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XFL DFS Week 3 DraftKings Picks Breakdown

Lineup construction is different for the XFL than for NFL DFS. Only six offensive players make the roster, with one quarterback, one running back, two WR/TE spots, and two flexes. That means we don’t have to roster a tight end and can load up on high-upside wide receivers. It also means tight ends could be much lower owned, which could be an edge.

The scoring system is carried over from the NFL, with the lone exception being three-point conversions counting for…three fantasy points. Yes, the XFL has three-point PATs, which are attempted from the 10-yard line.

You can find all of our XFL projections in our Player Models.

Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.

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XFL DFS Week 3 Quarterback Picks

Top Play: Ben DiNucci ($10,500 DraftKings): Seattle Sea Dragons at Las Vegas Vipers

Ben DiNucci had another solid showing in Week 2, completing 18 of 28 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns. He was better with the ball in Week 2 as opposed to Week 1, only turning the ball over once last week compared to three times in the season-opener.

DiNucci has a very talented receiving corps to throw to in the likes of Josh Gordon and Jahcour Pearson, and Seattle throws the ball at a very high rate. They threw the ball on 71% of their plays last week, which was the highest in the league. DiNucci is the top projected quarterback by almost a point and a half and makes a nice starting point for lineups this week.


Top Value: Brett Hundley ($8,200 DraftKings): Las Vegas Vipers vs. Seattle Sea Dragons

Brett Hundley is finally getting the start for the Las Vegas Vipers this week. The Vipers made Hundley the highest-paid player in the league, as they signed him to a $200,000 contract. Hundley saw a bunch of playing time last week as Luis Perex was benched. He had a middling performance, completing 11 of 18 passes for 99 yards.

Hundley showed off a little bit of his ability on the ground as well, carrying the ball four times for 20 yards. The Vipers still showed strong intentions to pass the ball despite last week’s poor weather, as they dropped back on 56.5% of plays. Hundley is dealing with the up-tempo Sea Dragons on the other side, and this game boasts the highest total on the slate.

Hundley is our top Points/Salary quarterback play on the weekend.

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XFL DFS Week 3 Running Back Picks

Top Play: De’Veon Smith ($6,500 DraftKings): Arlington Renegades vs. Orlando Guardians

De’Veon Smith has a stranglehold over the Arlington backfield and was able to post some solid usage despite a negative game script last week. He carried the ball seven times for an inefficient 16 yards but was able to catch four balls for 32 yards. He played 37 snaps to Keith Ford’s 17, showing that this is Smith’s backfield, and there’s no real reason to fear that changing.

Despite the middling price tag, Smith is still tied for third in Points/Salary at the running back position and has the second-highest median projection on the week. Arlington is an eight-point favorite against a Guardians team that has a -39 point differential despite playing just two games. The Renegades will likely be able to feed Smith early and often.


Top Value: Morgan Ellison ($4,600 DraftKings): Seattle Sea Dragons at Las Vegas Vipers

Lapping the position in Points/Salary and boasting the highest median projection by almost 2.5 points, Morgan Ellison looks like one of the top plays on the weekend. Ellison had a lot of usage last week, carrying the ball 10 times for 50 yards and catching four balls for 24 yards.

Ellison did only run eight routes last week, so it’s unlikely he sees another 50% target rate per route run. Ellison is very cheap, and he has bankable production. He’ll likely see monstrous ownership, and he should be a staple of all cash game lineups.

He’s a strong tournament play as well, but the ownership will come with it.

XFL DFS Week 3 Wide Receiver/Tight End Picks

Top Play: Josh Gordon ($10,400 DraftKings) Seattle Sea Dragons at Las Vegas Vipers

Jahcour Pearson projects as a strong play, as he and teammate Blake Jackson are both projected to have more ownership than Josh Gordon. Josh Gordon! The man who took the NFL by storm and had 1600+ receiving yards in a season for the Cleveland Browns.

Both Pearson and Jackson have had better usage than Gordon, but we know Gordon’s talent, and on Ben DiNucci’s 15 red zone dropbacks, Gordon has been targeted on 26.7% of those attempts. Pearson dominates the targets on this team, but Gordon has multi-touchdown upside and will likely find paydirt soon. He’s a nice, low(ish) owned option in this offense.


Top Value: Cody Latimer ($4,100 DraftKings) Orlando Guardians at Arlington Renegades

Would you be surprised if I told you that the player with the most targets in the entire league was only $4,100 and not projecting for much ownership? Introduce Cody Latimer. Latimer saw six targets in Week 1 despite only running 14 routes and then saw eight targets in Week 2, running 28 routes. His 87.5% route participation was very promising last week, and we’ll likely see this usage continue.

On his 14 targets, Latimer has caught 10 balls for 89 yards and two touchdowns. He’s a former NFL talent, and he’s shown a rapport with Paxton Lynch, who he spent time with in Denver. He’s second in the position in Points/Salary and looks like one of the strongest plays on the weekend.

 

 

Lineup construction is different for the XFL than for NFL DFS. Only six offensive players make the roster, with one quarterback, one running back, two WR/TE spots, and two flexes. That means we don’t have to roster a tight end and can load up on high-upside wide receivers. It also means tight ends could be much lower owned, which could be an edge.

