Daily Fantasy Football Week 3: Top Picks, Value Plays for DraftKings, FanDuel

Kyler Murray's fantastic start to the 2021 NFL season should continue in Week 3. 

Murray and the Arizona Cardinals are expected to feast on the Jacksonville Jaguars defense at TIAA Bank Field. 

Arizona should be one of the most popular lineup stacks in DraftKings and FanDuel daily fantasy football contests. 

Murray and at least one of his wide receivers should be utilized against a Jacksonville defense that conceded the fifth-most total yards through two weeks. 

If you want to steer clear of the Arizona stack because of the likely high roster percentage, there are a few other struggling defenses that can be taken advantage of. 

The Denver Broncos, who beat the Jaguars in Week 2, host the New York Jets, and the clash between the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants could produce a few high scorers given how poor both defenses played in the first two weeks. 

Quarterback

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Top Pick: Kyler Murray, Arizona (DraftKings: $8,300; FanDuel: $9,000)

Murray carries the highest salary in both DraftKings and FanDuel DFS contests for good reason. 

The Arizona quarterback has 689 passing yards and seven touchdowns through two games, and he faces one of the worst teams in the NFL on Sunday. 

The Cardinals offense eclipsed the 30-point mark in their victories over the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings. That should be an easy number to hit against a Jacksonville defense that looked outmatched against the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos. 

Jacksonville allowed 591 passing yards and four aerial scores to its two opponents. It also conceded 8.3 yards per pass attempt. 

If you start Murray, you will be competing with plenty of other DFS players with similar lineups, but he could be well worth the high salary in this matchup.

Value Play: Matt Ryan, Atlanta (DK: $5,400; FD: $7,100)

There may not be a lot of defense in the Falcons-Giants game. 

The two sides combined to concede 12 passing touchdowns in Weeks 1 and 2. 

Although Atlanta's passing defense has been worse, Matt Ryan may be the better value play over Daniel Jones. 

Ryan has the better completion percentage, and he has been sacked two fewer times than Jones, who dealt with offensive line issues against the Washington Football Team in Week 2. 

Sunday could be the perfect time for Ryan to unleash Calvin Ridley in the passing game. Ridley has 12 catches for 114 yards, but he only has one touchdown catch. 

Ryan should also take advantage of the matchup tight end Kyle Pitts has across the middle. Atlanta has the edge at the position with Evan Engram injured. 

A strong performance from Ryan could ignite a winning run for the Falcons, who play Washington and the Jets in the next two weeks. 

Running Back

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Top Pick: Dalvin Cook (DK: $8,400; FD: $9,500)

Dalvin Cook carries the second-highest salary at running back behind Derrick Henry on both DFS sites.

Cook has the chance to outrun Henry in Week 3 against a Seattle Seahawks defense that has not been great against the run.

Seattle allowed 325 rushing yards and three ground scores to start the season. Cook is coming off a 131-yard performance against the Cardinals. 

Cook has been used at a high volume with 42 carries, 10 targets and eight receptions versus Cincinnati and Arizona.

Expect to see similar output numbers from Cook as the Vikings look to gain their first win of the season in their home opener. 

Value Play: Melvin Gordon (DK: $5,500; FD: $6,000)

Melvin Gordon should feast on the Jets defense. 

Gordon has split the workload in the Denver backfield with Javonte Williams, but he holds the edge in DFS contests because of his pass-catching ability.

Gordon caught all five of his targets in the first two weeks, while Williams was thrown to on two occasions. 

The 28-year-old running back gained 23 more yards than Williams on four fewer carries behind Teddy Bridgewater. 

Williams could be worth a look as a value play as well since he may earn more of the garbage time carries if the matchup with the Jets gets out of hand. 

Gordon has Denver's lone rushing touchdown, and he should receive the red-zone snaps that give him the edge over Williams against a New York defense that allowed 4.2 yards per attempt and three rushing scores.

Wide Receiver

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Top Pick: DeAndre Hopkins (DK: $8,200; FD: $8,500)

If you are starting Murray, DeAndre Hopkins should be the second name selected for your DFS lineup.

Hopkins has three receiving touchdowns during Arizona's hot start, and he should find himself in the end zone at least one on Sunday. 

Jacksonville's defense has been hurt by a pair of weaker quarterbacks in Tyrod Taylor and Teddy Bridgewater to start the Urban Meyer era. 

The Jaguars secondary could be in for another rude awakening on Sunday against one of the best quarterback-wide receiver duos in the NFL.

If you land on an Arizona lineup stack, Rondale Moore, who has the most receiving yards on the team's roster, should be added alongside Murray and Hopkins.

Value Play: Michael Pittman (DK: $5,500; FD: $5,600)

Michael Pittman should be Indianapolis' top target regardless of which quarterback is on the field.

Carson Wentz did not practice on Thursday because of an ankle injury. Jacob Eason would be the next man up if Wentz is unable to go. 

Pittman is coming off an eight-catch performance in Week 2, and he could be poised for a similar performance against a Tennessee defense that struggled against the pass versus Arizona and Seattle.

While there will be a drop off in quarterback quality from Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson, the Colts should still be able to exploit the soft spots in the Titans' coverage. 

Tennessee allowed the sixth-most passing yards and third-most passing scores through two weeks. It could turn into one of the top defenses to target if the Colts do damage on Sunday.

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