DFS College Football 101: Thursday Slate Week 9

DFS College Football 101: Week 9 Thursday

We finally have a robust Thursday slate for College Football DFS purposes. There are a few Power Five matchups mixed with some "MACtion" and Sun "Fun" Belt tilts. It is easily the best Thursday slate of the season up to this point. Here are the five games along with the corresponding odds for each:

Ball State at Ohio (-10.5) – Total: 64
Toledo at Western Michigan (-6.5) – Total: 68
Baylor at West Virginia (-14) – Total: 67
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech (-3) – Total: 58.5
Appalachian State (-10) at Georgia Southern – Total: 48

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

Nathan Rourke – Ohio (FanDuel $9,800 / DraftKings $8,900)

Will Grier of West Virginia is a fantastic play if you are able to absorb his salary. However, Nathan Rourke is significantly cheaper (especially on DraftKings) with similar upside. That is exemplified by Rourke's 28.6 FPPG average on the season. He has even gone for 40+ FP in two games as well. His rushing upside of legitimately breaking 100 yards and a touchdown helps the floor and ceiling combination for DFS purposes. Ohio is right alongside West Virginia with the highest scoring projection of this slate, and I wouldn't be surprised if Rourke outpaces Grier in fantasy production due to the running potential.

Also Consider: As mentioned in the previous write-up, Will Grier is a great lift if you can make the salary work. That is much more difficult on DraftKings than FanDuel, but I fully expect Grier and company to bounce-back after the blunder at Iowa State … Riley Neal of Ball State is a cheaper QB that I'm comfortable using in the SuperFlex spot on both sites. This Ohio-Ball State game has a relatively high over/under at 64 total points, and Riley should be able to make some fantasy noise within that. Ohio ranks 118th in opponent passer rating, so there's definitely room for this aerial attack to get going.

RUNNING BACK

Darrynton Evans – Appalachian State (FanDuel $8,800 / DraftKings $7,400)

Evans was amazing last week while racking up 203 total yards on 27 touches with two touchdowns. App State's primary running back, Jalin Moore, fractured his ankle in the previous game, so Evans enjoyed an expanded workload in his absence. That should continue with Moore scheduled to miss the rest of the season. Evans is an easy pick while facing a Georgia Southern defense that ranks middle-of-the-pack against opposing runners. Game flow should be on his side with App State favored by double digits. Lock him in!

Jamauri Bogan – Western Michigan (FanDuel $8,600 / DraftKings $6,900)

If you glance at Bogan's game log, you may infer that he's an inconsistent fantasy producer. That is true to some extent, as he's usually a product of game flow. In other words, if Western Michigan is playing with a lead (or tight game either way), Bogan will get his carries. Otherwise, he's not usually involved in the passing game when WMU is playing from behind. Bogan splits time with all-purpose RB LeVante Bellamy, but the two have been able to coexist nicely on several occasions this season. On top of that, Bogan seems to be the favorite for red-zone touches, exemplified by a four-touchdown performance at Bowling Green two weeks ago. He checks in at a firm discount from Bellamy, his teammate, which has me looking Bogan's way on both sites.

Also Consider: Honestly, the rest of this slate doesn't have much to offer at running back outside of Evans, Bogan and Bellamy. You could take a chance on Steven Peoples (VT), Maleek Irons (OH) or A.J. Ouellette (OH) in tournaments. The Ohio backs have a pretty good matchup with game flow on their side, but picking the better option is truly a coin flip.

WIDE RECEIVER

Jalen Hurd - Baylor (FanDuel $9,800 / DraftKings $7,500)

If you can find a way to make Jalen Hurd fit into your lineup, then definitely go for it! I personally am having an easier time making room for him on FanDuel than DraftKings, but he's certainly viable on DK too. This Baylor-West Virginia matchup could turn into a shootout, and it should be pretty fun to watch. Hurd will be able to find some fantasy upside within that. The great part about the Baylor WR is that he also gets rushing touches, finding the end-zone via ground in three straight games. Oh yeah, he's not too bad at catching the football either, racking up 25 receptions, 212 yards and a score over his past three outings. You are basically getting a mid-range running back and elite receiver bundled into one player.

Riley Miller – Ball State (FanDuel $8,500 / DraftKings $5,100)

WR Riley Miller has served as the favorite target for Ball State QB Riley Neal this season. This could be a breakout game for the duo while stepping in against an Ohio defense that ranks 118th in opponent passer rating. Don't forget about WR Justin Hall as a primary beneficiary of this matchup as well. Miller is cheaper on DraftKings, so I'm definitely looking his way over there. However, Hall is $1200 less than his teammate on FanDuel, demanding attention on that site.

Also Consider: The DraftKings pricing seems much softer at wide receiver. Underpriced options on DK include Jayden Reed (WMU), Cody Thompson (TOL), and D'Wayne Eskridge (WMU). As for FanDuel, T.J. Simmons (WVU) is a reasonable value filler as well as Sean Savoy (VT) … You could take a look at the premium options of Sills, Jennings or Simmons from West Virginia. However, I find myself avoiding them for the most part due to the cumbersome price points. QB Will Grier spreads the ball around so much that he could end up with a great performance without any of them actually reaching fantasy value.