This article is part of our DFS College Football 101 series.
Here we go with a three-game bowl slate on Thursday, December 27. Baylor has some news to consider for fantasy purposes, as their star receiver Jalen Hurd will be sitting out the Texas Bowl. Also, running back JaMycal Hasty is questionable for the Bears. His absence would leave the door wide open for RB John Lovett to become a strong DFS selection. We'll cover that situation and others in full detail with the following write-ups. In the meantime, here are the odds attached to each Thursday matchup:
Temple (-3) vs. Duke – Total: 54
Miami Florida (-2.5) vs. Wisconsin – Total: 47.5
Baylor vs. Vanderbilt (-4) – Total: 56
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
Charlie Brewer (FanDuel $9,800 / DraftKings $8,700)
Brewer headlines the quarterback position as a dual-threat signal caller who is participating in the highest over/under of the day. His opponent, Vanderbilt, ranks middle-of-the-pack in nearly every defensive category, so Brewer finds himself in a non-imposing matchup to make some fantasy noise. That has been the case lately with the Baylor QB racking up 27+ FP in two of his past three games. There's a legitimate possibility he could find that range in this draw vs. the Commodores.
Also Consider: The quarterback situation is somewhat tricky on this slate, which furthers the rationale for a guy like Brewer. Looking outside of the Baylor QB, Kyle Shurmur (VAN) is a legitimate option while facing a defense that ranks 97th in opponent passer rating … Looking towards the cheaper side of things, Malik Rosier (MIA) is an interesting tournament Super-Flex option. He's cheap on both sites while holding fantasy potential after being named the starter for the Pinstripe Bowl on Thursday afternoon. Rosier will step in for usual starter N'Kosi Perry, who was demoted due to disciplinary reasons.
RUNNING BACK
Ryquell Armstead - Temple (FanDuel $10,000 / DraftKings $8,500)
You could easily recommend the nation's leading rusher, Jonathan Taylor (WIS), in this spot. However, Armstead is cheaper (especially on DraftKings) with a much better matchup. The Temple running back will face a Duke rushing defense that ranks 114th in rushing defense and 117th in yards per carry allowed at 5.2. There's a good chance the Owls will lean heavily on their rushing attack due to the uncertainty at their quarterback position. Attacking Duke's susceptibility on the ground certainly furthers that rationale.
John Lovett – Baylor (FanDuel $8,100 / DraftKings $5,100)
This recommendation somewhat depends on an injury. JaMycal Hasty is listed as questionable for Thursday's matchup vs. Vanderbilt after missing the past two games with a knee injury. John Lovett responded with 39 carries, 180 yards and a touchdown in his absence over that stretch. Even if Hasty ends up playing, it's clear that Lovett is the preferred ball-carrier lining up against a Vanderbilt defense that ranks 89th in rushing defense and 98th in yards per carry allowed at 5.0. Go ahead and keep Lovett on your short list, especially as a FLEX for $5,100 on DraftKings.
Also Consider: Jonathan Taylor is certainly worth considering through all formats. After all, he's the nation's leader in rushing yards per contest. However, Miami has a very good defense that is fully capable of containing the superstar running back. That's enough to make me think twice about picking Taylor, and Temple RB Armstead has a better matchup to reach for upside … Speaking of upside, Vanderbilt RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn is fully capable of that, something that was shown by back-to-back outings of 35 and 33 fantasy points at Arkansas and Missouri earlier this season. The draw against Baylor doesn't look too shabby, as the Bears rank 94th in opponent yards per carry at 4.9 on the season.
WIDE RECEIVER
Denzel Mims - Baylor (FanDuel $9,100 / DraftKings $6,700)
Mims is the top receiver of this slate, as he has been a strong playmaker for Baylor all season. As mentioned in the introduction, fellow WR Jalen Hurd will miss this game. That subsequently boosts the fantasy stock for Mims, who is coming off a two-touchdown performance at Texas Tech in the regular season finale. His opponent, Vanderbilt, ranks 61st in pass defense, so go ahead and safely target Mims through all formats.
Jared Pinkney – Vanderbilt (FanDuel $8,400 / DraftKings $5,800)
Vanderbilt has the highest scoring projection of Thursday's bowl slate, so we'll definitely want to find some options from the Commodores' offense. Tight end Jared Pinkney makes for a solid all-around pick while ending the season with 20 receptions, 306 yards and four touchdowns over his last four games. That's along the same lines as leading receiver Kalija Lipscomb over that stretch, and Pinkney checks in with a shorter price tag on both sites. As mentioned earlier, the Baylor pass defense isn't intimidating by any stretch of the imagination. Go ahead and target Pinkney on both FanDuel and DraftKings.
Also Consider: You could certainly look towards Vanderbilt WR Kalija Lipscomb if you had the extra salary to make it happen. Vanderbilt isn't the highest projected scoring team by accident, and there's a good chance that Lipscomb will benefit as their leading receiver … It's obvious that Danny Davis III (WIS) is the best receiving threat for the Badgers, but his upside seems somewhat limited in a tough matchup with backup QB Jack Coan under center. Consider him a tournament option who could be driven by volume if Wisconsin is passing more than usual … Baylor's top receiver, Jalen Hurd, will not play in this game – as mentioned several times in this article. That means Chris Platt (BAY) will step into a more prominent role as a solid pick through all formats … Ventell Bryant (TEM) and Tyquan Thornton (BAY) are economical fillers through all formats.
