NFL DFS picks Week 3: Best sleepers, value players for FanDuel, DraftKings lineups

Two weeks of the 2022 NFL season have passed, and fantasy football has been as unpredictable as ever. With surprise breakouts and early-season busts, injuries and comebacks, and emerging contenders and pretenders, the ever-changing landscape of the league makes NFL DFS more interesting and challenging than ever. One thing remains constant, though: to win DraftKings and FanDuel contests, we must still find the best value picks and sleepers.

Every Tuesday during the NFL season, we compile a list of under-the-radar DFS plays who we project to outperform their price tags. We scour through the player pools, pore through stats and trends, and ultimately pinpoint the top value plays across the upcoming Sunday main slate. Capitalizing on affordable sleepers in certain spots leaves you with enough budget to greatly improve other roster spots with proven weekly studs.

We started the season red hot, with five of our skill-position picks—all at $5,500 or less on DraftKings—registering between 18 or 27 PPR points. We then carried that momentum into Week 2 with even more value-pick goodness. Take a look at the highlights from last week’s column: 

That’s a grand total of 11 solid DFS plays that surpassed expectations — some plentifully — averaging out to stud production despite scrub prices. These 11 plays cost an average of $4,500 on DraftKings yet ultimately scored an average of 17.4 points. With that cheap production, DFS players were able to afford elite options at other important positions. Bang for your buck — it’s the name of the daily fantasy game!

We will update if any major injuries occur, but for now, you can lock these players into your various lineups. Without further ado, it’s time to reveal our favorite DFS sleepers and value players for Week 3 of the 2022 NFL season. Let’s stack some cash!

All player values are from DraftKings and FanDuel. All stats are from NFL.com and Pro Football Reference.

WEEK 3 DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings | Yahoo

NFL DFS Picks Week 3: QB sleepers, values for DraftKings, FanDuel

Derek Carr, Raiders at Titans (DK: $5,900 | FD: $7,100)

The start to Josh McDaniels’ tenure in Las Vegas seems somewhat reminiscent of the end of his Broncos head coaching stint: U-G-L-Y. Still, the Raiders showed signs of life last week against the Cardinals, with Carr passing for 252 yards and two TDs (despite Davante Adams somehow only coming down with a pair of catches for 12 yards and a score). Three different Raiders receivers hauled in at least five catches, and Vegas finished with 28 first downs. The Titans have a young, undisciplined secondary that just got destroyed by the Bills on Monday Night Football, and top Tennessee cornerback Kristian Fulton (hamstring) could miss more time. Carr and Adams will devour Mike Vrabel’s boys. 

More great Week 3 QB values: Jared Goff, Lions at Vikings (DK: $5,800 | FD: $7,100); Mac Jones, Patriots vs. Ravens (DK: $5,100 | FD: $6,400)

WEEK 3 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

NFL DFS Picks Week 3: RB sleepers, values for DraftKings, FanDuel

Dameon Pierce, Texans at Bears (DK: $5,000 | FD: $5,800)

The breakout game is coming! Texans coach Lovie Smith held to his word, getting Pierce way more involved in Houston’s offense against the Broncos in Week 2. The result: 16 touches for 77 yards. The rookie saw 100 percent of the Texans’ RB carries, and he now faces a Bears squad that just surrendered over 200 rushing yards to the Packers. Don’t expect numbers similar to what Green Bay’s Aaron Jones enjoyed against Houston (15-132-1 on the ground, 3-38-1 through the air), but 100 scrimmage yards and a TD seem like attainable numbers this weekend. That would be a grand slam at $5,000. 

Nyheim Hines, Colts vs. Chiefs (DK: $5,000 | FD: $5,100)

Hines may get overshadowed on the regular by reigning rushing champ Jonathan Taylor, but the fifth-year back low-key serves as one of the best No. 2 RBs in the NFL. With top Indy receiver Michael Pittman banged up (quad), Frank Reich will need every other pass-catcher in the Colts offense to step up. Hines might be the third or fourth best pass-catching option on this whole squad. He’s averaging just a hair under 10 DraftKings points per game and garnering 14.1 percent of Matt Ryan’s targets. The Chiefs have surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points to RBs this season, and they have allowed an NFL-high 20 catches to RBs to go along with 127 rushing yards (fourth most) and a TD. In a game projected to reach nearly 50 points, I wouldn’t mind Hines in the low $5,000s. 

