Welcome to Week 3 of the NFL Season. I am sure you are all just as excited as I am that we now have a couple of weeks’ worth of information to help us make some decisions for DFS and Fantasy Football in general.
More Week 3 Fantasy Football Fun!: | Sneaky Starts | Fantasy Football Waiver Wire | Weekly Sleepers & Streamers | Starts & Sits | Skrip’s Week Winners | NFL DFS | NFL Player Props | IDP Analysis | Bold Predictions | Survivor Picks | NFL Injury Report | Dynasty Trade Targets | Weekly Rankings
Top 5 Things We Have Learned After 2 Weeks of NFL Football
- Rookie RBs aren’t it (yet). Omarion Hampton, RJ Harvey, Trey Henderson, just to name a few, are not producing numbers worth making even playable. They have stunk.
- Daniel Jones looks reborn in Indy. The Colts’ O-line and weapons have unlocked him in a way the Giants never could. Suddenly, Danny Dimes is looking like a top 5 QB.
- Russell Wilson has revived the Giants’ passing game. Malik Nabers was already a star, and Wan’Dale Robinson has become a PPR cheat code. Russ might not be elite anymore, but he’s exactly what these two wide receivers needed.
- The 49ers’ injury bug hasn’t gone anywhere. George Kittle, Brock Purdy, Brandon Aiyuk and a cast of others are all banged up already. I wish I were the guy selling them medical supplies.
- Rome Odunze has arrived. With Keenan Allen gone, Caleb Williams is peppering him with targets. Odunze is absolutely thriving through the first two weeks.
Money Makers and Heart Breakers: Week 3 NFL DFS Picks
The NFL is always unpredictable, and after two weeks, we’ve already seen enough to shake up expectations. You have to adapt and adapt fast to the information we have. With that in mind, let’s dive into this week’s Money Makers and Heart Breakers — the players who will help you cash in, and the ones who could sink your lineups.
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
Quarterbacks
Drake Maye
Starting Week 3, Drake Maye is the overall QB6 in Fantasy. HE has four total touchdowns on the season, with three coming last week against the Dolphins. In Week 3, the Patriots will play the Steelers. The Steelers have given up multiple touchdowns in each of the first two games of the season. Expect Maye to keep it rolling in Week 3.
$5,300 on DraftKings
$7,300 on FanDuel
Dak Prescott
The Bears are up in Week 3 for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys. Dak is coming off a 361-yard 2-touchdown thriller against the Giants. Meanwhile, the Bears were torched for 5 touchdowns by Jared Goff in Week 2. The Bears have given up the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks over the first two games.
$5,900 on DraftKings
$7,300 on FanDuel
Caleb Williams
Caleb has managed to throw for two touchdowns in each of the first two games. He will be pushing the ball down the field against the Cowboys in Week 3. This game has a 50.5-point over-under, which means we should expect a shootout. Williams is taking big steps forward in his second season.
$5,600 on DraftKings
$7,100 on FanDuel
Other Quarterback DFS Picks for Week 3
Sam Darnold
$5,100 on DraftKings
$6,900 on FanDuel
Aaron Rodgers
$5,200 on DraftKings
$7,000 on FanDuel
Tyrod Taylor
$4,800 on DraftKings
$6,500 on FanDuel
Running Backs
Rhamondre Stevenson
The Patriots play the Steelers in Week 3. The Steelers have given up over 100 yards rushing in each of the first two games this season. In Week 2, Rhamondre took control of the Patriots’ backfield with 11 carries for 54 yards and 5 targets for 5 receptions and 88 yards receiving. He also played 65% of the running back snaps. Expect him to pierce the tin curtain on the way to a huge game in Week 3.
$5,300 on DraftKings
$5,900 on FanDuel
Alvin Kamara
Kamara had a whopping 27 touches in Week 2. That was 21 carries for 99 yards and 6 receptions for another 21 yards. The volume will be there in Week 3. He also gets a Seahawks defense that has not defended running backs well. In the first two weeks, Christian McCaffrey and Jaylen Warren have both had big games against the Seahawks, each exceeding 70 yards receiving.
