FanDuel College Football: Week 11 Main Slate

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Updated on November 13, 2021 6:19PM EST

As the college football season hits the home stretch, some of the best games are yet to come. the best of the bunch in terms of entertainment and fantasy could be Wake Forest-N.C. State, sporting a slate-high 66.5 over-under to lead the way. Virginia-Notre Dame (64.0), Ohio Sate-Purdue (63.5), Baylor-Oklahoma (62.0), Florida State-Miami (60.5) and Michigan State-Maryland (60.5) all cross the 60-point mark this week, suggesting there could be numerous games to target for fantasy purposes. In terms of teams to target, the Buckeyes head the pack with 41.75 expected points. Georgia (38.0) and Michigan State (36.5) are the only other squads expected to put out 35 or more points, while eight other teams top 30 or more. Ohio State also has the largest blowout potential (-21.0) by Vegas odds, with Georgia (-20.0) trailing close behind. Michigan State (-12.5), Oklahoma State (-12.0) and Iowa State (-10.5) round out the double-digit favorites.

Now let's take a look at the games with a potential weather impact:

Michigan at Penn State : Winds near 13 mph and a small potential for some precipitation throughout.

Ohio State at Purdue Purdue : Wind around 14 mph at kickoff that is expected to lessen throughout the game.

Iowa State at Texas Tech : Another instance where the wind is expected to start out around 14 mph and die down quickly.

Maryland at Michigan State : Wind around 13 mph at kickoff and a little less than 50 percent chance of precipitation in the first half.

Notable Injuries/Absences

Brennan Armstrong, Virginia - Status may not be finalized before kickoff. Warmup indicators may be important.

Jordan Travis, Florida State - Returned to practice Tuesday, likely lining him up for a return this week.

Tyler Shough, Texas Tech - Has practiced and could be an option to start this week. It's between him and Donovan Smith.

Blake Corum, Michigan, - Status may not be determined until pregame warmups.

Zach Evans, TCU TCU - Expected to sit Saturday.

Christian Beal-Smith, Wake Forest - Status for Saturday unclear after he was helped off the field last week.

Kendre Miller, TCU TCU - Questionable this week.

Wayne Taulapapa, Virginia, - Left last game and his status hasn't been clarified.

Lawrance Toafili, Florida State - Was spotted without crutches or a boot last week but it's unclear when he will return.

Garrett Wilson, Ohio State - Returned to practice this week, seems a good bet to play.

Dontario Drummond, Ole Miss Mississippi - Didn't play last week and no update on his status since.

Jalen Nailor, Michigan State - didn't play last week and his status doesn't seem super promising for Saturday either. May not be determined until pregame warmups.

Billy Kemp IV, Virginia - Banged up against BYU and his status is unclear.

Isaiah Esdale, West Virginia - Slated to miss another game this week.

Mike Woods, Oklahoma - Seems likely to be back in action this week for the first time since mid-October.

Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss Mississippi - Hasn't played since mid-September and there is no sign he's close to returning.

Andrel Anthony, Michigan - Has a chance to play Saturday after leaving last week with an injury.

Arian Smith, Georgia Georgia - Suffered a fractured leg that is expected to cost him the rest of 2021.

No notable absences

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Week 11 Plays

Quarterback

Caleb Williams, Oklahoma ($11,800) at Baylor

Williams hasn't slowed down since taking over under center for the Sooners, accounting for 14 total touchdowns over the last four games. The Baylor matchup appears relatively mediocre on paper (237.9 passing yards and 1.1 passing touchdowns allowed per game), but the Bears were torn to shreds by a redshirt freshman in Chandler Morris making his first career start just last week. In fact, the last four opposing quarterbacks have thrown for 272 or more yards. That four-quarterback group also ran for 158 yards and a trio of scores over that four-game span. Williams has the ability to do both of those things and at more of an elite level than most quarterbacks in college football. That should position him for another solid showing Saturday in a matchup that could lead some to avoid him given the cost of investment.

Tyler Van Dyke, Miami ($9,700) at Florida State

Another quarterback who didn't begin the season as the starter under center, Van Dyke has really shined over the last three games, throwing for 325 or more yards in each and posting a 10:1 TD:INT ratio over that span. Florida State allowed a slate-worst 24.5 points per game to opposing quarterbacks, including 314 passing yards and four scores to Dennis Grosel and NC State last week. Van Dyke clearly has the means to replicate that kind of success and the weapons to take advantage of the defense as well. Considering he's just fifth on the list this week, he should be worth a look.

Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland ($7,700) at Michigan State

Tagovailoa is the quarterback who gets the boost this week facing Michigan State's ugly pass defense, ranking worst in the FBS in pass yards per game allowed (326.7) by more than 18 yards per game after last week's 536 passing yards by Purdue's Aidan O'Connell. Tagovailoa may not be headed for the same output, but he can still provide plenty of value sitting well down the quarterback grid. He has thrown for 370-plus yards in each of the last two games and has attempted 36 or more passes in all but three games so far. The game script should also work in his favor, with Maryland a double-digit dog in this one, as highlighted in the intro. This could be set up for a heavy volume of passing again and I'm willing to take a shot on any quarterback in this range with this kind of matchup.

GPP Dart: Jordan Travis (if he plays), Florida State ($6,800) vs. Miami

Speaking of solid matchups, Travis is another name to consider if you are digging deep into the ranks for a name that may not be particularly popular. That being said, the Noles do sport an expected score of 29.0 points for the contest, and Travis faces a defense allowing almost 270 passing yards per game to go along with a pair of scores. While Travis may not be one of the more proficient passers in college football, he has accumulated two or more passing touchdowns in five of the seven games he's played in so far this season. He also has the ability to make things happen on the ground, rushing for 78-plus yards in three of the last four games. If he can get the offense moving Saturday, he's displayed the upside to put up a big score, tallying 41.9 FD points against North Carolina earlier this season.

Another to consider: C.J. Stroud, Ohio State ($10,400)

Running Back

Kenneth Walker, Michigan State ($10,500) vs. Maryland

There are some intriguing options atop the board this week, but none may be more so than Walker, who is looking to pick up his Heisman campaign following the team's first setback of the season versus Purdue last week. Walker didn't really disappoint in that one despite the loss, still churning out 146 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Opposing FBS backs are averaging nearly five yards per carry on the season and, in the three games prior to last week against a Penn State team that hasn't displayed much of a ground game, the backfields amassed a combined 623 rushing yards and eight rushing scores. Walker has a fairly safe floor alone given his 23-plus carries in each of the last five games and his ceiling is a high one, posting two 50-plus FD point games on the year and four with at least 30. He also has the game script on his side with Sparty favored to win this matchup by double digits.

Kyren Williams, Notre Dame ($9,700) at Virginia

After a slow start to the season by his standards, Williams has really picked up the pace recently, running for a combined 432 rushing yards and five scores over the last three games. this week's matchup should be more than conducive to keep that trend rolling. the Cavaliers allow a slate-worst 33.3 FD points per game to opposing backs this season and have yielded a total of 496 rushing yards and seven rushing scores to backs over just the last two games. On the year, Virginia allows slate-worst marks of 5.7 yards per attempt and 219.1 rushing yards per game to go along with 2.0 rushing scores. Like Walker, Williams' Notre Dame squad is favored in the contest, though by just 5.5 points. Either way, as long as the game remains close with ample time on the clock Williams should be the primary ballcarrier for the Fighting Irish when they have the ball. He also could be utilized to salt the clock away late if Notre Dame is hanging on to a lead.

Jaylen Warren, Oklahoma State ($8,400) vs. TCU

Warren's production has taken a slight downturn over the last three games, but this is a situation where context needs to be added. In two of the games (West Virginia and Iowa State), Warren was going up against two of the top 27 rush defenses in the nation, with Iowa State allowing just 102.1 rushing yards per game and West Virginia not far behind yielding only 122.7 per game. The other game was against Kansas, where the Cowboys took a 38-point lead into halftime and didn't need to use Warren in the second half. Neither of those scenarios should apply to Saturday's game. TCU's rush defense allows 5.3 yards per carry, 201.6 rushing yards per game and 2.2 rushing scores per game, all among the worst totals on the slate. The Horned Frogs haven't been any better recently, allowing six of the last seven opposing backfields to run for 164 or more yards. Harking back to the previous two running backs, Warren is also in a game script (Oklahoma State -12.0) to allow for plenty of second-half work. Warren posted four straight 20-plus FD point games prior to his recent dry spell and I would anticipate him crossing that threshold again this week.

GPP Dart: Devon Achane, Texas A&M ($6,700) at Ole Miss

Achane's performance last week didn't stand out from a fantasy standpoint, but he did run for 98 yards on 10 carries while receiving double-digit carries for the third straight game. Prior to last week, Achane put up back-to-back 20-point efforts on the ground, earning himself a fair share of the carries. The matchup this week figures to feature plenty of plays run on both sides, but the most enticing thing bringing Achane into the mix is his speed. Achane has ripped off eight runs of 20-plus yards on just 96 carries (8.3 percent) and faces a defense that has yielded 13 rushes of 20 or more yards on the season over just nine games. That could trend toward a favorable scenario where Achane busts loose for a long run or two, allowing him to deliver at this salary.

