theCFFsite • DFS
CFB DFS: Week 3 – Saturday Main Slate
Matchup-by-matchup analysis with top plays, fades, pivots, bargain options, injury notes, and Mike’s Core Four.
★ Top Play
↓ Fade
↔ Pivot
$ Bargain Bin
+ Best of the Rest
! Injury Notes
↓ Fade
↔ Pivot
$ Bargain Bin
+ Best of the Rest
! Injury Notes
Georgia
WEEK 3
VS
Arkansas
SPREAD
UGA -24.5
O/U
53.5
IMPLIED SCORE
UGA 39 – Ark 14.5
WEATHER
89 degrees / 0% rain / 10 mph winds
Georgia
★Top Play(s) – QB Gunner Stockton ($9,200)
Georgia played two cupcakes in the first two weeks, so we don’t have a great sense of the offensive rotations in a competitive matchup. Stockton has scored 20+ fantasy points in both contests to start the season, and while it can be risky having UGA players in your DFS lineups, the Georgia QB1 was fairly consistent last year in SEC play. In eight conference matchups, Stockton scored 22 or more fantasy points six times.
↓Fade – WR Isiah Canion ($4,300)
If, and that’s a big if, we decide to have a Georgia receiver in our roster, it will not be Canion. While the Georgia Tech transfer does lead UGA in routes run, the new connection with Stockton doesn’t appear to be there threw two games with just one reception on two targets. Biggest thing we want to stress here is there is no Zachariah Branch this year for the Dawgs. We’re back to UGA receivers being mostly irrelevant in fantasy.
↔Pivot Play – RB Nate Frazier ($6,700) or RB Chauncey Bowens ($4,900)
The only running back to carry the ball more than six times in a game this season has been Nick Peal. Who? We expect Frazier and Bowens to see more work on Saturday vs. an SEC opponent, and Frazier does have four rushing touchdowns already. Arkansas has been slightly better against the run than the pass, fwiw.
$Bargain Bin – WR London Humphries ($3,700)
While just 11 receiving yards on the season, Humphreys is fourth on the team in routes run with a 14.3 aDOT which is the highest amongst UGA’s starting receivers. Arkansas has already given up five pass plays of 25 yards or more this season.
+Best of the Rest – WR Sacovie White-Helton ($4,800)
UGA’s primary slot receiver who leads the team in receiving yards (104) and converted on all four of his targets. Biggest points to stress here is – Stockton is absolutely playable without having a UGA receiver in the same lineup. This is not last year.
!Injury Notes – n/a
Arkansas
•Team Overview
I don’t think the Arkansas administration thought this through when hiring a coach in Ryan Silverfield who underwhelmed at Memphis. And things are already starting to unravel for the Razorbacks after a blowout on the road at Utah, where we have parents of a particular player calling out the coaching staff for not disguising play calls well enough. Doesn’t get any easier this week taking on Georgia when the Razorbacks already rank dead last in the SEC in scoring (20.5) and rushing offense. Arkansas QBs and RBs should be removed from the player query. WR Chris Marshall ($5,300) has 12 receptions in two games, more than double the number of the next closest Arkansas pass-catcher. TE Ty Lockwood ($3,300) caught four passes vs. Utah and is third on the team in routes run. Woo Pig Sooie
Arizona State
WEEK 3
VS
Kansas
SPREAD
ASU -5.5
O/U
50.5
IMPLIED SCORE
ASU 28 – KU 22.5
WEATHER
69 degrees / 18% rain / 10 mph winds
Arizona State
★Top Play(s) – WR Reed Harris ($7,300)
Harris now ranks third in the country among all wide receivers in fantasy points scored with his second consecutive 100-yard, two-touchdown performance against A&M last week. As he was with Boston College, Harris continues to be a big play threat, averaging 21.7 YPC and his 5.34 yards per route run is among the best in the country. This Kansas secondary struggled with another outside receiver in Missouri’s Donovan Olugbode who was one of two Tiger receivers to top 100 yards against the Jayhawks.
↓Fade – N/A.
All starters are playable for the Sun Devils.
↔Pivot Play – WR Omarion Miller ($6,200)
Miller had one of the most bizarre stat-lines that I can recall since doing college fantasy a decade and a half ago, finishing the A&M matchup with nine receptions for 15 targets for….24 yards. Seems like this Arizona State is not properly utilizing Miller’s skillset with that kind of usage, with a bunch of screens and pick plays instead of challenging defenders downfield with his height. That said, 15 targets is 15 targets, and we want that for DFS. Between Miller and Harris, the Arizona State WR duo combines for 66% of the team’s receiving yards and 64% of the target share, so it’s possible to play both in the same lineup in GPPs.
$Bargain Bin – WR Raiden Vines-Bright ($3,200)
The passing game is funneling through Harris and Miller through two games, but RVB is cheap and on the field, ranked third in routes run, and playing over 80% of the team’s snaps.
+Best of the Rest – QB Cutter Boley ($7,600) and RB Kyson Brown ($5,800)
The throwing motion is ugly, and his haircut isn’t any better, but Boley now has over 60 fantasy points scored in two games and is tied for third in the country in passing touchdowns thrown (8). Helping matters is that Boley is throwing to two studs on the outside in Reed Harris and Omarion Miller who will aid this passing attack on a weekly basis. Good matchup for Boley this week against a Kansas secondary that was shredded by Austin Simmons and Missouri. Brown has an attainable salary at $5.8k and we’re not seeing the split in carries that we thought we might at the onset of the season with Marquis Gillis. The Jayhawks gave up 100+ on the ground to Missouri’s Jamal Roberts in Week 2.