The scoring system is carried over from the NFL, with the lone exception being three-point conversions counting for…three fantasy points. Yes, the XFL has three-point PATs, which are attempted from the 10-yard line.

You can find all of our XFL projections in our Player Models.

Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.

Become an All-Access Member Today

Lineup builder and optimizer

Real-time DFS models & projections

Data-driven analysis & tutorials

XFL DFS Week 3 Quarterback Picks

Top Play: Ben DiNucci ($10,500 DraftKings): Seattle Sea Dragons at Las Vegas Vipers

Ben DiNucci had another solid showing in Week 2, completing 18 of 28 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns. He was better with the ball in Week 2 as opposed to Week 1, only turning the ball over once last week compared to three times in the season-opener.

DiNucci has a very talented receiving corps to throw to in the likes of Josh Gordon and Jahcour Pearson, and Seattle throws the ball at a very high rate. They threw the ball on 71% of their plays last week, which was the highest in the league. DiNucci is the top projected quarterback by almost a point and a half and makes a nice starting point for lineups this week.


Top Value: Brett Hundley ($8,200 DraftKings): Las Vegas Vipers vs. Seattle Sea Dragons

Brett Hundley is finally getting the start for the Las Vegas Vipers this week. The Vipers made Hundley the highest-paid player in the league, as they signed him to a $200,000 contract. Hundley saw a bunch of playing time last week as Luis Perex was benched. He had a middling performance, completing 11 of 18 passes for 99 yards.

Hundley showed off a little bit of his ability on the ground as well, carrying the ball four times for 20 yards. The Vipers still showed strong intentions to pass the ball despite last week’s poor weather, as they dropped back on 56.5% of plays. Hundley is dealing with the up-tempo Sea Dragons on the other side, and this game boasts the highest total on the slate.

Hundley is our top Points/Salary quarterback play on the weekend.

Get Your First Deposit Matched Up to $100!

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Your deposit will be fully matched

New users only

XFL DFS Week 3 Running Back Picks

Top Play: De’Veon Smith ($6,500 DraftKings): Arlington Renegades vs. Orlando Guardians

De’Veon Smith has a stranglehold over the Arlington backfield and was able to post some solid usage despite a negative game script last week. He carried the ball seven times for an inefficient 16 yards but was able to catch four balls for 32 yards. He played 37 snaps to Keith Ford’s 17, showing that this is Smith’s backfield, and there’s no real reason to fear that changing.

Despite the middling price tag, Smith is still tied for third in Points/Salary at the running back position and has the second-highest median projection on the week. Arlington is an eight-point favorite against a Guardians team that has a -39 point differential despite playing just two games. The Renegades will likely be able to feed Smith early and often.


Top Value: Morgan Ellison ($4,600 DraftKings): Seattle Sea Dragons at Las Vegas Vipers

Lapping the position in Points/Salary and boasting the highest median projection by almost 2.5 points, Morgan Ellison looks like one of the top plays on the weekend. Ellison had a lot of usage last week, carrying the ball 10 times for 50 yards and catching four balls for 24 yards.

Ellison did only run eight routes last week, so it’s unlikely he sees another 50% target rate per route run. Ellison is very cheap, and he has bankable production. He’ll likely see monstrous ownership, and he should be a staple of all cash game lineups.

He’s a strong tournament play as well, but the ownership will come with it.

XFL DFS Week 3 Wide Receiver/Tight End Picks

Top Play: Josh Gordon ($10,400 DraftKings) Seattle Sea Dragons at Las Vegas Vipers

Jahcour Pearson projects as a strong play, as he and teammate Blake Jackson are both projected to have more ownership than Josh Gordon. Josh Gordon! The man who took the NFL by storm and had 1600+ receiving yards in a season for the Cleveland Browns.

Both Pearson and Jackson have had better usage than Gordon, but we know Gordon’s talent, and on Ben DiNucci’s 15 red zone dropbacks, Gordon has been targeted on 26.7% of those attempts. Pearson dominates the targets on this team, but Gordon has multi-touchdown upside and will likely find paydirt soon. He’s a nice, low(ish) owned option in this offense.


Top Value: Cody Latimer ($4,100 DraftKings) Orlando Guardians at Arlington Renegades

Would you be surprised if I told you that the player with the most targets in the entire league was only $4,100 and not projecting for much ownership? Introduce Cody Latimer. Latimer saw six targets in Week 1 despite only running 14 routes and then saw eight targets in Week 2, running 28 routes. His 87.5% route participation was very promising last week, and we’ll likely see this usage continue.

On his 14 targets, Latimer has caught 10 balls for 89 yards and two touchdowns. He’s a former NFL talent, and he’s shown a rapport with Paxton Lynch, who he spent time with in Denver. He’s second in the position in Points/Salary and looks like one of the strongest plays on the weekend.

 

 

About the Author

Matt Martin writes NFL and XFL/USFL content for FantasyLabs. He just finished his undergrad in Finance and Sports Management. He is currently pursuing his Masters in Data Analytics. Prior to joining FantasyLabs in 2022, Martin started covering DFS in 2019 with Daily Fantasy Insider, and has spent time with the 33rd Team and reallygoodpicks.com.