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College Football Fantasy Breakdown (Fri. 8/31): Stanford-San Diego State Features Two Elite Running Backs

Week 1 of the college football season is now in full swing, and both DraftKings and FanDuel have brought back CFB DFS. The action starts tonight at 7:00 pm ET with a six games on DraftKings and five games on FanDuel.

For more information on the slate, see Sean Newsham’s CFB DFS rankings, and also check out The Action Network’s Live Odds page for line updates.



Game of the Week: Colorado (-7.5) at Colorado State

This year’s Rocky Mountain Showdown is ripe with storylines and fantasy value. Colorado has won this rivalry game three straight years, and Colorado State is hungry for victory, especially after a disappointing loss to Hawai’i in Week Zero. This game features two programs that rank in the bottom 10 of the NCAA in returning production, and both teams have high-powered offenses with dynamic quarterbacks ready to prove themselves on a national stage. This contest could turn into a shootout quickly and offers a variety of stackable DFS options.

Quarterbacks

Ty Gangi (Nevada): $10,400 DraftKings

Gangi had a prolific 2017 season, posting a 228-2,746-25 line passing and adding 180 yards and four touchdowns rushing in only 10 games. Nevada-Portland State features the highest point total on the slate, with the Wolf Pack implied for 47.5 points. Gangi has two all-conference receivers at his disposal, and Portland State (which plays in the Football Championship Subdivision) is a bad defensive team that last year went 0-11 while ceding 493.3 total yards and 43 points per game. Gangi’s 24.1 average DraftKings points per game last season makes him a top quarterback option, with plenty of upside for 300+ passing yards.

K.J. Carta-Samuels (Colorado State): $8,500 DraftKings, $9,300 FanDuel

After plenty of offseason hype, Carta-Samuels finally suited up for the Rams last week and delivered a monster performance. He went 34-of-50 passing for 537 yards and five touchdowns with one interception. He also added six rushes for 25 yards. After his prolific performance against Hawai’i, Colorado State will likely heavily feature Carta-Samuels against Colorado. The Buffaloes ranked 106th in the country against the pass last year, and they rank 122nd in returning production on defense. Against a vulnerable unit, Carta-Samuels may be poised for another huge showing.

Davis Alexander (Portland State): $5,000 DraftKings

As a freshman, Alexander started Portland State’s final three games last year and averaged a whopping 48.7 pass attempts per contest. His three-game averages as a starter were outstanding. He passed for 388.3 yards and 2.67 touchdowns and rushed for 37.7 yards and 0.3 rushing touchdowns per game. That production came against FCS opponents, but his upside is still apparent and Nevada’s defense is subpar. The Wolf Pack ranked a paltry 121st in defensive efficiency and 129th against the pass last season. Portland State and Nevada’s offenses are dynamic enough — and their defenses are bad enough — for this game to challenge the 71-point over. Consider targeting Alexander as a punt option or in a game stack with Nevada’s talented skill position players.

More Fantasy Football Content from The Action Network

Running Backs

Bryce Love (Stanford): $9,700 DraftKings, $10,800 FanDuel

Consider paying up for Love against San Diego State. He’s coming off a 2,118-yard, 19-touchdown season and is this year’s odds-on favorite to win the Heisman (7-1). He’s a strong cash-game play, given that he averaged 25.8 DraftKings points per game in 2017. Stanford is a double-digit home favorite but isn’t expected to blow out San Diego State, so Love should have ample opportunities to touch the ball with minimal risk of an early exit. He also offers by far the highest touchdown upside of any back on Friday’s slate.The one knock on Love is his lack of receiving upside, but his elite rushing volume should compensate for that.

