October is here, meaning we’re already into the mid-week college football action. Week 6 kicked off with a pair of Wednesday night contests, and we’ve been riding that momentum ever since. Like the marching bands at half-time, we’re about to hit our crescendo with a full day of action on Saturday. The main slate is highlighted by a few key conference matchups, including several schools with championship aspirations.
We’ve got you covered for DFS purposes, highlighting our preferred players from Saturday’s main slate.
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Or if cash games are more your speed, you can build your lineups alongside our projections with our Lineup Builder. From there, you can hand-build your lineup or lock in a few guys and let the builder optimize the rest based on our projections.
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Let’s dive into this week’s slate!
CFB DFS Quarterback Picks
Jayden Daniels (LSU Tigers): $9,000 DraftKings
One of the most intriguing contests from the early part of the day is an SEC showdown between two juggernauts. The Jayden Daniels-led LSU Tigers head into Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field for an all-Tigers battle with the Missouri Tigers. According to our projections, Daniels has the highest ceiling of any player available on the docket. That position is validated with some of the top metrics in the nation.
Daniels is off to a scorching start to the season. The senior is completing 73.1% of his passes for an average of 10.7 yards per pass attempt and 342.0 passing yards per game. His scoring touch has been second to none, with Daniels accumulating a 16-2 touchdown to interception ratio, resulting in the ninth-best QBR.
Of course, Daniels’ fantasy production is boosted with elite rushing metrics. The Tigers quarterback is averaging nearly 5.0 yards per carry while trotting for an average of 58.4 yards per game. Factor in three rushing touchdowns over his last three games, and you have the makings of a top-end fantasy quarterback.
Missouri’s defense is trending in the wrong direction over the past few weeks. Their last three opponents have combined for an average of 369.0 yards per game. That downward spiral will be made worse by Daniels and the other Tigers.
Jordan Travis (FSU Seminoles): $8,700 DraftKings
The Florida State Seminoles have a deadly combination of elite offensive playmakers and efficient defensive performers. Combined, those pieces have turned FSU into one of the top National Championship contenders. Jordan Travis will do his part to move the Seminoles up the rankings with another elite performance against the Virginia Tech Hokies.
With an extra week to prepare, Travis and the Seminoles will be ready for Saturday’s home showdown against the Hokies. Predictably, Travis has reserved his best efforts for at home. In Tallahassee, Travis has an improved 63.3% completion rating, with 8.6 yards per pass attempt and an inflated 165.4 passer rating.
Like Daniels, there’s also a rushing component that moves Travis to the top of our projections. The senior’s mobility separates him from other quarterbacks available. Travis is averaging 4.5 yards per carry at home, above the 3.6 he manages on the road.
Home-field advantage counts for a lot against the Hokies, and Travis is arguably the biggest beneficiary. An extra week to prepare gives the Seminoles an unneeded advantage and pole-vaults Travis to the top of the leaderboard.
CFB DFS Running Back Picks
RJ Harvey (UCF Knights): $6,100 DraftKings
The UCF Knights’ transition to the Big 12 hasn’t been a smooth one. The Knights dropped their first two conference matchups in their inaugural campaign, bumping them to the bottom of the standings. They’re trying to break their goose egg with a Week 6 matchup against the Kansas Jayhawks.
Rushing has become a more fundamental part of the Knights’ attack. UCF is running the ball on 57.1% of snaps, putting them in the top 25 among all FBS schools. RJ Harvey has been part of a running back tandem and is getting the lion’s share of touches out of the Knights’ backfield.
Through five games, Harvey has garnered 73 touches and 378 yards for 5.2 yards per carry. Harvey’s 73 carries are nearly 30 more than teammate Johnny Richardson’s. Moreover, he’s been a red zone staple crossing the plane five times already this season. Additionally, Harvey has been a solid component of the aerial attack, hauling in eight receptions for 172 and two more touchdowns.
The only knock on Harvey is that he’s forced to share snaps. Still, with his lead-back metrics and complementary receiving skills, Harvey is a worthy addition to any fantasy roster. Don’t overlook the value Harvey brings to the main slate.
Trevor Etienne (Florida Gators): $5,400 DraftKings
We are rolling the dice with another low-salary running back, with one of the top ceilings on the slate. Trevor Etienne has been the primary running back out of the Florida Gators’ backfield, but his output has been hampered by limited scoring. Nevertheless, at $5,400, he presents as one of the top values and has our unrelenting support against the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Etienne is primed for a bounce-back effort after last week’s disastrous effort. The Louisiana native rushed the ball 11 times for just 29 yards, for a season-low 2.6 yards per carry. Thankfully, that’s been the exception to Etienne’s production, ensuring he reached his lower boundary and should start to skyrocket on Saturday.
