The College Football Playoff kicks off Friday night with a Round 1 matchup between Alabama and Oklahoma. While the hotly contested rematch will be the highlight, DraftKings has also added two early bowl games to the slate. Surprisingly, players from the Myrtle Beach and Gasparilla Bowls will be heavily populated in my projections, and you'll need to be ready by the 11:00 a.m. ET kickoff to take advantage.
College Football DFS Slate Overview
College Football Injuries/Opt-Outs for Friday, December 19
Myrtle Beach Bowl: Western Michigan (-3.5) vs. Kennesaw Stare (O/U: 47.5)
- No significant injuries or opt-outs
- Both teams are dealing with defensive depth issues.
Gasparilla Bowl: N.C. State (-4.5) vs. Memphis (O/U: 57.5)
- Memphis will have depth issues at CB and offensive line
- The Wolfpack will presumably be without RB Hollywood Smothers, who announced Thursday he will enter the transfer portal, and TE Justin Joly, another of the team's best offensive weapons, could also be a candidate to skip out.
CFP Round 1: Oklahoma (-1) vs. Alabama (O/U: 48.5)
- No significant injuries or opt-outs
College Football DFS Tools
- CFB Lineup Optimizer
- Matchups Page (Vegas odds, opponent averages, etc.)
- Advanced Lineups Page
- Stats
- Team Trends
- Targets
- Defense vs. Position
- Team Rankings
DraftKings CFB DFS Picks for Friday, December 19
Quarterback
Brendon Lewis, 
Memphis ($7,400) vs. N.C. State
If we combine salary, opponent defensive strength, high projected total and passing frequency, Lewis shows up as our best option at quarterback. Lewis has had a solid season, with 2,654 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. After four years with three different teams, Lewis will have a final chance to prove his NFL worthiness on the college stage, so he'll be motivated to make a statement.
CJ Bailey, 
N.C. State ($8,200) vs. Memphis
I'm staying away from the flashy CFP matchup and opting for Bailey instead. Although I thought about John Mateer, Bailey has shown an innate ability to rack up fantasy numbers against evenly matched opponents, and he tore up the Tarheels in their intrastate rivalry game. His slate-high salary reflects his worth, and I'm convinced that taking Ty Simpson or Mateer is less productive.
Running Back
Jalen Buckley, 
Western Michigan ($6,700) vs. Kennesaw State
This could be a smash spot for Buckley. Kennesaw State should be applauded for making a bowl game in its second season in the FBS, but the team is only so-so against the run, surrendering an average of 183.8 yards per game to opposing runners. Buckley is coming off an explosive MAC Championship game and has accrued 396 yards and five touchdowns over the final three games of the season.
Jayden Scott, N.C. State ($5,200) vs. Memphis
With Smothers entering the transfer portal, the top spot on the depth chart will presumably be up for grabs in the bowl game, and Scott is the prime candidate to claim it. In his lone start earlier this season, Scott ran for 196 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, and he faces a Memphis defense yielding 133.4 rushing yards and 1.7 rushing touchdowns per contest. At this salary, getting a potential workhorse is a bargain, though it's worth ensuring Smothers isn't involved in warmups ahead of the contest.
Also consider: Coleman Bennett, 
Kennesaw State ($5,600) vs. Western Michigan
Wide Receiver
Germie Bernard, 
Alabama ($6,400) @ Oklahoma
My fade of the CFP game to this point doesn't mean I'll overlook significant target shares. During Alabama's narrow loss to Oklahoma in the regular season, Bernard had the most offensive success with seven catches and 71 yards, and Ty Simpson will once again need to air it out due to a potential lack of progress on the ground. I expect Bernard to find the holes and get open for his quarterback enough to command a good number.
Isaiah Sategna, 
Oklahoma ($6,100) vs. Alabama
Sategna has been the go-to guy for Mateer lately. He had 230 receiving yards and two touchdowns over the final two games of the season, and had the most success in getting behind opposing secondaries. He didn't have great success in the regular-season matchup, but it's hard to argue with his recent results.
Cortez Braham, Memphis ($6,000) vs. N.C. State
Braham has been Brendon Lewis's favorite target in recent weeks, and although the Tigers limped to the end of the season on a three-game losing streak, the connection between Lewis and Braham should be very active. Braham has some sleepers behind him on the depth chart, and if they get some targets in the first quarter, the Wolfpack may take away the double-team and give Braham a breakaway opportunity.