Juwan Washington (San Diego State): $7,900 DraftKings, $9,700 FanDuel

San Diego State has more than earned its “RBU” nickname. The Aztecs have featured the NCAA rushing leaders for two consecutive seasons in Donnel Pumphrey (2016) and Rashaad Penny (2017). Washington is the next man up and has proven himself to be a dynamic playmaker over the past two years. Backing up Penny in 2017, Washington earned 127 carries for 759 yards and seven touchdowns. And, like Penny before him, Washington will also be used on kick and punt returns. He’s scored three special-teams touchdowns in the last two years. San Diego State should keep the game close enough with Stanford to allow Washington to get his carries, and the Aztecs will likely use a run-heavy game script to slow the contest down. Washington is a nice arbitrage play on Love with similar upside.

Kell Walker (Army): $3,900 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel

Army’s triple-option offense ranked first in the NCAA last year with 362.3 rushing yards per game, and Walker was their most explosive offensive weapon (7.3 yards per carry). He rushed 86 times for 629 yards and six touchdowns, and he was also the team’s leading receiver. He practiced at quarterback as well this spring, so there’s a non-zero chance he could line up under center at some point in this game. The Black Knights are breaking in a new starting quarterback following the graduation of the prolific Ahmad Bradshaw. There is risk, however, as Army is also replacing four starters on the offensive line.

>> Sign up for The Action Network’s daily newsletter to get the smartest college football conversation delivered into your inbox each morning.

Wide Receivers

Preston Williams (Colorado State): $7,200 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel

Williams is a former four-star recruit who transferred from Tennessee and is now the No. 1 receiver for the Rams after redshirting last year. He burst onto the national scene against Hawai’i last week, hauling in nine receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns. Williams also serves as the kick returner. He is big (6-feet-4, 210 lbs), fast, and physical and will be a problem for the young Buffaloes secondary. Colorado State will likely stick to its high-volume passing attack against Colorado, which could result in another big game for Williams.

Warren Jackson (Colorado State): $4,300 DraftKings, $5,900 FanDuel

All three of Colorado State’s starting wide receivers should be on your radar, but Jackson offers the most value at his price. Like Williams, Jackson is tall (6’5″) and should feast on Colorado’s undersized secondary. Jackson is the Rams’ primary deep threat, ranking first on the team last season with 17.7 yards per reception as a true freshman. He had a solid 5-72-1 receiving line last week and offers stable target volume with upside in a potential shootout.

Charlie Taumoepeau (Portland State): $3,900 DraftKings

I don’t typically like to target tight ends in DFS, but Taumoepeau posted a 45-673-3 line last season and was very consistent, finishing second on the team in receiving. In Alexander’s three starts at quarterback last year, Taumoepeau averaged 5.7 receptions for 91.3 yards, good for 16.8 DraftKings points per game. This week he could benefit from a pass-heavy game script against Nevada: Portland State will likely be playing from behind all game and could heavily target its reliable all-conference tight end.

DFS Stacks

Nevada

Nevada’s air-raid offense could torch the inept Portland State defense, resulting in gaudy passing numbers.

  • QB: Gangi
  • WR: McLane Mannix
  • WR: Brendan O’Leary-Orange

Colorado State

CSU put up over 500 passing yards in Week Zero, and the Rams should pick up right where they left off against a depleted Buffaloes defense.

  • QB: Carta-Samuels
  • WR: Williams
  • WR: Olabisi Johnson
  • WR: Jackson
  • RB: Izzy Matthews

Colorado

Colorado’s up-tempo offense runs through quarterback Steven Montez, who (along with his No. 1 wide receiver) will benefit from a pass-heavy game script.

  • QB: Montez
  • WR: Jay MacIntyre

Army

Army always puts up huge rushing numbers. If you’re looking for cheap production, you can always stack a couple of Black Knights rushers together.

  • QB: Kelvin Hopkins Jr.
  • RB: Walker
  • RB: Darnell Woolfolk
  • RB: Andy Davidson



Photo Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports
Pictured Above: Bryce Love

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Week 1 of the college football season is now in full swing, and both DraftKings and FanDuel have brought back CFB DFS. The action starts tonight at 7:00 pm ET with a six games on DraftKings and five games on FanDuel.

