs. LV ($5,400), Kyler Murray at TB ($5,100), Jameis Winston vs. TEN ($4,000)

Running Back: Jahmyr Gibbs vs. NYJ ($8,800), Christian McCaffrey vs. ARI ($8,300), Kenneth Walker at MIA ($7,400), Ashton Jeanty at NO ($7,100), James Cook vs. LAC ($6,900), De'Von Achane vs. KC ($6,500), Jaylen Warren at CIN ($5,700) (if Rico Dowdle is out)

Wide Receiver: Jaxon Smith-Njigba at WAS ($8,600), Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. NYJ ($7,900), Chris Olave vs. LV ($7,200), Garrett Wilson at DET ($6,300), Parker Washington vs. NE ($6,000), Rashod Bateman at DAL ($4,700) (if Zay Flowers is out) 

Tight End: Travis Kelce at MIA ($4,500), Mark Andrews at DAL ($4,400), Sam LaPorta vs. NYJ ($4,300), Dalton Schultz at IND ($4,200)

Defense/Special Teams: Tennessee Titans at NYG ($2,400)

Passing-Game Stacks

Stacks are the centerpiece of most tournament lineups, seeking to take advantage of positive correlations between players. It rarely makes sense to use a quarterback without one or two of his pass catchers, even if the player in question scores a decent portion of his fantasy points with his legs. Ideally, a stack also includes a pass catcher from the other side of the game, hoping to take advantage of a back-and-forth shootout. (Implied team totals are listed in parentheses.)

Los Angeles Chargers (21.5) at Buffalo Bills (29)

Chargers

It's been a horrible start to the season for the Chargers, losing at home to Arizona and Las Vegas. They were sizable favorites in both games, and now they're big underdogs as they travel to Buffalo to face the red-hot Bills. The good news is that Buffalo has surrendered the fifth-most points and ranks fifth-worst in EPA per play and per dropback. Justin Herbert ($5,800) and Co. will have to play aggressively and put up points to have any chance. Ladd McConkey ($5,900) projects best of the WRs. Quentin Johnston ($4,900) and Tre' Harris ($3,900) can be considered for larger-field GPPs. At tight end, David Njoku and Charlie Kolar have been ruled out, meaning Oronde Gadsden ($3,500) will get as much work as he can handle. Gadsden and McConkey are my preferred options to pair with either Herbert or Allen.

Bills

After 39 DraftKings points in Week 1 and 41 in Week 2, it's clear that Josh Allen ($8,000) is in a class of his own. He's made Buffalo's offense the most explosive in the league, and he's the main reason why this matchup appeals for stacks, as it has the second-highest total. DJ Moore ($5,800) has yet to practice after sitting out last week with a shoulder injury, but he's expected to return. In his absence, Khalil Shakir ($4,800) and Keon Coleman ($4,300) drew six targets apiece. Shakir has the safer floor but Coleman offers more upside as a deep threat. The top option has been tight end Dalton Kincaid ($5,500), who looks rejuvenated after back-to-back games of 20+ fantasy points. He'll be less popular than he should be as most of the field prefers to go cheaper at TE. If you'd rather play the running game, James Cook ($6,900) projects well too. We saw him break multiple slates last season, and he won't be nearly as chalky as Gibbs or Walker. 

• Favorite Chargers Stack: QB Herbert + RB Cook + WR McConkey and/or TE Gadsden
• Favorite Bills Stack: QB Allen + WR McConkey + TE Kincaid
• Favorite Bills Stack 2: QB Allen + WR Moore + TE Gadsden

Baltimore Ravens (28.5) at Dallas Cowboys (25)

Ravens

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil plays host to our highest-total game of the week. Ravens-Cowboys features explosive offenses and questionable defenses, a perfect combination for stacking. Lamar Jackson ($7,500) and Derrick Henry ($7,700) can actually be considered leverage options as neither will be overly popular due to salary constraints. Keep an eye on the status of Zay Flowers ($6,900), who still hasn't practiced after missing last week with a hamstring injury. In his absence, Rashod Bateman ($4,700) stepped up with seven catches for 88 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Mark Andrews ($4,400) chipped in with six catches for 49 yards. If Flowers is ruled out again, Bateman and Andrews will project among the top value at their respective positions. 

Cowboys

After the strange loss in Week 1 to the Giants, Dallas bounced back with a dominant offensive display against Washington. Dak Prescott ($6,700) threw four touchdown passes while CeeDee Lamb ($7,800) exploded for 153 yards and two scores. Lamb is the only Cowboy I expect to carry significant ownership but it won't be outsized, as Amon-Ra St. Brown projects slightly better for the same price. George Pickens ($6,600) will go overlooked after two quiet games and that makes him an appealing GPP option. I'll be avoiding Javonte Williams ($6,700) after he busted as chalk last week. Dallas doesn't have much of a running game and the likely game script should see them favoring the pass.