Super GPP Dart: Emari Demercado (if Zach Evans and Kendre Miller sit), TCU ($5,700) at Oklahoma State

Dermercado's matchup is atrocious, so I wouldn't blame you if you want to steer clear of it. There is plenty of built-in risk. To kick things off, Oklahoma State allows just 17.1 FD points per game to opposing teams and has really come into their own over the last couple of weeks, holding Kansas and West Virginia back to a combined 89 rushing yards. On the year, the opposition is averaging only 86.2 rushing yards per game and 2.6 yards per attempt. Add to that the fact that Demarcado is typically third, at best in the pecking order for snaps out of the backfield, and you have to wonder why this is worth your while. Well, as noted in the injury section above, Evans is doubtful to suit up for the Horned Frogs and Miller is questionable. Add to that Daimarqua Foster being out for the season and you get Demercado's 19 carries and four catches last week. His 22 touches may go unnoticed given his lack of overall production, but it is by far the most he's seen the ball this season. I'm not expecting a huge day from Demercado, given the matchup, but he could have the workload to supply some value at a reasonable salary. It's worth mentioning that the Horned Frogs don't play until the night slate, but there are some palatable options in that window for late swaps in a similar salary range if needed.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Ohio State wide receivers vs Purdue

The Buckeyes' matchup is another one that is a bit deceiving to the eyes. Purdue ranks among the best on the slate across the board in pass defense numbers, which defense seemingly would make the Ohio State wideouts a less appealing bunch. What gets lost in the shuffle is that six of the nine opponent the Boilers have faced in 2021 rank 90th or worse in pass offense and five rank outside the top 100. The best pass offense they've faced thus far is Nebraska, who checks in 36th in the country with 264.9 passing yards per game. In three games facing offenses ranked 36th, 38th (Notre Dame) and 53rd (Michigan State), opposing wide receivers have averaged more than 30 points per contest. Ohio State enters the week sixth in the country in passing offense (352.8 passing yards per game) and will likely look to silence the doubters against a Purdue team notorious for knocking off top-five opponents. Chris Olave tops the chart at $9,100 coming off of a few down games, but he has plenty of upside to his game (three 25-plus point efforts) to suggest there is value to be had. Garrett Wilson doesn't quite have that same upside, but he's $500 cheaper in salary, consistently churns out double-digit efforts and has two of more than 20. That being said, Wilson's status isn't a certainty for Saturday after he missed last week, so it will be worth keeping an eye out for his status in warmups. If he can't go again, Jaxon Smith-Njigba ($7,800) reenters the picture coming off of a massive showing (37.5 FD points) last week against Nebraska.

Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State ($8,500) at Texas Tech

This range is filled with appealing options at the wide receiver position. Along with Garrett Wilson above, I also like the two I have pointed out below in the "Others to consider" section. I ultimately decided on Hutchinson in this spot because he's a wideout with a reasonably safe floor in terms of volume and has the potential to score multiple touchdowns, doing so on two occasions already this season. He gets a Texas Tech defense that has allowed a slate-high 15 passing touchdowns to opposing wideouts over nine games, which seemingly heightens Hutchinson's chances of finding pay dirt at least once Saturday.

Tyquan Thornton, Baylor ($8,000) vs. Oklahoma

Thornton is another wideout with some explosive efforts under his belt, including a two-touchdown showing last week against TCU in a losing effort. the Bears are likely looking at a similar need this week facing a high-powered Oklahoma offense with an expected tally of 33.75 based on Vegas odds. Baylor isn't too far behind at 29.25, but the fact that they could suggest a fair amount of second-half passing if the game script plays out that way. Oklahoma yields 272.9 passing yards and 2.1 passing touchdowns per game and 8.1 passing yards per attempt. Things haven't gotten much better of late, allowing the last five opponent wideout groups to average 49.6 FD points per contest. Thornton is the clear leader in the Bears' wideout room and should be heavily involved again Saturday.

GPP Plays: Rakim Jarrett ($6,500) and Chigoziem Okonkwo ($6,000), Maryland at Michigan State

Similar to Tagovailoa above, these two simply fit the bill of having an overwhelmingly good matchup at an affordable rate. They aren't slouches either, with Jarrett turning in double-digit efforts in five of nine games this year. He's the most consistently involved in the offense of the remaining healthy wide receivers for the Terps (two starting wideouts are down with injury for the season). He was highly regarded coming out of high school and has begun to deliver on some of that promise, notching five touchdowns over nine gameS on the season. Saturday could mark his chance to really post a breakout game. Speaking of breakout games, Okonkwo had just that last week, turning 15 targets into 12 catches for 85 yards. In addition to being the worst on the slate against wide receivers, the Spartans are also worst at guarding tight ends (11.3 FD points per game). Given the lack of weapons still healthy and the juicy matchup, it wouldn't be shocking to see Okonkwo go big again.

Others to consider: Charleston Rambo, Miami ($8,700), Tay Martin, Oklahoma State ($8,500), Kevin Austin, Notre Dame ($7,600)

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Chris Benzine plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Crispy272001, DraftKings: Crispy27.