Week 3 is here for Yahoo Daily Fantasy. In this week’s article, we have some great matchups and value-options to call out for you. The wide receiver position has a ton of options at salaries far below where they rightfully should be, so get ready to have some extra salary to help you gain exposure to some of the juicier matchups of the week. Yahoo has further scaled back their big GPP of the week with a top payout of $20k in their $10 entry NFL $200k Baller tournament. We still saw some overlay last week, so keep an eye out for it yet again in Week 3. Now, let’s get to it!
Quarterback
Ryan Tannehill - $31 (Cash / GPP)
Ryan Tannehill comes in at a value salary this week considering his very positive matchup. The Browns defense has allowed an average of ~280 passing yards and 2 passing touchdowns per game, including one of those games against Rookie quarterback Carson Wentz. With Miami’s running game handicapped by the loss of Arian Foster and the Dolphins offense passing on nearly 70% of their plays even before Foster’s injury, Tannehill will most certainly be expected to shoulder the load here. The return of Devante Parker coupled with the reliability of the league’s #1 targeted receiver in Jarvis Landry gives Tannehill a couple of very solid options to rely upon against this pitiful Browns secondary. Tannehill affords salary relief from the top-tier options, in addition to what could be some valuable differentiation since many other players would opt for the hot hand of Matt Ryan for $1 more instead.
Aaron Rodgers - $33 (Cash / GPP)
Aaron Rodgers has certainly been less than stellar so far this season, and honestly much of last season. It has been 11 games since Rodgers has thrown for over 300 yards, and 12 games since he has thrown 3 or more touchdowns. The good thing for this week is that Rodgers has historically played very well against the Lions---as a matter of fact, the last time Rodgers threw for more than 300 yards was against the Lions last season, a game in which he attempted a massive career-high 61 passes. The Lions defense has not looked good this season, giving up the 2nd most fantasy points to quarterbacks thus far. This game has a high total with Green Bay favored by over a touchdown. Time of possession should be dominated by Green Bay here since the Packers defense has allowed nearly 90% of the yards gained against them through the air as opposed to via the ground, and Detroit just lost their main ball-carrier in Ameer Abdullah. His recent performance may have ownership down this week so feel free to roster Rodgers in all formats at this discounted price, with an eye towards avoiding the receiver stack in cash games just to be safe.
Marcus Mariota- $29 (GPP)
The Raiders defense has really started out flat this season, allowing more fantasy points (by a relatively wide margin) than any other defense to both quarterbacks and wide receivers. The Titans come into this game off a very big win for the program, and are actually favored by a point at home. This point spread really speaks volumes about what Vegas thinks about both the capability of the Titans offense and susceptibility of the Raiders defense. Marcus Mariota has been a competent quarterback for the Titans with much improved decision-making in his last game. Mariota managed to throw for 3 touchdown passes in this matchup with the Raiders last season, and he had his way with the Raiders’ secondary during the third preseason game this year. While the Titans offense tends to focus on running the ball, they are not afraid to air it out when the game is on the line. Mariota will have a high ceiling due to this matchup along with his ability to put points on the board with his legs, making him an attractive option at a discounted salary for your GPP lineups.
Running Back
Melvin Gordon - $22 (Cash)
With Melvin Gordon coming off what was a career game last week in terms of rushing the ball (24 carries for 102 yards), he has quite the buzz around him coming into this week’s matchup with the Colts. Gordon did not score a single touchdown in his rookie season, yet he already has three through two games this season. With Danny Woodhead out of the picture due to injury, it looks like Gordon will be the uninhibited feature back with opportunities both on the ground and through the air. The Colts defense has yielded stellar results for opposing fantasy running backs this season, allowing a league-high five total touchdowns to running backs. San Diego comes into this game a three-point underdog with one of the highest point totals of the week, so look for the Chargers to try and keep the ball out of Andrew Luck’s hands by allotting Gordon a minimum of 20 carries here. With this expected heavy workload and super-value salary, Gordon is projected to be the highest owned running back of the week, making him a very smart plug-in for your cash game rosters.
DeAngelo Williams - $37 (Cash)
Until he slows down, DeAngelo Williams will continue to maintain a firm handle as one of the top and highest owned options at the position. Williams has touched the ball on nearly 60% of his snaps and leads the league in fantasy points among all skilled positions with just over 53 through 2 games. There are plenty of value plays at wide receiver this week, making it easier to stomach Williams’ top salary for the exposure you will need to have in some of your cash game lineups.
Demarco Murray - $22 (GPP)
The Titans offense has really revolved around Demarco Murray through the first two games this season. While he is not getting an eye-popping amount of carries, Murray has been a clear favorite target of Marcus Mariota in the passing attack, having been targeted on almost 1 out of every 5 passing attempts this season. Murray is tied for 1st this season in total targets to running backs (14) and is 2nd in the league in receptions for running backs with 12 with 2 receiving touchdowns. With as bad as the Raiders’ defense has looked against the pass, Murray could size up to have quite the day through the air. His ownership will always be depressed due to the threat of backup Derrick Henry breaking out with a solid workload, but Murray is clearly the starting back and will continue to gain the majority of carries and snaps. Look to Murray primarily in tournament formats as his scoring potential is certainly dependent on receptions, but his usage in all facets of the offense gives him a significant ceiling.
