College Football DFS Picks on DraftKings and FanDuel: Sunday Slate Plays for Week 1

DraftKings and FanDuel have an early kickoff of noon ET for their special Sunday slates, but you'll get good use out of our article if you miss the deadline and take the later 3:00 p.m. slate. We'll explain that and more below!

Slate Overview

Rutgers (-6.5) vs. Northwestern O/U: 39.5

Oregon State (16.5) @ San Jose State O/U: 54.5

LSU (-2) @ Florida State O/U: 55.5

The low total for Rutgers-Northwestern makes them practically a universal fade, which gives more credence to going with the 3:00 p.m. late slate. A more extensive assortment of contests is the only reason you'd want to go early. My builds are almost wholly devoid of Rutgers and Northwestern because getting value with the low total is tough to do when the other two games clock in at 15 points higher.

Today's slate is all about getting unique, especially at the vital quarterback position. I will make some calls that most of you won't agree with. I get the allure of rostering Jordan Travis or Jayden Daniels, but you don't win small slates like this by going with the crowd. I also don't buy the FSU hype, and they'll have to prove on Sunday that they are worth all the talk. I have very little of Jordan Travis in my builds, and a little more of Daniels, but as you'll see, I am flipping the script at quarterback.

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Week 1 Sunday Plays for DraftKings and FanDuel

Quarterback

DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State @ San Jose State (DK $8,600, FD $10,600)

Is there a player in college football who has endured more bad press than Uiagalelei? The Clemson faithful in Death Valley clamored for Cade Klubnik all season, and they got their wish. DJ wasted little time to comment on the quick exit, calling out the coaching staff for schemes that didn't fit his skill set. Despite what we saw at Clemson, I still think DJ is a better talent than Klubnik, and the fresh start at Oregon State will prove that. I'll be clear - he won't be in the running for the Heisman or anything like that, but he will have a better season than many people think. The Spartans were soft against the pass in Week 1, but most defenses struggle against Caleb Williams.

Chevan Cordeiro, San Jose State vs. Oregon State (DK $7,200, FD $9,600)

Although the final score didn't show it, Cordeiro played well in the loss to USC. Granted, the Trojans continued to be awful on defense, but he generated 410 yards of total offense and was responsible for five touchdowns. Those are slate-breaking numbers that you're getting at a discount. I would venture to say that the Beavers have a better defensive unit than USC, but Cordeiro will feel more settled in with his new team. Loads of offensive talent surrounds him, and I think he'll execute even better this week.

Running Back

The running back pool is very inexpensive on DraftKings. You can load premier talent there without overspending.

Damien Martinez, Oregon State @ San Jose State(DK $5,700, FD $9,600)

The game should be competitive enough to keep Martinez on the field for four quarters. Martinez is the clear every-down back for the Badgers and is one of the most dynamic rushers in the conference. Although the Spartans had some success containing USC's rushing attack, Martinez is a one-of-a-kind back who is matchup-proof to most defenses.

Trey Benson, Florida State vs. LSU (DK $6,100, FD $9,200)

It's a formidable salary to swallow on FanDuel, but Benson is exceedingly cheap on DraftKings and he is too talented to be at this salary point. Benson logged 1,134 yards of total offense last season and had five 100-yard games. LSU is better at defending the pass, so the Seminoles should use Benson to keep its offense on the field. Lawrance Toafili (DK $5,200, FD $6,600) will also contribute to the cause, and his FanDuel salary is a cheaper way to get involved in the rushing offense.

Kairee Robinson, San Jose State vs. Oregon State (DK $5,300, FD $6,400) 

Robinson had a solid outing against the Trojans and showed rapport with Chevan Cordeiro in the passing game. While Benson and Martinez should be fine for your running back positions on both sites, he could fulfill a role in the FLEX if you need salary relief. Remember that DraftKings has a one-point PPR, and FanDuel only rewards 0.5 points for a reception, making it wiser to use a wide receiver in the FLEX instead of a running back.

LSU's running game is split between Noah Cain and Josh Williams, so it's hard to determine the best course. Both backs are inexpensive on DraftKings, so I'd be willing to load up one of them in some lineups.

Wide Receiver

Anthony Gould, Oregon State @ San Jose State (DK $6,200, FD $8,200)

Gould is one of the most talented receivers in the Pac-12, and I expect his numbers to remain steady this season with DJ Uiagalelei under center. Injuries kept him off the field for a couple of games last season, but he still managed to log 457 yards and three touchdowns.

Malik Nabers, LSU @ Florida State (DK $7,300, FD $9,200)

Thanks to the running back discounts, Nabers is much more affordable on DraftKings, and he was helpful as a stack in one of the few lineups I used incorporating Daniels. Although Nabers had difficulty finding the end zone last season, he compiled 72 receptions and 1,017 receiving yards.

Johnny Wilson, Florida State vs. LSU (DK $6,500, FD $8,800)

Wilson's reasonable salary makes him a clear choice as one of Jordan Travis' primary targets. While I've already expressed my doubts about Travis in this game, my basis is on value correlation to his salary. I think both Daniels and Travis will produce, but I would rather get involved with their playmakers than the quarterbacks. Wilson represents an excellent way to get involved with FSU's offensive outcome.