This article is part of our DFS College Football 101 series.
Here we go with a six-game bowl slate on Monday, Dec. 31. Note that the Cincinnati-Virginia Tech matchup is not included on the DraftKings main slate, and that's the only difference between those two sites. As always, you'll want to scan the Rotowire CFB Injury Feed for any surprise scratches leading up to kickoff. We already have some injury news along with players sitting out due to draft preparations. That will be fully covered in the following write-ups. Otherwise, here are the odds attached to each Monday matchup:
Cincinnati (-6.5) vs. Virginia Tech – Total: 53.5
Stanford (-4.5) vs. Pittsburgh – Total: 52
Michigan State vs. Oregon (-2) – Total: 47.5
Missouri (-9) vs. Oklahoma State – Total: 72
Northwestern vs. Utah (-7) – Total: 46
NC State vs. Texas A&M (-7) – Total: 55.5
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.
QUARTERBACK
Drew Lock - Missouri (FanDuel $9,800 / DraftKings $9,000)
Lock checks in as the top QB option on both sites. He has been a fantasy beast all season, especially down the stretch with two or more TD passes in five of his past six. He also ran four three scores over his last three games. This matchup against Oklahoma State has a whopping 72 point over/under, making Missouri the highest projected scoring team of the day. Lock should be able to lead the way against a Cowboys' pass defense that ranks 117th in yards allowed and 97th in opponent passer rating.
Also Consider: I'm definitely rolling with Lock on FanDuel, but there are some cheaper options to consider on DraftKings. Kellen Mond (TAM) is only $7,500 over there while looking at a promising draw against an NC State squad that ranks 125th in passing defense. The Aggies' QB is a strong Super-Flex play on both sites … K.J. Costello (STAN) is $9,700 on FanDuel and only $6,500 on DraftKings. That price discrepancy is telling to his overall bargain status on DK. After all, Costello has been picking up steam as the season has gone along with 33+ fantasy points in three of his past five. He's facing a subpar Pittsburgh defense on Monday.
RUNNING BACK
Michael Warren II – Cincinnati (FanDuel $9,700)
As mentioned earlier, this Cincinnati-Virginia Tech game is not listed on the DraftKings main slate. However, Warren II makes for an excellent selection through all formats on FanDuel. The star running back sat out the final game of the season for Cincinnati, but he is reportedly ready for a full workload in the bowl. That's good news for fantasy backers, as Warren has racked up 19+ fantasy points in eight of his last 10 games. He's facing a Viriginia Tech defense that ranks 111th in rushing defense and 122nd in yards per carry allowed (5.6).
Larry Rountree III – Missouri (FanDuel $9,000 / DraftKings $6,900)
Rountree is a better play on DraftKings than FanDuel due to a shorter price tag and less opportunity cost without considering the Cincinnati RB over there. Rountree and fellow RB, Damarea Crockett have seemingly traded big games throughout the season. It was a headache trying to predict which one would end up with the best numbers, but Rountree still managed to hit 14+ fantasy points in six of 11 games despite splitting carries. Crockett is listed as questionable in this game, meaning the scales could tip in Rountree's favor if he's out or limited. Regardless, Rountree has an opportunity to make some noise in a high-scoring game against an Oklahoma State team that ranks 82nd vs. the run.
Also Consider: Stanford RB Bryce Love will not play in the Sun Bowl, so Cameron Scarlett (STAN) will get a chance to step up. He didn't do much in Love's absence earlier in the season, but facing a Pittsburgh defense that ranks 110th in opponent yards per carry (5.2) could get him going … Oklahoma State RB Justice Hill is sitting out this game after declaring for the NFL draft. That means freshman Chuba Hubbard (OKST) should absorb a full workload. He posted 24 and 34 fantasy points against West Virignia and Oklahoma down the stretch, so this guy is fully capable of a strong outing. The Missouri run defense is good, but Hubbard will see a featured role in this high over/under … Trayveon Williams (TAM) is expensive, but he needs to be on your radar – especially for DraftKings without Warren available over there. NC State has been great against the run the this season, but Williams has posted 30+ fantasy points in four straight – including some tough opponents like LSU and Auburn.
WIDE RECEIVER
JJ Arcega-Whiteside - Stanford (FanDuel $9,900 / DraftKings $6,400)
This is more of a DraftKings pick, as I would point you to the salary discrepancy above. I mentioned earlier how Stanford QB K.J. Costello has heated up down the stretch (4+ TD in three of five), and Arcega-Whiteside is easily his favorite receiver. There's a chance he'll see more targets with Bryce Love not playing, and his opponent (Pittsburgh) is very mediocre in pass defense. Go ahead and look towards "JJAW" as an easy lift on DraftKings. In fact, there's merit in taking the complete stack of Costello and his top receiver for value over there.
Jace Sternberger – Texas A&M (FanDuel $8,200 / DraftKings $6,000)
Kellen Mond was featured earlier as a solid QB play on both sites, and Sternberger is my favorite stacking extension of him. The Texas A&M tight is one of the most productive fantasy players at his position, and back-to-back 20+ FP outings serves as the evidence. Sternberger finds himself in an excellent matchup against an NC State team that is solid against the run while ranking 125th against the pass. That could lead Texas A&M to the air more often than usual. If that's the case, it seems highly probable that Sternberger will record his third straight solid performance.
Also Consider: I'm more interested in paying up at running back, which makes the expensive-likes of Jakobi Meyers (NCST) more of a tournament play than anything. His opponent, Texas A&M, ranks 114th in passing defense, and there could be more targets to go around with fellow receiver Kelvin Harmon sitting out … Speaking of which, Emeka Emezie (NCST) could step up in Harmon's absence as a cheaper way to gain exposure to this well-aligned NC State passing offense. Emezie has turned it on with 19 receptions over his past four games, and he could be looking at a heightened role … Some cheaper receiving options include Jonathon Johnson (MIZZ), Dillon Stoner (OKST), Kaden Smith (STAN) and Cameron Green (NW). Of that group, Johnson is probably one of my favorite mid-range options as a stacking extension of QB Drew Lock in a strong matchup against Oklahoma State's 117th ranked pass defense.
