CFB Saturday continues with Week 5 Night slate and Fantasy Alarm has you covered! This Playbook will cover the 8 game DraftKings slate that starts at 7pm. 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)

7pm ET- Kansas @ Iowa State (-34.5)- 57 O/U

7pm ET- Mississippi St @ Texas A&M (-7.0)—46.0 O/U

7pm ET- Baylor @ Oklahoma State (-3.5)—47.0 O/U

7pm ET- Liberty @ UAB (-2.5) —49.5 O/U

7:30pm ET- Boston College @ Clemson (-14.5)—46.5 O/U

7:30pm ET- Western Kentucky @ Michigan State (-10.5)—64.5 O/U

7:30pm ET- Northwestern @ Nebraska (-11.5)—52 O/U

7:30pm ET- Indiana @ Penn State (-13.0)- 53.5 O/U

Highest Implied Team Totals

Iowa State- 45.75 (Kansas)

Michigan State- 37.50 (Western Kentucky) 

Penn State- 33.25 (Indiana) 

Nebraska- 31.75 (Northwestern)


QUARTERBACKS

Adrian Martinez (Nebraska) Opp NW ($8.7K DK)

Becoming one of the best QBs in the Big Ten. Making critical plays and putting up big numbers. Leads Big Ten QBs in rushing yards (349) and ranks first in Quarterback rating (11th in the nation). Even with a horrible offensive line Martinez currently ranks second in Big Ten total offense averaging 324.6 yards after refining his quarterback passing tools from last season while keeping his running explosiveness. Next up is a Northwestern defense that is ranked 104th in rushing defense allowing 5.20 yards per carry and 186 yards per game. 

Bailey Zappe (Western Kentucky) Opp @ MSU ($7.9K DK)

Zappe and WKU will be the best passing offense that Michigan State has seen all season. This is a fast and prolific spread-em-out offense led by Zappe who releases the ball quickly and averages more than 400 yards per game through the air. In fact, this high-powered passing attack ranks 14th in the nation in scoring (41.7) and total offense (507.3). Zappe led the FCS in passing last year at 458.2 yards per game and he hasn’t missed a beat crossing over the FBS level – completing 73.1% of his passes (87-for-119) for 1,224 yards, 13 touchdowns and ranks second in the country in passing yards per game (408.0) and third in efficiency (192.2). Michigan State ranks 106th in the nation at 264.0 passing yards allowed per game and has given up five touchdowns through the air plus they have given up more than 440 yards of total offense each of the last two weeks. Zappe will test the Spartans heavily through the air and is the top point per dollar play at Quarterback tonight. 

Zach Calzada (Texas A&M)   Opp MSST ($6.1K DK)

With Haynes King going down Calzada was thrust into the role of starting quarterback of a team that just missed the College Football Playoffs last season. He has not been great as he owns the lowest completion percentage in the SEC as well as the second lowest quarterback rating and yards per attempt, but the team has not exactly played well around him. Now for his third career start Calzada hosts Mississippi State in Kyle Field in what should be a high scoring affair. This is a golden opportunity for the sophomore to have a breakout game facing a defense ranked 98th in the country in allowing 52.5 yards passing a game. If the cast around him produces and cuts down mistakes it will only make Calzada more confident and at only $6.1K puts him in play as a value GPP play tonight.

Michael Penix Jr (Indiana) Opp @ PSU ($5.3K DK)

Wildcard play. Penix is an interesting value coming off his best game of the year when he completed 35 of 53 passes for 373 yards against Western Kentucky. Tonight, he faces a Penn State defense that he went 19-for-36 for 170 yards and touchdowns in the air and on the ground last season. Penix is averaging 205.3 yards per game this season but has only completed 55% of his passes making him a boom or bust pick. In Indiana’s two wins this season Penix Jr has completed 46-of-69 passes (66.7%) for 441 yards and two scores. In their two losses he is 31-for-71 passing (434.6%) for 380 yards and two scores. If Indiana keeps the game close the veteran has a solid chance to make value due to low $5.3K salary and make some noise in GPPs

