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The biggest weekend in college football rolls on to Saturday. Now we get to the really big tournament. DraftKings picked us out 13 games of the main slate beginning at noon Eastern. Northern Iowa is the only 1-AA team that graces this slate. We have a game in Jerry World and a game relocated thanks to Hurricane Ida.
We also have an intrastate battle in Michigan, Aladamnbama taking on an experienced Miami team, and what promises to be a high-scoring affair in Eugene. We have a couple of Big Ten(14) conference battles, Cincy hosting Miami in what is always a hotly contested game. West Virginia and Maryland rekindle an old Big East rivalry. Marshall heads over to Navy. There's a showdown in StarkVegas against La Tech. We close it out with last year's opening week darling Louisiana heading over to Austin. This is going to be a fun one!
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy college football lineup picks for DraftKings on 9/4/21. I’ll be providing multiple player suggestions for players at guard and forward, aiming to highlight one option apiece at the high, middle, and lower end of the salary scale. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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DraftKings CFB DFS Quarterbacks
Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati ($9,200)
Spencer Rattler was the Oklahoma offense last year. but the running game should be improved this season. With a blowout looking likely against Tulane, I'll move down to Ridder. Ridder has better rushing ability (he ran for over 100 yards in a game twice last year) and is in a game that should be closer. It has been lopsided lately, but this is still a storied rivalry. These teams have played more than 100 times in their history. That should keep the game closer, therefore maximizing the value of Ridder.
Michael Penix, Indiana ($7,000)
Penix threw just four interceptions last year in six games. The thing that stands out to me with Penix, aside from his incredible two-point conversion to beat Penn State in overtime, was the huge game he had against Ohio State. Teams just don't put up 491 passing yards and five touchdowns on the Buckeyes! That makes me think Penix can truly be started in any matchup. He threw for 342 against Michigan last year as well. Both of those defenses are as good or better than Iowa. If Penix's knee is truly 100% healed as they say, he's a huge bargain here.
Skylar Thompson, Kansas State ($6,600)
The Wildcats fell off of cliff last year after Thompson's shoulder injury against Texas Tech in early October. That was the game after Thompson beat Oklahoma in Norman. He has a lot of potential in that arm and a strong running game should help keep the pressure off of him. Thompson put up 39.36 DraftKings points in that game against Oklahoma last year. Stanford's defense was MIA last season. It should be better this year, but it needs to be a whole lot better to stop Thompson from hitting value at this price.
Also consider: Bryce Young, Alabama ($8,900); Jake Haener, Fresno State ($7,600); Kaleb Eleby, Western Michigan ($7,300); Hudson Card, Texas ($6,900)
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DraftKings CFB DFS Running Backs
Breece Hall, Iowa State ($9,000)
Hall just might be the best back in the country. Last year, only Oklahoma in the Big 12(10) Championship game was able to hold him under 90 yards. He scored a staggering 23 touchdowns, at least one of those coming in every game. His remarkable consistency and 1-AA opponent makes it impossible to pass on Hall in cash games. He has enough upside in GPP's to use him as well. Hall still performed well in blowouts last year since the offense runs through him.
Eric Gray, Oklahoma ($6,900)
This is a perfect situation for the Tennessee transfer. Oklahoma loves to run and to throw the ball to running backs out of the backfield. Gray excels in both areas. Gray's skill set should separate him from Kennedy Brooks even though both are listed as starters. Both should have successful games against Tulane, so Brooks at $5,900 makes sense as well. Like with North Carolina State on Thursday, both backs can excel against an inferior opponent.
Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State ($6,300)
Those of you as old as I am will remember a guy at Kansas State by the name of Darren Sproles. He even had some success in the NFL after his tenure in the Little Apple. Vaughn is just like Sproles. He's tiny, quick, and an excellent receiver out of the backfield. Also like Sproles, Vaughn doesn't let guys square him up. It takes a lot to get a clean hit on him. He closed the season with monster games against Texas and Baylor, both massive losses for the Wildcats. I'm excited to see what Vaughn can do with a good quarterback under center.
Marcus Williams, Louisiana Tech ($4,100)
Williams, the Appalachian State transfer, beat out Vanderbilt transfer Keyon Henry-Brooks for the starting gig. Mississippi State's run defense is decent, but we saw some explosiveness out of Williams last year. The risk here is that Mississippi State comes out firing on all cylinders like they did last year against LSU and makes the Louisiana Tech run game irrelevant. Still, this is a nice price on a starting back in a good situation if you are looking to go cheap in a GPP.
Also consider: Leddie Brown, West Virginia ($8,000); Jo'quavious Marks, Mississippi State ($6,600); Hassan Haskins, Michigan ($6,200); Chris Smith, Louisiana ($5,700)
DraftKings CFB DFS Wide Receivers
John Metchie, Alabama ($8,100)
If Miami is able to keep this game close, which I think could be the case, Alabama is going to need to throw the ball around some. They still have really good receivers even with Smith and Waddle in the NFL. Metchie is the top returning receiver and looks to be about as good as the five in the NFL before him. Some have questions about Bryce Young, but I don't Metchie and his numbers may not approach what Waddle and Smith did last year, but he should still have a big game against Miami.
Ty Fryfogle, Indiana ($6,800)
Target hog Whop Philyor is gone and I expect Fryfogle to pick up a lot of that slack. I want receivers from teams that I know will throw early in the season. The Hoosiers are trying to get Penix back in a groove and they are trying to work in a replacement for Stevie Scott. Iowa's run defense is a definite strength, so Indiana is going to have to move the ball in the air. Fryfogle should see 20+ targets in this one. That could lead to a big game for him.
Jalen Cropper, Fresno State ($6,100)
Cropper was quiet aside from an 86-yard touchdown last week, but Fresno didn't need him to win. They will here. This Fresno State passing attack showed very little against UConn. It will be on full display here against the Ducks. I like some Oregon pieces as well, but it's a case where they have so much talent, it's hard to know where the ball will go with no games under their belt. In Fresno, there is a clear-cut target leader. That's Cropper.
Jadon Haselwood, Oklahoma ($4,500)
Theo Wease will miss a couple of games, so that leaves Haselwood as the only clear starter at receiver besides Mims. You can play roulette with other Oklahoma receivers – God knows there's enough of them – but Haselwood seems to have a sure role in a high-powered attack for a very reasonable price.
Also consider: Jahan Dotson, Penn State ($7,500); Jaden Walley, Mississippi State ($6,900); Skyy Moore, Western Michigan ($5,900); Jameson Williams, Alabama ($5,200); Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Virginia ($4,000)
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