College Football DFS: Night Slate Week 8

Unfortunately, we have a significant disparity between the two major sites for Saturday's late slate.  We still want to give you full coverage, but we will focus on DraftKings' six-game offering and then make some adjustments for FanDuel at the end of the article.

SLATE OVERVIEW

South Carolina  @ LSU(-5) O/U: 55.5 (DK, FD)

Louisiana-Monroe@ South Alabama(-14.5) O/U: 56.5 (DK)

Virginia @ Miami (-13.5) O/U: 55.5 (DK, FD)

Louisiana Tech  @ UTSA (-2.5) O/U: 53.5 (DK)

Cincinnati @ SMU (-5.5) O/U: 57.5 (DK)

Texas State  @ BYU (-28.5) O/U: 60.5 (DK)

Michigan@ Minnesota (-3.5) O/U: 54 (FD)

Although Zach Wilson and the Cougars would typically be a focal point of any slate, I'm not especially high on them in this blowout game. I imagine that exposure to their running corps would be prudent, but I'm not sold on a massive night from Wilson. I'll limit my exposure to him this week.  My favorite game on the slate is the Cincy/SMU match, as this game has all the ingredients for a DFS-rich shootout. We should also see some offensive firepower from Miami this week as well.

NOTE:  Both sites are still having trouble with their stat services, so many players will have incomplete numbers, especially with past game results.

QUARTERBACK

Shane Buechele, SMU (DK $8,000) vs. Cincinnati

Buechele's numbers have been excellent all year, averaging 351 yards per game and a shiny 10:2 TD/INT ratio.  They'll try to stay unbeaten against a Cincy team that's been very stingy against the pass (171 PYPG), but their competition hasn't been especially stiff in that regard. Stacking Buechele with a couple of receivers is an excellent path to take, and his outlook is good enough to merit 40-50% exposure tonight.

Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati (DK $5,800) @ SMU

Frankly, I am shocked to see Ridder at this low salary point. One would expect some sort of bump, especially against this opponent, but the sites don't tend to account for game-by-game scenarios unless there's an injury.  But that's what DFS is all about - finding the value.  His numbers may be inferior to Buechele's, but his running prowess will be a challenge for the Mustangs.  The key to this game for the Bearcats is keeping up with SMU offensively.  Getting Cincinnati in the end zone will be Ridder's job.

D'Eriq King, Miami (DK $8,200, FD $9,800) vs. Virginia

It would be unwise to leave a superior talent like King out of your builds despite what should be a lopsided matchup. Aside from expected struggles against Clemson, King's efforts this season are enough to create some Heisman buzz.  Trevor Lawrence may have that in the bag, but King is definitely fun to watch when the team is firing on all cylinders.  His work on the ground is his best superlative, but he has a complement of efficient receivers (and one of the nation's best tight ends) and can get a lot of players involved in the passing game.

RUNNING BACK

Cam'Ron Harris, Miami (DK $7,000, FD $9,000) vs. Virginia

Like King, Harris struggled against Clemson, but the rest of his totals have been excellent. Pitt's rushing defense gave Harris a bit of trouble, but the Cavs are a much softer opponent against the run.  I don't expect this game to be especially close, and Harris should be the focus of several snaps, especially if the team abandons the pass with a big lead.  His salary is very reasonable for what you're getting.

Kevin Harris, South Carolina (DK $7,100, FD $9,400) @ LSU

At the beginning of the season, I said that the Tigers would struggle, and so far, that seems to be the case. Vegas seems to think that LSU will bounce back against the Gamecocks but I wouldn't be too sure.  They can't seem to stop anyone defensively, especially through the air. If they can contain Harris, who is rapidly becoming one of the SEC's most dependable running backs, they might gain the upper hand. Harris is also a talented pass-catcher out of the backfield, and you can bet Collin Hill will rely on him to open things up in the passing game.

Tyler Allgeier, BYU (DK $6,900) vs. Texas State

It's a coin flip between Allgeier and teammate Lopini Katoa ($4,800), and one can argue that Katoa could have a more significant day once the game gets out of hand. Despite that, Allgeier is who they go to at the goal line, and he should get the majority of the carries in the first half.  BYU won't have to do much in the air to get things done in this game, so expect big things for the Cougar backs today.

Justin Henderson, Louisiana Tech (DK $5,200) @ UTSA

The Bulldogs have been forced to all but abandon the run in losses against BYU and Marshall, but expect Henderson to be a bigger part of the offense against UTSA's subpar defense. Henderson's an excellent value pick who destroyed opponents in huis 2019 campaign but hasn't quite gotten things going yet this season. A 100-yard outing seems inevitable, and this could be the week for him to get there.

Also consider:  Billy Kemp, Virginia (DK $6,400, FD $7,800), Gerrid Doaks, Cincinnati (DK $7,400)

WIDE RECEIVER

Shi Smith, South Carolina (DK $6,800, FD $9,400) @ LSU

Expect a big day from Smith and the Gamecocks' passing game because LSU's secondary has had zero success in stopping the pass this season, and it's a problem that even Ed Orgeron can't fix overnight. Consider stacking Smith with Collin Hill (DK $6,400, FD $7,500) to maximize this connection, as it should turn out to be a pretty prolific method of correlation on this slate.

Rashee Rice, SMU (DK $6,500) vs. Cincinnati

Although Danny Gray (DK $7,200) is the more popular option, I like Rice as a reasonable pivot in the SMU passing game. He's coming off a stellar game against Tulane, where he caught seven passes for 139 yards and a touchdown.  A triple stack of Buechele, Gray and Rice is a great option, but Rice comes at a cheaper salary and can fit into several builds.

Adrian Hardy, Louisiana Tech (DK $5,700) @ UTSA

Smith will be extremely popular, so it makes sense to offset some of that popularity with a gut that should be a bit contrarian at the receiver spot. Hardy has two TDs to his credit and is easily the most targeted wideout for QB Luke Anthony.  I have Anthony in only one lineup, and Hardy is definitely stacked with him, but he can provide value independently, especially if you are aiming for elite solutions at quarterback and running back.

LSU's Terrace Marshall Jr. is worth mentioning here, but the Tigers will be without Myles Brennan, leaving the QB duties to a committee of TJ Finley and Max Johnson.  The situation puts multiple LSU receivers at risk, but it does up the value of John Emery (DK $6,200, FD $6,900) as a security blanket in the backfield.

Michigan @ Minnesota

Let's now take a quick look at FanDuel's outlier game, a Big Ten tangle between Michigan and Minnesota.  Here, the QB option has to go to Minnesota's Tanner Morgan (FD $7,800) due to experience. Dylan McCaffrey opted out and is likely headed for the transfer portal, leaving an untested Joe Milton to run Michigan's plays.  Not only is he overpriced, but he's also a significant risk to your lineup. With some uncertainty in the passing game, Zach Charbonnet ($8,000) should emerge as the most reliable running option out of this game.  I'd look to the Gophers for value at wide receiver, with Rashod Bateman ($9,000) and Chris Autman-Bell ($6,800) leading the way for Minnesota.

INJURY WATCH: Brevin Jordan, Miami (DK $4,900, FD $7,400)

If Jordan is good to go, I'm keen on swapping him into some lineups with D'Eriq King.  If he plays, the tight end is a huge value on both sites. He's listed as questionable currently.