$6,300 on DraftKings
$8,000 on FanDuel
Jordan Mason
Aaron Jones will miss Week 3. The Vikings play the Bengals in Week 3. The Bengals have allowed the third-most points to running backs so far this season. Jordan Mason will be the starting running back for the Vikings in Week 3. You are picking up what I am putting down here, right? You don’t need me to spell this out anymore, do you? Play Mason.
$5,400 on DraftKings
$5,800 on FanDuel
Other Running Back DFS Picks for Week 3
Javonte Williams
$6,100 on DraftKings
$7,200 on FanDuel
Kenneth Walker
$5,800 on DraftKings
$6,600 on FanDuel
Bucky Irving
$7,100 on DraftKings
$7,400 on FanDuel
Wide Receivers
CeeDee Lamb
We mentioned that the Cowboys/Bears game has a very high over under and looks like it has serious shootout potential. Lamb is starting this season with a massive bang. He has 24 targets, 16 receptions, and 222 yards through two games. His 24 targets give him a 28% target share of Cowboys passes on the season. The volume of targets will be there, the receptions and yards will be there. To top it all off, the Bears have given up 5 total touchdowns to wide receivers this season. Lamb should get into the end zone this week, too.
$8,000 on DraftKings
$8,800 on FanDuel
Rome Odunze
Rome has 20 total targets on the season. He has turned those into 15 targets, 165 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Odunze has a 29% share of the Bears’ targets, so you know Caleb is looking for him. The Bears are playing the Cowboys, who looked absolutely defenseless in Week 2 against the pass. Odunze goes reverse cowgirl on Dallas in week 3 and has more fun than we ever imagined.
$5,300 on DraftKings
$6,400 on FanDuel
Deebo Samuel
We have another wide receiver with some really good volume. Deebo has 18 targets in the first two games, with a 25% target share of all Commanders passes. The volume will be there. The matchup against the Raiders is pretty sweet as well. Three different wide receivers have topped 13 points against the Raiders in the first two games. Look for Deebo to ride his bike into the stadium and bully people like it’s Friday.
$6,100 on DraftKings
$6,700 on FanDuel
Other Wide Receiver DFS Picks for Week 3
DK Metcalf
$5,700 on DraftKings
$6,800 on FanDuel
Michael Pittman
$5,500 on DraftKings
$5,700 on FanDuel
Ricky Pearsall
$6,200 on DraftKings
$5,600 on FanDuel
Tight Ends
Juwan Johnson
I bet you never thought we would be talking about this guy. Let’s start with his target share, which is 25% of all Saints passes this season. That is 20 targets. Juwan turned those into 14 receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown. When Spencer Rattler is rattled, he passes to Johnson. The best thing, after we look at the volume and the production, is that the Seahawks do not defend tight ends well. It looks like the Seahawks’ defense finds ways to turn tight ends into wide receivers when it comes to production.
$3,900 on DraftKings
$5,700 on FanDuel
Kyle Pitts
Do you know who else doesn’t defend tight ends well? That would be the Carolina Panthers. They really don’t defend anything especially well. In Week 3, the Falcons will play the Panthers. So, the matchup is nice. Pitts also has a 21% target share, which is nice. The matchup and volume should be there for Pitts in Week 3. Would we say Kyle is now “undead” to us?
$3,900 on DraftKings
$5,400 on FanDuel
Other Tight End DFS Picks for Week 3
Brock Bowers
$6,000 on DraftKings
$7,400 on FanDuel
Tyler Warren
$4,400 on DraftKings
$5,600 on FanDuel
Harold Fannin
$3,600 on DraftKings
$5,200 on FanDuel
Defense
Falcons
The Falcons will play the Panthers in Week 3. The Panthers have given up double-digit fantasy points to each opposing defense they have played against this season. In Week 2, the Falcons’ defense tore up the Vikings, scoring 21 fantasy points. It’s not chasing last week’s points when the matchup is this good in Week 3.
