CFB DFS Playbook & Example Lineups: Week 2 (Saturday Night)

Games and Vegas Lines

() = implied total

BYU (24.5) @ Tennessee (28.5) - TENN -4 - 53 O/U

UCF (39) @ FAU (28) - UCF -11 - 67 O/U

Arkansas (22) @ Ole Miss(28) - MISS -6 - 50 O/U

Tulane (17) @ Auburn (34) - AUB -17 - 51 O/U

LSU (30.5) @ Texas (24.5) - LSU -6 - 55 O/U

Nevada (19) @ Oregon (42) -  ORE -23 - 61 O/U

Western Michigan (15.5) @ Michigan State (31.5) - MSU -16 - 47 O/U

Miami (26) @ North Carolina (22) - MIA -4 - 48 O/U

Quarterback

Chris Robison - FAU - FD $7,400 DK $6,400

I won’t really know how off the radar I’m going here until lock hits, but Chris Robison is my favorite quarterback on the slate and I’ll have exposure in both cash games and tournaments. This game between the UCF Knights and FAU Owls has the highest total on the board at 67 and the Owls are just 10 point underdogs.

That suggests a game script where they’ll be throwing all game, but still putting up 28-32 points. With their starting running back out and not much of a running game in general, I expect Robison to throw two touchdowns at the very least with a better shot at three. He also has a phenomenal weapon to pair with, who we’ll touch on later. College football is wild and anything can happen, but Chris Robison is a guy I’m planting my flag on tonight.

Justin Herbert - Oregon - FD $8,900 DK $7,500

Now for a guy that will likely be a lot more popular than my favorite, Justin Herbert. This Nevada defense was known for being terrible in 2018 and they gave up another boatload of yards in week one to Purdue. Oregon is an even better offense and I expect Herbert to reach 300 yards with ease.

He has a plethora of weapons and none of them are overly expensive. You can pair him easily with them and get some distance from solo Herbert, who should be heavily owned. This game doesn’t hold the highest total on the slate, but Oregon does hold a 42 implied total. If you’re not confident in Chris Robison, Justin Herbert is safer and has as much upside as anyone on the slate.

Joe Burrow - LSU - FD $9,700 DK $8,400

If you don’t like either of the two guys I just mentioned, I prefer Joe Burrow over Sam Ehlinger in this LSU-Texas game. Texas has been a lot worse through the air and we know how great the LSU defense has been under Ed Orgeron. Burrow seemed to come out of his shell completely in week one, finishing with 278 yards and five touchdowns. It was obviously against a terrible defense and he won’t see that tonight, but Burrow looked sharp and knew where he was going with the ball. I do prefer these above two guys as Burrow is expensive and there is plenty to spend up on at RB and WR. 

Consider - Kellen Mond (TAMU), Matt Corrall (MISS)

Running Back

Ja’Tarvious Whitlow - Auburn - FD $9,300 DK $6,400

We’ve seen it over and over these past two weeks and it’s starting to become a trend. DraftKings has struggled with pricing and we seem to be able to find four or five guys that are severely under priced on every slate. It seems like this could be easily avoided with a group of two or three guys, but we will just take advantage while it lasts. 

Ka’Tarvois Whitlow is the second most expensive back on FanDuel behind just C.J. Verdell. Whitlow carried the ball 24 times in week one, failing to reach the end zone on 110 yards. The Auburn offense now gets to face off with Tulane, who allowed 206 yards per game on the ground last season. The Tigers are 17 point favorites and should be leaning on the run game early and often. I still like Whitlow on FanDuel, but would rather pay down and spend up elsewhere. On DraftKings, Whitlow is a must in cash games. 

Deejay Dallas - Miami - FD $8,700 DK $6,600

 When I’m looking for cash game running backs in college football, game script is a huge factor, if not the biggest. Any talent or name can simply not see volume if the game script isn’t leaning his way. Miami is a slight four point favorite over UNC, suggesting a game script where the Hurricanes hold a slight lead and Deejay Dallas gets fed. 

Remember, he ran for 94 yards on 11 carries against one of the best defenses in the nation. He can catch too, finishing 201 with 200+ receiving yards. This game is expected to close and anyone can win, but I do think it’s fair to expect Miami to try to establish the run. They HAVE to win this game and leaning on Dallas over the young QB is what I expect HC Manny Diaz to do. Dallas may end u my highest owned back with the solid pricing on both sites. 

