We’ve reached the final week of the preseason, which means that regular-season football is just around the corner. That said, we still have to make it through a few more weeks.
Typically, the final week of the preseason is reserved for players who are fighting for roster spots. Most teams will give their starters the night off, though a few may give their top guys a drive or two.
The Week 3 action gets underway on Thursday with a two-game slate starting at 7:00 p.m. ET. Let’s dive into some of the top players to consider at each position.
If you’re new to preseason DFS, there are a few key trends to keep in mind:
1. Defenses & Kickers are Your Friends
In general, scoring in the preseason is lower than it is during the regular season. There are worse quarterbacks getting most of the snaps, which can also lead to more turnovers.
Defense is also the only position that is guaranteed to be on the field for the entire game. It doesn’t matter if the first-, second-, or third-string defenders are out there – they all rack up fantasy points for the defensive unit.
That results in a massive boon for the value of fantasy defenses. Fantasy defenses average just under eight points per game during the preseason, which is nearly two full points more than every other position (per Establish the Run).
Kickers have historically been the third-highest scoring group during the preseason, just slightly behind quarterbacks. You’re going to want exposure to kickers.
2. Target Playing Time Over Talent
This is probably true for regular-season DFS as well, but it’s imperative in the preseason. Finding out how teams plan to distribute their snaps to each position group is the biggest challenge of the preseason. If you can identify which quarterbacks, running backs, and receivers are going to see the most opportunities, you’re halfway towards building a winning lineup.
That’s particularly true early in the preseason. Most teams are going to lean very heavily on the bottom of their depth chart in the Hall of Fame Game and Week 1. Some select starters may see a drive or two, but this is the time when coaches and GMs figure out the bottom of their 53-man roster. Getting to the regular season with their starters healthy is typically more important than shaking off any rust accumulated during the offseason.
If you can find a quarterback who is set to play big snaps, they are an extremely difficult fade in the preseason. They become the best plays on the slate, while running backs have more value than receivers.
3. Tight Ends Don’t Matter
Unless you’re forced to roster a tight end, don’t do it. The position is an absolute dumpster fire during the preseason. You’ll typically see a bunch of players fighting for one spot on the field, and that spot isn’t even particularly valuable. There are exceptions, but on average, tight end is the lowest-scoring position in preseason DFS by a country mile.
With the general strategy out of the way, let’s dive into some specific thoughts for Thursday’s slate.
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NFL DFS Quarterback Picks
Jaxson Dart
Dart was a first round pick in 2025, and he has looked the part so far during the preseason. He has dominated when on the field for the Giants, leading the team to five scores in his seven possessions (three touchdowns, two field goals). Dart has been directly responsible for each of the team’s three TDs, throwing for two and running in the other. He’s also completed 74% of his passes with 8.3 yards per attempt.
How much Dart will play in Week 3 remains to be seen. He’s seen at least 25 snaps in each of the first two preseason contests, so the team has gotten a solid look at him. He’s likely going to be involved in the team’s regular-season plans at some point, so he might not play quite as much on Thursday. However, local beat reporters expect Dart to start the game for the Giants, and it’s possible he gets up to a full half.
Once Dart departs, Jameis Winston and Tommy DeVito will compete for the remaining opportunities. DeVito has played extensively in the final preseason contest in each of the past two years, so it’s possible that he gets the most run of the group vs. the Patriots. Still, Dart is popping in our Models, and with how well he’s played so far during the exhibitions, he doesn’t necessarily need a ton of snaps to provide value.
Other Options
- Jack Plummer & Bryce Perkins – The Panthers have just two QBs who will see snaps on Thursday, and both guys could play around a half. Perkins is a new addition to the roster – he was signed on Sunday after Andy Dalton suffered an injury in the team’s last game – but the coaching staff has talked about “rewarding” his hard work with game reps. He’s going to be a factor, and his rushing upside makes him an intriguing flyer.
- Skylar Thompson – The Steelers still have a logjam at quarterback, but it’s likely that Aaron Rodgers and Will Howard are still not ready to play. Mason Rudolph has started and played sparingly during the preseason, while Logan Woodside has exclusively handled mop-up duty. That’s left Thompson to dominate the snaps at the position, logging 65% of the team’s dropbacks. He was ridiculously good in his first outing, tallying 221 yards and three touchdowns vs. the Jaguars.
- Joshua Dobbs – Dobbs and Ben Wooldridge have split the backup QB opportunities pretty evenly behind Drake Maye, and both guys should factor into the equation on Thursday. Dobbs is the better player, so he gets the slight edge between the two in our NFL Models.
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NFL DFS Running Back Picks
JaMycal Hasty
The Patriots have a pretty barren RB corps for their preseason finale. Their starters are tentatively expected to sit, which means Rhamondre Stevenson, Treyveon Henderson, and Antonio Gibson will probably get the night off. Terrell Jennings also missed their last game and has yet to return to practice, so he’s also likely out of the picture.
That leaves just a trio of options to handle all of the snaps: Hasty, Shane Watts, and Micah Bernard. Bernard was only signed to the roster on Tuesday, while Watts was added last week. Watts was far from impressive in his preseason debut, turning 10 carries into just 15 yards.
