College Football DFS: Night Slate, Week 8

FanDuel has added two additional games to their Saturday Night slate.  We will circle back to these games at the conclusion of the article and focus first on the eight games they have in common.

SLATE OVERVIEW

Alabama (-25) vs. Tennessee O/U: 68

Air Force (-3) vs. San Diego State O/U: 39

Texas A&M (-19.5) vs. South Carolina O/U: 45

North Carolina State (-3.5) @ Miami (FL) O/U: 53.5

TCU (-4.5) vs. West Virginia O/U: 56.5

Notre Dame (-7) vs. USC O/U: 59

Virginia (-6.5) vs. Georgia Tech O/U: 64

Ohio State (-21) @ Indiana O/U: 58.5

Fresno State (-3.5) vs. Nevada O/U 65 (FANDUEL ONLY)

Utah (-3) @ Oregon State O/U: 57.5 (FANDUEL ONLY)

The TEN/ALA matchup will be a popular target due to the plentiful total, and I doubt we'll be able to avoid it, either. Conversely, the AFA/SDSU game has nothing to offer us offensively. Despite the lopsided odds, Ohio State will still be a great source of points, and the shootout potential of the UTAH/OSU game is very appealing over on FanDuel. From a DFS perspective, the USC/ND game is probably the most perplexing and potentially dangerous variant to target. If things go badly again for Kedon Slovis, we might see a quarterback change, and although we have fantasy targets on both sides of the ball, this could either turn into a massive blowout for the Irish or a surprisingly close contest. 

QUARTERBACK

Bryce Young, Alabama (DK $9,400, FD $10,600) @ Tennessee

What started to be a potential blowout got a lot more narrow once Hendon Hooker (DK $7,400, FD $8,900) was upgraded to probable Friday evening. This development gives Tennessee a chance to be competitive. The Vols aren't particularly strong defensively, and they haven't done well against the pass this season. Young should have an opportunity to exploit Tennesee's secondary and come away with the win in Knoxville, but with Hooker in the game, the Vols may be able to keep Alabama's starters on the field for the full duration.

Devin Leary, North Carolina State (DK $7,200, FD $8,400) @ Miami (FL)

Leary is a budget diamond in the rough on the slate and finds himself in a very exploitable spot against Miami. The Hurricanes look way out of sorts without D'Eriq King, as Tyler Van Dyke hasn't been consistent. The Wolfpack boasts one of the best defenses in the country, and while this game may give way to their adept rushing game if it gets out of hand, Leary will probably rack up volume in the first half through the air. Leary's numbers have been excellent this season, throwing 15 touchdowns and only two picks.

USC QUARTERBACK SITUATION

The team has been mum and non-committal about who might start against Notre Dame. If you want to get unique and you're able to stay on top of breaking news in the afternoon, wait to see if Jaxson Dart (DK $7,000, FD $5,400) gets the start over Kedon Slovis (DK $6,500, FD $8,600). If the team goes with Slovis, he's a decent contrarian play and relatively cheap on DraftKings, but opting for Dart if he starts is a superlative play on FanDuel, where he is incredibly inexpensive.

Also consider: Brennan Armstrong, Virginia (DK $9,600, FD$10,900) vs. Georgia Tech

RUNNING BACK

TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State (DK $8,100, FD $10,000) @ Indiana

The Hoosiers may have one of the best rush defenses on the slate, but I doubt they are enough to contend with the Buckeyes' stout offensive line. The Hoosiers have also lost their starting QB and will roll with untested Jack Tuttle. It should be noted that C.J. Stroud has only started six games himself and is dealing with a shoulder issue. The best way for Indiana to stay competitive is to pressure Stroud into mistakes, which is why I think a ground-and-pound approach with their talented freshman back is the best way to widen the gap in this contest. 

Kyren Williams, Notre Dame (DK $7,200, FD $9,800) vs. USC

It might take a minute, but every USC opponent this season has broken out with a momentum-crushing, extended rushing play. The Trojans' defense is undisciplined and has played their way out of all three of their lopsided losses. Williams could be the back to do it Saturday, although I would keep an eye on Chris Tyree's condition. A healthy Tyree could affect Williams' load a bit, but there's no question that Williams is their guy. He's only rushed for 370 yards but has found the end zone seven times.

Leddie Brown, West Virginia (DK $6,800, FD $8,300) @ TCU

Brown has the potential to slip through the cracks amidst more recognizable names in the player pool. The Horned Frogs rank near the bottom nationally against the run, and the Mountaineers have no problem throwing significant volume Brown's way. He's racked up 95 rushes for 422 yards with six touchdowns on the ground and one through the air. 

Also consider: Zonovan Knight N.C. State (DK $5,100, FD $6,900) @ Miami

WIDE RECEIVER

Drake London, USC (DK $8,800, FD $9,500) @ Notre Dame

London may seem obvious, but let me explain why he is a vital pick on DraftKings. The scoring rules for CFB on DK is full PPR, meaning you get one point for every reception. FanDuel only awards 0.5 per catch. It doesn't matter who will be under center for the Trojans Saturday - London will be a volume beast. He may not find the end zone in every game, but he's a virtual lock for 10 or more receptions and the yards that come with it. Opponents would do well to double-team him on every play, but that doesn't seem to hinder him either. He makes 50/50 balls look more like 80/20 balls.

Garrett Wilson, Ohio State (DK $7,300, FD $9,000) @ Indiana

What about Chris Olave, you might ask? A valid question, but if you look at the numbers, Olave and Wilson are remarkably similar. I'll be honest - blindfold yourself and throw a dart at Olave, Wilson or Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and you'll be fine with wherever it lands. I prefer Wilson because his numbers have been more balanced than Olave's, and he sees more snaps than Smith-Njigba. I don't mind stacking two of them.

Michael Mayer, Notre Dame (DK $6,000, FD $7,000) vs. USC

The injury bug has driven Mayer's cost down over the past few weeks, but he appears good to go against the Trojans Saturday. The 6-4 sophomore tight end has been a reliable target for Jack Coan when healthy, and he's recorded double-digit targets in three of five games played. He should be a good source of volume, especially in DKs full-PPR format.

Billy Kemp, Virginia (DK $6,100, FD $7,700) vs. Georgia Tech

Kemp will give you at least seven receptions per game, and he's going up against a Georgia Tech defense that allows an average of 229 yards per game against opposing passers. Dontayvion Wicks (DK $6,100, FD $8,800) is the guy you want for absolute guarantees from Virginia's prolific offense, but Kemp is a sensible pivot.

Nevada @ Fresno State (FANDUEL)

For my money, the value lies with receivers on both sides of the ball. Both Jalen Cropper ($9,400) and Romeo Doubs ($8,400) represent prime examples of wideout talent in the Mountain West.  The Cropper to Jake Haener ($9,500) is probably the more desirable stack, however. There's also exceptional rushing talent in this contest, with Fresno State's Ronnie Rivers ($8,000) leading the way. Zane Pope ($5,500) at wideout is my sleeper in this contest.

Utah @ Oregon State (FANDUEL)

This game is so full of viable DFS targets, it's hard to find a starting point. This game could go a long way toward deciding how the Pac-12 shakes out, and it stands to be one of the best games of the evening. Cameron Rising ($10,300) has put up excellent numbers for Utah, but Chance Nolan ($7,500) is cheaper and equally capable of putting up big numbers for the Beavers. Brant Kuithe ($7,000) is one of the best tight ends in the country and has finally woken up with some decent stat lines, and on Oregon State's side, Tyjon Lindsey is the top target for Nolan. Your top running back in this game is standout B.J. Baylor ($9,200).