NFL DFS Lineup Picks for DraftKings, FanDuel: Preseason Week 3 (Friday, 8/22/25)

August 22, 2025

The top daily fantasy football lineup picks for DraftKings, FanDuel -- NFL preseason Week 3 on Friday, August 22, 2025. Doug's NFL DFS analysis and sleepers picks.

We have reached the penultimate slate of the 2025 NFL preseason, and if last night’s two-game slate is any indication, we are in for a lot of backups and guys fighting for their careers in these four games. Sure, we may get a series or two of Caleb Williams and Patrick Mahomes, but there are no starters who are projected to play enough to make a big difference on this slate. 

Backup quarterback battles in New Jersey, Minnesota, and Dallas will help shape this slate. We also need to determine the Vikings' receiver strategy for this game, given that most of their pass-catchers are injured. Whoever gets the snaps for them could be the deciding factor for your tournament lineups. 

Here you will be provided daily fantasy football picks on FanDuel and DraftKings for the Friday four-game slate of Week 3 of the NFL preseason on 8/22/25. 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

Joe Milton III (DAL vs. ATL) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

I must be a glutton for punishment because I’m back on the Milton train for the third straight week. He has looked less than stellar this preseason, but the Cowboys are determined to have him win the backup job and will once again give him the start in this game.

Milton looked good in practice this week, so perhaps that will roll over into this game. He has so much raw talent that it’s hard to fade him when we know he’s going to get a ton of snaps. 

Dallas is also looking to figure out its wide receiver depth, meaning that Milton is going to have to throw a lot for those evaluations to happen. We saw in Week 18 last season what Milton can do when he’s at his best. That upside is far too juicy to pass up on a four-game slate in tournaments. 

Adrian Martinez (NYJ vs. PHI) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

Don’t let his subpar stat line from Week 2 fool you; Martinez played well against the Giants. He may have only completed 58% of his passes, but that doesn’t take into account the numerous drops that plagued the Jets receiving corps.

I was at this game, and Martinez looked poised in the pocket. More so, he looked comfortable scrambling out of the pocket to make plays. He was rarely off target on his throws; the Jets receivers couldn’t hold onto them. 

Martinez is battling with undrafted free agent Brady Cook for the third-string job in New York, a job that could become the backup spot if Tyrod Taylor takes longer to heal than expected.

The Jets played poorly last weekend overall, and new head coach Aaron Glenn will want to turn that momentum around heading into the first week of the season. Martinez should start this game and play into the second half, giving him more than enough volume to be a worthwhile tournament play.  

Can Adrian Martinez be more than just a "camp arm?" The numbers and the film help us to find the answer ... 👉https://t.co/5IwSGbFiIT pic.twitter.com/XTUmrMIOTp

— Jets X-Factor (@jetsxfactor) August 19, 2025

ALSO CONSIDER: Max Brosmer (MIN), Brandon Allen (TEN), Kyle McCord (PHI), Easton Stick (ATL)

Preseason NFL DFS - Running Backs

Zavier Scott (MIN at TEN) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

Going into training camp, it was assumed that Ty Chandler would easily win the third-string running back job for the Vikings. His journey to that job hasn’t been nearly as smooth as the team expected, and now Scott is hot on Chandler’s tail for that role.

After a strong Week 1 performance with seven carries for 40 yards, Scott followed that up last weekend with 10 carries and four targets in the passing game. That is a lot of volume at a position where players rarely see 10 opportunities in the preseason. 

The battle for this job is far from over, and both Scott and Chandler should be given plenty of chances in this game to take it. I’m rolling with the hot hand in Scott, given how well he’s performed through the first two weeks of the preseason. 

Ian Wheeler (CHI at KC) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

The top three running back slots are locked up for the Bears, making it unlikely that we will see much of D'Andre Swift, Roschon Johnson, or Kyle Monangai in this game, especially since the latter two are banged up. Veteran Travis Homer is also injured, meaning the only healthy running backs on the roster who haven’t locked up a spot on the team are Brittain Brown, Royce Freeman, and Wheeler. 

Wheeler was excellent last weekend, rushing for 80 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in a blowout against the Bills. He’s likely to get most of the work again this weekend, and given how well he’s performed, it wouldn’t be a shock if he looked strong against the backups of the Chiefs. 

Really happy for RB Ian Wheeler after tearing his ACL in '24. He has looked solid so far & his pitch to be on the #Bears '25 roster has been fun to watch.

