College football DFS is one of the best fantasy sports out there, and if you didn’t know, well you do now. The college football season ends pretty early relative to the NFL, but fortunately, the plethora of bowl games brings fantasy slates through the new year. Today we have some of the best bowl games of the season for DFS purposes, and we’ll be talking about some strategy at each position.
One thing to note before we get started is that the contests for CFB are not very good late in the season. You’ll usually see one main contest with a big prize pool, followed by smaller contests that don’t garner much interest. Today, however, we’re seeing a couple of high-dollar contests with bigger prize pools.
Quarterbacks / Super FLEX
Part of the reason why CFB DFS is so great is that you can play two quarterbacks in every lineup. Quite frankly, you SHOULD be playing two QBs in every lineup because you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage otherwise. College quarterbacks are simply too efficient compared to every other position, so you’ll want this leverage right off the bat. You might think it’s a no-brainer to play two QBs when able to, but you’d be surprised at the number of people who don’t do this.
Bo Nix: $9,400 DK
Nix has been an absolute beast this season, especially in terms of fantasy scoring. Although he was fighting an injury late in the regular season, he seems to be healthy for tonight’s bowl game against UNC. Bo Nix is the highest-priced player on the slate, but it’s warranted. He is mobile, he has good chemistry with his receivers, and he likes to score rushing TDs when given the chance.
Many people will avoid Bo Nix tonight due to his massive pricetag. This is a reason to like him more if you feel like he crushes tonight. With such a high total in the Oregon/UNC game, Nix is certainly worth a look. You’ll have to find a lot of value elsewhere if you choose to play Bo Nix with another expensive quarterback.
Drake Maye: $7,900 DK
Maye is severely underpriced given his ceiling, but it’s worth noting that he’s been in a slump to close the season. He’s capable of getting the job done both through the air and on the ground, but he’ll be without his alpha receiver in Josh Downs. On paper, this is an ideal matchup for Maye who was a Heisman favorite throughout the season. The game total is currently hovering around 75 points, and UNC has a team total above 30 despite being big underdogs.
Josh Downs is a huge missing piece for Drake Maye. He’ll have to find trust in some of his other receivers, which might not be the best feeling if you plan on locking him. Also worth mentioning is the fact that RB Elijah Green has gotten a ton of work in the past few games. There’s always a chance that UNC decides go run-heavy to keep the ball away from Oregon.
Riley Leonard: $7,700 DK
Leonard is probably the most consistent QB on the slate in terms of fantasy scoring. We’re talking a floor of 25 points over the past 9 games, although he usually goes beyond that. Leonard will pop in every optimizer today if you’re using one, but it makes sense. He’s going against a UCF defense that hemorrhages fantasy production and Duke is a sneaky good team.
Riley Leonard mostly stands out because of his rushing upside. He’s managed positive rushing yards in every game this season and has 10 rushing touchdowns on the year. If you trust that Duke will get the win today, it’ll almost certainly be fueled by Riley Leonard.
John Rhys Plumlee* : $7,500 DK
There’s an asterisk here because Plumlee has not been 100% healthy due to a hamstring injury. We know his ceiling is massive due to his rushing upside, but we don’t know if he’s capable of getting there. Reports suggest he is ready to go, but it’s quite possible he doesn’t run as much due to his nagging hamstring injury.
It’s worth considering Plumlee if he starts and seems healthy. On a four-game slate, he could be the contrarian quarterback piece that ends up being optimal. There are more secure QB options on this slate, but you’ll have a ton of leverage if you choose to play Plumlee with all the uncertainty.
Jalon Daniels: $7,000 DK
Daniels will likely get overlooked due to better options on paper, but this guy has excelled several times this season. He was out for several games due to an injury, but all reports indicate he’s healthy for today’s matchup with Arkansas. Daniels has a massive rushing upside while also showing efficiency as a passer. This is promising when we consider that Arkansas has several defensive players opting-out.
The price tag is fair for Jalon Daniels, primarily because he can compete with guys like Riley Leonard and John Rhys Plumlee. He is a fine pivot off the other mid-range options to save some salary,
KJ Jefferson: $8,500 DK
Sticker shock? Maybe so, but we have to mention KJ Jefferson anyway. Not many people will play him tonight at such an elevated price tag, but that doesn’t mean he won’t work out for you. If you’re specifically trying to be contrarian, Jefferson will likely be one of the lowest-owned QBs. All you’re hoping for at that point is for him to score a couple of rushing touchdowns and have an efficient game passing. Kansas has given up a lot of offensive production recently, and Jefferson is capable of exploiting this.
Running Backs
We won’t go as in-depth for the remaining positions, but we’ll still give some considerations. Previously, we mentioned that having a QB in your super flex is the way to go. The same can be said about running backs in the flex spot. Three RBs tend to work out the most in CFB DFS because there are a plethora of usage monsters at this level. You’d probably rather take your chances on three guys who you know will touch the ball 30 times a game, rather than opt for a receiver who could drop his targets.
Studs
- Quinshon Judkins, $7,200 DK
- Rahiem Sanders, $6,900 DK
- Elijah Green, $5,700 DK
- Bucky Irving, $5,900 DK
Value
- Noah Whittington, $5,000 DK
- SaRodorick Thompson, $5,100 DK
- RJ Harvey , $5,200 DK
Among all the positions, RB provides the least amount of solid value options. Knowing this, a lot of ownership will likely gravitate towards the studs. We expect Quinshon Judkins and Rahiem Sanders to be the two highest owned players.
Wide Receivers
Be mindful of the opt-outs on today’s slate at the WR position. Josh Downs, specifically, would’ve been one of the best plays on the slate, but he’ll be preparing for the NFL draft. Thankfully, however, there’s more value at WR than in any other position.
Studs
- Matt Landers, $5,800 DK
- Antoine Green, $7,000 DK
- Malik Heath, $6,600 DK
- Kobe Hudson, $6,200 DK
- Jalon Calhoun, $6,000 DK
- Jonathan Mingo, $6,300 DK
Value
- Chase Cota, $5,100 DK
- Sahmir Hagans, $4,600 DK
- Jaedon Wilson, $3,000 DK
- Jordan Watkins, $4,500 DK
It’s probably best to keep your player pool the most open to wide receivers. The volatility is quite high at this position in CFB DFS, although some guys will stick out more than others. Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily have to run a full stack or game stack in college football, but it’s never a bad strategy.
Final Thoughts
College football fantasy slates are always high-scoring, and tonight will be no different. Chances are, the winning lineup will have well over 210 fantasy points, so that should be your aim if you’re playing in a large field GPP. Luckily, a four-game slate provides enough opportunities to get different while also honing in on the best plays. Remember to keep overall upside and usage in mind as you build lineups this afternoon.
Thank you for reading this article! Make sure to check back periodically throughout the remainder of the CFB bowl season for more extensive breakdowns. As always, we appreciate your support and wish you the best of luck in your contests.
