By: William Smythe

Another week of college football means another crack at daily fantasy lineups. This week’s 14-game slate on DraftKings is chock-full of sleepers, high-priced hits and guys who may slot into larger roles due to injuries. Not to mention, SMU is playing – which bodes well for literally everyone on UCF; look to Houston quarterback Clayton Tune’s performance last week as evidence. College football DraftKings is tough, though, requiring you to get everything exactly right if you’re to have a chance at making some money. While more forgiving than the NFL slates, we have to think about contrarian and chalk plays before crafting the perfect lineup. Let’s begin with the quarterbacks.

Quarterbacks:

Iowa State’s Hunter Dekkers ($5,300) @ Oklahoma State

While he hasn’t posted the most gaudy stats this season, Dekkers has a 30-point ceiling that could be reached this Saturday against a reeling Oklahoma State – currently 112th in the nation in scoring defense. Dekkers last posted a 30-point game against Texas on Week 7 and will arguably have his best chance to repeat that performance. Feel free to stack pass-catching magnet Xavier Hutchinson ($8,300) with Dekkers or Jaylin Noel ($4,900) in what will hopefully be a higher-scoring affair.

Arkansas’s KJ Jefferson ($6,500) vs. LSU

I don’t know why DraftKings continues to undervalue Jefferson. He’s averaging 28.6 fantasy points per game and is still behind the likes of West Virginia’s JT Daniels (14.7 fppg) and Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa (21.2 fppg) in terms of his salary. Jefferson can use his legs to his advantage – a huge benefit considering that DraftKings only rewards quarterbacks one point for every 25 yards passing – and he’s recorded five 30+ point games this season. Even against a solid LSU defense, you can plug in Jefferson with confidence. 

Other QBs considered: USF’s Katravis Marsh ($5,000) vs. SMU, Duke’s Riley Leonard ($7,900) vs. Virginia Tech

Running Backs:

USF’s Brian Battie ($5,300) vs. SMU

The Bulls (1-8) have been atrocious this year, but Battie has given some flashes of brilliance. This pick is largely based on his opponent and their defensive flaws, as we all witnessed the Mustangs’ 77-63 victory over Houston last week. Tune and freshman running back Stacy Sneed gashed the SMU defensive front for 182 yards combined on the ground, so expect Battie to get a ton of work in this contest. At that price point, you can bank on a floor of around 10 points and a ceiling of 35 – a completely undervalued spot in a favorable matchup. 

Clemson’s Will Shipley ($6,700) vs. Louisville

This could be a smash spot for Shipley and a Clemson team that will be fired up after a blowout loss to Notre Dame. Having secured the starting job, Shipley has posted an average of 22 fantasy points per game and is somehow still under the $7,000 price point. Expect this pick to be somewhat chalky, but if Shipley does in fact go off you’ll want him on your roster. With four touchdowns in his last four games – including a 172-yard performance against Syracuse Week 8 – he’ll be a strong bet to continue that trend even against a respectable Louisville run defense.

Other RBs Considered: Michigan’s Donovan Edwards ($5,600) vs. Nebraska, Tulane’s Tyjae Spears ($6,500) vs. UCF

Wide Receivers

Iowa State’s Jaylin Noel ($4,900) @ Oklahoma State

Ah, the deepest and most volatile position to pick by far: wide receiver. In my heart of hearts, I think I’ve found the sleeper this week. Noel’s matchup is too juicy to ignore, as opposing teams have feasted on an Oklahoma State defense that has suffered greatly after the departure of current Ohio State DC Jim Knowles. The nation’s receptions leader – Iowa State’s Xavier Hutchinson – obviously takes the cake if you’re willing to pay up for him, but I’ll snag Noel at nearly half the price. He’s hit the 20-point mark twice and will certainly be a part of the offense if the Cyclones do what any team should do against the Cowboys – attack them through the air. 

Penn State’s Parker Washington ($6,700) vs. Maryland

Parker Washington straight-up balled against Ohio State two weeks ago. Sure, he had a letdown against Indiana last week (4 receptions, 30 yds), but I’m all-in on Washington in a bounce-back game at home. Despite the addition of Western Kentucky transfer Mitchell Tinsley to this wide receiving corps, Washington is still quarterback Sean Clifford’s favorite target and should get peppered all game. Pray that the game script helps the wide receivers here and doesn’t lead to a RB heavy approach, but I believe that Maryland’s passing attack will at least keep this game interesting for a half or so. With a 37.9 point performance from Washington already under his belt, I’m banking on another.

Purdue’s Payne Durham ($5,100) @ Illinois

The matchup looks awful on paper, but remember that Durham isn’t a wide receiver, he’s a tight end. Illinois’ top-ranked national scoring defense will scare away nearly everyone from a Purdue pass-catcher – but we’ll look to Durham. With Purdue’s top receivers – Charlie Jones (27.6 fppg) and T.J. Sheffield (9.9 fppg) likely erased by the elite Illini secondary, perhaps Durham can carve out a huge role when matched up against linebackers and safeties. He’s posted two games with more than 26 points twice this season and will be depended on again in a crucial game for both sides. Yes, the matchup is scary, but the value could be tremendous if Durham hits.

Other WRs Considered: Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. ($7,900) vs. Indiana, Tennessee’s Cedric Tillman ($6,500) vs. Missouri, USF’s Xavier Weaver ($5,900) vs. SMU