College football has unique challenges in fantasy environments, though. The level of competition can produce lopsided outcomes. Watch those game scripts accordingly.
Plus, it’s just naturally difficult to find target share and workload data. A lot of people “watch the box score” when another player is actually getting more opportunities.
So, that’s where this piece comes into the fold. On a position-by-position basis, who should be our top priorities for Week 5’s Saturday main slate on DraftKings?
Note: All stats are from Pro Football Focus and Team Rankings. All referenced odds from DraftKings Sportsbook.
Top College Football DFS Quarterbacks for the Week 5 Main Slate
Kamario Taylor ($8,100)
College football’s breakout star has a great chance to keep rolling this week.
As a 5.5-point underdog, Mississippi State will need Taylor’s arm to dispatch an Alabama defense that has been elite defending the run. They’ve allowed just 2.9 yards per carry (YPC).
Taylor is completing 69.2% of his passes and has added 46.3 rushing yards per game and a rushing score on the ground.
Even if his effectiveness is dwindled by this step up in competition, you’re talking about a floor of 28 DraftKings fantasy points (DKPTs) in four starts thus far.
Bryce Underwood ($6,900)
Value options at quarterback exist, but I don’t love any of them.
Bryce Underwood is probably the “safest” option, which are famous last words. The quarterback is just two rushing yards off Michigan’s team lead, and he’s scored twice on the ground. Don’t look now, but his 63.5 QBR (58th in FBS) is also modest improvement in passing efficiency.
Demond Williams accounted for three total touchdowns last week, and Taylor lit up the Golden Gophers for 28.7 DKPTs. I think Minnesota is a pretty workable matchup for the dual threat.
Top College Football DFS Running Backs for the Week 5 Main Slate
Cam Cook ($9,100)
This is Cam Cook’s debut on the main slate, but he’s got one of those impossible college workloads and will demand attention anytime we see him.
Cook has met or eclipsed 29 carries in three of his four contests, and he’s handled 86.5% of the Mountaineers’ total RB opportunities in the last two weeks as Big 12 play has started.
Iowa State is allowing 4.2 YPC (71st in FBS), so they’re far from a cross-off matchup. In fact, I prefer him to Jaden Baugh for that reason.
Matt Fuller ($7,200)
This low $7,000-range is loaded. Fluff Bothwell has a monopoly on Mississippi State’s work in the backfield, but his matchup stinks. Jamal Roberts and Mizzou are a 6.5-point underdog against Florida.
I think Matt Fuller from South Carolina is a sneaky click in this area. He’s handled 73.9% of the Gamecocks’ RB opportunities in the last two weeks, and the team is a surprise 2.5-point home favorite against Kentucky. Fuller, specifically, is -175 for an anytime touchdown.
On a yards per attempt (YPA) basis, Kentucky’s defense is 20th against the pass but 65th against the run. Fuller might represent the path of least resistance.
Ousmane Kromah ($5,900)
Florida State has had a running back committee for years, but this seems like Ousmane Kromah’s job.
Kromah handled 22 of 29 RB carries against SMU in the team’s Week 1 contest, and he handled 17 of 22 against Alabama. Overall, Kromah has seen 58.1% of the Noles’ total RB opportunities this year.
I’m definitely not scared of Virginia as a matchup. West Virginia posted 247 rushing yards against them in their one competitive tilt.
Top College Football DFS Wide Receivers for the Week 5 Main Slate
Jeremiah Smith ($9,400)
I want to be very clear: I won’t get to Jeremiah Smith myself in preferred builds as I spend at QB and RB. But, don’t cross him off for another big week.
Smith has the best target share on the slate (41.4%), drawing 11.8 looks per game. He’s simply getting fed for statistical and/or Heisman Trophy purposes, and I don’t think that changes against Iowa.
Surprisingly, the Hawkeyes have given up 7.1 YPA through the air this year, and I am guessing they don’t have a great matchup for the consensus top prospect in the country.
Junior Sherrill ($5,400)
With Georgia back on the slate, we’ll have to accept or reject a colossal blowout, but I still think this Bulldogs secondary is susceptible enough to target a wideout.
Isaiah Sategna caught 8 passes for 81 yards last week despite Oklahoma’s 41-13 loss in Athens. Similarly, Junior Sherrill could be busy for Vanderbilt in the same venue this weekend. Sherrill’s 34.4% target share nearly doubles up the next-highest on the team (19.1%).
Sherrill’s floor has been 11.0 DKPTs thus far, and he works well into builds spending down at this position.
Noah Jennings ($4,600)
The $4,000-range has options at wideout. In addition to Noah Jennings, Iowa’s Tony Diaz and Wisconsin’s Tyrell Henry have target shares north of 31.0% so far this season.
Of those three, Jennings stands out to me just because I think he’s got the best game script as a home underdog short of a touchdown. Plus, this UM defense just collapsed to allow an 85.8 QBR to Hank Brown in Iowa’s comeback win. I don’t think their secondary is as good as it has been in previous seasons.
In Minnesota’s two Power 4 games this year, the wideout has 11 catches for 146 yards but has been a bit unlucky to not find the end zone. Breaking that trend might be the cherry on top for an undersalaried workload.
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