The quarterback position is one of the most flexible in NFL DFS. You can go in a variety of different ways. Do you pay up for one of the top studs or try to save some money with a value option? Do you eat the chalk or look for a low-owned option with upside? There’s no 100% one-size-fits-all answer, so each slate and contest type is going to require thought and consideration.
In this piece, I highlight quarterbacks who stand out in our large suite of analytical fantasy tools, most specifically, our FantasyLabs Player Models. While the models are built for DFS contests, this is an all-purpose fantasy article with actionable information for all formats.
As news breaks throughout the week and we adjust our projections (powered by Sean Koerner), player ratings in our Player Models will change as the projections change. For updates, visit the models directly.
And don’t forget about the tools that FantasyLabs has to offer, like our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups, or use our Lineup Builder if you like to hand-build your lineups.
Or you can just use our NFL DFS sims to effortlessly create advanced lineups.
Finally, make sure to check out all the projections available for purchase (Chris Raybon’s come included with a FantasyLabs subscription) within the FantasyLabs Models. Subscribers now have the option to purchase Derek Carty’s THE BLITZ from our Marketplace. Projections from One Week Season and Establish the Run are available if you’re a subscriber to those specific sites (our optimizer is a separate add-on feature).
You can also combine them to create your own aggregate projections:
Top NFL DFS Cash Game Options
Drake Maye ($5,500 DraftKings, $7,100 FanDuel)
For the third consecutive week, spending down at quarterback is going to be the default option in cash games. We’ve had some phenomenal min-priced options over the past two weeks, while Caleb Williams also provided huge value vs. the Cowboys.
While there’s no min-priced option available on DraftKings, Maye checks the box as another player who could deliver outstanding value. He’s been excellent through the first three weeks, checking in at QB6 in terms of fantasy points per game, yet his price tag has remained extremely affordable on DraftKings.
Maye’s athleticism is his biggest strength for fantasy purposes. While he’s not a truly elite rushing threat, he’s averaged a very healthy 7.0 attempts through his first three outings. He’s racked up at least 31 rushing yards in back-to-back games, and he’s added one rushing score.
Maye has also delivered decent value as a passer. He’s averaged just under 262 passing yards per game this season, and he’s added five touchdown passes.
Maye’s matchup this week is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, the Panthers have been pretty stout against the pass to start the year. They rank fourth in pass defense EPA, and they’ve allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.
Still, it’s a relatively small three-game sample, and the Patriots are getting some love from Vegas in this spot. They’re listed as 5.5-point home favorites, giving them an above-average 24.25 implied team total. Maye doesn’t have a ton of experience as a favorite, but QBs tend to perform a bit better in that split than they do as underdogs.
Ultimately, Maye leads the position in projected Plus/Minus on DraftKings, and he’s third in projected Plus/Minus on FanDuel.
Jaxson Dart ($4,500 DraftKings, $6,000 FanDuel)
Dart is one of the two players who edge out Maye from a value standpoint on FanDuel. The rookie quarterback will be making his first career start, and he’s going to have his hands full vs. the Chargers. They’re third in pass defense EPA through the first three weeks, and they’ve allowed the 11th-fewest fantasy points per game to the position.
However, Dart is priced at the minimum on FanDuel, and we’ve seen the power that a min-priced QB can provide. Marcus Mariota finished as the fourth-highest-scoring QB on the Week 3 main slate, while Mac Jones turned in a top-10 performance in Week 2. Both players delivered massive value, so Dart will look to follow in their footsteps this week.
Like Maye, Dart brings solid athleticism to the table. He had six carries for 51 yards and a touchdown during his three preseason contests, and he averaged 38.1 rushing yards per game during his final collegiate season.
Additionally, Dart will have some good things working for him in terms of his supporting cast. Top wide receiver Malik Nabers is good to go after exiting last week’s game early with an injury, while Andrew Thomas will suit up for the second straight week. Thomas is the Giants’ best offensive lineman, and after being on a pitch count last week, he should be more of a full-time player vs. the Chargers.
Ultimately, Dart’s combination of a cheap price tag and solid rushing upside gives him a rock-solid floor at this price tag. If he can look half as good as he did during the preseason, he has some upside as well.
Now available: our NFL DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.
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Jalen Hurts ($6,700 DraftKings, $8,500 FanDuel)
The “big three” fantasy quarterbacks will all be in play on the main slate, but Hurts stands out as the best of the bunch on DraftKings. That stems primarily from his price tag. He’s -$1,000 cheaper than Josh Allen on DraftKings, compared to just a -$500 difference between the two on FanDuel. That’s helped propel him to the fourth-highest DraftKings optimal lineup rate in Sim Labs, which puts him ahead of both Allen and Jackson.
Hurts hasn’t had the greatest production as a passer to start the year, but he bounced back with a big performance in Week 3. Part of that was due to necessity. The Eagles fell into a big early hole vs. the Rams, so Hurts was forced to air it out a bit more. He responded with 226 passing yards and three passing touchdowns, and he added his usual elite production on the ground. The Eagles ultimately might not have to throw the ball all that often this season, but it’s nice to know they can still do it when they have to.
