College Football Single-Game Daily Fantasy Helper: Thursday 11/4/21 (Georgia State at Louisiana)
Week 10 of the college football season continues on Thursday, as the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns square off with the Georgia State Panthers.
For those unfamiliar, single-game slates feature five flex spots with identical scoring to the main slate. However, there is an "MVP" roster slot. The MVP receives 1.5 times his total fantasy points, making this spot crucial.
Player Breakdowns
At The Top
Levi Lewis, Louisiana ($17,000) - Lewis will likely be the chalk MVP selection. The lefty passer provides dual-threat upside. In total, Lewis has accounted for 13 total touchdowns through eight games. The senior has cleared 200 passing yards in six out of eight games. Additionally, Lewis has tallied 156 rushing yards this season. We could see a monster performance from the Louisiana signal-caller; Georgia State ranks 101st nationally in total defense (allowing 423.5 yards per game). Additionally, the Panthers' defense has surrendered 30 touchdowns through eight games.
Chris Smith, Louisiana ($16,000) - Smith is blessed with track-star speed. He leads the Ragin Cajuns with eight rushing touchdowns this season. He has found pay dirt six times over the last four games. His role could further expand with one of his backfield mates, Emani Bailey, expected to miss Thursday night's game. The matchup with Georgia State's run defense is solid as the Panthers rank 89th nationally in rushing yards allowed per game (169.8).
Darren Grainger, Georgia State ($13,000) - Grainger has recorded seven touchdown passes in Sun Belt Conference play (four games) this season. His DFS appeal is further enhanced due to his dynamic rushing ability. The junior has piled up 220 rushing yards and one touchdown over the last four games. I'd expect his draft percentage to come in lower than both Levi Lewis and Chris Smith, and if Georgia State succeeds, Grainger will be the main catalyst.
Others to Consider: Montrell Johnson ($14,000)
In The Middle
Tucker Gregg, Georgia State ($12,000) - Gregg has been the Panthers' best weapon on offense this season. The running back has recorded at least 15 carries and tallied 80-plus rushing yards in three straight games. I'm expecting his strong recent form to continue against Louisiana; the Ragin Cajuns are allowing 153.1 rushing yards per game (71st nationally) -- including 3.98 yards per carry.
Kyren Lacy, Louisiana ($10,000) - Lacy leads all Louisiana pass catchers in routes run over the last two games (31). He is tied for the team lead in targets this season (27) as well. He is the best bet amongst the Ragin Cajuns to take advantage of Georgia State's porous secondary.
Michael Jefferson, Louisiana ($8,500) - Jefferson is a part-time player. The junior has only logged 18 routes over the last two games. I'm expecting Jefferson to carry little-to-no popularity on Thursday night. He leads Louisiana with an aDoT (average depth of target) of 16.3, and he also leads Louisiana with an average of 2.83 yards per route run. This slate is loaded with low-floor players, so I'm more than willing to take a chance on Jefferson.
Others to Consider: Jamyest Williams ($11,000), Ja'Cyais Credle ($9,500), Dontae Fleming ($9,500), Michael Jefferson ($8,500)
At The Bottom
Sam Pinckney, Georgia State ($7,000) - Pinckney's production has been very minimal in 2021. However, that figures to turn around at some point this season. The big bodied wide receiver posted 46 receptions, 813 receiving yards, and 7 touchdowns a season ago. The junior has led all Georgia State pass catchers with 50 routes run over the last two games. He is a viable contrarian MVP candidate on Thursday night if the lineup's assumption is Georgia State is competitive.
Terrance Dixon, Georgia State ($6,500) - Admittedly, this play is thin. Dixon has only recorded 15 receptions and 130 receiving yards on 28 targets this season (eight games). On the plus side, he should run a lot of routes -- the senior has run a route on 36 pass plays over the last two games.
T.J. Wisham, Louisiana ($6,500) - Louisiana often utilizes a running back-by-committee approach. so Wisham will likely operate as the third wheel this week with Emani Bailey likely to miss his second consecutive game. Wisham tallied a season-high six rushing attempts against Texas State with Bailey sidelined. This low in salary, he's a tournament winner if busts a long run or a touchdown on any of his carries.
Others to Consider: Peter LeBlanc ($8,000), John Stephens Jr. ($7,000), Aubrey Payne ($6,500), Roger Carter ($6,500), Jalen Williams ($6,500)
Matthew Hiatt is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Matthew Hiatt also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username easternmh. 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.