Welcome back college football fans & DFS players!! The CFB season is now in full swing with Week 2 underway. Saturday brings a full day of games and Fantasy Alarm has you covered! This playbook will cover the early afternoon DraftKings main slate while Pete Cole will have the night slate for you soon! 

If you’re unfamiliar with how these CFB DFS playbooks usually go, we’ll first outline the slate from a betting perspective to determine which games and teams to target overall. Then we’ll dive into the top plays at quarterback, running back and wide receiver positions. Finally, the example lineups at the bottom tell you how to build a winning roster for either cash or GPP contests.

Before we dive in, a quick note that we’re only focusing on the DraftKings slate of games for this playbook, but feel free to play on FanDuel with the same players below. If you have any questions on specific players or lineup builds, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @dan_servodidio or on the Discord and I’ll try to help out! Without further ado, let’s dive into the main early afternoon DFS CFB slate for September 11th! 

THE SLATE (Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook): 

  • 12 pm ET -- Pittsburgh (-3) at Tennessee -- 57 O/U
  • 12 pm ET -- Tulsa at Oklahoma State (-13) -- 50.5 O/U
  • 12 pm ET -- South Carolina (-2) at East Carolina -- 57 O/U
  • 12 pm ET -- Oregon at Ohio State (-14.5) -- 63.5 O/U
  • 1 pm ET -- Florida (-28) at South Florida -- 58.5 O/U
  • 2 pm ET -- Rutgers (-1.5) at Syracuse -- 52 O/U
  • 2:30 pm ET -- Toledo at Notre Dame (-17) -- 55 O/U
  • 3:30 pm ET -- UAB at Georgia (-23.5) -- 44.5 O/U
  • 3:30 pm ET -- California at TCU (-11.5) -- 48 O/U
  • 3:30 pm ET -- Texas A&M (-17) at Colorado -- 50 O/U
  • 3:30 pm ET -- Ball State at Penn State (-22) -- 58 O/U
  • 4:30 pm ET -- Iowa at Iowa State (-4.5) -- 46 O/U

Highest Implied Team Totals (per DK Sportsbook Odds)

