College Football DFS: Friday Picks
Somehow, it's already Week 8 of the college football season, and Friday night is a quite a treat with two ranked teams, three Power Four showdowns and as always, no shortage of storylines. 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
With both DraftKings and FanDuel featuring all four games Friday night, the world is your oyster as there's a myriad of players to get excited about. The lone non-power conference matchup of the night, a Mountain West showdown between San Jose State and Utah State, is expected to be a barnburner with easily the highest projected point total at 64.5. What's more, with the smallest line on the slate (Utah State -3), both teams are expected to light it up, and this game should be very fantasy-friendly. Both defenses, particularly the Spartans', have been extremely permeable through the air, while Utah State's run defense is also the worst on the slate. Explosive offenses? Terrible defenses? Yes please.
Down in Coral Gables, Miami (FL) and Louisville are expected to produce the second-most points of the evening with a total set at 51.5, but both defenses have been rather stingy. As much as both offenses boast tantalizing playmakers, you'll have to be selective given the reality of two strong defenses.
Up North,
College Football DFS: Friday Picks
Somehow, it's already Week 8 of the college football season, and Friday night is a quite a treat with two ranked teams, three Power Four showdowns and as always, no shortage of storylines. 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
With both DraftKings and FanDuel featuring all four games Friday night, the world is your oyster as there's a myriad of players to get excited about. The lone non-power conference matchup of the night, a Mountain West showdown between San Jose State and Utah State, is expected to be a barnburner with easily the highest projected point total at 64.5. What's more, with the smallest line on the slate (Utah State -3), both teams are expected to light it up, and this game should be very fantasy-friendly. Both defenses, particularly the Spartans', have been extremely permeable through the air, while Utah State's run defense is also the worst on the slate. Explosive offenses? Terrible defenses? Yes please.
Down in Coral Gables, Miami (FL) and Louisville are expected to produce the second-most points of the evening with a total set at 51.5, but both defenses have been rather stingy. As much as both offenses boast tantalizing playmakers, you'll have to be selective given the reality of two strong defenses.
Up North, Minnesota hosts Nebraska as the lone home underdog on the slate. Again, both defenses are off to good starts in 2025, but the Cornhuskers quietly haven't been able to control the line of scrimmage, allowing north of 150 rushing yards per game. Thus, the Gophers' ground game could be worth tapping into.
Out West in Berkeley, California, the upstart Golden Bears host the massively disappointing North Carolina Tar Heels. Neither defense terrifies you, but UNC has been particularly susceptible against the pass, and Cal happens to boast one of the most exciting young passers in the sport.
College Football DFS Tools
- FanDuel Lineup Optimizer
- Matchups Page (Vegas odds, opponent averages, etc.)
- Advanced Lineups Page
- Stats
- Team Trends
- Targets
- Defense vs. Position
- Team Rankings
DFS Plays on DraftKings and FanDuel for Friday, October 17
QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, California vs. North Carolina ($7,600 on DraftKings, $9,100 on FanDuel)
There's a lot to like about Sagapolutele, the dynamic true freshman gunslinger for the Golden Bears. First and foremost, he's available at a bargain on both slates. On both DraftKings and FanDuel, he's just the fifth-most expensive quarterback. His matchup looks favorable as well: North Carolina surrenders 246.2 passing yards per game, along with 7.5 yards per attempt, with 1.6 passing touchdowns allowed each contest. The Tar Heels also allow an average of 24.1 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. What's more, Sagapolutele has been head-turning as a true freshman, with nearly 1,500 passing yards and 10 total touchdowns through six games. He struggled in Week 6 against Duke, throwing three interceptions, but is now coming off a bye. Meanwhile, the Tar Heels just allowed Clemson to throw for 399 yards last week.
RB Darius Taylor, Minnesota vs. Nebraska ($5,400 on DraftKings, $6,500 on FanDuel)
I get it. It's been a rough season for the Gophers' star tailback, Taylor. In fact, he hasn't run for more than 32 yards since Week 1. Still, there are lots of reasons I like this as a bounce-back week for one of the most talented running backs in the Big Ten. First of all, Nebraska's run defense has been suspect all season, despite the Huskers' 5-1 start, allowing 151.3 yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry.
What's more, even if he's been limited on the ground, Taylor caught six passes for 67 yards on a whopping 11 targets last week against Purdue; Minnesota is actively trying to get its superstar involved. The Cornhuskers present an excellent chance for Taylor to return to form on the ground, but even if he doesn't, he should still have plenty of opportunities to create production Friday night. And considering you can get him as just the seventh and ninth-priciest tailback on DraftKings and FanDuel, respectively, it's well worth banking on Taylor.
