College Football Daily Fantasy Helper: Saturday 10/12/19 Main Slate
Week 7 represents the midway point of the regular college football season, but it's also a great time to get in on college football DFS. This week's main Saturday slate requires a lot of attention with all of 16 games on tap throughout the day.
In case you're unfamiliar with how it works, you can check out the rules and scoring on FanDuel, where you can hit the lobby each week to see the full array of slates and contests being offered.
As for the basics, your roster consists of a quarterback slot, two running back slots, three wide receiver slots (which also includes tight ends) and one super flex slot. In the flex, you can insert one player from any position, including quarterbacks.
Here, our goal is to help you field a roster full of fantasy goodness, and in true numberFire fashion, we'll use our in-house projections as well as betting totals and advanced statistics to tackle as many slates as possible in the lead-up to the College Football Playoff. Today, we are looking at Saturday's main slate which locks at 12:00 p.m. EST.
Let's break down which players are in great spots as well as identify some players with cheap price tags that will allow you to roster the high dollar players.
Quarterbacks
Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma ($11,500) - Hurts has performed up to and beyond expectations in Lincoln Riley's Oklahoma offense. Not only is he averaging a slate-best 41.5 FanDuel points per game, but according to Sports Reference, he ranks top-10 in passing touchdowns (14), completion percentage (75.2%), adjusted passing yards per attempt (15.7) and passing efficiency rating (231.3), checking in first in the last two. For purposes of this week's DFS prospects, though, his efficiency should play well in this year's Red River Showdown. Texas' defense is 66th in Bill Connelly's defensive SP+ to this point, and they're allowing 325 yards per game through the air. When you throw in the fact that OU is second on the slate with a 43.0 implied total as part of a 75.5 over/under, Hurts is a no-brainer even at this high price.
Jamie Newman, Wake Forest ($10,300) - Up against Louisville, Newman and his Wake Forest offense have a juicy 36.25 implied total at home. And according to oddsFire, the already-high total (65 at open) has risen at some sportsbooks. The Cardinals' 86th-ranked defense will feed that movement, particularly through the air, where they rank third-worst on the slate at 7.6 adjusted yards allowed per attempt. For Newman, that doesn't matter as much as it does for most quarterbacks anyway, with the junior doing additional damage with his legs. Newman has 78 attempts for 262 yards and 3 scores this year, providing him with both a solid floor and heightened ceiling heading into this ACC clash.
Jake Fromm, Georgia ($8,300) - Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm has underwhelmed against expectations this season. He entered as a middle-of-the-road candidate for the Heisman, but he is still taking a backseat to the rush attack and has only two games of 200-plus yards to his credit. However, in those same two games, the junior signal-caller tallied 279 and 288 yards, along with 3 and 2 scores, respectively. The latter came at Tennessee last week, when Fromm completed 82.8% of his passes en route to more than 20 FanDuel points. On tap this week is a South Carolina defense allowing 251.8 passing yards and 2.0 touchdowns per game -- and one that was hammered for five touchdowns by Alabama. Fromm doesn't possess that type of upside, but he could surpass his season average and at a $2,000 discount from a guy like Newman.
Running Backs
Travis Etienne, Clemson ($9,100) - As with most weeks of late, there are a number of high-priced backs worth considering. Arizona State's Eno Benjamin is solid because of his workload and pace-up game, and D'Andre Swift is the other key aspect to Georgia's efficient offense. But let's not forget about Etienne, Clemson's workhorse back. The junior has 11 or more carries in each game this year after getting double-digit carries in 12 of 15 last season. His yards per carry are down from 8.1 to 6.9 this year, but he's due for increased efficiency, and if not at least more scoring. The Tigers have 24 offensive touchdowns this year, but Etienne's only ran in 5. His backup has three and quarterback Trevor Lawrence has four. This week should help further his cause, as Clemson tops the slate with an implied total of 43.25. A 27-point spread in their favor suggests a run-heavy approach when Clemson gets ahead of Florida State and their 78th-ranked defense.
Kenny Gainwell, Memphis ($8,700) - Usual starter Patrick Taylor Jr. is still not practicing for Memphis, so we can lean toward him being questionable to play. And if he's confirmed to be out, Gainwell will serve as the team's lead again as they take on Temple in Week 7. He's done exactly that throughout Taylor's absence, having ran the ball for 100-plus yards in three straight games and averaging at least 7.4 yards per carry in each. The sophomore has six rushing touchdowns and another receiving to date. His Tigers are 5.5-point favorites with a 27.5 implied total that will fly under the radar compared to the more popular Power Five backs.
John Lovett, Baylor ($7,200) - The Baylor Bears utilize a committee approach in the backfield, but Lovett has been the best performer among them through five games. After rushing the ball 7 times for 74 yards and 2 touchdowns last week, he has now racked up 312 rushing yards on 41 carries, 3 of which went for touchdowns. Against Texas Tech, the Bears hold a 34.5 implied total, meaning there are nearly five touchdowns up for grabs this week in Waco. It's more likely than not that Lovett scores a touchdown or two versus the Red Raiders. Their defense has allowed three or more rushing scores in three straight games, not to mention 200-plus yards. With Baylor favored by double digits, Lovett is in line for a good chunk of work.
Wide Receivers
CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma ($9,300) - If you're looking to stack Hurts with a receiver, you could find it a tough task. No one receiver has more than 18 catches, and whoever has a big week has varied from game to game. But, while Lamb hasn't been lighting the world on fire, he is two games removed from a big-time performance (7 catches, 185 yards and 3 scores) against Texas Tech. Plus, in last year's two editions of this game, he had a combined 12 catches for 242 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He's the most talented receiver opposite Hurts, and he should probably be priced closer to $10,000. Take advantage.
Ja'Marr Chase, LSU ($8,900) - Chase is the LSU Tigers' second-leading receiver coming into the week, but as equally important teammate and third-leading receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. remains up in the air. Marshall fractured his foot, and after returning to practice on Monday, he was not seen at Tuesday's run-through. With his teammate questionable at best, Chase could absorb more looks and have a very productive day on the receiving end of Joe Burrow. He has already proven himself capable, having gone for 10 catches, 229 yards and 4 touchdowns versus Vanderbilt. Florida's defense presents a tougher task, but that could help to drive Chase's ownership down to the benefit of those looking to take down large-field tournaments. Regardless, he's a great play under the circumstances.
George Pickens, Georgia ($5,700) - While this allows you to stack with Fromm, it isn't a bad play by itself. Pickens is tied for second on the team in receptions (12), with which he's managed 185 yards and 2 scores. The young, talented receiver was held to 23 yards last week, but look for a bounce back -- and maybe his third score of the year -- in an advantageous situation. At $5,700, he is cheaper than 14 tight ends on the slate. Just don't go throwing Pickens into cash games; he's a tournament-only option.
Brett Oswalt is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Brett Oswalt also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username BrettOswalt. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in his articles are the author’s alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.
