Inarguably, Week 5’s slate is the most titillating college football show of the 2025 season so far. The schedule is loaded with several crucial Top 25 and conference showdowns. Moreover, this serves as an inflection point as several teams try to salvage their seasons. That means there will be a no-holds-barred approach to this Saturday, as teams put their best foot forward to keep their championship aspirations going.
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
Haynes King (Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets): $7,900 DraftKings
For whatever reason, no one is paying attention to what Haynes King and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets are doing this season. So, for those who haven’t been paying attention, you’re in for a treat on Saturday afternoon.
King has been a fantasy gold mine all season. The Yellow Jackets’ pivot is averaging nearly 30 fantasy points per contest, using his arm and legs to bolster his standing. Through three games, King is completing 69.7% of his passes for 11.2 yards per completion. Further, he has taken off 52 times for 274 yards and five scores.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons don’t possess the defensive faculties to limit Haynes King and the Yellow Jackets’ attack. They are giving up an average of 132.2 rushing yards per game, a sample that includes contests against FCS Western Carolina and Group of 5 Kennesaw State.
Even with another convincing win, the Yellow Jackets won’t get the credit they deserve for their early-season accomplishments. Still, DFS players will be ready to capitalize, because that means King could fly under the radar for another week.
Taylen Green (Arkansas Razorbacks): $9,100 DraftKings
Now a fifth-year senior, Taylen Green is hoping to elevate the Arkansas Razorbacks into the next stratosphere. While the team’s success has been intermittent, Green has established himself as one of the premier quarterbacks in the country. All eyes will be on him as the Razorbacks take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday.
Green has been airing it out relentlessly to open the season. Already, the Texas native has 1,191 passing yards and 12 touchdowns, while averaging 31.5 passing attempts per game. Green is well on his way to eclipsing the 3,154 passing yards and 15 touchdowns—both career highs—he threw last season.
Moreover, Notre Dame isn’t the same defensive powerhouse we’ve seen in years past. So far this season, the Irish are giving up 397.0 yards and 32.7 points per game. Those benchmarks relegate Notre Dame to 100th and 118th in the FBS, respectively.
Arkansas had this game circled since schedules were announced, and they’ll be ready to give their home faithful a show. Green is the catalyst, and we expect him to deliver a slate-leading performance.
CFB DFS Running Back Picks
Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame Fighting Irish) $8,500 DraftKings
The Fighting Irish can deploy their own not-so-secret offensive weapon in their Week 5 clash versus the Razorbacks. Jeremiyah Love has taken over Notre Dame’s backfield, and we think he has something special in store for Saturday.
Undoubtedly, Love is the bell cow on offense. He leads the team in carries while also absorbing part of the workload in the passing attack. The junior has churned out 284 yards on 52 rushing attempts, adding 79 yards on eight receptions and 13 targets.
Analytically, we have Love earmarked for progression in Week 5. He’s coming off his most disappointing start of the season, mustering just 33 rushing yards on 10 carries versus Miami (FL). As such, we’re anticipating a massive surge in productivity and efficiency when the Irish take on the Razorbacks.
Defense has been a limiting factor for Arkansas, playing into Love’s anticipated breakout performance in Fayetteville. With the Pigs giving up almost 160 rushing yards per game, Love is destined for one of the premier showings on the main slate.
Jonah Coleman (Washington Huskies) $6,900 DraftKings
The Washington Huskies have their work cut out for themselves in Week 5. The undefeated Big Ten competitors host the defending national champion Ohio State Buckeyes at Husky Stadium. The betting market may be short on their chances, but Jonah Coleman will quell those concerns.
Simply, Coleman has been unstoppable to open the 2025 campaign. The Huskies’ running back has a whopping 347 rushing yards on 51 carries, complemented by 150 receiving yards on just eight receptions. He was taken out early in last week’s romp over Washington State but still put up 59 yards on 13 carries and 104 receiving yards on six receptions.
Reaching the century mark in total yardage is the low end of the spectrum for Coleman. The senior has recorded no fewer than 135 total yards in any game this season. Further, he’s scored at least two touchdowns in every contest.
As reflected in his salary, the DFS market doesn’t expect much from Coleman on this week’s main slate. Still, his versatility will undoubtedly be an asset as he remains the engine that drives the Huskies’ offense. Count us as believers in Coleman to vastly exceed the implied value of his salary.
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CFB DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Makai Lemon (USC Trojans) $7,300
After years of trying to get back into the college football elite, the USC Trojans have finally arrived. Their recent success has been supplied by a rejuvenated offense, led by the presence of Makai Lemon in the aerial assault.
Lemon is quickly approaching Heisman Trophy consideration. The Trojans’ wideout already has 438 receiving yards on 24 receptions, serving as the first look in Jayden Maiava’s progressions. Lemon leads the team with a mind-numbing 35.8% target share and has an even more impressive 82.8% catch rate.
The Illinois Fighting Illini’s defense has been vulnerable all season, but particularly against the pass. Opponents are averaging 199.5 passing yards per game, which is dwarfed by the 267 Illinois gave up last week.
USC will continue to prioritize Makai Lemon in the passing attack, and he should have no problem maintaining his current production against Illinois. His salary is slowly increasing; still, there is a ton of value in adding Lemon in any format or tournament.
Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State Buckeyes) $9,000
There’s no hiding from Jeremiah Smith. The Ohio State Buckeyes receiver is a frontrunner in Heisman Trophy betting and one of the highest-salaried wideouts week after week. His reputation only grows in Week 5.
Even with opponents keying in on Smith, there’s nothing they can do to slow him down. The sophomore has totaled 315 receiving yards on 20 receptions, eclipsing the 100-yard plateau in two of his three outings. Not surprisingly, Smith has been one of the more sure-handed receivers, nabbing 20 of his 27 targets for a 74.1% catch rate.
Washington’s defensive metrics are suboptimal, a characteristic that looks even worse when adjusted for opponent. The Huskies are giving up 178.0 passing yards per game despite taking on Colorado State, UC Davis, and Washington State.
Jeremiah Smith is doing things no other sophomore can replicate. His salary reflects his potential on the Week 5 main slate, but he’s still worth the investment.
Mario Craver (Texas A&M Aggies) $5,200
We’re abandoning our usual correlated/stacking approach in favor of who we consider to be the best value on the main slate. Mario Craver leads his Texas A&M Aggies into a pivotal conference showdown versus the Auburn Tigers. In case you missed it last time out, Craver will show up on most people’s radars after this one.
While he hasn’t garnered the same kind of hoopla as other top wide receivers, Craver is surely performing at the same level. The sophomore has produced 443 yards on 20 receptions, surpassing 114 yards in all three of his matchups. Most impressively, he burned Notre Dame for 207 yards and a touchdown in the Aggies’ upset win back in Week 3.
This is an absolutely terrible scheduling spot for the Auburn Tigers. The Aggies are rested and coming off a bye ahead of this SEC tilt. Conversely, this is Auburn’s fifth game of the season, including their third road contest.
Texas A&M is ready to ride Mario Craver to another conference win. As reflected in his median and ceiling projections, the wideout will again be a featured contributor on offense. We predict another monstrous fantasy performance from Craver against the Tigers.
Pictured: Haynes King
Photo Credit: Imagn
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