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Week 3 of the NFL season is underway and the Monday night football showdown slate features a fantastic matchup as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Baltimore Ravens! This game currently has a 53.5 over/under with the Ravens being favored by 3.5 points.
In this article, I will be providing you with daily fantasy football picks on FanDuel and DraftKings for Monday Night Football on September 28th, 2020 (Week 3). These lineups can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on FanDuel. Lineup construction can differ greatly from FanDuel to DraftKings with the biggest difference being the Captain and MVP slots. On DK, you'll pay 1.5x the salary of a player in order to roster them as your captain while the price doesn't change on FanDuel.
If you have any questions you can follow me on Twitter @jorgepucks and fire away, or sign up for a premium RotoBaller NFL package and chat with myself and other NFL DFS analysts any time you'd like! Now let's break this slate down and make some cash as we get ready for the full Sunday slate of games!
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DFS Quarterbacks
This is truly an exciting matchup as we should get fantastic quarterback play from both Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. This will be Mahomes' third time taking on this tough Ravens Defense but he has been successful in his two prior games as he has thrown for a combined 700 yards and five touchdowns. In those two games, he averaged 27 DK points scored and was able to complete close to 70% of his passes. While Baltimore will apply pressure to Kansas City by blitzing, Mahomes has the arm talent and weapons around him to beat the blitzes that the Ravens bring.
Lamar Jackson is just as exciting as an NFL quarterback but he gets his work done a tad differently from Mahomes. While Mahomes racks up points with passing yardage and tossing touchdowns, Jackson uses both his arms and legs as ways to generate fantasy points. Jackson is averaging 12 rushing attempts per game while averaging close to 50 rushing yards per game. In the air, he is averaging 239 passing yards per game and two passing touchdowns per game. The Chiefs have a middle of the pack defense so Jackson should be able to generate offense and keep up with Mahomes.
Summary: Both QBs are viable in cash and tournaments and rostering them together could be a good move in tournaments.
DFS Running Backs
The running back position on this slate could be one position that makes or break the slate in tournaments. Clyde Edwards-Helaire has fit in with this Chiefs team very nicely as he has been involved in both the running attack and passing game from the start of the season. While he struggled to get going on the ground in their game against the Chargers, he was a key focal point in the passing game as he caught six passes on eight targets for 32 yards. Backing up CEH is Darrel Williams and Darwin Thompson both of whom are used lightly in the receiving game.
The Ravens have a more crowded backfield which makes it murky when trying to decipher the best running back plays from Baltimore. So far, Mark Ingram II, J.K. Dobbins, and Gus Edwards have all been on the field for more than 25% of the offensive snaps on the season with Ingram and Dobbins being the two main backs that are featured most frequently. Ingram leads all Ravens running backs with 19 rushing attempts through their first two games played while Dobbins leads the group with two touchdowns scored. While there is a running back by committee, it seems as if Ingram still is viewed as the lead back.
Summary: Clyde Edwards-Helaire looks to be the strongest option for both cash games and tournaments lineups. Ingram and Dobbins are risky but viable for cash and tournaments while Williams, Thompson, Gus Edwards are lower owned salary saving tournament fliers.
DFS Wide Receivers
We have some home run hitters at the receiver position in this game so this is a group to really consider rostering on the showdown slate. For the Chiefs, the initial weapon is Tyreek Hill. The best deep threat in the league had himself a game against the Ravens back in 2018 as he recorded eight catches on 14 targets while grabbing 139 receiving yards. The Ravens have an aggressive defense which means they trust their corners out on islands against opposing receivers which usually favors speedy receivers like Hill. Sammy Watkins is another Kansas City receiver that has big playmaking ability but is questionable for this game. If he is unable to go, Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson both slide up the depth chart as tournament options to pair with Mahomes lines.
The Ravens are more of a run-first type of offense but have some playmakers at the receiving position to target. Their big-time playmaker is Marquise Brown who has big-time speed and big playmaking ability that defenses have to constantly account for. brown is averaging six targets per game this year and is averaging 13 DK points per game so he is the safest receiver to roster form the Ravens. Willie Snead IV and Miles Boykin are other receivers that should be considered with Boykin being one that has seen nine targets over the last two games played.
Summary: Hill and Brown are the two best receiving options in this game. If Watkins plays, he is viable but carries some risk as he is more boom or bust. If looking for lower-priced players, Hardman, Robinson, Snead IV, and Boykin make for great tournament plays.
DFS Tight Ends
In this game, we get a matchup of two of the premier pass-catching tight ends in the league. Travis Kelce has been the league's top tight end for several seasons and has gotten off to a hot start this season. Kelce has seen 20 combined targets in the first two games and hauled in 15 of those for catches. Kelce is averaging 21 DK points in this two-game span to start this season which definitely puts him into the captain conversation. The Ravens have had trouble containing Kelce in three career games as he has hauled in 20 catches on 24 targets for 239 receiving yards and a touchdown.
On the flip side, Mark Andrews has really emerged as a top target for Lamar Jackson in this Ravens offense and it would be no surprise if he is looked at heavily in this game. On the season, Andrews has six catches on nine total targets while notching two touchdowns so far this season. While he hasn't had the best success against the Chiefs in his career, his red-zone presence makes him a viable option on this slate.
Summary: With two of the premier pass-catching tight ends in the league featured in this game, they are both viable for cash games and tournament builds.
DFS Defense/Special Teams
With the high game total, it is hard to imagine that these defenses will be able to slow down their opposing offenses. In their most recent meeting, the Chiefs beat the Ravens by the score of 33-28 in a high-scoring affair. While the defenses and special teams might not be in play, this matchup does feature two of the top kickers in the league. Justin Tucker has been a long time staple in the Ravens organization and is averaging 12.5 DK points per game. He is 5/5 on field-goal attempts and is 8/8 when it comes to extra points. For the Chiefs, Harrison Butker is coming off of a stellar performance against the Chargers as he went 3/3 with a game-winning 58-yard attempt.
Summary: Fading both defenses seems to be the best move on this slate. Both Justin Tucker and Harrison Butker are in play for tournament lineups as they could see plenty of opportunities.
Good luck, RotoBallers, and remember to mix it up and don't be afraid to be different in these large field GPPs!
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