NFL Week 3 DFS Picks, Predictions & Top Matchups — Main Slate
Injuries galore was the theme of NFL Week 2. Plenty of big names not only suffered injuries, but went down with significant ones that will force them to miss multiple games.
That will shake things up for the NFL Week 3 picks and predictions, leaving plenty of opportunities for new players on the PrizePicks board.
There are still no bye weeks on the schedule, so we have another packed schedule in the NFL for Week 3. Let’s dig into the matchups and highlight some ways to try and exploit them on PrizePicks.
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Week 3 NFL Injury Report
Rams WR Cooper Kupp to Miss “Extended Time”
The Rams could ill-afford another injury at wide receiver with Puka Nacua (knee) landing on injured reserve for four weeks after Week 1. Unfortunately for them, wide receiver Cooper Kupp is now expected to miss “an extended period of time” after injuring his ankle on Sunday against the Cardinals. Kupp could also be placed on injured reserve.
Demarcus Robinson, Tyler Johnson, Jordan Whittington, and Tutu Atwell are left to pick up the pieces at wide receiver for the Rams. Robinson (28 pass snaps, 3 targets) and Johnson (25 pass snaps, 3 targets) led the team after Kupp’s injury last week.
The Rams could also lean even more heavily on Kyren Williams and their rushing attack.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa Placed on IR
It was a scary scene on Thursday Night Football when Tua Tagovailoa went down with another concussion. He was able to walk off the field, but given his history with concussions, the Dolphins are going to be extremely cautious with him.
He has already been placed on injured reserve (with designation to return), ruling him out for at least the next four games.
The Dolphins signed QB Tyler Huntley to help bolster their depth at quarterback, but it will be Skylar Thompson who will start Week 3 against the Seahawks.
Thompson has some experience as a starter for the Dolphins, including when he started a playoff game for them two seasons ago. In that matchup, he threw for 220 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions versus the Bills.
Eagles WR A.J. Brown to Miss A “Couple of Weeks”
A.J. Brown sat out Week 2 against the Falcons with a hamstring injury. Brown told ESPN that he expected to miss a couple of weeks, so he should also be sidelined for Week 3 against the Saints.
With Brown out last week, DeVonta Smith led the Eagles at wide receiver with 7 receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown. No other member of the Eagles had more than 38 receiving yards.
They relied heavily on the run, giving a combined 35 carries to RB Saquon Barkley and QB Jalen Hurts. Expect that to be the norm until this pass game is back to full strength.
Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco fractures fibula, out 6-8 weeks
Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco suffered a fractured fibula in the Week 2 win over the Bengals, leaving the backfield in one of the top offenses wide open. Pacheco was placed on IR (with designation to return), but he will miss more than just four weeks after the surgery.
Undrafted rookie Carson Steele led the backfield following Pacheco’s injury, and looked in line to be the lead back, with Samaje Perine in the mix on passing downs. However, the Chiefs picked up 29-year-old Kareem Hunt from free agency, throwing a kink into this backfield.
The expectation is that Steele will still work as a two-down back, with Hunt and Perine working in on passing downs. Hunt struggled greatly last year, and it would be surprising to see him cut into Steele’s workload after sitting on the sidelines through camp until this point.
Other NFL Week 3 Injuries for DFS
- Packers QB Jordan Love (knee) is very likely to miss his second straight game. Malik Willis started in his place in Week 2 against the Colts, throwing for 122 yards and one touchdown.
- Bears WR Keenan Allen (heel) is uncertain for the Bears’ Week 3 matchup with the Colts after sitting out Week 2. After playing just 13 offensive snaps in Week 1, WR DeAnde Carter logged 46 offensive snaps in Week 2. He finished with three receptions for 32 yards on four targets. It’s not a desirable pass game in Chicago right now.
- Texans RB Joe Mixon suffered an ankle injury against the Bears that has his status in doubt for Week 3. While he’s not considered to have a long-term issue, it’s unclear if he will be able to take the field against the Vikings. If he is out, RB Cam Akers could take on an additional role. The Texans could also get back RB Dameon Pierce (hamstring), who was unable to play in Week 2.
- Chargers QB Justin Herbert suffered a leg injury in Week 2, but X-rays came back negative, so he could suit up this week. If he is unable to play in Week 3, then Easton Stick and Taylor Heinicke are the options to take his place. Stick totaled just three touchdown passes over four starts for the Chargers at the end of last season.
- Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III (oblique) is in question for the Seahawks’ Week 3 bout with the Dolphins. He did not play in Week 2 against the Patriots, which resulted in RB Zach Charbonnet posting 69 total yards and a touchdown as the backfield workhorse.
- 49ers WR Deebo Samuel (calf) will not play against the Vikings and could miss multiple games. WR Brandon Aiyuk and TE George Kittle will be the 49ers’ top pass-catching options moving forward, while WR Jauan Jennings is also lined up for additional targets.
- Browns TE David Njoku (ankle) missed Week 2 and is unlikely to play in Week 3 against the Giants. Last week, it opened up more opportunities for three-wide sets with WR Elijah Moore, who had eight targets for 44 yards.