  1. Florida -- 43.25 points vs. South Florida
  2. Penn State -- 40 points vs. Ball State
  3. Ohio State -- 39 points vs. Oregon
  4. Notre Dame -- 36 points vs. Toledo
  5. Georgia -- 34 points vs. UAB
  6. Texas A&M -- 33.5 points vs. Colorado
  7. Oklahoma State -- 31.75 points vs. Tulsa
  8. Pittsburgh -- 30 points vs. Tennessee
  9. TCU -- 29.75 points vs. California
  10. South Carolina -- 29.5 points vs. East Carolina
Quarterbacks
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Jack CoanNDTOL890032.34  
Replacing Ian Book as Notre Dame’s signal-caller is a tall task, but it looks like Jack Coan is up for it. The Wisconsin transfer threw for 366 yards and four TDs on 35 pass attempts against Florida State in last week’s opener. Although that did come against a soft FSU defense in a high-scoring game overall, Coan could easily post similar numbers vs. Toledo here. The expensive price jump, though, puts him in GPP territory on this slate - especially since the Irish offense could be more run-heavy this time around.
C.J. StroudOSUORE860028.06  
Although it took a half for him to get going, Stroud bounced back and looks like he’ll keep the Ohio State offense just as high-scoring as Justin Fields did last year. Against Minnesota in the opener, the redshirt freshman finished with 294 passing yards and four TDs after only having 48 yards at halftime. The Oregon defense should present a slightly tougher matchup this time around, but Stroud will still put up numbers with the Buckeyes as two-touchdown favorites in the highest total of the slate. Expect him to be chalky in cash.
Kenny PickettPITTTENN850021.78  
This Pitt-Tennessee matchup could end up being a sneaky good spot for DFS points on both sides with the Panthers as three-point favorites in a 57 total. Pitt’s offense was pass-heavy a year ago and it looks like it’ll be more of the same in 2021 - putting Kenny Pickett in line for plenty of work. He went 27-of-37 for 272 yards and two TDs in the opener, while also adding in 39 rushing yards. Last season, Pickett actually racked up eight TDs on the ground despite only having 145 rushing yards overall. The Pitt backfield is still questionable, so the QB’s number will likely get called plenty down near the goal-line. Tennessee’s pass defense was among the nation’s worst in 2020 and Pickett should take advantage of that matchup. People will likely avoid Pickett with Stroud just $100 more, but he makes for a very interesting GPP option.
Sean CliffordPSUBALL810014.38  
With Penn State projected as one of the slate’s highest-scoring teams against a subpar defense, Sean Clifford is firmly in play as the offense’s signal-caller. Even in a tough matchup vs. Wisconsin last week, Clifford threw for 247 yards and a TD on 33 pass attempts. It gets much easier against Ball State this time around and Clifford could easily outperform his price tag for cash games. Last year, he totaled 1,883 yards and 16 TDs over eight starts and added 335 yards and three scores on the ground. There is some risk that Clifford and the passing game take a backseat with a lead in hand in the second-half, but he could also throw for 300+ and multiple TDs before that happens.
Anthony BrownOREOSU690021.48  
While the Ducks are underdogs to Ohio State on the road this week, the offense could still provide plenty of DFS value in a high-scoring game. The Buckeyes defense wasn’t the strongest last week and could easily allow Oregon to score 25-30 points here. Enter Brown, who only totaled 172 passing yards in the opener but added in 56 rushing yards and a rushing score to return value. His dual-threat upside is definitely something we love from a Super-Flex QB option - and Oregon will need him to do a bit of everything through the air and on the ground to keep this game close. This game vs. OSU is the highest total on the slate and should feature plenty of offense on both sides. Feel free to pair up Brown with C.J. Stroud in cash.
Drew PlittBALLPSU610017.32  
Over the past two seasons as Ball State’s starting QB, Plitt totaled over 5,000 passing yards and 40 TDs in a pass-happy offensive attack. This is what we’ve come to expect from the Cardinals and even a tougher matchup vs. Penn State won’t stop that tendency. According to Vegas, PSU is expected to win by three touchdowns in a higher-total game - meaning Plitt and Co. will have to throw a ton to play catch-up. Last week against an easier opponent, Plitt went 17-for-28 through the air with 188 yards and two scores. We can expect the yardage and attempts to be way higher in this game. The PSU defense is tough, but they can easily allow Plitt to put up his points before the final whistle. The cheap QBs on this slate aren’t great, honestly, but at least we know the Ball State offense is going to be passing a ton in this one.

Also Consider: 

