We’ve already started to witness the triumph of Week 1, but that’s just a glimmer of what to expect on Saturday morning. For the first time since last November, we have an entire slate of college football to look forward to! The stage is set for the most dramatic opening weekend in recent history, and fantasy players aren’t immune to that excitement.
We’ve got you covered for DFS purposes, highlighting our preferred players from Saturday’s main slate.
College football is back at FantasyLabs. Inside our Player Models, you’ll be able to utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups for your DFS contests.
Or if cash games are more your speed, you can build your lineups alongside our projections with our Lineup Builder. From there, you can hand-build your lineup or lock in a few guys and let the builder optimize the rest based on our projections.
Here’s a brief snippet of what our models look like:
Let’s dive into this week’s slate!
CFB DFS Quarterback Picks
Gunner Stockton (Georgia Bulldogs) – $8,500 DraftKings
The Georgia Bulldogs open the 2025 campaign with Gunner Stockton leading the charge. The junior pivot was deployed in the playoffs and showed promise in limited action before that. But after Carson Beck departed via the transfer portal, Georgia’s National Championship aspirations lie squarely on Stockton’s shoulders. We don’t expect Stockton to disappoint.
Stockton was able to jump into the Bulldogs’ lineup and make an immediate impact. Starting in the SEC Championship Game, the Georgia native completed 12-of-16 passes, albeit for a more modest 71 yards. But we saw his full potential in a showdown versus Notre Dame in the CFP. Stockton ended the Sugar Bowl by completing 20 of 32 pass attempts for 234 yards and a touchdown. Including mop-up duty from earlier in the campaign, he ended his sophomore season with a 70.3% completion percentage and a nice 6.9 yards per pass attempt.
Far from the most dominant dual-threat quarterbacks, Stockton isn’t afraid to take off in the running game. Across his final two appearances, the then-sophomore churned out 18 rushing attempts, and he won’t be afraid to take off in Week 1. That rushing pedigree adds an enticing fantasy layer to Stockton’s projections, making him the top-scoring threat on the main slate.
Marshall offers little resistance in the series opener. The Thundering Herd allowed 388.3 yards per game against FBS opponents last season, with most of their schedule filled with lesser-than Group of 5 opponents. Now facing off against one of the premier contenders in the country, the Thundering Herd will be trampled by Stockton and the Bulldogs’ attack.
Ryan Browne (Purdue Boilermakers): $5,200 DraftKings
DFS players looking to set their rosters apart should gravitate to Ryan Browne in Week 1. The Purdue Boilermakers quarterback leads his team into a non-conference battle versus the Ball State Cardinals as -17.5 chalk. Moreover, his profile points toward immediate fantasy success.
Browne has been used sparingly in his first two seasons with Purdue. After redshirting in 2023 and completing 12-of-16 pass attempts, the dual-threat completed 43-of-76 for 532 yards and four touchdowns last year. In conjunction with his elite running skills, Browne took off 50 times for 155 yards; he is the quintessential fly-under-the-radar fantasy producer at the start of this season.
We also have to take a moment to mourn the Ball State defense. This team finished the 2024 season by allowing the ninth-most yards in the country. Opponents moved freely downfield, producing an average of 468.6 yards per game. The Cardinals were equally terrible in defending the pass and run, playing into Browne’s strength as a rushing quarterback.
There is a ton of upside to rostering Browne on the Week 1 main slate. He’ll have free range to operate as needed and will accumulate monstrous totals through the air and ground. With a modest $5,200 salary, he’s the top value candidate to build around on Saturday.
CFB DFS Running Back Picks
Devin Mockobee (Purdue Boilermakers) $6,300 DraftKings
The Purdue love doesn’t end there. Stacking Devin Mockobee with Ryan Browne will account for most of the Boilermakers’ offensive production and transform any fantasy roster into a winner.
Since bursting onto the scene with 968 rushing yards as a freshman, Mockobee has seen a slight decline in his production values. He fell to 807 yards in 2023 and then further off the pace, with 687 last year. Still, the decreased production correlates with increased involvement from the passing attack. It wasn’t a matter of Mockobee being less effective; rather, it was the Boilermakers turning to the air more frequently.
Running the ball will be the top priority this season, and Mockobee should see a sharp increase in his rushing attempts and yards. He’s averaged 5.0 yards per game consistently throughout his career, while also absorbing more looks via the passing game. Last year, he finished with 170 yards and a touchdown on 17 receptions.
A premier rusher and a viable passing option, Mockobee should see his fantasy value steadily rise throughout the season. But the sharpest players will get a piece of the senior in Week 1’s tilt versus Ball State.
