I’m excited to kick off another big CFB DFS weekend!
The Friday night slates have been incredible so far, filled with fun matchups producing plenty of fantasy action. This slate has really good options at each position with advantageous matchups.
We have a few big questions to answer on this slate. Do we attempt to double-stack Grant DuBose and Victor Tucker with Chris Reynolds versus a porous Florida International PASS DEF? Should we comeback with D’Vonte Price versus an equally terrible Charlotte RUSH DEF? Do we choose to go with the more expensive, safer option at QB with Desmond Ridder or do we risk it with the cheaper option in Jayden Daniels? Which Arizona State RB do we insert into our lineup, Rachaad White or DeaMonte Trayanum?
Come find out…
Against the Spread Picks
Temple (+29) vs Cincinnati
Stanford (+12) vs Arizona State
Charlotte (-3.5) vs Florida International
Total Wagers
Temple vs Cincinnati (Over 54)
Stanford vs Arizona State (Over 51)
Charlotte vs Florida International (Over 59.5)
Quarterbacks
Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati vs Temple (DK: $9.0K | FD: $11.5K | O/U: 54.0 | Implied: 41.5)
Desmond Ridder has been impressive this year averaging 26.2 FPG as a true Konami Code QB, throwing for 261.3 YPG and rushing for 24.5 YPG. He’s done this while facing two tough opponents, Indiana and Notre Dame, on the road. Ridder is facing a Temple DEF ranked 106th versus opposing QBs in FPG (26.7). With a 29-point spread, the biggest concern is whether Ridder is going to play enough in this game to hit value, which might be tough to do at $9.0K.
Chris Reynolds, Charlotte vs Florida International (DK: $7.5K | FD: $10.5K | O/U: 59.5 | Implied: 31.5)
Chris Reynolds is all-or-nothing at QB this season. He has two games of 37-plus FPs and three games below 19 FPs in the first five games. Normally, I would not suggest a QB with such high variance in weekly scoring, but this is purely a matchup play. Reynolds is going up against a Florida International DEF ranked 132nd versus opposing QBs in FPG (37.7) and 125th in PASS YPG (314.4). Reynolds is a lock as the main QB I’m targeting in this slate.
Jayden Daniels, Arizona State vs Stanford (DK: $6.9K | FD: $9.9K | O/U: 51.0 | Implied: 31.5)
Jayden Daniels has been efficient and explosive this year as a passer averaging 9.8 YPA on only 23 attempts per game. He is also averaging 58.6 YPG on the ground. Daniels is facing a Stanford DEF ranked 91st versus opposing QBs in FPG (24.3). Last week, Oregon QB Anthony Brown put up 24.8 FPs on 26 passing attempts for 186 passing yards and 35 additional yards on the ground. If Daniels scored 24.8 FPs versus Stanford, he would exceed value at $6.9K.
ASU QB Jayden Daniels voted Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week. He threw for 286 yards on 13-for-18 passing, throwing for a pair of touchdowns in a win over UCLA. It was his 9th game with 2+ scores through the air. pic.twitter.com/7PnTZUM5K8
— DevilsDigest.com (@DevilsDigest) October 4, 2021
Alternatives:
Max Bortenschlager, Florida International vs Charlotte, (DK: $6.3K | FD: $6.9K | O/U: 59.5 | Implied: 28.0)
Running Backs
Rachaad White, Arizona State vs Stanford (DK: $8.2K | FD: $10.4K | O/U: 51.0 | Implied: 31.5)
Rachaad White picked up where he left off last year averaging 26.5 FPG. Despite splitting snaps with DeaMonte Trayanum (26 snaps), White (29 snaps) still scored 25.7 FPs this last week versus UCLA. In PPR scoring, White holds major value averaging 5 receptions for 45 YPG on top of his 66.2 RUSH YPG. He is certainly a viable option on this slate facing a Stanford DEF ranked 100th versus opposing RBs in FPG (26.9). My only hesitation is the costly price tag for White when Trayanum is much cheaper.