  • Emory Jones -- Florida ($9,000 DK) 
  • Max Duggan -- TCU ($8,800 DK)
  • Haynes King -- Texas A&M ($8,300 DK) 
  • Spencer Sanders -- Oklahoma State ($7,500 DK) 
  • Noah Vedral -- Rutgers ($6,700 DK) 
  • Brock Purdy -- Iowa State ($6,200 DK) 
Running Backs
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Zamir WhiteUGAUAB77009.7  
Though the Georgia backfield is a bit of a committee, Zamir White is the lead dog when it comes to carries. Last week in a very tough matchup vs. Clemson, he saw 13 attempts for 74 yards and added one reception too. The stat line isn’t anything great, but the matchup and low-scoring environment can be blamed for that. At least the 5.7 ypc average was miles better than what James Cook did with his five carries (3.8 ypc). Now White and Georgia get an easier opponent in UAB and the run game will likely be leaned on with a big lead. Last year, White paced this backfield with his 779 rushing yards and 11 TDs while Cook/McIntosh/Milton played second fiddle. This week presents the type of game and matchup that can allow White to get 100+ yards and multiple scores to provide an excellent pay-up option at RB. Plus, UGA may lean on White and the run game with QB J.T. Daniels dealing with an injury.
Kyren WilliamsNDTOL730024.5  
If you just look at Williams’ rushing stat line from last week, you might be scared off to play him this time around. Notre Dame’s lead back totaled just 42 yards on 18 carries for an ugly 2.6 ypc average. However, he added in six catches for 83 yards and a TD through the air to help him return a solid DFS performance. Plus, the 22 total touches are very encouraging to see and tell us that he’s still the workhorse back in the offense - with the receiving production as an added bonus. Nevertheless, Williams remains a very strong play in cash or GPP this week with Notre Dame being three-score favorites over Toledo. Expect him to get 20+ touches, 100+ total yards and a TD or two.
Isaiah SpillerTA&MCOL670018.7  
Although Devon Achane ended up with a better overall stat line last week, Isaiah Spiller is still the Aggies’ lead back and will continue to get heavy volume in that role. In the opener, Spiller finished with 17 carries for 113 yards and added in two catches for 24 yards. Though he didn’t find the end zone, those 19 total touches and 6.6 ypc average are what we love to see from a No. 1 RB - especially in a 31-point win that capped his workload. He had six 100-yard games a year ago while finishing with 1,036 yards and nine TDs. Texas A&M should have the lead early in this matchup with Colorado and lean on the run game with Spiller getting plenty of usage. He’s very much in play for cash games at an attractive price tag that might not be this low the rest of the season.
Noah CainPSUBALL640018.5  
In a tough matchup last week, Cain only saw eight carries against Wisconsin as the PSU offense took to the air more often than not. Even with limited rushing work, though, Cain still totaled 48 yards and a TD on the ground with a healthy 6.0 ypc average - and his eight carries were still the majority among the team’s 12 total rush attempts. Plus, it’s very encouraging to see Cain get involved in the passing game with his five receptions last week. Expect a lot more carries for him this time around with the Nittany Lions favored by three touchdowns and likely leaning on the rushing attack more. He’ll likely end up chalky in cash and you could do a lot worse than rostering a lead back for a big favorite in a higher-total game.
Malik DavisUFUSF560019.4  
At first glance, you might think the Florida offense is one to target on this slate as the highest-scoring team per Vegas’ odds. However, it’s tough to pinpoint which players are worth rostering in a likely blowout win over South Florida where the starters may not get the usage we’re looking for. Even so, we know the Gators will be run-heavy this season with Kyle Trask gone and two dual-threat QBs sharing snaps behind center now. In the backfield, it’s Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis splitting the workload and both are in play on this slate. If we’re choosing between the two, it’s Davis for the slight savings. Last week, Davis went off for 104 rushing yards and a TD on 14 carries - which was a much higher rushing volume than Pierce. Both are gambles because the work will be split moving forward, but Davis is a better option with the cheaper price tag.
TreVeyon HendersonOSUSYR430015.5  
Let’s talk about the Buckeyes’ backfield for a moment. We suggested rostering Miyan Williams last week when he was much cheaper and he came through with 125 yards and a TD to smash value. Williams’ price tag has skyrocketed, though, and it’s hard to play him in cash considering this is still a committee with Master Teague and TreVeyon Henderson getting their touches. Feel free to roll out Williams in GPP’s, though. Teague only totaled 29 yards on six carries in the opener and he’s tough to trust until he’s cheaper or shows some life. Henderson, meanwhile, saw just two carries last week but found the end zone on a 70-yard reception. He also smashed value if you played him and he still presents cheap exposure to the OSU offense. Williams should see the most touches in this backfield, but Henderson is the bigger playmaker than Teague and a better value for tournaments because he could easily find the end zone once or twice in a high-scoring contest.
Jaylen WarrenOKSTTLSA410010.4  
It’s always nice being ahead of the curve when it comes to DFS CFB and potential breakout players. There might be one looming in the Oklahoma State backfield with Chuba Hubbard now off to the NFL. The Cowboys’ depth chart lists four RBs as co-starters but it’s basically down to LD Brown and Jaylen Warren getting the first crack at carries. Brown, though, has underwhelmed throughout his career and barely did anything last week when he rushed for 30 yards on 15 carries. Yes, he found the end zone - but that 2.0 ypc average is ugly. Warren, meanwhile, didn’t do much better when he rushed for nine yards on six carries - though he also found the end zone. Still, Warren simply brings more upside here after being Utah State’s lead back last year and possibly stealing the lead back duties away from Brown in the coming weeks. At this price tag, he’s worth a GPP shot with OK St being two-score favorites and likely leaning on the run vs. Tulsa - especially with Spencer Sanders’ status still in question.

