CFB FanDuel DFS Breakdown for Saturday Main Slate
Shootout Potential (Games featuring high implied totals on both sides)
First, we head to the games with shootout potential, and there are more than usual this week. We kick it off with the highest total of the week between Notre Dame and Arkansas (63.5), with the Fighting Irish just 4.5-point favorites over the Hogs, giving the Irish a 34.0 implied total and Arkansas a 29.5-point implied total.
Tennessee is just over a touchdown favorite (-7.5) against the Bulldogs from Starkville, sporting the highest implied total of the week (35.0), but Mississippi State sits at a respectable 27.5 on the week.
We also have Duke and Syracuse split by a mere 4.5-point spread in favor of the Blue Devils with a 60.5-point total, giving Duke a 32.5-point implied score and the Orange a 28.0-point implied score. USC is a slightly heavier favorite (-6.5) against Illinois in a game matching the expected total, giving the Trojans the third-highest expected total (33.5) on the slate. The Illini still sit at a respectable 27.0 expected points.
Ole Miss and LSU is significantly lower on this front (56.5), but it wouldn't shock me if this goes over that ark, and the spread here is just 1.5 points. That puts Ole Miss at a 29.0 implied total and LSU not far behind at 27.5.
Blowout Potential
With conference play in full effect, there are fewer blowout potential games moving forward. That said, we do have two games featuring teams that are double-digit favorites.
Georgia Tech (32.5 implied total) is expected to do the heavy lifting in its game versus Wake Forest to reach the 51.5 game total, so there's a potential to see backups at some point if the 13.5-point spread widens during the game and results in a one-sided score.
Utah is also a 12.5-point favorite over West Virginia, whose starting quarterback is a question mark for the contest (see more below), along with other injuries. Heavy favorites are also more likely to have a game script featuring a heavier volume of rushing attempts in the second half.
Other Noteworthy Implied Totals
- Ohio State (30.5)
- Texas A&M (29.5)
- Penn State (28.5)
- Indiana (28.0)
- Georgia (28.0)
College Football DFS Weather
Winds 15+ MPH, precip. chance 50-plus percent and hot/cold temps noted
Georgia Tech at Wake Forest - Significant chance for rain in this one that could impact the game
Kentucky at South Carolina - Chance for some rain here in the second half
Notable College Football Injuries/Absences for Week 5
QB
Austin Simmons, Ole Miss 
- Won't start but off injury report
Nicco Marchiol, West Virginia 
- Won't suit up Saturday
RB
Noah Whittington, Oregon 
- Expected to play Saturday
Jeremiah Cobb, Auburn 
- Listed probable for Saturday
Caden Durham, LSU 
- Slated to be a GTD
Tye Edwards, West Virginia - Considered questionable but was deemed more doubtful than probable earlier in the week
Cyncir Bowers, West Virginia - Doubtful for Saturday
Jaziun Patterson, Iowa 
- Ruled out
Xavier Williams, Iowa - Ruled out
Lee Beebe, Indiana 
- Done for season
Trelain Maddox, Georgia Tech 
- No update on status, seems likely to be out
Jaquez Moore, Duke 
- Day-to-day but expected to play
Bryan Jackson, USC 
- Status uncertain, just a depth piece behind big two
Kedrick Reescano, Arizona 
- Listed questionable for Saturday
WR
Ja'Kobi Lane, USC - Participated in practice Tuesday, bodes well for a return
Hank Beatty, Illinois 
- Dealing with shoulder injury but was cleared to practice Tuesday
Zacharyus Williams, USC - Out a few weeks
Reece Vander Zee, Iowa - Targeting return next week
Seth Anderson, Iowa - On track to play Saturday
Malcolm Simmons, Auburn - Probable for Saturday
Horatio Fields, Auburn - Undergoing surgery after a foot fracture earlier this week
Rashid Williams, Washington 
- Underwent shoulder surgery during bye week
Daniel Jackson, Iowa State 
- Questionable for Saturday
TE
Brett Seither, Georgia Tech - Out Saturday
Hunter Andrews, Utah 
- Out for season
Trey'Dez Green, LSU - Probable for Saturday
Gabe Burkle, Iowa State - Probable for Saturday
College Football DFS Tools
- FanDuel Lineup Optimizer
- Matchups Page (Vegas odds, opponent averages, etc.)
- Advanced Lineups Page
- Stats
- Team Trends
- Targets
- Defense vs. Position
- Team Rankings
Week 5 CFB DFS Plays on FanDuel for Saturday, September 27
Quarterback
Taylen Green, Arkansas 
($11,800) vs. Notre Dame
Green is the engine that makes the Hogs run on offense, and he might be in a situation again Saturday where hero ball is on the menu.
