We have reached the final week of the NFL preseason. Teams will be playing their final games and completing their final evaluations before turning their attention to cutting down their rosters and starting the regular season. The final Friday of the preseason will feature three games. The Detroit Lions take on the Carolina Panthers, the New England Patriots travel to take on the Tennessee Titans, and the San Francisco 49ers will host the Los Angeles Chargers.
Here, we’ll break down some of our favorite DFS plays for Friday’s slate in Week 3 of the NFL preseason for classic games.
Top plays
Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Chargers ($5,500) — Lance was listed as the QB3 on the 49ers’ depth chart, and then there were reports about the team looking into trade options for him. Lance is now practically auditioning for other teams in this game and should see plenty of playing time. He has thrown for 285 yards this preseason with two touchdowns and an interception.
Malik Willis, Tennessee Titans vs. New England Patriots ($5,500) — Willis has gotten a ton of playing time this preseason alongside Will Levis. The latter has already been ruled out for Friday night, leaving Tannehill and Willis as likely to play, with Willis again getting the bulk of the work. He has upside given his dual-threat ability, and is a solid play.
Values
Shi Smith, Carolina Panthers vs. Detroit Lions ($5,500) — DFS is already tough enough, so it becomes even tougher when you throw in unpredictable snap counts and usage in the preseason. You’re looking for consistent usage from a depth piece. Starters are likely to play less than an entire half. Smith has been coming in off the bench and has seen a solid workload. He has five receptions on six targets for 79 yards through two preseason games.
Chase Cota, Detroit Lions vs. Carolina Panthers ($5,500) — Sticking with a depth pass-catcher, Cota has impressed in the preseason. He has been targeted 11 times and brought in six for 69 yards and a score. Cota is expected to see ample playing time. He has a lot of upside against a Panthers defense that has allowed 422 passing yards through two games.
Ronnie Bell, San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Chargers ($5,500) — Bell is making a strong case to crack the 49ers’ regular-season roster. Opposing defenses have struggled to stop him, and it doesn’t matter who is throwing him the ball. Bell has 10 receptions on 14 targets for 172 yards through two games. From targets alone, he should be in your lineup.