!Injury Notes – n/a
Kansas
★Top Play(s) – WR Nik McMillan ($6,900)
There’s absolutely no must-play on the Kansas side for this slate, but McMillan has been the top fantasy producer for the Jayhawks with 41 fantasy points scored in two games. For the most part, Arizona State held the A&M passing offense in check last week, though, and the Sun Devils are allowing just 124 YPG through the air over two games.
↓Fade – WR Cam Pickett ($4,400)
We need to see a bit more from Pickett before considering him in our DFS lineups. Kansas’ starting slot receiver did return against Missouri last week and caught two passes on as many targets but played just a handful of snaps after coming back from injury. Not worth the risk in a run-based offense.
↔Pivot Play – QB Isaiah Marshall ($6,500)
After a promising debut start, it went south for Marshall last week with a 43% completion rate and turnovers galore in the loss to Missouri. Why is Marshall here and not a fade? 18 rushing attempts from a quarterback will grab your attention. We like Marshall in a game-stack lineup for GPPs with a decent game total, and a fully healthy WR room with Cam Pickett back in the lineup.
$Bargain Bin – WR Keaton Kubecka ($3,400)
We list McMillan at the top, but Kubecka would be the salary-saving option, now ranked first on the team in routes run and second in targets (9).
+Best of the Rest – RB Yasin Willis ($5,600) or RB Dylan Edwards ($5,200)
There’s advantages to both players, though we would absolutely not stack the two in the same lineup together. Edwards gets great usage in the passing game, ranked second on the team in receptions (5) and third in targets (7). Willis, meanwhile, has six carries inside the red zone which is by far the highest number on the team. Edwards has zero and Marshall has just one. Touchdowns on the ground will likely be scored by Willis.
!Injury Notes – n/a
North Carolina
WEEK 3
VS
Clemson
SPREAD
Clem -3.5
O/U
44.5
IMPLIED SCORE
Clem 24 – UNC 20.5
WEATHER
86 degrees / 4% rain / 3 mph winds
North Carolina
★Top Play(s) – WR Jordan Shipp ($4,400) and / or TE Jelani Thurman ($4,100)
Feels like DK has the salaries inverted between Shipp / Thurman and the running backs. Both pass-catchers should be in the $5k range. Thurman was effective again in Week 2 vs. East Tennessee State with 71 yards and a touchdown on four receptions, looking already like one of the best fantasy tight ends in the country. Shipp was quiet in the 35-3 blowout, but his usage should look closer to what he did in Week 0 vs. TCU where he was targeted eight times in a more competitive matchup.
↓Fade – Running Backs.
Full-fledged committee. We do not have a North Carolina running back projected over 40 yards this week.
↔Pivot Play – WR Trech Kekahuna ($3,600
Kekahuna took a backseat in the blowout last week, playing just a handful of snaps, but will revert back to his normal starting role in the slot in a more competitive game setting. There’s also one less body in the WR room to potentially steal snaps in the slot with freshman CJ Salder ruled out after an arrest on Tuesday.
$Bargain Bin – WR Mason Humphrey ($3,100)
Just two catches on four targets in two games for Humphrey but is third on the team in routes run and has played over 68% of the team’s offensive snaps in two games. While he hasn’t shown it yet, Humphrey is probably the team’s top deep ball option at 6-foot-4, with the highest aDOT (14.5) on the team.
+Best of the Rest – QB Billy Edwards ($5,900)
Edwards is a low-end QB option that is only playable in game stacks. And this Vegas total doesn’t scream potential shootout. Edwards is good enough to support the likes of Jordan Shipp and Jelani Thurman for fantasy production but won’t win you a DFS GPP.
!Injury Notes –
WR CJ Sadler (Out)
Clemson
★Top Play(s) – WR TJ Moore ($5,700) or WR Bryant Wesco Jr. ($5,800)
21 combined targets for 138 total yards and a touchdown for the talented WR duo. Neither receiver leaves the field at this point, playing over 95% of the team’s offensive snaps last week. The 33 combined targets between Moore and Wesco account for 61% of the team’s target share, and their 197 receiving yards are 66% of the team’s overall production. Do not stack the two in a lineup, though, given the youthfulness at the QB position.
↓Fade – Tight ends.
13 combined receiving yards in two games between Olsen Patt-Henry and Christian Bentancur who are clearly splitting reps nearly 50-50. This Clemson team does not have a Jake Briningstool or Davis Allen at the position this year.
↔Pivot Play – RB Gideon Davidson ($5,400)
The sophomore back doubled his output from Week 1 with 14 carries for 62 yards against Georgia Southern, though the offensive line remains a sore spot on offense for the Tigers and are struggling to generate many running lanes. Does Tait Reynolds being in the lineup open some things up with his rushing ability? UNC is allowing just 91 YPC on the ground but did give up 142 yards to Jeremy Payne in the opener. Davidson’s ownership will be next to nothing.
$Bargain Bin – WR Tyler Brown ($3,600)
Strong uptick in usage last week for Brown, playing 70% of the offensive snaps while posting four receptions for 44 yards on five targets. That kind of production this week pays off a $3.6k salary.
+Best of the Rest – QB Tait Reynolds ($7,100)
The true freshman will make his first career start vs. North Carolina after providing a small spark off the bench last week, completing 16-of-28 passes for 178 yards, with 45 rushing on 12 attempts. Dabo Swinney gave the comparison to Tim Tebow this week for Reynolds for how he’s built physically, among some other traits. There’s a route to Reynolds paying off his salary with 10-15 rushing attempts being a possibility, though North Carolina has not allowed a passing TD yet this season.
