Top daily fantasy football plays for Friday’s Week 3 preseason games

After a modest two-game slate on Thursday, we have five games to work with on Friday, with some intriguing options at all positions to choose from.

This article seeks to point out some of the best options for Friday’s games, targeting starters in good positions and backups with opportunities for extended run against second- and third-string defenses. But as with any preseason game, roster decisions can be fluid, right up to kickoff. Be sure to check Twitter for late-breaking scratches and indications that certain players are expected to get heavy run.

That disclaimer out of the way, here are some options to consider when building your DFS teams on Friday:

QB

Must play: Cam Newton
Maybe play: Jimmy Garoppolo
Stay away: Tom Brady
Notes: Brady is expected to play in this one, but he figures to make essentially a cameo appearance. Garoppolo should see plenty of run, but he will do it against a tough Panthers defense, so be warned. Newton is the safer play here. He was pretty solid in limited action last week and should get close to a full half.

RB

Must play: LeGarrette Blount, Tyler Gaffney
Maybe play: Cameron Artis-Payne
Stay away: Dion Lewis
Notes: Lewis is out after surgery and with the Patriots probably looking to run to protect their QBs in this game, Blount and Gaffney have a chance for volume production. Both are solid plays. Artis-Payne should continue to get touches, but he is not a prime option here.

WR

Must play: None
Maybe play: Kelvin Benjamin, Devin Funchess, Danny Amendola, Aaron Dobson
Notes: It’s always hard to gauge how the Patriots will deploy their receivers in a game like this, but Dobson, at least, should see a decent amount of the field. Just not sure any of their Pats pass catchers rises to the level of must-play with options elsewhere. Benjamin and Funchess, on the other hand, have the opportunity to put up nice numbers -- particularly Benjamin, who might get a much longer look after being led back into action slowly the past two weeks.

TE

Must play: None
Maybe play: Martellus Bennett
Stay away: Greg Olsen, Rob Gronkowski
Notes: Olsen has been dealing with a back injury and Gronk just doesn’t get preseason reps. Bennett could make some noise as he continues to carve out his role in the offense.

QB

Must play: Kirk Cousins
Maybe play: Tyrod Taylor
Notes: Cousins is among the elite plays on this slate. He is expected to play the entire first half and could see time in the third. All that volume for a prolific passer with a dinged up running game sounds like a good idea to target.

RB

Must play: Robert Kelley
Maybe play: LeSean McCoy, Jonathan Williams
Stay away: Karlos Williams, Matt Jones
Notes: With Jones out with an injury, Kelley is expected to play with the first-team offense. He disappointed last week after a terrific Week 1 performance. The guess here is that his output against the Bills mirrors the Week 1 production. Karlos Williams is no longer a Bill. That probably works to Jonathan Williams’ favor after McCoy’s night is done. He is a solid sleeper on this slate.

WR

Must play: Rashad Ross
Maybe play: Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, Sammy Watkins, Dez Lewis
Notes: I don’t know how much I trust Garcon and Jackson, simply based on playing time, but Ross is a lock-and-load option here. The guy has been nothing but brilliant this preseason. Watkins is expected to play, but will likely be limited. The interesting play here is Lewis, who is fighting for a roster spot and could see plenty of action with some other receivers out or limited due to injury. He should be low-owned and could really surprise.

TE

Must play: None
Maybe play: Jordan Reed
Notes: Check his status pregame, but if Reed is out there with Cousins, you know what to do.

QB

Must play: Robert Griffin III
Maybe play: Jameis Winston
Notes: He should be the chalkiest chalk that ever chalked, but there’s no denying the brilliance this preseason. Fire up RGIII with confidence in all formats. Winston has been shaky so far this preseason, but he should be able to put up numbers going into the third quarter at home against this defense.

RB

Must play: None
Maybe play: Doug Martin, Charles Sims
Notes: Martin is expected to play after limited appearances the first two weeks. He is hard to trust after bruising his ribs last week, which makes Sims the safer play.

WR

Must play: Terrelle Pryor
Maybe play: Mike Evans, Josh Gordon (check status), Corey Coleman (check status)
Notes: Like RGIII at QB, Pryor is going to be a popular choice at receiver, as the two have become the dynamic duo of the preseason. Check Twitter for the status of Gordon and Coleman, who could eat into Pryor’s production if they play.

TE

Must play: Gary Barnidge
Maybe play: Austin Seferian-Jenkins
Notes: Barnidge should get close to a full half of work with Griffin and is always a threat. ASJ put up solid numbers last week and with Winston likely on the field for a full half, his chemistry with the quarterback makes ASJ a decent sleeper option.

QB

Must play: None
Maybe play: Drew Brees, Landry Jones
Stay away: Ben Roethlisberger
Notes: A full half of Brees is never a bad thing, and he should have a full complement of receivers at his disposal. It would seem unlikely his ownership will be high, so he could make a sneaky play. The Steelers’ main starters are expected to play, but it could easily be a cameo appearance. They are not worth the risk. Landry has been a bit of an adventure this preseason, but could have success against an equally shaky secondary.

RB

Must play: Mark Ingram
Maybe play: DeAngelo Williams
Stay away: Le’Veon Bell
Notes: Even if Bell plays, he is not going to be out there long. Williams might not, either, but he has a much better chance of producing. Ingram is always a threat in this offense and with a full half to work with, he could make a nice option here.

WR

Must play: Brandin Cooks, Sammie Coates
Maybe play: Willie Snead, Darrius Heyward-Bey
Stay away: Antonio Brown
Notes: It is a major risk, but if there’s one guy who can turn one or two series of action into a major fantasy night, it’s Brown. I wouldn’t do it, but if you told me his line was 2-70-1, I’d believe it. Coates is the play here, as he continues to get the looks in this offense. Cooks and Snead will be out there and both are capable of solid production as long as Brees is on the field. Cooks should slip under the radar.

TE

Must play: Coby Fleener
Maybe play: Jesse James
Notes: Call it a hunch, but I suspect Fleener will be involved a lot in this one as he works with Brees in live game conditions. I could see him being pretty heavily targeted in this one.

QB

Must play: None
Maybe play: Joe Callahan
Stay away: Aaron Rodgers, 49ers QBs
Notes: The temptation to use Rodgers has to be high, but there is no guarantee he is going to play long enough to make an impact. With Brett Hundley not expected to play, Callahan is the QB to target on the Green Bay side. With Colin Kaepernick expected to play, I would avoid the 49ers quarterback situation completely. Too many better, reliable options elsewhere.

RB

Must play: Eddie Lacy
Maybe play: Carlos Hyde, Mike Davis
Stay away: Shaun Draughn
Notes: Lacy has looked fantastic this preseason and there’s no reason to think that production is going to tail off in this one. Lacy is one of the elite options Friday. Draughn’s status is worth checking after not playing last week with a rib issue. Hyde should get decent run and Davis is fighting for a roster spot. Neither are top options.

WR

Must play: Davante Adams, Jared Abbrederis
Maybe play: Bruce Ellington
Notes: The big roster battle in this game is the third WR spot for the Packers. Adams and Abbrederis should get plenty of opportunities to make their respective cases. Both are solid options to produce points. Check the status of Ellington, who returned to practice this week. He has a been a bright spot for the 49ers.

TE

Maybe play: Vance McDonald
Notes: McDonald has proven to be a threat to put up solid numbers at a tough position to fill in preseason fantasy.