For more information on the slate, see Sean Newsham’s CFB DFS rankings, and also check out The Action Network’s Live Odds page for line updates.



Game of the Week: Colorado (-7.5) at Colorado State

This year’s Rocky Mountain Showdown is ripe with storylines and fantasy value. Colorado has won this rivalry game three straight years, and Colorado State is hungry for victory, especially after a disappointing loss to Hawai’i in Week Zero. This game features two programs that rank in the bottom 10 of the NCAA in returning production, and both teams have high-powered offenses with dynamic quarterbacks ready to prove themselves on a national stage. This contest could turn into a shootout quickly and offers a variety of stackable DFS options.

Quarterbacks

Ty Gangi (Nevada): $10,400 DraftKings

Gangi had a prolific 2017 season, posting a 228-2,746-25 line passing and adding 180 yards and four touchdowns rushing in only 10 games. Nevada-Portland State features the highest point total on the slate, with the Wolf Pack implied for 47.5 points. Gangi has two all-conference receivers at his disposal, and Portland State (which plays in the Football Championship Subdivision) is a bad defensive team that last year went 0-11 while ceding 493.3 total yards and 43 points per game. Gangi’s 24.1 average DraftKings points per game last season makes him a top quarterback option, with plenty of upside for 300+ passing yards.

K.J. Carta-Samuels (Colorado State): $8,500 DraftKings, $9,300 FanDuel

After plenty of offseason hype, Carta-Samuels finally suited up for the Rams last week and delivered a monster performance. He went 34-of-50 passing for 537 yards and five touchdowns with one interception. He also added six rushes for 25 yards. After his prolific performance against Hawai’i, Colorado State will likely heavily feature Carta-Samuels against Colorado. The Buffaloes ranked 106th in the country against the pass last year, and they rank 122nd in returning production on defense. Against a vulnerable unit, Carta-Samuels may be poised for another huge showing.

Davis Alexander (Portland State): $5,000 DraftKings

As a freshman, Alexander started Portland State’s final three games last year and averaged a whopping 48.7 pass attempts per contest. His three-game averages as a starter were outstanding. He passed for 388.3 yards and 2.67 touchdowns and rushed for 37.7 yards and 0.3 rushing touchdowns per game. That production came against FCS opponents, but his upside is still apparent and Nevada’s defense is subpar. The Wolf Pack ranked a paltry 121st in defensive efficiency and 129th against the pass last season. Portland State and Nevada’s offenses are dynamic enough — and their defenses are bad enough — for this game to challenge the 71-point over. Consider targeting Alexander as a punt option or in a game stack with Nevada’s talented skill position players.

More Fantasy Football Content from The Action Network

Running Backs

Bryce Love (Stanford): $9,700 DraftKings, $10,800 FanDuel

Consider paying up for Love against San Diego State. He’s coming off a 2,118-yard, 19-touchdown season and is this year’s odds-on favorite to win the Heisman (7-1). He’s a strong cash-game play, given that he averaged 25.8 DraftKings points per game in 2017. Stanford is a double-digit home favorite but isn’t expected to blow out San Diego State, so Love should have ample opportunities to touch the ball with minimal risk of an early exit. He also offers by far the highest touchdown upside of any back on Friday’s slate.The one knock on Love is his lack of receiving upside, but his elite rushing volume should compensate for that.

Juwan Washington (San Diego State): $7,900 DraftKings, $9,700 FanDuel

San Diego State has more than earned its “RBU” nickname. The Aztecs have featured the NCAA rushing leaders for two consecutive seasons in Donnel Pumphrey (2016) and Rashaad Penny (2017). Washington is the next man up and has proven himself to be a dynamic playmaker over the past two years. Backing up Penny in 2017, Washington earned 127 carries for 759 yards and seven touchdowns. And, like Penny before him, Washington will also be used on kick and punt returns. He’s scored three special-teams touchdowns in the last two years. San Diego State should keep the game close enough with Stanford to allow Washington to get his carries, and the Aztecs will likely use a run-heavy game script to slow the contest down. Washington is a nice arbitrage play on Love with similar upside.

