Cowboys vs Giants Odds:
Giants -1 (-110)
Over/Under 39.5 (-110)
Moneyline Giants -116/Cowboys -102
The Dallas Cowboys will be without Dak Prescott as they head north to face NFC East rival New York Giants for Monday Night Football. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush looked adequate (61-percent Completion Percentage) in relief of Prescott during Week 2’s surprising upset win over the Bengals. Whether it be the dysfunction of the Giants offense or the competency of Rush’s quarterback play, the public is understandably undecided on a winner. The game’s meager game total is a culmination of the Prescott injury and both teams anchoring the league in points scored. As far as betting goes, I don’t mind touchdown hunting with the usual suspects on both sides of the ball or taking a stand on a winner by betting either spread. Let’s dig in for Week 3’s MNF Showdown!
Cowboys
Coming off the high of last week’s upset win, the Cowboys are looking to repeat the magic. Although Rush didn’t fill the stat sheet, he also didn’t tank his teammates fantasy outlook. Rush is in play as a low-tier QB2 and is best suited for deep superflex leagues or a flex option for one game DFS contests.
The Cowboys offense looks to be operating predictably in the wake of the Prescott injury. Ezekiel Elliott continues to function as the teams lead back although his output has been disappointing. Having logged back to back games with under six fantasy points, Elliott has been brutal for fantasy gamers. Banking on a touchdown looks to be the only way to salvage any fantasy points for Elliott given that he’s a non-factor in the passing game. Elliot is a low-end RB2 and fade-worthy in PPR leagues.
Pollard
Tony Pollard on the other hand has a much higher ceiling especially in PPR. Pollard ranks No. 4 in Slot Snaps and will help Dallas move the chains while offering Rush a reliable target around the line of scrimmage. Pollard’s seven Week 2 targets trailed only teammate CeeDee Lamb. He’s a locked in RB2 against a Giants defensive front that has been vulnerable to opposing pass catchers.
s/o Next Gen Stats
Outside of Pollard, Lamb warrants strong consideration. Lamb has commanded back to back 11 Target outings through two weeks of play. His unaffected 33-percent Target Share makes him a strong WR2 option despite playing with a backup quarterback. The other Dallas pass catchers are a stay-away as Michael Gallup‘s expected return muddies the waters for other ancillary options, most notably Noah Brown. Gallup is a one game DFS flex-worthy punt, but I’m more inclined to take the wait and see approach given the situation. Dalton Schultz is expected to miss the game after suffering a knee injury late in the 4th quarter of the team’s Week 2 game.
Giants
Like the Cowboys, the Giants offense is easy to navigate. Daniel Jones‘ outlook isn’t great taking on a Cowboys defense that contained Tom Brady and Joe Burrow in consecutive weeks. Having said that, Jones is a strong one game DFS flex play due to his ability to get points on the ground. He’s a low end QB2 though given the games low total.
Saquon Barkley Advanced Stats & Metrics Profile
Saquon Barkley is locked in as a matchup-proof RB1 on any given week. Barkley is top three in Opportunity Share (86-percent), Snap Share (84-percent) and Target Share (21-percent). With lackluster options outside of Barkley, expect Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka to rely heavily on his workhorse rusher. The G-Men have started the season 2-0 in large part to Barkley’s buoying the offense.
Offensive Weapons
The offensive options outside of Barkley are lackluster at best. Missing receiving options Wan’Dale Robinson (out) and Kadarius Toney (doubtful) will leave the Giants short handed. With free-agency bust Kenny Golladay being a weekly non-factor, the Giants next best options appear to be Sterling Shepard and David Sills. Shepard is a strong flex option for one game DFS games as he’s coming off a 10 Target game and should see a lot of work out of the slot. The tight end by committee approach the Giants have deployed makes them a stay-away for fantasy purposes.