Also Consider: 

  • Miyan Williams -- Ohio State ($7,300 DK) 
  • Jarek Broussard -- Colorado ($7,000 DK)
  • LD Brown -- Oklahoma State ($6,100 DK)
  • Dameon Pierce -- Florida ($6,000 DK)
  • Devon Achane -- Texas A&M ($5,900 DK) 
  • Isaih Pacheco -- Rutgers ($5,200 DK)
  • Will Jones -- Ball State ($4,900 DK) 
Wide Receivers
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Ainias SmithTA&MCOL760033.6  
The term “Swiss Army knife” can be overused at times in the college ranks, but Ainias Smith definitely fits that mold in Texas A&M's offense. Last year, Smith’s 564 receiving yards led the team and he added 293 rushing yards as well. His 10 total TDs also led A&M’s skill position players - despite the offense boasting plenty of talent including Jalen Wydermyer, Isaiah Spiller and Devon Achane. In the opener, Smith picked up right where he left off with his eight catches for 100 yards and two scores with 16 rushing yards on three attempts. The Aggies will continue to get the ball in his hands as much as possible and he has the potential to take any touch to the house with game-breaking speed. The price tag is a little rich on this slate, but he can easily smash for GPP’s.
Michael MayerNDTOL740030  
First of all, it’s a bummer Mayer is priced this high because he would’ve made for a great cash play in the 6k range. In GPP’s, though, feel free to fire him up and hope for another big game - while possibly stacking with Jack Coan. Though he’s a tight end, Mayer is clearly the top pass-catcher for Notre Dame now and he showed off every bit of his talent in the season opener last week. Against Florida State, the sophomore racked up nine receptions for 120 yards and a score as he presented mismatch after mismatch. There’s no chance the Toledo defense holds him in check - but it’s just a matter of if his final stat line pays off the expensive salary on this slate.
Chris OlaveOSUORE720030.7  
We told you to play Olave last week when he was cheaper than Wilson and he came through with his two touchdowns and 117 receiving yards. The Buckeyes’ receiving corps is a two-headed monster with Olave/Wilson and both will be viable DFS pairings with QB C.J. Stroud all season long. Though Olave now gets a price bump, he’s still firmly in play as one of the best wideouts in the nation and a top playmaker for a high-powered OSU offense that’s projected to score the most on this slate. If you’re playing Stroud, then pair him with either Olave or Wilson in cash.
Jahan DotsonPSUBALL700024.2  
In a game that featured just 26 total points combined between Penn State and Wisconsin last week, Dotson stood out as the best player on the field with his talent shining through in the Badgers’ secondary. Dotson finished with five receptions for 102 yards and scored on a 49-yard connection from QB Sean Clifford. Last year, he paced PSU’s receiving corps with team leads in receptions (52), yards (884) and TDs (8) while solidifying a rapport with Clifford. The price tag is hefty for him this week, but Dotson has the ceiling to bust out for 100-200 yards and multiple scores in any given game - especially against a soft defense like Ball State.
Garrett WilsonOSUORE590019  
Last week, Garrett Wilson was priced above Chris Olave and we gladly played the latter instead - and it paid off with Olave going for 117 yards and two TDs. This week, DK has now made Wilson the cheaper of the two - so we’re naturally grabbing him in cash at the discount. Though he didn’t finish with as good of a stat line as Olave in the opener, Wilson still went for five receptions, 80 yards and a TD. It’s clear the Buckeyes’ receiving corps is top-heavy with two of the top talents in the country - and pairing Olave/Wilson with QB C.J. Stroud will be a popular move in DFS all season. Either one is fine, but Wilson presents a cheaper avenue than Olave this time around.
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Johnny Johnson IIIOREOSU510016.6  
If Oregon is trailing in a high-scoring game vs. Ohio State, then the Ducks’ pass-catchers present a cheap source of receptions while the offense plays catch-up. In the opener last week, Johnny Johnson was the team’s top receiver with his 76 yards and a TD on three catches. Johnson continues to be Anthony Brown’s favorite target as he was last year when the QB played sparingly. It’s hard to trust any other Oregon receiver right now, but Johnson is a solid value at just over 5k on DK.
Jalen WydermyerTA&MCOL50007.6  
In the opener, Wydermyer was a bit quiet with his four receptions for 36 yards while taking a backseat to Ainias Smith in the Aggies’ receiving corps. Still, the Texas A&M tight end should not be priced this slow and some bigger performances are certainly coming. He remains one of the most talented tight ends in the country and should be a safety valve for short-to-intermediate targets from new starting QB Haynes King. This matchup vs. Colorado should be tighter than A&M’s easy win last week - which should keep Wydermyer more involved in the passing game. He presents a solid floor for cash and could easily smash value if he finds the end zone once or twice.
Sam LaPortaIOWAISU430013.3  
Although this Iowa/Iowa State matchup will likely be low-scoring, LaPorta could end up being busy as a top target for Hawkeyes QB Spencer Petras. In the opener, the tight end led the receiving corps with five receptions for 83 yards as Petras looked his way often. LaPorta looks poised to be the next NFL tight end prospect coming out of Iowa and is clearly the best pass-catcher on the squad now with Ihmir Smith-Marsette gone. Iowa’s run game could struggle against a tough ISU defense, so LaPorta might be the offense’s best chance at moving the ball. He’s worth a shot in GPP’s at a very affordable price tag.
Lucas KrullPITTTENN370016.8  
We outlined above how Kenny Pickett is an interesting high-upside QB option on this slate, so let’s look at one of his pass-catchers too. While Jordan Addison is the headliner in the Pitt receiving corps, Lucas Krull should not go overlooked. The tight end only appeared in one game last year and had just one reception in that outing. The former Florida transfer could end up being a top red-zone target for Pickett this year, though - and he showed that last week. Krull went for five receptions and 58 yards and connected with Pickett on a TD. At this price tag, he’s way too cheap for his apparent role in the offense and we may not see him this low the rest of the way. You could do a lot worse in cash.
Brock BowersUGAUAB360010.3  
Georgia’s top two receivers from last season are currently out and it’s opened up the door for other Bulldogs to get more work. With George Pickens and Kearis Jackson out last week, freshman tight end Brock Bowers ended up being the top target or QB JT Daniels. It was a defensive battle vs. Clemson, so Daniels looked Bowers' way more often for easy completions and the latter ended up with six receptions for 43 yards. It was encouraging to see Bowers get that much attention in his first collegiate game and he could easily find the end zone this week in an easier matchup vs. UAB.

