College Football DFS: Friday Picks
Friday night of Week 11 in college football is one of the best Friday slates of the year thus far. We've got two Power Four games, including 7-2 Houston and 6-2 USC. We've also got a big-time showdown in the American Athletic Conference between two legitimate Group of Five playoff hopefuls in Tulane and Memphis.
DraftKings and FanDuel are both up and running Friday night, and below we break down some of the best plays on each slate.
Friday College Football DFS Slate Overview
The aforementioned Group of Five showdown between Memphis and Tulane is expected to be the highest-scoring affair of the evening, with a projected total of 53.5 points. What's more, with Memphis a slim 3.5-point favorite, both sides are expected to have little trouble scoring. Neither defense has been truly exceptional, but the Green Wave look especially permeable — it may be wise to target Memphis offensive players in this one.
In the Big Ten, USC hosts Northwestern as a two-touchdown favorite. Still, Northwestern's defense has been the stronger unit this season, particularly against the pass. That could be a reason to think twice about banking on the USC offense, but the Wildcats' have also only faced one offense in the same stratosphere as the Trojans. That would be Oregon, which posted 34 points in Evanston.
Down in Orlando, UCF hosts Houston in what's expected to be the lowest scoring game of the evening (47.5 point total) but also the narrowest
College Football DFS: Friday Picks
Friday night of Week 11 in college football is one of the best Friday slates of the year thus far. We've got two Power Four games, including 7-2 Houston and 6-2 USC. We've also got a big-time showdown in the American Athletic Conference between two legitimate Group of Five playoff hopefuls in Tulane and Memphis.
DraftKings and FanDuel are both up and running Friday night, and below we break down some of the best plays on each slate.
Friday College Football DFS Slate Overview
The aforementioned Group of Five showdown between Memphis and Tulane is expected to be the highest-scoring affair of the evening, with a projected total of 53.5 points. What's more, with Memphis a slim 3.5-point favorite, both sides are expected to have little trouble scoring. Neither defense has been truly exceptional, but the Green Wave look especially permeable — it may be wise to target Memphis offensive players in this one.
In the Big Ten, USC hosts Northwestern as a two-touchdown favorite. Still, Northwestern's defense has been the stronger unit this season, particularly against the pass. That could be a reason to think twice about banking on the USC offense, but the Wildcats' have also only faced one offense in the same stratosphere as the Trojans. That would be Oregon, which posted 34 points in Evanston.
Down in Orlando, UCF hosts Houston in what's expected to be the lowest scoring game of the evening (47.5 point total) but also the narrowest (the Knights are a 1.5-point favorite). UCF has had an up-and-down season, but its pass defense has been relatively stout, allowing just 161.4 passing yards per game. Meanwhile, Houston's defense has been strong overall but not particularly dominant in one area.
College Football DFS Tools
- FanDuel Lineup Optimizer
- Matchups Page (Vegas odds, opponent averages, etc.)
- Advanced Lineups Page
- Stats
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- Defense vs. Position
- Team Rankings
DFS Plays on DraftKings and FanDuel for Friday, November 7
QB Jake Retzlaff, Tulane vs. Memphis ($7,600 on DraftKings, $10,800 on FanDuel)
Retzlaff is reasonably priced on both slates, checking in as the fourth-most expensive quarterback on both DraftKings and FanDuel. And while he hasn't stuffed the stat sheet this season through the air (1,622 passing yards, seven touchdowns, three interceptions), he's more than made up for it with his legs, as he's run for 513 yards and nine scores. The former Tulane gunslinger has taken his mobility to another level this season, and now he gets to face a Memphis defense that's been nothing particularly special, allowing 218.7 passing yards per game and 128.2 rushing yards per game.
RB Caleb Komolafe, Northwestern vs. USC ($4,900 on DraftKings, $7,800 on FanDuel)
Komolafe is especially enticing on DraftKings, where he's just the eighth-priciest tailback available, but he's a bargain on both slates. USC's run defense has been suspect, allowing 143.1 rushing yards per game and 4.2 yards per carry. It also surrenders 19.6 fantasy points per game to running backs. Meanwhile, Komolafe has been the top ball-carrier for Northwestern with 608 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, and is coming off a dynamic performance against Nebraska in Week 9 with 125 rushing yards and two scores. Komolafe will get plenty of chances against the Trojans; he averaged 15.5 carries this season. If Northwestern can keep this game somewhat close, the tailback should feast.
WR Cortez Braham, Memphis vs. UCF ($5,900 on DraftKings, $8,600 on FanDuel)
Braham is the third-priciest wideout on both slates, and he looks like a good play on either. Memphis' star receiver has 39 grabs for 632 yards and seven touchdowns as easily the top option in the Tigers' passing attack. Now, he gets to line up against a secondary that's allowing 244.1 passing yards per game and 24.5 fantasy points per game to wideouts. Braham is somewhat pricey, but he's also one of the highest-floor, highest-upside options Friday night.
