This article is part of our DFS College Football 101 series.
Here we go with a two-game bowl slate starting at 12:30pm ET. I'll be covering numerous injuries and developments through these write-ups, but we need to be cognizant of the weather here. That especially holds true for the Bahamas Bowl between Florida International and Toledo, where there will be 20-30 mph winds with gust over 40mph. The passing games will likely be impacted.
From here, let's take a look at the odds assigned to each Friday matchup:
Florida International vs. Toledo (-7) – Total: 57
BYU (-12) vs. Western Michigan – Total: 52
Looking within that, I'll highlight the best fantasy selections on FanDuel & DraftKings while also touching on some situations to monitor for your DFS squads.
TEAM INFO
QUARTERBACK
Zach Wilson – BYU (FanDuel $9,100 / DraftKings $5,300)
Wilson is the most confident DFS choice at quarterback on this slate. The true freshman has some dual-threat ability, as displayed by hitting 20+ fantasy points in four of six games since taking the starting job. He's also looking at a pretty good matchup against a Western Michigan defense that ranks 109th in opponent passer rating. Wilson is coming off his best game of the season against a tough Utah defense, racking up 22.46 fantasy points with an efficient performance through the air and ground. He'll see less resistance from Western Michigan on Friday.
Also Consider: James Morgan has been ruled out for Florida International, meaning Christian Alexander will get the starting nod. Alexander is dirt-cheap on FanDuel as an easy selection, but the price on DraftKings warrants further thought. It's worth noting that Alexander has shown dual-threat capabilities with 13 carries, 98 yards and two rushing touchdowns in limited action this season … Kaleb Eleby of Western Michigan doesn't have a great matchup, but the Broncos could be forced to the air more than usual in this game. That subsequently props up his fantasy projection.
RUNNING BACK
Bryant Koback – Toledo (FanDuel $9,800 / DraftKings 8,300)
Koback is the clear-cut top running back for fantasy purposes on Friday. He has been splitting carries with Art Thompkins and Shakif Seymour this season, but the Toledo backfield will be less crowded with Thompkins deciding to leave the program. Koback should see more carries as a result, and I'm thinking Toledo will want to keep things on the ground with those fierce winds blowing. Florida International's run defense ranks 94th in the country while allowing 5.1 yards per attempt. Put it all together, and it looks like Koback is in for a big performance.
Jamauri Bogan – Western Michigan (FanDuel $9,400 / DraftKings $7,300)
The matchup is tough against BYU, but Bogan is a touchdown machine who regularly sees goal-line work. He has scored 12 touchdowns over his past seven games, and I wouldn't be surprised if Bogan added another pair of scores on Friday. The lower opportunity cost on a two-game slate makes him a quality option through all formats on both sites.
Also Consider: Shakif Seymour of Toledo could see more carries with Thompkins leaving the program. Keep an eye on him for tournaments … Florida International could be running the ball more than usual with high winds impacted the passing game. That could result in more carries for Napoleon Maxwell against a Toledo defense that ranks 81st against the run. Maxwell is a strong FLEX option on DraftKings while profiling as more of a tournament pick on FanDuel.
WIDE RECEIVER
Jayden Reed – Western Michigan (FanDuel $9,200 / DraftKings $6,900)
Reed is the top receiving option of this slate, and I'll definitely be taking a chance on him. There's enough value to comfortably roster him in your lineup, so that helps. The matchup doesn't look great on paper against BYU, but Reed will see plenty of targets as the go-to guy in this offense. In my opinion, he has the highest upside of any receiver playing in this slate, and he doesn't have to compete with the wind like his counterparts from Toledo and FIU.
Matt Bushman – BYU (FanDuel $6,900 / DraftKings $3,800)
As mentioned earlier, BYU will look to take advantage of a Western Michigan pass defense that ranks 109th in the country. The Cougars love to spread the ball around, so it's sometimes difficult to predict who will step up. That guy has been tight end Matt Bushman lately, coming off a great 6-92-1 line at Utah last game. I'll be looking to stack him with his quarterback in this slate.
Also Consider: The wind could be a real hindrance to the passing games from Toledo and Florida International. Having said that, it's tough to complete avoid receivers from this game on a two game slate. Cody Thompson of Toledo is probably the best receiving option from this game, as he's the top target with a nose for the end-zone. I'd much rather prefer him over teammate Jon'Vea Johnson, who has deep-ball tendencies that could be impacted by the wind … Austin Maloney is a tournament option from the FIU side … Giovanni Ricci of Western Michigan is a cheap filler if you need value on either site.
