DraftKings Bargains: Week Three

The beauty with DFS is that you can think outside the box when creating lineups, allowing you to take risks on players you would not normally take risks on in traditional fantasy leagues. Being able to predict game scripts can allow you to forecast a player’s workload and can help spot a potential breakout candidate.

As we enter week three, the salaries on DraftKings are starting to get tighter, making it harder to find the cheap buys that everyone is looking for. By analyzing the slate game by game, it’s easy to pinpoint which players could make a substantial impact in fantasy if they can maximize their opportunities.

With being said, let’s look at some of the top bargains on DraftKings this week.

QUARTERBACK

Prices are a little tighter this week. The best move for cash games might be paying up for Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson. They are playing against each other in a high profile game that should produce a lot of scoring. Even though they might be heavily owned in GPP tournaments, the higher salaries will force you to be contrarian at other positions.

Daniel Jones, NYG ($5,000)

We can’t talk about the bargains on DraftKings without mentioning Danny Dimes. He literally has ten cents in his name, and his salary matches the nickname. Jones is one of the cheapest quarterbacks on the slate. He’s an unknown commodity. The majority of the field is going to pivot away from him because the Giants are one of the worst teams in the league.

Rookie quarterbacks are generally not the safest investments to make in fantasy, but in large tournaments, they can break the slate if the dominos fall the right way. There’s a chance that he ignites the Giants offense and provide enough of a spark to get their offense going. He will be playing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who have a very soft defense. The Giants are pegged as six-point underdogs in this game. The game script might dictate Jones’ passing volume and could turn this game into a shootout. Combine that with his mobility and his rushing upside, and Jones might be the under-the-radar option that could pay dividends this week.

Jones’ low price tag will allow you to pay up at other positions and could help you stuff your lineup with multiple stud running backs or a few high-priced receivers. This means he can produce average results and still add value to your team. If he can produce a respectable point total and the rest of your lineup hits, then you could possibly be in the money. Jones is a low-cost high-risk option that could make a difference in large GPP tournaments. Sometimes you have to roll the dice and take a chance and I’m always going to drop a few bones on a guy called Danny Dimes.

Other options: Josh Allen $5,900, Kyler Murray $5,800, Mason Rudolph $4,800

RUNNING BACK

Miles Sanders, PHI ($3,900)

When I’m searching for bargains on DraftKings, I’m looking for players who are cheap that can also break the slate. Considering Alshon Jeffrey and DeSean Jackson won’t be suiting up this week, the rest of the field will be plugging Nelson Agholor and Zach Ertz into their lineups. JJ Arcega-Whiteside could be a breakout candidate this week. The distribution of touches are going to transfer to other players in the offense and savvy DFS players are looking to invest in pieces of Philadelphia’s offense with the hopes to cash in on a player that can elevate their lineup.

When we zoom out at the Eagles situation, it makes sense that they might want to run the ball a little bit more this week. After all, they did lose two of their main pass catchers. This could present added opportunities for Sanders. On top of that, Vegas has them as six-point favorites against Detroit this week. They are expected to be operating with a lead during a large portion of the game and Sanders could be utilized frequently as their weapon out of the backfield.

Sanders played 43 percent of the snaps in week two and we should see an increase in his usage throughout the season. He also saw a ten percent target share last week. The Eagles drafted him to be the team’s future bell cow. The team needs to pivot from their previous offensive game plans due to injuries. Since the rest of the field will be targeting other players on the roster, Sanders should see a low ownership rate in large tournaments, making him a league winner if he exceeds expectations.

His cost makes him worth the investment. Sanders can easily be paired with a stud running back like Ezekiel Elliott. The trick here is to not overexpose yourself to Sanders. You simply just want to dash him into a few lineups and hope for the best. He’s a high upside play with a very low floor. Sanders is your typical contrarian option at running back for week three.

Other options: LeSean McCoy $5,000, Raheem Mostert $4,700, Frank Gore $4,400

WIDE RECEIVER

Christian Kirk, ARI ($5,000)

Whether they are playing from behind or in a neutral game script the Arizona Cardinals are one of the top teams in the league when it comes to plays ran per second. Per Football Outsiders, they are averaging 27.47 seconds per play in neutral situations. The team’s offensive philosophy is very fantasy-friendly. Kirk’s target volume is predicated by Arizona’s fast-paced no-huddle offense.

Kirk will be matched up against the Carolina Panthers, a team that likes to run a lot of plays on offense. They lead the league with 22.02 seconds per play. There’s a good chance that Kyle Allen will be suiting up as the Panthers’ starting quarterback on Sunday. This could be a positive for Kirk because this could keep the game script tighter than expected. He could easily see double-digit targets in this game.

Stacking Kirk with Kyler Murray is the obvious choice. Combined, the duo will net just 21.6 percent of your $50,000 salary budget. It’s a win-win situation if Kirk produces because that means Murray will more than likely have a good game. Stacking a quarterback with his top receiver is one of the most popular ways to stack players in DFS. The correlation between the two positions will usually create a positive impact if both players can connect for multiple big plays.

Other options: John Brown $5,500, John Ross $5,100, DK Metcalf $4,700

TIGHT END

Jason Witten, DAL ($3,700)

There’s nothing exciting about Jason Witten this week. He’s not an explosive playmaker who can put up a large point total on one play. We are literally hoping he can find his way into the end zone against the hapless Miami Dolphins. Michael Gallup will be out of the lineup which will leave a large share of vacated targets to be distributed to other pass catchers. Dallas should reach the red zone multiple times in this contest, presenting opportunities for Witten to break free to score a touchdown. If this happens then he could help the rest of your DFS lineup jump the rankings in tournament play considering Witten’s low ownership rate.

Don’t invest too heavily in Witten. You just want to throw him in a few lineups and keep your exposer to him at a minimum. Pair him with Dak Prescott if you want, but he’s a good plugin with most lineup configurations.

Other options: OJ Howard $3,800, Austin Hooper $3,500, Will Dissly $3,400