Our first full Saturday Playbook of the 2018 season. Boy there are a lot of big names and high-scoring affairs to choose from. I am providing three of the top picks at each of the three positions and a couple of value plays. Then, you’ll notice some other high-priced options and some more values. There is enough here to help you construct a winning lineup. Read up. Buck Up. Win Up. Let’s go!
QUARTERBACKS
Kyler Murray, Oklahoma vs. FAU - $11,900
The future baseball star is currently taking over for Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield at Oklahoma. There may be no better offense to have the keys to in order to put up a huge season. That said, there are still some question marks surrounding his game. We know he’s a crazy athlete and could just simply run all over the place and succeed. However, word is that he looks like he could pick up right where Mayfield left off and that’s an exciting thought. Throw in a matchup with high volume possibilities against FAU and you will want some shares of him, even at that crazy price.
Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State vs. Oregon State - $11,600
Just $300 less than Murray, we have another quarterback who is taking the reigns of a high-powered offense. We’ve seen a little of Haskins in blowouts following J.T. Barrett under center in Columbus. This Oregon State team is nothing short of a joke and the Urban Meyer-less Buckeyes offense won’t miss a beat. Expect big numbers and an exit late in the third quarter.
Trace McSorley, Penn State vs. Appalachian State - $9,800
We’ve seen this guy for a while now and you just have to be impressed. Don’t fret the loss of Joe Moorhead as this offense will be clicking. They do face somewhat of a tough test with G5 Appalachian State having a pretty solid defense. However, there are just too many weapons on this offense to hold them down. Expect big things in week one from McSorley and you could get him quite a bit cheaper than the two above him here.
Ross Bowers, Cal vs. North Carolina - $7,000
This game will get a little “pointsy” and should allow for Bowers to stand back and let it rip all afternoon. Coming off of a down season a year ago, just throwing for 3,039 yards, 18 scores and 12 picks - Bowers has another year of experience under his belt and should take advantage of a mediocre (at best) defense in UNC. This is more of a value pick at $7,000 if you want to either spend at RB or WR and/or fit in two QB’s in the lineup.
Marcus Childers, NIU at Iowa - $6,300
Yeah, I know. Iowa on the road is a tough draw. However, at this price, this guy Childers can lead this NIU offense to new heights. He’s a dual-threat QB with some experience now and will be able to handle the scene. This should be a competitive game and I foresee a couple passing and another rushing score in the future.
Other top options:
Jordan Ta’amu, Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech - $9,900
Will Grier, West Virginia vs. Tennessee - $10,500
Drew Lock, Mizzou vs. UT-Martin - $9,500
Other value plays:
Zac Thomas, App State at Penn State - $5,500
Nathan Elliott, North Carolina at Cal - $7,600
Shawn Robinson, TCU vs. Southern - $9,300
RUNNING BACKS
Devin Singletary, FAU at Oklahoma - $7,100
Arguably the top back in college fantasy football gets a tough road draw in week one, traveling to Norman. At least it would appear that way. Keep in mind that the Sooners defense didn’t do much to impress last year (though, that is skewed a bit by playing a lot of quality offensive opponents). Then again, FAU can be considered one of those top offenses and they are paced by this beast. He’s coming off of a 1,920 yard, 32 touchdown season and should be fed the rock as we still don’t know who will be handling the quarterback duties for Lane Kiffin’s Owls. Oh, and his price is really low for the potential.
D’Andre Swift, Georgia vs. Austin Peay - $9,300
Swift is the next man up at Georgia to dominate the ground game. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry as a true freshman last year stuck behind Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. He takes over as the main man and should carry a Chubb-like workload. The runner-up a year ago gets a patsy first game and expect Swift to take full advantage. You’ll have to pay for him and you’ll only get him for 30 minutes, but it should still be very worth it.
Patrick Laird, Cal vs. North Carolina - $8,900
Laird paces this Cal offense both on the ground and catching the football. This dual-threat capability makes him so valuable to rack up those fantasy points. He ran for 1,127 and eight scores a year ago and added 45 catches to that total. North Carolina doesn’t pose much of a threat and Laird will get his. Plus, he may need to play a full game and could rack it up.
Jordon Brown, North Carolina at Cal - $5,000
With the suspension of his running mate, Michael Carter, this becomes a workhorse type game for Brown. Sure, UNC had nothing going on the ground a year ago and the offensive line appears to be in shambles. However, they get a Cal team who is just as damaged on the defensive side of the ball. Assuming this game goes back-and-forth, Brown can put up BIG numbers at a solid price.
Lexington Thomas, UNLV at USC - $5,200
The matchup doesn’t look good against a Trojans defense that can swarm. However, Lexington Thomas and this UNLV running game is one of the best kept secrets in all of college football. He’ll at least be out there for the duration and while the game will eventually get out of hand, I think Thomas will get his and provide a nice return on investment in DFS.
Other top options:
Rodney Anderson, Oklahoma vs. FAU - $9,700
J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State vs. Oregon State - $10,300
Stephen Carr, USC vs. UNLV - $9,100
Other value plays:
Elijah Holyfield, Georgia vs. Austin Peay - $5,600
Scottie Phillips, Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech - $5,100
Marcus Outlow, Coastal Carolina at South Carolina - $3,000
WIDE RECEIVERS
A.J. Brown, Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech - $10,800
Brown comes in as my top scorer of all positions this week. That’s scary. DK agrees with that price point and while it is difficult to pay that for a wide receiver, you better believe Brown is in for big things. He managed 75 for 1,252 and 11 touchdowns. He was banged up all year and will re-develop that rapport with Jordan Ta’amu and go crazy against a Texas Tech defense that just doesn’t possess the answer to him.
Emanuel Hall, Mizzou vs. UT-Martin - $8,400
The Mizzou offense is going more to a pro style in the wake of the one-year Josh Heupel spread. Drew Lock has made a living (well, not really) off of feasting on sub-par opponents and if you look back at what he did week one last year against Missouri State (521 yards and seven scores) - that’s confirmed. Hall is his go-to target this year and should be on the receiving end of plenty of those passes from Lock. If you are looking for a bit of a cheaper alternative to Brown - this is your guy.
T.J. Vasher, Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss - $9,400
Yes, we think the Texas Tech / Ole Miss tilt will be a high-scoring affair and, yes, we want as many of their start players in our lineup as possible. That includes the new top-target in this Texas Tech offense. The new still unsettled quarterback situation gives a little pause but we know this Kliff Kingsbury offense will chuck it and do so often.
Malcolm Williams, Coastal Carolina at South Carolina - $4,800
A little under-the-radar pick here if you are looking for a value. Malcolm Williams is the best target on Coastal Carolina and while South Carolina will be winning this one handedly, Williams will still be out there and will put up points. Coastal’s offense should be better and I can see Williams surprising us late with a long score when the Gamecocks go to the second unit.
Mykel Jones, Oklahoma vs. FAU - $3,100
Super-cheap special here. A GPP play only. There are so many mouths to feed in this offense (Marquise Brown, CeeDee Lamb, etc.) but if you are going to throw a dart at a guy that is just $100 over the minimum, you do so in an offense and in a game with these implied points. Jones is under-the-radar as he’s coming off an injury
Other top options:
David Sills V - West Virginia vs. Tennessee - $10,000
Marquise Brown - Oklahoma vs. FAU - $8,200
Deebo Samuel - South Carolina vs. Coastal Carolina - $8,000
Other value plays:
DeAndre McNeal, FAU at Oklahoma - $3,100
Johnnie Dixon, Ohio State vs. Oregon State - $4,500
Leon Payne, NIU at Iowa - $3,000