!Injury Notes –
QB Christopher Vizzina (Out)
Kent State
WEEK 3
VS
Ohio State
SPREAD
OSU -53.5
O/U
58.5
IMPLIED SCORE
OSU 56 – Kent 2.5
WEATHER
74 degrees / 6% rain / 3 mph winds
Kent State
•Team Overview
Enjoy that $1.9 million paycheck, Kent State. A likely beatdown of epic proportions by an angry Ohio State team coming off last week’s loss.
Ohio State
★Top Play(s) – WR Jeremiah Smith ($8,400)
The best thing about analyzing how to play Jeremiah Smith or the Ohio State players this week in DFS is we already have an example of this exact situation with the Buckeyes having already played Ball State in Week 1. Smith’s path to the Heisman Trophy or the Biletnikoff Award took a slight hit with the loss to Texas, but the WR1 still went for 164 yards and a touchdown on 16 targets vs. the Longhorns. Have to keep pace with Malachi Toney and beating up on Kent State is a good way to do that like Smith did against Ball State with 8-151-2.
↓Fade – RB Bo Jackson ($8,400)
After carrying the ball 19 times vs. Texas last week, we expect the Buckeye coaching staff to lighten the load on its RB1 given Ohio State is eight-touchdown favorites. Nate Sheppard is the RB to spend up for, and you can’t do two high-priced RBs on this slate.
↔Pivot Play – QB Julian Sayin ($9,100)
Will need to get crafty in constructing your lineups with pairing Smith and Sayin together, but that combination worked well in DFS in Week 1, where Sayin threw for 320 yards and four combined touchdowns (one on the ground). As high a floor as you can get from a fantasy QB this week.
$Bargain Bin – Freshmen.
Specifically, RB Legend Bey ($4,000) and WR Chris Henry Jr. ($4,200) will get some GPP consideration in this blowout scenario. Bey had eight touches with a receiving touchdown against Ball State in the opener, while Henry Jr. also found the end-zone in Week 1 with a 15-yard reception.
+Best of the Rest – WR Devin McCuin ($5,600)
McCuin was a non-factor against Texas and may not be ready for the P4 spotlight after transferring over from UTSA in the offseason. Well, he gets another MAC opponent this week, and McCuin thrived against this level of competition in Week 1 with 6-97-1 on seven targets. We’re not opposed to playing RB Ja’Kobi Jackson ($5,400) either as he seems to have established himself as the RB2 ahead of Isaiah West.
!Injury Notes – n/a
Buffalo
WEEK 3
VS
Penn State
SPREAD
PSU -39.5
O/U
48.5
IMPLIED SCORE
PSU 44 – Temp 4.5
WEATHER
65 degrees / 1% rain / 3 mph winds
Buffalo
•Team Overview
The Bulls used two quarterbacks on Saturday, but both did the exact same thing when in the game – throw the ball to WR Chance Morrow ($5,400). The 6-foot-4 senior is now second in the country in both targets (29) and receptions (18) after his monster performance against FIU with 173 yards and two touchdowns. Morrow accounts for 50% of the team’s receiving yards, 37% of the target share and all five of Buffalo’s receiving touchdowns. We wish Morrow was a bit cheaper, or else we’d consider, but unlikely at $5.4k with Buffalo projected to score less than a touchdown on Saturday.
Penn State
★Top Play(s) – QB Rocco Becht ($8,900)
Just two games in and the Buffalo pass defense is ranked 132nd in the country, allowing 295 YPG through the air. Surely, Buffalo must have faced some elite P4 passing offenses, right? Nope, Albany and Florida International. Becht is playing efficient football through two games, completing 77% of his throws with seven TDs to zero interceptions. Another high-floor QB option.
↓Fade – Backup RBs.
The matchup vs. Temple was more competitive than originally anticipated, so we saw Carson Hansen get the bulk of the carries against the Owls. We expect a wider distribution of carries vs. Buffalo with the spread the way that it is but still are fading the Penn State backups. RB James Peoples ($5,100) is a bit too pricy for an RB2, and RB Quinton Martin ($4,200) did not play against Temple last week despite not being injured.
↔Pivot Play – WR Koby Howard ($5,600) or WR Chase Sowell ($5,200)
We’re still in on Howard and Sowell this week, despite the rising costs, as the duo ranks first and second, respectively, on the team in routes run. Why do we like both as an option this week? Buffalo is already 131st in explosive pass plays allowed and both Howard (15.4) and Sowell (12.8) have the highest aDOTs on the team.
$Bargain Bin – TE Benjamin Brahmer ($4,900)
Gabe Burkle was back last week vs. Temple but didn’t impact Brahmer with a season-best five receptions for 79 yards and a pair of scores, giving him three TDs for the year. We like Brahmer over the WR3 in Brett Eskildsen as the slot receiver played less than 50% of the snaps last week. Brahmer was on the field for 3/4s of the contest.
+Best of the Rest – RB Carson Hansen ($7,300)
We saw the volume spike against Temple in a competitive matchup with 19 rushing attempts. With Buffalo expected to score less than a touchdown according to Vegas, Hansen’s stat-line likely rivals his Week 1 output. He’d need to find the end-zone twice to hit value, unless Hansen broke a few long runs, which is not his specialty.
