College Football DFS: Night Slate Week 13

With the cancellation of the Oklahoma-West Virginia game, DraftKings will only offer seven games for the night slate.  FanDuel matches up with seven games but offers two additional contests that we'll analyze at the end of the article.  We're going to try and turn things around this week after last week when thousands of lineups were decimated by in-game injuries.

SLATE OVERVIEW

LSU  at Texas A&M(-15) O/U: 63

Kansas State at Baylor (-5.5) O/U: 46.5

Duke at Georgia Tech (EVEN) O/U: 58

Georgia at South Carolina  (+21) O/U: 49.5

Arizona at UCLA (-10.5) O/U: 69

TCU at Kansas  (+24) O/U: 69

Virginia at Florida State (+10) O/U: 58

Memphis at Navy   (+13.5) O/U: 62.5 (FANDUEL ONLY)

Utah at Washington (-7.5) O/U: 47.5 (FANDUEL ONLY)

Vegas is giving LSU a lot of rope, and I think the game will be a little more competitive than the spread would indicate.  I also expect a lot of production from the Wildcats and Bruins at the Rose Bowl. Florida State is an interesting team to target after the Clemson cancellation, and I think Georgia is the best blowout team as they continue the JT Daniels experiment. Kansas State and Baylor are saddled with a low total from the sportsbooks, and the same issue hits the Utah-Washington contest. Our exposure will be lower for these four teams. You're going to be able to spend a bit more at running-back on this slate, as the wideout pool is less-talented and cheaper on both sites.

WEATHER

The following games have a good chance of rain, so the standard downgrade for QB/WR stacks and uptick for RBs should be considered.

KSU/Baylor

LSU/Texas A&M

Virginia/Florida State

Utah/Washington

INJURIES

QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA (undisclosed) QUESTIONABLE

Chip Kelly and the Bruins are currently mum about DTR's condition, but if he suits up, the slate landscape changes radically at the QB position. Chase Griffin (DK $7,700, FD $6,100) looked great in relief last week, but this call will have to wait right up to game lock.

QB Jordan Travis, Florida State (undisclosed) QUESTIONABLE

I would be surprised to see Travis out on Saturday, as he's had plenty of time to recover.  Still, you need to monitor this situation if you have any exposure to the Seminoles.

WR Shi Smith, South Carolina (concussion) DOUBTFUL

This is a massive hit to the Gamecocks offense, so a bleak outlook for victory looks even more dejected heading into this contest. No single receiver distinguishes himself as a suitable replacement, but Rico Powers (DK$3,000, FD $4,500) and Jalen Brooks (DK $3,400, FD $5,600) are probably going to lead the receiving corps.

QUARTERBACK

Kellen Mond, Texas A&M   (DK $8,900, FD $9,900) vs. LSU

As previously stated, I think LSU has a shot at making this competitive if its defense holds up, but the outlook is bright for Mond either way. Currently the first team out in the CFP rankings, they will need to make some strong statements as the season comes to a close so that the Aggies will keep their starters on for the full duration. Mond's TD/INT ratio of 16:2 is stellar, and over six games, he's also generated a touchdown and 112 yards on the ground. His salary is also very reasonable relative to his potential output on both sites. While we're on the game, I wouldn't discount TJ Finley (DK $6,200, FD $7,800) on the other end of this matchup. He's thrown for 682 yards and seven touchdowns over the past two games.

JT Daniels, Georgia  (DK $8,600, FD $8,500) @ South Carolina

I was surprised at Daniels' masterful line last week. It seems like time off and distance from Clay Helton's offense did the transfer some good, as his accuracy and poise in the pocket were miles ahead of any start with the Trojans. Granted, the Bulldogs won't have to do much to take this game, and it could very well result in some late benching. That possibility could lower my exposure somewhat, but the logic of giving Daniels full opportunity with the first string could offset that consideration.