Other great Week 3 RB values: Khalil Herbert, Bears vs. Texans (DK: 5,200 | FD: $6,000); Breece Hall, Jets vs. Bengals (DK: $5,300 | FD: $6,200); Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots vs. Ravens (DK: $4,800 | FD: $5,400); Darrel Williams, Cardinals vs. Rams (DK: $5,100 | FD: $4,900)

WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers

NFL DFS Picks Week 3: WR sleepers, values for DraftKings, FanDuel

Curtis Samuel, Commanders vs. Eagles (DK: $5,100 | FD: $6,300)

I had to pick up Samuel wherever I could after Week 1 — his last name is my son’s first, after all — but after a second-consecutive strong showing, he’s become a must-own in all formats. He’s also become a sweet value in DFS, where his price tags somehow still hover in the low $5ks on DK and low $6ks in FD. Samuel has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, but when he’s healthy and has a halfway-decent QB, he can be a very reliable playmaker. Two 20-point efforts at the start of a season is nothing to sneeze at, and he could make it three in a row if Philly focuses its attentions primarily on veteran Terry McLaurin and rookie TD machine Jahan Dotson. All hail Fantastic Sam! 

Greg Dortch, Cardinals vs. Rams (DK: $4,300 | FD: $5,100)

We wondered in the preseason which Cards receiver would step up in the absence of DeAndre Hopkins (suspension) and Rondale Moore (hamstring). Well, in the early going, it’s been all Dortch! The third-year man out of Wake Forest has hauled in 11-of-13 targets for 118 yards and a TD. He has great burst off the line, runs routes efficiently, and has solid hands. He also has tremendous YAC-ability with a unique combination of speed and elusiveness. The Rams rank 30th in DraftKings points allowed to receivers and 31st in FanDuel points. Jalen Ramsey will almost certainly be covering top Cardinal wideout Marquise Brown more often than not, and Kyler Murray trusts the Dortchmaster — maybe it’s time we put similar trust in him in DFS. 

More strong WR values: Jahan Dotson, Commanders vs. Eagles (DK: $4,600 | FD: $6,000); Garrett Wilson, Jets vs. Bengals (DK: $5,400 | FD: $6,100); Jakobi Meyers, Patriots vs. Ravens (DK: $5,000 | FD: $6,200); Treylon Burks, Titans vs. Raiders (DK: $4,900 | FD: $5,900)

NFL DFS Picks Week 3: TE sleepers, values for DraftKings, FanDuel

Evan Engram, Jaguars at Chargers (DK: $3,700 | FD: $5,200)

Engram has been steadily developing a rapport with second-year QB Trevor Lawrence, and the two Jags connected on seven-of-eight targets for 46 yards in a big win over the division-rival Colts on Sunday. Longer depth of targets will come, as will the red-zone looks. Through two games, the Chargers have allowed 11 catches and 142 yards to tight ends, averaging out to scores of 12.6 on DraftKings and 9.9 on FanDuel. Let EEeat! 

More great Week 3 TE values: Dawson Knox, Bills at Dolphins (DK: $4,100 | FD: $5,300); Logan Thomas, Commanders vs. Eagles (DK: $3,500 | FD: $5,400)

NFL DFS Picks Week 3: D/ST sleepers, values for DraftKings, FanDuel

Seahawks vs. Falcons (DK: $2,700 | FD: $3,400)

The Seahawks have improved mightily on defense this season, and they showed in Week 1 versus the Broncos that home-field advantage still applies in Seattle. Now they get a Marcus Mariota-led Falcons squad that ranks 27th in turnovers, including two interceptions and a lost fumble against the Rams in L.A. last week. Losing Jamal Adams (quad) for the season hurts Pete Carroll’s secondary, but Cody Barton highlights an underrated Seahawks front-seven that could wreak havoc on Atlanta’s below-average o-line. 

Other solid Week 3 D/ST values: Eagles at Commanders (DK: $2,900 | FD: $4,000); Falcons at Seahawks (DK: $2,700 | FD: $3,700)