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Players to Fade on FanDuel: Week 3

Players to Fade on FanDuel: Week 3

The NFL season moves like a freight train. Just like that, we’re chugging into Week 3. It’s time to check out some guys on the main slate of games that might come up short based on their price tags. We’ll go position-by-position and uncover some lineup landmines that could sink your DFS week. No matter if you’re playing cash games or tournaments, these are guys I’m avoiding in all formats. Let’s get on it before the season shuttles by.

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Quarterback

Andrew Luck (IND): $7,400 @ PHI
Captain Luck will be off the fast track and in the hostile environment of the defending champions. Not only do the Colts have offensive line issues, they also have a committee of underwhelming running backs. The lack of a run game and good blocking spells trouble for Luck and a banged-up T.Y. Hilton. I expect Ronald Darby and a sore quad to neutralize the big play threat considerably, allowing the defense to focus on the tight ends much more. $7,400 is way too expensive for a horrible matchup for a QB that has yet to show that he can throw a deep ball this season.

Running Back

David Johnson (ARI): $8,200 vs. CHI
A lot of fantasy owners should be upset with Mike McCoy, a disciple of the John Fox school of coaching. John Fox is without a job and I won’t be surprised if the Cards OC follows suit. He’s the main reason Johnson isn’t producing. McCoy is foolishly neglecting Johnson’s receiving skills and I can’t pay this price when he’s not getting looks in the passing game. Johnson was a WR in college but it doesn’t matter, the Bears are completely shutting down opposing running backs through the first two games. When your OC is limiting your best player along with the opposing defense, just stay away.

Alex Collins (BAL): $6,300 vs. DEN
We know Denver’s defense is stout. We also know Baltimore’s offense has looked better this season. What we didn’t know, was that the Ravens would only give Collins 16 carries through the first two weeks of the season. I know he’s had issues with fumbles, but he’s their best RB by far and he’s not getting nearly enough run to have fantasy value in a salary cap setup. Kenneth Dixon hit IR and Buck Allen was given more touches as a result, not Collins. He’s a straight fade until further notice, or until we see him get a more prominent role as the primary ball carrier.

Dion Lewis $5,700 & Derrick Henry (TEN): $6,000 @ JAC
This is the third straight week I’ve put the Titans duo in this article. Much like the Denver backfield, I can’t help but avoid this situation until we get some clarity on who is getting the bulk of the work, especially when they’re only $300 difference in salary. The Titans will likely be down three offensive linemen and possibly trotting out Blaine Gabbert once again. If that’s not a recipe for disaster, I don’t know what is. Oh wait, yes I do, you could have a brutal matchup against the vaunted Jacksonville defense. Hard pass! There are dozens of players I’d rather play in this price range.

Wide Receiver

DeAndre Hopkins (HOU): $8,600 vs. NYG
I love me some Nuk. But after looking closely at the Giants pass defense, I was shocked at how little production their corners have surrendered through two games. Try one touchdown and twenty receptions. That’s it, and that’s pretty solid. He’s also nursing an ankle and thumb injury. We all know Hopkins is a stud, but this is a matchup I’m avoiding due to the price and presence of Will Fuller. Fuller and Hopkins have a connection and they like to hook up on deep balls. Hopkins is one of the best, if not the best boundary WR in the NFL, but if they score through the air…I think it’s Fuller.

Keenan Allen (LAC): $8,000 @ LAR
I’m putting both L.A. WRs in here based on matchup alone. When it comes to elite defenses, it’s no surprise the Rams are in that tier with their offseason additions at the cornerback position. Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters may both be maniacal, but they can both ball out and if their first two weeks have shown anything, it’s that they’re an absolutely dangerous tandem to tangle with. I know Allen will play most of his snaps out of the slot, but that’s not going to make things much easier for Allen. If anything, it only helps the defense key in on him when those two aren’t assigned to cover him.

Brandin Cooks (LAR): $7,800 vs. LAC
On the other side of that game is a matchup of Cooks versus one of the most underrated corners in the league in Casey Hayward. Hayward is a beast and having to cover smaller WRs the size of Cooks has not been an issue for him since signing with the Bolts. It’s well-known that Cooks is a very boom-or-bust player and I’m anticipating a bust in the battle of Los Angeles. We’re talking about one of those Brandin Cooks vanishing act games, you know, the kind that makes you check the snap counts and injury report to see if he got hurt or was simply a ghost on the field. Well, I’m spooked.

T.Y. Hilton (IND): $7,500 @ PHI
I’ll keep it quick, already mentioning him above. Just reinforcing that this mid-$7,000 to $8,000 price range is full of difficult matchups. I think they’ll all go low-owned for that reason. But you can’t trust Hilton to produce if Jack Doyle (hip) is out for Week 3. He has the worst set up and supporting cast if that’s the case. Known for his speed, I don’t think he’ll be himself with a bum quad. There’s better value further down the pool.

Tight End

Eric Ebron (IND): $5,500 @ PHI
As a tortured Lions fan, nothing tilts me more than watching Ebron make contested catches in the end zone every week. I can’t deny that he’s a talented player. Seeing the repeated lack of playmaking for years has left me with a negative impression of him as a whole. I simply think it’s a matter of time until he turns back into a pumpkin and starts dropping passes again. Even if Jack Doyle sits, he’s priced higher, so there is no value in the play. The Philadelphia defense presents a poor matchup for Ebron and I’d be surprised if he paid off his salary this week, look elsewhere at Tight End.

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Josh Dalley is a DFS correspondent at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, follow him on Twitter @JoshDalley72.

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