That means you have to go dumpster diving, so to speak, and playing cheap options can be dicey. Not only are these values low-priced for a reason, but they typically don't project all that well, or at least carry the risk of low floors.

Luckily, there's always a handful of NFL DFS values that offer a solid mixture of savings and safety, or even value and ceiling. If you're not sure which cheap plays look the best, I've got you covered.

For this week's criteria, only QBs below $5.5K, RBs below $6K, WRs below $6K, and TEs below $4K fit the bill. Let's see which cheap NFL DFS picks are actually worth your time in Week 3.

Quarterbacks

Tyler Shough, Saints ($5.4K)

While I don't love the matchup with what looks to be a respectable Raiders defense, I do like the price here. Tyler Shough has managed to top 20 fantasy points in both games this year, and he has a built-in floor due to his underrated rushing ability.

Las Vegas is not an easy matchup by the numbers (ninth-stingiest), but Shough could rack up stats playing from behind. If he can do anything with his legs, he can salvage his day.

Kyler Murray, Vikings ($5.1K)

Much like Shough, Murray possesses a strong floor due to his ability to impact the game with his legs. And like Shough, he projects better than most would expect this week because of it.

Murray missed most of the first two games for Minnesota due to a concussion, but he's back in the saddle for a Week 3 matchup with the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay made Deshaun Watson look good last week, and they are a middle-of-the-pack matchup overall.

Given that he's even cheaper than Shough, has an arguably superior supporting cast, and inarguably has a softer matchup, Murray stands in as one of the better QB values of the week.

Dirt Cheap: Jameis Winston, Giants ($4K)

Want a true punt at quarterback? You won't find a better -- or at least cheaper -- one than Winston.

With Jaxson Dart sidelined with a season-ending knee injury, we get the bare-minimum-priced Winston against the Titans. It's a decent enough matchup, and you can't get a QB cheaper than this.

Running Backs

Jaylen Warren, Steelers ($5.7K)

This one is contingent on Warren (shoulder) being healthy enough to play. Warren has not been very good through two weeks, but we know he's better than that, and an expanded workload with Rico Dowdle out would render him way too cheap.

It's definitely important to note that Cincinnati trading for Dexter Lawrence made them better up front, but Warren's ability, price, and potentially expanding role may negate that this week.

Bhayshul Tuten, Jaguars ($5.6K)

Admittedly, running back is not a spot where I want to save cash on this slate. There are a ton of stud RBs up top, so I'd rather save at QB and TE. That said, if you want another source of value at the position, consider the underpriced Tuten.

Tuten was said to be in a timeshare to start 2026, but I've yet to see much evidence of it. He's been Jacksonville's main guy through two weeks, notching 31 total touches. His matchup with the New England Patriots (seventh vs. RBs) looks bad, but he's a technical value when you consider his price tag, role, and explosive nature.

Dirt Cheap: Keaton Mitchell, Chargers ($4.2K)

This one is not for the faint of heart, as the Chargers are underdogs and Mitchell doesn't have a huge role. However, he's an explosive player, and Buffalo's biggest defensive weakness is its run defense.

Mitchell was banged up heading into the season, so it's not illogical to anticipate him getting more touches in the near future. If he can find success against the Bills, he could get the ball a bit more in Week 3.

Wide Receivers

DK Metcalf, Steelers ($5.4K)

The Steelers haven't looked very good on offense, but the Bengals in theory represent their best matchup to date. Cincinnati has improved greatly on defense, but I am looking at this as more of a price-and-role situation for DK.

Even if the Bengals are as good as advertised on defense, we need to consider the sheer volume coming Metcalf's way. Michael Pittman Jr. is still banged up, Metcalf has seen 9+ targets in each of his first two games, and game flow should also work in his favor.

Do I think the Steelers are going to shred the Bengals and win? No, but I do think a $5.4K Metcalf getting 10 balls thrown his way every week is eventually going to lead to an explosion.

Josh Downs, Colts ($5.7K)

Josh Downs is another cheap wide receiver getting a lot of volume. He was a ghost in Week 1, but last week saw Indy's top WR, Alec Pierce, re-aggravate a heel injury, and now Downs is looking at a massive role.

Downs turned nine targets into seven catches in Week 2, and now he's in a possible shootout with a formerly elite Houston defense. I'm not sure what happened to the Texans, but they've gotten torched by the Bills and Bengals in successive weeks.

The Colts are a tier down, for sure, but volume and value are the angles we like here. Oh, and literally nobody has given up more fantasy points to WRs through two weeks than the Texans.

Dirt Cheap: Chris Bell, Dolphins ($3.4K)

The Dolphins are huge underdogs against the Chiefs this week, so they will very likely be putting the ball in the air for much of the second half. Caleb Douglas is also banged up, so taking shots on cheap Miami WRs in general could be a viable strategy.

My preferred punt here is Chris Bell. He slid to Miami in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft due to a knee injury, but he's a big-bodied receiver who can make plays. If this game goes how it's expected to, he could end up getting a lot of work late.

Tight Ends

Dalton Schultz, Texans ($4.2K)

Tight end is without a doubt my favorite spot to save cash on DraftKings this week. Houston tight end Dalton Schultz is a big reason why, as his price spiked by $1K and yet he is still probably way too cheap.

That will happen when you drop 29 fantasy points like Schultz did last week, and now he's in another nice spot against a Colts defense that is fifth-worst against tight ends. Last week wasn't Schultz's first rodeo, though. It was where he truly went off, but he's now seen at least eight targets in both of his 2026 contests.

With Nico Collins out, I don't see how Schultz doesn't garner loads of target volume for the third week in a row.

Mark Andrews, Ravens ($4.4K)

Lastly, we've got quite the pivot at tight end with Mark Andrews. The field in this Brazil game is sketchy, but the role and matchup for Andrews look quite strong.

I would not be shocked at all to see Baltimore play it safe with Zay Flowers (hamstring) considering the field conditions. If they do, the door is wide open for Andrews to smash against a Dallas defense that has fallen inside the bottom 10 at defending TEs in fantasy football.

Just as important, though, is the fact that Andrews is already plenty involved. He's drawn 5+ targets in both games and is an elusive TD away from breaking a slate. I think he gets in this week.

Dirt Cheap: Kenyon Sadiq, Jets ($3.4K)

I personally am very high on the Jets this week, as they're in the dome in Detroit and get to face a porous Lions defense. This game has a very high total, and Detroit has been abysmal -- like dead-last bad -- at stopping opposing tight ends.

Sadiq is a rookie who hasn't cleared 50% of his team's snaps in a game yet, but the guy in front of him, Mason Taylor, is hurt and will sit. Sadiq is a flier no matter what, but Taylor's absence could open the door to serious production in a smash spot.

Finding Good Cheap Plays in NFL DFS

The name of the game is not to just swing for the fences in NFL DFS. It's to aim high with a purpose.

Anyone can point out guys with low salaries, but how do they project, how do they fit in your lineup builds, what does their matchup look like, and do they provide correlation with any other players you're using?

These Week 3 NFL DFS values check most of the positive boxes you want to look for. The next step is figuring out which ones best fit with the rest of your lineup and process for the week.