Also Consider: WR Griffin Wilde, Northwestern vs. USC ($5,200 on DraftKings, $7,600 on FanDuel)
DraftKings College Football DFS Picks for Friday, November 7
QB Brendon Lewis, Memphis ($8,000) vs. Tulane ($11,800 on FanDuel)
Lewis was my DraftKings quarterback pick last week, and I'll roll with him again here against the Green Wave. While he remains questionable to play, if he suits up he's an excellent pick on the DraftKings side of things. The gunslinger is enjoying a great season with the Tigers, and his effortless mobility makes him a much more enticing player fantasy-wise — he has plenty of ways to rack up points. Lewis has thrown for 1,869 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions this season while rushing for 557 yards and eight touchdowns. Now, he faces a Tulane defense that has struggled to limit the damage of opposing offenses. The Green Wave surrender 244.1 passing yards per game and 157.9 rushing yards per game, all while allowing an average of 25.4 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. If healthy, Lewis is staring you right in the face, especially since he's just the third-priciest quarterback on the DraftKings slate.
RB Greg Desrosiers, Memphis ($6,800) vs. Tulane ($9,400 on FanDuel)
DraftKings appears to be a little lower on Memphis' offense in this one, but we'll gladly scoop up Desrosiers as the third-priciest tailback as opposed to the most expensive option on FanDuel. Desrosiers has a touchdown in three straight games and is averaging 16 touches per game across his last five outings. He gets involved both on the ground and in the air, as he couples 450 rushing yards and five touchdowns with 21 catches for 142 yards and a score in that department. Meanwhile, Tulane's defense looks like the most permeable on the slate, with its nearly 160 rushing yards per game allowed. The Green Wave also allow 20.2 fantasy points per game to halfbacks on average, and Desrosiers is the clear lead back for the Tigers.
TE Tanner Koziol, Houston ($4,800) vs. UCF ($7,800 on FanDuel)
It feels like DraftKings is sleeping on Koziol's potential impact Friday night. He's been one of the better receiving tight ends in the country with 48 catches for 504 yards and five touchdowns, and now gets to face a UCF defense that's been rather friendly to tight ends, allowing 7.8 fantasy points per game to the position, the third-worst mark in the Big 12. UCF's pass defense looks good on paper, but Koziol has been on a roll this year. He's caught fewer than four passes in a game just once this season, and his 62 targets lead the Cougars' offense.
WR Omari Hayes, Tulane ($4,200) vs. Memphis ($7,500 on FanDuel)
Hayes is an absolute steal on FanDuel, where he's just the 11th-priciest pass-catcher. Three Green Wave wideouts are more expensive, but if you're looking for a bargain, Hayes is your man. He's the leading receiver for the Green Wave this season, and while he's been a little volatile, he has great potential to outperform his price point. Hayes is a consistent facet of this passing game with an average of 4.1 targets per game, and again, he's been the top option for Tulane. He certainly comes with risk, but the reward could be sizable, especially given the price tag.
FanDuel College Football DFS Picks for Friday, November 7
QB Jayden Maiava, USC ($11,400) vs. Northwestern ($8,900 on DraftKings)
While he's the priciest gunslinger on the DraftKings slate, FanDuel lets you scoop up Maiava as just the third-most expensive quarterback. Yes, he's coming off a rather dismal performance even in a win over Nebraska, but that just makes him all the more primed for regression to the mean, especially back at home in the friendly confines of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. He's been very reliable as a whole this year, with 2,315 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions with 103 rushing yards and five scores on the ground. Northwestern's defense, on paper, hasn't been kind to opposing passing games, but USC has the 10th-ranked passing offense in the nation in terms of yards per game (302.3). The next-most potent passing game the Wildcats have played, Oregon (which ranks No. 45th nationally in passing yards per game), dropped 34 points in Evanston.
RB Dean Connors, Houston ($8,000) vs. UCF ($7,200 on DraftKings)
Connors is the third-priciest halfback available on FanDuel, compared to DraftKings, where he checks in as the No. 2 ball-carrier in terms of salary. That's a solid bargain for a running back who's racked up over 800 all-purpose yards and five total touchdowns, and is by far and away the clear lead back for his offense. UCF's defense, meanwhile, allows an enticing 146.4 rushing yards per game. Connors is also a threat by air, as he has multiple catches in every game but one this season. This game figures to be a close, competitive matchup, which also plays into Connor's hands, as Houston shouldn't have any reason to abandon the ground game.
WR Ja'Kobi Lane, USC ($8,100) vs. Northwestern ($6,300 on DraftKings)
Lane has been tremendous this season, outside of one or two dud performances. The star wideout is considerably cheaper than USC's top receiver Makai Lemon, and he's also the fourth most-expensive pass-catcher on FanDuel as opposed to the second-priciest on DraftKings. What's more, he's been getting more involved as of late, with 25 targets over the past three games as opposed to Lemon's 19. Lane is an elite member of an elite passing attack at a bargain here. What's not to like?