Against BUF:
-19 CAR
-80 yards
-4.2 YPC
-2 TD

How can you not root for this guy?pic.twitter.com/raBUyNdHJe

— Just Another Year Chicago: Bears (@JAYChi_Bears) August 19, 2025

ALSO CONSIDER: Jaydon Blue (DAL), Donovan Edwards (NYJ), Kalel Mullings (TEN), Nathan Carter (ATL), Phil Mafah (DAL)

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Preseason NFL DFS - Wide Receivers

Chris Blair (ATL at DAL) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

Blair has been the most consistent receiver on the Falcons this summer, catching three passes and scoring a touchdown in each of the team’s two preseason games.

Even with those two strong performances, Blair isn’t guaranteed a spot on the roster, meaning he’s going to probably get more snaps in this game to prove his worth. He’s a bit of a risk as the team will also be featuring Dylan Drummond, David Sills V, and Nick Nash, all of whom have played well this summer. 

Despite all four players getting a lot of playing time, each has had their moments to shine, so there are enough balls to go around on this offense. Quarterback Easton Stick has played well in both games, but his main target downfield has been Blair. With Stick fighting for a roster spot, he’s going to continue to look for the guys he trusts. They make for a strong tournament stack along with any of the other three Falcons pass-catchers. 

Myles Price (MIN at TEN) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, Rondale Moore, and Tai Felton. What do all five of those players have in common? They are all Vikings receivers who are banged up and won’t play in this game (with the outside chance that Felton’s arm injury isn’t serious enough to keep him out of this game).

What’s worse is that, other than Jefferson and Felton, it’s unlikely that any of those receivers will be available Week 1 for the Vikings, either. 

Does that mean we see guys like Lucky Jackson rested in this game so that Minnesota can field a team when it starts the season? If so, that means we need to look further down the roster for viable receivers like Price. Price has had two catches in each of the Vikings' two preseason games, including a touchdown in Week 1. 

The coaching staff loves him, and Price’s special teams acumen will help him make this roster. The team now needs to see what he can do with extended reps at receiver to see if he can be a dual-threat player for it. Those reps should come in this game. You can stack him up with quarterback Brosmer and receiver Tim Jones for a tournament stack. 

"He's just a flat-out football player. He does a great job tracking & catching it. He's a sneaky tackle-breaker, can stick his foot in the ground & get vertical. I'm excited to see what Myles can do to cap off a really good preseason."

📰: https://t.co/qHJ97KytYi pic.twitter.com/1oqNff3CFL

— Lindsey Young (@LindseyMNSports) August 21, 2025

Darius Cooper (PHI at NYJ) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

Cooper had a strong first week of preseason, catching a team-high six passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. He was expected to have another strong performance last weekend, but instead ended up getting completely shut out. That has put his chances of making the team in jeopardy, meaning he needs to show out in this game to earn a roster spot. 

Johnny Wilson was just ruled out for the season, giving extra hope for guys like Cooper and Ainias Smith. Unfortunately, he won’t get the benefit of playing with Tanner McKee in this game, as the backup has already been ruled out, but the snaps will be there for Cooper to put up another strong game. You can stack him in tournaments with Smith and quarterback Kyle McCord. 

ALSO CONSIDER: Tim Jones (MIN), Ainias Smith (PHI), Xavier Restrepo (TEN), John Metchie III (PHI), Brandon Smith (NYJ), Traeshon Holden (DAL), Quentin Skinner (NYJ), Elic Ayomanor (TEN), Chimere Dike (TEN), Nikko Remigio (KC)

Preseason NFL DFS - Tight Ends

Robert Tonyan (KC vs. CHI) (DK: $5500 I FD: $6000)

The starters will see brief playing time for the Chiefs, but once they're pulled, the roster will consist of players vying for a spot on the squad. One player who has a good shot of that is veteran tight end Robert Tonyan. He’s been playing great in camp, and came through last weekend with a monster game of five catches, 41 yards, and a touchdown. 

He’s going to be on the field with veteran quarterbacks Gardner Minshew and Bailey Zappe, both of whom are more than capable of getting him the ball. Tonyan has always been a significant touchdown threat going back to his days in Green Bay, and another strong performance will go a long way in helping him make the squad this season. He’s far and away the top tight end on this slate. 

ALSO CONSIDER: Kylen Granson (PHI)

Thanks for checking this out, and good luck!

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