The Perfect Week 3 FanDuel NFL DFS Lineup Starring Patrick Mahomes, Derrick Henry, and More
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Week 3 is upon us, which means another opportunity to build a daily fantasy roster. For those with an injury-filled or disappointing year-long squad, FanDuel’s DFS games are a chance to start fresh.
Their Tournament-style offering gives fans a $60,000 budget (or salary cap). Up to nine players, including a defense, may be selected, and each NFLer is priced based on their statistical output throughout the season. FanDuel utilizes a half-point-per-reception (PPR) scoring system.
From proven producers to low-value, high-upside sleepers, we’ve assembled the perfect DFS roster on FanDuel for this Sunday’s action. May the fantasy gods be ever in your favor.
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs ($8,100 Salary)
Patrick Mahomes completed 32 of 47 passes for 382 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Chiefs' Week 2 win, recording a career-high 14 completions on play-action passes.
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 21, 2026
He totaled 137 yards and 2 touchdowns on 17 play-action attempts.#INDvsKC | #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/DiYyyXrqV3
Mahomes carved up the Indianapolis Colts’ defense in Week 2 like it was a Thanksgiving turkey.
He completed 68% of his passes and threw three touchdowns compared to zero interceptions. His 382 passing yards stood out in particular, seeing as it was his highest regular season output since Week 7…of 2023. The stellar performance earned him 31.98 FanDuel points.
The ACL and LCL tear he suffered last December might be limiting his scrambling ability so far, but with each snap, he’s looking more comfortable in the pocket. He’s sprayed the ball to nine different receivers already, trailing only C.J. Stroud in that department.
Number 15 and the Chiefs head to Miami and are in prime position to move to 3-0 when they take on the Dolphins, who have allowed 62 points in two contests (tied for third most in the league). Offensively, they’re not much better, ranking 28th in yards per game and time of possession.
This should give Mahomes and co. plenty of run on the field. Expect him to eat well again on Sunday.
Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens ($9,000 Salary)
Derrick Henry in the wildcat leads to a Baltimore TD!
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 20, 2026
CBS I @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/pVLGdk1Rdf
King Henry is like a fine bottle of Bordeaux. He simply gets better with age.
The 32-year-old is tied for the league lead in rushing touchdowns (four), which included a three-score, 144-yard outburst in Week 1 against Indianapolis.
He cooled off slightly when the Saints came marching into town in Week 2, but still managed to punch one into the end zone and collect 68 yards on 16 carries, as well as haul in three receptions for 19 yards.
The Ravens’ Week 3 opponents, the Dallas Cowboys, have struggled mightily to stop the run, giving up 173.5 yards per game on the ground (30th in the league).
Ravens’ playcaller Declan Doyle will almost certainly look to deploy Henry to punish an already beaten-up (and susceptible) Cowboys defense, so don’t be surprised if the power back’s touches go up, along with his fantasy points.
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Cleveland Browns ($6,100 Salary)
We already highlighted Quinshon Judkins’ underwhelming start to a tumultuous Cleveland Browns season. Still, we believe he’s due to break out, and he’ll likely get some help from his Week 3 opponents.
While their offense has been a true revelation, the Carolina Panthers can’t stop the run. Which is perhaps an understatement. They’ve allowed 224.0 yards per game on the ground (most in the NFL), highlighted (or lowlighted) by Bears’ halfback duo D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai each crossing the 100-yard threshold in Week 1.
Browns’ quarterback Deshaun Watson delivered a sharp performance in Week 2 for the Browns, but you have to imagine that offensive coordinator Travis Switzer will try to get Judkins going, especially against a bottom-of-the-league defense.
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers ($6,800 Salary)
Did we mention that Carolina’s offense has been pretty, pretty, pretty good?
Bryce Young is playing like a man possessed, completing 68% of his passes, throwing for six touchdowns, and collecting 648 yards in the air. 176 of those yards have been to Tetarioa McMillan.
While “T-Mac” has not yet scored, he tends to have his way when facing man coverage. According to PFF, he ranks 15th among qualified wide receivers in air-yard differential, meaning that there’s a significant disparity in how far downfield Young targets him based on the coverage.
The Cleveland Browns play man at the third-highest clip in the league, which suits McMillan’s strengths. Big-play potential will certainly be there for him Sunday.
Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints ($8,100)
Quarterback Tyler Shough has surprised and delighted the city of New Orleans with his impeccable start, tossing for 662 yards at a 69% completion rate. One of his beneficiaries, and also one of his benefactors, has been Chris Olave.
The former Ohio State Buckeye currently ranks in the top-5 in both receiving yards and receptions. He’s been particularly deadly in the slot, which should bode well for him against the Las Vegas Raiders since their defense is ranked 29th in yards allowed to slot receivers, according to PFF. He’s dominated against zone too, which Vegas plays a whole lot of (second most in the league).
Count on the Olave-Shough show to continue into Week 3.
Joshua Palmer, WR, Buffalo Bills ($4,900 Salary)
While Palmer isn’t one of the Bills’ top targets or reception leaders, he’s making the most of his opportunities. He’s caught a touchdown pass in back-to-back weeks to open the season, including the clutch 34-yard game-winner in Week 1.
He’s become one of Josh Allen’s go-to deep threats, and with both DJ Moore and Keon Coleman questionable for Sunday’s matchup versus the Chargers, Palmer may emerge as the primary target.
A 28th ranked pass defense in the Chargers should help his cause.
Juwan Johnson, TE, New Orleans Saints ($5,200 Salary)
Johnson is one of our fantasy sleeper picks for Week 3, thanks in large part to the explosiveness of the Saints’ new-look offense. We also see his tantalizing low-cost, high-reward potential in FanDuel DFS.
His snap rate was down considerably in Week 2 as compared to Week 1 (84% to 53%), but that was likely due to an illness that kept him out of practice in the days leading up to New Orleans’ win against the Ravens.
With a clean bill of health heading into the Saints’ home-field showdown with the Raiders, his usage rate should increase again, especially considering the Raiders’ 28th-ranked red zone defense—an area where Shough frequently looks for him. In fact, Johnson has the sixth-highest target rate there this season.
Breece Hall, FLEX, New York Jets ($7,100 Salary)
Among running backs, Breece Hall has the sixth most touches in 2026.
That number could very well increase dramatically in Week 3 against the Detroit Lions, who rank 28th in run defense and, according to PFF, are 30th in missed tackle rate in the run game.
Conversely, Hall is known for ripping off big plays, ranking third in explosive runs, or rushing attempts that gain 10 or more yards, for tailbacks.
It’s a formula that adds up to success for Hall and the Jets.
Minnesota Vikings, DEF ($4,300 Salary)
Minnesota’s defense looks impenetrable, having given up just six points in its last six quarters of football and leading the league in sacks (eight). Credit, at least in part, Brian Flores’ high-blitz rate and complex pre-snap disguises.
The Bucs feature the best offensive line that the Vikings have faced to this point, but if the team’s elite linebacker duo of Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel (who have already combined for 5.5 sacks) are able to send Baker scrambling and force him into making bad decisions, it could be another defensive masterclass for the Vikes.
It will be a true battle of the lines on Sunday. One we expect Minnesota to prevail in.
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Macklin is a Brooklyn-based writer who’s covered the NBA, NFL, WWE, Disney Channel Original movies and everything in between. All of his wildest dreams came true the day Jalen Brunson led the New York Knicks to an NBA Championship.
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