College Football DFS: Night Slate Week 12

With the San Jose State - Fresno State matchup postponed, DraftKings and FanDuel are offering an identical seven-game slate tonight.

SLATE OVERVIEW

Tennessee at Auburn (-10.5) O/U: 50.5

Missouri at South Carolina (+6.5) O/U: 57

Oklahoma State at Oklahoma (-7) O/U: 59.5

Liberty at North Carolina State (-5.5) O/U: 65

Michigan at Rutgers (+10.5) O/U: 55.5

Mississippi State at Georgia (-25.5) O/U: 44.5

Arizona at Washington (-12) O/U: 53

Although there are games with a higher profile, I think the Liberty/N.C. State contest could prove to be the most exciting matchup, especially from a DFS perspective. We'll be kicking off our recommendations with a Liberty standout right off the bat, and there are a couple of other players worth a look elsewhere in that game. Thanks to some recent favorable injury news, the Oklahoma State/Oklahoma game has emerged as a great game to target as well. 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

There's no threat of rain or windy conditions for any game on this slate tonight.

INJURIES

Stetson Bennett, Georgia (shoulder) OUT

Although I won't be firing many bullets in this contest, it's going to be one of the more interesting scenarios to watch. It appears that JT Daniels (DK $7,400, FD $7,500) will finally get a chance to show his worth between the hedges in Athens. After an ACL tear sidelined him for the year at USC, his injury led to the emergence of Kedon Slovis, and Daniels saw the writing on the wall.  His transfer to Georgia looked to be a bad idea when Jamie Newman transferred from Wake Forest, but Newman elected to opt-out, and now Daniels gets his chance. Would I play Daniels?  Given the projected total and blowout potential, probably not.

Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State (leg/ankle) QUESTIONABLE

Although his presence was in doubt earlier in the day, reports are coming in that suggest Hubbard will suit up and start against the Sooners.  If he plays, there's no question that I'll expose him to several lineups.  Slot him in as one of my running back endorsements if he gets the green light.

QUARTERBACK

Malik Willis, Liberty (DK $9,900, FD $10,700) @ N.C. State

If you haven't followed Liberty's fortunes this season, this is your chance to catch a glimpse. The Flames are 6-0 and coming off a massive win over Virginia Tech, and it's due in large part to stellar play from Willis. While he's an efficient thrower, Willis inflicts the most damage with his feet. So far, he's rushed for 447 yards and six touchdowns to go along with his 1,069 passing yards and 11 touchdowns. He's also one of the only quarterbacks in the country who's played six games without an interception. Willis is in a prime position to knock off Liberty's third ACC opponent. Although he's the top player on the slate and will be extremely popular, his production is just too good to pass up.

Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma (DK $8,300, FD $9,800)  vs. Oklahoma State

If Hubbard plays, this game immediately becomes more competitive, and Rattler will be ready to impact the game with his strong (and sometimes erratic) arm. Rattler's fortunes have been up and down with six interceptions coming at inopportune times this season, but his floor is pretty steady. You can lock in around 270 passing yards and a touchdown from the Heisman hopeful and a few rushes in open space as well.  The one strike against Rattler is that the Cowboys have been stingy against opposing quarterbacks and are allowing only 176 yards per game. Rattler presents the most challenging test they've faced.

Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State (DK $6,800, FD $9,000) @ Oklahoma

I like Sanders' DraftKings salary on the other end of this matchup. Sanders no longer needs to worry about Shane Illingworth stealing snaps, as the redshirt sophomore has played well enough to earn the job. He's still adapting as a passer, but he's found his way out of trouble and can cause a lot of damage with his running ability. He was contained against Kansas State but put up 400 passing yards and four touchdowns in a tough loss to Texas, so we know the potential for a huge game is possible.

Also consider: Bailey Hockman, N.C. State (DK $6,900, FD $8,900) vs. Liberty

RUNNING BACK

Kevin Harris, South Carolina (DK $8,700, FD $10,200) vs. Missouri

Harris may still be catching his breath from his last game, as he hammered Ole Miss with 243 yards and five touchdowns last week. We shouldn't expect numbers like that, but Harris has rushed for 100-plus yards four times and scored a touchdown in six out of seven games. He doesn't catch many passes out of the backfield, but he has scored once via Collin Hill's arm.  On a slate that's slim on running backs, he earns a strong endorsement and high exposure.

Tank Bigsby, Auburn (DK $6,500, FD $8,400) vs. Tennessee

The Volunteers have surrendered an average of 153 yards against opposing running backs, and Bigsby's floor is as reliable as they come in the SEC. Besides Bigsby, I'm reluctant to touch Auburn because they've shown a penchant for getting in their own way and doing just enough to win. I think this game could be closer than advertised, which lifts my projections for the rookie tonight.

Zonovan Knight, N.C. State (DK $6,200, FD $8,200) vs. Liberty

While Liberty is undoubtedly a Cinderella story in the making, their defense hasn't done them any favors. The scoreboard will light up often on both sides, and Knight will get several opportunities to participate. His numbers have some variance because he backs up Ricky Person, but he logged 17 rushes for almost 100 yards last week, so his usage is definitely on the upswing.

Kamari Pleasant, Washington (DK $5,000, FD $8,000) vs. Arizona

Pleasant kicked off the season with a decent 12 carries for 61 yards and a score against Oregon State. He looked more polished than Richard Newton, who was slated to be their #1 guy.  Instead, this looks like it might be a timeshare in the backfield, and Pleasant's salary is attractive.  Although Arizona gave USC all it could handle, they also allowed the Trojans' backfield a lot of room to run. So the game script bodes well for Washington's rushing attack.

WIDE RECEIVER

Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State (DK $7,200, FD $8,800) @ Oklahoma

Wallace is ready to play after missing Week 10 with a minor injury. Wallace has been targeted 53 times this season, and he's racked up some stellar numbers. With 588 receiving yards and five touchdowns to his credit, you can bet that Spencer Sanders will find a way to get the ball in the senior's hands.

Marvin Mims, Oklahoma (DK $6,000, FD $8,200) vs. Oklahoma State

The Sooners will need to air it out against the Cowboys, so Mims should fare much better than he did in their last game, a blowout against Kansas. The true freshman has shown up in more competitive contests and is good for 4-5 receptions per game. As Charleston Rambo has struggled to get open enough to be relevant this season, he's become Rattler's go-to guy.

Emeka Emezie, N.C. State (DK $5,200, FD $7,800) vs. Liberty

I'll continue to buy into the potential for offensive fireworks in this matchup.  The receiving options are remarkably inexpensive on this slate, and there are also great targets like Emezie further down the board.  With four receptions each for four games straight, you can be sure that Bailey Hockman will find him, especially if Liberty manages to sneak up on the Wolfpack.

Also consider: Shi Smith, South Carolina (DK $6,900, FD $9,000) vs. Missouri