If you’re playing an Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Rams DFS lineup for Sunday in Week 3, then you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve analyzed each team’s highest-probability game scripts to assess the most likely outcomes, including which players are in line to thrive more than anticipated or fall short of expectations.
The following recommended fantasy football lineup (for tournaments, 50/50, or head-to-head competitions) aims to lock in a relatively high floor while maximizing upside.
Recommended Cardinals vs. Rams DFS lineup
Today, we’re playing DraftKings “Showdown Captain Mode,” which includes one player who earns 1.5 times his scoring output, plus five flex players. The following NFL betting recommendations are based on proprietary PFN predictive analytics pulled from decades of NFL historical data.
Using this data, I’ve built dozens of models showing actionable probabilities of better-than-expected and worse-than-expected outcomes. Criteria such as age, durability, shifting personnel, schedule, and other factors help shape these final assessments.
Cardinals DFS considerations
If not for their miraculous comeback victory over the Raiders, Arizona would be in a lot of trouble. As it stands, they’re good enough to beat L.A., although questions surrounding their backfield are warranted, especially if James Conner isn’t at 100%.
Is this entire backfield unstartable in DFS? The answer is “yes” if we’re simply guessing who will take the most touches.
If you picked Greg Dortch as Rookie of the Year this summer, congratulations on your Nostradamus-ness. All the preseason hype surrounding Rondale Moore has subsided, as Dortch has at times looked like Kyler Murray’s best weapon.
However, Dortch’s DFS price shot up last week, and no doubt we’ll need to invest heavily if we want him this week. Between him and Marquise Brown and Zach Ertz, we probably can’t afford to reach for more than one unless we believe Murray will post 25+ points.
Speaking of which, Murray absolutely can post 25+ most weeks if things break right — and particularly when DeAndre Hopkins returns. But against the Rams, all bets are off.
Yes, L.A. has looked susceptible to the pass these past two weeks, to put it mildly. They’ve yielded a league-high 75.4% pass-completion rate. And yet, they’re tied for fourth with four interceptions and should not be taken lightly; they’re still the defending champs.
Rams DFS considerations
Speaking of the Rams, can Matthew Stafford right the ship? Five picks in two games is just plain ugly, especially with two coming against the Falcons in a contest that looked like a blowout before the offense started falling apart.
Can any team stop Cooper Kupp? I thought there would be adjustments this season. So far, I’ve been completely wrong. We’ll need to pay top dollar, but it’s probably worth it, given his unparalleled ceiling in this game.
Allen Robinson and Gerald Everett are tougher players to analyze. Both look like strong plays, and yet they might lack the uber ceilings we’d need to win a title, especially at their relatively steep price points.
As for the running game, as expected, Cam Akers got going last week. Can we trust him and Darrell Henderson, or is it better to roll the dice on one? This game features several 20+ point options and many more solid 10-19 point options. We’ll need to find at least one cheap bargain to fit everyone within the salary cap.
Recommended DFS lineup
Ertz is one of the cheapest DFS starters in this contest despite being a decent bet to lead all Cardinals in receptions today. To maximize our ability to snag elite talent elsewhere, we’re installing Ertz ($5,800 normally, $8,700 as Captain) in our Captain slot. He’s joined by teammates Murray ($10,600) and Matt Prater ($4,000). I don’t care that Prater hasn’t attempted a field goal yet. While his sub-par accuracy in recent years is concerning, his lack of opportunities so far has been a fluke.
These cost savings give us enough funds to invest in Kupp ($12,200). Most competitors will include him in their lineups. He’s the surest bet of any player in this game; if we leave him out, we’re risking more than if we start him and he somehow busts.
Rounding out this lineup are Stafford ($10,000) and Matt Gay ($4,200). As with Prater, ignore Gay’s muted production in the first two weeks. He’s 6-for-7 from 50+ yards since 2020 and brings sizable upside against a relatively weak Arizona defense.