WR Malachi Toney, Miami (FL) vs. Louisville ($4,900 on DraftKings, $7,600 on FanDuel)
I understand that Louisville has a top-10 passing defense, but it's shocking that Toney, already one of the most dynamic receivers in college football as a true freshman, is available for so cheap on both slates. He's just the ninth-priciest receiver on DraftKings and the seventh-priciest on FanDuel. Meanwhile, Toney has racked up 29 catches for 375 yards and three scores through five games, easily the Hurricanes' leading receiver. And again, while the Cardinals' passing defense is stingy, the best aerial attack they faced (Pittsburgh) tossed for 259 yards with a quarterback who's since been benched (Eli Holstein). Miami's quarterback Carson Beck, meanwhile, has been largely stellar outside of the Florida game, and the Hurricanes boast a top-40 passing attack themselves. There hasn't been a defense that's been able to shut Toney down, and I don't see that changing Friday night.
Also Consider: 
WR Braden Pegan, Utah State vs. San Jose State ($5,900 on DraftKings, $7,800 on FanDuel).
DraftKings College Football DFS Picks for Friday, October 17
QB Walker Eget, San Jose State ($8,000) vs. Utah State ($10,800 on FanDuel)
Eget has been on an absolute tear this season for the Spartans' scorching hot passing offense that ranks 13th nationally in yards per game. The gunslinger has tossed for 1,820 yards, 13 touchdowns and three interceptions across six games, and he's coming off a four-touchdown outing against Wyoming. He's also thrown at least three touchdowns in three straight games, and is without an interception in that time frame as well. Now, he gets to face a Utah State defense that allows 257.2 yards per game through the air and 2.3 passing touchdowns per game. The Aggies also allow 32.1 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, the second-worst mark in the Mountain West. As the cherry on top, Eget is pricey but still just the third-most expensive quarterback available on DraftKings. Swallow the price tag, and bank on what's been one of the best passing offenses in the country against a porous defense.
RB Miles Davis, Utah State ($5,600) vs. San Jose State ($9,000 on FanDuel)
Davis would be a solid play on both slates, but he's especially enticing on DraftKings, where he's just the fifth-priciest running back. Davis is the Aggies' undisputed top tailback, and he's racked up 416 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 6.4 yards per carry through six games this season. In his last outing, he gashed Hawaii for 102 yards and a score, also reeling in three catches for 12 yards. That's another facet of his game that could bode well for his production: Davis has at least two catches in every game but one this season. What's more, San Jose State's run defense hasn't been anything special, allowing 127.5 rushing yards per game and 1.7 rushing touchdowns per game.
WR CJ Daniels, Miami FL ($4,200) vs. Louisville ($8,400 on FanDuel)
In case you couldn't tell, I like the Hurricanes' receivers Friday night, especially for the price DraftKings lets you scoop up Daniels. While he's the third-priciest wideout on FanDuel, Daniels is just the 12th-most expensive receiver on DraftKings. The aforementioned Toney is Miami's leading receiver, but Daniels has been no slouch himself with 23 grabs for 269 yards and a team-leading five touchdown receptions. He's coming off his best game yet, catching all five targets for 78 yards and two scores, and he averages over 50 yards and a touchdown each game. This Hurricanes' passing attack has been humming, and Daniels and Toney have been the main beneficiaries. Don't let a supposedly stout Cardinals' defense deter you: this is a national championship caliber offense and Louisville has yet to play any of the nation's truly elite passing teams.
FanDuel College Football DFS Picks for Friday, October 17
QB Miller Moss, Louisville ($8,600) vs. Miami (FL) ($8,200 on DraftKings)
While DraftKings thinks highly of Moss in this matchup, as he's their second-priciest quarterback, Moss is just the sixth-most expensive option on FanDuel, making him a no-brainer here. Yes, Miami's strong defense poses some challenges, but Moss appears to have turned a corner at Louisville. After a shaky start to the season, he's surpassed 300 passing yards in each of his last three outings, completing 69 percent of his passes in that span with five touchdowns and two interceptions. And while the Hurricanes' defense has been stout, the best passing offenses they've played (Notre Dame, Florida State) still managed to toss for 221 yards/two touchdowns and 272 yards and two touchdowns, respectively.
RB Steve Chavez-Soto, San Jose State ($7,000) vs. Utah State ($5,700 on DraftKings)
For the first four games of the season, the true freshman Chavez-Soto was an afterthought, not playing a single snap for the Spartans. Now, he's assumed the lead back role in San Jose. Chavez-Soto tallied 14 and 12 carries in his last two games, and now gets to face the most permeable rushing defense on the slate in Utah State. The Aggies surrender 178.0 rushing yards per game along with 4.5 yards per carry, and have surrendered the fourth-most rushing yards to running backs in the Mountain West (711) through six games. Though Chavez-Soto was bottled up last week against Wyoming, he racked up 75 yards and two touchdowns in his debut the previous week — the kid can run. In what should be a high-scoring affair, take the young, hungry tailback faced with a highly penetrable run defense.
WR Kyri Shoels, San Jose State ($7,500) vs. Utah State ($5,600 on DraftKings)
Shoels has firmly been the second fiddle to Danny Scudero, the nation's leading receiver by a wide margin. But that's part of what makes him a great play here; there should still be plenty of opportunities for Shoels to feast against an abysmal Utah State pass defense that surrenders 36.0 fantasy points per game to wideouts, the most out of all 136 FBS teams. And with Scudero bound to draw the attention of both the Aggies' secondary and other DFS players, Shoels is hiding in plain sight.
