h1>Injury analysis for week 3 of NFL DFS on FanDuel and DraftKings

Welcome to our weekly injury analysis article! There are a ton of relevant injuries this week, so let's cut right to the chase.

Also check out our Week 3 cash game plays as well as our Week 3 betting strategy.

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Quarterback

Tyrod Taylor FD 6700 DK 5700
Opponent CAR
Proj Points FD - 0 DK - 0

Taylor suffered a punctured lung at the hands of a trainer before last week's game, and one has to wonder if Taylor or the trainer is having a worse week this week. Justin Herbert filled in and exceeded expectations last week, but the price has come up to the point where you're not exactly getting away with anything by playing him. I will say that, unlike typical situations where we get a back-up QB, the receiving options in LA are still playable here. Keenan Allen had 10 targets last week, and Hunter Henry had 8. Both should be on your radar in all formats.

Jimmy Garoppolo FD 7000 DK 5600
Opponent NYG
Proj Points FD - 0 DK - 0

Drew Lock FD 6800 DK 5300
Opponent TB
Proj Points FD - 0 DK - 0

I'll list the two major QB injuries together because they have the same impact, which is making the offenses for both teams essentially unplayable. I could think about playing a running back in the 49ers offense if we get definitive news as to where those carries are headed, but otherwise these two teams are relegated to big tournaments only.

Running Backs

Christian McCaffrey FD 10000 DK 9200
Opponent LAC
Proj Points FD - 0 DK - 0
Mike Davis FD 6000 DK 5100
Opponent LAC
Proj Points FD - 15.25 DK - 18.05

With McCaffrey ruled out in the middle of the week 2 game, all eyes turned to Mike Davis. Davis had just 1 carry, but saw 8 targets in week 2, and appears to be the heir apparent to all those RB touches in Carolina. I expect we'll see some cash game ownership here, though it's not without risk given Carolina's deep underdog status in this one.

Saquon Barkley FD 7500 DK 6300
Opponent SF
Proj Points FD - 0 DK - 0

Barkley's season was tragically ended last week, and it leaves the Giants with a pretty unexciting running back by committee situation going forward. There's Dion Lewis, who has never done much in a starting role. There's Wayne Gallman, who is arguably even less exciting. Then there's Devonta Freeman, who the Giants just picked up. Throw in a terrible match-up with the 49ers and this looks like a purely speculative situation for big tournaments. Keep an eye on where the usage goes, though, because there might be something interesting here in a better match-up in the future.

Josh Jacobs FD 8300 DK 7300
Opponent NE
Proj Points FD - 19.37 DK - 21.36

Jacobs missed back to back practices during the week, and vacating 25-27 touches would obviously really shake things up in the Oakland offense. If he winds up playing I'd probably avoid running him on account of the potential game script and opponent, but if he sits there will be significant value. I'd guess that Devontae Booker would be the lead back in his absence, but Jalen Richard would likely get a bunch of targets out of the backfield as well. This is a wait and see for now.

UPDATE: Jacobs practiced on Friday and looks safe for Sunday's game.

Raheem Mostert FD 6800 DK 6500
Opponent NYG
Proj Points FD - 2.48 DK - 2.86

Mostert and Coleman were both injured last week, and while we were feeling pretty excited about the prospects of Jerick McKinnon in our cash game article we're tempering that enthusiasm at this point. Jeff Wilson appears to be the back of choice for the first two downs, with McKinnon likely playing third downs. This makes for a pretty difficult DFS situation going forward, but if either of them is named the true "RB1" of the week they will certainly see big ownership in cash games and big tournaments.

Le'Veon Bell FD 6000 DK 5100
Opponent IND
Proj Points FD - 0 DK - 0

Bell was injured going into week 2, and while this isn't a new injury we weren't sure where the carries were going last week. Well, Frank Gore took the reins and struggled through 21 carries for 63 yards while catching neither target that was thrown his way. The Jets running game should be considered in just a handful of your tournament lineups, if then.

Zack Moss FD 5200 DK 4500
Opponent LAR
Proj Points FD - 0 DK - 0

Here's a sneaky one. Moss has been ruled out this weekend, and he's been taking 8-10 touches a game in the Buffalo offense. If Singletary gets those touches he's almost certainly under-priced in this match-up against the Rams. We have enough value at RB this week that you don't need to go there for cash games, but in big tournaments Singletary is absolutely worth a flier.

Malcolm Brown FD 5600 DK 5200
Opponent BUF
Proj Points FD - 9.4 DK - 10.55
Cam Akers FD 5500 DK 4200
Opponent BUF
Proj Points FD - 7.13 DK - 7.89

Brown and Akers are both questionable going into this weekend - Brown with a finger issue, and Akers with his ribs. The Rams' backfield is unplayable in its current timeshare, but if one or both of these guys sits things get a little more interesting. The most interesting scenario would be if both were to sit and Darrell Henderson were forced to shoulder the entire load. Still, it's a tough match-up with the Bills, and you're going to want to tread carefully here.

