This year’s college football season has been a trip. Week after week, there are massive upsets, with the Top 25 looking more like a temporary stop for most teams rather than a full placement. Some teams have fallen completely out of the playoff picture already, while others have made surprising bids for inclusion. Likewise, DFS punters have ridden that wave week in and week out. Some expected standouts have fallen short of the mark, while other playmakers have emerged as centerpieces of their respective offenses. That rollercoaster continues with a wide-open Week 8 main slate.
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
Cade Klubnik (Clemson Tigers): $9,600 DraftKings
For the second straight week, we are back on the Cade Klubnik train. The Clemson Tigers quarterback didn’t disappoint in Week 7, putting up 30.36 fantasy points while getting things done through the air and on the ground. Klubnik’s ceiling is even higher on Saturday, taking on the porous Virginia Cavaliers defense as -21 chalk at home.
After losing its season-opener to the Georgia Bulldogs, Clemson has rattled off wins in five straight. Their offense has been the foundation of the Tigers’ success, averaging 48.6 points per game over that stretch. As expected, Klubnik has been the driving force behind their offensive prowess, moving the Tigers with ease in every outing.
So far this season, the junior pivot has completed 66.8% of his throws for a jaw-dropping 17-2 touchdown to interception ratio and 8.3 yards per pass attempt. The resulting 88.3 QBR is the fifth-best mark in the country. Those metrics look even more impressive when we zero in on his home splits, with Klubnik completing 67.9% of passes for 10.4 yards per pass attempt and a 12-1 touchdown to interception ratio.
Virginia’s defense has been an inhibiting factor for the Cavaliers this season. They rank 92nd in the FBS, giving up 409.2 yards per game. Most of that damage has come via the air, with the Cavaliers getting torched for 290.6 passing yards per game, dropping them to 120th among 134 FBS schools.
While he doesn’t have the highest salary, Klubnik represents the highest ceiling on the main slate. Still, we wouldn’t be surprised if he surpasses his lofty expectations en route to a slate-best performance.
Noah Fifita (Arizona Wildcats): $6,200 DraftKings
We need to talk about Noah Fifita. Turnovers have been an issue for the Arizona Wildcats signal-caller, but he’s still been effective at moving the team’s offense downfield. Moreover, he won’t face a sincere challenge from the Colorado Buffaloes’ underwhelming defense, particularly when he’s insulated by his home crowd. On that basis, we’re expecting Fifita to vastly surpass the implied value of his $6,200 salary.
Five interceptions over the past couple of weeks have derailed otherwise solid performances. In Week 6, Fifita threw for 301 yards against the Texas Tech Red Raiders, following that up with 275 more against the BYU Cougars last time out. Those performances brought his per-game average up to 272.7, with a resulting 7.1 yards per pass attempt. The other factor we have to consider is his volume. Fifita throws the football more than any other quarterback, averaging 38.5 pass attempts per game.
Colorado’s defense has improved compared to last year, but it’s still not great. The Buffaloes have given up 226.0 passing yards per game on the road this season against three less-than-stellar offenses. In their most recent road game, the 3-3 UCF Knights threw for 284 yards on 35 pass attempts against the Buffs, representing the median of what to expect from Fifita on Saturday.
Fifita is an ideal buy-low candidate. He’s not as bad as he’s shown over his last couple of outings, and he’ll have a much easier time dissecting Colorado’s shaky secondary. If you’re looking to splurge on other positions, the sophomore is the top value quarterback to roster on the main slate.
CFB DFS Running Back Picks
Tahj Brooks (Texas Tech Red Raiders): $8,400 DraftKings
Tahj Brooks is the pre-eminent running back to target in Week 8. The senior has been the Texas Tech Red Raiders bell cow on offense and is well on his way to setting new highs in virtually every offensive category. That upward trajectory carries Brooks into Saturday’s Big 12 clash against the Baylor Bears’ swiss cheese rush defense.
No one is slowing down Brooks. The Texas native has run for at least 109 yards in all five appearances this season, averaging 135.8 yards per game and 5.5 yards per carry. He’s also had an unrelenting workload, accumulating 80 carries across his last three games. Over that small sample, Brooks has seen an uptick in his productivity, totaling 417 rushing yards, five touchdowns, and 81.8 fantasy points.
Baylor doesn’t possess the defensive faculties to contain Brooks. They have the 96th-ranked rush defense in the country, giving up an average of 174.4 yards per game. Sadly, that benchmark is on the decline, with their last two opponents totaling 493 yards with both squads easily surpassing 200 rushing yards.
If you thought that Brooks set the high mark with last week’s 32.6-point fantasy effort, wait until you see what he does against the Bears. His effectiveness will shine against a lackluster Baylor defense, and he’ll only continue to earn more touches as the Red Raiders, literally and metaphorically, run away with it.
