This article is part of our FanDuel College Football series.
CASH-GAME TARGETS
QUARTERBACK
Cody Kessler - USC at Oregon ($7,700)
I'm not all that psyched on Kessler this week, it's more so that I just don't feel like paying up for the more expensive quarterbacks like Deshaun Watson ($10,100), Marquise Williams ($9,700) and J.T. Barrett ($8,800) in matchups that don't appear especially favorable to me. Kessler rarely runs, so he doesn't have much upside on FanDuel, but I feel confident in his ability to post a score in the 22-to-28 point range in this one. Playing at Oregon should actually help Kessler because it gives the Ducks a better chance at scoring, and USC will be more likely to pass if Oregon can establish a lead. The Ducks have allowed 31 passing touchdowns in 10 games this year.
Honorable mention:Deshaun Watson - Clemson vs. Wake Forest ($10,100), J.T. Barrett - Ohio State vs. Michigan State ($8,800) If Greg Ward (ankle) sits against Connecticut, Kyle Postma ($6,500) is likely a strong play.
RUNNING BACK
Royce Freeman - Oregon vs. USC ($8,200)
I would take Freeman over Ezekiel Elliott and Leonard Fournette regardless of price, so I view this as a chance to get Freeman at a price about $1,000 less than the otherwise going rate. Both teams in this game are beat up on defense, and USC has struggled to stop other elite runners like Demario Richard and C.J. Prosise. Freeman is one of my favorite bets among running backs to his 30 fantasy points.
Joseph Williams - Utah vs. UCLA ($4,500)
More commonly known as "Joe," Williams is expected to step into a starting role Saturday with Devontae Booker (knee) out. Williams is the only other Utah runner with more than two carries on the season, though Williams' total is also modest at just 17 carries for 78 yards. Williams' meager workload to this point means he might not get the 27-carry-per-game treatment that Booker received, but at minimum FanDuel salary it's still easy to justify a spot for Williams.
Honorable mention:Travon McMillian - Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina ($7,800), Wendell Smallwood - West Virginia at Kansas ($7,600), Kenneth Farrow - Houston at UConn ($7,400), Demario Richard - Arizona State vs. Arizona ($6,400)
WIDE RECEIVER
Juju Smith-Schuster - USC at Oregon ($7,500)
Smith-Schuster will be in all of my lineups. This is an affordable price for a total beast going against a vulnerable defense, and it would be exceedingly disappointing if Smith-Schuster couldn't put up a good box score against a team allowing three passing touchdowns per game. Even as he played through a broken hand in a run-heavy offense, Smith-Schuster posted 11 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns over the last two weeks.
Demarcus Ayers - Houston at Connecticut ($6,500)
Regardless of whether Greg Ward (ankle) plays, Ayers should be a busy player Saturday. He had a big game with Kyle Postma playing in Ward's place against Memphis, finishing the game with 13 catches for 127 yards, and the Connecticut defense probably isn't better than the Memphis one. Good as the UConn pass defense numbers might look, those numbers are deflated by a lot of bad passing offenses the Huskies have faced this year.
Honorable mention:Laquon Treadwell - Mississippi vs. LSU ($8,300), Jordan Payton at Utah ($6,400), Darren Carrington - Oregon vs. USC ($6,400), Michael Thomas - Ohio State vs. Michigan State ($6,000), Canaan Severin - Virginia vs. Duke ($5,700), Bralon Addison - Oregon vs. USC ($5,400)
TIGHT END
Jordan Leggett - Clemson vs. Wake Forest ($3,500)
Especially if Wayne Gallman sits out, there should be a good opportunity for Leggett to find the end zone Saturday. After scoring six times on 12 catches in a five-game span, Leggett has since gone three games without a touchdown despite catching 10 passes over that span. The six touchdowns on 12 catches was obviously an unsustainable pace, but he's about due to get back on track.
Honorable mention:Harrison Handley - Utah vs. UCLA ($2,900), Evan Engram - Mississippi vs. LSU ($2,400)
TOURNAMENT TARGETS
QUARTERBACK
Skyler Howard - West Virginia at Kansas ($6,900)
Howard is an awful passer with no hint of accuracy, but his running production and a matchup with Kansas tempt me nonetheless. Howard has burned me twice this year - I'll either be rewarded for my loyalty Saturday or I'll feel like an imbecile for refusing to get the hint. Either way, Howard posted 21.28 FanDuel points against Texas last week, and Kansas is allowing 45.9 points per game this year.
Honorable mention: Previously mentioned QB cash-game targets
RUNNING BACK
Jordan Canzeri - Iowa vs. Purdue ($6,400)
If you're big on narrative plays, you have to be intrigued by Canzeri this week. His ownership number should be low with the assumed rotation between Canzeri, Leshun Daniels, and Akrum Wadley, but it's possible that Canzeri could be patronized with a big workload on Senior Day. Canzeri has long been a beloved overachiever type who overcame a number of challenging injuries to repeatedly earn the respect of the team and coaches, and the Hawkeye faithful would surely like to see him leave school on a high note.
Honorable mention:Taquan Mizzell - Virginia vs. Duke ($6,400), Doroland Dorceus - Memphis at Temple ($5,700), Kalen Ballage - Arizona State vs. Arizona ($5,600), Rushel Shell - West Virginia at Kansas ($5,000), as well as previously mentioned RBs for cash games
WIDE RECEIVER
Mose Frazier - Memphis at Temple ($5,900)
In the midst of a cold streak and playing against a tough Temple defense on the road, there likely won't be a big number of people selecting Frazier on Saturday. He could provide a big return, though, if Memphis is without Anthony Miller, who left last week's game against Houston with a hamstring injury and did not return. Frazier is still the most targeted Memphis wideout, and if Miller is out or limited, it might result in Frazier's workload being bigger than usual. The Temple defense has lost its upper hand in recent games, allowing opponents to complete 63 percent of their passes in the last four games, despite three of those four teams possessing modest-at-best passing games (East Carolina, SMU, South Florida).
Honorable mention:Thomas Duarte - UCLA at Utah ($6,200), Malachi Dupre - LSU at Mississippi ($5,900), Shelton Gibson - West Virginia at Kansas ($5,300), Travin Dural - LSU at Mississippi ($5,100), previously mentioned WR cash-game targets
TIGHT END
George Kittle - Iowa vs. Purdue
Kittle is one of the best athletic tight ends few people have heard of, but Iowa has slowly started to unleash him lately. Kittle caught five passes for 44 yards against Minnesota last week, giving him a season total of 14 catches for 180 yards and four touchdowns. Henry Krieger-Coble remains in the picture, however, giving Kittle a boom-or-bust projection.