Also Consider: 

  • Jordan Addison -- ($7700 DK) 
  • Tay Martin -- Oklahoma State ($6,900 DK) 
  • Justin Hall -- Ball State ($6,300 DK) 
  • Bo Melton -- Rutgers ($5,700 DK)
  • Charlie Kolar -- Iowa State ($4,600 DK)
  • Rick Wells -- Florida ($4,200 DK)
  • Mycah Pittman -- Oregon ($4,200 DK)
  • Yo’Heinz Tyler -- Ball State ($4,200 DK) 
  • Parker Washington -- Penn State ($4,000 DK)

Example Lineups

DK Cash
Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
QBC.J. StroudOSUORE28.1$8,600
Pivot     
RBKyren WilliamsNDTOL24.5$7,300
Pivot     
RBIsaiah SpillerTA&MCOL18.7$6,700
Pivot     
WRGarrett WilsonOSUORE19$5,900
PivotChris OlaveOSUORE30.7$7,200
WRLucas KrullPITTTENN16.8$3,700
Pivot     
WRSam LaPortaIOWAISU13.3$4,300
Pivot     
FLEXNoah CainPSUBALL18.5$6,400
PivotJohnny Johnson IIIOREOSU16.6$5,100
S-FLEXAnthony BrownOREOSU21.5$6,900
Pivot     
      
DK GPP
Pos.PlayerTeamOppFPPGSalary
QBKenny PickettPITTTENN21.8$8,500
PivotJack CoanNDTOL32.3$8,900
RBZamir WhiteUGAUAB9.7$7,700
Pivot     
RBMalik DavisUFUSF19.4$5,600
Pivot     
WRAinias SmithTA&MCOL33.6$7,600
PivotMichael MayerNDTOL30$7,400
WRJustin HallBALLPSU36.9$6,300
Pivot     
WRBrock BowersUGAUAB10.3$3,600
Pivot     
FLEXTreVeyon HendersonOSUORE15.5$4,300
PivotJaylen WarrenOKSTTLSA10.4$4,100
S-FLEXDrew PlittBALLPSU17.3$6,100
Pivot