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Mike Marteny's college football DFS lineup picks for DraftKings. Week 3 Friday Slate (9/18/26). CFB daily fantasy lineup picks and DFS sleepers for Friday.
As far as Friday night slates go, this one is a gem! DraftKings has left off almost all FBS vs. FCS matchups, so Oregon isn't on the slate. Despite that, we still have three ranked teams taking the field in just two games!
The Miami offense has looked unstoppable early, but it will be tougher against a Wake Forest team trying to slow them down. We have a Big 12 conference tilt between ranked teams in Lubbock. Both Houston and Texas Tech got more than they bargained for against Oregon State. Can it help us decipher this game?
In this article, I'll share my daily fantasy college football lineup picks for DraftKings on 9/18/26, starting at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. I’ll give multiple player suggestions for players at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver, aiming to highlight one option at the salary scale's high, middle, and lower end. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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DraftKings CFB DFS Picks - Quarterbacks
Darian Mensah, Miami (FL) ($8.9K)
Mensah got his three TDs, then took to the sidelines to become head cheerleader. There's nothing wrong with that. Miami set school records, mostly on the backs of second and third-stringers.
DARIAN MENSAH IS PUTTING ON A CLINIC ?
3 passing TD midway through the 2nd QTR ?@CanesFootball pic.twitter.com/TS08CyMUwd
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) September 11, 2026
Lots of guys got some game experience, and Florida A&M got paid a lot of money. It doesn't make for a great game to watch, but it is good for the teams on the field.
It's back to reality for Miami this week. What that likely means is a much better stat line for Mensah. He scored 39.5 DraftKings points in the opener against Stanford. Mensah should flirt with 40 DK points again. He's the best play on the slate no matter the format.
Gio Lopez, Wake Forest ($6.4K)
I view Lopez as a GPP-only play here. He hasn't made mistakes this year, but the points he has been gathering from his rushing totals aren't going to be there against the Miami front.
We're counting on Gio's passing prowess to keep Wake somewhat close, and we're asking him to do it without making mistakes. That's a tall order. If you can afford Conner Weigman, he's a better option, especially in cash or SE games.
Also consider: Conner Weigman, Houston ($7.9K); Will Hammond, Texas Tech ($7.5K)
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DraftKings CFB DFS Picks - Running Backs
J'Koby Williams, Texas Tech ($7.5K)
J'Koby Williams WOULD NOT GO DOWN ?
He breaks away for a huge @TexasTechFB gain pic.twitter.com/Jovf5gqEmI
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 20, 2025
What you see in this highlight is why I will be using Williams over any other Texas Tech back. He is tough to tackle, and he has 10 receptions in two games. That's 10 free points.
Williams also had 20 carries against Oregon State. Cameron Dickey and Quinten Joyner combined for 15. Williams has been by far the most productive back in 2026, and the Red Raiders are starting to use him like he is.
Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami (FL) ($6.5K)
A lot of backs are putting up big numbers from the Miami backfield, and now Chris Wheatley-Humphrey is expected to play this week. Don't pay that stupid price (obviously), but Fletcher is still the first back to get chances.
CharMar Brown found the end zone against Stanford, but Fletcher scored twice against Florida A&M. This situation isn't fun for DFS. I'll have more Fletcher exposure in SE and cash games. Brown is GPP only.
Also consider: Makhi Hughes, Houston ($7K); Ty Clark III, Wake Forest ($4.9K-GPP only); Re'Shaun Sanford II, Houston ($4.7K)
DraftKings CFB DFS Picks - Wide Receivers
Malachi Toney, Miami (FL) ($8.1K)
Toney is the most complete receiver in college football. He's fast, runs great routes, and has great hands. No cornerback in college can guard him one-on-one.
How did Malachi Toney make this catch? ? pic.twitter.com/AHpG62eR1i
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 11, 2026
He's a matchup nightmare for other coaches, which makes him a DFS dream. He's expensive, but do you really want to pass on this upside? He nuked Stanford for 56.4 DK points in Week 1. That's one of the highest totals I've ever seen for a WR.
Amare Thomas, Houston ($6.1K)
Texas Tech gave up 240 receiving yards to Jesse Legree last week. No offense to Legree, but he's nowhere near Thomas's talent level, and he doesn't have a better quarterback throwing to him.
The vaunted Texas Tech defense gave up 417 yards through the air to Oregon State last week. This is a low-key great matchup for Houston. If you think Miami pulls away from Wake and Toney only gets around 20 DK points again, Thomas is your GPP pivot.
I'm willing to go cheaper at other positions to put both Toney and Thomas in at least one lineup. They could combine for nearly 100 DK points tonight.
Koby Young, Houston ($3.9K)
Texas Tech's run defense has been stout, so expect Houston to go to the air much like Oregon State did. Thomas is the guy you need, but Young caught two touchdowns last week.
He caught a 47-yard pass in Week 1 and also got an 11-yard gain on a reverse. Young should see enough balls come his way to be effective for this price. That said, we're banking on a touchdown.
Antonio Meeks, Wake Forest ($3.6K)
If Wake is going to stay competitive in this game, at least one receiver is going to have a big game. Miami is going to put a lot of effort into not letting Carlos Hernandez get loose.
It comes down to Kam Shanks and Meeks. Shanks dropped a key pass against Purdue last week. Meeks didn't find the end zone after scoring in Week 1, but he was still involved in the offense.
This is still a fluid situation, but I'm targeting a cheap Wake WR in GPPs so I can afford Toney and Thomas in the same lineup.
Also consider: Carlos Hernandez, Wake Forest ($5.2K); Kenny Johnson, Texas Tech ($4.9K); Kam Shanks, Wake Forest ($4.2K); Patrick Overmyer, Houston ($4K)
DraftKings CFB Stacks
Miami (FL)
Miami is a tough team to stack because they are so expensive. Even a mini-stack of Mensah and Toney will cost $17K.
The RB room is already crowded, and Toney has been so good that the pecking order behind him is a big unknown. Cooper Barkate is the second option, but if it weren't for the touchdowns, he would be a massive bust at $5.8K.
Purdue and Akron both ran on the Wake defense. I would add both Fletcher and CharMar Brown to Mensah and Toney for a four-man stack. Adding Barkate as the fifth will set you apart in large-field GPPs.
Houston
Not much has been impressive about Texas Tech so far, especially the pass defense. I'm not interested in a Houston five-man because of the backfield share between Hughes and Sanford, but I will definitely run Weigman, Overmyer, Thomas, and Koby Young in a lineup.
I don't hate the idea of adding Sanford in large-field GPPs. I'm not sure Hughes will be worth the price.
Also consider: Texas Tech (GPP only), Wake Forest (large-field GPP only)
