College Football DFS: Friday Slate Week 5

As we sail into Week 4, Friday presents us with some interesting options.  The top team playing is Penn State, and the oddsmakers think that Maryland could make this game interesting.  Meanwhile, a resurgent Air Force team will bring their ground assault into an excellent opportunity, and a freshman prospect with a lot of potential will continue to be tested in a Pac-12 tangle.

 Duke (-3) at Virginia Tech   O/U: 53

Penn State   (-6.5) at Maryland   O/U: 52

San Jose State at Air Force (-18.5) O/U: 56.5

 Arizona State  at California   (-4.5)  O/U: 42

(*Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to line movement)

The low Over/Under of the Arizona State/Cal matchup jumps right off the page for me, and I'm inclined to fade that game altogether on the slate, save a slot or two in my GPP builds.

QUARTERBACK

I think you have some low-cost options here.  While I like a guy like Sean Clifford, I don't think we are going to see enough of a boost in the price difference to justify the add.  If Penn State scored 40 in this matchup I'll be forced to eat my words, but I think the value at QB on this  slate is pretty clear.

Donald Hammond III, AF (DK $6,900, FD $9,000) vs. SJSU

Hammond tweaked his ankle against Boise State but eventually returned to the game, so all signs point toward him starting this week.  With Hammond, you're basically looking at a running back who throws the ball a few times.  The Falcons rarely pass the ball, but that's not why you're opting for Hammond here.  He's usually the second or third-leading runner on the team and has already scored five touchdowns on the ground, and with the Falcons a heavy favorite, they'll pound it on the ground all the more.

Jayden Daniels, ASU (DK $6,300, FD $8,800) @ CAL

The freshman has endured some struggles as the Sun Devils' starter, but it hasn't kept him from decent stat lines.  I believe a lot of people will pass on this game (like me) but I think Daniels is only a game or two away from a true breakout performance. Your assessment of this pick depends on how you view the strength of Cal's defense. While they rank second in the league in sacks, they've picked off passers only twice.  I'm inclined to give Daniels a pass in a GPP lineup or two.

Also consider: Sean Clifford, PSU @ MD

RUNNING BACKS

Kadin Remsberg, Air Force (DK $6,400, FD $8,700) vs, San Jose State

With this impending blowout, I don't think you can go wrong with Taven Birdow here either, but his talents will probably be reserved for second-half garbage yards.  Remsberg is reasonably priced and despite a bit of a regression against Boise State, he's your bell cow back in this run-heavy offense.

Journey Brown, Penn State (DK $5,200, FD $8,200) at Maryland

I am loving Brown's price on DraftKings, and I don't think the Terrapins have much of a chance this week. This means that the Nittany Lions will likely run the ball a bit more. He gained 109 yards on only 10 carries against a stalwart Pitt defense last week, and it's an upward trend I'm willing to bank on.

Also consider: Deon Jackson, Duke @ Virginia Tech

WIDE RECEIVER

Tre Walker, San Jose State (DK $5,900 FD $9,200) at Air Force

Although he didn't garner a mention in the QB section, Josh Love is no slouch. His favorite target is Walker, even above usual #1 guy Bailey Gaither, and they'll have to prevail through the air if they have any chance of keeping this close. He logged 161 receiving yards in their upset win over Arkansas last week, and although that was his first active game this season, I think Love will continue to look for what works.

Jalon Calhoun, DUKE (DK $5,100, FD $7,600)

His price on both sites is attractive, and although Aaron Young is the unquestioned number one for the Blue Devils, I like going a bit contrarian with Calhoun in a game that I think Duke will win handily. He had a huge two-touchdown game in Week 2 against NCA&T, and although Virginia Tech is a stronger challenge, they haven't exactly been lighting things up defensively.

FLEX OPTIONS

In this section I like to run down some interesting picks without fleshing out any particular player, but instead identify a few picks that might fly under your radar. At running back, Marcel Dancy has steadily seen his carries increase for Cal, and is a consistent contributor in the passing game as well.  Arizona State is a strong defensive team but if you're looking for a contrarian play on the opposite end of the ball, I like the junior's chances to put up a good number.  Another player that jumps out at me is Justin Shorter for Penn State.  His metrics don't make any promises for a big game, but against Maryland, I think you could do a lot worse.  He's only caught seven passes this year, but the sophomore is a huge 6-4, 235 presence in the slot, and I think a breakout might be near for a cheap price.