NFL DFS Lineup Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel: Preseason Week 3 (Thursday, 8/21/25)

The top daily fantasy football lineup picks for DraftKings, FanDuel -- NFL preseason Week 3 on Friday, August 21, 2025. Doug's NFL DFS analysis and sleepers picks.

It feels like we just started our 2025 NFL preseason journey, but here we are at the final week before the regular season. There are three days of games this weekend, and I’ll be here with you every step of the way. Tonight features two games, with the Patriots heading to New Jersey to face the Giants and Pittsburgh facing off against the Carolina Panthers in Raleigh. 

The highlight of tonight’s slate should be the final preseason appearance of Giants rookie sensation Jaxson Dart, who has wowed in both of his appearances this summer. Does Dart have one more good game left in him? Down in North Carolina, the Steelers and Panthers will be sitting their top players, but there’s no shortage of guys who will be fighting for their NFL lives, making this a two-game slate worth keeping an eye on. 

Here you will be provided daily fantasy football picks on FanDuel and DraftKings for the Thursday two-game slate of Week 3 of the NFL preseason on 8/21/25. These NFL DFS lineup picks can vary from high-end players and elite options to backup and contrarian players on both DraftKings and FanDuel. Thanks for reading, and good luck, RotoBallers!

Preseason NFL DFS - Quarterbacks

Jaxson Dart (NYG vs NE) (DK: $5,500 | FD: $6,000)

Has any player been more impressive this preseason than Dart? Maybe I’m a bit biased because I’ve been to both of his games (and will be at tonight’s game as well), but Dart has energized the Giants' offense and has looked like anything but a rookie. He has shown excellent command of this offense, and more importantly, he’s making excellent decisions on his throws. 

He’s also been strong with his legs, rushing for nearly 30 yards and a touchdown in his two games of action. There’s an entirely different energy in the stadium when Dart is on the field, and that energy should be flowing against the Patriots as Dart should get significant playing time in this game.

Russell Wilson will start the year for New York, meaning that this is the last time Dart will face live action for a while, and the team will want to keep him sharp. He’s easy to stack in tournaments, as the Giants have a bevy of pass catchers to team him up with. On a short slate like this, it’s not crazy to use Dart and three other Giants to fill out your roster. 

ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum believes QB Jaxson Dart is the Giants' best option for this season👀🏈

" Jaxson Dart is a better player, and he is a better athlete than Russell Wilson. I understand there’s going to be growing pains, but he is somebody that has energized this… pic.twitter.com/GCGrBzVnPQ

— FirstSportz (@FirstSportzUSA) August 20, 2025

Skylar Thompson (PIT at CAR) (DK: $5,500 | FD: $6,000)

The Steelers seemed set at quarterback heading into the preseason, with Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, and rookie Will Howard set to hold down the position. Then Howard got hurt, and former Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson was thrust into significant game action. The crazy part is that Thompson has produced, throwing for 346 yards and three touchdowns in two games.

He’s unlikely to make the Pittsburgh roster, but the team will want to showcase him in this game to increase his trade value. If they can lock down a Day 3 pick for Thompson, then that’s a massive win for the Steelers. We already know Rodgers and Howard won’t play in this game, and the team has no incentive to risk backup Rudolph in a meaningless game with a 41-year-old starter in front of him. 

That means Thompson should see a heavy workload in this game, perhaps getting three or more quarters of game action. Volume is king in preseason, and it’s unlikely that any quarterback on tonight’s short slate will see more snaps than Thompson. 

ALSO CONSIDER: Bryce Perkins (CAR), Ben Wooldridge (NE)

Preseason NFL DFS - Running Backs

Dante Miller (NYG vs NE) (DK: $5,500 | FD: $6,000)

Out of nowhere, Dante Miller leads all Giants players in receptions (12) and receiving yards (97) this preseason. He’s been a frequent target for all the backup quarterbacks, and he’s turned those short receptions into big plays. Miller likely won’t start this game, but he should get action as soon as the second quarter. If this week is anything like last week, and for a player fighting for a roster spot, it should be, he will be playing deep into the second half for New York. 

Miller’s nickname is Turbo, and he lives up to it with great open-field ability and quickness. He’s a threat to score from anywhere on the field, meaning he doesn’t need a ton of volume to be a good fantasy play. Add in his receiving ability, and he’s a top option at the running back position on this short slate. 

