Week 1 is now in the books, but it’s not too late to get in on the action. Both DraftKings and FanDuel have brought back CFB DFS. DraftKings’ Saturday evening slate kicks off at 7:00 pm ET and features 10 games.
- Southeastern Louisiana at LSU (-38.5), Over/Under: 56 – 7 pm ET
- Clemson at Texas A&M (-12), Over/Under: 54.5 – 7 pm ET
- Wyoming at Missouri (-18.5), Over/Under: 52 – 7 pm ET
- Alabama State at Auburn (-50.5), Over/Under: 59.5 – 7:30 pm ET
- Arkansas (-14) at Colorado State, Over/Under: 70 – 7:30 pm ET
- Fresno State at Minnesota (-2.5), Over/Under: 48 – 7:30 pm ET
- Kentucky at Florida (-13.5), Over/Under: 50 – 7:30 pm ET
- Penn State (-9) at Pittsburgh, Over/Under: 56 – 8 pm ET
- Tulsa at Texas (-23), Over/Under: 62 – 8 pm ET
- USC at Stanford (-5.5), Over/Under: 56.5 – 8:30 pm ET
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: Clemson (-12) at Texas A&M
This heavyweight battle should bring some clarity to each team’s season-long fantasy upside. For Clemson, coach Dabo Swinney has confirmed that both Kelly Bryant and Trevor Lawrence will play in this game. The two Tigers quarterbacks split snaps and both played well in Week 1 against Furman. While that quarterback battle rages on, we may get to see a longer look at Clemson RB Travis Etienne, who averaged 7.2 yards per carry as a true freshman. He had only 107 carries last year but turned those into 13 rushing touchdowns.
For Texas A&M, it seems QB Kellen Mond has won the starting job but will face a tough test against Clemson. Running back Trayveon Williams put up gaudy numbers (20-240-3 rushing) against Northwestern State last week, but will he continue to find success against the Tigers’ suffocating defense?
Quarterbacks
Trace McSorley (Penn State): $10,700 DraftKings
McSorley scored 30.5 DraftKings points last week despite throwing just one passing touchdown. He posted a 12-53-2 rushing line, exemplifying his greatest strength: his dual-threat upside. This week, McSorley and the Nittany Lions take on rival Pittsburgh. Last year, the Panthers offense ranked 118th in field position and 116th in adjusted pace on offense. Additionally, Pitt ranked 101st in defending pass explosiveness last year. Against a mediocre Pitt defense, McSorley should have a high fantasy floor buoyed by his rushing ability.
Drew Lock (Missouri): $9,000 DraftKings
Heisman hopeful Drew Lock put up a ridiculous 3964-44-13 passing line last season, making him one of the most prolific passers in college football. In Week 1, he played true to form, going 19-of-25 for 289 yards and four touchdowns. This week, Missouri hosts a Wyoming team that boasts an elite defense; however, that defense may be vulnerable. Against Washington State last week, the Cowboys yielded 319 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. Lock should be able to reproduce that level of production against a Wyoming team that is currently battered with injuries.
Luke Skipper (Tulsa): $5,700 DraftKings
Tulsa’s offense is run first, run second and pass third. Last week against a good Central Arkansas team, the Golden Hurricane rushed 63 times and passed 24 times. Still, despite limited opportunity, Skipper scored 23.84 DraftKings points through the air and on the ground.
Skipper is an upside play this week against a Texas team that is favored by 23 points. The Longhorns disappointed last week in a loss against Maryland and could go through early season growing pains against Tulsa. If Tulsa gets down early, game script will favor the passing game, which unlocks Skipper’s upside in the contest. If you don’t buy the preseason Longhorns hype, consider rostering Skipper on the cheap.
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Running Backs
Rodney Smith (Minnesota): $7,500 DraftKings
In a slate filled with enigmatic teams and uncertain matchups, Smith stands out as a stable, high-floor player to own this week. In Week 1 against New Mexico State, Smith earned a robust 24 carries for 153 yards and 21.4 DraftKings points. Notably, he did not score a touchdown in Week 1, so his ceiling could be even higher if he catches some nice touchdown variance. Minnesota is starting a true freshman at quarterback and will want to control the line of scrimmage against an under-the-radar Fresno State squad. Even though Minnesota-Fresno State has a slate-low point total, Smith’s volume should propel him to a high-floor fantasy performance.
