CFB FanDuel DFS Breakdown for Week 3

We head into Week 3 with a healthy ledger of power conference matchups on tap, including a sizable contingent of teams opening conference play. The table below is embedded Thursday; for an updated view, check out the Matchups Page linked below.

Louisville and SMU pave the way with a 58.5-point total and just a 1.5-point spread, leading to shootout potential in the contest that could feature plenty of scoring. South Carolina and Mississippi State (58.5 total; 3.5-point spread) and Ole Miss-LSU (58.5-point total; 2.5-point spread) also fit the bill in terms of shootout potential.

For top overall scorers, Utah, USC, Notre Dame, and Georgia lead with projected scores between 41.5 and 39.5, and all four are north of three-touchdown favorites, so blowouts are on the table.

College Football DFS Weather (winds 15+ MPH, precip. chance 50-plus percent and hot/cold temps noted)

Georgia at Arkansas - Temps could reach mid-90s here

Kentucky at Texas A&M - Temps in mid-90s

SMU at Louisville - Temps in 90s

FSU at Alabama - Temps in upper 90s

Mississippi State at South Carolina - Chance for rain throughout, biggest chance early

LSU at Ole Miss - Temps starting in 90s but cooling as it goes

BYU at Colorado State - Big chance for showers throughout

Michigan State at Notre Dame - Strong chance for showers throughout

Notable College Football Injuries/Absences for Week 3

QB

Sam Leavitt, LSU - Listed as questionable as of Thursday's report, but let's be real, he's going to play

 Christopher Vizzina, Clemson - Not expected to play Saturday

 McCae Hillstead, Utah State - Didn't play Week 2 and status is unclear

 Dylan Lonergan, Rutgers - Listed as probable and expected to be available

RB

 Isaac Brown, Louisville - Probable and expected to play

 Antwan Raymond, Rutgers - Listed as questionable on availability report

 Makhi Frazier, Mississippi - Probable and expected to suit up Saturday

 Jalen Dupree, Kansas - Listed probable for Saturday

WR

 Trent Mosley, USC - Sidelined for Saturday's tilt

 Omarion Miller, Arizona State - Probable 

 Eric Singleton, Florida - Slated to be a game-time call for Saturday due to ankle issue

 Rico Flores, Virginia - Could return Saturday, TBD

 Noah Rogers, Alabama - Remains out Saturday

 Cam Pickett, Kansas - Listed as questionable but was a GTD last week and played

 Ashton Bethel-Roman, Mississippi State - Listed as questionable for Saturday

 Phillip Wright III, LSU - Won't suit up Saturday

 Tommy Maher, Colorado State - Didn't play last week, status unclear

TE

 Carson Bruhn, Kansas - Listed questionable for Saturday

College Football DFS Tools

• FanDuel Lineup Optimizer
• Matchups Page (Vegas odds, opponent averages, etc.)
• Advanced Lineups Page
• Stats
• Team Trends
• Targets
• Defense vs. Position
• Team Rankings

Week 3 CFB DFS Plays on FanDuel

Quarterback

 Jayden Maiava, USC ($11,800) at Rutgers

This Rutgers defense is bad, to put it bluntly. Through two games, it has yielded a combined 65 points to UMass (winless in 2025) and Boston College (two-win team in 2025). Along the way, they've yielded 8.8 yards per pass attempt (second-worst on the slate) and 2.0 passing touchdowns per tilt. USC boasts an expected score of 39.5 points as a result, and Maiava and company should have little trouble running up the score in this contest. He will be without top target Trent Mosley, but the Trojans' depth runs deep in the passing attack, and Maiava should add yardage on the ground as well.

 Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State ($10,400) at South Carolina

Taylor passed his first true road test as the starter for the Bulldogs with flying colors, racking up 227 passing yards and three passing scores while rushing for 86 yards on 13 carries against a Minnesota team that likes to slow the tempo. The Gamecocks, meanwhile, are aiming to push the tempo more under Kendal Briles in 2026, which should allow the Bulldogs to run a few more plays. Taylor is the top-rated quarterback recruit in program history for Mississippi State, and he'll be leaned on heavily in this one.

 Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville ($10,300) vs. SMU

Through two games, Kienholz has put opposing teams on notice that he can contribute both through the air and on the ground, racking up a combined 111 rushing yards and three scores against Ole Miss and Villanova, as well as 639 passing yards and four touchdowns through the air. SMU's pass defense has fared reasonably well through two tilts, but they haven't exactly faced any high-caliber passing offenses to date. Jeff Brohm's offenses have been good over the years, and it looks like he has another good offense on his hands in 2026. Look for Kienholz to deliver again in what could turn into a shootout.

GPP Bargain Play:  Cutter Boley, Arizona State ($9,300) vs. Kansas

These overseas games tend to play in inclement weather, but this one is fortunately in a dome at Wembley Stadium, so rain won't be a factor. The Sun Devils' passing attack boasts two top-level wideouts in Omarion Miller and Reed Harris, and Kansas doesn't appear to have the necessary "ballHawks" to contain them, yielding 8.1 yards per pass attempt and 1.5 passing touchdowns per game through the first two weeks, including a game versus LIU Post. Boley and company are closer to the Missouri offense, where Austin Simmons racked up 292 passing yards on 29 attempts last week, and I expect that passing attack to put up big numbers.

Running Back

The Top Dogs

Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss ($10,100) vs. LSU

If there's one thing we know, it's that Ole Miss will lean on Lacy in the backfield in this matchup. He's the clear stud, and both offenses should keep the pace uptempo. Lacy is a dual-threat option out of the backfield, amassing five catches through the first two games, and he's logged 74 snaps through the first two games. I'd expect to see that number climb in a major way facing LSU and former head coach Lane Kiffin in a game I'd assume the team has had circled on the calendar all offseason.

 Jadan Baugh, Florida ($10,600) at Auburn

Both offenses want to push the tempo, with Auburn running north of 80 plays per game in its first two tilts, while Florida ran 64.5 despite playing FAU and Campbell, where the second half featured a heavy dose of running the football in blowouts. Opposing offenses have run 78.5 and 76.5 plays per contest through two weeks, so that bodes well for plenty of plays in this SEC showdown. Baugh is the centerpiece of Florida's rushing attack and should be featured. The Tigers have held opposing rushing attacks in check, yielding just 14.4 fantasy points to opposing backs, but Baylor's running back room is a bit underwhelming, and the Tigers rolled Southern Miss last week. The Gators are favored, so the running game should remain relevant throughout.

Mid-Tier Targets

 Daniel Hill, Alabama ($8,500) vs. Florida State

It was the Hill show in Week 2 for the Bama, with the starting running back logging 46 of 71 snaps last week in the first SEC conference clash of the season. While the 'Noles aren't a conference foe, the Crimson Tide will obviously need to take them seriously, so look for a healthy dose of Hill again. Florida State hasn't allowed a rushing touchdown to date but did yield 6.3 yards per carry to Kendrick Raphael last time out in Week 1. Keelon Russell has shown some signs of being a first-year starter through the first two games, so I'd expect the playcalling to aim to give him some help on the ground.

 Waymond Jordan, USC ($7,500) at Rutgers

King Miller ($8,700) is certainly in play in this contest, but Jordan was banged up early in the season, and I expect the touches to play out more evenly in the long run. The two have played similar snaps (89 for Miller, 81 for Jordan), but you have to pony up $1,200 more for Miller. I'd expect plenty of ground game as the Trojans look to salt this one away, and the starters may stay in a bit longer against a conference foe than they have against previous opponents.

Bargain Options

 Nate Frazier, Georgia ($7,200) at Arkansas

Frazier checks in as RB21 on the FanDuel main slate Saturday. While I understand he's totaled just 10 carries through two weeks, when the chips are down, he's the guy the Dawgs will turn to in this backfield. The Dawgs remain hefty favorites here, so there's a chance Frazier will sub out, but the Dawgs will have put things away before he calls it a day. Arkansas has allowed six rushing touchdowns through the first two games, so this is a spot it's worth backing Frazier and the Dawgs' rushing attack.

