What did we learn from week one in college football?  It’s not so much about what we learned - it’s what was verified: That college football can be a total crap shoot!  We hit on a lot of the top plays from the first week and with the right combination, could’ve netted some nice earnings.  I wasn’t able to find that right combination and looking back, I took too many unnecessary risks and didn’t balance out my lineups correctly.  So, I guess that’s what I learned. All of that said, you must find the lesser known/owned players to really win big. Well, that and enter multiple lineups - but that’s another discussion entirely.

Looking ahead to week two, we have two “main” slates to play.  The featured slate is 15-games (29 eligible teams) spanning from 12:00 - 3:30 PM ET start times.  Then, we’ll have a 10-game night slate for games starting after 7:00 PM ET. We’ll provide top plays and value picks for each of these two slates in this version of the Playbook.

FEATURED
 

QB D’Eriq King

Hou

Arizona

$9,700

Risk: Low

Upside: High

After a slow start against Rice in week one, King and the Cougs got it going on offense. He ended up hitting on 70% of his throws for 320 yards and three scores despite the stumble out of the gate. He gets an Arizona defense not known for stopping much. This will get up there in points and the dual-threat King will put up big-time points.

 
 

QB Brandon Wimbush

ND

Ball St.

$9,100

Risk: Low

Upside: Very High

Wimbush and Notre Dame proved they are for real against Michigan and now will take advantage of a matchup with Ball State. Expect Wimbush and the Irish to throttle them from the opening kick and four touchdowns (two rushing / two passing) are certainly in the cards for Wimbush, who is $600 cheaper than King.

 
 

QB Dwayne Haskins

OSU

Rut

$10,800

Risk: Low

Upside: High

Haskins and the Ohio State offense was hitting on all cylinders against a P5 school (barely) in Oregon State. Now, they get Rutgers, who handled a really bad Texas State team a week ago. We aren’t expecting much to stand in the way of Haskins/Dobbins/Weber and company to put up big points from the get.  Haskins you’ll have to pay more for and he is less of a running threat - so we’d lean towards King / Wimbush as 1a and 1b. But, if you can’t help yourself...

 
 

QB Reid Herring

ECU

UNC

$5,700

Risk: Very High

Upside: High

Here’s the alternative to the super-QB’s highlighted above. Yes, ECU is a really bad team, but that doesn’t always translate over to the DFS field.  He chucked it 65 times in a loss to NC A&T and now gets the actual UNC. Expect the Heels to get up early and Herring to chuck it around all over the yard to provide a nice return in your lineup.

 
 

RB Jonathan Taylor

Wisc

UNM

$10,100

Risk: Very Low

Upside: Huge

Taylor is about as no-brainer as it gets in this slate.  He’ll be owned like crazy but is a guy you will want in your lineup. The Badgers feed him the ball and he will have his way with a New Mexico team that gave up 30 points and 200+ rushing yards last week to Incarnate Word.

 
 

RB D’Andre Swift

UGA

@SoCar

$7,600

Risk: Very Low

Upside: Very High

Swift’s price is surprisingly low considering he is a top option this week.  South Carolina is not equipped to stop this running game and Swift is the top back. Don’t let his pedestrian 8-43-1 line from the first game against Austin Peay deter you.  He will be geared up for the first SEC test of the season and will come through for you in DFS as well.

 
 

RB CJ Verdell

Ore

PortSt

$5,500

Risk: High

Upside: High

Love this price on Verdell, who is arguably already the No. 1 back in Eugene. Even if Tony Brooks-James and/or Justin Herbert cut into the carries early on, he will be fed the ball in a game that should quickly be in hand against FCS Portland State - who fell victim to Nevada last week, giving up 72 points.  Look out.


 

RB Jafar Armstrong

ND

Ball St.

$6,100

Risk: Medium

Upside: Very High

Armstrong arrived on the scene in a big way in week one against Michigan, scoring twice. He should be involved in the running and passing game for the Irish again this week.  Assuming this stays somewhat close, he will stay in the game and rack up the points. Tony Jones Jr. is still around and will see his fair share of totes - but Armstrong is the play at a solid price.


 

WR Marquise Brown

OU

UCLA

$7,700

Risk: Medium

Upside: Very High

This one is going to get ugly. UCLA is just not very good on the defensive side of the ball - evidenced in their week one performance against Cincinnati. The Sooners, on the other hand, are as high-powered as ever with Kyler Murray running the offense and with Rodney Anderson/Trey Sermon taking the pressure off of the passing game. The difference here is that Brown is the clear No. 1 receiver, whereas, the wealth is a bit more spread out at a place like Ohio State.

 
 

WR Darnell Salomon

USF

GATech

$3,000

Risk: High

Upside: High

I will do my best to always give a minimum option each slate.  These players can provide such salary relief and allow you to stockpile on the higher-priced, sure-fire studs of the day. I’m trying not to overreact to the success of the Bulls’ passing game against Elon - but Blake Barnett looked really good. With Marques Valdez-Scantling off to the NFL, Salomon should split as the top option with Tyre McCants. At $3,000, he’s worth a shot.

 

Example Lineup:

QB - D’Eriq King (HOU) - $9,700

RB - Jonathan Taylor (WISC) - $10,100

RB - CJ Verdell (ORE) - $5,500

WR - Marquise Brown (OU) - $7,700

WR - Darnell Salomon (USF) - $3,000

WR - Jaylen Waddle (BAMA) - $3,300 -- freshman WR with upside in a game that could get out of hand.