!Injury Notes – n/a
Florida State
WEEK 3
VS
Alabama
SPREAD
Ala -19.5
O/U
49.5
IMPLIED SCORE
Ala 34.5 – FSU 15
WEATHER
98 degrees / 9% rain / 5 mph winds
Florida State
★Top Play(s) – WR Duce Robinson ($3,800)
The preseason All-American and top 15 CFF wide receiver has seen his value cratered by Mike Norvell and Ashton Daniels. 75 receiving yards in two games puts Robinson on pace for just 450 yards this season after topping the 1,000-yard mark a year ago. The Tide are allowing just 153 YPG through the air in two games against two pretty decent offenses in East Carolina and Kentucky, but rarely do you see an individual player of this caliber at this salary. Could crash and burn, but we’ll have a good amount of exposure here to allow for spending up at QB and RB.
↓Fade – QB Ashton Daniels ($6,400)
Daniels could hit value with his rush usage that we saw against SMU with 86 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts, but this is a step up defensively with the Tide. Alabama corralled Kenny Minchey in the pocket last week on the road, limiting him to -19 rushing yards on six attempts. Daniels should only be considered in game stacks, but there’s a scenario this game gets out of hand quickly with the bad mojo surrounding the FSU program. Daniels’ 30+ point fantasy performance against the Tide last year with Auburn is unlikely to be replicated.
↔Pivot Play – RB Ousmane Kromah ($5,200)
After splitting carries with Samuel Singleton in Week 0, Kromah took hold of the RB room against SMU, rushing for 116 yards and a TD on 22 carries. Definitely playable at this price, but with caution against this Alabama defense. Just through two games, the Tide are 4th in EPA against the run and second in the SEC, allowing just 32 YPG on the ground.
$Bargain Bin – WR Micahi Danzy ($3,400)
Like Robinson, Danzy is capable of a 100-yard receiving performance on any given week but has also been diminished because of the QB play. Like Robinson, Danzy also rarely leaves the field, playing 82% of the team’s snaps this season. Danzy topped 100+ receiving yards three times last season.
+Best of the Rest – RB Samuel Singleton ($4,400)
Appears as though Kromah took charge of the FSU running back room last week, as Singleton was held to just seven rushing attempts. FWIW – Singleton still looks like the team’s top option in scoring positions, holding an 8-6 red-zone rushing attempt advantage over Kromah.
!Injury Notes – n/a
Alabama
★Top Play(s) – WR Ryan Coleman-Williams ($7,900)
Third time’s a charm? If you’ve rostered RCW in DFS in the first two weeks (me), you’ve been snake bitten each time. Crucial drops in Week 1, one of which was in the end-zone, and then a no-show against Kentucky as the Tide found more success on the ground against the Wildcats. At least two receivers have now gone over 70+ receiving yards in BOTH matchups against Florida State to start the season. RCW + Keelon Russell stacks have not panned out well so far, but this Florida State matchup provides a world of possibilities.
↓Fade – RB Kevin Riley ($4,000)
Riley has 10 carries this season, all of which have come in garbage time in Alabama’s two blowouts this season. Very clearly the fourth back in the Tide’s RB rotation. RB EJ Crowell ($4,400) and RB Trae’shawn Brown ($4,000) deserve some consideration given the large spread.
↔Pivot Play – QB Keelon Russell ($8,600)
The talent is evident, but it’s also clear Russell has a LOT to work on still, specifically as a passer with his decision making after throwing two interceptions vs. Kentucky. That said, this is a get-right matchup against a Florida State secondary that already ranks 136th in the country in yards allowed per game through the air. Russell will see depressed ownership because of his slow fantasy start to the year, making him a great GPP play.
$Bargain Bin – WR Rico Scott ($3,600
We thought Derek Meadows might give Scott a push for his starting job, but it was the opposite against Kentucky where the WR3 played 88% of the snaps, while also hauling in a touchdown. Alabama ran a tight rotation at receiver against Kentucky with RCW, Scott and WR Lotzeir Brooks ($5,900) playing almost the entirety of the game.
+Best of the Rest – RB Daniel Hill ($7,400)
After using a four-man RB rotation in Week 1, it was Hill that got the bulk of the carries against Kentucky and flourished with 104 yards and a touchdown on 18 rushing attempts. The FSU run defense has been below averaged in two games, allowing five yards per attempt against SMU in Week 1. Hill will continue to start for the Tide, but we’re still cautious of this RB group because all offseason offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb spoke about riding the hot hand. Was it simply Hill’s turn against Kentucky, and someone else’s this week?
!Injury Notes –
RB AK Dear (Questionable), WR Noah Rogers (Questionable)
Kentucky
WEEK 3
VS
Texas A&M
SPREAD
A&M -16.5
O/U
49.5
IMPLIED SCORE
A&M 33 – UK 16.5
WEATHER
95 degrees / 0% rain / 5 mph winds
Kentucky
★Top Play(s) – TE Willie Rodriguez ($4,100)
Rodriguez will continue to be the top fantasy option here unless a Kentucky WR finally emerges or Kenny Minchey decides to throw the ball beyond 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. Rodriguez is the clear safety blanket in the passing game, now leading the team with 12 receptions on 14 targets and a touchdown. Against Alabama, Rodriguez converted on all eight of his targets, though only racked up 49 receiving yards because of his negative 1-yard aDOT. We’d like more yards, but eight receptions at $4.1k works on DK’s full-point PPR scoring format.
↓Fade – RB CJ Baxter ($4,400)
Baxter struggled to gain any traction against the Tide last week and wound up having the same number of carries as backup RB Jason Patterson ($4,300) We also saw RB Jovantae Barnes ($4,100) get a few reps as he returned from injury and wouldn’t be surprised to see his reps increase either. This is a low-floor, low-ceiling situation with Kentucky ranking 112th in run blocking grades on Pro Football Focus, while facing an A&M defense that is allowing 2.8 YPC this season.
