Sunday’s NFL DFS slate gives us room to build around a real passing-game stack without giving up a premium running back.
My starting point for DraftKings Week 3 on Sunday, September 27, 2026: Patrick Mahomes, two Kansas City pass-catchers and Jahmyr Gibbs. Then give Miami a place in the lineup through De’Von Achane.
This article covers the 13-game Sunday main slate beginning at 1 p.m. ET. Rams–Broncos on Sunday Night Football and Eagles–Bears on Monday are separate from this build. See our NFL Week 3 Sunday TV schedule for the full viewing guide.
The roster uses DraftKings Classic positions: one quarterback, two running backs, three receivers, one tight end, one FLEX and one defense/special teams. There is no Captain multiplier.
This is a pregame tournament lineup, not a confirmed-active list. Final Sunday inactives were not available when this was prepared. Recheck every player before the applicable game locks.
The nine salaries total $49,200, leaving $800 under the $50,000 cap. Prices were cross-checked against the Week 3 DraftKings main-slate salary board and published DraftKings Network coverage. Confirm the selected contest’s player pool before entering.
Why Patrick Mahomes Is the Starting Point
At $6,200, Mahomes gives this lineup an affordable quarterback around whom we can build. DraftKings Network’s matchup breakdown notes Miami’s early struggles against the pass and lists the Mahomes–Worthy combination at a combined $10,600.
I want the passing touchdowns to do more than help one roster spot. A Mahomes touchdown to Worthy or Kelce scores for both ends of the connection. That is the reason for the double stack.
Mahomes practiced fully Friday and carries no game designation on the Chiefs’ final injury report. Left tackle Josh Simmons is out, which remains a protection concern.
The risk is straightforward: Kansas City can win comfortably while the rushing attack does most of the scoring. This lineup needs the Chiefs’ production to come through Mahomes often enough to reward three roster spots.
Jahmyr Gibbs Is the Premium Spend
Gibbs costs $8,800 against the Jets, as listed in DraftKings Network’s Week 3 running back salary table. He is the most expensive player here by a considerable margin.
That is an intentional choice. I would rather reserve one slot for his rushing-and-receiving ceiling than spread every dollar evenly across the lineup. A running back who can score through either part of the offense gives us more ways to benefit from Detroit reaching the end zone.
It also creates a clear opportunity cost. Paying for Gibbs means passing on the premium wide receivers. If this slate is won by a receiver posting a monster game while Gibbs delivers an ordinary afternoon, this construction will be vulnerable.
Worthy and Kelce Complete the Chiefs Stack
Worthy is $4,400. Kelce is $4,500. Together, they keep the entire three-player Kansas City passing stack at $15,100.
Worthy had 13 targets through two games, according to the DraftKings Network breakdown linked above. His production has lagged that opportunity. I am willing to bet on a better result at this price, but the targets should not be confused with a guaranteed breakout.
Kelce supplies another receiving option in the same offense. The appeal is the combination: we do not need to guess which one catches every touchdown, provided enough of Kansas City’s scoring reaches these two.
We can still get the distribution wrong. Rashee Rice, the other receivers and the running backs can take the touchdowns this build needs.
De’Von Achane Is the Miami Bring-Back
Achane at $6,500 gives us an opponent alongside the Kansas City stack. If Miami can answer the Chiefs, that helps preserve the competitive game this construction wants.
Achane had 31 carries and seven receptions through two games, as detailed in this week’s Week 3 statistical roundup. Those are two avenues to fantasy production.
A receiving score would be especially useful in our preferred scenario: Miami puts points on the board, and Kansas City continues attacking. This is a bet on that game flow, not a claim that using an opposing player automatically makes a lineup better.
Judkins and McMillan Give Us a Second Game to Target
Cleveland lists Quinshon Judkins first at running back on its Week 3 depth chart. At $5,500, he is the midrange back who makes this salary structure possible.
The concern is the line in front of him: guard Teven Jenkins is out, per the Browns’ final report. I am not treating Judkins as a risk-free value.
On the other side, Tetairoa McMillan costs $6,000. Carolina lists Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette as questionable on its Friday injury report. If either misses the game, McMillan could face less competition for receiving opportunities.
That possibility is upside, not an assumption built into the lineup. If both play, reassess the receiver choices. The game scenario I want is Cleveland sustaining drives through Judkins while Carolina answers through its passing game.
Kayshon Boutte Is the Swing Spot
Houston has ruled out Nico Collins with a hamstring injury. That puts its other receivers back in the DFS conversation.
Boutte is $4,500, but the opportunity needs context. DraftKings Network reports that he saw five targets last week, up from two in the opener. That is a modest role, even with Collins missing.
He is the most fragile receiver in this lineup. I am accepting that risk in a tournament because a touchdown can change the outcome at this salary. I would not use Collins’ absence as justification to label Boutte a safe cash-game play.
Why Buffalo Is the Defense
The Bills cost $2,800 against the Chargers. Buffalo generated seven sacks through its first two games, while Los Angeles scored 28 total points across its opening two losses, according to the statistical roundup linked above.
The objective is pressure and turnover opportunities at a low price. We do not need a shutout to make this slot useful.
Defense remains volatile. A sack-fumble can transform the result, and one long touchdown allowed can undo much of the afternoon. I prefer keeping the investment modest here.
Pivots and Cash-Game Adjustments
More target volume at the cheap receiver spot: Xavier Hutchinson is $4,000, a $500 saving from Boutte. The DraftKings Network Houston breakdown credits him with nine targets in Week 2. That is a reasonable alternative if you prioritize opportunity over Boutte’s scoring-dependent appeal.
A different tight end: Mark Andrews is $4,400, saving $100 from Kelce. That is a legal one-player salary swap, but it removes part of the Mahomes double stack. I would use it as part of a deliberate change in lineup strategy.
Cash-game starting point: Mahomes and Gibbs are the first two pieces I would consider. I would then review the confirmed lineups and favor dependable involvement at receiver. The exact nine-player build above takes too many correlated and low-volume risks to present as a conservative cash lineup.
Leaving $800 unused is allowed. It does not make the lineup unique or stronger by itself. Use the space if a better option emerges; there is no reason to force a more expensive player simply to hit $50,000.
What to Check Before Lock
Confirm every selection on the official game-day active lists. Pay particular attention to Carolina’s receiver decisions, which can change McMillan’s outlook. Recheck weather for the outdoor games and any overnight injury or roster updates.
All nine selections in this example are in the early window. Once those games lock, this build offers no remaining afternoon flexibility. In late-swap eligible contests, later-starting players can be changed until their own locks; if you revise this lineup to include one, place an eligible later-starting player in FLEX when possible.
Final Word
The preferred scenario is simple: Mahomes connects with Worthy and Kelce, Achane helps Miami keep pace, and Gibbs delivers the premium score we paid for. Judkins and McMillan give us a second game to benefit from, while Boutte and Buffalo provide the cheaper tournament bets.
Total salary: $49,200. Remaining: $800. Treat this as a tournament starting point, then make the final decisions with Sunday’s confirmed lineups.
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