College Football DFS: Friday Week 7 Picks and Strategy for DraftKings and FanDuel

College Football DFS: Friday Picks

By Week 7, we're truly into the heart of college football season, and Friday night should be a treat with an excellent Group of Six game, a Big Ten matchup and some Mountain West after dark. As such, there are plenty of intriguing players and matchups to dive into.

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 

Both FanDuel and DraftKings have all three contests Friday night, and there's plenty of intrigue in each. The slate kicks off with potentially the biggest non-Power Four game of the year thus far, as two Group of Six College Football Playoff hopefuls — No. 24 South Florida and 5-0 North Texas — do battle at 7:30 P.M. ET. This clash between two potent offenses is expected to produce the highest point total of the evening (66.5), so you'd be wise to tap into fantasy players from this matchup. South Florida's defense has been shaky against the pass, while for as hot as the Mean Green have started, they surrender over 180 yards per game rushing. 

The only Power Four game of the evening features two Big Ten teams trying to separate from the pack in Washington and Rutgers. In this matchup, Rutgers' defense looks like the unit to try to exploit here, as the Scarlet Knights appear susceptible both through the air and on the ground. Regardless, this game is expected to feature nearly 60 points, so both offenses could be productive in Seattle. 

Out west, a tale of two very different seasons as 1-4 Colorado State hosts 5-1 Fresno State. The Rams' defense allows 27.4 points per game, easily the highest of any team on this slate, and looks particularly vulnerable on the ground, allowing north of 190 rushing yards per game. Still, the Bulldogs' defense could present some favorable fantasy matchups as well, particularly through the air. 

College Football DFS Tools

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DFS Plays on DraftKings and FanDuel for Friday, October 3

QB Drew Mestemaker, North Texas vs. South Florida ($7,500 on DraftKings, $10,600 on FanDuel) 

Mestemaker is the third-priciest quarterback on each slate, but he could do some serious damage Friday night. The gunslinger has scored multiple touchdowns in every game but one this season, and he's tossed for 1,247 yards, 11 touchdowns and no interceptions on 68 percent completion, with two rushing scores to boot through five contests. He's been one of the better quarterbacks in the Group of Six, and he now gets to face a South Florida secondary that's struggled despite the team's strong start, allowing 246.6 passing yards per game, the highest of any defense on the Friday slate. 

RB Rayshon Luke, Fresno State vs. Colorado State ($5,600 on DraftKings, $7,600 on FanDuel)

Luke is a sneaky pick here, as he's technically not even Fresno State's top running back. Still, he figures to have himself a day against Colorado State. For starters, the Bulldogs' lead tailback, Bryson Donelson, has been completely shut out in recent weeks. Over the last two games, he has 29 carries for 40 yards. Meanwhile, Luke was Fresno State's leading rusher last week with eight carries for 83 yards. Add in 18 receptions this season, and Luke has a path to real production against a shoddy Colorado State front seven that's allowed 191.4 rushing yards per game, as well as 31.1 fantasy points per game to halfbacks. 

WR Denzel Boston, Washington vs. Rutgers ($6,100 on DraftKings, $9,100 on FanDuel) 

Boston comes with the highest price tag for a receiver on both slates, but he should be well worth your money. For starters, Washington's wide receiver corps is banged up, meaning it's been mostly Boston and true freshmen Dezmen Roebuck getting targets out wide. Boston, meanwhile, is coming off a season-high 12 targets against Maryland, and in what should be another high-scoring affair (59.5 projected points), there should be no shortage of passes coming his way once again. The star wideout has 25 grabs for 346 yards and four touchdowns this season, and a Rutgers pass defense that surrenders 218.4 yards per game through the air should allow him to easily add to that total. 

DraftKings College Football DFS Picks for Friday, October 3

QB Athan Kaliakmanis, Rutgers ($7,000) vs. Washington ($9,800 on FanDuel)

Kaliakmanis is an absolute bargain here on the DraftKings side of things. He's the second-cheapest quarterback available as opposed to the third-cheapest on FanDuel, but it's not just the lower cost that should get you excited about this pick. Kaliakmanis has finally appeared to put it all together in his senior season. Through five games, he's tossed for 1,399 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions, adding two scores on the ground. He's coming off his lowest passing total of the season in Week 5 against Minnesota, which was still 249 yards against a good Gophers defense. Meanwhile, Washington's defense has been solid, but it still allows 205.6 passing yards per game — the Huskies are certainly permeable. That's especially true from a fantasy standpoint, as Washington surrenders 22.4 points per game to opposing signal callers, one of the worst marks in the Big Ten. 

