It’s been a hell of a run, but sadly, this is the last full Saturday of college football. Next week we set our sights on a divided slate, with a handful of teams getting underway on Friday, leaving fewer games to look forward to on Saturday. Nevertheless, we here at FantasyLabs live in the here and now, meaning our undivided attention is focused on Saturday’s main slate. There is plenty of intrigue in Week 13. We’re on the final legs of conference races, with some teams still clamoring to remain bowl-eligible and others vying for a non-guaranteed playoff berth.
We’ve got you covered for DFS purposes, highlighting our preferred players from Saturday’s main slate.
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Let’s dive into this week’s slate!
CFB DFS Quarterback Picks
Cam Ward (Miami Hurricanes): $10,500 DraftKings
Cam Ward may have seen his Heisman Trophy odds tumble, but his fantasy stock has never been higher. The Miami Hurricanes quarterback leads his team into a favorable matchup against the defensively inept Wake Forest Demon Deacons. While he has the steepest salary on the main slate, our analysis supports that he’s worth the investment.
Cam Ward has been one of the most consistent fantasy performers this season. The senior has gone north of 300 passing yards and recorded multiple touchdown passes in all but one game this season. On average, he’s throwing for 349.4 yards and 3.2 touchdowns per game, which is consistent with his most recent efforts. Ward has 748 passing yards and eight touchdowns over his last couple of starts, underscoring the sustainable nature of his success. Still, his averages represent the low bar for what to expect in Week 13.
Undoubtedly, Wake Forest operates one of the worst pass defenses in the entire country. The Demon Deacons give up the third-most passing yards per game, getting trounced for 296.3 per game, and the second-worst completion percentage (70.4%). Both of those metrics play into Ward’s strength as a passer, with the Canes’ pivot leading the FBS in QBR.
In their final regular season home game of the 2024 campaign, the Hurricanes are decisive -24 chalk against Wake Forest. They’ve demonstrated an unrelenting commitment to their passing attack this season, amplifying Ward’s outlook in what could end up being the last home start of his collegiate career. Expect him to leave on a good note and end the day as the top-performing quarterback on the main slate.
Jalon Daniels (Kansas Jayhawks): $6,900 DraftKings
To offset Ward’s substantive salary, we’re looking further down the projections for our top-value candidate. This week, that distinction lies with Jalon Daniels. The Kansas Jayhawks are in one of the categories alluded to earlier and are desperately trying to stay bowl eligible by ending the year on a four-game winning streak. It remains to be determined if they could pull off the unsuspecting feat, but irrespective of outcome, Daniels should be at his best.
Although his team escaped with the win last week, Daniels is coming off one of his worst performances of the season. He mustered just 169 passing yards and an interception against the BYU Cougars, accumulating just 15 yards on 10 carries in the win. Both of those benchmarks are departures from his usual standard, setting Saturday’s Big 12 clash against the Colorado Buffaloes as an ideal bounce-back spot.
So far this season, the junior is averaging 198.5 passing and 33.8 rushing yards per game, but he’s dialed up his effectiveness when the Jayhawks need him most. Week 12 notwithstanding, Daniels was up to 252.8 passing yards and 51.5 rushing yards across his four preceding games. As expected, that correlates with an increase in scoring. Over that same stretch, Daniels threw for eight touchdowns while adding four more via the run game, highlighting his versatility and fantasy ceiling week after week.
Sitting at 4-6, the Jayhawks can’t afford any slip-ups before the end of the season. Saturday’s tilt against the Buffaloes represents their most sincere challenge in accomplishing that goal. Daniels will take what Colorado gives him, and he’s positioned to increase his fantasy scoring after last week’s lackluster showing.
Scoring-wise, there’s not much of a difference between Daniels and some of the other top-tier quarterbacks. But in terms of salary, he comes at a discounted rate. That makes Daniels the ideal value candidate to target on Saturday.
CFB DFS Running Back Picks
Tahj Brooks (Texas Tech Red Raiders): $8,900 DraftKings
The Oklahoma State Cowboys have given up on any semblance of defense, preferring to run the clock out on the 2024 campaign and look ahead to next year. The Cowboys have dropped seven in a row, getting trounced in each one of those contests. The Texas Tech Red Raiders can ensure that reliable trend continues, turning to Tahj Brooks early and often in Week 13.
Tahj Brooks has been one of the most unstoppable running backs in the country. His 1,184 rushing yards are the eighth-most among all FBS ball carriers, and he’s accomplished that in one fewer game than most other halfbacks. The senior has appeared in only nine games this season, equaling an average of 131.6 rushing yards per game. Still, his fantasy value isn’t limited to volume alone. Brooks has 11 touchdowns this season, with all but two of those coming over the past six weeks. Additionally, Brooks has emerged as a reliable pass-catching back. Over his last four games, the Texas native has totaled 84 receiving yards on 11 catches and 16 targets.
Labeling Oklahoma State as one of the worst defenses in the country doesn’t do the program justice. The Cowboys are on a historically bad downward trend, getting crushed every time they step on the field. Over their previous six contests, they’ve given up at least 38 points each time out with an average of 525.3 yards per game. It’s not just one or two bad outings either. All six opponents have mustered at least 468 yards, with four of those six recording 529 or more. Most of those yards have come on the ground. Only one of those six opponents has recorded fewer than 225 rushing yards, and three have eclipsed the 300-yard threshold.
