Week 2 of the 2021 season is the books. In Week 2, our Bills stack of Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs collected 33.7 DKFP, including a passing TD from Allen to Diggs. Expect more from this duo as the season moves on. Rooke RB Najee Harris added another 19.1 DKFP and collected his first career TD. Finally, TE Jared Cook and the Pittsburgh Steelers defense let us down with only 7.8 combined DKFP. We now turn our attention to this week’s look at some of the players we will be rostering in DraftKings GPP and Cash contests. Now, let’s get to our DraftKings NFL Week 3 Picks for the Sunday Main Slate.
Top Stack
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1.5) @ Los Angeles Rams 56 O/U
Matthew Stafford (QB) Los Angeles Rams ($6,400)
I know it is still early in the season, but I must admit the “Matthew Stafford Experience” in Los Angeles is sensational. He has thrown for 599 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception while averaging 22.8 DKFP/GM through two games. This week he gets a great matchup with the pass funnel defense of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Throughout two games, the Bucs defense has allowed 23.5 DKFP/GM (8th most in the NFL), 342 passing yards per game (3 rd most in the NFL), and 2.5 passing touchdowns per game (T6th most in the NFL) to opposing quarterbacks. Interestingly, DraftKings didn’t raise Stafford’s price this week, considering the enormous game total and the matchup. However, at his current $6,400 price, he has a safe floor and a massive ceiling, making him a staple in my cash lineups this week.
Robert Woods (WR) Los Angeles Rams ($5,700)
This is in no way a knock on Cooper Kupp, who is a fine play this week at $6,800 on DraftKings. But if we want to win a GPP, we have to make some difficult decisions. This brings me to Robert Woods, who should carry less ownership this week versus Tampa Bay. The word is undoubtedly out on Kupp, as evidenced by his 16-271-3 receiving line and 33.3 DKFP/GM over the first two weeks of the season. While Robert Woods 8-91-1 receiving line and 12.2 DKFP/GM leaves a lot to be desired. It is encouraging that Woods saw nine targets last week versus the Indianapolis Colts, which was only two fewer than Kupp. Both wideouts are blessed with a matchup against a Buccaneers defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season.
My reasons for Robert Woods this week are simple, he is cheaper, should have reduced ownership, and gets the same beautiful matchup.
Bring It Back With
Rob Gronkowski (TE) Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($5,500)
Gronk has been a touchdown monster early in the 2021 NFL season, totaling four touchdowns in two games. Unfortunately, his price increased, and he is the third-highest priced tight end on DraftKings. Fortunately, that may keep his ownership suppressed with the field flocking to wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, especially given the uncertainty of Antonio Brown (Covid-19) this week versus Los Angeles. The Rams defense currently ranks in the bottom half of the NFL versus tight ends, allowing 13.8 DKFP/GM and a whopping 9.5 targets/GM to the position. However, Gronk has caught all four of his red-zone targets this year, and while that efficiently won’t last, I like his chances of finding pay dirt in a game that is sure to have offensive fireworks.
Running Back
Austin Ekeler (RB) – Los Angeles Chargers ($7,200)
Austin Ekeler showed us last week why he is a PPR darling. He only saw 9 carries for 54 yards (6 yards per carry) but caught all nine of his targets for 61 yards, finishing the day with 22.5 DKFP. We shouldn’t expect nine targets from any running back every week, but we could be in line for a repeat performance this week as Ekeler and the Chargers travel to Arrowhead to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. One thing I’m sure we all agree on is that Patrick Mahomes and company are live to put up 30+ points any week, which plays right into Ekeler’s favor.
Throughout two weeks, the Chiefs defense has allowed a mammoth 32.1 DKFP/GM (3rd most) and 130 rushing yards (3rd most) to opposing running backs. Ekeler should be popular, but I am totally fine eating the chalk on this one for GPP and cash contests.
Defense
Tennessee Titans ($2400)
I feel pretty good about the Tennessee Titans defense, no matter who is under center for the Indianapolis Colts this week. With Carson Wentz nursing two ankle sprains, the Colts may be forced to roll out 2020 fourth-round pick Jacob Eason and/or 2015 fifth-round pick Brett Hundley at quarterback. While the Titan’s defense has managed only five sacks and one interception through two games, those games were against the potent offenses of the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks. Not exactly a cakewalk for opposing defenses. I expect the Titans defense to have much more success against either a gimpy Carson Wentz or Jacob Eason and Brett Hundley, who have a combined 14 INTs and a 49.6 completion percentage. At $2,400 on DraftKings and playing at home against a banged-up division opponent, the Titans are my top value defense for Week 3.
These are some of the players we will have in our GPP and Cash lineups for our DraftKings NFL 2021 Week 3 contests. Good luck, and may your screens always be green.
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