Arkansas has lost the last pair of contests in heartbreaking fashion, but that didn't stop Green from putting up huge numbers, compiling a combined 630 passing yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 168 yards and a score against Memphis and Ole Miss.
The Notre Dame defense is typically one to fear from a fantasy standpoint, but that hasn't been the case so much in 2025. The Fighting Irish have allowed a combined 98 points through the first three games. What's more, QBs have averaged nearly four yards per tote against the Fighting Irish, and Green isn't one afraid to take off.
Julian Sayin, Ohio State 
($10,000) at Washington
As mentioned above, the Buckeyes are a squad with one of the more notable totals on the week, clearing the 30-point mark along with just six other teams Saturday.
The opposing defensive numbers, on the outside, don't seem the most enthralling from a fantasy perspective, allowing just 6.2 yards per pass attempt and 199.7 passing yards per tilt. However, that number jumps if you remove FCS UC Davis from the equation, and the best team the Huskies have faced to date is Wazzu last week.
Washington has held opposing running back rooms under average in every game so far this season, and the Buckeyes don't have the same level of backfield they sported a season ago. I'm expecting a lot from this passing attack Saturday.
Rickie Collins, Syracuse 
($8,500) vs. Duke
We've seen very little from Collins so far, but he came into a tough situation last week at Clemson and completed three of eight passes for 34 yards and a touchdown to help close out the contest.
Collins was actually named the starter for the Orange following spring ball, but Steve Angeli transferred in from Notre Dame after spring ball and ultimately swiped the job away. Angeli is now out for the year, so the Job is Collins' and he gets a savory matchup to kick things off.
Duke has allowed each of the first three FBS QBs it's faced to total 32-plus percent fantasy points above average, which includes a combined six rushing touchdowns, and 28.9 fantasy points per game overall. We don't have much of a sample from Collins, but he's averaged 3.7 yards per attempt so far in his college career. While he remains primarily a pass-first QB, fitting the Orange's system, he's more of a threat on the ground.
Another to consider: CJ Carr, Notre Dame 
($8,600)
Running Back
The Top Dog
Waymond Jordan, USC ($10,000) at Illinois
While the Illini had a relatively sparkling resume through the first three weeks in terms of rush defense, last week was a nightmare for the defensive front, yielding 288 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 40 carries to Indiana's group of running backs.
The three FBS running back rooms to face the Illini also sport a combined 12 catches for 11 yards, and Jordan can supply yardage in both facets, reeling in four passes for 37 yards through three games.
Jordan didn't even find paydirt in his last contest and finished with 19.2 FanDuel points, and this Trojans squad looks explosive. I'll wet my beak in the running back room here, given the other matchups atop the board.
Mid-Tier Targets
Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech ($8,600) at Wake Forest
We've seen Haynes King hero ball when the occasion calls for it, but Jamal Haynes can put up big numbers, too, when the occasion call for it. He racked up 107 yards on the ground and four catches for 39 yards last week.
He's the clear lead back here, and the room behind him is banged up, with both Alexander and Maddux banged up, leaving only Malachi Hosley in the stable behind Haynes. King will certainly take away totes here and there, but Haynes is clearly to top back and is heavily involved as both a runner and receiver, averaging around 15 touches (12 carries and three targets per game)
The Yellow Jackets are sizable favorites here, so they should be able to keep things on the ground during the second half.
Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest 
($7,700) vs. Georgia Tech
This is a spot that doesn't seem particularly conducive to a big showing from Claiborne. The Demon Deacons are 7.5-point underdogs here and are one of the lowest-projected scoring teams (19.0 points) on the slate.
Why, then, would I take a chance on Claiborne? While I wouldn't necessarily recommend Claiborne for cash games, he is the Wake Forest offense. Case in point, he totaled 20 touches last week, including eight catches for 33 yards, despite the Demon Deacons losing by 10.
Claiborne will continue to get prioritized here, even if Wake Forest is outmatched as Vegas believes it is.
Bargain Options
Carson Hansen, Iowa State ($7,000) vs. Arizona
While Abu Sama ($5,500) should be evaluated as an option here, I feel better about my chances of realizing more upside with Hansen in this matchup versus a Wildcats club that's a touchdown underdog.
Hansen has been the lead ball carrier in three of the four games this year and notched just one fewer tote against Iowa. Hansen still matched Sama for touches in the game with three catches to Sama's two.
