College Football Week 1 gets underway tonight and a Big Ten matchup between Penn State and Purdue headlines the slate. There are plenty of CFB DFS top plays from both the Nittany Lions and Boilermakers as you build those college football daily fantasy lineups. If you're looking to get some Penn State or Purdue players in your CFB DFS lineups, check out the below options on DraftKings and FanDuel before the game gets underway at 7 pm ET. Be sure to check out tonight's CFB DFS Playbook for a full breakdown of every top player on Thursday night's slate of games. You can access the CFB DFS Playbook with a Fantasy Alarm All-Pro subscription. Also check out today's PrizePicks CFB Player Props for the top picks and bets ahead of College football Week 1. For now, enjoy CFB DFS preview for the Penn State vs Purdue matchup.
Penn State Nittany Lions CFB DFS Preview
Sean Clifford, QB – $6,500 DK / $9,400 FD
Penn State brings back Sean Clifford for a fourth season as the starting QB. His real-life and DFS performances last year were very inconsistent week-to-week as he battled through a late-season injury while the PSU running game struggled mightily. This is a big spot right out of the gate for the Nittany Lions in a Big Ten matchup on the road, but Clifford has plenty of experience. Though Jahan Dotson is gone, PSU still has a talented WR corps at Clifford's disposal. If the offense fails to run the ball like last year, we should see Clifford throwing it a ton with plenty of upside for DFS lineups.
Mitchell Tinsley, WR – $5,600 DK / $8,500 FD
The Western Kentucky transfer should eventually emerge as Penn State's top offensive weapon. Mitchell Tinsley finished with 87 receptions, 1,402 yards, and 14 TD last year for WKU and he was brought in to replace the playmaking of Jahan Dotson, who's now in the NFL. Tinsley had been making noise in camp and local reporters predict he'll be plenty involved in Penn State's offense this year. Though we can't expect the same production he had in a pass-happy WKU attack, Tinsley should still be a solid DFS option as arguably the best skill position player for PSU.
Purdue Boilermakers CFB DFS Preview
Aidan O'Connell, QB – $6,100 DK / $8,800 FD
Senior Aidan O'Connell is back for another year as Purdue's quarterback after he threw for 3,712 yards and 28 TD last season. The Boilermakers' offense leans on the passing game and it usually results in plenty of pass attempts for O'Connell. That volume is what we love for DFS and it keeps his fantasy floor higher than others. Penn State's defense lost a few key playmakers this offseason and can be exploited through the air. Though O'Connell has to make due without David Bell and a couple other receivers from last year's squad, he'll likely be chucking it a bunch tonight. He's a solid play on DraftKings for cash games.
Broc Thompson, WR – $4,900 DK / $7,500 FD
Purdue has to replace a ton of receiving production from last year and Broc Thompson is the likely candidate to step up. The Boilermakers' top three pass-catchers from 2021 are now gone with David Bell, Milton Wright, and Jackson Anthrop departing. Thompson totaled 30 receptions for 474 yards and four TDs last season while playing backup role. He now steps into a starting spot and should be a top target for Aidan O'Connell this season. In the bowl game last season when Bell sat out, Thompson racked up seven catches for 217 yards and two touchdowns. That's a good sign of things to come if he's in a featured WR role in this pass-centric Purdue offense.
Keep the College Football DFS winning going! Check out tonight's CFB DFS Playbook for the Thursday slate, the College Football daily projections, and our CFB DFS lineup generator! Also, check out our partners over on PrizePicks, Underdog Fantasy, Monkey Knife Fight & join our Discord!