Central Michigan vs. Northwestern
- Point-Spread: NW -10.5
- O/U Total: 42.5
- Implied Score: NW 26.5 – CMU 16
- Weather: Dome
Central Michigan:
Fade – QB Joey Labas ($6,800) If you were to play a Central Michigan quarterback on this slate (not advised), we would rather you go with QB Angel Flores ($6,300) who is utilized exclusively as a wildcat running option. Flores has not played since October when he was on a five-game streak of scoring at least 15 fantasy points but is reportedly healthy and expected to play on Friday. Flores gives the offense a significant boost, as the Chips averaged 201 YPG with him in the lineup, and just 102 YPG without.
Bargain Bin – WR Tommy McIntosh ($3,900) McIntosh is a former Wisconsin transfer that came on strong in the last three weeks with 13 of his 27 receptions coming in that span, with two 80-yard receiving performances. McIntosh is second on the team in routes run, playing over 76% of the team’s offensive snaps over the last five weeks, and is tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns (3).
Pivot Play – RB Brock Townsend ($5,000) Central Michigan is a full-fledged running back by committee, but Townsend would be the choice if selecting one of the CMU rushers. Why? Nine red-zone rushing attempts over the last two games for the freshman running back. Angel Flores returning to the lineup could complicate matters, though. CMU should be able to run some on Northwestern, as the Wildcats are 123rd in stuff rate, 123rd in rush D success rate and 99th in explosive run plays allowed.
Best of the Rest – WR Langston Lewis ($4,600) Team leader in all receiving categories that also caught fire down the stretch like McIntosh with multiple 100-yard receiving performances. Lewis barely came off the field in the month of November, playing over 92% of the team’s offensive snaps. Lewis and McIntosh are the clear top two, but WR Tyson Davis ($3,600) is the pivot option, catching at least two passes in each of his last four games. His playing time steadily rose in the second half of the season. Max one CMU receiver per lineup as the Chips are 5th nationally in rush play percentage.
Opt Outs / Injury Notes – QB Angel Flores (probable)
Northwestern:
Top Play(s) – RB Caleb Komolafe ($6,700) Just have to make sure the Komolafe is full-go for Friday, which comments by HC David Braun indicate he should be. Central Michigan did finish in the top half of the MAC in yards allowed on the ground, but Northwestern is one of the more efficient rushing teams in the B1G, ranked 47th in rush success rate. Komolafe scored a touchdown in eight of his last nine games before missing the season finale due to injury.
Bargain Bin – WR Hayden Eligon II ($4,400) Eligon emerged as a legitimate WR2 behind Griffin Wilde over the second half of the year, and was outstanding in the last two games, combining for 45 fantasy points and over 200 receiving yards in the last two weeks. One of which being a snowstorm in Week 14 vs. Illinois where Eligon was targeted 13 times. If Eligon can put up those numbers in 8 inches of snow, he should be capable of doing so in the friendly confines of Ford Field.
Pivot Play – WR Griffin Wilde ($5,800) Wilde was Northwestern’s alpha receiver for the majority of the season, with 29% of the team’s target share, 6 of the 14 receiving touchdowns and nearly double the amount of receptions as the next closest wideout on the team. With WR3 Drew Wagner being questionable, the passing game funneled through Wilde and Eligon to where it’s possible to stack in GPP. Most of my lineup builds will have one of Wilde or Eligon.
Best of the Rest – QB Preston Stone ($7,100) Cannot outright discount any QB on the slate given the lack of options, but Stone scored 20+ fantasy points just three times in 12 starters. CMU allowed just 19 FPPG to quarterbacks this season and ranked 42nd in rush D success rate and 28th in EPA per pass play – great numbers for a MAC defense. RB Robby Preckel ($4,100) If we find out that both Komolafe and Himon are out, it would be freshman Robby Preckel getting the starting nod. We saw what he was capable of in the finale vs. Illinois with 82 yards on 22 rushing attempts.
Opt Outs / Injury Notes – RB Caleb Komolafe (probable), RB Joseph Himon (probable), WR Drew Wagner (questionable)
New Mexico vs. Minnesota
- Point-Spread: Minn -2.5
- O/U Total: 43.5
- Implied Score: Minn 23 – NM 20.5
- Weather: 72 degrees / 2% rain / 3 mph winds
New Mexico:
Top Play(s) – WR Keagan Johnson ($5,500) or TE Dorian Thomas ($5,500) Top-heavy distribution of targets for New Mexico where Johnson / Thomas combined for 52% of the receiving production and 53% of the target share. At full strength, Minnesota’s secondary was abysmal in 2025, ranked 124th in pass D success rate and gave up over 50 combined fantasy points per game to opposing team’s WRs and TEs.