Grant Gunnell, Arizona   (DK $7,400, FD $8,800) @ UCLA

Although Arizona is 0-2, they've kept things close in both contests, although Washington pretty much put them out of the game early.  Still, Gunnell managed six touchdowns over the two losses and threw only one pick.  His offensive line isn't doing him any favors, allowing 11 sacks over the past two games, and UCLA will probably give that number a decent boost. UCLA will overwhelm the Wildcats with a multitude of offensive weapons, and that'll force Arizona to go to the air.

RUNNING BACK

Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M   (DK $7,700, FD $8,900) vs. LSU

As we said earlier about Mond, the Aggies need to floor it offensively to get some extra consideration for a playoff spot, and that should keep their bell-cow back on the field for four quarters. He blitzed the Gamecocks for 131 yards in his last game, and that was his fourth game with 100-plus rushing yards.  Only Alabama has been able to neutralize him this season.

Zamir White, Georgia   (DK $6,100, FD $8,600) @ South Carolina

While White has some competition in the backfield and got nothing done against Mississippi State, his salary on DraftKings makes him incredibly chalky over there. The Bulldogs should lean on White for at least two quarters. Though the emergence of JT Daniels has given Georgia's passing offense a shot in the arm, White will get double-digit carries and exploit South Carolina's porous defense.

Ainias Smith, Texas A&M   (DK $6,500, FD $8,300) vs. LSU

It seems a bit irresponsible to stack running backs for any game, but Smith is a guy who can line up anywhere and is more productive as a receiver despite his RB designation. He's scored in three consecutive games, so if Spiller's price scares you off and you want a stack with Mond, this is a great place to do it.

A last running back note involving Demetric Felton (DK $8,400, FD $9,400) - I am more inclined to boost my exposure with Chase Griffin under center for the Bruins. With Thompson-Robinson out, Chip Kelly opted to get the ground game going a lot more than he usually would.  IF DTR returns, dock the chart-topper's exposure by around 15-20 percent, depending on how much you initially had on him.

WIDE RECEIVER

Terrace Marshall, LSU (DK $7,600, FD $9,000) @ Texas A&M

Even if this game isn't competitive, TJ Finley and the company will need to air it out against the Aggies, whose defense is unforgiving against opposing rushers. The corps of wideouts on this slate run much cheaper than Marshall, but it's hard to find a more reliable target. His lukewarm performances over the past two games may make him a less-popular target this week.

Greg Dulcich, UCLA   (DK $5,800, FD $7,800) vs. Arizona

The sophomore tight end enjoyed synergy with both Griffin and DTR and has seen targeted 20 times over three games played. Despite a talented receiving corps, Dulchich's success in the passing offense is arguably the most consistent. 

Stanley Berryhill, Arizona   (DK $5,600, FD $8,800) @ UCLA

Pac-12 players have a small sample size, but Berryhill's numbers include three touchdowns and 13 receptions over the first two games.  One can expect the Wildcats to play from behind in what should be a high-scoring affair, and Grant Gunnell will need to get the passing offense going to stay competitive.  So far, Berryhill has been his most reliable target.

Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M   (DK $4,800, FD $7,400) vs. LSU

Over the past two games, no one's been hotter than Wydermyer for the Aggies. He's scored a total of four touchdowns during that span, with two in each game. His season was moderately productive before this streak, but he had gone the previous four games without a score. The sophomore tight end could be in line for more against the Tigers.

Memphis @ Navy (FANDUEL)

This game adds a premier quarterback to the mix in Brady White ($10,300). He's tossed an impressive 23 TDs over seven games for Memphis and warrants universal consideration in FanDuel builds. For Navy. you may be able to find some sneaky value by playing Nelson Smith ($7,500), who should see more snaps with Rodrigues Clark limited with an injury.  Calvin Austin ($9,400) is the top receiver to stack with White, and Tahj Washington ($8,000) could also work as a secondary play for a Brady White stack.

Utah @ Washington

While Cameron Rising's season-ending injury led the way for Jake Bentley to take over the starting duties, the former Gamecock didn't look particularly effective against USC last week. Hence, the passing game for Utah is one I will avoid.  Washington's Sean McGrew ($7,500) is probably my favorite play in this game, and Dylan Morris ($7,400) should put up decent numbers under center for the Huskies.