Week 3 of the NFL is here, and Awesemo has a ton of great tools and NFL DFS strategy to help you tackle all the largest contests in DFS. This article will take you through and highlight some of the week’s highest-projected Yahoo NFL picks at each position on the Week 3 main slate, all based on Awesemo’s projections and models. We will also provide insight into ownership projections and provide some other matchup information for optimal Yahoo NFL picks for daily fantasy lineups each week.
Week 3 Yahoo NFL Picks, Grades & Values
Top-Graded QB: Lamar Jackson | Grades: A, Values: A
Lamar Jackson faces one of the worst pass defenses in the league this week in the Lions. Detroit’s defense has allowed a 75% completion rate to opposing quarterbacks in 2021 and ranked last in opponent yards per passing attempt (10.2 yards). Jackson and Marquise Brown have been on the same page this year, with Jackson averaging a career-best 8.46 yards passing per attempt. Despite the good spot here, and his uptick in passing, Jackson is only the fifth-most expensive quarterback on Yahoo, making him the best projected value of the elite quarterbacks, who are all very close in the projections this week.
Projected NFL DFS ownership: 27.3%
Top Value QB: Daniel Jones | Grades: A, Values: A
Daniel Jones may be 0-2 as starter this year, but he has been decent for fantasy purposes, mostly thanks to his rushing. Two rushing touchdowns and an average of 61 yards rushing per game will help any quarterback’s totals, but Jones is also throwing the ball deeper with more consistency. He is averaging 7.5 yards per attempt (nearly a full point higher than his career average) and also throwing for more air yards. Atlanta has neither an intimidating pass rush or secondary and makes for a great matchup here, which is reflected in the Awesemo projections this week. Jones has the second-best value score at quarterback, regardless of price.
Projected NFL DFS ownership: 9.9%
Top-Graded RB: Dalvin Cook| Grades: A, Values: C
Dalvin Cook is listed as questionable after missing Wednesday and Thursday practices, but the Vikings do not seem overly concerned about his status. If he does get the start, the spot this week looks juicy, as he will be taking on a Seahawks defense that allowed 5.2 yards per carry and three touchdowns rushing to Derrick Henry last week. The Vikings offense continues to run through Cook, who is averaging 21 carries and four receptions through two weeks, so workload will not be issue regardless of game script. Simply put, the injury risk is worth taking on, as Cook has the best points projection of any running back on the main Sunday slate, a full 2 points higher than the next-highest player at his position.
Projected NFL DFS ownership: 13.8%
Top Value RB: Kenyan Drake | Grades: C, Values: A
Kenyan Drake looks like he will again get the start for Vegas, as Josh Jacobs has yet to practice through Thursday of Week 3. Drake has looked pathetic running the ball behind a suspect Raiders offensive line but has caught 10 passes on 11 targets and averaged over 10 yards per catch. He will also have an easier matchup this week against Miami, which does not grade as well at stopping the run as Pittsburgh. His work as a receiver and the fact he played on 71% of the snaps last week make Drake a great value at just $14 on Yahoo, and he has the best value score on the slate this week as well.
Projected NFL DFS ownership: 6.8%
Top-Graded WR: Cooper Kupp | Grades: A, Values: D
Cooper Kupp is the top pure projected play at wide receiver in the Awesemo model this week. It is a rapid rise in sentiment for Kupp, who averaged just 10.6 yards per catch last year and only had three touchdowns for all of 2020. Kupp has already equaled his 2020 touchdown total with Matthew Stafford and comes in averaging a stout 16.9 yards per catch. His quarterback is averaging 10.7 yards per pass attempt, which is third best in the league, so there is ample evidence that this surge from Kupp is going to be long lasting. The matchup this week is amazing, as opposing teams against the Buccaneers are averaging the most pass attempts in the league over the last year, and they have also given up the most receptions to opposing wideouts in 2021. Do not stop deploying Kupp in Week 3.
Projected NFL DFS ownership: 10.0%
Top Value WR: Kenny Golladay | Grades: A, Values: B
Kenny Golladay has had a slow start to his Giants tenure. He has been out-targeted and outperformed by Sterling Shepard and then got caught in a screaming fit on national TV last week in the Giants’ last-minute loss. Still, Golladay is averaging 14.6 yards per catch in 2021, so he has been used on the same downfield routes he was in Detroit. Atlanta has the 12th-most yards per pass attempt allowed and still rank in the bottom half of the league in sacks per game. It is a good breakout spot for Golladay, and his $16 price tag on Yahoo gives him the best value score of anyone above $15 at wide receiver in the Awesemo projections for Week 3.
Projected NFL DFS ownership: 5.7%
Top-Graded TE: Darren Waller | Grades: A, Values: D
Darren Waller had a bit of a muted Week 2 but still co-led the Raiders offense with seven targets and has now seen 26 targets through just two games. Despite that, there seems to be some skepticism about Waller, as he is projected to carry just a third of the ownership of Travis Kelce despite being $2 cheaper. The matchup with the Dolphins is not terrible, and Vegas has been one of the worst teams running the ball in 2021 (averaging 2.9 yards per carry), so do not expect them to stop throwing anytime soon. Waller has nearly the same points projection this week as Kelce yet is cheaper and will come in far less owned. He is a great pay-up option and pivot play in GPPs on Yahoo this week.
Projected NFL DFS ownership: 12.0%
Top Value TE: Tyler Higbee | Grades: B, Values: B
Tyler Higbee was a bust last week, as he could only manage one reception on one target despite seeing heavy snaps again. It is a little concerning, as Stafford threw the ball more in Week 2 than he did in Week 1, but there is still reason to expect more from Higbee in Week 3. The Rams have a 27-point implied team total here, so there should be plenty of red-zone opportunities, and the Buccaneers have also allowed an average of eight receptions to opposing tight ends through just two games. Higbee is still the only Rams tight end to record a catch on the year, so with lots of passing forecast and price drop this week, he is one of the best tight end values on Yahoo.
Projected NFL DFS ownership: 5.6%
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