Also Consider:

Sean Clifford – Penn State ($8.1K DK) GPP

Brock Purdy- Iowa State ($8.5K DK) GPP

Will Rogers- Mississippi State ($7.6K DK) GPP

Dennis Grosel- Boston College ($5.7K DK) GPP Value


RUNNING BACKS 

Breece Hall (Iowa State) Opp KSU ($9.5K DK)

Reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year started the season slow rushing for just 69 yards in each of Iowa State’s first two games, but the stud is back. Hall rushed for 100 yards against UNLV despite not even playing in the fourth quarter or part of the third quarter and then exploded last week against Baylor rushing for 190 yards and two touchdowns while also having 51 yards receiving and another score. Now he faces a Kansas rush defense that is ranked 126 out of 130 schools and allowing 240.2 yards per game, 5.37 yards per rush and 16 touchdowns. Hall won’t come cheap but is a Core play tonight and should be utilized and all cash/GPPs.

Kenneth Walker III (Michigan State) Opp WKU ($8.0K DK)

Though basically shut down by Nebraska last week (19/61) Walker was still a key part of the Spartans win as he set them up for the game winning field. Even with those mediocre week 4 numbers Walker III has had an explosive season- 23 carries for 264 yards and four touchdowns vs. Northwestern and 27 carries for 172 yards and a receiving TD vs. Miami (FL.). With a 7.3 yard per carry average Walker III has scored five times, 1/3 of the Spartans 18 touchdowns. He has turned into a real bell cow back and expect another monster performance tonight against the 120th ranked rush defense in the nation- Western Kentucky who is allowing 224 yards per game and 4.81 yard per rush. Hall and Walker III are core plays that should highlight your cash and GPP lineups.

Noah Cain (Penn State) Opp IU ($5.7K DK)

The running backs on tonight’s slate get murky real quick after Hall and Walker III. Cain is intriguing as long as he is healthy and ready to go, and all reports point to just that. He carried the ball just once and didn’t play after the first quarter in last week’s Villanova game after getting beat up against Auburn the week before and being limited in practice. The Nittany Lions haven’t had much a run game to brag about but with a healthy Cain back in the mix this could be a “get right” game for the team’s RB1 who is 48/164 on the ground with three touchdowns on the season.

Dillon Johnson (Mississippi State) Opp @TA&M ($5.0K DK)

Always nice to target running backs in the Mississippi State Air Raid offense. They may not get a lot of rushes, but they sure will be touching the ball. And lately they have been getting their share of both. Against LSU last week the run game was a positive as 115 of the 486 yards of total offense came on the ground from Johnson, Jo’quavious Marks, and quarterback Will Rogers. Coming in $1K cheaper than Marks, Johnson is a fine play tonight as he has now carried the ball 23 times for 130 rushing yards with a touchdown with also 25 receptions for 174 yards. Johnson saw a season high targets (11); receptions (9); run play snaps (10) and carries (8) last week and should just as much action tonight facing the 90th ranked rush defense of Texas A&M that is allowing 170.8 yards per game. 

Rahmir Johnson (Nebraska) Opp NW ($4.1K DK)

The redshirt freshman has risen to #1 on the depth chart due to what Nebraska RB coach Ryan Held calls “improved consistency.” Johnson had 19 carries for 76 yards against Michigan State in his second straight start and now gets to face a poor Northwestern rush defense on prime time, national television in Lincoln, Nebraska. Northwestern is allowing 186 yards per game and 5.20 yards per rush and find themselves ranked all the way down to 104 in the nation. At $4.1K you can’t beat the value for a RB1 especially when trying to fit Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker III in cash lineups.