Texas Tech should have no problem scoring at will on Saturday, and the Red Raiders can count on Brooks to lead the charge. Even at $8,900, he can be counted on to outperform the expectations of his salary and put together a slate-changing performance.
Omarion Hampton (North Carolina Tar Heels): $9,600 DraftKings
There is no shortage of quality running backs available on this week’s main slate. Of the four backs with a $9,000 salary, we like Omarion Hampton’s ceiling the best. The North Carolina Tar Heels junior has been operating on another level recently, and he gets an ideal matchup against a Boston College Eagles rush defense that has struggled to limit opposing running backs recently.
Hampton has been relied upon to deliver the Tar Heels to glory this season, but they’ve doubled down on their running back toward the end of the season. Over the last two weeks, Hampton has accumulated a mind-numbing 67 carries, representing 46.2% of North Carolina’s offensive plays. An increased workload hasn’t come at the expense of efficiency either. Hampton has totaled 462 rushing yards across those two outings, translating to 6.2 yards per carry. Astoundingly, that’s actually an increase relative to his season-long average of 5.7 yards per carry.
Last week, SMU Mustangs running back Brashard Smith dropped 120 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries against the Eagles, adding four receptions for 13 yards. The week prior, Logan Allen scored two touchdowns while going north of 100 scrimmage yards versus BC.
That’s the low end of the spectrum for what to expect from Hampton on Saturday. The North Carolina native has eclipsed the century mark in eight straight games while finding the end zone 14 times over that stretch. Hampton won’t get the Heisman consideration he deserves, but in Week 13, take notice of what he’s capable of.
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CFB DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Xavier Restrepo (Miami Hurricanes): $8,000 DraftKings
We’re leading off our wide receiver selections with a correlated play. As Cam Ward goes in Week 13, so does Xavier Restrepo. While the Hurricanes feature a bevy of top-end pass-catchers, no one has a higher ceiling than Restrepo in Week 13.
The senior has amplified his production over the tail-end of the 2024 season. Restrepo has at least seven receptions and 101 receiving yards in three of his past five outings while commanding a more robust target share from Ward. Over that five-game sample, Restrepo has been thrown to 45 times, representing 22.5% of the passes while leading the team in targets in two of the past four games. Just as impressively, he’s broken off gains of 63, 66, and 77 yards in three of those contests, underscoring his elusiveness and speed with the ball.
Like Ward, Restrepo gets to work against one of the worst pass defenses in the country, and we expect both players to take full advantage. Stacking the Hurricanes duo could be the key to unlocking fantasy glory in Week 13.
Brennan Presley (Oklahoma State Cowboys ): $7,200 DraftKings
Despite their defensive shortcomings, the Oklahoma State Cowboys haven’t lost sight of their air raid offense. If anything, constantly playing at a deficit has made them more reliant on their passing attack. One player you can buy low on this week is Brennan Presley. The receiver’s salary still doesn’t reflect his elite ceiling, and he’s poised to sustain his current form against the Red Raiders.
Presley is committed to ending his collegiate career with a bang. The senior has been a safety blanket for Cowboys’ quarterbacks all season, but his best efforts have come over the past few weeks. Leading the team with a substantive 28.6% target share, Presley has accumulated a jaw-dropping 38 targets over the last three games. More impressively, he’s hauled in 31 of those throws for a noteworthy 80.6% catch rate. Nearly half of those catches came in a Week 9 loss to the Baylor Bears, but Presley also had another 10-reception outing last time out against the TCU Horned Frogs. It’s also worth noting that he’s crossed the plane in three of his previous four contests.
By virtue of constantly playing from behind, Oklahoma State has relied on its passing attack more frequently. Even with Ollie Gordon operating out of the backfield, the Cowboys are throwing the ball 57.8% of the time, the 16th-highest percentage in college football. Further, that dependence on the pass jumps significantly at home. OK State calls passing plays 63.7% of the time at Boone Pickens Stadium.
Texas Tech doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to defending the pass, amplifying Presley’s outlook on the main slate. The Red Raiders give up an average of 283.3 passing yards per game, the fifth-most among FBS teams. Look for Presley to continue his assault in Week 13. He’ll be the guy in the end zone holding the football.
Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State Sun Devils): $6,500 DraftKings
Our wide receiver picks wouldn’t be complete without highlighting our preferred value selection. This week, we’re turning to Jordyn Tyson as the top candidate to eclipse his implied value. His Arizona State Sun Devils face a crucial test against the BYU Cougars, with the winner all but cementing their position in the Big 12 Championship Game. Tyson will do his part to lead the Sun Devils to victory.
Tyson doesn’t have the loftiest receiving totals, but he’s been a scoring machine for the Sun Devils. So far this season, the sophomore has accumulated 833 yards on 58 receptions, but has found the end zone nine times in his first season at ASU. Most of that damage has come over the past few weeks, with Tyson crossing the plane five times in his last three games.
That’s not to diminish his productivity though, as Tyson is on the rise with his recent performances. He’s recorded at least 81 receiving yards in four straight games, surpassing the 100-yard plateau on two occasions. On a per-game basis, Tyson is averaging 116.0 yards on 8.3 receptions across the four-game sample. Moreover, he’s led the team in targets in each one of those contests, absorbing 48 throws or 12.0 per game.
His salary doesn’t reflect it, but Tyson has emerged as an elite fantasy producer over the final month of the season. That upward trajectory carries him into a pivotal Week 13 showdown, and we anticipate another fantastic showing against the Cougars.
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