Hansen hasn't tallied more than 13.5 FD points in a game this season and yet to reach paydirt, but he did so a total of 15 times last year, so he's bound to break through at some point. I think this is the week.
Caden Durham, ($7,100) -- if he plays -- or Ju'Juan Johnson ($5,200) and Harlem Berry ($6,300), LSU at Ole Miss
Durham ($7,100) is definitely worth a look if he's available for Saturday's contest, if he gives it a go against an Ole Miss defensive front that has hemorrhaged 190.5 rushing yards and 5.1 rushing yards per contest so far.
He handled north of a 55 percent carry share against both Clemson and Florida, and he'll assuredly claim the vast majority of totes if healthy again Saturday. A report from earlier in the week indicated he was trending in the right direction, but head coach Brian Kelly indicated he'll be a game-time call Saturday.
If he can't go Johnson intrigues me a bit more than Berry. Johnson has seen work against Florida and Clemson, and it seems he might be next in line for lead role of Durham can't play. Berry is more expensive and, thus, likely to be less rostered. That could make him intriguing in a GPP format.
Also Consider: Damari Alston, Auburn ($6,700)
Wide Receiver/Tight End
The Top Dogs
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State ($11,000) at Washington
It's not a stretch to go with the top wide receiver on the board, but you don't always need to reinvent the wheel. The Buckeyes should find the end zone multiple times, and the Huskies have succeeded against opposing ground games.
As mentioned above, I'm on board with Sayin this week under center, and Smith is the obvious pairing here. Carnell Tate proved himself with a good showing against Ohio last week, but that should only shift away some of the defense from Smith, who remains the clear alpha.
Makai Lemon, USC ($11,000) at Illinois
Lemon is the No. 3 WR on the board this week, and if I'm deciding to fade the Buckeyes' passing attack, I'll take a chance on the Trojans, who have proven they can take apart any defense they've faced thus far.
Lemon is a weapon Lincoln Riley formulates plays to get the ball. He's the most explosive from a fantasy perspective, totaling 24 catches and two rushes through the first four tilts.
There are a lot of explosive weapons in this offense, but Lemon is a likely first-round pick in 2026 and sports a safe floor with upside of near 30 points, notching 29.8 twice already through four games.
Mid-Tier Targets
O'Mega Blake, Arkansas ($8,500) vs. Notre Dame
Would you look at that, another potential pairing partner with a recommended quarterback. Blake's 25.6 percent target share places him among the top 10 wideouts on the slate, and he's averaging 9.9 yards on each target he's accumulated thus far.
On top of that, Notre Dame -- as mentioned -- hasn't proven to have a top-notch defense thus far, and wideouts have finished around average against them thus far, despite facing three power-conference foes who have faced easier competition in some of their other tilts.
This has shootout potential, as mentioned above, and this would be the pairing to target here if you're going that route.
Justus Ross-Simmons ($8,100) and Darrell Gill ($6,200), and Johntay Cook ($6,400), Syracuse vs. Duke
We're sticking with the pairing options here, and the Orange have continued to succeed in the passing attack to date despite a complete line change on both ends.
Gone is Kyle McCord under center, and so are basically all of the team's targets last season. Replacing them are Ross-Simmons, Gill, and Cook ($6,400), who is expected to play and an intriguing option here as well, assuming he gets the green light.
Duke has allowed every FBS opposing wideout room to produce outputs 20-plus percent above average on the year. With Cook banged up, I'll take my chances with Ross-Simmons and Gill here, who are both still heavily involved.
Bargain Options
Collin Dixon, Illinois ($6,100) vs. USC
Dixon may be overshadowed in the wideout room by Hank Beatty thus far, but Beatty was a little banged up with a shoulder injury this week. Though he practiced, it's possible Beatty may not be operating at 100 percent.
More targets could be funneled Dixon's way as a result, and Dixon poses some intrigue himself, reeling in four of his seven targets for 86 yards and a touchdown last week. The Illini will need to involve the passing attack to keep pace here, so I'll hitch my ride to Dixon at the discounted rate coming off a big showing.
Sahmir Hagans, Duke ($5,600) at Syracuse
Hagans doesn't have the biggest target share of the bunch this season. In fact, he's seen no more than four passes tossed his way in the last three contests.
Even so, he's a clear favorite near the red zone, racking up four receiving touchdowns to date to go along with 179 receiving yards. He also plays a healthy share of snaps, and this is a matchup that is expected to see the scoreboard light up on both sides.
FanDuel doesn't have any bonuses for receiving yard totals and only has half-point PPR scoring, so touchdowns are still king. Hagans has multi-touchdown potential here at an affordable price tag.
