College Football DFS Picks: Week 11 CFB DraftKings Main Slate Breakdown (Saturday, November 14th)

We’re in the stretch drive now! Teams have just three weeks to secure their respective spots in their conference championship games. Likewise, the College Football Playoff race continues to tighten. With only two undefeated teams remaining and a slew of two-loss teams, anything could happen over the final few weeks of the regular season. That leads us directly into Week 11’s main slate, which is sure to have its fair share of drama.

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We’ve got you covered for DFS purposes, highlighting our preferred players from Saturday’s main slate.

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Let’s dive into this week’s slate!

CFB DFS Quarterback Picks

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Bear Bachmeier (BYU Cougars): $8,100 DraftKings

After the BYU Cougars’ triumph over Notre Dame a few weeks ago, the Big 12 contenders appeared destined for the CFP. With two losses over the past three weeks, the Cougars’ playoff aspirations are on life support. BYU has no choice but to run the table, which could include a rematch versus Utah in Week 14. For now, the focus remains squarely on getting past the Baylor Bears in Week 11. In that regard, Bear Bachmeier should be counted on to deliver an outstanding fantasy performance.

Even in the losses, Bachmeier has showcased his game-changing abilities. The dual-threat quarterback takes what is given to him, eclipsing 2,000 passing yards on the season while leading the team with 395 rushing yards. Moreover, he’s elevated his standard in recent weeks. Since Week 6, Bachmeier has thrown for no fewer than 224 yards and has averaged 263.6 passing yards per game. As expected, he’s also motoring on the ground, netting 265 rushing yards and three scores across the five-game sample.

Surely, Bachmeier will put up some crooked numbers against Baylor’s less-than-stellar defense. The Bears rank 73rd in the country in total defense, getting burned for 378.0 yards per game. More concerningly, they gave up a disastrous 473 yards last time out against Iowa State, looking completely incapable of defending the pass or rush. That plays into Bachmeier’s strengths, foreshadowing what’s to come in Week 11.

Bachmeier’s fantasy stock took a bit of a hit following his four interceptions last week, but we see that game for the anomaly it is. Rostering the Cougars’ pivot is the ideal starting point for any winning roster in Week 11.

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Keelon Russell (Alabama Crimson Tide): $8,300 DraftKings

The Alabama Crimson Tide arc has been something else. Initially appearing unstoppable, Bama hit a devastating roadblock halfway through the season. After suffering consecutive losses, the Crimson Tide won each of their last two games and moved back into third in the CFP rankings. They are looking to continue their ascent with another masterful performance from Keelon Russell against the Vanderbilt Commodores.

While we’ve seen Russell struggle against top-end defenses, we have no apprehensions about his ability to get past the Commodores. Further, he quelled some of those concerns with his effort versus LSU last week. Against the Tigers’ 20th-ranked pass defense, Russell completed 70.8% of his passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns. That marks the second straight game in which he’s thrown for at least three scores and makes it five of his last seven.

Vanderbilt continues to rank in the bottom half of the FBS in pass defense. The Commodores gave up 254 passing yards to Mississippi State.

Russell is starting to play to his full potential as he nears the end of his sophomore campaign. With a tidy 66.3% completion percentage over his last three games, he has all the tools at his disposal to outperform the Commodores in Week 11. He leads our median and ceiling projections and should have no problem living up to the hype on the main slate.

CFB DFS Running Back Picks

DeSean Bishop (Tennessee Volunteers) $8,700 DraftKings

The Tennessee Volunteers have asserted themselves as legitimate championship contenders. Currently ranked eighth in the CFP, the Vols get by almost exclusively with their rushing attack. We’re expecting big things from DeSean Bishop against the Texas A&M Aggies.

After a tepid start to the season, there’s been no stopping Bishop since the start of October. Over the last five games, the junior has tallied 746 rushing yards, going north of the century mark in each one of those contests. On a per-game basis, that translates to 149.2 yards per game, netting 5.0 yards per rushing attempt. As inferred, that means Bishop has one of the heaviest workloads in the country, totaling 149 carries over that stretch, or 29.8 rushing attempts per game.

As good as those metrics are, Bishop’s true fantasy value lies in his scoring potential. He’s totaled nine touchdowns across the five-game sample, recording two or more scores in all but two of those contests. That assault should continue against the Aggies.

Texas A&M has struggled to defend the run throughout the season. Against SEC foes, the Aggies are giving up an average of 147.0 rushing yards per game. Mizzou and LSU led the way with 252 and 194, respectively.

DeSean Bishop has helped the Vols soar, and we’re about to see just how high he can fly. Undoubtedly, he will be among the top-performing running backs on this week’s main slate.

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Aiden Flora (Iowa State Cyclones) $8,500 DraftKings

Like the aforementioned DeSean Bishop, Aiden Flora seemingly came out of nowhere. He started with a few underwhelming performances before hitting his stride partway through the season. Flora should have no problem trampling the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday.

