Week 3 of the NFL season is upon us, and as the dust settles from the thrilling clashes of the first two weeks, let’s gear up for another round of Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) action. Join me as we delve into the Week 3 matchups, uncover some hidden gems, and get ideas on how to craft lineups that will propel you to victory. From shootouts to sneaky plays that could turn the tide in your favor, this week’s DFS possibilities are as tantalizing as ever. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and look at the Money Makers and Heartbreakers that will help you get to DFS glory!
Let’s make the most of your DFS lineups this week with my Week 3 NFL DFS picks here in Money Makers and Heart Breakers.
Here is a brief definition of each of my terms for anyone that might be new:
💰 Money Maker – This player will perform better than expectations
💔 Heart Breaker – This player will perform lower than expectations
💰 Money Makers – Week 3 DFS Main Slate Picks
Quarterbacks
Dak Prescott
In Week 2 Dak had 255 yards and 2 touchdowns against a tough Jets defense. In Week 3 he faces the Cardinals who have given up the third most fantasy points to quarterback so far this season. Sam Howell had a combined 202 yards and scored 2 touchdowns against them in Week 1. In Week 2 Danny Jones threw for 321 yards and 2 touchdowns and ran for another touchdown. This looks like a 300-yard game and multiple touchdowns for Dak in week 3. I love it when the stars align.
$6,600 on DraftKings
$7,600 on FanDuel
Kirk Cousins
Cousins is currently the highest-scoring quarterback in fantasy. Cousins has a combined 708 yards and 6 touchdowns passing in the first 2 games. In Week 3 the Vikings are playing the Chargers who have given up the second most fantasy points so far this season. Quarterbacks have averaged 356 yards and 2 touchdowns passing against the Chargers. The over-under for this game is 54. Combine all that with the crappy Vikings defense and wow the ball will be aired out in this one. How do you like that Kirk? How do you like that? I LOVE it.
$6,900 on DraftKings
$7,800 on FanDuel
CJ Stroud
Stroud has been steady through two games. He has had over 280 combined yards in each game. In Week 2 he threw for 384 yards and 2 touchdowns passing. The Jaguars, who give up the fifth most fantasy points to the quarterback position are up in week 3. It is another game with high over under, it’s 44 points. If you don’t want to pay up, he is a sneaky good option, especially in tournament play.
$5,300 on DraftKings
$6,600 on FanDuel
Other Quarterback DFS Picks for Week 3
Desmond Ridder
$5,000 on DraftKings
$7,000 on FanDuel
Patrick Mahomes
$8,300 on DraftKings
$9,200 on FanDuel
Justin Herbert
$7,500 on DraftKings
$8,400 on FanDuel
Running Backs
Kenneth Walker
In Week 2 Walker had only 43 yards rushing but scored 2 touchdowns. The Panthers are up in Week 3. The Panthers gave up 2 touchdowns in Week 1 to Tyler Allgeier. In Week 2 the Panthers gave up 2 touchdowns to Tony Jones Jr. It sure looks like the Panthers will give up 2 touchdowns in Week 3. Especially when you factor in the Panthers giving up the second most points to running backs. I am in on Kenny walking in a couple of touchdowns in Week 3.
$6,200 on DraftKings
$7,600 on FanDuel
Javonte Williams
The Broncos play the Dolphins in Week 3. The Dolphins give up the fourth most fantasy points to running backs in the league. Running backs average 5.2 yards per carry against the Dolphins. The Dolphins have given up 3 rushing touchdowns this season. I like Javonte to score in Week 3.
$5,500 on DraftKings
$6,800 on FanDuel
Isiah Pacheco
The Bears are bad against running backs as well. They haven’t given up a 100-yard rusher yet, but they have given up 1 rushing touchdown in each game. They also allow running backs to average 5 receptions and 66 yards receiving against them. It sets up nicely for Pacheco to break some plays in the passing game and potentially run a touchdown in. Pacheco is looking at over 100 combined yards and a touchdown in week 3.
$5,400 on DraftKings
$5,700 on FanDuel
Other Running Back DFS Picks for Week 3
Travis Etienne
$6,900 on DraftKings
$8,000 on FanDuel
Tony Jones Jr.
