While Week 1 of the college football season won’t be quite what we expected, the DFS slate shouldn’t lack excitement. Expect big scores to rule the day with high-powered offenses taking the field. And as with Thursday night (Central Arkansas’ Lujuan Winningham), a monster value play can be had for cheap at wide receiver.
Quarterbacks
Brady White, Memphis ($7,200 on DraftKings, $9,500 on FanDuel) – The Tigers’ gunslinger is curiously priced well down the salary chart for QBs on DK, especially given his strong production in 2019 and his team’s implied total of about 47 on Saturday. White, who averaged 22.6 DFS points per game last year, is hard to pass up at this salary.
Asher O’Hara, MTSU ($6,200 on DK, $10,000 on FD) – O’Hara can beat you through the air or on the ground, having averaged nearly 90 yards per game rushing in 2019. He also scored nine TDs on the ground. He should fare well in DFS against Army’s middling defense.
Running backs
Brenden Knox, Marshall ($8,000 on DK, $9,700 on FD) – The Thundering Herd likes to run behind its powerful offensive line. Knox should get the bulk of the carries as he did in 2019 when he averaged more than 20 totes per game. Oddsmakers predict Marshall will score nearly 40 points in Week 1 against Eastern Kentucky, and Knox is a safe bet to reach the end zone a time or two.
Sandon McCoy, Army ($4,800 on DK, $8,500 on FD) – Connor Slomka graduated, so McCoy will likely be the top running back for the Black Knights this year. Army has used a platoon system in the past, but McCoy won’t have to provide a blowout DFS score to make him worth his cheap salary.
Wide receivers
Damonte Coxie, Memphis ($7,700 on DK, $9,400 on FD) – If we play White, we should pair him with his top receiver. Coxie caught 76 passes for 1,276 yards and nine touchdowns in 2019, averaging nearly 20 DFS points per game. Nothing indicates he won’t pick right back up this season.
Jerreth Sterns, Houston Baptist ($4,100 on DK, Game not on FD) – One advantage to lower-tiered games being on the schedule is the ability to find hidden gems. While North Texas will likely have its way with Houston Baptist in Week 1, you don’t always need multiple TDs to earn big DFS scores. Take Sterns. He catches passes. He catches a LOT of passes, averaging nearly nine per game in 2019. The Huskies’ top possession receiver also scored 11 TDs in 2019 so he could certainly put one on the board Saturday night.