In total, Etienne has rushed for 358 yards on 60 carries for a respectable 6.0 yards per carry. Further, he’s added value to the Gators’ passing game, totaling 84 yards on 11 grabs. Most of that production has come over the previous two outings, with Etienne accumulating eight catches and 58 yards since Week 4.
The Gators are meaty favorites in this SEC matchup, implying that the rushing attack will be a focus as Florida runs away with it. Etienne remains the primary rusher and will respond after last week’s dismal effort.
Note: Etienne is listed as questionable with a lower body injury. Be sure to follow his status leading up to lock.
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CFB DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Malik Nabers (LSU Tigers): $6,100 DraftKings
A quarterback is only as good as the receivers he’s throwing the ball to. Fortunately for Jayden Daniels, he’s got a stable to NFL-caliber pass-catchers to distribute the ball to. Already this season, LSU features two wide receivers with at least 500 receiving yards. Moreover, those two players have accounted for nearly 60.0% of Daniels’ receptions. You wouldn’t be wrong with going with Brian Thomas Jr. or Malik Nabers, but we give the advantage to Nabers.
There are a few variables playing into Nabers’ advantage. First, he owns a captivating 30.9% target share and a 74.1% catch rate. That volume put him ahead of Thomas Jr., who checks in with a diminished target share of 23.4%, albeit a slightly improved 80.5% catch rate.
Nabers’ most impressive stat is his ability to gain yards. The junior has gone for at least 102 yards in three straight games, with a sterling 85.3% catch rate. Across that same three-game sample, Nabers has found paydirt on four occasions, representing 80.0% of his scores this year.
Nabers leads our median and ceiling projections. And for good reason. He’s been the primary pass catcher all season and gets to pick on Mizzou’s defense. Nabers is the perfect stacking option for any DFS punter rostering Daniels.
Luther Burden III (Missouri Tigers): $6,900 DraftKings
We’re expecting the Missouri Tigers to bite back on Saturday, and that’s an opinion shared amongst the betting community. This Tigers-only matchup features one of the highest totals on the board, and Mizzou has its own stable of elite offensive performers to unleash. Among those is Luther Burden III, who is a threat every time he steps onto the field.
Burden III stands above the rest in terms of fantasy production. The sophomore has totaled 644 yards on 43 catches, ranking first in the nation in yardage and third in receptions. Further, Burden III doesn’t take a week off. The Missouri native has accumulated 96 yards in all five contests, surpassing 114 over his last four games.
Volume is just the tip with Burden III, though. The Tigers’ wide receiver has been a scoring machine, totaling five TDs on the year, with four of those coming over the past three weeks.
Over the past two weeks, Burden III has accounted for a mind-numbing 37.9% target share. Missouri will have to do something to keep pace with LSU, and Burden III is its secret weapon. This is the wide receiver to build around on the main slate.
Josh Kelly (Washington State Cougars): $6,000 DraftKings
There are some pre-eminent pass-catchers available on Saturday’s main slate, and you wouldn’t be wrong to build around them. But with very minute differences in our projections, the better value play is deferring to a less expensive option, leaving more salary space for high-end players in other positions. That’s how we landed on Josh Kelly in what should be a thrilling Pac-12 contest.
As is typically the case, the Washington State Cougars are relentless with their aerial assault. Already this season, the Cougars have three 300-yard receivers. Without Lincoln Victor, who hasn’t played since September 16, the Cougars have turned to Kelly to absorb the additional workload. And Kelly hasn’t disappointed.
The junior was a prominent feature in Week 4’s win over the Oregon State Beavers. In that contest, Kelly hauled in eight of 12 targets for 159 yards and three scores. That was the third time in four games in which Kelly recorded a touchdown and the second time he recorded seven or more receptions.
The only pass-first program the UCLA Bruins have encountered was a Week 1 contest against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. In that non-conference matchup, the Chanticleers threw for 289 yards. Cameron Ward should have no problem moving Washington State down the field, and he’ll continue to look Kelly’s way.
Even with Victor available, we like Kelly’s salary and potential. He could match any other receivers production at a fraction of the cost.
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