This article is part of our DFS College Football series.
Wednesday features two more bowl games here in December. At 5:30 p.m. ET, we have Western Kentucky against James Madison in the Boca Raton Bowl, and then at 9 p.m. ET, we have Cal versus UNLV in the Los Angeles Bowl. Both games offer intriguing offensive options but also stark reminders of the nature of modern college football. Cal's starting quarterback this year, Fernando Mendoza, is in the transfer portal and almost assuredly won't play Wednesday. Also, speaking of modern college football, Cal is in the ACC, which still feels weird.
For DFS purposes Wednesday, I have two options for you at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver, a top option and then a secondary option that interested me. However, when it comes to quarterback, there are only really two options, in my opinion, and I will get to those first just below.
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
CFB DFS Plays for Wednesday, December 18
Quarterback
Hajj-Malik Williams, 
UNLV ($8,500) vs. Cal
Williams is coming off a tough game in the Mountain West title game, but Boise State is currently enjoying a playoff bye and waiting for an opponent. Cal went 6-6, though, with a good defense, but this is bowl season. Players leave, they check out, and Williams should face less resistance from the Golden Bears. The Campbell transfer played well after taking over as UNLV's
Wednesday features two more bowl games here in December. At 5:30 p.m. ET, we have Western Kentucky against James Madison in the Boca Raton Bowl, and then at 9 p.m. ET, we have Cal versus UNLV in the Los Angeles Bowl. Both games offer intriguing offensive options but also stark reminders of the nature of modern college football. Cal's starting quarterback this year, Fernando Mendoza, is in the transfer portal and almost assuredly won't play Wednesday. Also, speaking of modern college football, Cal is in the ACC, which still feels weird.
For DFS purposes Wednesday, I have two options for you at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver, a top option and then a secondary option that interested me. However, when it comes to quarterback, there are only really two options, in my opinion, and I will get to those first just below.
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
CFB DFS Plays for Wednesday, December 18
Quarterback
Hajj-Malik Williams, UNLV ($8,500) vs. Cal
Williams is coming off a tough game in the Mountain West title game, but Boise State is currently enjoying a playoff bye and waiting for an opponent. Cal went 6-6, though, with a good defense, but this is bowl season. Players leave, they check out, and Williams should face less resistance from the Golden Bears. The Campbell transfer played well after taking over as UNLV's quarterback, especially running the ball. Williams ran the ball 151 times for 824 yards and nine touchdowns and only lost one fumble.
Caden Veltkamp, 
Western Kentucky ($7,700) vs. James Madison
Mendoza, as I noted is doubtful to play. Well, James Madison's starting quarterback, Alonza Barnett, is out with a leg injury. Backup quarterbacks have shown out in bowl games in the past. Miller Moss basically got the chance to start at USC because he did that. Personally, I'm not risking it. Notably, Veltkamp both said he would enter the transfer portal and said he would play in the Boca Raton Bowl. He completed 66.6 percent of his passes with 30 total touchdowns (23 passing, seven rushing). I'll take a guy with some reps over unproven backups from Cal or James Madison.
Running Back
George Pettaway, 
James Madison ($5,500) vs. Western Kentucky
The Hilltoppers did well against the pass, but they were woeful against the run. Western Kentucky allowed 221.9 rushing yards per game. This is clearly the matchup to target Wednesday. With Barnett out, the Dukes may rely on Pettaway. The UNC transfer averaged 5.9 yards per carry and had five rushing scores to go with two rushing scores.
Wayne Knight, James Madison ($3,800) vs. Western Kentucky
Yes, both of the running backs that I am recommending come from the same team. If you want some potential bang for your buck, the back who shares his name with Newman is intriguing. The Hilltoppers, as I noted, have comfortably the worst run defense of these four teams. Knight got himself involved as a secondary back down the stretch. Four times in five games, he rushed for over 60 yards, and three times, he had over 20 receiving yards. Knight also totaled four touchdowns in that time. If the Dukes decide to just rely on the run game, both Pettaway and Knight could deliver in a big way.
Wide Receiver
Kisean Johnson, Western Kentucky ($6,500) vs. James Madison
The Western Kentucky offense favors a passing game that leads to one receiver emerging as a focal point. Surprisingly, in 2024, that receiver ended up being Johnson. The Alcorn State transfer was targeted 97 times. He totaled 66 catches for 855 yards and seven touchdowns. Johnson was supplemented by Easton Messer, but Messer is in the transfer portal and, unlike Veltkamp, has not indicated he plans to play. That could mean even more looks for Johnson.
Jonathan Brady, 
Cal ($4,000) vs. UNLV
Can the Golden Bears prove viable in the passing game? It's bowl season, so it's possible. With only two games on the slate, taking a role of the dice is worth it, even if a backup quarterback will be under center for Cal. The program's top receiver, Nyziah Hunter, is in the portal. Brady should be the go-to guy. He had two games with over 50 yards and a touchdown in his last three outings. UNLV allowed 241.2 passing yards per game, which is neither good nor bad. If Brady has over 50 yards and a score again, that would be palatable at this salary, and with no Hunter, he may do even better.