Woody Marks (USC Trojans): $7,400 DraftKings
It’s been an up-and-down kind of season for the USC Trojans. Once considered a playoff lock, the Trojans have gone on to drop three of their past four to fall completely out of the CFP picture. Still, Woody Marks has been one of the few constants in their lineup, and we expect him to produce another slate-changing performance against the Maryland Terrapins.
Marks is an every-down back who can produce on the ground and act as a safety valve in USC’s passing game. In six games, the senior has totaled 579 rushing and 189 receiving yards on 101 carries and 21 receptions. His recent sample is even more flattering, with Marks recording no fewer than 140 total yards in four of his past five. Predictably, that’s yielded some noteworthy fantasy efforts, with the Trojans running back averaging 22.26 fantasy points across the five-game sample.
We’ve also seen a decline in the Terrapins’ defensive standard lately. Maryland has given up 79 points across its last two outings, losing and failing to cover both games. The Indiana Hoosiers were responsible for 42 of those points, accumulating 510 yards of total offense against the Terps. A similar outcome is anticipated with the high-octane Trojans coming to College Park.
Marks has proven to be a premier fantasy contributor in every game this season, and he should have no problem replicating that success on Saturday. We’re anticipating another heavy workload in the run and pass games, helping Marks reach his fantasy ceiling against the Terrapins.
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CFB DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Tai Felton (Maryland Terrapins): $8,900 DraftKings
Although the last two results haven’t gone their way, the Terrapins aren’t the kind of team to roll up and die either. They’ve hit a bit of a roadblock in terms of offensive production, but Tai Felton can help lead them out of that rut against a beatable Trojans defense.
Felton has been a top-end wide receiver in nearly every game this season, but he also needs to reverse course on an unflattering trend. The senior has been held to a combined 115 receiving yards over his last two games, failing to eclipse 77 in either outing. In the four games prior, Felton had at least 117 receiving yards each time out, averaging 151.0 receiving yards per game. Considering his team-leading 48.2% target share and NFL-caliber skills, a bounce-back effort seems inevitable.
Week 8’s showdown against the Terrapins also sets up as a bit of a flat spot for USC. Fresh off last week’s disheartening loss to the Penn State Nittany Lions, the Trojans have to travel across the country and get up for a conference battle after their playoff hopes have been dashed. That could result in a sub-optimal effort from the Trojans as they mourn what could have been.
This game features the highest total of any Big Ten contest this week, and we expect both teams to do their part to get it over 56.5 points. We’re counting on Felton to recapture his early-season form against the Trojans and end the day as one of the top performing wide receivers.
Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona Wildcats): $8,300 DraftKings
Noah Fifita wouldn’t be having the productive season that he is without Tetairoa McMillan doing most of the heavy lifting. Arizona’s premier pass-catcher has been the first look in Fifita’s progressions all season, and McMillan is due for a breakout performance.
McMillan has alternated hot and cold fantasy efforts all year long, but he’s had one of the most consistent workloads. The Wildcats receiver has totaled nine or more targets in all but one game this season, averaging 7.0 receptions on 10.8 passes thrown his way. Still, he has only cracked the century mark three times this year, falling below 78 receiving yards in three of his last five.
McMillan has the opportunity to get back on the winning track against the Buffaloes. Colorado let Kansas State Wildcats wideout Jayce Brown to break free for 121 receiving yards last time out, and McMillan has a significantly higher ceiling than Brown. The 6’5″ receiver uses every inch of his frame to gain leverage over defenders, and he possesses breakaway speed that the Buffaloes won’t be able to limit.
As Fifita goes, so does McMillan. The junior has one of the highest ceilings on the main slate, and he should have no problem reaching the pinnacle of fantasy production. He’s the ideal stacking candidate to pair with his undervalued quarterback.
Zakhari Franklin (Illinois Fighting Illini): $4,900 DraftKings
Prioritizing two premier pass-catching options necessitates a value pick to offset their high salaries. In that regard, you can look to Zakhari Franklin to substantially overproduce relative to his modest main slate salary.
With Pat Bryant leading the way, Franklin has flown under the radar in Illinois’ passing attack. However, Franklin has taken on a heftier workload over the past couple of weeks. The senior has led the Fightin Illini in each of the last two games, with his 16 targets representing a 27.1% target share. He’s failed to make the most of those additional looks, but we’re expecting improved efficiency from Franklin in the immediate short-term.
Across his last two starts, Franklin has posted a lackluster 50.0% catch rate. But that’s a substantial deviation from the norm, making him a progression candidate over the coming games. In the four games prior, Franklin hauled in 21 of 29 passes thrown his way for a 72.4% catch rate. He should start working his way back up to that level starting in Saturday’s tilt versus the Michigan Wolverines.
This isn’t the same championship-caliber defense from last year. Michigan’s secondary has been burned on a few occasions, punctuated by Week 6’s 27-17 loss to the Washington Huskies. In that game, Washington had three receivers accumulate at least 65 receiving yards, giving up 23 completions on 22 pass attempts. Franklin will become the latest beneficiary and should once again lead Illinois in targets. But this time, we’re anticipating a more robust fantasy performance.
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