DraftKings Daily Fantasy Football Helper for Week 3

Running Backs

High-Cost Option: Marshawn Lynch $7,400

After a disappointing night on Sunday Night Football, Marshawn Lynch and the Seahawks were unable to establish their running game with much conviction in a 27-17 loss to Green Bay. Now hosting the Jay Cutler-less Chicago Bears at home in Seattle, things may turn around in a big way for Beast Mode.

The Seattle offensive line has been struggling this season without Max Unger. After allowing only 17% of their rushes last year to go for zero or fewer yards (sixth best in the league), that number has escalated to 28% (29th ranked) per Football Outsiders. Lynch has a very pedestrian 114 rushing yards on 33 attempts through his first two games, but this may be the matchup where he finally warrants his $7,400 price tag. The Chicago defense has allowed 248 rushing yards with 2 touchdowns to date at a 4.3 yards per carry average, allowing opposing running backs the 17th most fantasy points.

In Seattle's six red zone appearances, Lynch has two carries and three targets through, just one fewer target than Jimmy Graham has. The opportunities haven't quite been there for the Seahawks, but Lynch has still proven to be their man when it counts the most.

As 14.5-point favorites by Vegas lines, expect the Seahawks to get out to a big lead and milk the clock with Lynch the rest of the way.

Mid-Cost Option: Danny Woodhead $4,400

Perhaps a bit more low-cost than mid-cost, Danny Woodhead continues to be a bargain on DraftKings that I have no problem exploiting. Through two weeks, the underpriced Woodhead has accumulated the sixth-most fantasy points among running backs while seeing 52.1% of the team's offensive snaps over rookie Melvin Gordon's ($5,000) snap percentage of 45.8%.

Facing the Minnesota Vikings this week, Gordon may finally see the lion's share of snaps after Carlos Hyde tore through the front seven on Week 1, but Woodhead will still get his production. Third down extraordinaire, Woodhead continues to outproduce Gordon in this facet as he's converted 42.9% of his opportunities compared to Gordon who has yet to see an opportunity on third down. The Vikings run defense stymied the Lions last week as they abandoned it in favor of their passing attack, but the Chargers will likely use both their rushers on this road trip.

Woodhead has put up 22.2 and 16.4 fantasy points over the past two weeks as a PPR magnet on DraftKings. There's quite a few mid-priced options that may come through netting expected value (Justin Forsett, Mark Ingram, Carlos Hyde), but they're not without huge question marks.

Low-Cost Option: Lance Dunbar $3,200

Hey when I said low, I meant low. Lance Dunbar and the Cowboys host the Atlanta Falcons this week. The Falcons have allowed 24 receptions for 199 yards to opposing running backs over the past two weeks, making Dunbar a very intriguing, low-cost option.

The Dallas backfield still belongs to Joseph Randle (for now), but Dunbar has been able to see a good amount of offensive snaps (46% in Week 1 and 35% in Week 2) and touches (12 combined) to warrant looks this week. Jason Garrett will need to exploit any matchup he can this week given his offense's recent injuries. With a mauling offensive line, the Cowboys will likely get back to their 2014 ways of heavy running back usage as they try to limit Brandon Weeden's exposure.

Dunbar's receiving prowess -- 8 receptions for 70 yards in Week 1 and 3 receptions for 45 in Week 2 -- could be called upon often by Weeden as his main checkdown option to mitigate the Falcons' pass rush.

GPP Wildcard: LeGarrette Blount $4,000

Despite everyone and their mother picking up Dion Lewis the past two weeks off of waivers, LeGarrette Blount is a unique play who may be lesser owned in a juicy matchup at home against the Jaguars. New England's battering ram will likely be called upon time and time again as the 13.5-point favorites in Foxborough look to nurse a late fourth quarter lead.

The emergence of Lewis should keep Blount's ownership percentage down, but you're banking on rushing touchdowns to replace any kind of receiving production. The Jaguars allowed nearly two rushing touchdowns per away game last year (15), and this matchup seems as safe as any to use Blount in a PPR-focused format, despite being a Bill Belichick running back.

Sporting a wildly low 29.1% rushing percentage of plays, the Patriots will likely change this in Week 3 and be able to afford to ease off the gas, letting Blount pile up the garbage time yardage on the ground.