RADIO
Playing DFS is difficult in the preseason, especially in the final week of the preseason. Most of the teams are going to rest their starters and mostly we are going to have to insert third-stringers and roster bubble players into our DFS lineup. Despite that uncertainty, we can try to make as many educated predictions based on limited information as we can and try to chase players with upside.
The good news is that we are officially just 12 days from the start of the NFL regular season when the Buffalo Bills play the Los Angeles Rams on TNF in Week 1! No doubt many of you are anxious to get to Week 1 as you have been working on your DFS lineups for what seems like forever now. If you are new to DFS, hopefully you have been practicing DFS even in the preseason to get the hang of it so that you are ready to rock in Week 1!
In this article, I will be providing you with daily fantasy football picks on DraftKings and FanDuel for the Saturday Football slate on August 27, 2022. Every player has the same salary for DFS contests on FanDuel and DraftKings during the preseason, so everyone can pick any nine players of their choosing without any regard for the usual weekly salary cap format. The roster spots are the same as usual for the preseason, requiring you to select one QB, two RB, three WR, one TE, one Flex, and one Defense. In this article, you'll find my favorite DFS picks for the 3-game slate that starts at 1:00 PM EST on Saturday, August 27, 2022. Now let's get to them picks!
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Preseason NFL DFS Picks - Quarterbacks
Sam Howell - WAS @ BAL
Wily as a snake and cunning as a cat, Sam Howell has been impressing in Washington training camp this summer in his quest to earn the backup job behind Carson Wentz. While shorter in stature, Howell plays with a certain moxie and has all of the intangibles one could want in an NFL quarterback. The question remains whether or not he is good enough to challenge Wentz for the starting job and play each week at the NFL level.
Last week against the Chiefs, Howell didn't have an amazing performance. He was just 10 of 18 for 122 yards and 1 INT. He also added 2 rushes for 13 yards on the ground. However, Howell is a sneaky good asset for fantasy if he gets on the field due to his rushing upside. While not as athletic as his peers in the 2022 rookie class: Malik Willis or Desmond Ridder, Howell can make plays with his legs. During his 2021 season at UNC, Howell rushed for 828 yards and 11 TDs.
Howell had 2 rushing touchdowns in Week 1 of the preseason. Being that the Commanders want to get another look at him while Wentz likely on the bench, Howell is worth putting in your DFS lineup for tonight.
Desmond Ridder - JAX @ ATL
Another rookie quarterback who has been impressing the Falcons in camp all summer, Desmond Ridder is looking to push Marcus Mariota for the starting job in Atlanta.
For fantasy purposes, Ridder is an absolute cheat code with his experience running the RPO and his athletic profile that put up a 4.50 forty time at the NFL Combine. Ridder didn't have extraordinary passing numbers during his time in college at UC due to their heavy RPO scheme and that they were usually leading big at halftime. At UC, Ridder posted a career 43-6 record.
It is unlikely that Mariota plays much in Week 3 and the Falcons will want to let Ridder play to continue his development. He is worth playing on his upside and ability to make plays with his legs.
Tyler Huntley - BAL @ ARI
A player who is criminally underrated, Huntley filled in for Lamar Jackson when he was injured late last season. The undrafted free-agent out of Utah passed for 1,081 yards in four starts along with 3 TDs, and 4 INTs and added 294 yards on the ground with 2 rushing TDs.
In Week 2 of the preseason, Huntley was a smooth 13 of 14 for 129 yards and a touchdown. He also added 2 carries for 9 yards on the ground. If you are looking to stack he is a solid play alongside of rookie tight end, Isaiah Likely.
Huntley is a dual-threat QB who can make plays with his legs and his arm. Given how much we know the Ravens want to keep their preseason winning streak going, Huntley should be in for a big game tonight. He has experience and upside for your lineups.
Honorable mention: QB Malik Willis, TEN.
Preseason NFL DFS Picks - Running Backs
Chris Evans - LAR @ CIN
A player who many have dubbed as a sleeper for 2022, Evans is attempting to not only stay on the roster, but to supplant Samaje Perine as the Bengals backup to Joe Mixon. Evans had a disappointing Week 2 performance only having 5 carries on the ground for 3 yards. He did add 3 receptions for 7 yards as well.