Also Consider:

Jaylen Warren- Oklahoma State ($7.0K DK) Cash/GPP

Kobe Pace – Clemson ($5.1K DK) Cash/GPP

Isaiah Spiller- Texas A&M ($6.7K DK) Cash/GPP

Abram Smith- Baylor ($5.6K DK) GPP 

DeWayne McBride- UAB ($4.8K DK) GPP

Joshua Mack – Liberty ($3.9K DK) Value GPP


WIDE RECEIVERS

Jahan Dotson (Penn State) Opp IU ($7.1K DK)

The #2 graded Big Ten WR by PFF last week catching 7 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown with a 16.7 yards per catch average and a long of 52 yards. Dotson now has 27 receptions on the season for 362 yards and four touchdowns plus has at least five receptions and a touchdown in every game so far this season. Indiana is giving up 229 air yards per game making Dotson a safe cash play with a high floor.

Ty Fryfogle (Indiana) Opp @PSU ($5.1K DK)

One of the most successful receivers in program history and coming off a huge 2020 where he became the first receiver in Big Ten to have consecutive 200-yard games Fryfogle is once again having a solid season. Leads the team in targets with 41 (more than double DJ Mathews and Peyton Hendershot) on 21 receptions and 224 yards and a score plus is coming off his best game of the season where he saw 16 targets and caught 10 of them for 98 yards against Western Kentucky. Fryfogle is a target monster with a high floor always making him a safe play in cash games.

Malachi Corley (Western Kentucky) Opp @MSU ($4.9K DK) 

Corley has emerged as one of Bailey Zappe’s top targets in this high-powered WKU offense. Currently second on the team with 20 receptions- behind Jerreth Stearns’ 23- and is third in yards receiving with 184- behind Sterns 360 and Mitchell Tinsley’s 219. He has two touchdowns this season, including one last week where he also went for 70 yards on a team-high nine receptions. Stearns is a great choice tonight but on a point per dollar basis Corley may be one of the top plays at wide receiver at only $4.9K on this prolific scoring offense.

Note: I’m a big fan of stacking WKU tomorrow putting Mitchell Tinsley ($4.7K DK) also in play as a solid value 

Tre Mosley (Michigan State) Opp WKU ($3.9K DK) 

Mosley took a big step last weekend against Nebraska as he led Spartan receivers with six catches for 70 yards. He is the WR3 behind Jalen Nailor and Jayden Reed, but Mosley is doing more and more each week as he has caught all eight targets over the past two weeks for 127 yards which is actually better than what Nailor has produced in the same time span. With a 37.50 implied and a shootout expected against the high-powered Western Kentucky offense there should be enough balls to go around to make Mosley a sneaky GPP value play tonight at $3.9K.

Also Consider:

Jerreth Stearns- Western Kentucky ($7.1K DK) GPP

Justyn Ross- Clemson ($6.5K DK) GPP

Samori Toure – Nebraska ($5.8K DK) Cash/GPP

Peyton Hendershot- Indiana ($4.2K DK) GPP Value

Mitchell Tinsley- Western Kentucky ($4.7K DK) Cash/GPP Value

Jalen Wydermyer- Texas A&M ($3.8K DK) Cash/GPP Value

Ainis Smith- Texas A&M ($4.9K DK) GPP Value

Daewood Davis- Western Kentucky ($3.9K DK) GPP Value


EXAMPLE LINEUPS

DK CASH

QB- Bailey Zappe (WKU)

RB- Breece Hall (ISU)

RB- Kenneth Walker III (MSU)

WR- Malachi Corley (WKU)

WR- Mitchell Tinsley (WKU)

    ALT- Daewood Davis (WKU)

WR- Jalen Wydermyer (TA&M)

FLEX- Rahmir Johnson (NEB)

    ALT- Noah Cain (PSU)

S-FLEX- Zach Calzada (TA&M)

DK GPP

QB- Bailey Zappe (WKU)

RB- Noah Cain (PSU)

RB- Breece Hall (ISSU)

WR- Tre Mosley (MSU)

WR- Jalen Wydermyer (TA&M)

WR- Samori Toure (NEB)

FLEX- Malachi Corley (WKU)

    ALT- Kobe Pace (CLEM) 

S-FLEX- Adrian Martinez (NEB)