Ty’Son Williams - BYU - FD $8,200 DK $4,800

Ty’Son Williams is a bit too cheap for my blood on both sites. We all know how bad Tennessee was against the run last season. 125th of 129 FBS teams if you don’t know. They weren’t any better last week, allowing 250 yards on the ground to measly Georgia State. BYU fell behind early last week vs Utah and ended up running the ball just ten times. The only silver lining to that was Williams saw 7 carries to Kotoa’ 3. He was trusted with two goal line carries and I don’t see how you avoid him in cash games at this price. I also don’t think he will be overly popular and two scores isn’t an unlikely scenario. 

This Tennessee run defense is legitimately embarrassing and Ty’Son Williams is a guy I expect to be playing on Sundays. It’s all about opportunity in CFB, but everything we saw last weeks tells us it’s his starting gig to lose. I know the dead drum just keeps being beaten, but we have another terrible pricing job by DraftKings. Williams is just $4,800 and close to a must in all formats if you think he’ll be starting against Tennessee. 

Consider - James Charles (FAU), Greg McCrae (UCF), Scottie Phillips (MISS)

Wide Receiver

Harrison Bryant - FAU - FD $4,000 DK $5,400

If Chris Robison is my favorite quarterback, I have to love one of his targets, right? If you’re aware of this FAU Owls team at all, Harrison Bryant may be the name you know. This is a guy with the talent to play at any school in America. He came out as a two-star recruit, but even Ohio State coaches last week said he would be a starter on that team.He’s listed as a tight end, but you’ll see him split out wide in most formations. 

He’s the clear number one option and a guy that is lethal in the red zone. I have a feeling that the general public will be on the UCF offense. I like them a lot, but both QB’s will play and they have two star running backs. This FAU offense should be a bit more concentrated with Emmons broken ankle and missing much of a run game. The UCK Knights ranked as the 115th best team vs the pass in 2018. It doesn’t get much worse. Bryant is my favorite receiver on the slate for the price and you won’t find a lineup of mine without him. 

Collin Johnson - Texas - FD $9,100 DK $6,800

If you rostered Collin Johnson last weekend, you, along with myself, mumbled under your breath as Devin Duvernay and Brennan Eagles reeled in a combined 12 catches, 100+ yards, and three scores. In my opinion, that was Sam Ahlinger having the luxury of convenient throws to the middle of the field. LSU will cover those convenient passes up and it will force Ehlinger to look towards Collin Johnson. 

LSU will always have some of the best cover corners in the nation, but Collin Johnson is just as good as anyone he’s lining up against. He’s one of the most reliable red zone targets in all of college football and he’ll be a first or second round pick when he declares for the NFL draft. If you’re playing on DraftKings, there is plenty of value and Johnson is a guy I’m willing to pay up for. 

Jaylon Redd - Oregon - FD $7,800 - DK $5,500

If we’re expecting an easy 300 yards out of Herbert tonight, you have to like his affordable number one option. He saw nine catches against Auburn a week ago and certainly looked the part as WR1. He now draws Nevada, who will sport much less intimidating corners and a pass defense that ranked in the bottom 20 in all of college football last season. 

Jaylon Redd is the best cash game option here as a Justin Herbert weapon, but there are plenty. Johnny Johnson III is my favorite pivot as he’s inexpensive and has a TON of upside. None of these guys will be very expensive and I can’t argue against rostering two of them if you like Herbert a lot. Jaylon Redd is the cash game du jour and is fairly priced on both FanDuel and DraftKings. 

Justin Jefferson - LSU - FD $8,500 DK $7,300

You DraftKings folks have had enough value thrown your way, so let’s focus on FanDuel for a quick minute. Justin Jefferson is the clear number one option on this offense and Terrace Marshall is getting all the attention. He certainly is loved by Joe Burrow in the red zone, but Jefferson is going to have the better season and he isn’t priced like it on FanDuel. The Texas pass defense was utterly terrible in 2018, ranking in the bottom 50 of the entire nation. If you’re playing Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson is my favorite guy to pair him with. 

Consider - Gabriel Davis (UCF), Seth Williams (AUB), Johnny Johnson (ORE)

FanDuel Example Lineups

Cash