Update: Brown practiced in full on Thursday, and this situation is now a stay-away for me.

 

Wide Receivers

Julio Jones FD 7800 DK 7400
Opponent CHI
Proj Points FD - 14.75 DK - 17.8

Julio missed practice again on Thursday in what is likely the biggest piece of news still outstanding this week. We've seen Calvin Ridley step in as a true WR1 so far this season, but there is some weirdness around the two games where he's done so. Three different Falcons had 12 targets in week 1, and his double digit targets in week 2 were largely fueled by Julio leaving early. If Jones were to sit this week both Ridley and Russell Gage become top tier options, but if Julio plays (even as a decoy) we have to be a lot less bullish. Monitor this one closely.

Kenny Golladay FD 7500 DK 6200
Opponent ARI
Proj Points FD - 13.13 DK - 15.32

Kenny Golladay has participated in a limited fashion this week, and all this means for our purposes is that we're likely to fade the Lions altogether. At these prices Golladay can't compete with other top tier WR options in a week where he's returning from injury, but his presence also significantly depresses the value of guys like Marvin Jones Jr., Danny Amendola, and Quintez Cephus. I'm staying away from the Lions this week.

Juju Smith-Schuster FD 7000 DK 6600
Opponent HOU
Proj Points FD - 11.9 DK - 14.52

Smith-Schuster missed back to back practices this week, and while reports are that he's likely to play, his being limited in any fashion can only mean good things for upstart Diontae Johnson. We were already considering Johnson for cash games, and Juju's injury only helps matters.

A.J. Brown FD 6500 DK 6000
Opponent MIN
Proj Points FD - 0 DK - 0

Brown continues to miss practice for Tennessee, and while I'm not exactly excited to roll it back with Corey Davis and Jonnu Smith on account of their targets last week Brown's absence would at least make them playable.

EDIT: Brown has been ruled out. Go crazy, kids.

Julian Edelman FD 6500 DK 6200
Opponent LV
Proj Points FD - 15.71 DK - 19.33

John Brown FD 6400 DK 5700
Opponent LAR
Proj Points FD - 11.78 DK - 14.04

Neither Edelman nor Brown have practiced in full this week, but both of their cases seem to be maintenance related. As of right now I'd assume both are all systems go and wouldn't bump up anyone on their team as a result.

Sterling Shepard FD 5500 DK 5300
Opponent SF
Proj Points FD - 0 DK - 0

Sterling Shepard joins Saquon Barkley on the IR, leaving the Giants really scrambling for offense. I can't imagine sticking my neck out in cash games but in big tournaments both Darius Slayton and Golden Tate become interesting cheap upside plays.

Henry Ruggs III FD 5400 DK 5000
Opponent NE
Proj Points FD - 0 DK - 0

Christian Kirk FD 5600 DK 4500
Opponent DET
Proj Points FD - 0 DK - 0

Ruggs and Kirk have both been ruled out for this weekend, and while both are exciting young receivers with explosive playmaking ability, I'm not sure how many DFS implications either of these guys has. Ruggs drew 3 targets last week, and Kirk drew 4. Maybe this sends targets downstream to guys like Hunter Renfrow or Larry Fitzgerald, or maybe it consolidates them further into these teams' lopsided passing attacks. I'm not sure it's much of a needle mover either way.

Tight End

George Kittle FD 7500 DK 6300
Opponent NYG
Proj Points FD - 11.01 DK - 13.28

Kittle has been practicing on a limited basis, which means Jordan Reed goes back to irrelevance. I can't imagine playing him in any format, though, given the change of quarterback and the potential for him to take series off.

Darren Waller FD 6600 DK 5700
Opponent NE
Proj Points FD - 14.98 DK - 18.46

Like Jacobs, Waller missed Wednesday's practice, and his status for Sunday's game is listed as "questionable." Given that the Raiders did this with both of their centerpiece offensive skill players one imagines that these are just maintenance days, but it's a situation worth keeping an eye on nonetheless.

UPDATE: Waller practiced Friday and appears to be good to go for Sunday.

Jack Doyle FD 5200 DK 3900
Opponent NYJ
Proj Points FD - 7.74 DK - 9.5

Doyle is practicing again this week, which means the Mo Alie-Cox era has gone as quickly as it came. Given how little Doyle was used in week 1 I'm not sure we can be excited here, but if Waller is ruled out and we're scraping the bottom of the tight end barrel you could certainly do worse.

 

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