DeaMonte Trayanum, Arizona State vs Stanford (DK: $5.5K | FD: $8.4K | O/U: 51.0 | Implied: 31.5)
DeaMonte Trayanum returned from a week 1 ankle injury to lead the Arizona State backfield with 16 rushing attempts for 15.8 FPs. In week 1, he had 17.2 FPs versus an overmatched Southern Utah. The Stanford DEF is allowing 212.8 RUSH YPG so there will be plenty of opportunity for Trayanum to put up FPs in this contest. At $5.5K, he is much cheaper than White and has a greater chance to hit value. I also think it’s a viable option to stack both Arizona State RBs on this slate.
Jerome Ford, Cincinnati vs Temple (DK: $7.8K | FD: $9.2K | O/U: 54.0 | Implied: 41.5)
Jerome Ford has been a major part of Cincinnati’s early success, averaging 21.0 FPG. If you remove the Notre Dame game, Ford is averaging 25.0 FPG on DK. He is big enough at 220 pounds to break tackles, but he is also fast enough to hit a home run at any moment with legit 4.4 speed. He faces a Temple DEF ranked 87th versus opposing RBs in FPG (24.3), allowing 170 RUSH YPG. At $7.8K, I expect Jerome Ford to hit value in this game.
Jerome Ford makes one defender miss and he’s off to the races for a 79-yard TD in the Peach Bowl. Georgia isn’t playing Alabama but they’re still getting gashed by the Crimson Tide (Ford is a Bama transfer). pic.twitter.com/PG8zcHLGUn
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) January 1, 2021
D’Vonte Price, Florida International vs Charlotte, (DK: $6.5K | FD: $8.1K | O/U: 59.5 | Implied: 28.0)
D’Vonte Price is off to a solid start this season averaging 82.2 YPG on the ground along with 6 TDs for 18.7 FPG. He is going up against a soft Charlotte DEF ranked 128th in RUSH YPG (251.6) and 128th in RB FPG (35.1). I expect Price to have a huge game versus Charlotte and consider him a lock for this slate.
$4.5K-or-less options:
Shadrick Byrd, Charlotte vs Florida International (DK: $7.5K | FD: $10.5K | O/U: 59.5 | Implied: 31.5)
Receivers
Victor Tucker, Charlotte vs Florida International (DK: $5.8K | FD: $7.3K | O/U: 59.5 | Implied: 31.5)
Grant DuBose, Charlotte vs Florida International (DK: $6.0K | FD: $9.1K | O/U: 59.5 | Implied: 31.5)
Victor Tucker and Grant Dubose are both in-play on this slate and viable options to stack with Chris Reynolds as this slate has few other quality WR options. The FIU PASS DEF is ranked 125th in YPG (314.4) and 112th in WR FPG (27.9). DuBose and Tucker average more targets per game than any other WRs on the slate at 7.0 and 6.8 respectively. They are fairly even in targets and receptions while DuBose has 53 more receiving yards and 3 more TDs than Tucker. If you can only choose one, I’d pay up for DuBose, but I’d prefer to double-stack these guys with Reynolds in this slate.
LV Bunkley-Shelton, Arizona State vs Stanford (DK: $3.7K | FD: $5.8K | O/U: 51.0 | Implied: 31.5)
LV Bunkley-Shelton is primarily a cheaper option that allows us to spend more salary at other spots. However, he is second on the Arizona State team in targets, receptions, receiving yards and TDs. I don’t expect him to have a high ceiling, but I think Bunkley-Shelton can hit value at $3.7K.
Elijah Higgins, Stanford vs Arizona State (DK: $5.4K | FD: $7.2K | O/U: 51.0 | Implied: 19.5)
Elijah Higgins is another option if you don’t want to stack both Grant DuBose and Victor Tucker with Chris Reynolds. Over his last two games, Higgins is averaging 8.5 targets, 5.5 receptions, 82.5 yards and 1 TD per game for 21.2 FPG. Stanford’s other top WR, Brycen Tremayne, is out with an injury in this game so Higgins is in line for even a bigger target share versus Arizona State.
Per David Shaw…
— Go Mighty Card (@GoMightyCard) October 5, 2021
In: Branson Bragg
Out: EJ Smith, Brycen Tremayne, Joshua Karty.
Alternatives:
Ricky Pearsall, Arizona State vs Stanford (DK: $6.2K | FD: $8.0K | O/U: 51.0 | Implied: 31.5)
Bryce Singleton, Florida International vs Charlotte, (DK: $5.1K | FD: $6.8K | O/U: 59.5 | Implied: 28.0)