RB Sam Franklin, South Florida ($4,600) vs. North Texas ($7,700 on FanDuel) 

Franklin looks like a great play on DraftKings, as he's just the ninth-most expensive tailback compared to FanDuel, where he's the fourth-most expensive. The Bulls' running back room is a bit convoluted at the moment, with Cartevious Norton (undisclosed) not expected to play and Alvon Isaac averaging under five carries per game. Franklin, meanwhile, led the way in Week 6 with 14 carries for 76 yards, and he should be the lead back once again Friday night. That means he'll get to face a North Texas defense that's allowed a shocking 180.4 rushing yards per game despite their undefeated record. With the threat of quarterback Byrum Brown's legs also stressing the Mean Green's defense, there should be plenty of room for Franklin to run. 

KJ Duff, Rutgers ($5,500) vs. Washington ($8,200 on FanDuel) 

Fellow Scarlet Knights' receiver Ian Strong is the more expensive option on both slates, but Duff looks to be the play here. Duff is the leading receiver in Piscataway with 30 catches for 420 yards and three scores. He's garnered the most targets over the past two weeks with 21, and was the leading receiver in Rutgers' last game, a Week 5 loss to Minnesota. Washington's pass defense is nothing to scoff at, allowing 205.6 passing yards per game, but it's nothing that should deter you either. 

Also Consider: WR Dezmen Roebuck, Washington ($4,600) vs. Rutgers ($7,100 on FanDuel)

FanDuel College Football DFS Picks for Friday, October 3

QB Demond Williams, Washington ($11,200) vs. Rutgers ($8,200 on DraftKings) 

As the second-priciest quarterback option on FanDuel, Williams isn't exactly a sleeper. Still, he could be worth every penny against the Scarlet Knights. Amidst a 3-2 start, Rutgers' defense has been nothing to write home about. It's been particularly friendly to opposing quarterbacks, however, as it allows 25.4 fantasy points to opposing gunslingers each week, the second-worst mark in the Big Ten. That checks out, given the Scarlet Knights' pass defense allows 218.4 yards per game and 8.1 yards per attempt. Any quarterback would be a solid play against Rutgers, but Williams has been elite this season. Through five games, he's thrown for 1,226 yards, eight touchdowns, and one pick on a lethal 73.3 percent efficiency. Toss in 246 yards rushing and four scores on the ground, and you have a dangerous dual-threat who should give the Scarlet Knights' defense headaches all night. 

RB Jonah Coleman, Washington ($10,400) vs. Rutgers ($7,000 on DraftKings) 

Coleman has quieted down in recent weeks, but the tailback remains one of the more potent offensive players in the nation when he gets a chance to thrive. Last week against Maryland, he ran for 57 yards and also caught eight passes for 47 yards. He's logged 18 targets in his last three games, and still has yet to take fewer than 12 handoffs. Bottom line: the volume is still there for Coleman, and he'll now get to face a Rutgers defense that allows 4.7 yards per carry and 128.2 rushing yards per game. Bet on the Sunday-level talent against an uninspiring defense here. 

WR Miles Coleman, North Texas ($6,900) vs. South Florida ($5,700 on DraftKings)

Coleman looks like a steal on the FanDuel slate. He's just the eighth-priciest wideout available, as opposed to the third-priciest on DraftKings. Still, he could easily outperform both of those price points, as South Florida's secondary is an extremely favorable matchup. The Bulls allow 246.6 passing yards per game, as well as 25.0 fantasy points per game to wide receivers. Coleman is well-positioned to capitalize on those suspect numbers, as he's the Mean Green's top volume receiver with 23 snags thus far in 2025. In North Texas' last game, he also had an 18-yard rushing touchdown; he's a threat in multiple facets in this Mean Green offense.