That makes Hasty the clear guy to target in this backfield. Not only is he the most familiar with the scheme, but he was also more productive last week. He played on 35 snaps and finished with 11 carries, one reception, and 52 total yards.
Hasty will likely get the majority of the work once again on Thursday, with Watts and Bernard factoring in late. All three have some appeal given the state of the team’s backfield, but Hasty has the best projections in our NFL Models.
Other Options
- Dante Miller – Miller has been the Giants’ workhorse during the preseason. His rushing efficiency has left a lot to be desired, but he’s managed 11 receptions for 123 yards. That’s absolutely elite production during the preseason, regardless of what he does on the ground. It’s possible that Cam Skateboo suits up for the first time in Week 3, but Miller still figures to get the most opportunities in this backfield.
- Kaleb Johnson – Johnson has been a disappointment during the preseason, but the opportunities have at least been there. He’s played on at least 22 snaps in both contests, and he’s amassed 19 carries and two receptions. It sounds like Jaylen Warren will get his first snaps of the preseason, but he and Kenneth Gainwell should depart pretty quickly.
- Trevor Etienne – Etienne has led the Panthers’ backfield in snaps in both games, and they will rest their starters in Week 3. That should open up another strong workload for the rookie fourth-rounder. Raheem Blackshear has barely seen the field during the preseason, while the other two guys behind him on the depth chart don’t figure to make the team.
NFL DFS Wide Receiver Picks
John Jiles and Jeremiah Webb
The Patriots’ receiving corps is arguably even thinner than their RB room. They have just four truly healthy bodies on the roster at the moment, and one of them was only signed on Monday. Kayshon Boutte is one of the others, and he’s been running with the starting unit for most of training camp. He’ll probably need to suit up on Thursday just so the Patriots can field a team, but he shouldn’t be expected to play very long.
That leaves Jiles and Webb. They’ve been the Patriots’ two busiest receivers during the preseason, and that’s not going to change on Thursday. Jiles has played on 51 snaps across two games, with more than 50% of his snaps coming from the slot. He’s turned those reps into six catches for 72 yards.
Webb has played on 49 snaps during the preseason, with his action coming predominantly on the outside. He hasn’t had the same impact as Jiles (three catches, 49 yards), but both players have played most of their snaps with Wooldridge. They should see a bit of action with Dobbs on Thursday, which could potentially help their outlooks.
The big thing to monitor with the Patriots’ receiving corps is the status of some of their other receivers. Javon Baker has missed practice all week, but he did travel with the team. If he’s able to go, he could potentially lead the receiving corps in snaps after racking up seven targets in Week 2. If he’s unavailable, the rest of the guys on the roster are going to have to go nearly the full game.
Other Options
- Jimmy Horn Jr. & Bryson Tremayne – Horn was garnering some buzz to start training camp, but he played behind Tremayne in the team’s second preseason outing. It’s possible that they’re both battling for the same roster spot, so both guys should get plenty of opportunities this week.
- Beaux Collins & Lil’Jordan Humphrey – Collins made his preseason debut in Week 2, and it’s hard to imagine things going much better. He saw three targets on just 16 snaps, and he turned one into an 80-yard touchdown. He’s still fighting for a roster spot as a UDFA, so he should get another chance to impress. Humphrey has been the Giants’ busiest receiver during the preseason, leading the team in snaps and routes run. He’s managed five catches for 56 yards and a touchdown, so he’s also in play.
- Scotty Miller, Roman Wilson, & Brandon Johnson – DK Metcalf will join Rodgers on the sidelines on Thursday, while Calvin Austin is also not expected to play. That leaves Miller, Wilson, and Johnson as the team’s top three receivers. They’ve occupied those roles for most of the preseason, and all three have been productive. Miller leads the team with six grabs while playing mostly from the slot, while Wilson and Johnson each have nearly 100 yards total.
NFL DFS Tight End Picks
Thomas Fidone
As usual, tight end looks pretty gross on this slate. Fidone is the only option projected for more than 2.67 points in our NFL Models, so he gets the top spot by default. He’s been busy for the Giants through the first two weeks, racking up 50 total snaps. He’s managed four targets during that span, which he’s converted into four catches for 25 yards.
Greg Dulcich could also factor into the equation for the Giants, and he secured a touchdown in Week 2. He also has four total targets during the preseason, albeit on a lower volume of snaps. Dulcich was a fantasy sleeper for the Broncos at one point, so he’s arguably the better talent.
Other Options
- Mitchell Evans – Evans has split the TE responsibilities with James Mitchell during the preseason, but Evans is the better receiver. He’s had more opportunities in the slot, though he’s managed just two total targets. Still, he was a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft, and he displayed some pass-catching chops at Notre Dame.
- Gee Scott Jr. – Scott has split time with Jack Westover for the Patriots, but Westover is not expected to play due to an injury. Scott has also seen roughly half of his routes from the slot, though he’s yet to earn a single target. At least the playing time should be there.
Pictured: Jaxson Dart
Photo Credit: Imagn
