College Football DFS Picks: Thursday Night Slate, Week 4

College Football DFS: Thursday Night Slate, Week 4

We kick off Week 4 with a three-game slate, although FanDuel has elected to spread only two of the three contests. We'll conclude the article with a list of targets for Illinois and Chatanooga for DraftKings.

SLATE OVERVIEW

West Virginia (-1.5) @ Virginia Tech O/U: 50.5

Coastal Carolina (-2.5) @ Georgia State O/U: 62.5

Illinois (-18.5) vs. Chattanooga O/U: 39.5 (DRAFTKINGS ONLY)

The Chanticleers and Panthers appear to be the primary fantasy target teams, but the Illini are facing a tough defense from an FCS team that could surprise some people. I expect the Mountaineers and Hokies to have some value, but it's a matchup of two strong defenses.

WEATHER REPORT

WVU/VT: Slight chance of rain, 17 m.p.h. Winds

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CFB DFS Picks: Quarterback

Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina (DK $8,000, FD $11,000) @ Georgia State

It's hard to go wrong with McCall for this slate. He's led the Chanticleers to an unbeaten record behind his accurate arm (70.6 percent) and excellent TD/INT ratio (9:!). McCall can also burn you on the ground. Through three games, he's rushed the ball 21 times for 53 yards and a touchdown. Georgia State's defense has let them down multiple times this season, and while you could excuse a poor day against UNC, they allowed Charlotte to rack up 501 yards of total offense. Even though McCall lost several weapons in the offseason, a slew of new targets have picked up the slack, and McCall won't be afraid to throw it deep. 

Darren Grainger, Georgia State (DK $5,800, FD $10,600) vs. Coastal Carolina

I've decided to take the other side of this game for one primary reason. The Chanticleers are one of the toughest teams in the nation against the run, and I don't expect the Panthers to have much success in that department. This dilemma will force Grainger to air it out against a  more susceptible pass defense. I'm not a fan of his 51.7 percent passing accuracy, but that average is skewed due to a horrific day against South Carolina back in Week 1. A better metric to examine is how well Grainger played against a tough Tarheel squad in a game they almost won. His four-touchdown day against Charlotte was also quite impressive. Like McCall, Grainger's TD/INT ratio (8:2) is great, but my only knock on him is his FanDuel salary. To be fair, FanDuel has jacked up the salary for almost every quarterback, so if you are running with two signal-callers (a strategy you should almost always employ), you have to take the hit and look for value elsewhere.

CFB DFS Picks: Running Back

CJ Donaldson, West Virginia (DK (as WR) $4,300, FD (as RB) $8,300 @ Virginia Tech

It's a weird situation for Donaldson, who is listed at different positions on either site. The freshman has been electric however he's touched the ball, but he's clearly a rusher first.  Even though Virginia Tech has one of the best run defenses on this slate, the low salary for Donaldson on DraftKings may be too good to pass up. He has a whopping six touchdowns on the season while accumulating 274 yards on 29 carries.

Reese White, Coastal Carolina (DK $5,300, FD $8,400) @ Georgia State

Braydon Bennett (undisclosed) is listed as doubtful, so unless the tag changes, it's all systems go for White as the team's primary back. White has only found paydirt once on the ground but has two touchdown catches on the season, which is a nice added dimension when you slot him in. As previously stated, Georgia State's defense leaves a lot to be desired, so White could be in line for a monster day.

Jalen Holston, Virginia Tech (DK $5,600, FD $6,500) vs. West Virginia

Holston is in a similar position to White. Malachi Thomas has yet to suit up, and now Keyshawn King is sidelined, leaving Holston as the primary tunning option if nothing changes. I've endorsed King this season and I think he's the better back, so if he happens to suit up, pivoting in that direction wouldn't be a bad idea. Otherwise, Holston will earn most of the suits in the backfield.

CFB DFS Picks: Wide Receiver

Bryce Ford-Wheaton, West Vitginia (DK $7,100, FD $10,500) @ Virginia Tech

Ford-Wheaton shows up for J.T. Daniels when it counts, and no one else on the roster comes close to him in terms of targets and touchdowns. That's not to say that Daniels doesn't have a host of receivers to choose from. In fact, guys like Sam James and Kaden Prather are fliers that you can get at a discount. Even though we began the article by endorsing the other game as the real fantasy producer, the Mountaineers will need a balanced attack to beat the Hokies at home, and if there's ever been a quarterback with a chip on his shoulder, it's Daniels. 

Jamari Thrash, Georgia State (DK $5,000, FD $8,700) vs. Coastal Carolina

We'll stick with what we perceive to be Georgia State's game plan Thursday night. Their reliable run game faces a stern test against the Chanticleers, and Darren Grainger will need to load up his connection with Thrash to keep things competitive. Robert Lewis has been the touchdown magnet for Grainger, but the PPR numbers add up quickly, and Thrash is the clear leader there. I'd be more inclined to take a flier on lesser Panther receivers with FanDuel, but the DraftKings salary is low - there's no need to find additional value on that side.

Sam Pinckney, Coastal Carolina (DK $6,500, FD $8,400) @ Georgia State

With Jared Brown (illness) a question mark and Tyson Mobley off to a slow start, Pinckney makes a lot of sense as McCall's primary target Thursday night. McCall lost a lot of receiving talent and the team is still trying to figure out how to close the gap.  I'd keep an eye on Brown to see if he suits up, but all things considered, I think Pinckney is safe and affordable.

Illinois vs. Chattanooga Picks (DraftKings-Only)

This game may be a lot closer than we think. The Mocs have some talented players and a deceptively strong defense, and even though this FCS squad hasn't played anyone as strong as Illinois, they could put up a fight.

Chase Brown ($6,900) is probably as safe as you'll get in this game. He's the offensive engine that Tommy DeVito depends on. I'm not high on DeVito as a fantasy producer, but  Preston Hutchinson ($5,100) is an interesting contrarian selection for Chatanoogs. He's put up stellar numbers against three FCS opponents. Isaiah Williams ($7,700) is your go-to receiver for this game,