Week 5 of college football DFS offers up a 14-game slate on FanDuel (13 on DraftKings), but the smart play may be to ignore most of the games and listen to what Vegas has to say. Oddsmakers seem to think the Memphis-SMU and Texas Tech-Kansas State games will be close shootouts. Those types of contests usually yield plenty of DFS points from several roster positions. My lineups will focus heavily on these two games.
Quarterbacks
Brady White, Memphis ($8,200 on DraftKings, $9,700 on FanDuel) – The Tigers will finally (fingers crossed) get to play another game after two postponements due to positive COVID-19 tests. When we last saw White, he completed 27 of 37 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns against Arkansas State while adding another 39 yards rushing on six carries. Just as he was that first week, White seems underpriced given his potential to rack up big points against the Mustangs.
Alan Bowman, Texas Tech ($7,600 on DK, $9,300 on FD) – To say the Red Raiders show a propensity to pass would be an understatement. Bowman has thrown 52 passes in each of his first two games, tossing for seven touchdowns and averaging more than 31 DFS points per game on DK. We should see more of the same this week, making Bowman a college football DFS bargain.
Running backs
Ulysses Bentley IV, SMU ($5,900 on DK, $8,600 on FD) – T.J. McDaniel has gotten more carries and is still the presumed starter, but the stats have turned in Bentley’s favor. The redshirt freshman has proven effective in limited action, averaging more than 10 yards a carry in his 36 rushes while scoring seven touchdowns to tie for the nation’s lead among running backs. Although the Mustangs’ coaches use Bentley primarily near the goal line, you have to think he’ll see an uptick in carries, especially with McDaniel averaging less than five yards per rush. Regardless, there should be plenty of TDs to go around for either player this Saturday, yielding plenty of points in college football DFS.
John Lovett, Baylor ($5,400 on DK, $7,600 on FD) – Fellow running back Trestan Ebner stole the show last week by returning two kicks for touchdowns (a kickoff and a free kick), but Lovett got the most carries – 17 to nine. Yet, Ebner is priced higher this week. It’s your classic pricing overreaction. Ebner won’t get those fluke scores this week, and Lovett will likely get more carries again in a competitive game against West Virginia.
Wide receivers
Devonta Smith, Alabama ($6,800 on DK, $8,700 on FD) – Speaking of pricing overreactions, take a look at Bama’s top two wide receivers – Smith and Jaylen Waddle. The latter is priced higher this week after amassing 134 receiving yards and two TDs against Missouri last week. But both Smith and Waddle garnered eight receptions each, and Smith has historically been a bigger receiving threat. Save the salary and take Smith this week.
Sean Dykes, Memphis ($5,000 on DK, $8,400 on FD) – While Dykes likely won’t replicate his Week 1 performance of 10 catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns, his promise as a highly-targeted tight end belies a higher college football DFS salary than this, especially in that likely Saturday shootout.