Fade – QB Jack Layne ($7,300) New Mexico is the second team on this writeup that utilizes its backup quarterback in wildcat situations as QB James Laubstein ($6,900) has rushed for 40+ yards in each of his last four games played. It is difficult to consider a QB from a team that ranks 85th in the country in passing yards, much less one that comes off the field for 20% of the team’s plays to give way to the backup.
Bargain Bin – WR Shawn Miller ($3,500) Miller has just 33 combined receiving yards over his last seven games but rarely leaves the field as New Mexico plays primarily 12 personnel with two tight ends and two wideouts. Miller is second in routes run, playing over 82% of the team’s snaps. TE Cade Keith ($3,800) is the second tight end behind Thomas and is tied for second on the team with three receiving touchdowns. Intriguing prospect for 2026 as a true freshman.
Best of the Rest – RB Damon Bankston ($6,200) or RB DJ McKinney ($5,300) Difficult to justify playing either Bankston or McKinney with the available RBs on the slate, and New Mexico being a full-on committee between multiple running backs and a wildcat QB. McKinney is the preferred choice of the two, considering he’s scored a touchdown in five of his last six games, and holds a 29-18 advantage over Bankston in red-zone opportunities.
Opt Outs / Injury Notes – n/a
Minnesota:
Top Play(s) – RB Darius Taylor ($6,400) Operating under the impression (as of Wednesday writing this) that Taylor will play on Friday, just as he has in his first two seasons with the same lingering injury questions. Taylor has gotten up for both bowl games to start his career with over 300 combined rushing yards against Bowling Green and Virginia Tech. New Mexico will be a formidable challenge, ranked 25th nationally in yards allowed on the ground, 19th in stuff rate and 48th in rush D success rate. Minnesota was one of the worst rushing offenses in the B1G this season. His usage in the passing game down the stretch is more appealing than the matchup, with 14 receptions on 18 targets in the last three games alone.
Fade – WR Le’Meke Brockington ($4,800) We currently have Brockington in the projections, but he’s already declared for the NFL Draft and could be a surprise opt out. There wasn’t a Minnesota receiver that averaged more than 10 fantasy points per game this season, so the risk is not worth the squeeze, unless there’s confirmation pregame.
Bargain Bin – TE Jameson Geers ($3,700) I would prioritize some of the Minnesota WRs over Geers, but the specific matchup is appealing for the senior tight end. Geers finished tied for second on the team with four receiving TDs, and will face a New Mexico defense that allowed over 12 FPPG to the tight end position. Tight ends were scoring around 50% above the seasonal average in fantasy points when facing the Lobos this season.
Pivot Play – QB Drake Lindsey ($7,500) The Lobos only allowed 14 FPPG to quarterbacks this season but were the beneficiaries of a soft non-conference schedule and was a season in the Mountain West with very few difference-making fantasy QBs. New Mexico ranks just 92nd in EPA per pass play defensively.
Best of the Rest – WRs. Should Brockington sit, the starting trio would comprise of WR Javon Tracy ($4,200), WR Jaelen Smith ($4,100) and former UCLA transfer WR Logan Loya ($3,000). Both Tracy and Smith are appealing as Minnesota’s two outside receivers, where boundary wideouts have given New Mexico trouble this season. Utah State’s Braden Pegan had over 100 yards and a touchdown in his matchup with the Lobos. San Diego State’s Donovan Brown and UNLV’s Dae Dae Reynolds both had over 75 yards and a TD. Tracy leads the team in touchdowns (6), while Smith is the team’s best deep threat, averaging over 16 YPC.
RB Cam Davis ($4,000) or RB Grant Washington ($4,000) If there is some funny business with Taylor, expect Cam Davis or Grant Washington to get the start, as primary backup Fame Ijeboi hit the transfer portal. Davis is the likelier of the two to start, as Washington only played in two games. But the freshman Washington impressed in his showing in Week 2 vs. Northwestern State, rushing for 126 yards on 20 attempts.