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NFL Week 3 Pass Defenses to Target
Baltimore Ravens Defense vs Cowboys
The Ravens’ secondary is off to a rough start. In Week 1, they gave up 291 passing yards and one touchdown to Patrick Mahomes. In Week 2, Gardner Minshew II threw for 276 yards and a touchdown. Minshew completed 78.9% of his pass attempts in that game.
Looking to exploit the Ravens porous pass defense in Week 3 will be Dak Prescott and the Cowboys. With TE Jake Ferguson (knee) expected to make his return, Prescott should have his full complement of weapons at his disposal in what is expected to be the highest scoring game of Week 3.
Through two games, Prescott has thrown for 472 yards and two touchdowns.
PrizePicks to consider: QB Dak Prescott 259.5 pass yards / WR CeeDee Lamb 82.5 receiving yards
Detroit Lions Defense vs Cardinals
Teams generally need to throw a lot against the Lions to try and keep up with their high-powered offense. Through two games, the Lions have allowed the sixth-most passing yards (502) in the league.
Looking to rack up yards through the air against them in Week 3 will be Kyler Murray and the Cardinals. Murray picked apart the Rams last week, throwing for 266 yards on just 21 pass attempts. The duo of WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and TE Trey McBride combined for 10 receptions for 197 yards.
PrizePicks to consider: Kyler Murray 235.5 pass yards / Marvin Harrison Jr. 68.5 receiving yards
NFL Week 3 Run Defenses to Target
Indianapolis Colts Defense vs Bears
It was no secret that the Packers were going to run the ball a lot last week with Love out. Still, the Colts couldn’t stop them. Josh Jacobs turned 32 carries into 151 yards. They also couldn’t stop the Texans on the ground in Week 1, allowing 159 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries by Joe Mixon.
Up next is a Week 3 matchups with RB D’Andre Swift and the Bears, who are already struggling to pass the ball with rookie QB Caleb Williams.
PrizePicks to consider: D’Andre Swift 51.5 rush yards
Philadelphia Eagles Defense vs Saints
The Eagles’ defense has struggled to stop the run out of the gate. In Week 1, they allowed 163 rushing yards and a touchdown on just 21 combined carries for the Packers. Last week, Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier combined for 150 rushing yards on 23 carries.
As the Eagles try to avoid their second straight defeat, they will be facing a tough battle against the Saints and RB Alvin Kamara. Kamara has thrived in the early going, rushing for 198 yards and four touchdowns over two games in this new look Klint Kubiak offense.
PrizePicks to consider: Alvin Kamara 69.5 rush yards
Week 3 NFL DFS Picks for PrizePicks
Saints WR Rashid Shaheed: 47.5 receiving yards – MORE
Shaheed averaged at least 15.6 yards per reception in both of his first two seasons in the league. This year, he has averaged 24.1 yards per reception. That has resulted in him finishing with at least 73 receiving yards in both games.
In two games in Kubiak’s offense, Shaheed’s average depth of target is 18.0 — up from 14.6 last year, including three targets over 20+ yards already.
Not only have the Eagles struggled against the run, but they have allowed the fifth-most passing yards per game (242.0) in the league. In just two games, the Eagles have given up pass plays of 70, 42, 33, and 29 yards to the Falcons and Packers, leaving plenty of vulnerability for Shaheed to expose.
Browns WR Jerry Jeudy: 46.5 receiving yards – MORE
The Giants play a bend-but-don’t-break style of defense. They held the Commanders to seven field goals last week, but three players finished with at least 47 receiving yards. Their top CB Deonte Banks has held up well against the opposing team’s best wide receiver, but the rest of the Giants options at cornerback leave a lot to be desired.
While Jerry Jeudy only finished with 25 receiving yards for the Browns in Week 1, the encouraging stat was his eight targets. He was targeted six times last week, finishing with five receptions for 73 yards — a beneficiary of no Njoku.
Banks should spend a lot of time covering Amari Cooper, leaving Jeudy with the potential to thrive against their other cornerbacks.
Demon Pick: Cardinals QB Kyler Murray: 1.5 passing touchdowns – MORE
After throwing three touchdown passes against the Rams, Murray could find himself in a shootout at home against the Lions this week. Last season, the Lions allowed the sixth-most passing touchdowns (28) in the league. Taking Murray to finish with at least two touchdown passes could be worth the potential reward, as this one could be a shootout.
Note: Demon picks add a payout boost to your lineup on PrizePicks, as they are more difficult projections to hit.
Goblin Pick: Colts QB Anthony Richardson: 0.5 interceptions – MORE
Richardson is known more for his running prowess than his passing abilities at this stage of his career. He has been inaccurate this season, completing 49.1% of his passes. That contributed to him throwing one interception in Week 1 and three more in Week 2 on a whopping five turnover-worthy plays, per PFF.
The Bears were tied for the league lead in interceptions (22) last season and have two so far this year, so this could be a rough matchup for Richardson.
Note: Goblin picks reduce your payout on PrizePicks, as they are easier projections to hit.
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Build Your Week 3 NFL DFS Lineup on PrizePicks
Let’s put the injury-fest that was Week 2 in our rearview mirror and get in on an action-packed Week 3. There is no better way to enhance your NFL experience than by building a team on PrizePicks for the Sunday main slate.
There are no salary constraints on PrizePicks; just pick two or more projections for your favorite players, finalize your lineup, sit back, and enjoy the games.
Follow Mike Barner on X: @rotomikebarner
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