College Football Week 8 begins on Thursday and Fantasy Alarm has you covered! This Playbook will cover the 4 game DraftKings slate that starts at 7:30pm. A quick note is that we’re only focusing on the DK set 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 do not hesitate to hit me up on Twitter- @YFCSportsPete or on our Daily Alarm Discord server.

 


THE SLATE (Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook)

7:30p- Louisiana-Lafayette (-18) @  Arkansas State 69.5 O/U

7:30p- Tulane @ SMU (-13.5) 70.5 O/U

7:30p- Florida Atlantic (-7) @ UNC Charlotte 57 O/U

11p- San Jose State (-5) @ UNLV 46.5 O/U

 


Implied Team Totals

Louisiana-Lafayette 43.75

SMU 42.00

Florida Atlantic 32.00

Tulane 28.50

 

 

QUARTERBACKS

 


Tanner Mordecai (SMU) Opp TUL ($10.0K)

SMU is 6-0 and ranked in the Top 25 and led by Mordecai who is tied for the national lead with 26 touchdown passes, is 10th in yards per game with 315.5 and 6th with a 175.5 QB rating. The Mustangs are the second biggest favorite of the night (-13.5) against a Tulane pass defense that is ranked 115/130 allowing 277.2 yards in the air per game and second-most FPPG allowed to opposing quarterbacks in the country. Mordecai has one of the strongest receiving corps in the country and is in for another big game tonight, but can he be afforded in cash ($10K) while a much cheaper Levi Lewis of ULL gets a shot at the Arkansas State defense?

 


Levi Lewis (Louisiana-Lafayette) Opp @ARST ($8.5K)

The Arkansas State defense is bad. As in dead last ranked defense in the nation bad. They got destroyed by Coastal Carolina in their last game and are giving up an average of 584 yards per game with 315.7 coming from the air. The Red Wolves are also giving up nearly 10 yards per play – that’s a first down every single play! Lock in the senior ULL quarterback Lewis at $8.5K to lead your cash lineups as he has completed 62.3% of his pass attempts for 1,305 yards with eight touchdowns against just two interceptions. Don’t over think this one.

 


Nick Nash (San Jose State) Opp @ UNLV ($5.7K)

Nearly upset #22 ranked San Diego State last Friday night after going two overtimes and now the backup quarterback has his sights on winless UNLV. With Nick Starkel still ailing it appears that Nash will get another start under center and the dual threat junior comes in at a near minimum price- $5.7K. Nash has held his own over the last three contests with his best game coming against New Mexico State where he was an efficient 15-for-18 in the air for 193 yards and three touchdowns along with five rushes for 34 yards (6.8 avg). UNLV is the 126th worst pass defense in the nation allowing 302.0 passing yards per game so it shouldn’t take much for Nash to make value.

 


Also Consider:

Michael Pratt (Tulane) $7.3K GPP

Chris Reynolds (Charlotte) $8.0K GPP

Layne Hatcher (ARST) $5.0K Value

 


RUNNING BACKS

 


Chris Smith (Louisiana) Opp @ARST ($6.6K)

Smith has been splitting duties with Montrell Johnson but scored two touchdowns on 13 carries in last week’s big win over Appalachian State and now had three scores over his last two games. Smith and Johnson are both viable against an Arkansas State defense that is allowing 268.3 yards per game on the ground and 7.0 rush per attempt.

 


Charles Williams (UNLV) Opp SJSU ($8.2K)

Coming off a monster 27 carry 221 yard and three touchdown game against Utah State but San Jose State is a different animal as they held San Diego State and Greg Bell to under two yards a carry last week. Williams is the only true bell cow on the slate touching the ball 20.7 times a game for 101.3 rushing yards and 17.3 receiving yards. Price may be tough to fit in cash games but if you can fit him in, he has a safe floor.

 


Tre Siggers (SMU) Opp TUL ($4.9K)

Injury situation to monitor. If Bentley, who hasn’t practiced all week, is out again Siggers becomes a solid play at only $4.9K. Carried the ball 14 times last week against Navy (49 yards and a touchdown) and 20 times the week before that against USF rushing for 86 yards and a score. Bentley averages 82 yards per game and 11.5 yards receiving and will form a RBBC with Siggers if he plays. No matter who starts, they should find success against a Tulane defense that is allowing nearly 200 yards per game.