Flex - Taiwan Deal (WISC) - $5,000 -- backup to Taylor at Wisconsin. Ensuring all of the rushing stats from the Badgers is not a bad play.

S-Flex - Reid Herring (ECU) - $5,700

 

NIGHT SLATE:

QB Ty Storey

Ark

@CSU

$9,300

Risk: Medium

Upside: Very High

There is a slight risk here as Storey will give up some time to “co-starter” Cole Kelley.  Storey looked better in week one and this Chad Morris offense against Colorado State’s awful defense should put up enough to warrant the risk.  He’s still relatively highly priced for the situation but there is enough here even if both play a significant role.

 
 

QB K.J. Carta-Samuels

CSU

Ark

$7,300

Risk: Medium

Upside: Very High

On the other end of what should be high-scoring affair (total is 70 in Vegas), is Carta-Samuels. He had his way with Air Force and then struggled a bit more against Colorado last week. The volume is the play here and there will be plenty to be had. A nice, lower-priced option at the QB position. Maybe you can fit him in the superflex spot along with Storey and hope that game pushes 85+ in Fort Collins.

 
 

RB Bryce Love

Stan

USC

$10,300

Risk: Medium

Upside: Huge

Yes, I saw his first outing.  It was not pretty. The fact is that the San Diego State defense is both solid and were keying solely on not letting Love beat them.  Love didn’t beat them. K.J. Costello and J.J. Arcega-Whitesite did. So, there is a passing threat to keep other teams from employing this strategy. Love is still a Heisman candidate and gets a USC team, who he went for 160 on just 17 carries a year ago. Expect a bounce back while others are scared away.


 

RB Nick Brossette

LSU

SELA

$8,900

Risk: Low

Upside: High

On the heels of Brossette’s bust-out performance against Miami on Sunday last week, the LSU Tigers may have found their next back. Believed to be splitting time with Clyde Edwards-Helaire and possibly Lanard Fournette coming into the season, this 22-carry, 125-yard, two touchdown performance gives him the leg up.  However, those other guys will still factor in and Southeast Louisiana shouldn't put up much of a fight, so we’ll need those points early and often for this to pay off.

 
 

RB Miles Sanders

PSU

@Pitt

$8,300

Risk: Low

Upside: Very High

Expect another thriller in Pittsburgh after the Nittany Lions survived a scare from Appalachian State in Happy Valley last week. Sanders managed 91 yards and a couple of scores in week one against the Mountaineers and is the top back in a very good offense.  App State is underrated on defense and Pitt may be as well. However, this offense has had their tune-up and will breakout against the Panthers with Sanders a focal point.

 
 

RB Jevon Bigelow

Wyo

@Mizz

$3,000

Risk: Very High

Upside: Very High

It appears that Wyoming’s top rusher Nico Evans is doubtful after suffering an injury in last week's loss against Washington State.  Assuming Evans doesn’t play, it appears we have a buying opportunity in Bigelow who received the second-most carries (24). Xazavian Valladay is another freshman who will get opportunities.  Rain is expected in Columbia for this one and if Wyoming has a chance, they will lean on that running game and defense.

 
 

RB Stephen Carr

USC

@Stan

$4,800

Risk: High

Upside: Very High

It is one game people.  Sure, the fear is there that Carr, Aca’cedric Ware and Vavae Malepeai will split carries all season.  However, Carr is the best of the bunch and the future at the position. Ware gets the most hype because he turned his ten carries into 100 yards and a score.  Malepeai had two scores against UNLV and therefore, Carr appears to be the odd man out. That’s why his price has depressed to this level. Worth a dart throw.


 

RB JaTarvious Whitlow

Aub

AlaSt

$5,500

Risk: Very High

Upside: Very High

It won’t take the Tigers being up by 21 against Alabama State to see Whitlow.  However, when that happens, you likely won’t see much of Kam Martin anymore and that gives plenty of touches and opportunity for the highly-touted true freshman to shine and rack up the points. He found the end zone against a stout Washington defense, so imagine what can happen here.


 

WR Preston Williams

CSU

Ark

$5,800

Risk: Medium

Upside: Very High

See what was written above about the Rams/Razorbacks tilt in Fort Collins. Preston Williams is the No. 2 receiver in a game that could easily see Carta-Samuels toss it 50+ times.  The risk here is that Olabisi Johnson steals all of the targets and leaves Williams holding the bag. Though, thus far, Williams has kept pace with 15 catches (12 for Johnson) for 237 yards (239) and two touchdowns (three).  He’s $500 cheaper but you can’t go wrong with either.


 

WR Tyree Cleveland

Fla

UK

$4,800

Risk: Medium

Upside: Medium

Okay, Florida whooped up on Charleston Southern but you can’t ingore five touchdown passes from Feleipe Franks. Cleveland only caught two passes for ten yards and a score, while Trevon Grimes and Van Jefferson got theirs. Coming into the season, Cleveland is a top option and one game against an FCS school isn’t going to change that.  Competitive price tag for him as well.

 

Example Lineup:

QB - Ty Storey (ARK) - $9,300

RB - Jevon Bigelow (WYO) - $3,000

RB - JaTarvious Whitlow (AUB) - $5,500

WR - Tyrie Cleveland (FLA) - $4,800

WR - Tyler Johnson (MINN) - $7,600 -- unquestioned No.1 for Minnesota

WR - Preston Williams (CSU) - $5,800

Flex - Stephen Carr (USC) - $4,800

S-Flex - Shane Buechele (TEX) - $9,200 -- after a disappointing game, Buechele and Texas will roll over a very bad defensive team in Tulsa.