• Favorite Ravens Stack: QB Jackson + WR Pickens + WR Bateman and/or TE Andrews
• Favorite Cowboys Stack: QB Prescott + WR Pickens or WR Lamb + TE Andrews

Other Stacks to Consider

QB Jared Goff + RB Breece Hall + WR Amon-Ra St. Brown/WR Jameson Williams +/- TE Sam LaPorta

QB Jared Goff + WR Garrett Wilson + WR Amon-Ra St. Brown or WR Jameson Williams +/- TE Sam LaPorta

QB Patrick Mahomes + RB De'Von Achane + TE Travis Kelce and/or WR Xavier Worthy

QB Trevor Lawrence + WR Parker Washington +/- TE Brenton Strange

QB Tyler Shough + RB Ashton Jeanty + WR Chris Olave

QB Kyler Murray + RB Bucky Irving + WR Justin Jefferson and/or TE T.J. Hockenson

QB Geno Smith + RB Jahmyr Gibbs + WR Garrett Wilson + WR Amon-Ra St. Brown or WR Jameson Williams 

High-Priced Heroes

• RB Jahmyr Gibbs vs. NYJ ($8,800)

There isn't much else to say about Gibbs at this point. He was the first overall pick in most drafts and has performed like it. The Lions are sizable home favorites with a healthy 27-point implied total. Any time that's the case, Gibbs is going to project very well and, in this case, he's head and shoulders above the rest. The high salary should keep his ownership around 25-30 percent in tournaments, but I'd consider him a lock for cash games. 

• WR Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. NYJ ($7,900)

St. Brown has a 35 percent target share through two games and, dating back to last season, has drawn at least 13 targets in five of his last six. After 10 catches and two touchdowns in Week 1, he followed it up with nine catches and another two touchdowns a week ago. He projects as the top value at WR and will be among the most popular.

Honorable Mentions: QB Josh Allen vs. LAC ($8,000); WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba at WAS ($8,600); Chris Olave vs. LV ($7,200)

Fading the Field

Every week we see at least one or two players who are popular without the backing of a top point-per-dollar projection. In some cases it even makes sense to fade a player with a strong projection, particularly when there are good alternatives at the same position and price range.

• RB Jonathan Taylor vs. HOU ($7,600)

Nothing against Taylor in general, he's been great, but the Colts have a tough matchup and there are about 10 other RBs I'd rather get exposure to. The Texans have one of the best defensive fronts in the league. In the two meetings last season, Taylor didn't score a touchdown and totaled just 111 yards on 35 attempts. Also considering salary is tight this week, if I'm moving off Gibbs or Walker, it's for someone cheaper than Taylor. 

The Smash Spot

(Players in favorable spots to significantly outperform their salary.)

• QB Tyler Shough vs. LV ($5,400)

Shough and the upstart Saints have played really well through two weeks, nearly upsetting the Lions in Detroit and then coming from behind to upset the Ravens in Baltimore. Shough has been impressive too, averaging over 25 DraftKings points in a pass-happy, up-tempo offense. He should be priced above $6K for this spot with New Orleans favored at home and considering they don't have much of a running game. He projects as the top point-per-dollar value at quarterback, a good option in all formats. 

Honorable Mention: QB Jameis Winston vs. TEN ($4,000)

The Bargain Bin

Quarterback: Kyler Murray at TB ($5,100), QB Geno Smith at DET ($4,900), Jameis Winston vs. TEN ($4,000)

Wide Receiver: Rashod Bateman at DAL ($4,700), Denzel Boston vs. CAR ($4,500), Xavier Worthy at MIA, Devaughn Vele vs. LV, KC Concepcion vs. CAR ($4,300), Adonai Mitchell at DET ($4,300), Malik Washington vs. KC ($4,200), Isaiah Williams at DET ($3,300)

Tight End: Oronde Gadsden at BUF ($3,500), Kenyon Sadiq at DET ($3,500), Brenton Strange vs. NE ($3,400), T.J. Hockenson at TB ($3,200)

Injuries to Monitor

• WR Zay Flowers at DAL

As of Friday, Flowers appears truly questionable. His status is important to monitor because it affects the viability of Rashod Bateman ($4,700) and even Mark Andrews ($4,400), who would project as the top point-per-dollar value at tight end should Flowers be ruled out. 

• WR Nico Collins at IND

Collins is trending toward missing a second consecutive game. Dalton Schultz ($4,200) exploded in his absence for 12 catches and 140 yards. Even with the $1,000 salary increase, he's in consideration again. 

Weather

• Rain and wind had a big impact on the Vikings-Bears game last week and also Packers-Jets to an extent. This week it looks like rain and possible storms in New York for Titans-Giants but we won't know enough until Sunday morning. Check the forecast closer to kickoff if planning to roster minimum-priced Jameis Winston ($4,000).