The New York Giants have a tough matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, even if their talent will be diminished significantly by injuries to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, tight end George Kittle, running backs Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman and defensive ends Solomon Thomas and Nick Bosa.
With all those skill players dealing with injuries, that’s not an indicator that daily fantasy players should start the Giants defense. No, Golden Tate is the one Giants player you need to start in Week 3 on DraftKings. He’s got a reasonable salary at $4,500, and though tight end Evan Engram got a team-high receptions in Week 2, Tate led the receivers in catches, which is a good sign, considering he’s moved up the depth chart after Sterling Shepard went on injured reserve.
Darius Slayton ($4,900) is another tempting pick. He’s probably just as likely to pop as Tate. They’re both facing a defense that has allowed the fifth most points to fantasy football receivers so far this year. But if they’re probably even in terms of chances for a big game, then it’s best to take Tate, a player who’s cheaper and probably more likely to see a higher volume of targets. Tate saw his first round of action in Week 2, and it was promising, with five targets, five catches 47 yards.
If Devonta Freeman cannot play because of his limited time getting acquainted with the playbook, that would make Dion Lewis an excellent play for Week 3. But it seems likely the Giants will try to get Freeman on the field for game day — which means he’ll be in a committee with Lewis to start. Those running backs could be a headache.
