Daily Fantasy Football 2023 Week 3: Best Plays And Bargains On FanDuel and DraftKings
The best way to cash on weekly fantasy football sites is to load up on as many stars with good matchups as possible. Here, you'll find the best plays and top bargains at each position on FanDuel and DraftKings. And remember, scoring is IMPORTANT. Here are Fanduel’s and DraftKings’ scoring systems.
For each position I’ll provide the best big name, the best mid range value, and the best low-price bargain. At the end, I’ll also list a big name to avoid at each position.
Quarterback
Best Big Name
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs ($9,200/$8,300): Is “Patrick Mahomes is super duper good” the kind of ground breaking analysis you hoped to find? Of course, firing up Mahomes in DFS is usually a successful endeavor, but sometimes using the top-ranked player at any position, but specifically QB, is a recipe for middling results. When you are using a big chunk of budget on a onesie position, that player really needs to blow out the lesser options in order to provide value. Mahomes is going to shred the Bears this week, as they are ranked third-worst in the NFL vs. the pass per FTN Fantasy, and have posted a hideous 50.6% pass DVOA through two games. The entire team is a dumpster fire right now, and Mahomes has Travis Kelce back. This will be merciless.
Mid Range Value
Kirk Cousins, Vikings ($7,800/$6,900): Cousins has been the butt of many jokes in his career, but what he’s done through two games in 2023 is no joke. He is averaging 354 yards per game and has tossed six touchdowns vs. just one INT. He’s got the best WR in the NFL at his disposal, strong complementary pieces in the receiving game, and a matchup vs. the Chargers, the league’s worst pass defense this year so far. Alexander Mattison has been a dud at RB so far, to the point that Minnesota traded for Cam Akers, so that means even more passing is on the way for the man tied for the league lead in touchdown passes.. His price is pretty sweet compared to Mahomes, because while Cousins obviously has a way lower floor, the Chargers matchup all but assures production.
Thrift Store
Matthew Stafford, Rams ($6,700/$5,600): If you want to spend a little less money, but retain most of the Cousins upside, Stafford is a great choice. Stafford only has one touchdown on the season, which is just begging for a positive regression, but he is third in the league in yards (641), and he has a nice primetime matchup with the Bengals who have been very friendly to opposing QBs. The Rams entered 2023 with expectations of being one of the worst teams, but it seems we underestimated Sean McVay, and how much Stafford has left in the tank. With his youthful WR duo of Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell lighting it up, I’d be comfortable rolling with him.
Running Back
Best Big Name
Ken Walker III, Seahawks ($7,600/$6,200): Walker’s yards per carry are down this year at 3.7, but he’s gone up against two solid defensive fronts, and he still salvaged a big game in Week 2 by finding the end zone twice. Walker has shown early on that rookie Zach Charbonnet isn’t a serious threat to him, and now that he gets a softer matchup in Week 3 vs the Panthers, he’s due for one of his volcanic blowup weeks. Don’t miss out on it.
Mid Range Value
Joe Mixon, Bengals ($7,100/$6,500): Mixon’s found it tough to get going through two weeks, but a matchup with the NFL’s third-worst rush defense so far (Rams), combined with his consistent volume and necessity with Joe Burrow banged up, make for an exciting bounce back opportunity. The Bengals would be wise to lean on Mixon in this plus matchup, and even throw it to him for good measure. A multi-TD game for him would not be surprising.
Thrift Store
Javonte Williams, Broncos ($6,100/$5,500): Williams hasn’t been all that limited coming off his knee injury last season, earning 15+ carries/targets in both of Denver’s first two games. He’s only averaged 3,84 yards per carry so far, but he’s hoping for some chunk plays when he takes on Miami’s 29th-ranked rush defense. The more time passes, the more volume the Broncos will be comfortable putting on him, and his ability to stay on the field and catch passes just gives him more chances to bust a big play. Miami will force the Broncos to throw to keep pace, so Williams may be in line for a huge night.
Wide Receivers
Best Big Name
A.J. Brown, Eagles ($7,500/$7,700): Squeaky wheels get grease, and Brown was begging for some WD-40 last Thursday. Frustrated with a low catch total, Brown yelled at Jalen Hurts on the sideline, and was then screwed out of a touchdown twice on the same drive. It’s safe to say Hurts heard his top receiver, who will take on the Buccaneers, who have given up 127 yards per game to their opponents’ No. 1 receiver in 2023. This has the look of a get-right matchup, especially since the Bucs have shown they can keep pace in a shootout.
Mid Range Value
Jordan Addison, Vikings ($6,800/$5,500): Addison hasn’t exactly been a target hound so far in his young career, but he has been on the field a lot, and he’s scored twice already on bomb plays. Those plays are going to be available for him vs. the Chargers, and while Justin Jefferson is going to demand an insane target share, Addison is already proving he can take some lemons (limited targets) and make sweet, delicious lemonade.
Thrift Store
Amari Cooper, Browns ($6,200/$5,700): This might be a tad pricy for the Thrift Store, but Amari Cooper is simply too good to cost this little. You’ve got to jump on it now, especially vs. the Titans who are averaging 111.5 yards per game given up to opposing WR1s, because next week the price is going back up. The narrative around Deshaun Watson is definitely depressing the cost of his pass-catchers, which is great for us.
Tight End
Best Big Name
Mark Andrews, Ravens ($7,400/6,000): Andrews gets a middle of the pack Colts defense this week, but more important than the decent matchup, is Lamar Jackson being due for an eruption. He’s thrown only two touchdown passes this season, but he’s completing nearly 75% of his passes, by far a career-best mark, and his yards per attempt are back at the levels we saw when he was winning MVPs and making Pro Bowls. The blowup is coming, and when it does, Andrews is the guy. It’s probably this week, and then Andrews won’t be $600 less than Travis Kelce anymore.
Mid Range Value
Hayden Hurst, Panthers ($5,500/$3,800): Hurst continues to be very cheap, but very important to the Panthers. Rookie Bryce Young may not suit up for this one, but Andy Dalton is a veteran who can exploit a good matchup, and that’s just what Seattle is. They’ll come into the Week with an 81.3% TE DVOA, the worst mark in the NFL by a lot. Hurst’s ceiling isn’t very high, but he is a very solid bet for volume, and in the most plus matchup possible at this point, that’s worth slotting in for a good price.
Thrift Store
Jake Ferguson, Cowboys ($5,000/$3,600): Ferguson has only put up 11 yards in each of Dallas’ first two games, so the floor is low, but he did catch a TD pass in Week 2 and is a threat to find the end zone every single week. Targets are available for Ferguson as teams focus on CeeDee Lamb and Tony Pollard, and through two games Arizona is giving up 68 yards per game to opposing TEs, the third-most in football. He may stink, but at least it’s only $5,000.
Quarterback to Avoid: Josh Allen, Bills ($8,800/$8,100):
Running Back to Avoid: Brian Robinson Jr., Commanders ($7,500/$5,800):
Wide Receiver to Avoid: D.K. Metcalf, Seahawks ($7,400/$6,900):
Tight End to Avoid: Darren Waller, Giants ($6,500/$5,600):