↔Pivot Play – WR Nic Anderson ($3,800) or WR DJ Miller ($3,100)
Head coach Will Stein reiterated to the media this week the importance of finding more opportunities for Anderson and Miller to get involved. Both played over 86% of the offensive snaps against Alabama yet had next to nothing to show for it. Both are cheap enough for a dart throw in GPPs. We saw what Arizona State’s Reed Harris did to this A&M secondary last Saturday.
$Bargain Bin – WR Kenny Darby ($3,900)
With Kentucky’s veteran receivers failing to make an impact, the true freshman Kenny Darby was the top option against Alabama with five receptions for 45 yards on eight targets, tied with Willie Rod for the team lead. That’s two weeks in a row Darby made an impression after hauling in a touchdown in the opener vs. Youngstown State. His reps should only increase as the year goes on.
+Best of the Rest – QB Kenny Minchey ($6,000)
The lack of explosive plays are alarming for this Wildcats offense, and we really wish the staff would run Minchey more than just six times. Minchey averaged just 4.6 yards per attempt last week, and Kentucky generated just five explosives among 64 plays ran against the Tide. With the 5th lowest implied total on the slate, we’re only using Minchey in game stacks.
!Injury Notes – n/a
Texas A&M
★Top Play(s) – QB Marcel Reed ($8,700)
We’ll start by saying we probably won’t have much exposure to the A&M side as most of the options are expensive and the entire offensive operation has been sporadic through two weeks. Reed seems to have made some strides as a passer, completing 65% of his throws and only one touchdown through two games, but his yards per attempt has dropped to just 7.2 – 8.3 YPA in 2025. There’s better plays on the board at QB than Reed but speaks to the lack of interest we have on the A&M side of things here that we have him as the top play.
↓Fade – WR Ashton Bethel-Roman ($3,200)
ABR seems to have lost his starting job to WR Terry Bussey ($3,600) after playing just 22% of the snaps against Arizona State and was targeted just twice on the day.
↔Pivot Play – WR Mario Craver ($6,300)
Would need an A&M fan to explain if there’s anything wrong with Craver this season, despite catching a touchdown in both games to start the year. Volume isn’t drastically different year over year, but the noticeable dip is Craver averaging just 9.4 YPC versus last year where that number was up over 15 yards. Is that the Isaiah Horton ($6,400) impact who is averaging nearly 16 yards per reception? Seems like roles have changed a bit with the new personnel and new offensive play-caller. With five of the team’s six receiving touchdowns, both WRs are playable (not stacked).
$Bargain Bin – WR Terry Bussey ($3,600)
See above. Bussey is now this team’s WR3, making an impact as both a runner and receiver.
+Best of the Rest – RB Rueben Owens II ($7,200)
High salary for a player in Owens that is averaging just 4.1 YPC on the season and could be in a split backfield with RB Jamarion Morrow ($5,200), though neither has done much in two games. We’ll mostly fade the backfield but must acknowledge this is a decent matchup against a Kentucky front that is 12th in the SEC in yards allowed on the ground and 98th in rush D success rate in two games. Owens’ value is boosted if Morrow ends up sitting on Saturday.
!Injury Notes –
RB Jamarion Morrow (Questionable)
Utah State
WEEK 3
VS
Utah
SPREAD
Utah -27.5
O/U
57.5
IMPLIED SCORE
Utah 42.5 – Utah St 15
WEATHER
68 degrees / 21% rain / 2 mph winds
Utah State
★Top Play(s) – WR Eli Wood ($3,700)
The Virginia transfer has been very productive over two games with six receptions against both Idaho State and Washington, while also finding the end-zone in both matchups. Wood has experience playing under offensive coordinator Robert Anae from their time spent at Virginia and now has another connection with Grady Brosterhous as the team’s starting QB while McCae Hillstead is injured.
↓Fade – RB Javen Jacobs ($4,700)
Utah State running backs combined for -6 yards rushing on eight attempts versus Washington last week. This truly looks like the old Virginia offenses of five years ago where the run game was completely centered around the QB spot. Jacobs caught 42 passes last year, so that’s really the only avenue in which he hits value.
↔Pivot Play – WR Javon Robinson ($4,000)
Wood is the projected WR1, but Robinson has been targeted 15 times over the span of two games and did have a 78-yard touchdown reception last week. Robinson is an experienced player in the slot, with over 1,600 career receiving yards between his previous stops at Grambling and Georgia State last year.
$Bargain Bin – QB Grady Brosterhous ($4,900)
The temptation of some of these cheap options on this slate are going to get me in trouble, aren’t they? Brosterhous stepped in for the injured McCae Hillstead and scored 20.9 fantasy points in a 16-14 loss to Washington. The Virginia transfer ran the ball 21 times and has experienced playing under offensive coordinator Robert Anae from their time at Virginia. That stat-line looked a lot like Brennan Armstrong, whom Anae coached at UVA. Writing this as of Tuesday, there’s no confirmation that Hillstead is out officially this week, but our expectation is Brosterhous gets another start.
+Best of the Rest – N/A.
Brosterhous and Wood are the only considerable options realistically.
!Injury Notes – n/a
Utah
★Top Play(s) – RB Wayshawn Parker ($7,000)
Expect Parker to have one of the highest ownership percentages on the slate. The Aggies have been adequate defending the run this year, ranking first in the Pac-12 in yards allowed on the ground, but that’s after facing Idaho State and a Washington team that is down to their 3rd and 4th stringers at RB. Parker has been effective on the ground but his usage as a receiver is a bigger surprise, already matching his receiving TD total from last year (3) and has converted on all eight of his targets thus far.
