College Football DFS: Army Navy Game Showdown Slate for DraftKings and FanDuel

CFB DFS Picks For Army Navy Game 2023

The biggest rivalry in America takes place on Saturday, as Army and Navy will play in Foxboro in the 124th installment of the series.  We'll drill down into this showdown/single-game format and give your best recommendations for DraftKings and FanDuel.

SLATE FORMATS

As a refresher, I'll briefly run down the formats for both sites. Both sites have one slot that grants a 1.5x Multiplier (CPTN, MVP), but DraftKings' added wrinkle is a 0.5 increase in salary for the player selected in the multiplier spot. DraftKings offers five UTIL spots to round out the roster, while FanDuel provides four FLEX positions. DraftKings also allows for kicker selection, while FanDuel does not include kickers in their player pool.

SLATE OVERVIEW

The current line has Army has 2.5-point favorites. Army comes into the matchup with a big win over Coastal Carolina, while Navy has ended the season on a sour note, losing three of their last five games. In a game where the run and ball control are paramount, I think Navy will have the advantage despite their current slump, as they rank third in the country in turnover differential and will take advantage of any small mistake from the Black Knights.

MULTIPLIER CANDIDATES (CPTN/MVP)

QB Bryson Daily, Army (DK $16,500, FD $18,000)

RB Alex Tecza, Navy (DK $14,100, FD $15,000)

QB Xavier Arline, Navy (DK $15,000, FD $14,000)

I listed these endorsements in order of preference, so Daily is the clear frontrunner for the multiplier. Unlike Navy, Daily is the sole signal-caller, and while his passing statistics won't wow you, his bread and butter is the run game. He compiled 821 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground this season, and compliments his running ability with a decent arm, although he only completed 50 percent of his passes this season. 

Although Arline is expected to start, he will likely share some snaps. If his ankle is in good shape during warmups, he will probably get the lion's share for the Midshipmen and is otherwise a good sleeper pick for the multiplier. I think Navy's best multiplier candidate is Tecza, however. No running back comes close on this slate, and he deserves a place no matter where you put him.  If you go with Daily as the multiplier on DraftKings, you can then get Tecza for $9,400 in the other slots.  Arline also would have UTIL eligibility at a lower salary on DraftKings ($10,000).

UTIL/FLEX CANDIDATES

RB Eli Heidenreich, Navy (DK $7,000, FD $10,000)

RB Tyrell Robinson, Army (DK $7,400, FD $8,000)

 K Nathan Kirkwood, Navy (DK $4,000)

WR Noah Short, Army (DK $2,800, DK $8,000)

Heidenreich is a change-of-pace back for Tecza, making Robinson a slightly better play as one of Army's primary ball carriers. While Daily is the clear running leader, Robinson will get looks in the option and also through the seams in passing schemes. His volume in the passing game will  increase with Isaiah Alston out, which also spells success for Noah Short, who will be the top wideout candidate. The FanDuel price is a little high for Short, but he's a cheap and easy play on DraftKings.  Although both kickers are fine options on DraftKings, I chose Kirkwood against the better defense. I expect Navy to stall in the red zone more often, leading to possible field-goal opportunities for Kirkwood.

Both teams spread out the ball to several different targets, especially in the run game. I encourage you to get unique and throw a couple of darts with running backs that I didn't endorse, but my picks represent the safest model and should be fine for any cash endeavor. A good dart-throw example is tight end Tyson Riley (DK $8,600, FD $12,000) who came out of nowhere to lead Army in rushing against Coastal Carolina.