David Johnson - $35 (GPP)
David Johnson’s usage really speaks for itself in terms of what he is capable of on the field. While he struggled on the ground last week, Johnson still sports an average of 4.8 yards per attempt with 1 rushing touchdown. Some may be worried by the recent highly publicized comments by Bruce Arians that Johnson has been making too many mistakes. Another alarming point would obviously be that backup Chris Johnson out-carried him last week. However, know that the majority of Chris Johnson’s carries came late in the game once the Cardinals had already pulled away. David Johnson will remain the focal point of this Cardinals offense, regardless of the comments made by Arians. Better yet, ownership on Johnson should not be extremely high given the mere $2 upgrade to DeAngelo Williams available. For this reason, in addition to his super high ceiling, look to Johnson in tournament formats for some differentiation at the position.
Wide Receiver
Julio Jones - $37 (Cash / GPP)
Julio Jones will be an elite option this week facing Saints defense in their Monday Night contest with the highest point total of the week at 53.5. Jones has not been heavily targeted so far this year with only 13 targets, but he has made the most out of those opportunities by amassing 172 yards and 2 touchdowns. Matt Ryan is one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league right now, and with this marquee matchup in the dome against a high-powered New Orleans offense, expect for the Falcons to be passing heavily. Jones was the most targeted receiver in the league last year, so expect for his targets to spike soon. He will have no better of an opportunity than against the Saints to put up the huge numbers we are used to. The price is steep, but paying up for Jones in this matchup should put you in a great position since many players may opt down to cheaper options or shy away due to his Questionable status.
Jarvis Landry - $28 (Cash / GPP)
The Miami Dolphins really have no other option than to pass with the shape of their current rushing attack. They were not effective running the ball before losing Arian Foster, and now it should be expected to be even worse. The Browns defense is nothing to be afraid of, and the league’s #1 targeted receiver should have plenty of opportunities to do damage with his sheer volume expected. According to Pro Football Focus, Landry has recorded 3.07 yards per route run when lining up in the slot this year. While Landry can do damage from anywhere on the field, this will be a particularly interesting matchup in which he will have a very high likelihood of exploiting. The salary is up there for Landry, so you may not be able to fit him in everywhere, but Landry will make for a solid and safe pivot down from the elite wide receivers on the board for your cash game lineups in addition to a very high ceiling stack with quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Stefon Diggs - $17 (Cash)
Stefon Diggs’ performance so far this season has been nothing short of spectacular, with a handful of stats to back up just how impactful he has been. Diggs has caught a league-2nd 16 receptions this season, gaining a league high 16.1 yards per reception while also averaging a league-best 4.25 yards per route run (per Pro Football Focus). His performances through the first two games has been consistently productive with over 100 yards in Week 1 followed by an explosion for 182 yards and a touchdown last week. While the quality of defense he faces certainly improves against Carolina, Diggs will still be extremely involved in this offense especially given the loss of Adrian Peterson. The Vikings are most certainly expected to be playing catch-up in this contest, so look for Diggs to get plenty of opportunities to pay off his criminally low salary. He may be the highest owned receiver on the week, so be sure to load up in your cash games.
Travis Benjamin - $23 (Cash / GPP)
The injury bug is really proving to be a blessing for Travis Benjamin this season. With Keenan Allen, Danny Woodhead, and potentially Antonio Gates all missing in action, the Chargers’ pass-heavy offense has to feed the ball to someone through the air. While Melvin Gordon will be heavily involved, Travis Benjamin should be the #1 option on the outside for Philip Rivers to go to in clear passing situations. The matchup factor is also in Benjamin’s favor with the banged up Colts secondary still missing Vontae Davis Colts. While the salary has definitely ticked up, Benjamin has enough upside to pay off this salary in cash games with his sheer volume expected---add in a touchdown, and Benjamin could also make your GPP lineups look very solid for the 2nd week in a row.
Phillip Dorsett - $15 (Cash / GPP)
Phillip Dorsett immediately moves into the WR2 role this week with the Donte Moncrief sidelined for the next four-to-six weeks due to injury. With the Colts likely to throw 40+ times in this high point total game, Dorsett should get plenty of opportunities to make plays. Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett should be focusing more on T.Y. Hilton, which will give Dorsett the opportunity to make some plays with the Colts likely to be passing often in this high scoring affair. Dorsett affords you the opportunity for very cheap exposure to a game that likely will have high ownership across the board, making him a great cash game target in addition to an admirable stack in tournaments with quarterback Andrew Luck.