This could be another week where Hurts has to air it out. The Buccaneers’ defense has been a monster against the run this season, led by massive nose tackle Vita Vea. They’re currently first in the league in rush defense EPA, and they’ve held their first three opponents to 99 rush yards or fewer.
They’re much more exploitable against the pass, and the Bucs have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. The gap in ceiling projection between the top three QBs is negligible, so saving some salary with Hurts in a solid matchup seems like the best bet.
Josh Allen ($7,700 DraftKings, $9,000 FanDuel)
On FanDuel, Allen still stands out as the top dog. He owns the top ceiling projection at the position, and the Bills own the top implied team total on the slate. They’re currently implied for a whopping 31.75 points vs. the Saints, while no other team is above 27.25. It’s likely one of the largest disparities we’ll see between the top two teams this season.
There’s definitely some risk in targeting a massive favorite at quarterback, but there’s plenty of upside as well. There’s a chance that Allen could do a lot of handing the ball off in the second half, but that likely only happens if he puts up a boatload of fantasy points in the first. Allen has a solid track record as a favorite of at least 10 points, averaging 25.91 FanDuel points per game (per the Trends tool).
Justin Herbert ($6,300 DraftKings, $7,900 FanDuel)
Herbert appears to have taken his game to another level this season. He’s put together some big games in the past, but they’re now coming in games that his team is actually winning.
Last week’s showing vs. the Broncos doesn’t look the best statistically, but it might have been his most impressive performance. Denver has an elite defense, and they were in his face all afternoon. Despite that, Herbert still managed to get to 300 yards and one touchdown, his second 300-yard performance through his first three games. Herbert had just two 300-yard performances in 17 regular-season starts last year, so he’s off to a significantly better start.
Part of that stems from a major change in philosophy for the Chargers. Jim Harbaugh has always been a run-first coach, and we saw that to start the 2024 season. However, Harbaugh let Herbert air things out a bit more as the year progressed, and they’ve taken another step forward in that department this year. They’re currently No. 1 in the league in Pass Rate Over Expectation, and they’re also first in that department in the red zone. If that trend continues over the course of the full season, Herbert could be poised for a massive year.
Herbert will have to head east to take on the Giants in Week 4, and going from west to east is never easy. However, teams are much better at it than they were in the past, and the Giants also stand out as a really strong matchup. They’re 24th in pass defense EPA this season, so Herbert could be poised for another big game. He ultimately has the fourth-highest optimal lineup rate at quarterback on FanDuel, and he’s third at the position on DraftKings.
Contrarian NFL DFS Tournament Options With Upside
Marcus Mariota ($5,000 DraftKings, $6,600 FanDuel)
Jayden Daniels will miss his second straight game, meaning Mariota will make another start for the Commanders. That makes Mariota a very appealing source of savings. What we’ve seen from him now in three games in relief of Daniels has been nothing short of fantastic:
- Week 7, 2024: 18-23, 205 yards, two passing touchdowns, 34 rushing yards
- Week 18, 2024: 15-18, 161 yards, two passing touchdowns, 56 rushing yards, one rushing TD
- Week 3, 2025: 15-21, 207 yards, one passing touchdown, 40 rushing yards, one rushing TD
At this point, why should we expect much different? His matchup this week isn’t quite as friendly as last week’s, but Mariota is a solid bet to return value once again. He ranks second at the position in projected Plus/Minus on both DraftKings and FanDuel, and he has a top-two optimal lineup rate on each site as well.
Matthew Stafford ($5,900 DraftKings, $7,000 FanDuel)
The Rams and Colts will square off in what should be one of the highest-scoring games of the week. It leads the main slate with a 49.5-point total, and the Rams are listed as 3.5-point home favorites. That gives them the third-highest implied team total on the slate.
However, Stafford isn’t getting a ton of love in the most recent ownership projections. He’s projected for just 3.8% ownership on DraftKings, compared to a 5.5% optimal lineup rate. That’s one of the larger discrepancies at the position in Sim Labs.
Stafford hasn’t had the best start to the season from a fantasy standpoint, but his efficiency has been strong. He’s averaged 7.88 adjusted yards per attempt, which would be his best mark since 2021. He simply hasn’t had a ton of volume through the first three weeks, and that could change if this game turns into a track meet.
Geno Smith ($5,400 DraftKings, $7,200 FanDuel)
Smith stands out as the most undervalued quarterback this week, according to Sim Labs. This game between the Raiders and Bears is another one with plenty of expected scoring. The total currently sits at 47.5, with the Raiders listed as 1.5-point home favorites.
Geno hasn’t had his most efficient season, but he has at least 21.48 FanDuel points in two of his first three games. The lone exception was against the Chargers’ stout defense in Week 2. The Raiders’ rushing attack has been basically nonexistent through the first three weeks, so Smith could be asked to throw the ball a bunch once again.
Pictured: Jalen Hurts
Photo Credit: Imagn