↓Fade – TE Hunter Andrews ($3,200) or WR Larry Simmons ($3,700)
Nobody is truly a fade on a team that is projected to score six touchdowns but would limit exposure to Andrews and Simmons who are not in the rotation as much as we thought they’d be. Simmons is 6th on the team in routes run, while Andrews is the secondary pass-catching option for the Utes at tight end.
↔Pivot Play – QB Devon Dampier ($9,400)
Dampier is our third-highest projected QB on the slate behind only Lincoln Kienholz and KaMario Taylor and provides the ceiling / floor combination that is so attractive at the QB spot. Difficult to see a path where Dampier doesn’t score at least 22 fantasy points – something he’s done in eight of his last nine games played. If it were not for Byrd Ficklin, Dampier would be a lock every given week.
$Bargain Bin – TE Noah Bennee ($4,000)
Bennee is the pass-catching option ahead of Hunter Andrews for Utah at the position and surpassed the 100-yard mark with a touchdown last week in the win over Utah. Bennee has now found the end zone in both matchups to start the year. Offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven has featured the TE position in the past at San Jose State with the likes of Josh Oliver and Derrick Deese Jr.
+Best of the Rest – WR Braden Pegan ($6,000)
Pegan probably goes undervalued on the slate after a slow start compared to expectation with just seven catches in two games. Pegan does lead the team in routes run, targets (11) and second in receptions (7). A WR1 on an offense that is projected to score 40+ points at this price is intriguing.
!Injury Notes – n/a
SMU
WEEK 3
VS
Louisville
SPREAD
UL -1.5
O/U
59.5
IMPLIED SCORE
UL 30.5 – SMU 29
WEATHER
95 degrees / 4% rain / 5 mph winds
SMU
★Top Play(s) – QB Kevin Jennings ($8,200)
Extremely underpriced here for a QB that leads the country in total offense through two weeks. Jennings has also dominated this Louisville defense in his time at SMU, completing 50-of-58 passes for 584 yards and three touchdowns in two career matchups. Trinidad Chambliss threw for 336 yards and three scores against this Louisville secondary in the opener.
↓Fade – RB Derrick McFall ($4,300)
McFall should not have the same salary as RB Dramekco Green ($4,300) or be in the vicinity of RB Kendrick Raphael ($4,800) despite leading the team in rushing with 46 yards last week against UC Davis. Neither Green nor Raphael played in the second half of that contest, and McFall didn’t record a single carry in SMU’s one competitive matchup against Florida State. As for how to approach the entire SMU backfield, might be wise to avoid despite the low cost. Raphael started the opener, Green was RB1 against UC Davis. We’re going to see a split until someone separates.
↔Pivot Play – Multiple SMU WRs.
We only have a one-game sample size here because SMU completed a pass to 16 different players last week in the UC Davis blowout. The top three seemed to be established against Florida State with WR Yannick Smith ($4,000), WR Yamir Knight ($4,100) and WR Jalen Cooper ($3,900) combining for 15 receptions on 22 targets with a pair of scores. Because of the pricing, and the QB throwing the football, and the high total, stacking two of the starting trio in a lineup is a viable strategy.
$Bargain Bin – TE Randy Pittman Jr. ($3,600)
SMU is utilizing Pittman just as Florida State did last year, lining him up at tight end, H-back, and as a wildcat QB, which offers a variety of ways to accumulate fantasy points at such a low cost. 5-75-1 on five targets in the opener for Pittman, playing in an offense that has featured plenty of TEs in the past with the likes of RJ Maryland and Matthew Hibner.
+Best of the Rest – WR Jalen Hale ($3,400)
The Alabama transfer was thought to be a starter for much of the offseason but was surpassed in fall camp by Yannick Smith. Hale only played 49% of the snaps vs. Florida State but has found a way to be effective with 121 total receiving yards in two games on just three receptions.
!Injury Notes – n/a
Louisville
★Top Play(s) – QB Lincoln Kienholz ($7,400)
Highest projected QB on the slate at theCFFSite at just $7.4k. Feels like a lock, right? Well, it is, but it will be for everyone else as well. 78 fantasy points in two games for Kienholz, including 40 against an SEC opponent so we have some proof of concept this works against a top-tier team like what he’ll face this week in SMU.
↓Fade – TE Brody Foley ($4,000)
The Tulsa transfer did play a handful of snaps vs. Villanova last week, catching one pass, but is pretty clearly the TE2 behind TE Jaleel Skinner ($3,700) who has 137 receiving yards over the first two games. Another cautionary tale of a G6 transfer moving up to the P4 and falling into obscurity.
↔Pivot Play – RB Isaac Brown ($7,600)
Disappointing start to the year for Brown with just 97 rushing yards in two games. Strange to see a player like Brown averaging just 3.3 YPC after being one of the most explosive backs in the country over the last two seasons. Brown is the ultimate pivot with folks most likely focused on the passing game components. The RB1 could see an increased workload if Keyjuan Brown does not play after being knocked from the game due to injury last week vs. Villanova.
$Bargain Bin – WR Lawayne McCoy ($4,600)
We’ve always wanted the WR1 in CFF under the Jeff Brohm offense, and that’ll undoubtedly be Tre Richardson this year. But the WR2 spot can be productive in this scheme as well, especially with the way Kienholz has been slinging it the first few weeks. McCoy is second behind Richardson in targets (10) through two games with a pair of touchdowns, leading the team with a 29 YPC average and an absurd aDOT of 22.4 yards. Stacking McCoy and Richardson together is viable.