Like a freight train from hell, Flora has picked up speed with each passing game. He had his first 200-yard game back in Week 6 versus West Virginia, following that up with another 221 yards against Oklahoma State in Week 9 and 182 yards against Baylor last time out. Altogether, that brings him up to 1,119 rushing yards on the season, the fifth-most in the FBS. Most impressively, that total comes on a more modest 157 touches, yielding a healthy 7.1 yards per carry.

The Bearcats have never been good at defending the run, but they’ve somehow gotten worse as the season progresses. On the season, opponents are netting 181.3 rushing yards per game, inflating to 227.3 over their last three. Across that more recent stretch, Cincinnati has given up 5.9 yards per rushing attempt, with Houston reaching a not-so-nice 6.9 last time out.

As home favorites, the Cyclones should be expected to turn to their ground game early and often. That should facilitate another hefty workload for Flora, going north of 26 carries for the third straight game. We wouldn’t be surprised to see him set a new standard in Week 11. Flora is a must-roster.

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CFB DFS Wide Receiver Picks

Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State Buckeyes) $9,300

We all saw the disappointment and frustration of Jeremiah Smith in Week 10. His Ohio State Buckeyes were embarrassed at home, dropping their third game of the season. It remains to be seen whether they can fight their way back into the playoff picture. Still, we expect Smith to answer the bell against the Northwestern Wildcats.

Team success notwithstanding, Smith remains one of the most dominant players in college football. His 69 receptions are tied for the fourth-most in the country, whereas his 1,200 receiving yards are second. Smith’s crowning achievement has been his scoring prowess, as he leads the FBS with 14 touchdowns on the season.

From a fantasy perspective, that translates to 22.7 points per game, with the junior wideout going well above that mark on several occasions. He surpassed 45 fantasy points with his 217-yard and four-touchdown performance against Illinois, reaching 28.6 versus Iowa and 27.1 against Ball State.

With 22 targets over his last two games, Smith has the volume and ability to single-handedly lead the Buckeyes back into contention. He will be asked to do more against Northwestern, and we expect him to respond with another Heisman-esque performance.

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Carlos Hernandez (Wake Forest Demon Deacons) $8,200

The Miami Hurricanes have stolen the spotlight in the ACC; however, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons have entered stage right. Led by Carlos Hernandez and a vaunted passing attack, the Demon Deacons could steal the ACC spotlight before the end of the regular season.

As was the case with most of the starters last week, Hernandez was used in a limited capacity against Merrimack. Still, the senior pulled down all four of his targets for 89 yards and two tuddies. Over his last five appearances, that brings Hernandez up to 623 receiving yards (124.6 yards per game) and five touchdowns. That’s the baseline for what to expect against SMU on Saturday.

Hernandez remains the Demon Deacons’ passing-game leader. His 77 targets are nearly double those of the next closest receiver (Jack Foley, 41), as are his receiving yards (945 vs. 557) and touchdowns (7 vs. 4). That translates to a 28.5% target share and a 79.2% catch rate, both of which put Hernandez among the elite pass-catchers in college football.

The Mustangs’ pass defense is eroding. The Mustangs are giving up an average of 196.8 passing yards per game on the season, but their last three opponents have netted 756 yards (252.0 per game). Wake’s 13th-ranked passing attack will take advantage, and Hernandez will be the primary recipient. Make room for the Demon Deacons’ wideout on your roster.

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Walker Lyons (BYU Cougars) $3,700

We’ve highlighted some noteworthy fantasy candidates with our earlier picks. Now it’s time to shift focus to a premier value player while checking our usual stacking box. On the Week 11 main slate, we’re pairing Bear Bachmeier with undervalued tight end Walker Lyons.

Bachmeier has distributed the ball equitably this season. Three different Cougars have eclipsed 31 receptions, 45 targets, and 350 receiving yards. Of that trio, Lyons enters Saturday with the lowest salary, representing similar production for a fraction of the cost. More importantly, the junior has seen a surge in workload, suggesting he should easily outperform the implied value of his salary.

Over the past couple of games, Lyons’ 17 targets are just one behind Legend Glasker for the team lead. As is typically the case with tight ends, he’s also been sure-handed by hauling in 12 of those throws for a 70.6% catch rate. With his surge in production (146 yards), Lyons is primed to lead BYU against the Bears.

Baylor has looked particularly ineffective at defending against tight ends. Last week, Iowa State’s Tyler Fortenberry nabbed three of four targets for 35 yards. Two weeks prior, Kansas tight end Carson Bruhn grabbed all five targets for 63 yards and a score. Altogether, opposing tight ends have hauled in 16 of 21 targets over Baylor’s past four games.

Walker Lyons has cemented his position as one of Bachmeier’s favorite targets. DFS punters can wield that advantage in Week 11, including the Cougars’ tight end on their rosters.

Pictured: Bear Bachmeier
Photo Credit: Imagn