RADIO
We have three games on our slate tonight, with most teams playing backups and roster bubble players. The San Francisco 49ers plan to play their starters for a couple of series, while the Jacksonville Jaguars have said they want to play their starters for the entire first half. I don’t know how much I believe that statement, but even if the Jaguars play their starters for a quarter and a half, they will be the best plays that we can get.
The talent gap between the Jacksonville starters and the rest of the teams on the slate is wide. Last night, the ownership of Colts starters was shockingly low, but I don’t think that mistake will happen again tonight with Jacksonville. There are paths to take to pivot off the Jags to try to capture contrarian upside. We will address those in this article along with the chalky Jaguars starters who we will be looking to play.
Here you will be provided daily fantasy football picks on FanDuel and DraftKings for the Friday evening three-game slate of Week 3 of the NFL preseason on 8/23/24. These NFL DFS lineup picks can vary from high-end players and elite options to backup and contrarian players on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Thanks for reading, and good luck RotoBallers!
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Preseason NFL DFS Picks – Quarterbacks
Trevor Lawrence, JAX at ATL
We saw what the Colts starters were able to do in just a few drives last night, marching down the field for an early score. Anthony Richardson and Co. may have cooled off a little after that, but they still produced at a useful level in tournaments.
Much of the same can be expected of Jaguars starters tonight if they get the playing time that Doug Pederson claims they will see. Trevor Lawrence is the clear cash game quarterback on this slate, and stacking him with Brian Thomas Jr. and another pass-catcher makes a lot of sense in tournaments if you can differentiate your lineups elsewhere.
This is elite QB play here from Trevor Lawrence.
Game on the line, and throws back to back strikes for a TD. He goes on to throw another good ball to complete the go ahead two point conversion.
You will never see this kind of play out of Daniel Jones. pic.twitter.com/HO34xZViBw
— nate 🐆 (@jeguarsNFL) August 22, 2024
Carter Bradley, LV vs. SF
One of my favorite pivot spots on the evening is the Las Vegas Raiders passing game. Neither Gardner Minshew II nor Aidan O'Connell will see action tonight, meaning that Carter Bradley and Nathan Peterman will get all the snaps. Peterman was only re-signed to the roster a week and a half ago, while Bradley is a rookie who has been on the roster since May.
He is someone that head coach Antonio Pierce has said he wants to see throw the football after only getting nine snaps and nary a pass attempt in his only appearance of the preseason.
Bradley was a gunslinger at South Alabama, putting up over 5,000 yards and 47 touchdowns to only 13 interceptions over his college career. He can be stacked in tournaments with multiple Raiders pass-catching roster hopefuls.
ALSO CONSIDER: Nathan Peterman (LV), Joshua Dobbs (SF), John Wolford (TB)
Preseason NFL DFS Picks – Running Backs
Jeff Wilson Jr., MIA at TB
The top two running backs for the Miami Dolphins are set in stone, and Jaylen Wright looks to be secure as the third option. That leaves Jeff Wilson Jr. fighting for a roster spot with an injured Chris Brooks. Brooks looked good in extended work last weekend, but he may not even see the field for tonight’s game.
The Dolphins may play some of their starters for a brief look in the first quarter, but this game will be dominated by backups and bubble players. Wilson’s experience in this offense should give him an advantage over the other backs on the team if he sees extended playing time tonight.
Remember, the Dolphins still have an active competition for their backup quarterback position. They will want players who know the system on the field for a lot of the game.
Sean Tucker, TB vs. MIA
Much like Jeff Wilson Jr. in Miami, Sean Tucker is looking to secure the last running back position on the Buccaneers. Rachaad White and Bucky Irving have locked down the top two positions, while Tucker is fighting with Chase Edmonds and a host of inexperienced players to make the roster.
Tucker is a big-play back who has played well thus far in his two preseason games. He is far from a dynamic pass-catcher but has three targets and converted them all. On a slate devoid of secure options, Tucker‘s explosiveness makes him an attractive tournament option.
ALSO CONSIDER: Dylan Laube (LV), Brittain Brown (LV), Tank Bigsby (JAX), Isaac Guerendo (SF), Jase McClellan (ATL)
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— Scott (@scottd923) September 25, 2023
Preseason NFL DFS Picks – Wide Receivers
Jacob Cowing, SF at LV
Jacob Cowing may end up making this 49ers roster. He has been impressive in camp all summer and came through with four catches and 51 yards in last week's game against the Saints. There are rumors that he may even get a look with Brock Purdy and the first-stringers. Even if he doesn’t, he should be on the field when Joshua Dobbs comes in at quarterback.
The two of them had a connection last weekend and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Dobbs continued to look for Cowing again tonight. The duo makes for a fine tournament stack, and Cowing should be on the field enough to make him a cash game play.
49ers Jacob Cowing seeing plenty use in the 49ers Saints preseason game Ricky Pearsall has been dealing with injuries have the niners found a sneaky WR3 he runs a 4.39💨👀 pic.twitter.com/nMYepYVOzk
— The Ramble (@TheRambletv) August 19, 2024
Kristian Wilkerson, LV vs. SF
The Raiders' leading receiver from last year‘s preseason needs to have a strong game tonight to have a shot of making this year‘s team. Kristian Wilkerson put up a competent game of three catches and 35 yards last weekend, and a repeat performance would go a long way in helping him earn a roster spot.
The Raiders will not be playing any of their starters in this game, and even some backups will get a seat, so Wilkerson should have plenty of opportunities to see the field tonight. He is a stacking option with Carter Bradley or Nathan Peterman.
Erik Ezukanma, MIA at TB
Erik Ezukanma was a standout in preseason last year, but then got injured early on in the season and wasn’t able to follow up on that success. He played very well last weekend, and while he is expected to earn a roster spot, he is also looking to continue to impress the coaching staff with a strong game today.
The Dolphins backup quarterbacks, Skylar Thompson and Mike White, are capable of pushing the ball down the field. Ezukanma’s previous success and expected playing time put him in the conversation for cash games. He is also an excellent one-off in tournaments.
ALSO CONSIDER: DJ Turner (LV), Cody Thompson (TB), Brian Thomas Jr. (JAX), Austin Trammell (JAX), Chris Blair (ATL), Anthony Schwartz (MIA)
Preseason NFL DFS Picks – Tight End
Harrison Bryant, LV vs. SF
The Raiders will not be using any of their main offensive contributors in this game, meaning Harrison Bryant is the most talented and experienced tight end who will see the field for them. Bryant has had moments of success at the NFL level, so playing against backups shouldn’t phase him in this game.
He doesn’t have the most reliable quarterback to play with, but his talent can more than make up for that. He is a big red-zone threat and can make a big play down the middle of the field. He is a tournament option with a shockingly high upside considering the position he plays.
He is not a cash game option as the Raiders may decide he is too valuable and give him less playing time than would be ideal for that spot.
ALSO CONSIDER: Josiah Deguara (JAX), Jody Fortson Jr. (MIA), Jake Tonges (SF), Devin Culp (TB)
Thanks for checking this out, and good luck!
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