Mike Wallace - $14 (GPP)
Mike Wallace has to really be appreciating his new team this year. After spending his past few seasons between Ryan Tannehill and Teddy Bridgewater, Wallace now finds himself catching passes from a real gunslinger with one of the best deep balls in the league. Wallace has always been known for his deep-threat ability as we saw during his glory years with Pittsburgh, and he now actually has another quarterback who can feed them to him. Wallace now has three touchdowns through two games, matching his touchdown total for the entire 2015 season. While Wallace could give you a game with 4 receptions for 50 yards, he just as easily could turn those 4 receptions into 100 yards and 2 touchdowns. With the price down and ceiling high, Wallace is an excellent plug-in for tournament lineups.
Tight End
Dennis Pitta - $17 (Cash)
After Dennis Pitta’s impressive game last week (9 receptions for 102 yards), he should be a relatively popular target at the position. Pitta was targeted 12 times last week, 4 more than any other tight end out there. He has had a history of solid chemistry with Joe Flacco before his last two injury-riddled seasons, and it appears as if they have once again found that long lost connection. The matchup here is certainly ideal against a Jacksonville defense that has really underperformed expectations this season and allowed the 6th-most fantasy points to tight ends in 2015. Pitta should be one of the higher owned tight ends of the slate, so look to him as a salary-saving option in your cash games.
Delanie Walker - $23 (GPP)
Yes, Delanie Walker’s salary is priced at $1 higher than Greg Olsen. Everyone will notice this, and the majority of players will opt for Olsen in their lineups. However, if you have reading up until this point, you will now understand how bad the Raiders defense has looked this season. The Raiders allowed 8 receptions for nearly 160 yards to Atlanta tight ends last week, and they have shown to historically be just as bad against the position (allowed 4th most fantasy points to TE’s in 2015). Walker had a very solid game last week as he found the end zone for the first time, and as Marcus Mariota’s most viable option among his receiving corps, Walker should have plenty of opportunities to score here. The low expected ownership and excellent matchup makes Walker a favorite GPP play of the slate at tight end.
***Update*** Keep an eye on his status at game time, listed as Questionable to start.
Gary Barnidge - $18 (GPP)
With the recent news of Corey Coleman’s broken hand, Gary Barnidge receives a bump in upside that he otherwise would definitely not have been afforded after what Coleman displayed last week. Realistically, the Browns really have very few other options to target in the passing attack. They will most certainly be playing from behind and forced to pass in this game as double-digit underdogs, and rookie Cody Kessler may struggle to move the ball downfield and look to a safety outlet in Barnidge. Understand that this is certainly a risky play, as the Browns could very well put up a stinker this week given the circumstances; however due to low ownership and the potential for one of the many big games we saw out of Barnidge last season, a contrarian play of Barnidge in tournament formats could pay big dividends.
Jared Cook - $11 (GPP)
If looking for a punt play at the tight end position this week, Jared Cook very well may be your guy. Our David Dodds loves the play this week, and for very good reason considering how Detroit has stacked up against tight ends this season. In Week 1, they allowed a combined 27.3 fantasy points to the Colts tight ends, followed by a Week 2 performance in which Delanie Walker found plenty of open space for a total of 17.3 fantasy points. Cook has been on the field for nearly 20 more snaps and targeted 3 more times than Richard Rodgers this season. The risk is certainly there since we have yet to see much production from Cook, but all it takes is one touchdown at this near-minimum salary for Cook to immediately pay off. Look to stacking Cook with Rodgers in tournament formats for what should be one of the most unique stacks on the board.
Defense
Seattle Seahawks - $18 (Cash / GPP)
The Seahawks should be a very popular defense this week, and for good reason. Allowing only 2.8 yards per rush and zero passing touchdowns this season, the Seattle defense has a ton of upside in this matchup against a 49-ers offense that has struggled to consistently move the ball and turned the ball over three times against a similar caliber defense in Carolina last week. With the Seahawks being at home and the 49ers coming in with the week’s lowest implied team total, you can feel confidence in paying up for the Seahawks defense this week.
Miami Dolphins - $18 (GPP)
They are facing the Browns, with Cody Kessler at quarterback and now minus their WR1 in Corey Coleman. The Browns even with their starters were bad, so just imagine how bad they could be now… The Dolphins should be popular, but they are priced at the very top of the slate. Advice here would be to target them more so in tournaments, as the Seattle defense is clearly much more talented and a safer option than Miami’s.
New York Giants - $13 (Cash / GPP)
If you haven’t noticed, the Giants defense has actually played pretty well this season. After holding the Saints to less than 300 yards of total offense and only one touchdown in a game that everyone had pegged as a shootout last week, the Giants remain at home to welcome in a Washington team that has really looked bad so far this year. Kirk Cousins has been off to a very rough start having coughed up 3 interceptions to his only 1 passing touchdown. The Redskins have next to nothing in terms of a rushing attack, and with as many mistakes as Cousins has been making, there most certainly should be room for turnovers here. The Giants come at a lower-tier salary here, so they represent a very viable pivot option if you need the salary for a roster upgrade elsewhere.