Lew Nichols (PIT at CAR) (DK: $5,500 | FD: $6,000)

Jaylen Warren, Kenneth Gainwell, and Kaleb Johnson have the top three spots locked up in the Steelers' backfield, but if the team is going to keep a fourth running back, that spot is up for grabs. Trey Sermon was the presumptive leader in the clubhouse heading into the preseason, but Lew Nichols has turned heads and has a realistic shot of making the team over the veteran journeyman. Last week, against the Buccaneers, Nichols only had three carries, but he exploded for 37 yards on one.

In Week 1 of the preseason, he saw six carries and turned them into 31 yards for a 5.2 yards per carry average, including a team-long 14-yard rush. Having the two longest rushing plays of the preseason for the team shows the big-play ability that Nichols can bring to the offense, something Sermon lacks. Nichols should get an extended look in this game to see if he can continue to provide a spark to this offense. 

EZ view of the big run by Lew Nichols versus Bucs #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/JvhounlUvb

— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) August 18, 2025

ALSO CONSIDER: Kaleb Johnson (PIT), JaMycal Hasty (NE), Micah Bernard (NE), Max Hurleman (PIT)

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Preseason NFL DFS - Wide Receivers

Brycen Tremayne (CAR vs PIT) (DK: $5,500 | FD: $6,000)

The highest-rated player, per PFF, from the Panthers’ second preseason game was receiver Brycen Tremayne. He’s been getting steamed up at camp, impressing the coaching staff and getting some playing time with the first-team offense at times. He was the top receiver on the team last weekend, catching three passes.

However, he’s still a bubble player, falling behind the likes of Tetairoa McMillan, Adam Thielen, Jalen Coker, and Xavier Legette. That means he’s going to get on the field in this game quite a bit as he makes his final push for a spot on the 53-man roster.

The most significant detriment to Tremayne’s game this weekend is that neither Bryce Young nor Andy Dalton will play in this game, limiting the quality of passes he will see. Still, this is a player who has consistently played well in camp, and snap volume shouldn’t be an issue for him in this game. I’ll happily take the guy making a roster push with a ton of chances for plays over a guy who may only see a quarter. 

Beaux Collins (NYG vs NE) (DK: $5,500 | FD: $6,000)

We were so close with Beaux Collins last weekend. He caught an 80-yard bomb from Wilson and got caught on the two-yard line. Sadly, that was his only catch, but make no mistake, the team is high on Collins. He made waves early in camp before getting injured, but upon his return, he was back to running with the first-team offense in practice. 

With Malik Nabers out last weekend, Collins started the game for the Giants and was getting open repeatedly. He’s an undrafted rookie, though, and will still need to make an impression in this game to lock up his spot on the roster. He should start this game once again, and with his big-play ability, he’s a prime stacking partner for a Dart stack. 

Javon Baker (NE at NYG) (DK: $5,500 | FD: $6,000)

New England has all but given up on Javon Baker, leading to speculation that he wasn’t even going to make the trip to New Jersey to face the Giants in this game. Surprisingly, he’s ended up making the trip and looks to be in line to get snaps. The thinking here is that New England is looking to feature Baker to entice a receiver-needy team to trade for him rather than just cutting him when rosters have to get down to 53 men on Tuesday. 

Baker has done next to nothing this preseason, catching just one pass, making this a tournament dart throw rather than a sure thing. That said, preseason surprise Efton Chism III is likely to miss this game with a minor injury, as are Kyle Williams, Ja'Lynn Polk, Kendrick Bourne, and Stefon Diggs, opening up opportunities for guys like Baker to get on the field. 

UPDATE: Per @MikeReiss Javon Baker IS traveling with the team to NY today - giving him a chance to play tomorrow night against the @Giants pic.twitter.com/yR6Q3eHq9F

— Pats-Planet.com 🪐 (@patsplanetmedia) August 20, 2025

ALSO CONSIDER: Roman Wilson (PIT), Jalen Coker (CAR), Brandon Johnson (PIT), Juice Wells Jr. (NYG), Jalin Hyatt (NYG)

Preseason NFL DFS - Tight Ends

Darnell Washington (PIT at CAR) (DK: $5,500 | FD: $6,000)

The tight end position is a wasteland on this slate, with none of the teams having anything resembling a “sure thing” when it comes to playing time or target share. The Giants have used the position well this preseason, but they want to get a good look at Daniel Bellinger this weekend, and he’s not a player who’s known for his hands. 

When in doubt, I often turn to an Arthur Smith offense because Smith loves his tight ends. Darnell Washington is a big-bodied, red zone threat who has a knack for getting down the field for a big play every so often. He’s currently third on the depth chart in Pittsburgh, meaning he should be on the field early in this game. 

ALSO CONSIDER: Daniel Bellinger (NYG)

Thanks for checking this out, and good luck!

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