College Football DFS Picks: Monday Bowl Slate Plays and Lineup Strategy

As bowl season concludes, we have four games available Monday, and we've got all the DFS action covered for both sites. The first two games are very early in the day, so be sure to get your lineups in for the main slate!

SLATE OVERVIEW

RELIAQUEST BOWL:  Mississippi State (-2.5) vs. Illinois O/U: 46

COTTON BOWL:          USC (-2) vs. Tulane O/U: 64

CITRUS BOWL:            LSU (-14.5) vs. Purdue O/U: 56

ROSE BOWL:               Utah (-1.5) vs. Penn State O/U: 52.5

There's no shortage of storylines to consider when tackling this slate. Obviously, declarations for the NFL and the transfer portal loom large over every program. In the Reliaquest Bowl, the death of coach Mike Leach will make for an emotional bowl game for Mississippi State, who will play a  very short-handed Illinois defense. The Bulldogs have shortages of their own on both sides of the ball.

Against a mostly intact Tulane, USC faces an uphill battle with numerous absences, most of which are due to injury. Caleb Williams' hamstring injury in the  Pac-12 title game is still an issue, and he'll be trying to stay out of trouble behind an offensive line that is riddled with injuries and opt-outs. Additionally, Williams will be down one target as standout Jordan Addison will be sidelined as well.

Although LSU is missing key players, it's nothing compared to Purdue's situation, as the Boilermakers will look like a shell of themselves after the departure of Jeff Brohm, who took most of his assistant coaches and several players with him to Louisville.  The coaching staff is so short-handed, Drew Brees has decided to head back to Purdue to help prepare Austin Burton to replace Aidan O'Connell, who opted out along with star wideout Charlie Jones and first-team Big 10 tight end Payne Durham. Purdue is also missing key players on defense, and it's a big reason why Purdue is a heavy underdog. There could be quite a bit of fantasy value on the roster, however.

Finally, the Rose Bowl features two teams who aren't really affected harshly by opt-outs or transfer issues, and you're basically seeing the regular-season versions of Penn State and Utah in Pasadena.

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QUARTERBACK

Caleb Williams, USC (DK $8,600, FD $12,500) vs. Tulane

Even though Williams' hamstring hasn't healed entirely and Jordan Addison isn't available, there's enough offensive talent on the roster to justify using the Heisman Trophy winner. The depleted offensive line is probably the biggest concern when calling his number, but we've all witnessed how slippery and elusive Williams is under pressure. With his ability to extricate himself from almost any situation, we can lessen concerns about his protection to a degree.

Cameron Rising, Utah (DK $7,500, FD $9,800) vs. Penn State

Rising is no stranger to the Rose Bowl, and with most of his offense intact, he'll take his skill and experience to Pasadena once again. Last year, the Utes blew a lead and lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, and they are facing a Penn State team that never seems to seal the deal in the event, losing four of their last five in Pasadena. The Nittany Lions have proven to be strong against the pass, but Rising is a solid dual threat who has a host of rushers to open up the offense. With a slate full of short-handed offenses, it's to our advantage to take a signal-caller with most of his pieces intact.

Also consider: Will Rogers, Mississippi State (DK $7,000, FD $8,500) vs. Illinois

RUNNING BACK

Tyjae Spears, Tulane (DK $6,900, FD $10,200) vs. USC

The Trojans' defense was ultimately their undoing, as they were unable to stop the Utes twice, and allowed a few teams back into games throughout the season. Tulane's offense should not be underestimated, and Spears is the engine that keeps it moving. He has 17 touchdowns and 1,376 yards this season, and is worth every penny despite a slightly elevated salary on FanDuel. His salary for DraftKings is excellent and is about as chalk as you can get on that site.

Reggie Love, Illinois (DK $5,200, FD $7,800) vs. Mississippi State

The Illini depended heavily on Chase Brown throughout the season, but with Brown out, Love will take over as the lead back. The backup looked great against Northwestern in the team's final game, and he's running well enough for the team to stick to their usual game plan. Mississippi State's defense is nothing to write home about, and despite the emotional intangibles at play for the Bulldogs, the Illini's offensive line should be able to provide holes for Love to run through.  Love should be a lock for around 100 yards and a touchdown.

Ja'Quinden Jackson, Utah DK $5,300, FD $7,500)vs. Penn State

We can finally roster Jackson properly, as both sites weren't willing to move him out of the quarterback pool at the end of the regular season. The Utes will try to put the ball in Jackson's hands as a running back, a wildcat option, and via a jet sweep or pass. He really came alive at the end of the season, and it's best to ignore the metrics from earlier in the 2022 campaign. Micah Benrars might cut into his carries a bit, but Jackson has the most upside.

Josh Williams, LSU (DK $5,400, FD $7,000) vs. Purdue

Williams showed his effectiveness against two tough defenses at season's end, as he had moderate success against Georgia and a great stat line against Arkansas. It's possible that this game could get out of hand if Austin Burton can't move Purdue's offense, and the Tigers may lean on Williams more.  Kayshon Boutte isn't available to Jaylen Daniels, so the run game will be a big part of the offense.

WIDE RECEIVER

Devaughn Vele, Utah (DK $6,400, FD $7,600) vs. Penn State

Rising will be without Dalton Kincaid, who was the team's top receiving target. I predict that Thomas Yassmin (DK $5,100, FD $6,700) could be in line for a great game as Kincaid's replacement, but there's a bit of variance associated with the pick. I do feel that Utah's defense will go more vertical against Penn State, and Vele has been Rising's top target beyond Kincaid. I would consider Yassmin heavily in tournament lineups, however.

Shae Wyatt, Tulane (DK $5,900, FD $6,700)

Michael Pratt's favorite target is at a great salary point on both sites, and I think the Green Wave may be the forgotten team on this slate. Wyatt is responsible for seven of Pratt's 25 touchdowns, and although Pratt didn't make my primary QB list, a Pratt/Wyatt stack would be an interesting contrarian way to go against USC's defense.

Mitchell Tinsley, Penn State (DK $6,000, FD $7,100) vs. Utah

The Utes should be able to contain Penn State's running game, so Sean Clifford will need to air it out in his final college game. The Nittany Lions spread the ball around, but Tinsley is responsible for 45 receptions for 528 yards and four touchdowns. I am also interested in Brenton Strange (DK $4,800, FD $5,500), as the Trojans have been caught flat-footed against tight ends all season.

MISSISSIPPI STATE/USC RECEIVERS

We need to acknowledge Will Rogers and the Air Raid offense, especially with the intangibles associated with the death of their head coach. Caleb Ducking (DK $5,300, FD $6,800) should be the safest bet, but the transfer of Rara Thomas will give others in the wideout room more opportunities. I would consider Rufus Harvey (DK $5,700, FD $6,000) as another option for Will Rogers.

Several receivers have stepped up during the season for Caleb Williams, and although Tahj Washington (DK $5,700, FD $8,600) and Mario Williams (DK $6,100, FD $8,300) are obvious targets, we could find value if we look a little deeper. With Michael Jackson unavailable, Brenden Rice (DK $4,800, FD $6,200) and Kyle Ford (DK $4,500, FD $6,000) are both worth a look.