RADIO
Welcome to Friday College football. We don't always have so much action on Friday night, but this is the second week in a row that we've been spoiled. On DraftKings, the slate is four games big. On FanDuel, just three. It's a common occurrence that the two sites can't get on the same page with CFB, and this just comical at this point. 2Let's dive in and take this bad boy down!
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy college football lineup picks for the slate of games on FanDuel and DraftKings on 10/18/19. The lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays.
It's an extremely fun slate ahead of us, with more than enough offense to go around. I'll be breaking down the later slate in a different article, so make sure to keep an eye out for that as well. Let's dive into some of the top plays at each position. You can follow me on Twitter @VarneyDFS. I will be around all day to answer questions.
Note: DraftKings has included the early Marshall/FAU game. It has the highest total on the board, and both offenses are in play. If you have any questions regarding these guys, please do reach out on Twitter.
FanDuel, DraftKings DFS Quarterbacks
Justin Fields - Ohio State - FD $11,000 DK $8,300
I’d be more likely to fade Justin Fields if there was a game on this slate worth fading him for. We’re working with three totals in the 50 range and this Ohio State offense is the only huge favorite. They’re 28 point favorites over Northwestern, who gave up 31 points to Michigan State a few weeks ago. Northwestern certainly has a stout defense, but Ohio State is still projected to score close to 40 points and he’s by far the best arm on the slate. If you can afford him, make it happen.
Kenny Pickett - Pittsburgh - FD $8,800 DK $6,600
Tommy DeVito is the second most expensive option, but I’ll be fading him. Syracuse struggled to move the ball against N.C. State last week, and this Pittsburgh defense is a lot better. I still think DeVito has an average game, but he’s expensive and tough to make a case for. If you’re looking for a pivot off of Fields, you have two solid options. Let’s touch on Kenny Pickett first. He’s not explosive, but this new-look Pitt offense is throwing the ball 50 times a game and it’s led to extreme consistency out of Pickett. He has over 220 yards in four straight with 300+ in two. This Syracuse defense is nothing to be afraid of and Pitt is a 3.5-point favorite. Pickett is more of a cash game play, as his ceiling isn’t very high at all.
Also Consider - Jorge Reyna
FanDuel, DraftKings DFS Running Backs
J.K. Dobbins - Ohio State - FD $9,800 DK $7,800
With Ohio State being a 28-point favorite and projected to outscore any other offense by a ton, you have to love J.K. Dobbins here. The volume has been there recently, and this Northwestern defense is going to challenge Ohio State at least a little bit. He’s one of the best running backs in all of college football and he’s seen 24 carries in back-to-back games. They resulted in 300+ yards against Nebraska and Michigan State. Northwestern is a lot worse than Michigan State, so Dobbins won’t have any trouble as long as the volume is there. I don’t mind playing both Fields and Dobbins, though it does hurt you elsewhere.
A.J. Davis - Pittsburgh - FD $8,200 DK $5,800
A.J. Davis has missed two weeks with an injury, but is supposedly going to return in this one. On the off chance he remains out, Todd Sibley Jr. has been solid in his absence and would once again be in play. Syracuse is worse against the run, and with Pitt being 3.5 point favorites, we expect them to keep it on the ground and throw a ton of short, high-% passes. This offensive line is huge and shouldn’t have any issues pushing around a weaker Syracuse D-line. The price is fair on Davis, and he’s a great option if cleared prior to the game.
Ronnie Rivers - Fresno State - FD $8,400 DK $6,400
Fresno airs it out a bit, but Ronnie Rivers is the clear number one when they run it. He’s been over double-digit carries in all but one game and has been super involved through the air as well. Air Force and New Mexico State aren’t the friendliest match-ups ever, but UNLV is a lot better. They’re healthy favorites and Rivers should be a safe bet for 75 yards and a touchdown. Add in at least two or three catches and you have yourself a guy that’s tough to ignore.
Also Consider - Moe Neal, Master Teague III
FanDuel, DraftKings DFS Wide Receivers
Taysir Mack - Pittsburgh - FD $8,000 DK $6,700
Pittsburgh has two dynamic receivers in Taysir Mack and Maurice Ffrench, and you can't go wrong with either. Mack has 41 catches on the season to Ffrench's 50, but Mack has 140 more yards. They have both found the end zone twice. The third leading receiver has just 10 catches, so these guys really do see about 85% of the target share. If both are the same price, I like Mack a little bit more. He seems to be a favorite of Kenny Pickett in the red zone, with four more targets than Ffrench in the red-zone. Syracuse doesn't have a strong pass defense and I'm expecting Pickett to get over 250 yards. Depending on the site you're playing on, make sure you lock in at least one of these Pittsburgh pass-catchers.
K.J. Hill - Ohio State - FD $8,300 DK $6,000
K.J. Hill started the season a bit slow, but he's picked it up of late and is clearly the number one option for Justin Fields. His price is fair on both sites and you want some correlation if you're playing Fields. I've already talked about this Northwestern defense and I really just don't have much hope for them to slow down this offense for an entire four quarters. He has 12 catches over the last two games and has found the end zone in four of the last five games. Northwestern doesn't have any one lockdown corner, but are more of a solid team defense. I expect Fields to lean on Hill even more in this game and 100 yards isn't a crazy expectation. His price is fair on both sites and I'm a fan in all formats.
Emoryie Edwards - Fresno State - FD $7,500 DK $5,600
Edwards debuted just two games ago, and has caught 12 balls since for 143 yards and a touchdown. Jorge Reyna is clearly happy that Edwards is back and he's been targeting him a ton. UNLV is the worst defense he's faced yet, and I wouldn't be surprised if he gets over 100 yards for the first time. Edwards is way too cheap on both sites and I would be playing him if he was over $1k more expensive. I'll have a lot of Reyna in my S-Flex spot, and Edwards is a great way to get some correlation with him. You can play him naked as well.
Also Consider - Trishton Jackson, Maurice Ffrench, Chris Olave, Sean Riley
