Welcome to Week 3 of the NFL season. It’s still exciting to know that there is NFL football back and filling up my Sunday. Below are the players that I am considering as my cash game core for this week’s main slate. I value consistency of volume and opportunity combined with potential upside when putting together my cash game lineup. Have a solid process, be sure to have FantasyPros notifications set up for Sunday morning, and remember to have fun!
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Quarterback
Josh Allen (BUF): $6,900 vs. LAR
He leads the NFL with 70.7 DKFP over the two-week start. We all know that he has a big arm, but now he has a new toy to go with that arm in the case of Stefon Diggs. We also know that he can use his legs to rank up fantasy points as well. I plan on doing something unusual this week and pay up at the quarterback spot. Since we can fit in many of the players we want, I might get a good quarterback this instead of crossing my fingers and hoping a mediocre quarterback scores me 3X his salary.
Kyler Murray (ARI): $6,800 vs. DET
So far he has earned 27.3 and 31.1 DKFP as the quarterback of the pace up Cardinals. The lions have a very suspect defense this year and have already demonstrated that in the route last week against the Packers and the fourth-quarter heroics of Mitch Trubisky. Murray could find himself getting into the end zone either by running or passing. He has the weapons, he is talented, and this is projected to be a very high scoring game.
Other Notables:
- Russ Wilson (SEA): $7,300 vs. DAL
- Dak Prescott (DAL): $7,200 @ SEA
- Cam Newton (NE): $6,700 vs. LV
- Mitch Trubisky (CHI): $5,700 @ ATL
Running Backs
Ezekiel Elliott (DAL): $8,300 @ SEA
It was disappointing to see his quarterback vulture three rushing touchdowns from Zeke last week. I believe this was an outlier. He is the man and is getting plenty of usage. Despite his “disappointing” game last week, he still rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown. His seven targets last week also have me excited. This game is expected to be a shootdown again so I’ll take the best player from a high-scoring game.
Jonathan Taylor (IND): $7,000 vs. NYJ
Taylor is the main focus in this Colts offense with Marlon Mack being out. He rushed 26 times for 101 yards and a touchdown last week. He only got two targets last week after receiving six in Week 1. Even though his salary increased significantly, he still might be underpriced for his usage and the opponent.
Austin Ekeler (LAC): $6,800 vs. CAR
We want to pick on the Carolina defense and Ekeler is very much in play. Josh Kelly’s early rookie success does give me pause about Ekeler’s upside but for cash games, he still has a high possibility fo reaching value against this terrible defense. He rushed for 93 yards last week on 16 carries.
Miles Sanders (PHI): $6,400 vs. CIN
He looked good last week returning from injury. DK only increased Sanders’ salary by $400 after rushing for 95 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. He earned 21.1 DKFP. The Eagles featured back also caught three balls after being targeted seven times. Both Browns running backs ran roughshod over this Bengals defense last week. I have Sanders locked into my main lineup right now.
Other Notables:
- Derrick Henry (TEN): $7,800
- Kenyon Drake (ARI): $6,000
- Mike Davis (CAR): $5,100
Wide Receivers
DeAndre Hopkins (ARI): $7,900 vs. DET
This game has the second-highest projected total on the main slate and Hopkins is the alpha. He has 25 targets in two games. There is no question that the Cardinals want to get him the ball. He has an average depth of target of under six yards, so they are finding ways to get the ball in his hands. That is good news for us on DraftKings. He has fantasy production of 32.1 and 20.8 DKFP this season.
Amari Cooper (DAL): $6,500 @ SEA
We sometimes forget how good Amari is because this Cowboys team has so many weapons. He has 23 targets in two games. He has been consistent earning 18.1 DKFP and 19.0 DKFP in his two games and that is without scoring a touchdown. His ceiling is one of the highest in the NFL. He can have a blowup game at any time. This game has the highest projected total of the week.
Diontae Johnson (PIT): $5,400 vs. DEN
He had 10 targets in Week 1 and 13 targets last week. At $5,400, that is all I need to know. Sign me up for the guy that many feel will eventually become the alpha in that Steelers offense. He had 23.2 DKFP last week with a 8-92-1 stat line.
Damiere Byrd (NE): $3,000 vs. LV
Played the most snaps in Week 1 but had no targets. In Week 2, the former Panthers teammate of Cam Newton caught six of his nine targets for 72 yards. He gets Las Vegas on a short week of preparation. This is probably more of a GPP play, but at this price with his snap rate, I will still consider him as a cash play.
Other Notables:
- Allen Robinson (CHI): $6,200 @ ATL
- Julian Edelman (NE): $6,200 vs. LV
- DJ Moore (CAR): $6,100 @ LAC
- Terry McLaurin (WAS): $5,900 @ CLE
- CeeDee Lamb (DAL): $5,400 @ SEA
Tight Ends
Mo Alie-Cox (IND): $3,800 vs. NYJ
This is only a play if Jack Doyle sits out again. He caught five of his six targets for 111 yards last week. Philip Rivers has a long history of utilizing his tight end and I have confidence in the opportunity Alie-Cox will receive if Doyle sits again, especially against this Jets defense that just gave up two touchdowns to Jordan Reed.
Logan Thomas (WAS): $3,700 @ CLE
Thomas leads the NFL in tight end targets and gets to face a Browns team that allowed two touchdowns to Mark Andrews in Week 1 and a total of 11 receptions (and a touchdown) to the Bengals tight ends last week. If Doyle plays for the Colts, I will be playing Thomas. If Doyle can’t go, I will more than likely be making a decision between Alie-Cox and Thomas.
Other Notables:
- Jonnu Smith (TEN): $5,200 @ MIN
- Dallas Goedert (PHI): $4,900 vs. CIN
- Drew Sample (CIN): $3,500 @ PHI
Defense/Special Teams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers DST: $3,700 @ DEN
The Broncos are starting backup Jeff Driskill, who has a tendency to take sacks. They also just signed Blake Bortles, who can be mistake-prone. They were not a strong offense to begin with and now Courtland Sutton is out. They should have to throw to keep up with Tampa Bay and so there should be plenty of opportunities for this Bucs defense to wreak havoc. I only wish the game was in Tampa.
Philadelphia Eagles DST: $2,800 vs. CIN
Eagles might not be a great defense right now, but they are respectable and get to go against Joe Burrow. The rookie gunslinger attempted 61 passes last week, which means there are plenty of opportunities for bad things to happen. He did fumble twice last week, though the Browns only recovered one of them.
Other Notables:
- Indianapolis Colts DST: $4,100 vs. NYJ
- Los Angeles Chargers DST: $3,600 vs. CAR
- San Francisco DST: $3,500 @ NYG
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Jamy Bechler is a regular contributor to FantasyPros for NBA, NFL, and PGA. You can send him questions and follow him on his DFS twitter @WinningDFS101. When he is not playing DFS, Jamy is an author, host of the “Success is a Choice” podcast, and a leadership consultant, working with businesses and teams across the country (including the NBA). Even though he offers his advice on players and contests, after additional information and consideration, he may end up using different players and strategies than what he recommended in this article.
