After two weeks of swimming in shallow waters, we’re diving headfirst into the deep end of the college football season. Conference play is upon us, meaning the intensity only gets ratcheted up from here on out. Several teams are already at risk of falling completely out of the playoff picture, leaving no room for error as we embark on the most purposeful part of the 2025 schedule.
We’ve got you covered for DFS purposes, highlighting our preferred players from Saturday’s main slate.
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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.
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Let’s dive into this week’s slate!
CFB DFS Quarterback Picks
Eli Holstein (Pittsburgh Panthers): $7,400 DraftKings
The. Backyard. Brawl. Few rivalries in college football match the fervor and revelry of the Pittsburgh Panthers versus the West Virginia Mountaineers. West Virginia has looked suspect early on, and its weaknesses will be exposed by Eli Holstein and the Panthers.
Holstein has been sensational to open his sophomore campaign. The Panthers’ quarterback ranks 12th in the nation in QBR, thanks to his 70.6% completion rating and 10.2 yards per pass attempt. He saw most of the game action in the season opener but looked even better in last week’s clash versus the Central Michigan Chippewas. In that contest, Holstein went 21-for-28, for a 75.0% completion rating, 304 passing yards, and four touchdowns. Additionally, he toted the ball four times for 36 yards.
West Virginia’s secondary will have a hard time preventing Holstein from continuing his aerial assault. In Week 2, Parker Navarro completed 22-of-31 pass attempts for 247 yards, albeit with three interceptions to just one touchdown. Moreover, Navarro rushed the ball 18 times for 87 yards. Unlike his Ohio counterpart, Holstein should limit the throwing mistakes and keep the chains moving for Pitt.
The Panthers enter the non-conference tilt as meaty -7.5 road chalk, and that’s a reflection of Eli Holstein’s abilities under center. Expect the signal-caller to keep the ball moving all game, racking up fantasy points through the air and on the ground. In the end, he should finish the day as one of the top fantasy producers on the main slate.
John Mateer (Oklahoma Sooners): $9,400 DraftKings
The Oklahoma Sooners look to continue their perfect run to open the season, taking on the 2-0 Temple Owls. While Temple has held its own against lesser competition, John Mateer and the Sooners should feast from start to finish on Saturday.
In his first season with Oklahoma, Mateer has been everything the Sooners were hoping for. Through two games, the transfer pivot has completed 71.8% of his passes for 662 yards, or 9.3 yards per pass attempt. That passing prowess is complemented by elite rushing skills, as we saw in last week’s Top 25 showdown versus the Michigan Wolverines. In that game, Mateer took off 19 times for 74 yards and two touchdowns. His dual-threat capabilities make him a catalyst on offense while also making him one of the premier fantasy quarterbacks this season.
Temple has yet to be tested, but we don’t like the Owls’ chances of stymying the Sooners. Mateer has a plethora of elite pass-catching options at his disposal, and he’s shown the ability to run freely throughout his career. In short, the AAC defense won’t stack up well against one of the top offenses in the country.
Not surprisingly, Mateer leads our median and ceiling projections. Granted, his salary is one of the highest on the main slate, but the senior should have no problem living up to his billing. Undoubtedly, Mateer is worth the investment against Temple.
CFB DFS Running Back Picks
CJ Baxter (Texas Longhorns) $7,500 DraftKings
The absence of Quintrevion Wisner has resulted in a shifting dynamic in the Texas Longhorns’ backfield. Wisner didn’t appear on any injury reports ahead of Week 2’s tilt against San Jose State. But after missing the Longhorns’ latest game, Wisner remains doubtful for Saturday’s test versus the UTEP Miners. With that, CJ Baxter is positioned to solidify his spot as Texas’ top running back.
Baxter was the go-to rushing option in last week’s win. The sophomore carried the ball 13 times for 64 yards, benchmarks that should be on the rise after a full week of practice with the first team. More importantly, we’re anticipating improved efficiency in Saturday’s battle at DKR Stadium. Last season, Baxter averaged 4.8 yards per carry while taking on some of the premier defenses in the country. Now settling into a non-conference tilt against a bottom-feeding Group of 5 program, the Florida native is poised for a breakout.
UTEP gave up 88 yards and a touchdown to Miles Davis on just 12 carries in Week 1. While they fared better against Tennessee-Martin last week, there’s no reason to believe the Miners can contain Baxter and the Longhorns’ attack on the road.
Baxter is the bell cow out of the backfield for at least one more week. He should have no problem surpassing the implied value of his $7,500 salary and should steal the show on Saturday.