Opt Outs / Injury Notes – RB Fame Ijeboi (portal), WR Kenric Lanier (portal), WR Malachi Coleman (portal), WR Le’Meke Brockington (declared for NFL Draft)
Florida International vs. UTSA
- Point-Spread: UTSA -5.5
- O/U Total: 59.5
- Implied Score: UTSA 32.5 – FIU 27
- Weather: 75 degrees / 0% rain / 7 mph winds
Florida International:
Top Play(s) – RB Kejon Owens ($6,800) Throw out any of the UTSA defensive stats and metrics for this matchup because they simply do not matter when the Roadrunners are expected to be without 6-7 starters on defense. Owens finished as RB24 in college fantasy football, scoring double-digit fantasy points in all but three games this season. The only reason to *not* consider Owens a top play is because of the surplus of RB options on the slate.
Bargain Bin – Secondary pass-catching options. The FIU passing game revolves around Alex Perry, so no need to force any other Panther pass-catcher in a lineup. WR Kyle McNeal ($3,600) and WR Maguire Anderson ($3,600) were second and third in routes run this season. TE Dallas Payne ($4,700) closed the year on a high note with 100 yards on four targets vs. Sam Houston in the finale.
Pivot Play – QBs. Risk it for the biscuit situation if playing in GPPs. HC Willie Simmons said in his media presser that if the game were played on December 17th, it would have been Clayton Dees getting the start. On Christmas Eve, some of the betting books have since added a Keyon Jenkins prop number, which tends to be a good indicator that he’ll start. The issue is that Simmons has also said FIU might play both Jenkins and Joe Pesansky should he also be available. GPP play here that has extreme upside playing a team that might be without most of its starting secondary, but also could sink a lineup if multiple QBs play.
Best of the Rest – WR Alex Perry ($5,600) Remember Eric Rivers from last season with FIU? That’s what Perry became, especially during the second half of the season with seven receiving touchdowns in his last five games and multiple 100-yard receiving performances. Both of UTSA’s starting cornerbacks are in the portal. There’s an argument that Perry is the preferred “top play” for FIU as a bonafide WR1 on slate that doesn’t have many.
Opt Outs / Injury Notes – QB Joe Pesansky (questionable), QB Keyone Jenkins (questionable)
UTSA:
Top Play(s) – QB Owen McCown ($8,000) As of Wednesday, it seems like the UTSA defections are mostly on defense, and there aren’t any known opt outs with the offense. Should McCown go, which is expected, he’s easily the top QB available. This is also a possible 1-QB slate if that wasn’t already apparent after reading this article. FIU gave up around 22 FPPG to quarterbacks during the regular season.
Bargain Bin – TE Patrick Overmyer ($3,900) Overmyer did not live up to expectations after a breakout 2024 season, failing to record more than 10 receiving yards in his first six games. The flip switched over the last five weeks with 264 of his 294 receiving yards coming in that stretch.
Pivot Play – RB Will Henderson ($5,700) over RB Robert Henry Jr. ($7,100) This could be the decision of the slate. Henry started the season finale vs. Army and held a 13-6 rushing attempt advantage over Henderson. That said, Henry is on his way out as a redshirt senior, so we’ll see if he plays, and Henderson has been the better of the two, rushing for nearly 400 yards over the last three games, averaging 7.2 YPC. FIU should provide little resistance on the ground, ranking 103rd in rush D success rate and over 32 FPPG allowed to opposing backfields.
Best of the Rest – WR Devin McCuin ($6,000) and / or WR David Amador II ($5,000) Amador looked like the Top 20 projected receiver we expected him to be over the last five weeks with 72% of his receiving production coming in that span. FIU allowed over 41 FPPG to opposing team’s WRs so stacking Amador and McCuin together is viable. McCuin caught fire in November with seven or more receptions in three of his last four games. WR AJ Wilson ($4,900) served as the team’s WR3, with his playing time steadily rising at the back end of the year, playing 70% of the team’s snaps over the last three weeks.
Opt Outs / Injury Notes – n/a
Mike’s DK Core Four:
- QB Owen McCown, UTSA
- RB Kejon Owens, FIU
- WR Alex Perry, FIU
- RB Darius Taylor, Minnesota
Mike’s FD Core Four:
- QB Owen McCown, UTSA
- RB Kejon Owens, FIU
- WR Alex Perry, FIU
- RB Darius Taylor, Minnesota
