College Football DFS: Friday Slate Week 15

Postponements have decimated Friday's five-game slate. While DraftKings will continue to run their contests, FanDuel originally planned on splitting the slate into two different contests.  As a result, they are running one slate without the earlier game and one with it included.

SLATE OVERVIEW

UTEP @ North Texas (-10) O/U: 64

Arizona State @ Arizona (-12) O/U: 56.5

Nevada @ San Jose State (-2) O/U: 59

With only three games available, it's wise to revert to a more cash game-based approach on Friday.  With a high probability of identical lineups, prize pools in GPPs will dilute and become less profitable. Additionally, a slim slate like this negates any motivation to fade or endorse a particular matchup, but quarterback selection will likely make or break your slate, especially if you opt for a second signal-caller in your S-FLEX.

WEATHER

Although there is no precipitation on the docket, the Nevada-San Jose State game will be a chilly affair with temperatures in the mid-40's. The cold weather usually provides a minimal advantage to the rushing offenses of both teams.

INJURIES

QB Grant Gunnell, Arizona State (shoulder) QUESTIONABLE

Gunnell sat out against Colorado last week, and his status is still up in the air for this contest. Will Plummer (DK $5,800, FD $6,700) will take over if Gunnell can't go.  

QUARTERBACK

Carson Strong, Nevada   (DK $8,400, FD $10,200) @ San Jose State

Over his two years as a starter, Strong's prolific numbers are evident, and the Wolf Pack lives and dies via his success in the air. He's more of a traditional pocket passer, so you won't see him racking up points on the ground, but with an average of 332 passing yards per game in this shortened season, he more than makes up for any other shortcomings. He also possesses a blistering 21:4 TD/INT ratio. He'll be extremely popular but completely worth the cost.

Jayden Daniels, Arizona State (DK $7,500, FD $9,400) @ Arizona

Daniels comes with a lot of hype after a great freshman season, but it's been tough for the Sun Devils to gain any traction with a slew of game cancellations and ran into some rotten luck against USC and UCLA.  They played the unbeaten Trojans tough and almost won that game, and Daniels was able to keep their defense guessing with his rushing ability. Although he threw for 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions as a freshman, his numbers in the pocket haven't been as strong, but he's scrambled into open space for 117 yards and a touchdown over two games. With the Wildcats potentially without Grant Gunnell again, Daniels and company are likely to control the time of possession, allowing their signal-caller plenty of opportunity.

RUNNING BACK

Rachaad White (DK $6,100, FD $8,800) and DeaMonte Trayanum (DK $5,500, FD $8,000), Arizona State at  Arizona

Part of Daniels' success depends on the Sun Devils' ground game to open things up, and both backs have been solid contributors over the two games. While White is the elusive veteran, Trayanum is a freshman bruiser and more of a north-south runner who has made a huge impact. Although it's rare to consider two backs from the same team, there's ample cause to include both of them in your builds, with a slight nod to White if you're forced to choose.

Toa Taua, Nevada (DK $5,700, FD $7,700) @ San Jose State

Taua is no secret to Mountain West fans, as he's terrorized the conference's defenses for three seasons. He's been able to find holes for more yardage in his junior year, destroying his usual averages with 5.7 yards per carry. Although he's only found the end zone three times, he's utilized in the passing game by Carson Strong and is a reliable offensive cornerstone to target on this slate.

DeAndre Torrey, North Texas (DK $5,300, FD $9,000) vs. UTEP

I think Torrey is priced too high on FanDuel, but his salary on DraftKings is very favorable.  There's no question that Torrey gets a lot of volume in this offense, but his numbers have shown some variance over the course of the season. He's only broken 100 yards once this season, but in terms of opportunity, his numbers indicate that he'll get the lion's share of carries in a game that the Mean Green should control.

WIDE RECEIVER

Jaelon Darden, North Texas   (DK $9,200, FD $10,800) vs. UTEP

With 66 catches for 1017 yards and 15 touchdowns, Darden is as chalky as this slate gets. Thanks to some inexpensive running backs, I have no issue spending up for Darden, who is stack-proof in your lineup builds. His prolific totals might persuade you to take a shot with Jason Bean (DK $8.800, FD $10,500), who I think is better priced on DraftKings. Although I mentioned other quarterbacks, it's a difficult stack to ignore.

Cole Turner, Nevada   (DK $6,500, FD $8,500) @ San Jose State

As Carson Strong's primary target, Turner makes for another excellent stack on this slate. The 6-6 senior tight end is a huge presence who also protects for Strong but can split the seams after making initial contact after the snap. He's also a prime endzone target, with four touchdowns in his past three games.

Bailey Gaither, San Jose State (DK $6,200, FD $8,700) vs., Nevada

In a game where the Spartans will be playing from behind, Gaither will have ample opportunity to make an impact.  Gaither really came into his own as a junior in an otherwise underwhelming 2019 campaign for the team, and his emergence as a go-to guy in his senior year is no surprise. Tre Walker had the flashier resume and is also worth a look, but Gaither should ultimately be less popular and could excel in this game script.

I know that getting all of these guys in is impossible, so here are some lower-priced guys who could also help fill in your flex positions.

WR Deonte Simpson, North Texas   (DK $4,100, FD $7,100)

RB Oscar Adaway. North Texas   (DK $4,500, FD $7,000)

WR Melquan Stovall, Nevada   (DK $3,600, FD $5,800)

WR Frank Darby, Arizona State   (DK $5,600, FD $6,900)