It’s rivalry week in college football….or at least one of the many.
But there are three key rivalries this week on the DFS main slate on DraftKings.
There’s OU/Texas, LSU/Florida and Florida State/Miami.
These rivalries aren’t what they once were, but I think Texas/OU is the game of the slate. Anything can happen in this game, and I think that anything means a shootout this week.
This week’s early slate on DraftKings is difficult at the running back position. There’s a couple of guys up top that make sense, but everyone else is in a time share, or doesn’t catch a lot of passes, etc. In fact, running back has been pretty thin all season I feel like. There are lots of committees out there and teams trying to find guys who can handle workloads. It sucks for DFS, but it appears the RBBC is a thing in college these days.
With that said, it’s time to dive into this week’s targets for Week 6 of college football DFS.
QUARTERBACKS
Kyler Murray – Oklahoma Sooners – $10,200
Analysis: Murray is one of the top Heisman candidates at QB. He’s been ridiculously good with 17 passing TDs in 5 games to go along with four rushing touchdowns. He has a big-time receiving corps and is in a game featuring one of the highest totals on the board. Texas defense has been solid this season, and against USC, TCU and Kansas State. But I am not worried about the OU offense that averaging nearly 50 points per game.
Will Grier – West Virginia – $10,400
Analysis: Another top Heisman candidate, Will Grier gets to destroy a Kansas defense that was lit up by Taylor Cornelius last week. Grier is a great QB to use because even in blowouts he doesn’t really come out of the game. West Virginia and Kansas is another game with a high over/under, and totally expect WVU, who is averaging 42 points per game, to dominate here.
Sam Ehlinger – Texas – $7,400
Analysis: Ehlinger is no Kyler Murray or Will Grier, but he is in a rivalry game where I could see Texas playing from behind and Ehlinger having to help play catch up. Ehlinger has been a solid game manager, having thrown just 2 interceptions all year compared to 9 touchdowns. He offers a little higher floor due to his scrambling ability and he allows us to save value in a game he should be airing it out.
Zeb Noland – Iowa State – $5,600
Analysis: Noland is the starting QB due to injuries on the Iowa State offense. Yes Ohio State seems imposing, but Noland is going to be playing in this game even in a blowout. He’s cheap and should be chucking the ball around the field against Oklahoma State, who is allowing 262 passing yards and 24 points per game.
Peyton Ramsey – Indiana – $4,900
Analysis: Another value QB that should be chucking the rock frequently in a game where the Hoosiers will likely be playing from behind against Ohio State. And hell, if they are keeping it close, who is likely benefiting? Ramsey of course, who also raises his floor/ceiling with his rushing ability.
RUNNING BACKS
Trevis Etienne – Clemson – $8,800
Analysis: Can a guy who doesn’t get a ton of carries, but manages to score touchdowns all the time keep up the pace? He did see 27 touches last week against Syracuse, but that was likely a product of the game being close after their starting QB went down, so Etienne had to shoulder the load. If this game gets out of hand against Wake Forest, Etienne may not see the carries down the stretch for Clemson, rather you will hope he has already done some damage.
Justice Hill – Oklahoma State – $8,500
Analysis: I still can’t believe Texas Tech shut out Oklahoma State in the second half a couple of weeks ago. OK State gets to come off of a beat down against Kansas and host a tougher opponent in Iowa State. Luckily, OSU is the home favorite and Justice Hill is the real deal at the RB position. The only slight I have again him is the touches versus the price. He doesn’t catch passes, but can break a long touchdown run at any moment.
Nick Brossette – LSU – $7,400
Analysis: I think LSU has finally settled on Nick Brossett as the starting running back. The rushing attack is about all LSU ever has and this year isn’t any different. Up against Florida, LSU faces a defense that has allowed 171 yards rushing per game this season. He is the workhorse back in this offense and should see the volume we need to make up for his expense.
Kennedy McCoy – West Virginia – $5,000
Analysis: I got on to McCoy late last week, but he should’ve been a core play for me at his cheap price tag. This week he’s cheaper and faces a worse matchup against Kansas. He sees double-digit touches a game and gets some redzone work. Against Kansas in a potential blowout, McCoy should see a bump in usage to close out the clock.
Keaontay Ingram – Texas – $4,700
Analysis: Ingram took over the lead back duties last week against Kansas State. This week might be his coming out party if they continue to ride the wave. Ingram caught 6 balls last week and outtouched all other Texas running backs. He’s a very talented freshman and has tons of upside this week in a game that features one of the highest totals on the board.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Marquise Brown – Oklahoma – $7,700
Analysis: Hollywood is such a graceful, fluid player. He can fight through traffic to catch a pass or catch it in stride on on a fly pattern. Hollywood lives up to his nickname. He draws a tough Texas secondary, but he has the QB and the other receiving options around him to help open up passing lanes in a game projected to see a lot of points scored.
Tylan Wallace – Oklahoma State – $7,600
Analysis: Injuries and transfers have Oklahoma State’s receiving corps on the brink. That’s kind of tough news considering they do draw a tougher opponent this week against Iowa State. Tylan Wallace has been the guy for his quarterback with 4 straight 100 yard performances. I like the extra target potential here with the reduction in receiving weapons on the team.
Hakeem Butler – Iowa State – $6,400
Analysis: Butler is a high-upside guy facing a pass defense that’s allowed 262 yards passing through the air. Butler roasted the Oklahoma Sooners a few weeks ago, and so whose to say he can’t do that this week with a quarterback and team that’s going to need to throw, throw throw to keep up the pace.
Mike Harley – Miami – $4,000
Analysis: Mike Harley has double-digit targets since Perry was promoted to QB and Rozier demoted to the bench. Harley has been a favorite target for Perry in a short amount of time. While Miami might want to run the ball, the weakness for their opponent, the Florida State Seminoles, is through the air as they have allowed 284 passing yards per game this season.
J-Shun Harris – Indiana – $3,300
Analysis: Reception counts of 6 and 7 the past two weeks have me all in on J-Shun Harris this week against Ohio State. If he continues to see that volume, he should pay off his salary nicely against Ohio State, a game where they will likely be playing from behind for all four quarters.
*Bonus – West Virginia WRs (Gary Jennings, David Sills and Marcus Simms)
Analysis: I am not even going to begin to try and guess which one of these jokers is going to pay off for us…so use them all, spread them out. Sills is the touchdown machine, Jennings had been the catch and yardage machine, but has had big blow up games because of multiple touchdowns and then Simms has come along very well lately, scoring touchdown after touchdown. I can’t rest comfortably on one of them, so for that reason, just play them all throughout your lineups this week. I mean, it’s Kansas for Christ’s sake.
