Football has returned!
It is glorious and for the next several months, the greatest sport in the world tugs at our heartstrings and has us checking our fantasy lineups everywhere.
This week we get the return of college football, starting with a small, but great, 6-game slate.
Then Week 1 gets us rocking and rolling with games on the early and late slate as well, so be on the lookout for a Power Five tomorrow or Friday for Saturday.
In the meantime, enjoy this free version of the Power 5! Good luck tonight!
QUARTERBACKS
Dorian Thompson-Robinson – UCLA – $6,700
Analysis: One of the big games on the slate is Cincy and UCLA. It’s likely to be a popular stack considering the total is around 60. A&M and Clemson are on this slate, but in college football DFS, we have to be weary of starters not playing full games against weaker opponents. For this price and a game that should score points and likely be close, DTR provides you a cheap price for an up-and-coming UCLA squad, and you get rushing upside here.
Desmond Ridder – Cincinnati – $7,400
Analysis: Ridder returns to resume his position as QB1, and like DTR, we have another cheap-ish QB with dual-threat upside. Cincy should be strong again this year and could trounce UCLA once again. Ridder and the Bearkats are favored here. And coupled with his big time running back, Ridder could be the top scorer on the slate with a full game under his belt. The masses will flock to Kellen Mond and Trevor Lawrence, but I want guys who are going to play the entire game.
Justin McMillian – Tulane – $5,700
Analysis: Under the radar plays will be some guys from this Tulane and FIU game. There’s value in some of these guys for sure, but with Clemson, A&M, BYU, Utah, Cincy, Arizona State, and UCLA all on this slate, Tulane and FIU, two teams with a 57.5 total will likely fall on deaf ears. Whether I am wrong about that or not, Justin McMillian, an LSU transfer, should have this team humming out of the gate.
RUNNING BACKS
Eno Benjamin – Arizona State – $8,800
Analysis: One of the top RBs in the country will command ownership tonight, and he’s the most expensive. But that’s OK here as the Sun Devils are favored by double-digit points and are looking at new QB and WR1 play with new starters. I fully expect ASU to lean on Benjamin, who had 9 100-yard or better rushing games last season and had games where he caught 6 or 7 passes. The upside is monstrous here.
Michael Warren II – Cincinnati – $7,800
Analysis: Travis Etienne will play one half and might score 3 times, but even then he might not be worth his price tag. He will garner ownership but I am zagging already with Eno and Michael Warren, Cincy’s RB1 who filled in greatly last year after injuries sprouted early in the season. But he’s the bellcow, coming off a 20 touchdown season and will look to capitalize on his 3-touchdown performance against UCLA last season.
Anthony Jones – FIU – $6,100
Analysis: Jones comes in as the RB1 for FIU this year. He had some spurts of success last year, but was capped by a shared backfield. But with a big total and a Tulane team trying to find its place and identity, Jones could pop here at a price where he will most certainly go overlooked in a game that could shoot over its total.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Darnell Mooney – Tulane – $6,700
Analysis: Mooney comes in as one of the two top receivers on this team, but will be WR1 as a returning starter. Mooney had less than 50 catches last season, but compiled nearly 1,000 yards and scored 8 times. He will be McMillian’s number 1 target.
Jalen McClesky – Tulane – $6,200
Analysis: Not sure if the masses will catch the eye of Jalen McClesky tonight. He’s a transfer from Oklahoma State and should WR2 in this offense. So we have little Tulane who no one will really consider and we have an LSU transfer, a number 1 stud receiver in Mooney and an Oklahoma State transfer combining to push the throttle in a new offensive scheme under a new coach.
Mike Carrigan – Kent State – $4,900
Analysis: I can trust Arizona State to win by double digits, but I don’t trust Arizona State being a studly defense. They might put a whooping on Kent State, but I am not concerned about that for Kent State’s players. They have to get the reps and be ready to play their conference. Georgia Tech and Texas State are in the same boat and could provide value, but there’s two reasons I don’t like any guys from either team. For once, both A&M and Clemson have the talent on defense to play their 2s and stop a weaker opponents first unit. And as for Georgia Tech, they are running a new offensive scheme and there will certainly be some growing pains for that. So Carrigan….finally on to him. He’s the number one option in this offense, and he comes in at a perfect price for value on a team that should be playing from behind.
Britian Covey – Utah – $4,400
Analysis: This Utah and BYU game might be the game of the night. It has a low total, but there are some guys to consider. I am going to stick with the value here instead of paying up for guys facing two good defenses. Covey is a stud who has been hobbled by injuries in the past. If he can stay healthy, he will see his volume here and has all kinds of upside despite the defensive matchup. You should see Covey in the $6-7K range by seasons end should his health hold up.
