Week 3 DFS locks of the week

Week 3 is upon us, and it’s a strange, strange week for cash games. Another way to read that: Finding locks for Week 3 is pretty difficult. I’ll be swimming in some more GPPs ponds this weekend.

But there are still a handful of players that are in great spots for Week 3. Here are some of the top player you can lock into your Week 3 lineups.

Note: There’s always a case to be made for playing any player in tournaments. This list of “locks” is cash game focused, but I typically like these players across all contest types.

Quarterbacks

Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

Stafford is cheap and playing in a game with an over-under of 50.5 (second-highest of the week). All of his weapons are healthy and this game has the makings of a shootout. Stafford has six touchdowns so far this year and he has completed over 70 percent of his passes in both games.

Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

Ryan will be opposite Stafford in Detroit, and it’s always easy to like Ryan in a game that should go back and forth. He would have had a massive game last week if the Packers were actually able to hang with the Falcons early in the game. He attempted just eight passes in the second half.

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Rodgers is a home favorite against a terrible team. What else do you need to know?

Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

I struggle with putting Newton as a “lock” because, truth be told, he’s been too up-and-down to be considered a true lock. But this is the best matchup Newton will have all season. The Saints are the worst team against the pass, and now their top corner (Marshon Lattimore) will miss the game. If you aren’t playing Newton this week, you probably aren’t playing him at all this season.

Running backs

Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers

Bell hasn’t had his breakout game yet, but he was back to full form in Week 2. He had 31 touches and his price actually came down across the industry. That won’t last.

Jay Ajayi, Miami Dolphins

Ajayi’s Dolphins are six-point favorites against the Jets. In his first game of the season, Ajayi totaled 30 touches. You have to love that kind of volume.

Ty Montgomery, Green Bay Packers

Montgomery leads all running backs in snaps (139) through two weeks. The Packers are eight-point home favorites, but even if things don’t go according to plan, Montgomery is game-script proof. Montgomery is shaping up as a weekly lock until his price goes up even more.

C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos

Anderson’s volume has been bankable, which is what we like for cash games. He’s one of just five running backs to see at least 100 snaps in the first two games of the season, and his 45 rushing attempts through two weeks rank first among running backs.

Wide receivers

A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals

Green has the best individual matchup of the weekend, and the Bengals should be chasing the Packers all game long. Green is Cincinnati’s only real offensive threat, and the Packers simply have nobody who can match up with him. Damarious Randall ranks 94th out of 96 corners in PFF grade, and Quinten Rollins ranks 87th. Davon House? He’s 74th.

Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess, Carolina Panthers

At their respective price points, Benjamin and Funchess are in prime spots. With Greg Olsen no longer in the lineup, Benjamin and Funchess will see their target market shares rise. Benjamin saw eight targets for 77 yards last week and Funchess posted a 6-68-0 line. And now they get a cake matchup against the Saints and their depleted secondary.

Doug Baldwin, Seattle Seahawks

Baldwin has been brutal, but the Titans have given up a score to slot men in two straight games, and Baldwin is due for a big outing. He had nine targets last week, but gut gained just 44 yards. With Jimmy Graham hobbled, Baldwin will continue to see plenty of volume. The production will follow.

Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

Adams is Green Bay’s only healthy wideout (although it does seem like Jordy Nelson will play). Adams is extremely cheap on DraftKings ($5,600), and he’s a decent value on FanDuel as well ($6,800). Adams is a great bet to score and will build on his his big 8-99-1 (on 10 targets) line from Week 2.

Rashard Higgins, Cleveland Browns

Higgins is the chalk at wideout this week, but for good reason. He’s extremely cheap and he saw an absurd 11 targets in his first NFL game last week. He parlayed those looks into seven catches for 95 yards. Cheap wideout plus high volume equals lock status.

Tight ends

Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

Kelce is the only fully healthy stud tight end left in the NFL. He posted another 100-plus yard game in Week 2 — something he made the norm in 2016 — and he found the end zone as well. Kelce’s volume (10 targets last week) is unmatched … except for maybe the next guy on the list.

Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles

Like Kelce, Ertz’s volume is bankable. He has 18 targets through two weeks and he has posted two straight 90-plus yard games. The Giants have been roasted by tight ends in two straight games to begin the year — continuing a trend that began last year. Ertz is an easy lock.

Martellus Bennett, Green Bay Packers

Bennett saw a massive 11 targets last week, and while he turned those looks into just five catches for 47 yards, you have to like the volume.

Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts

Doyle caught all eight passes thrown his way for 79 yards in Week 2. The Browns have been terrible against tight ends for several years now, and that’s the case once again in 2017. Jacoby Brissett is an underneath thrower, and the Browns are an underneath giver. These puzzle pieces fit.