With two weeks now behind us, it’s time to take a look at the 13-game Week 3 slate on DraftKings. Below are some potential targets at WR, TE and D/ST.
Wide Receiver
Last week value at WR turned out to be pretty tight, at least leading up to the slate, but this week offers some really nice bargains. We’ll start at the top of the board, though, where Julio Jones ($7,900) is just much to underpriced against the Saints. As the fifth-highest priced WR on the board, Jones is down $500 in salary since last week, but still has 28 total targets through two games. Michael Thomas ($8,900) is the only receiver priced higher with more — 30 targets. While Tyreek Hill ($8,500) has just 14 targets at an inflated price tag.
While all five of these top WR options are viable options, Jones and Thomas are my two favorite given the game script we can project between the Falcons and Saints in Atlanta. Jones gets the edge as the better player who checks in at $1,000 cheaper. While all indications are that this is a time to fade Hill with his salary up $2,000 since Week 1 and just half the targets as the players he’s priced around, his whopping 4.66 DK-points per target keeps him in play. The matchup against the 49ers with the way Patrick Mahomes ($7,000) is playing should make this duo a popular stack.
A.J. Green ($7,500) is the other elite name that pops out on this slate. While Jones let down in his matchup against Carolina last week, there was a reason we were excited for it. The Panthers’ secondary just isn’t that good, and the Bengals have every reason to feature Green. He’s topped 20 DK points in both his games this season, including three touchdowns last week in the first half against the Ravens. The Bengals will be inclined to throw more with the loss of Joe Mixon (out 2-4 weeks with a knee injury), making Green a bigger focal point of the offense.
In terms of mid-priced options, Nelson Agholor ($6,100) certainly stands out. Through two games, Agholor’s been heavily featured by the Eagles, and their offensive options have only become more limited. With 16 catches on 22 targets thus far (and a pair of touches in the running game), the receivers’ opportunities only become more valuable with Carson Wentz ($6,200) returning this week against the Colts. Already averaging 18.3 DK points, Agholor is underpriced for his current production, so with his role on the rise, he makes for a great play.
Down in the bargain bin we have a lot more options at WR this week. None more glaring than Bengals’ WR Tyler Boyd ($3,700). Boyd’s played on 81 percent of the snaps and run a route on all of Andy Dalton’s ($5,700) drop backs. Last week against the Ravens, Boyd secured 6-of-9 targets for 91 yards and a touchdown. He’s potentially a couple thousand dollars underpriced on this slate against the Panthers. Other considerations: Cooper Kupp ($4,900), Corey Davis ($4,400), Jamison Crowder ($4,200), Calvin Ridley ($3,700).
Tight End
Rob Gronkowski and the Patriots are off the main slate due to the SNF matchup with the Lions, which is always a game-changer at TE. The best of the rest are generally Zach Ertz ($6,800) an Travis Kelce ($6,700) who are both in pretty good spots. Kelce has that shootout matchup with the 49ers which is worth considering for a game stack, while Ertz benefits from a solid matchup against the Colts — but even more so from the lack of pass-catchers mentioned earlier that are available in Philly.
I generally prefer paying down at TE unless Gronk stands out, or one of those other two payers is in a truly elite spot, or extremely underpriced. Sticking with the game in Atlanta, Austin Hooper ($2,900) put up a 5-59-1 line for nearly 17 DK points last week, which is a huge ceiling for his salary. He probably tops the value charts at this position, but there’s plenty more to consider. Jack Doyle ($3,500) is down $500 and I feel is much closer to the player we saw in Week 1 than Week 2. I’m not afraid to go back to Jared Cook ($4,000), who was still solid in Week 2 after his monster Week 1 game. And finally, while he’s yet to make a big play, we can’t ignore Ricky Seals-Jones ($2,800) at his price tag with 12 targets coming his way in the first two weeks.
Defense/Special Teams
This has generally been the easiest spot to target in the early going this season, mostly due to how bad the Bills have been This week is essentially a nightmare scenario for them as two of their top offensive weapons are banged up heading into a road matchup against the Vikings. Vikings D/ST ($4,300) checks in with a hefty salary, but I like them more than any other plays in that price range. I’d rather sacrifice at skill positions to get this defense in my lineup this week. If you want to pay down, Cowboys D/ST ($2,200) could make sense with just how mad the Seahawks have looked offensively. Neither of these teams can score, which should play into the game script for a good defensive game from Dallas.
Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions on Twitter: @julianedlow