+Best of the Rest – WR Tre Richardson ($6,100)
Jeff Brohm’s WR1 is undefeated. 181 yards and a touchdown in two games as Richardson is on pace for a 1,000-yard season in 2026. There’s WR options all over the board on this slate, both high, low and in the middle, but Richardson offers one of the safest floors with his early-season usage.
!Injury Notes –
RB Keyjuan Brown (Probable)
USC
WEEK 3
VS
Rutgers
SPREAD
USC -24.5
O/U
59.5
IMPLIED SCORE
USC 42 – Rut 17.5
WEATHER
72 degrees / 0% rain / 5 mph winds
USC
★Top Play(s) – QB Jayden Maiava ($9,500)
Whereas everyone on SMU is priced down, USC players have exorbitant salaries all across the board for a team that likes to spread the ball around. We’ll side with Maiava being the top play for the Trojans as it’s easy to spend down at WR on the slate, and potentially the second QB if you want to go with someone like Grady Brosterhous. Rutgers is atrocious defensively as we’ve all seen, allowing 27 FPPG so far to opposing quarterbacks.
↓Fade –RB Waymond Jordan ($6,100)
While we have six projected touchdowns to play with, the inflated price on Jordan make it difficult to roster them with his seemingly decreased role in the offense. I personally thought Jordan looked fully healthy and electric against San Jose State in the Week 0 opener, but he’s given way to RB King Miller ($7,500) who is now the starting running back after rushing for 128 yards and a TD last week vs. Louisiana.
↔Pivot Play – WR Tanook Hines ($5,400) Hines
has just three targets in two games coming back from injury and played just 32% of the team’s offensive snaps on Saturday while being held out of the box score. But the dynamic of the USC WR room changes with Mosley being out of the lineup and Terrell Anderson continuing to be limited. Now into B1G play as opposed to G6 opponents, we’re banking on Hines seeing an increased role on Saturday and will be low-owned by the box score DFS players.
$Bargain Bin – WR Zacharyus Williams ($3,900)
With Mosley being ruled out, Williams has been the primary backup in the slot, playing 81% of his reps inside, and has converted on all seven of his targets this season. The former Utah transfer caught his first touchdown of the year last week against Louisiana.
+Best of the Rest – RB King Miller ($7,500)
Rutgers is second to last in the B1G in scoring defense (32.5 PPG), second to last in yards allowed per game on the ground, 102nd nationally in EPA per run play defensively and 117th in rush D success rate. It’s an ideal matchup for Miller, assuming Waymond Jordan doesn’t suddenly command a larger share of the backfield.
!Injury Notes –
WR Trent Mosley (Out)
Rutgers
•Team Overview
From a DFS writer’s standpoint, a team like Rutgers is a dream to discuss because it’s not overly complicated. RB Antwan Raymond ($6,500) accounts for 70% of the team’s rushing attempts so far this season, so we know the volume is going to be there. It’s all about the matchup. USC has been better against the run than the pass, giving up only 3.46 YPC this season. Louisiana was able to run a bit on the Trojans last week, but that was primarily QB Lunch Winfield and his dual-threat abilities. The running backs had just 55 total yards.
WR KJ Duff ($8,100) is the play of the two, especially with Raymond being listed as questionable on the weekly injury report, accounting for five of the team’s six receiving touchdowns thus far, and 44% of the overall target share. The USC defense has done a decent job at limiting explosives but are already 127th in pass play EPA defensively and rank 113th in pass D success rate. Between Duff and Raymond, they combine for 73% of Rutgers’ overall offensive production in 2026.
Stanford
WEEK 3
VS
Duke
SPREAD
Duke -9.5
O/U
50.5
IMPLIED SCORE
Duke 30 – Stan 20.5
WEATHER
82 degrees / 16% rain / 6 mph winds
Stanford
★Top Play(s) – RB Micah Ford ($6,200)
Ford had no shot against Miami two weeks ago. Duke has been stout defensively against the run through two weeks, but we believe Ford will get his 15-25 touches just as he did in Week vs. Hawaii, even as a 9.5-point underdog. He accounts for 61% of Stanford’s rushing attempts overall and 75% of the carries in competitive situations, giving him the type of workload we’re looking for in this price range.
↓Fade – QB Davis Warren ($6,200)
Rule No. 1 of CFB DFS – Never Davis Warren on a Main Slate.
$Bargain Bin – TE Benji Blackburn ($4,300)
Blackburn ranks 20th among tight ends in the country in fantasy points scored in two games, and first on the team in receptions (12), targets (17) and yards (101). In Stanford’s lone competitive game against Hawaii in the opener, Blackburn did not come off the field and would expect much of the same on Saturday.
+Best of the Rest – WR Caden High ($4,500)
On just 32% snaps played against Miami in his season debut, High went for 92 yards and six receptions on seven targets, quickly establishing himself as the team’s WR1 when healthy. High now gets a matchup with a Duke secondary that just allowed 100 yards and three touchdowns to Illinois WR Collin Dixon…in the first half. High is one of the top bargain options at WR on the slate.
!Injury Notes –
WR Nico Brown (Questionable)
Duke
★Top Play(s) – RB Nate Sheppard ($9,200)
Highest-priced running back on the slate and with good reason. Sheppard now leads the country by a considerable margin, averaging 29.5 carries per game and is second to only Memphis’ Jaylin Carter in total rush yards (374), who has played in three games already. At this rate, you start your lineup builds with Sheppard and figure out the rest with this kind of workload.
↓Fade – QB Walker Eget ($7,800)
Rule No. 2 of CFB DFS – Never Walker Eget on a Main Slate. Remove both QBs in this game from your player pool.