Noah Whittington (Oregon Ducks) $5,600 DraftKings
Arguably, there’s been no bigger surprise in 2025 than Noah Whittington. Now playing in his sixth collegiate season, the Oregon Ducks’ running back has emerged as an unstoppable force for the National Championship contenders. His salary doesn’t reflect it yet, but Whittington is a fantasy stud worthy of a fantasy roster spot week after week.
Whittington was expected to play second fiddle to Makhi Hughes this season, but he’s earned a more prominent role after two showstopping performances. In the season opener, Whittington churned out 68 yards on 10 carries, including a game-high 35-yard jaunt. His efficiency improved in Week 2, when he busted out for 91 yards and a touchdown on just four touches. Included in that was a monster 59-yard carry, in which he went untouched into the end zone.
The Ducks have incorporated a plethora of runners into their offense, with 12 different players logging rushing attempts. However, Whittington stands above the rest in terms of carries, rushing yards, and efficiency.
As -27.5 chalk, Oregon should be able to stake itself to an early lead, which should precipitate increased reliance on the ground game. Whittington should continue to receive the lion’s share of touches and will flash his game-changing abilities versus a Wildcats squad that gave up 269 rushing yards to Tulane in Week 1. Whittington should blow past expectations yet again and put together another robust fantasy performance on Saturday.
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CFB DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Makai Lemon (USC Trojans) $6,700
The USC Trojans are desperately trying to reassert themselves as a college football powerhouse. The early 2025 returns are promising, thanks to Makai Lemon and a rejuvenated passing attack. The Trojans will turn to the air early and often, setting the stage for another herculean effort from Lemon.
The Trojans’ wideout has been untouchable to start the campaign. Already, Lemon has pulled down 11 receptions for 248 yards and two scores. He went off for 90 yards on seven catches in Week 1, following that up with 158 yards on four receptions last time out. As impressive as those numbers appear, Lemon’s biggest asset is his reliability. The junior has caught 11 of 13 targets for an 84.6% catch rate while leading the team in target share.
The Purdue Boilermakers have yet to be tested this season, but as inferred by the betting line, we expect them to get a failing grade in Week 3. Lemon will once again be a driving force on offense, reaching the upper limits of his fantasy ceiling at Ross-Ade Stadium.
Malachi Toney (Miami Hurricanes) $7,700
We have set our sights on the upper end of the salary spectrum, keying in on Malachi Toney. The Miami Hurricanes’ wide receiver has one of the highest salaries on the main slate, which he will validate with another leading effort against the South Florida Bulls.
The true freshman showed no signs of apprehension in a season-opening win versus the formidable Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Toney pulled down six of 10 targets for 82 yards and a touchdown, following that up with another 80 yards on six catches (seven targets) in Week 2. In doing so, he vaulted to the top of the Hurricanes’ stat sheet in targets, receptions, and yards, a truly remarkable feat for an incoming high schooler.
As good as South Florida has looked this season, the Bulls have shown cracks in their secondary. Last week, DJ Lagway completed 69.7% of his passes, with seven of eight Gators recording a 60.0% catch rate or better. Likewise, the Bulls allowed three Boise State Broncos to record at least four catches, accounting for over half of Boise State’s passing yardage.
Toney has quickly shot himself to the top of the Hurricanes’ depth chart and Carson Beck’s progressions. They face a stiff challenge against an upstart USF program, but if Notre Dame couldn’t slow down the freshman, there’s little the Bulls can do to hold serve. Toney continues his ascent with another game-changing performance on Saturday.
Keontez Lewis (Oklahoma Sooners) $5,300
We’re wrapping up our preview with a value-stacking option. As noted, John Mateer is primed to sustain his elite play to open the season. To offset his high salary, DFS players should set their sights on Keontez Lewis as a pass-catching option on the main slate.
Lewis has matched Deion Burks’ production, but he comes at a fraction of the cost. Burks’ salary is set at $7,500, with Lewis coming in at $5,300. However, the latter has proven to be equally as reliable in terms of fantasy production. Lewis has hauled in 12 receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns, compared to Burks’ 14 receptions, 189 yards, and two scores.
Burks has a slight advantage in terms of target share, but Lewis has proven to be the more reliable pass-catcher. Lewis has hauled in 12 of his 15 targets this season, for an astounding 80.0% catch rate.
If Mateer goes off as anticipated, assuredly, he will need to rely on his favorite targets to get open. With Lewis matching Burks’ production, we’re leaning on the senior as a value play at the bottom of the roster.
Pictured: John Mateer
Photo Credit: Imagn
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