$3,200 on DraftKings
$3,800 on FanDuel
Bengals
The Bengals’ defense is not very good, but the Vikings give up the most fantasy points to opposing defenses. Look for the Bengals to get some sacks, potentially some interceptions, and turnovers. It also doesn’t hurt that JJ McCarthy will be out and Carson Wentz will be starting at quarterback for the Vikings.
$2,400 on DraftKings
$3,500 on FanDuel
Colts
The Colts’ defense is pretty good. They have 11 sacks on the season. The Colts play the Titans in Week 3. The Titans give up the most sacks in the NFL, with teams averaging 5.5 sacks per game against the Titans. Cam Ward may end up in the Care Ward at the end of this one. He will be hit over and over.
$3,300 on DraftKings
$4,700 on FanDuel
💔Heart Breakers
Quarter Backs
Jalen Hurts
The matchup is tough against the Rams in Week 3. The Rams currently give up the fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. They also haven’t played anyone especially good as of yet. I would play Hurts in season-long. I am not paying up for him in DFS. It looks like sort of an average week for him.
Justin Herbert
The Chargers will play the Broncos in Week 3. The Broncos actually defend the pass really well. Danny Jones did pass for over 300 yards against them in Week 2. Herbert is another player I would plug in for season-long, but I am avoiding him in DFS. The matchup is bad.
Michael Penix
The Falcons are playing the Panthers in Week 3. The Panthers have given up the third-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks through the first 2 games. I do not expect a shoot-out here. Look for a lot of Bijan Robinson.
Running Backs
JK Dobbins
Dobbins is having a very good fantasy season so far in 2025. Not a single running back has surpassed 6 fantasy points against them. The Chargers funnel you to the pass and pass a lot on offense to put teams in catch-up mode. If Dobbins can keep getting volume, he will be ok but not spectacular in Week 3.
Josh Jacobs
The Packers will play the Browns in Week 3. The Browns held Derrick Henry to 23 yards rushing in Week 2 and Chase Brown to 43 yards in Week 1. Jacobs will need a touchdown to save his day. The matchup is just bad. The Browns stop the run and funnel the opposing team to the pass.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt
My name is Jacory Croskey-Merritt; his name is my name, too. Everyone’s Week 1 darling ran into a brick wall in Week 2 against the Packers’ defense and had 17 total yards. The Raiders are up in Week 3, and not a single running back so far has rushed for more than 28 yards against them. I would pretend my name is his name in Week 3 and just sit him. You know, like I am right now writing this.
Wide Receivers
Chris Olave
The Saints play the Seahawks in Week 3. The Seahawks have given up the fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season. Olave has had a massive target volume but has not exceeded 54 yards yet this year. As a matter of fact, he has 54 yards exactly in each game.
Tee Higgins
With Joe Burrow out, Jake Browning will be the starting quarterback for the Bengals. Browning and Higgins have not connected well in the past when Browning played. The Vikings are up in Week 3, and they give up the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing teams’ wide receivers. Back-up QB, bad match-up, I’ll just play it safe and avoid.
Garrett Wilson
We have another backup quarterback starting in Week 3, this time for the Jets. The Jets also play the Buccaneers in Week 3, and the Bucs have not allowed a single wide receiver to have over 55 yards against them this year. I would be playing Wilson in season-long. But he looks like a handprint on a volleyball to me in DFS this week, let him stay lost at sea with Tom Hanks. WILSON!
Tight Ends
Ja’Tavion Sanders
The Panthers play the Falcons in Week 3. In Week 2, the Falcons allowed T.J. Hockenson to have 1 catch for 12 yards. Sanders was peppered with 9 targets in Week 2, which he turned into 7 receptions for 54 yards. I would probably add him if I were TE-needy in season-long and hold. I am in no way, shape, or form playing him in Week 3.
Zach Ertz
What? Not Zach Ertz, Reedy! What are you doing? Well, I don’t like the match-up. Looks like a 4 receptions, 40 yards game against the Raiders. He needs a touchdown to be good. I’ll pass on him in DFS easily and look for a high-volume player in a good matchup.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 3 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!
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