Eagles-Bears DFS Picks: Best Value Plays, NFL Week 3

Week 3 of the NFL season wraps up with an NFC matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears. The Eagles enter as road favorites for the second straight week and look to improve to 3-0 after a strong start. Meanwhile, the Bears could be in serious trouble with franchise QB Caleb Williams officially out with a hamstring injury for the foreseeable future. Chicago may have to turn to third-string QB Case Keenum, with backup Tyson Bagent also questionable with a concussion.

Now that you have some context on Monday Night Football‘s matchup, here are the best DFS picks for the NFC showdown. Be sure to check out our NFL betting trends page for data and odds on every game.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Chicago Bears DFS Picks

Pos	Player	Matchup	FPPG	Salary
MVP	👑 Jalen Hurts	PHI @ CHI	21.4	$16,200
FLEX	DeVonta Smith	PHI @ CHI	19.5	$10,600
FLEX	Saquon Barkley	PHI @ CHI	6.0	$10,000
FLEX	Kyle Monangai	PHI @ CHI	15.6	$5,600
FLEX	Dontayvion Wicks	PHI @ CHI	13.9	$4,400
FLEX	Cole Kmet	PHI @ CHI	5.8	$3,000

👑 Jalen Hurts, PHI/QB/MVP ($16,200)

With the Bears offense expected to regress significantly, I wanted to fit the Eagles’ big three into this MNF lineup, starting with Hurts in the captain spot after a strong opening two weeks of his seventh season in Philadelphia. Hurts has 529 total yards and 5 TDs through two games and now faces a Chicago defense that has been fairly mediocre to start the year.

The Bears are allowing 23.0 PPG, and teams have averaged 362 total yards of offense against them in the first two weeks. Hurts has adjusted well to life without star WR A.J. Brown and continues to operate as one of the league’s best dual-threat QBs. He has looked more comfortable in the pocket this season and now faces a secondary allowing an 8.9-yard average depth of target with multiple DBs missing from the lineup.

DeVonta Smith, PHI/WR ($10,600)

We’ll pair Hurts with his number-one target this season, DeVonta Smith. The former Alabama teammates have turned back the clock early this season, with years of chemistry showing clearly. With Brown gone and starting TE Dallas Goedert injured, Smith has commanded a 33.9% target share early in the season. The 27-year-old is on pace for his career-high in targets and has thrived in a true WR1 role.

Smith exploded in Philadelphia’s comeback win last Sunday — 10 receptions for 117 yards and a TD. As mentioned, the Bears pass defense has ranked in the bottom half of the league, and opposing wideouts have already taken advantage. Carolina WR Jalen Coker finished with 8 receptions for 138 yards and 2 TDs against Chicago in the opener, and Smith is more than capable of similar production given how well he and Hurts are connecting this season.

Saquon Barkley, PHI/RB ($10,000)

The final member of the Eagles’ big three is RB Saquon Barkley, though the price tag feels a bit steep given his performance through two weeks. The former MVP finalist showed signs of slowing down last season and has done little to quiet those conversations early this year — just 100 combined rushing yards through two games, with a chunk of Sunday’s game missed due to a stinger injury.

Monday’s matchup could remind everyone that Barkley is still one of the better backs in the league. The Bears rank in the bottom half of the league in run defense, giving up the 22nd-most rushing yards per game at 122.0, with opponents averaging a very efficient 4.9 yards per carry. A few chunk runs could easily snowball into a big day for Barkley, who will be eager to silence the doubters on a national stage.

Kyle Monangai, CHI/RB ($5,600)

One of Chicago’s unsung heroes this season has been sophomore RB Kyle Monangai. The former seventh-round pick has formed a dynamic duo with starting RB D’Andre Swift, and the two are combining to fuel the league’s top rushing offense through two weeks. While Monangai is clearly the number two back in this system, the 24-year-old makes the most of his opportunities and could see more than the 10 carries per game he has averaged so far.

The Eagles’ run defense has not exactly held up well through two games, ranking 23rd in rushing yards allowed per game at 127. Swift will continue to handle the bulk of early-down work, but Monangai’s 7.4 yards per carry on 20 attempts makes his limited volume look very efficient. The former Rutgers standout has also added two receptions in back-to-back games and provides some value as a pass-catching option out of the backfield.

Dontayvion Wicks, PHI/WR ($4,400)

While Smith has stolen the show in Philadelphia’s offense, WR Dontayvion Wicks has quietly put together back-to-back strong games flying under the radar. The former Packer ranks second behind Smith in catches and yards for the Eagles and has clearly built chemistry with his new QB in just two games together. Wicks has now had back-to-back 70-plus yard outings and has been the perfect complementary piece to his star teammate.

At $4,400, Wicks is a no-brainer based on his early-season production. The speedy wideout is averaging 21.0 yards per catch and 14.7 yards per target with several deep looks downfield. With the Bears allowing the fourth-highest explosive pass rate in the league, Wicks is one of the biggest big-play threats in this Eagles offense on Monday evening.

Cole Kmet, CHI/TE ($3,000)

Rounding out our lineup is another Chicago unsung hero in veteran TE Cole Kmet. The seventh-year man has settled into a secondary role behind the highly touted Colston Loveland but has outperformed the TE1 through two games. Loveland has just five total targets and caught just 1 pass for 3 yards in the Bears’ most recent game. Kmet, despite being phased out in Chicago’s most recent struggle, outperformed him with 2 receptions for 35 yards and a TD back in Week 1.

At just $3,000, the risk is minimal, and the upside is real. With Williams out and a backup under center, OC Press Taylor may lean more heavily on the sure-handed veteran TE to ease the burden on the QB. Whether Kmet gets a significant role or not, his price makes him difficult to leave off the board.

Photo Credit: REUTERS