↔Pivot Play – WR Jonah Burton ($4,600)
Duke’s best receiver has been…Nate Sheppard. But beyond him, Burton has stepped up in the slot with 114 yards and a touchdown, 76 of which came last week against Illinois. The issue is that Tulane transfer Javen Nicholas is expected back this week and could dip into the snap share in the slot, as Nicholas was the expected starter.
$Bargain Bin – TE Jeremiah Hasley ($4,400)
The Stanford defense has yet to face a team that utilizes a tight end in the passing game this season, so we don’t have data yet on that, but Hasley rarely leaves the field, playing 96% of the team’s offensive snaps. Unsurprisingly, he leads the team in routes run and second in targets (9).
+Best of the Rest – N/A.
Nate Sheppard is the Duke offense.
!Injury Notes –
WR Javen Nicholas (Probable)
Mississippi State
WEEK 3
VS
South Carolina
SPREAD
SC -3.5
O/U
59.5
IMPLIED SCORE
SC 31.5 – MSU 28
WEATHER
90 degrees / 61% rain / 5 mph winds
Mississippi State
★Top Play(s) – QB KaMario Taylor ($8,800)
Our second-highest projected QB on the slate and third highest projection of any player for the college fantasy week. That’ll be a sentence I write frequently this season about Super KaMario. Taylor dazzled again last week on the road against a Big Ten opponent with 28.7 fantasy points, getting it done on the ground and in the air. The game wasn’t competitive with the Gophers and yet Taylor still had 13 rushing attempts in the win. Now imagine what Taylor’s usage might be in a very competitive game setting like this where MSU is an underdog?
↓Fade – RB Xavier Gayten ($4,100)
Unsure why there is just a $100 difference between Gayten and RB2 Kolin Wilson ($4,200) when the latter holds a 15-6 rushing attempt advantage this season. Wilson is the primary backup should anything happen to Fluff Bothwell.
↔Pivot Play – RB Fluff Bothwell ($7,700)
Fun story, I was in desperate need of a WR in a college fantasy league and dropped Bothwell to make space after his mundane Week 1 performance. Woops. Bothwell was explosive against Minnesota, rushing for 113 yards and two scores on 18 attempts. Bothwell is playable in game stacks with Taylor and South Carolina exposure, or a possible pivot away from Taylor if the Bulldogs lean on the run against South Carolina. Taylor + Bothwell already account for more than 52% of the team’s rushing production.
$Bargain Bin – WR Sanfrisco Magee ($4,200)
Magee is the WR3 in the MSU offense and will split snaps at times with Missouri transfer WR Marquis Johnson ($3,700), so this spot is less desirable than the WRs below. But the Sanfrisco Treat (nickname dubbed by yours truly) has been excellent through two games with eight receptions on nine targets, with a touchdown against both ULM and Minnesota.
+Best of the Rest – WR Anthony Evans ($6,500) and / or WR Zion Ragins ($4,800)
Evans has been every bit the team’s WR1 through two games with seven receptions, a touchdown and 100+ yards in each of the first two weeks. Ragins has found the end-zone in each matchup as well, while leading the starting receivers with a 19.7 aDOT, so he’s the primary deep threat. Prices make these two stackable together in a lineup with Taylor, though probably prefer just one MSU receiver per lineup.
!Injury Notes – n/a
South Carolina
★Top Play(s) – WR Nyck Harbor ($3,900)
Harbor will be at or near the top in terms of ownership on the slate with this low-ball salary. The numbers certainly don’t jump off the page for the senior wide receiver, but many of the SC starters haven’t been needed after playing Kent State and Towson to start the season. An aDOT of only 7.2 yards for Harbor is strange to see but does lead the team in targets (12), receptions (7) and routes run.
↓Fade – RB Christian Clark ($4,500)
Outside of ball security (three fumbles), RB Matthew Fuller ($4,900) has done little to lose his starting status, averaging close to 10 yards per carry with a pair of touchdowns. There should be a wider gap in salary between Fuller and Clark, as the Texas transfer may not be RB2 or RB3 at the moment.
↔Pivot Play – QB LaNorris Sellers ($8,100)
Sellers is playable as a stack with Harbor and / or Bennett, but potentially solo as well with his rushing abilities which was on display last week with 126 yards on just six attempts. In this type of game setting, you’d imagine the Gamecock coaching staff leaning on Sellers here with his arm and legs. The South Carolina WR corps is underwhelming (salaries show that), so playing Sellers naked in lineups is my preferred choice.
$Bargain Bin – WR Mazeo Bennett ($3,100)
Bennett is tied for the team lead in routes run, though he’s in the starting lineup simply because of injury, as the Gamecocks lost two potential starting wideouts before the season started. Bennett continues to be inefficient with a 42% catch rate and multiple drops. But at this price, he has to be worth considering in a potential shootout spot and is on the field the majority of the time.
+Best of the Rest – WR Nitro Tuggle ($3,400)
We bet under at Nitro Tuggle 29.5 receiving yards so you can see where our head is at here. The Purdue transfer has just 15 receiving yards for the season but did play 62% of the team’s snaps last week against Towson.
!Injury Notes – n/a
LINEUP BUILDERS
Mike’s Core Four
DraftKings
Mike’s DK Core Four
- 1
RB Wayshawn Parker, Utah - 2
An SMU wide receiver - 3
RB Nate Sheppard, Duke - 4
QB KaMario Taylor, Mississippi State
FanDuel
Mike’s FD Core Four
- 1
QB KaMario Taylor, Mississippi State - 2
RB Aneyas Williams, Notre Dame - 3
WR Jordan Shipp or TE Jelani Thurman, UNC - 4
An SMU pass-catcher