 


Tyler Nevens (San Jose State) Opp @ UNLV ($5.1K)

Coming off a big game where he touched the ball 28 times against San Diego State for 74 yards and a touchdown. Should find room against a winless UNLV squad that is allowing 150 yards on the ground per game. Nevens also ran the ball 22 times for 115 yards and a score (20.5 DK) during Week 5 against New Mexico State.

 


Also Consider:

Johnny Ford (FAU) $5.3K Cash/GPP

Cameron Carroll (TUL) $5.5K GPP

Shadrick Byrd (CHAR) $4.6K GPP

 

 


WIDE RECEIVERS

SMU Receivers Opp TUL

The Mustangs have one of the best receiving corps in the nation with Danny Gray($6.2K); Reggie Roberson ($7.1K) and Rashee Rice ($5.9K). You will need at least one and possibly two in your main lineup. Roberson is the most expensive because he has the highest floor with touchdowns in four straight weeks. Gray leads the team in targets with 46 (10 more than Roberson and Rice) and is tied with Rice for the most receptions (30). The Tulane defense has had issues all season allowing 277.2 yards per game and a 2.7 touchdown average so expect to see some scores out of this group tonight.

 


Corey Rucker (Arkansas State) Opp ULL ($6.7K)

The alpha receiver on a high-powered offense, Rucker leads Arkansas State in targets (53), receptions (33), yards (503) and touchdowns (7). With Layne Hatcher now under center they will be throwing the ball a lot trying to catch up with ULL tonight and Rucker will be the first look- especially with three touchdowns over his last two games. Rucker’s status does need to be monitored pre-game as he was dealing with a quad injury in their last game against Coastal Carolina.

 


Derrick Deese Jr (San Jose State) Opp @UNLV ($6.4K)

If Nick Starkel remains out and Nash is under center, then the tight end Deese is a solid play tonight. He has become Nash’s number one target and security blanket with 28 of his 43 targets coming since Nash has been the quarterback. Besides targets, Deese leads the team in receptions (25) and touchdowns (3) and is coming off a big game against San Diego State last week when he caught six passes for 113 yards.

 


Shae Wyatt (Tulane) Opp @SMU ($4.3K)

Need to keep an eye on injury news here. Deuce Watts did not play in their last game against Houston and if he’s out again Wyatt becomes a GPP value play with some upside. He led the team in targets (8) and receptions (5) in the Houston game and could see the same amount of work this week especially playing catchup against SMU.

Brandon Robinson (Florida Atlantic) Opp @CHAR ($3.9K)

Value receivers are tough to come by tonight so why not take a chance on Robinson as he sits second on the team in targets (30) and receptions (18). LaJohntay Webster ($5.7K) is also in play as the teams WR1 but his price will be a hard fit with the SMU studs. Webster leads the team in receptions and has at least seven targets in five of six games.

 


Also Consider:

Victor Tucker (Charlotte) $6.9K GPP

Grant Dubose (Charlotte) $5.9K Cash/GPP

Te’Vailance Hunt (Arkansas State) $5.6K GPP

Grant Calcaterra (SMU) $4.9K Cash/GPP

Elijah Spencer (Charlotte) $4.9K GPP Punt

Jermaine Braddock (SJSU) $4.3K GPP

 

 

DRAFTKINGS EXAMPLE LINEUP

 


QB- Tanner Mordecai (SMU)

RB- Tre Siggers (SMU)

RB- Johnny Ford (FAU)

WR- Rashee Rice (SMU)

WR- Corey Rucker (ARST)

   ALT-Jermaine Braddock (SJSU)

WR- Danny Gray (SMU)

FLEX- Tyler Nevins (SJSU)

   ALT- Charles Williams (UNLV)

S-FLEX- Nick Nash (SJSU)

   ALT- Layne Hatcher (ARST)

Note: This is just an example lineup and with injury news later today could completely change. Stay tuned to the Daily Alarm CFB Discord room for late breaking news and other pertinent information on tonight’s slate.