In the "late kick" of Monday night's two-game slate, the 0-2 Bengals host the 1-1 Rams in a Super Bowl LVI rematch (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN). After opening up as 7.5-point home favorites, the Bengals sit as 2.5-point home chalk with Cincinnati potentially holding out star QB Joe Burrow (calf).
Burrow's officially listed as questionable per the Bengals' Week 4 injury report, and while there's a chance he suits up in a de facto must-win game, for FanDuel DFS players assembling a single-game lineup, it's best to avoid rostering Cincinnati's QBs entirely.
Before we break down our picks and strategy, here are the most notable scoring rules for FanDuel contests: four-point passing TDs and half-point PPR.
Bengals-Rams FanDuel Picks Week 3: NFL DFS lineup for GPP tournaments
Bengals-Rams MNF, $60,000 budget
MVP (1.5x points) Puka Nacua, WR, Rams ($14,000)
The NFL's leader in targets (35) and receptions (25) through two weeks will likely garner a high MVP roster percentage, but for good reason. Nacua is on the Rams' Week 4 injury report with an oblique issue, but all signs point towards the breakout rookie, giving it a go on MNF. Nacua's seen a drastic rise in his DFS salary, but given his elite volume, owning a league-best 39.1 percent target share, he's undoubtedly worthy of the MVP spot.
FLEX Tee Higgins, WR, Bengals ($12,500)
Although there's uncertainty around Cincinnati's QB situation, it's hard not to roster Higgins at $12,500 against a Rams defense that enters Week 3, allowing the third-highest dropback success rate (54.1%). Higgins did all he could to keep the Bengals within striking distance last week, hauling in eight passes for 89 yards and two TDs (24.9 FD points). His ability to dominate in the red zone makes Higgins an enticing addition to single-game lineups.
FLEX Joe Mixon, RB, Bengals ($11,000)
While the Rams' defense is more exploitable through the air than the ground, if Burrow doesn't end up suiting up, Mixon's in line for an even higher usage day. Cincinnati's RB1 could lead the team in fantasy points this week when factoring in his ability to aid in the running and passing game.
Entering Week 3, Mixon ranks fourth among RBs in opportunity share (the percentage of total team running back carries plus targets) at 81.8 percent, as he has little to no competition for touches. A 20-plus night is well within reach for the Bengals' bell-cow RB.
FLEX Kyren Williams, RB, Rams ($10,500)
After the Rams dealt fellow RB Cam Akers to the Vikings, Williams is officially L.A.'s RB1. Despite averaging just 3.6 yards per carry through two weeks, Williams' reliable volume is why we're rostering him. The second-year back totaled 14 carries and six receptions last week against the 49ers, so rostering a back with 20-plus potential is a no-brainer.
FLEX Tutu Atwell, WR, Rams ($10,000)
Atwell's counting stats pale in comparison to Nacua's (17 targets, 13 receptions, 196 yards), but he's been a solid No. 2 option for Matthew Stafford in the Rams' pass-heavy offense. Atwell enters Week 3 16th among WRs in targets while being one of the most efficient wideouts relative to his expected points added (+14.2 EPA). At $10,000, Atwell's worth the price tag against a struggling Bengals pass defense.
Best SuperDraft NFL DFS Picks for Bengals-Rams
This year, we're also listing our favorite weekly DFS plays on SuperDraft.
For those unfamiliar, SuperDraft's DFS scoring involves point multipliers as opposed to traditional salary-capped or tiered contests. A winning lineup will likely feature a strong mix of stud fantasy contributors with 1x-1.6x boosts, as well as matchup-based sleepers with larger multipliers. Each player is assigned a scoring multiplier based on their value as determined by SuperDraft. Users can roster any player in their lineup with no restrictions.
MORE: Win BIG with SuperDraft! Get a free $10 deposit when you use promo code "TSN"!
Here are the most notable scoring rules for SuperDraft NFL contests: Half-point PPR, four-point passing TDs, two-point bonuses for 100 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards, and 300 passing yards.
MORE SUPERDRAFT DFS: How to play SuperDraft
- Champion (+50% points): WR Puka Nacua, Rams (Multiplier 1.75x)
- Super FLEX: QB Matthew Stafford, Rams (Multiplier 1.1x)
- Super FLEX: WR Tutu Atwell, Rams (Multiplier 1.5x)
- Super FLEX: WR Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals (Multiplier 1.05x)
- Super FLEX: RB Joe Mixon, Bengals (Multiplier 1.3x)
Picks and analysis written by Nick Brinkerhoff
Monday night's game could replace the logos with a couple of question marks, and it wouldn't change a thing. We don't know what to expect from a struggling and banged-up Bengals squad. The Rams have some hype surrounding them after an upset win over the Seahawks before going toe-to-toe with the 49ers in Week 2. We don't have to worry about salaries on SuperDraft, so we'll take the Rams stack over the Bengals for our lineup while also using the opportunity to take a shot on some of Cincinnati's big stars.
