Fantasy Football Week 3: Players to Avoid in DraftKings and FanDuel

You’ll want to avoid these players in DFS play with your DraftKings and FanDuel picks for Week 3 of the NFL and Fantasy Football season.

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Everyone is always looking for the weekly breakout players and sleepers but just as important are the players to stay far away from. It only takes one bad pick to cripple your daily fantasy roster.

Here are some players you should look to avoid in DFS play when making your DraftKings and FanDuel picks for Week 3 of the 2017 NFL season.

Quarterbacks

Cam Newton ($6,600 DK/$8,100 FD) vs. New Orleans

It hasn’t been a great start to the season for the former NFL MVP. Newton ranks 18th in fantasy points at the quarterback position, behind Josh McCown, Jared Goff and Sam Bradford (one game) — just to put that in perspective. Some may select Newton this week because of the favourable matchup versus New Orleans, but don’t be fooled. Newton has not looked comfortable through two weeks and the fact that he was a limited participant in practice on Thursday supports that theory.

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Russell Wilson ($6,300 DK/$7,800 FD) at Tennessee

Wilson is another quarterback who has been very disappointing so far. The Seattle signal-caller actually ranks below Newton and barely cracks the top 20 list. However, much of Wilson’s struggles can be blamed squarely on the shoulders of the offensive line. The 49ers held Seattle’s offense to just nine points last week, while keeping Wilson to just 15 fantasy points in the process. That’s not a good sign, especially after seeing Jared Goff carve up that same defense on Thursday Night Football for nearly 300 yards and three touchdowns.

Running Backs

Marshawn Lynch ($6,000 DK/$6,700 FD) at Washington

In my Week 3 DFS Advice article I talked about the importance of targeting workhorses at running back. That is the very reason I am suggesting avoiding Marshawn Lynch for this week and perhaps longer.

The 10-year veteran has averaged just 16 total touches per game through the first two weeks of the season. The Raiders love to mix in DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard, which limits “Beast Mode’s” upside week-to-week. With just two receptions, Lynch also offers very little value out of the backfield, making him very touchdown dependent and a high-risk play in PPR formats. The matchup is nice but the he is overvalued at his price for this week.

DeMarco Murray ($5,500 DK/$6,500 FD) vs. Seattle

Two words: Derrick Henry. This is something people should have seen from a mile away and it’s the sole reason I passed on Murray in my 20-team re-draft fantasy leagues this season. After a strong performance against the Jags, Henry appears to be the new starting running back in Tennessee, even if the coaching staff says otherwise. He was one of my “must owns” in fantasy drafts this year, and with good reason.

Murray wore down significantly last season, scoring just one touchdown and failing to record a single 100-yard game through the final six weeks. We are just two games into the 2017 season and Murray is already battling a lingering hamstring issue. The three-time Pro Bowler’s availability appears to be in doubt for Sunday, but even if he does play you can pretty much assume it will be in a limited capacity behind Henry.

TAMPA, FL – SEPTEMBER 17: Wide receiver Mike Evans #13 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hauls in a pass from quarterback Jameis Winston in front of strong safety Quintin Demps #21 of the Chicago Bears for a 17-yard gain during the first quarter of an NFL football game on September 17, 2017 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images) /

Wide Receivers

Mike Evans ($7,500 DK/$8,600 FD) at Minnesota

This is becoming a common theme in recent weeks and it will likely continue, but DFS players need to beware of Vikings cornerback, Xavier Rhodes. The elite cover corner held Antonio Brown and Michael Thomas to fewer than 65 yards with no touchdowns in back-to-back weeks. Even though Evans possesses a different type of challenge with his size, he is still not worth paying top dollar for against one of the premier cornerbacks in the NFL.

Amari Cooper ($7,100 DK/$7,700 FD) at Washington

The frustration continues for Amari Cooper fantasy owners. The 23-year old has insane athleticism and potential, but has failed to transition into a true dominant receiver so far in his young career. The Raiders balanced offensive attack and spread-the-ball approach has hurt Cooper’s consistency, and many can make the case that Michael Crabtree is Carr’s preferred target in the passing game.

Not only is consistency is a concern this week, but so is the probability of drawing Josh Norman for most of the game. Add that to the fact that Cooper has been limited in practice all week with a knee injury and you have yourself an extremely risky play at a high-end price.

Tight Ends

Rob Gronkowski ($6,800 DK/$8,400 FD) vs. Houston

Gronk showed signs of his brilliant dominance last week, hauling in six balls for 116 yards and one touchdown. Unfortunately, he also showed his injury proneness when he was forced to exit the game with a groin injury. The All-Pro tight end is capable of posting ridiculous numbers but he’s also been hampered by injuries constantly. This, week he faces a Houston defense that is ranked third against opposing tight ends, surrendering just five points per game to the position. Save some money and pick a tight end with a better matchup and less injury concerns.

Martellus Bennett ($4,000 DK/$5,600 FD) vs. Cincinnati

The Packers are loaded with weapons in every direction, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that Bennett has failed to make a significant impact. The Texas A&M product is averaging just 8.5 points per game in PPR formats through the first two weeks of the season. I expect him to produce more moving forward, but it probably won’t happen this week. The Bengals are the No. 1 team in the league at shutting down opposing tight ends. Amazingly, they have only given up two points per game so far this season. Avoid Bennett for at least one more week.

Defense/Special Teams

Seattle Seahawks ($3,500 DK/$4,900 FD) at Tennessee

The Seattle defense has been solid but unspectacular, ranking 14th in the league with 15 fantasy points after two weeks of football. They are always a threat to put up points with one of the most talented defensive units in the league, as well as Tyler Lockett returning kickoffs and punts. Having said that, why not go with one of the safer matchups? The Titans will run the ball often, limiting the probability of more turnovers and sacks for the Seahawks defense.

Next: NFL 2017: Picks against the spread for Week 3

Minnesota Vikings ($3,300 DK/$4,600 FD) vs. Tampa Bay

The season is still young and lots will change in the coming weeks, but the Vikings have been one of the biggest letdowns through the first two games. They currently rank 28th in the league with just three fantasy points in that span. This week they face Jameis Winston and a talented Tampa Bay offense. Even though the Minnesota defense has the ability, it’s another shot in the dark with so many better matchups out there to choose from.

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FanDuel, DraftKings Fantasy Football: Players to Avoid in Week 3

By Mike Dente | Sep 22, 2017