Kell Walker (Army): $3,900 DraftKings, $7,800 FanDuel

Army’s triple-option offense ranked first in the NCAA last year with 362.3 rushing yards per game, and Walker was their most explosive offensive weapon (7.3 yards per carry). He rushed 86 times for 629 yards and six touchdowns, and he was also the team’s leading receiver. He practiced at quarterback as well this spring, so there’s a non-zero chance he could line up under center at some point in this game. The Black Knights are breaking in a new starting quarterback following the graduation of the prolific Ahmad Bradshaw. There is risk, however, as Army is also replacing four starters on the offensive line.

>> Sign up for The Action Network’s daily newsletter to get the smartest college football conversation delivered into your inbox each morning.

Wide Receivers

Preston Williams (Colorado State): $7,200 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel

Williams is a former four-star recruit who transferred from Tennessee and is now the No. 1 receiver for the Rams after redshirting last year. He burst onto the national scene against Hawai’i last week, hauling in nine receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns. Williams also serves as the kick returner. He is big (6-feet-4, 210 lbs), fast, and physical and will be a problem for the young Buffaloes secondary. Colorado State will likely stick to its high-volume passing attack against Colorado, which could result in another big game for Williams.

Warren Jackson (Colorado State): $4,300 DraftKings, $5,900 FanDuel

All three of Colorado State’s starting wide receivers should be on your radar, but Jackson offers the most value at his price. Like Williams, Jackson is tall (6’5″) and should feast on Colorado’s undersized secondary. Jackson is the Rams’ primary deep threat, ranking first on the team last season with 17.7 yards per reception as a true freshman. He had a solid 5-72-1 receiving line last week and offers stable target volume with upside in a potential shootout.

Charlie Taumoepeau (Portland State): $3,900 DraftKings

I don’t typically like to target tight ends in DFS, but Taumoepeau posted a 45-673-3 line last season and was very consistent, finishing second on the team in receiving. In Alexander’s three starts at quarterback last year, Taumoepeau averaged 5.7 receptions for 91.3 yards, good for 16.8 DraftKings points per game. This week he could benefit from a pass-heavy game script against Nevada: Portland State will likely be playing from behind all game and could heavily target its reliable all-conference tight end.

DFS Stacks

Nevada

Nevada’s air-raid offense could torch the inept Portland State defense, resulting in gaudy passing numbers.

  • QB: Gangi
  • WR: McLane Mannix
  • WR: Brendan O’Leary-Orange

Colorado State

CSU put up over 500 passing yards in Week Zero, and the Rams should pick up right where they left off against a depleted Buffaloes defense.

  • QB: Carta-Samuels
  • WR: Williams
  • WR: Olabisi Johnson
  • WR: Jackson
  • RB: Izzy Matthews

Colorado

Colorado’s up-tempo offense runs through quarterback Steven Montez, who (along with his No. 1 wide receiver) will benefit from a pass-heavy game script.

  • QB: Montez
  • WR: Jay MacIntyre

Army

Army always puts up huge rushing numbers. If you’re looking for cheap production, you can always stack a couple of Black Knights rushers together.

  • QB: Kelvin Hopkins Jr.
  • RB: Walker
  • RB: Darnell Woolfolk
  • RB: Andy Davidson



Photo Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports
Pictured Above: Bryce Love

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

College Football Fantasy Breakdown (Sat. 8/25): Hawai’i to Pass in Shootout at Colorado State College Football Fantasy Breakdown (Thu. 8/30): McKenzie Milton’s Heisman Campaign Begins in Week 1 NBA Breakdown (Wed. 4/4): Barea Leads Long List of Value Plays NBA Breakdown (Sat 4/21): Positive Regression for the Wolves?