 Gideon Davidson, Clemson ($6,600) vs. North Carolina

Despite a lackluster start to the season for the Tigers, this backfield mostly belongs to Davidson, who has been on the field for 29 of the team's 58 total run plays and has handled 21 of the RB room's 37 carries (56.7 percent) thus far. The Tar Heels' run defense results are buoyed by facing East Tennessee State last week, whom they held to just 3.3 yards per carry. TCU, on the other hand, rattled off 4.9 yards per carry the week prior, and starter Jeremy Payne averaged 5.7 yards per tote. With freshman Tait Reynolds (true freshman term no longer used in CFB) getting the look under center, I'd expect Dabo and company to give Davidson a healthy dose of carries.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

The Top Dog

 KJ Duff, Rutgers ($10,000) vs. USC

While I'm not on board with grabbing the signal-caller in this matchup, Duff will be force-fed the ball, as has been the case this season. Through two games, the star wideout boasts a slate-best 44.3 percent target share and has turned his 27 targets into 17 catches for 333 yards and a whopping five touchdowns. Rutgers is expected to trail early and often in this contest, so it may need to abandon the run game at some point, or at least tone it back, which should benefit Duff.

 Anthony Evans, Mississippi State ($8,800) at South Carolina

Evans is another target hog in an offense, claiming a 30.2 percent target share thus far. Despite facing a slow-paced Minnesota squad last week that limits possessions, Evans has 14 grabs for 239 yards and a pair of touchdowns to his name through two weeks. South Carolina fared reasonably well against the pass last season, but both offenses in this game want to move the ball quickly, and I'd expect Evans to see a healthy volume of targets in what is expected to be a tough test for the Bulldogs.

 Reed Harris, Arizona State ($8,700) vs. Kansas

Harris has been matchup-proof through two weeks, putting up a monster line of 9-189-2 despite facing a tough defense in Texas A&M last week. That bodes well with a matchup on deck versus a Jayhawks defense that has yielded 8.1 yards per pass attempt and over 10 per attempt against Missouri last week. The Sun Devils' backfield doesn't really stand out, but this passing attack does, and Harris is the biggest red-zone threat, checking in at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds. 

Mid-Tier Targets

 Trey'Dez Green, LSU ($7,600) at Ole Miss

Green is a talent at tight end that Lane Kiffin didn't have at his previous stop in Oxford, and he showed his potential last week versus Louisiana Tech with six catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. Green has been the team's second-most targeted weapon in the passing game behind Winston Watkins ($8,500), who will run you a significant chunk more and has been less explosive with the targets afforded him. 

 Dallas Wilson, Florida ($7,000) at Auburn

The Gators fans are likely pleased with the offensive display they've seen through the first couple of weeks, putting up a combined 118 points, albeit against lesser competition in FAU and FCS Campbell. Even so, this Gators offense should see plenty of opportunities against an Alex Golesh-led squad that turns the tempo up to 100. Wilson is the big-play threat in this offense, especially with Singleton banged up (see injuries above), leading the regulars with a 10.8 ADOT through two games. He notched three touchdowns in four games before injury ended his 2025 campaign, and he's the wideout I'd be targeting for the Gators on Saturday.

Bargain Options

 Omarion Miller, Arizona State ($6,700) vs. Kansas

While Harris' size makes him the ideal red-zone threat, Miller certainly doesn't lack it at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, and he actually sports a 35.3 percent target share, sitting above Harris' 29.4 percent mark. However, Miller's targets come closer to the line of scrimmage (2.4 ADOT), so he needs to make things happen after the catch, whereas Harris is much more of a downfield threat (13.2 ADOT). Even so, Miller can certainly rack up some yardage, entering Saturday with 140 YAC, and he has the size to find his way to pay dirt when the Sun Devils reach the red zone.

 Yamir Knight, SMU ($6,700) at Louisville

This is a player I had circled before the season, and I'm not quite ready to quit him yet. I expect the Mustangs to put the ball in the air early and often in this one to keep pace with the Cardinals, and despite a somewhat slow start, Knight's 17.6 percent target share leads the team. That target share also includes just three targets in a blowout last week, when he and the offense barely played, whereas he reeled in nine in the season opener versus Florida State. I'm expecting closer to the Week 0 share in this one, and Knight is bound to hit pay dirt at some point after crossing the goal line five times in 13 games last season.

 Mark Bowman ($6,300) and Zacharyus Williams ($6,000), USC at Rutgers

Plain and simple, new targets are on the table this week with Mosley (see injuries above) out this week for the Trojans. Bowman already put a good game on the ledger last week versus Louisiana, and Williams is listed as the next man up in the slot and is the only other wideout who has operated there consistently so far this season. Both make for solid plays in this matchup, and you can get them at a pretty cheap price on a team with a 39.5-point expected score.