Devwah Whaley (Arkansas): $6,100 DraftKings
Chad Morris’ “smashmouth spread” offense makes Arkansas a dangerous team against Colorado State. The Rams defense has undergone massive roster turnover and has struggled early this season. In Week Zero, CSU gave up 617 yards and 43 points to Hawai’i. Then last week, the Rams gave up 596 yards and 45 points to Colorado.
Arkansas will play two quarterbacks in this game: Ty Storey and Cole Kelley. They split snaps last week, and Morris has confirmed they will once again split snaps against Colorado State. As a result, Whaley may have the highest fantasy floor of any Razorback. As a sophomore last season, he totaled 559 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Against a weak CSU defense, Whaley could see increased volume, especially if the Razorbacks get up early.
Jevon Bigelow (Wyoming): $3,000 DraftKings
Bigelow, a freshman, might start in place of injured starting RB Nico Evans this week. Through 1.5 games, Evans had amassed a whopping 42 carries for 279 rushing yards. Unfortunately, he left last week’s game prematurely with an injury to his ribs and is now questionable against Missouri.
If Evans does not play, Bigelow will take his place as the starter — and as Wyoming’s workhorse. Freshman quarterback Tyler Vander Waal has struggled with his passing, and the Cowboys offense has favored the running game heavily. Bigelow’s projected volume makes him an ideal cash-game play, so continue to monitor Evans’ health leading up to Saturday.
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Wide Receivers
Emanuel Hall (Missouri): $7,700 DraftKings
In 10 games last season, Hall posted a 33-817-8 receiving stat line as Drew Lock’s No. 2 wide receiver. Now that J’Mon Moore has gone on to the NFL, Hall will likely become Lock’s favorite target this season — if he’s not already. Last week, Hall grabbed four balls for 171 receiving yards and two touchdowns on six targets.
That stat total was no fluke: Hall averaged 24.8 yards per catch in 2017. If you’re looking to pay up for a wide receiver this week, Hall provides big-play potential and week-winning upside.
Juwan Johnson (Penn State): $6,500 DraftKings
Johnson led Penn State in targets last week (11) on his way to a 6-67-0 receiving day. Senior WR DeAndre Thompkins was targeted only once and failed to record a catch. Even if Thompkins improves in Week 2, it shouldn’t affect Johnson’s target volume against a weak Pittsburgh defense. The Panthers did a poor job defending big plays last season. If Pittsburgh’s defense does not improve, Johnson could post big numbers as Penn State’s top downfield receiving threat. Additionally, speedy slot receiver KJ Hamler should demand defensive attention, potentially resulting in softer coverage for Johnson.
Justin Hobbs (Tulsa): $5,000 DraftKings
Hobbs is Tulsa’s only elite receiving weapon in a game where the Golden Hurricane may have to pass more than they’d like. Last year, Hobbs put up a 55-830-3 receiving total on an offense that emphasizes the running game. Against Central Arkansas last week, he had a solid 3-61-1 receiving line, but it could have been much better. Even though he managed just three receptions, he had a team-high eight targets. Consider stacking Hobbs and Skipper together as a low ownership contrarian play in guaranteed prize pools.
DFS Stacks
USC
PaC-12 foe Stanford is dealing with wholesale roster turnover on defense, especially in the secondary. USC may favor a more aggressive passing attack to mitigate Stanford’s edge in the trenches.
- QB: JT Daniels
- WR: Tyler Vaughns
Arkansas
The Razorbacks have two good quarterbacks who will both play, which diminishes the fantasy value of either of them. However, Morris’ smashmouth spread offense should be fantasy friendly for Arkansas’ receiving corps.
- WR: La’Michael Pettway
- WR: Jonathan Nance
- WR: Chase Harrell
Colorado State
In a potentially high-scoring game against Arkansas, the Rams will likely employ a pass-heavy game plan to keep pace with the Razorbacks.
- QB: K.J. Carta-Samuels
- WR: Preston Williams
- WR: Olabisi Johnson
Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Pictured Above: Drew Lock