Nic Singleton (Penn State Nittany Lions) $8,800 DraftKings
We didn’t want to talk about Nic Singleton in Week 1. He’s the highest-salaried running back on the main slate, and his reputation precedes him week after week. Nevertheless, there is no denying his fantasy potential as Penn State hosts the Nevada Wolf Pack at Beaver Stadium.
Assuredly, Singleton will do enough to be included in the Heisman Trophy conversation. The senior running back is coming off a career-best 1,099 rushing yard season, the second time he’s cracked the four-digit plateau across his three years at Penn State. Further, he has become more involved in the Nittany Lions’ passing attack, adding an unstoppable component to his fantasy profile. The Pennsylvania native went from 11 receptions as a freshman to 26 in 2023 and then 41 last year, all while maintaining 9.8 yards per reception.
The most defining characteristic of Singleton’s success is his ability to find paydirt. He crossed the plane 17 times last season, including 12 rushing and five receiving scores. Heading into his final season of eligibility, Singleton is poised to set the fantasy world on fire.
Nevada will do nothing to limit the Nittany Lions’ ferocious attack. While Drew Allar will do his part, Nic Singleton will triumphantly re-announce his presence to the college football world. Don’t be surprised if he cracks 200 yards of total offense with multiple scores. If you’re adding Singleton, make sure you dig deep in other areas for a more distinguishable roster.
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CFB DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Elijah Sarratt (Indiana Hoosiers) $7,500
Thankfully, we have DFS players covered with a trio of underappreciated and unknown pass-catchers that will offset the roster percentages of Nic Singleton. Chief among those stands Indiana Hoosiers wideout Elijah Sarratt.
The senior pass-catcher is still a relatively unknown fantasy commodity, albeit with a fantasy ceiling equivalent to Jeremiah Smith in Week 1. Sarratt posted 1,191 receiving yards on 82 receptions with James Madison back in 2023. He followed that up with 957 yards and 53 catches last year with Indiana. Implicit in those metrics is Sarratt’s deep threat potential, as he averaged close to 20 yards per reception.
Still, that only scratches the surface of Sarratt’s fantasy potential. The Hoosiers’ wide receiver has caught 29 touchdown passes across the last three seasons, including eight with Indiana in 2024. Now the premier target in their passing attack, he’s poised for a breakout campaign, starting with Saturday’s clash versus the Old Dominion Monarchs.
Sarratt offers the same fantasy appeal as Smith, at a discounted rate. Rostering him offers some variability that could propel your team to the top of the main slate leaderboards.
Easton Messer (Florida Atlantic Owls) $7,500
It’s time to take note of Easton Messer as a top-end fantasy producer. That’s even more pronounced as his Florida Atlantic Owls take on the defensively bankrupt Maryland Terrapins in Week 1.
Over the past couple of seasons, Messer has shown a steady increase in production and efficiency. Back as a redshirt freshman with Western Kentucky in 2023, Messer pulled down 42 receptions for 484 yards and 11.5 yards per reception. He followed that up with 793 more yards on 53 receptions. That precipitated an increase to 14.4 yards per reception, while maintaining his scoring potential with four touchdowns in each season.
Maryland gave up 31.4 points and 392.3 yards per game last season, and its outlook is just as murky in 2025. The Terrapins ranked among the bottom tier of teams in completion percentage allowed (63.8%) and yards per pass play (7.8), bolstering FAU’s chances in the season opener.
Messer will fit in just fine with the Owls, and we expect him to be the go-to target on passing plays. If the Owls are at a deficit early, that only plays into their passing attack and Messer’s fantasy potential. We’re predicting the junior wideout finishes the day as one of the top-scoring fantasy players on the main slate.
Michael Jackson (Purdue Boilermakers) $3,000
We are closing out our Week 1 plays by adding to our Purdue stack. Michael Jackson’s time at Georgia was uneventful, and that allowed him to preserve one final season of eligibility. While some may point to his one reception last year as a sign of decline, we expect Jackson to emerge as an elite playmaker with the Boilermakers.
Jackson started his collegiate career with the USC Trojans. Across three seasons, the Las Vegas native totaled 46 receptions and 498 yards. Further, he became a more reliable red zone target before his time with the program came to an end. Jackson pulled down four touchdown passes in 2022, despite playing in just eight games.
This is the premier value play on the main slate, and it just so happens to coincide with our Purdue stack. The correlated approach usually plays well on the main slate, and that’s even more true when adding players of Michael Jackson’s ilk. His affordable salary allows DFS players to load up on premier talent at running back, quarterback, or other wide receiver positions, while also offering the diversity to separate your roster from the rest.
Pictured: Devin Mockobee
Photo Credit: Imagn
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