A player who showed some promise in college, his career was cut short at Michigan due to academic issues and Covid-19. However, that didn't stop the Bengals from drafting Evans in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Last season Evans didn't play very much, but he added 17 rushes for 77 yards along with 15 receptions for 151 yards and TDs.
We should expect that the Bengals want to get a look at him this evening. Evans had a big run in Week 1 that was called back on a penalty, but this is just a glimpse of what he can bring to your DFS lineups. While he has been slow to get going in the preseason, the potential is there. Hold the line!
Jerome Ford - CHI @ CLE
A fifth-round pick out of Cincinnati in 2021, Ford joined a very crowded Browns backfield in Cleveland with Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and D'Ernest Johnson. Ford impressed in Week 2 where he rushed 9 times for 31 yards while having 4 receptions for 26 yards.
He is a player who had some solid production during his time at UC in college and had a nice run last week against the Jaguars. Given that the Browns want to get some more looks at him, he is a player worth putting in your lineup tonight.
While it is still unknown what the Browns are going to do with Kareeem Hunt, they definitely drafted Ford for a reason.
Preseason NFL DFS Picks - Wide Receivers
David Bell - CHI @ CLE
A third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, David Bell had as much college production as just about any wide receiver coming into the NFL in recent years. Bell had 93 receptions for 1,286 yards and 6 TDs during his junior season at Purdue and he decided to enter the NFL Draft.
Bell had an impressive performance in Week 2 where he hauled in 3 of 4 targets for 46 yards. He is a player who can line up all over the field and should be great in all full PPR formats.
The Browns need someone to step up and be the number two wide receiver this year opposite of Amari Cooper. All expectations are that Bell is going to be that guy.
Jahan Dotson - WAS @ BAL
A first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Dotson has been making waves with Washington all offseason. Officially he is listed ahead of Curtis Samuel on the depth chart, so there is a chance he may not be in the lineup tonight. Please be sure to check Twitter for updates on actives and inactives before sending in your lineup.
Dotson is an impressive talent who had arguably the best hands of any wide receiver in the 2022 class. While he hasn't had much production so far in the preseason, he is an absolute lightning rod out on the field and has the ability to break one at any given time. In preseason DFS those are the kinds of traits we are looking for due to the reality of players playing limited snaps.
Scotty Miller - TB @ IND
A player who Tom Brady seems to like in Tampa Bay, Miller is unfortunately buried on the current WR depth chart on the Bucs and is in danger of not making the team.
Miller made some big plays down the field in 2020 where he had 33 receptions for 501 yards and 3 TDs (over 15 ypc). He also had a big catch for a touchdown against Green Bay in the NFC Championship game.
Injuries sidelined Miller from action in 2021, but he is a total mismatch out there against third-string defensive backs.
Preseason NFL DFS Picks - Tight Ends
Isaiah Likely - BAL @ ARI
Isaiah Likely has been shining at Baltimore Ravens camp all offseason, even earning some large praise from incumbent Tight End, Mark Andrews. I recommended him for your Week 2 lineups and he put on an absolute show in the first half catching all 8 of his targets for 100 yards and a touchdown.
Likely is a big-bodied player who can go up and high point the football and is difficult to tackle on the ground. Given how much the Ravens utilize multiple tight end sets (as much as anyone in the NFL), there is plenty of room for Likely to have another big game.
Likely was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of tiny Coastal Carolina. Given the Raven's impressive track record with drafting later tight ends, Likely is a player who has his ceiling capped from Mark Andrews but could have some later dynasty value. Likely is another good stacking option paired with Tyler Huntley.
Jelani Woods - TB @ IND
A player who has had a bit of a slow start in Indianapolis this summer, Jelani Woods boasts about as big of an athletic profile as one could want in a tight end not named Kyle Pitts.
Due to his elite athleticism, Woods is one of the few tight ends in the league capable of breaking off a big play and has the potential to be dangerous for fantasy purposes. Woods was a third-round selection of the Colts in the 2022 NFL Draft (72nd overall).
Woods had 2 catches for 22 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 of the preseason. While he is raw and will need developing at the NFL level, he is a player worth putting in your preseason lineup due to his big play ability.
Thanks for looking at my picks and good luck with your contests today!
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