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We just completed the first week of the greatest 50 days of the year for any football fan. Last Wednesday marked day one of 50 consecutive days of either FBS or NFL football. What a time to be alive! For all of the evil things the Mouse does, one thing that is right about all of this is ESPN gobbling up the TV rights to Conference USA, the Fun Belt, and the MAC. Instead of putting those games on ESPN+ on Saturdays, they did the right thing for everyone and gave us mid-week football. The ESPN money may have destroyed the Pac-12, but it also gave us this as a consolation prize.
We get a little bit of major conference flavor tonight as the Mountaineers head down south to take on Big 12(14) newcomer Houston to kick off the night. The nightcap comes from Greenville with SMU heading out there looking for Pirates. This is another fun mid-week DFS slate!
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy college football lineup picks for DraftKings on 10/12/23, locking at 7 PM Eastern. I’ll provide multiple player suggestions at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver, aiming to highlight one option at the high, middle, and lower end of the salary scale. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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DraftKings CFB DFS Picks - Quarterbacks
Donovan Smith, Houston ($8,000)
Smith had a big game before the bye against his former team, who also has a pretty good defense. West Virginia's defense has been underrated for most of the season, but there is a high likelihood that Smith is the most talented quarterback they have faced this year. Don't get mad, Penn State fans. The Mountaineers faced Drew Allar in his first start. Smith doesn't have a huge ceiling in this one, but he has by far the highest floor.
Garrett Greene, West Virginia ($6,900)
Greene wasn't sharp in the win over TCU, but he didn't make a mistake and ran for 80 yards and a pair of touchdowns. I'll take a dual-threat quarterback who doesn't make mistakes any time, even if he isn't all that accurate. We're not docked for inaccuracy in DFS.
Also consider: Preston Stone, SMU ($7,400)
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DraftKings CFB DFS Picks - Running Backs
CJ Donaldson, West Virginia ($6,300)
Houston's run defense has been a disaster this year. Donaldson got the tough yards against TCU and Texas Tech. All wasn't lost though. Donaldson has scored a rushing touchdown in each of the last three games. He gets rewarded with a chance to run wild on Houston. I'm calling his first 100-yard rushing game since the Pitt game in Week 3.
Jaylan Knighton, SMU ($6,100)
.@Jaylan_Knighton's 95-yd TD run is tied for the second-longest run in program history.@SMUStatsInfo | #PonyUpDallas pic.twitter.com/hV2Pce73MV
— SMU Football (@SMUFB) October 1, 2023
Knighton is electric and is a threat from anywhere on the field. Donaldson does have the better matchup since Houston's run defense has been abysmal, but talent-wise, Knighton is the best on the slate. He's my favorite GPP option.
Also consider: Parker Jenkins, Houston ($5,200); Rahjai Harris, East Carolina
DraftKings CFB DFS Picks - Wide Receivers
Samuel Brown, Houston ($6,900)
Smith will spread the ball around. That's what Houston does. That said, Brown has topped 100 yards three times in five games and missed by one yard against TCU. He finally scored his first touchdown of the season against Texas Tech before the bye. Expect to see another strong game from Brown. As good as West Virginia's defense has been, they have been had on the back end a few times.
RJ Maryland, SMU ($4,700)
If you thought the Houston receiver situation was convoluted, wait until you get a load of SMU! Moochie Dixon and Jerome Kerley were supposed to be the linchpins to a high-powered offense, but Preston Stone can't hit either of them with regularity. You might get a big game out of them, but I'll go with the sure thing at a lower price. Maryland has at least three receptions in every game.
Jaylen Johnson, East Carolina ($4,100)
The Pirates have had trouble through the air all season long in the first year post-Holton Ahlers. They are slowly improving though. The Pirates moved the ball much better against Rice before the bye. Johnson has 10 receptions over the last two games. No receivers are finding the end zone for the Pirates, but that won't last forever. I'm intrigued by the volume for Johnson on a team that doesn't pass a lot.
Also consider: Joseph Manjack IV, Houston ($5,800); Roderick Daniels, SMU ($4,800); Jsi Hatfield, East Carolina ($4,300)
DraftKings CFB Stacks:
SMU
Statistically, Houston's defense is the worst on the slate. The issue is that outside of Donaldson and Greene, few options have stepped up in the West Virginia offense. Hudson Clement's average is boosted by a monster game against Duquesne, but he has only caught five passes in three games since. Kole Taylor feels like the safest option, but he has underwhelmed as well. The West Virginia receivers are a crapshoot, which makes this a tough stack.
Which is what brings me to SMU. There is a clear hierarchy here even if Preston Stone isn't moving the ball well. Maryland and Knighton are great options and Stone is serviceable on this slate. I'm still a sucker for Moochie Dixon. I feel like he's going to break out at some point.
Also consider: Houston, West Virginia
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