This article is part of our DFS College Football 101 series.
Here we go with a three-game bowl slate on Wednesday, December 26. The biggest piece of news to monitor comes out of Boston College, where star running back AJ Dillon is questionable with an ankle injury. If he plays, he's a fine all-around pick on this short slate. If he's out, David Bailey becomes an interesting value option. The following write-ups will cover that situation in further detail. Otherwise, here are the odds attached to each Wednesday matchup:
Boston College at Boise State (-2.5) – Total: 50.5
Minnesota at Georgia Tech (-6) – Total: 57
California at TCU (+1) – Total: 38
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
TaQuon Marshall – Georgia Tech (FanDuel $9,500 / DraftKings $8,300)
I'll be looking to take Marshall through all formats on Wednesday, but he's not necessarily a 100% must play either. The $8,300 salary seems to blend much better on DraftKings than the $9,500 tag on FanDuel. Keep that in mind. Regardless of salary constraints, Marshall has an undeniably comfortable matchup against Minnesota. The Golden Gophers rank 114th with 5.2 yards per carry allowed to opponents this season. That bodes well for Georgia Tech's run-heavy approach. The Yellow Jackets check in as the highest expected scoring team on this slate, and Marshall should be the focal point of that offense.
Also Consider: Cheaper options include Grayson Muehlstein (TCU) and Tanner Morgan (MIN). Muehlstein has a tough matchup against a legitimate California defense, but that is offset by dual-threat ability with double-digit carries in each of his past two games. If you need someone slightly cheaper at Quarterback or Super-Flex, Morgan of Minnesota isn't a bad value filler. The Gophers' QB has been "just okay" this season, but he's economically priced while participating in the highest over/under of the day against a mediocre Georgia Tech defense.
RUNNING BACK
Alexander Mattison (FanDuel $10,100 / DraftKings $8,800)
Boston College is decent against the run, but I'm high on Boise State RB Alexander Mattison regardless. He's a virtual lock for 25+ carries, seeing 37 and 40 rushing attempts over his past two games. Mattison is no stranger to achieving fantasy upside against tough run defenses, racking up 26 and 29 fantasy points against Fresno State while also going for 27 fantasy points vs. BYU. He's a volume-driven fantasy superstar with the skills to translate that into healthy box scores. Needless to say, he's far and away the best fantasy option on this slate, and you'd be wise to utilize him through all formats.
Mohamed Ibrahim – Minnesota (FanDuel $9,200 / DraftKings $7,900)
Ibrahim is another heavy-volume running back that we can turn to for solid fantasy production. The matchup isn't too bad either, considering that Georgia Tech ranks 82nd in the country while allowing 4.6 yards per carry. Ibrahim has seen 18 or more carries in six straight games, and he should be a key piece in Minnesota's game plan on Wednesday. The Gophers' lead RB has posted 16-28 fantasy points in five of his past six games, and this is a quality matchup to believe he can land in the higher part of that range.
Also Consider: Boston College and Boise State are playing the early game of this slate at 1:30 ET. That means you'll want to keep an eye on RotoWire's news page to monitor the status of AJ Dillon (BC) while moving closer to kickoff. As mentioned in the introduction, he's questionable with an ankle injury. Dillon would be a fine overall pick if he's declared a "full-go" on Wednesday afternoon. As things stand, Ibrahim is probably a safer overall pick, which would continue to be the case if we don't get clarity on the situation. David Bailey (BC) could benefit most if Dillon is ruled out … Sewo Olonilua (TCU) is an economical choice you can look towards as a FLEX play on DraftKings at just $3,900. The matchup is tough against California, but he should see plenty of carries with fellow RB Darius Anderson out.
WIDE RECEIVER
Jalen Reagor - TCU (FanDuel $9,700 / DraftKings $9,000)
Reagor is hands-down the best receiver on this slate, and you'll want to try and squeeze him into your lineup. Even though this is a very low over/under of just 38 total points, Reagor should be able to find his production within that. He has been a beast all season regardless of the musical chairs carousel at quarterback. Reagor is the focal point of this TCU offense, catching a touchdown in seven straight games. He has racked up 22 catches, 317 yards and three receiving scores over his past three games. Reagor has also taken seven carries for 153 yards and two rushing touchdowns over that span. Go ahead and get him in your lineups!
Sean Modster – Boise State (FanDuel $8,900 / DraftKings $6,800)
Predicting Boise State wide receivers has been a tough task on a game-by-game basis this season. However, things get easy when considering the injury situation of Evans, Hightower and Shakir all doubtful for this game. That opens the door for Modster and fellow WR A.J. Richardson to soak up more targets. Modster has been the most reliable option lately with 18 receptions, 275 yards and four touchdowns over his past three outings. He should be able to keep that momentum against a Boston College team that ranks 111th in pass defense.
Also Consider: Tyler Johnson (MIN) is a reasonable alternative to Sean Modster at wide receiver. I'm leaning towards Modster in a slightly better matchup with a more established quarterback throwing his way. However, Johnson is a supreme talent who should see plenty of targets to make something happen … Looking at the cheap wide receivers, Seth Green (MIN), Tommy Sweeney (BC), and Moe Ways (CAL) are respectable fillers at the position. Green has the most upside of that group, as he is occasionally used as a wildcat quarterback for goal-line plunges when Minnesota gets into that range.