$4,500 on DraftKings
$4,500 on FanDuel
Miles Sanders
$5,700 on DraftKings
$6,700 on FanDuel
Wide Receivers
Justin Jefferson
Do you know which team gives up the most fantasy points to wide receivers? It is the Chargers. This game will be a high-scoring affair for two teams in desperate need of a win. The Chargers have given up an average of 282 yards a week to wide receivers. They have also given up an average of two touchdowns a week to the position. But let’s not act like this is just a game that sets up nicely for Jefferson. Jefferson is averaging 12.5 targets, 10 receptions, and 154.5 yards per game thus far this season. Jefferson has a massive 29.5% target share and 45% share of the air yards for the Vikings. 150 yards and a touchdown is not out of the question. Pay up in cash and tournament play.
$9,300 on DraftKings
$9,700 on FanDuel
Amari Cooper
The Browns play the Titans in Week 3. The Titans are good against the run but bad against the pass defensively. The Browns just lost Nick Chubb for the season. You see where I am going? The game plan will be to pass, repeatedly. In the first two weeks, four wide receivers scored 12 or more fantasy points against the Titans in the two weeks played this season. Cooper will take his 25% target share and 34% share of the air yards for the Browns and turn that into fantasy goodness.
$5,700 on DraftKings
$6,200 on FanDuel
Zay Flowers
The Ravens’ number one wide receiver this season has been Zay Flowers. The Ravens play the Colts in Week 3. The Colts have given up an average of 237 yards and two touchdowns a week to wide receivers this season. Wide receivers average the second most fantasy points per game against the Colts. Flowers has 15 targets so far on the season which he has turned into 13 receptions for 140 yards. He has a 27.8% target share and is second on the team in air yards with 20% share. Look for Flowers to blossom into touchdowns in Week 3.
$5,400 on DraftKings
$6,300 on FanDuel
Other Wide Receiver DFS Picks for Week 3
Josh Reynolds
$4,200 on DraftKings
$7,000 on FanDuel
Tank Dell
$3,600 on DraftKings
$5,400 on FanDuel
Keenan Allen
$7,600 on DraftKings
$8,800 on FanDuel
Tight Ends
Travis Kelce
Kelce missed Week 1. In Week 2 he had 9 targets which he turned into 4 receptions, 26 yards, and a touchdown. You can pass on the Bears. The Chiefs not only want Kelce involved but need him involved. In Week 2 Kelce led the Chiefs with a 20% target share and 21% share of the air yards. If you want to pay all the way up at any position, this is a good place to it.
$7,200 on DraftKings
$8,000 on FanDuel
Taysom Hill
The Saints play the Packers in Week 3. The Packers give up the third most fantasy points to the running back position. Why Mike; why are you talking about running backs in the tight end section of this article? Well, because Taysom Hill isn’t exactly a tight end, is he? Hill ran the ball 9 times for 75 yards in Week 2 after Jamaal Williams got injured. He led the Saints in rushing yards. He is going to be involved running the football and I am completely here to have a running back I can play at tight end. This guy will probably complete a pass, catch a pass and run for 80 yards in Week 3.
$3,300 on DraftKings
$5,500 on FanDuel
Hunter Henry
Hunter Henry is currently the second-highest-scoring tight end in fantasy. He has had over 50 yards and a touchdown in each of the first two games this season. Mac Jones looks for Henry. In Week 3 it gets even better because the Patriots play the Jets. The Jets have a good defense, but they have given up either 50 yards or a touchdown to the tight end position in each of the first two weeks. I will play Henry with confidence in all formats this week.
$4,100 on DraftKings
$5,700 on FanDuel
Defense
Jets
The Jets defense looked amazing in Week 1 before a lapse in Week 2. The Jets play the Patriots in Week 3. The Patriots give up the fourth most points to opposing teams’ defenses. No defense has scored under 9 fantasy points against them yet. They have given up an average of 3 sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery per game. The Jets will get after Mac Jones through that porous offensive line. Looks like a double-digit fantasy day for the Jets defense.
$2,800 on DraftKings
$3,900 on FanDuel
Titans
The Titans defense has 7 sacks on the season. The Titans play the Browns in Week 3. The Browns have given up 9 sacks so far this season. The Titans will allow passing yards because that is what they do, but they will also hit the quarterback. Look for 5 sacks or so, and an interception at least for Week 3.
$3,000 on DraftKings
$3,800 on FanDuel
Chiefs
The Chiefs defense is actually really good. The Bears offense is not very good. The Bears have given up 10 sacks, 3 interceptions, and a fumble recovery this season. But that’s not all, defenses playing the Bears have also scored a defensive touchdown in each of the first two games this season. I like the Chiefs defense a lot in Week 3. I like them an awful lot.
