College Football DFS: Week 9 Thursday Slate Picks and Lineup Strategy

CFB DFS Picks: Thursday Night Slate, Week 9

College football begins Week 9 with a three-game offering.  We've got you covered with picks for both major sites.

SLATE OVERVIEW

North Carolina State (-13.5) vs. Virginia Tech O/U 39.5

Louisiana-Lafayette @ Southern Mississippi O/U: 43

Utah (-7) @ Washington State O/U: 55.5

The loss of Devin Leary caused the Wolfpack to take a dive in my endorsements, and the low projected total just doesn't spell fantasy for me. The other two games are a lot more appealing, and we've got targets all over them.

WEATHER REPORT

No weather concerns

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QUARTERBACK

Cameron Rising, Utah (DK $8,800, FD $11,500) @ Washington State

The Utes took a bye last week, obviously basking in the afterglow of a monumental win over USC, and Rising was easily the star of the show, directing a gutsy call for two to seal up the win. Rising's salary is exorbitant, but I feel I'd regret getting a piece of the action against the Cougars, who don't have much to offer in the form of a passing defense. With 15 touchdowns through the air and six on the ground, Rising is a near-lock to deliver a few touchdowns.

Cameron Ward, Washington State (DK $6,500, FD $10,200) vs. Utah

Ward is obviously a lot more reasonable on DraftKings, but I don't know if I can reach that high for Ward on FanDuel. We're going to see a lot of offensive firepower from both teams, and Utah's main task on defense will be to try and keep Ward in the pocket and force him to win with the pass. Ward has speed and dual-threat capability that can get him out of any jam, but he's a bit mistake-prone (8 INT) and isn't the most accurate passer. Still, Ward has a host of excellent wideouts to choose from, and they'll need to air it out against the Utes.

Also consider: Jack Chambers, N.C. State (DK $6,000, FD $7,500)

RUNNING BACK

Tavion Thomas, Utah (DK $7,700, FD $7,600) @ Washington State

I admit it, I am too stubborn to not go after Thomas again, despite Micah Bernard breathing down his neck for carries. The game is set up well for any Utah rusher, as the Cougars give him 123 yards per game to opposing running backs. Thomas hasn't shown up every week, but his salary is reasonable enough that we can take a risk, especially on FanDuel where it's well below the median average.

Frank Gore Jr., Southern Mississippi (DK $6,800, FD $9,000) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

Gore's salaries are right about where you'd expect them to be, hovering just above the median. Gore has flirted with 100 yards rushing for two consecutive games, and although he's only hit paydirt on the ground four times this season, his snap volume is big enough to make up for any deficiencies. ULL's defense is ok but not great, and Gore will be the workhorse all day long.

Chris Smith, Louisiana-Lafayette (DK $5,800, FD $8,200) @ Southern Mississippi

I'm keen to take the top back on the other side of this matchup, especially given his recent success. Smith is coming off a 108-yard game against South Alabama, which is his best game by a mile this season. The rest of his numbers aren't great, but I decided to go with him over honorable mentions for Virginia Tech and N.C State due to the potentially-low scoring in that game.

WIDE RECEIVER

Dalton Kincaid, Utah (DK $6,500, FD $9,200) @ Washington State

I had a Rising-Kincaid stack dialed up before I even started research. Brant Kuithe's season-ending injury left little competition for Kincaid, and he's been a godsend for the passing game. He was on fire against the Trojans two weeks ago, logging 217 receiving yards and a touchdown. When his yardage numbers aren't great, he still seems to find the end zone, and after the USC game, he's going to get a lot more looks from Rising.

De'zhaun Stribling, Washington State (DK $5,800, FD $7,800) vs. Utah

Cameron Ward has several great targets, but pivoting off of Stribling would only be recommended if he were more expensive. Given his price, there's no need to get cute. I wouldn't object reaching down to Donovan Ollie if you wanted some roster uniqueness, but I think Stribling has more big-play potential.

Jason Brownlee, Southern Mississippi (DK $5,400, FD $9,000) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

Brownlee is the unquestioned top wideout for the Golden Eagles. UL's defense is bit stronger against the run, so you can bet that Zach Wilcke will be getting him the ball early and often.

Michael Jefferson, Louisiana-Lafayette (DK $5,100, FD $7,400) @ Southern Mississippi

Jefferson's salary is amazing in this spot. For that reason, he was a universal add in all of my lineups. Ben Wooldridge(DK $7,300, FD $9,500) will have Jefferson in his sights, and I'm adding Wooldridge's salary because this combo could provide a unique stack, especially on FanDuel where you're overpaying for Ward. Jefferson has 387 receiving yards and four touchdowns on the season, and is known for making big 50/50 plays down the sideline.