$3,900 on DraftKings
$4,800 on FanDuel
💔Heart Breakers – Week 3 NFL DFS Main Slate Picks
Quarter Backs
Justin Fields
The Bears play the Chiefs in Week 3. The Chiefs give up the fifth-fewest points to opposing teams’ quarterbacks so far this season. Neither Jared Goff nor Trevor Lawrence topped 15 fantasy points in standard scoring against the Chiefs defense. Justin Fields meanwhile has been struggling so this is an easy call. Don’t get cute and play him in DFS or anywhere if you can help it.
Ryan Tannehill
Tannehill is not lighting the world on fire this season. He had a good Tannehill game in Week 2. He passed for 246 yards and a touchdown and ran for another touchdown. I expected that, that was last week. This week the Titans play the Browns. The Browns are the toughest on opposing teams’ quarterbacks this season when it comes to scoring fantasy points. They have not allowed a quarterback to pass for more than 222 yards and they have only allowed one passing touchdown through 2 games. I am completely out on the Titans passing game in Week 3.
Jordan Love
The Saints defense is also really good against opposing quarterbacks. The Saints give up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to the quarterback position. Love has been fantastic throwing for three touchdowns in each of his first two games. I actually Love the Packers offense this season. For DFS purposes I am mitigating the risk and not playing Love Week 3 in DFS.
Running Backs
James Conner
The Cowboys are the toughest defense against running backs this season in real life and fantasy. The Cardinals unfortunately play the Cowboys in Week 3. Conner has been good and I love him in season-long leagues. I even liked him last week in a better match-up in DFS. The Cowboys have held both New York City teams’ run games in check the first two weeks of this season. They have not allowed a rushing touchdown. They also have not allowed much to get going at all by a running back yet. Play him in redraft where you have to, but don’t put him in a DFS lineup in Week 3.
Jerome Ford
Ford was the hottest name on the waiver wire for Week 3. People went nuts spending all their FAAB. I hate to disappoint all those people but the Titans are up in Week 3. Tennessee gives up the second fewest amount of fantasy points to opposing teams running backs. They funnel your offense to the pass, and teams are happy to oblige them. Look for the Browns to pass a lot this week and the ground game to remain grounded.
Damien Pierce
The Texans get to play the Jaguars this week. Pierce was having a bad season prior to this game. This week it gets even worse for him as the Jaguars are not allowing running backs to do much. The Texans will air it out with Stroud against the Jaguars as they have been doing so far this season. That means play your Texans wide receivers and quarterback and sit their running back. Play calling matters.
Wide Receivers
Marquise Brown
The Cowboys are great against running backs and against wide receivers. Man, that Cowboys defense is just amazing. The ‘boys allow the fewest fantasy points to wide receivers as well as to running backs. Brown had a nice game in Week 2 with 6 receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. If he is lucky he will get volume to push him over the double-digit mark in fantasy points. I am not counting on that this week.
DK Metcalf
The Carolina Panthers give up the third-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers. They do give up 2 touchdowns per week to running backs. So you can see where I have been consistent with the wide receiver position in Heart Breakers. Some teams are so bad against the run that you just feel like you have to run on them. The Panthers are one of those teams.
Deandre Hopkins
Hopkins let me down in a great matchup in Week 2. He looks like a shell of his former self. To top it off the Browns are actually good at stopping wide receivers from scoring fantasy points. It looks to me like Hopkins will not be highly utilized in Week 3. If there is a Titans wide receiver to do some damage it will be Treylon Burks. All I can say is yuck.
Tight Ends
Luke Musgrave
The Saints have given up 3.5 fantasy points to opposing teams starting tight ends this season. Yes, you read that correctly 3.5. I like Musgrave, the kid is good. I do not see him producing enough to be in your lineup against the Saints defense which is tops against tight ends. Luke, I am not your father but if I was I would say be careful out there this week.
Tyler Conklin
The Patriots are also tough on the tight end position. They have given up 3.8 points to opposing teams starting tight ends. Conklin is an easy sit with Zach Wilson at quarterback in a tough matchup. The Patriots vs. Jets match-up looks like a defensive battle. How exciting.
Note: There are so many bad tight ends I am ending this with 2. We could go on forever.
Thanks for checking out Money Maker and Heart Breakers. For more great content from Fantrax, follow us on X and @MikeReedyFF for more great content
Week 3 Rankings for your season-long leagues: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Half-PPR by Position | Flex Rankings | Positional Ranks w/ K & DST | Dynasty | Superflex Dynasty