We are so back, baby! It’s been a hellish seven months without college football, but here we are, sitting on the eve of Week 0, and the anticipation is palpable. Even by Week 0 standards, this is a light slate. Nevertheless, DFS is a go, and that means we’re ready to put the FantasyLabs model to use.
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
Jalon Daniels (Kansas Jayhawks) – $7,800 DraftKings
There is so much to like about dual-threat quarterbacks, and Jalon Daniels is one of the premier guys to watch this season. He leads the Kansas Jayhawks into a non-conference tilt versus the Fresno State Bulldogs, and he’ll be ready to get the ball downfield on Saturday.
Daniels can beat teams with his arms and legs. Last season, the junior threw multiple scoring passes in three of his last seven outings, a stretch that included an above-average 60.0% completion percentage. Moreover, his run-scoring plays increased as the season went on, with Daniels crossing the plane in four of those seven contests. Now heading into his senior year, the bar is set even higher for Daniels to succeed.
The Bulldogs had a middling defense last season, but they got worse in conference play. With turnover in their linebackers’ corps, we could see the Bulldogs struggle early while they find their identity. Daniels’ salary doesn’t reflect his ceiling, and we expect him to be one of the highest-scoring fantasy players in Week 0.
Maverick McIvor (Western Kentucky Hilltoppers): $8,500 DraftKings
We’re going to see an entirely new version of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers this season. Led by Maverick McIvor under center, WKU has eight new starters on the offensive side of the ball. But we trust head coach Tyson Helton to have his group ready for the season opener on Saturday.
In six seasons at the helm in Western Kentucky, Helton has led his team to a winning record in all but one of those campaigns. Now with McIvor leading the charge, the Hilltoppers are poised to maintain that streak through 2025. Last season with Abilene Christian, McIvor threw for nearly 4,000 yards and had a sterling 30-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. With multiple weapons at his disposal, we’re expecting similar production with the Hilltoppers.
While the Sam Houston Bearkats’ defense was solid, there were a few cracks in their armor. Sam Houston gave up a 62.9% completion percentage last season, relegating them to 89th in the country. Further, they were torched by the Hilltoppers in last season’s meeting, giving up 281 passing yards and three scores.
McIvor could fly under the radar most weeks, but the spotlight is shining brightly on a light Week 0 slate. Expect the newly minted starter to respond appropriately and deliver one of the premier fantasy efforts to kick off the season.
CFB DFS Running Back Picks
La’Vell Wright (Western Kentucky Hilltoppers) $6,900 DraftKings
Stacking is always a winning strategy in the DFS world, and we’re deploying that strategy early in Week 0. La’Vell Wright makes his triumphant return to the FBS ranks, joining Western Kentucky for his senior season. Wright broke onto the scene with Kentucky back in 2021, spending two years with the Wildcats before suiting up for Austin Peay last year. Now the presumptive leadback for the Hilltoppers, Wright is poised to go off on Saturday.
Wright finally started to live up to his potential in 2024. As a junior, he toted the ball 115 times for 643 yards and five scores. Included in that sample were a pair of 140-yard rushing efforts, in which he collected three of his five touchdowns. Most impressively, Wright has true breakaway potential. He flashed it with the Wildcats and Governors, but we think it will be his best asset in the CUSA. Wright had double-digit jaunts in all but one of his 10 outings last season, including a season-high 72-yard effort versus Southern Utah.
The Hilltoppers enter Saturday’s clash as decisive -10.5 favorites. If they build an early lead, as anticipated, we should see them lean into their run game versus the Bearkats. With that, Wright’s fantasy ceiling goes through the roof, and we expect him to test the upper limits of our projections.
Landon Sims (Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors) $5,200 DraftKings
College football bettors get an early dose of the degen special, with the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors hosting the Stanford Cardinal for a late-night tilt in Week 0. Landon Sims is set to take over the backfield for Hawaii, and he will give the home faithful plenty to cheer about on Saturday.
Sims was a secondary rushing option behind dual-threat Brayden Schager last season. Still, it was his second straight season of rushing the ball at least 63 times, and he set a new career high with 351 yards. With Micah Alejado set to take over under center, we should see Sims deployed more frequently this season.
Additionally, Sims plays a vital role in the Rainbow Warriors’ passing attack. He was an outlet for Schager, churning out 153 yards on just 13 receptions, marking the second straight season in which he broke the century mark. His every-down potential should have fantasy purveyors salivating in 2025.
Stanford’s defense poses little to no threat versus Hawai’i, and Sims should thrive. We’re predicting a monstrous performance from the senior running back at home.
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CFB DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Levi Wentz (Kansas Jayhawks) $4,100
Let’s queue up our favorite value play of the weekend. Levi Wentz was a beast for the Jayhawks last season. The wideout finished second on UAlbany in receptions and receiving yards, and he figures to be Daniels’ go-to man in Kansas. That’s a correlated approach fantasy punters should gravitate toward on this week’s main slate.
While touchdowns were scarce, Wentz was a high-volume receiver throughout the 2024 campaign. He recorded three or more receptions in eight of his last nine games, including 13 total receptions across the final two outings. Further, he eclipsed the century mark on three occasions, including a career-best 138-yard effort in the penultimate game of the season.
The Jayhawks will be able to extract maximum value from their passing attack, thanks to Wentz’s deep threat ability. He averaged 15.5 yards per reception as a junior, and we expect that total to climb this season.
Fresno State gave up an average of 270.3 passing yards per game across their last three games of the season in 2024. Kansas will add to those woes, and Wentz will be the primary beneficiary. He’s a must-roster in any tournament or format.
Qua’Vez Humphreys (Sam Houston Bearkats) $5,400
If things go as expected, the Sam Houston Bearkats will need to throw the ball to keep pace versus WKU. With that, we anticipate Qua’Vez Humphreys to be one of the most heavily targeted receivers on Saturday. The wideout has big play ability, and he will be called upon to get yards in big chunks.
While his season totals were modest, Humphreys proved to be an x-factor in Sam Houston’s attack. He totaled 385 yards on just 20 receptions, equaling 19.3 yards per catch. More importantly, he was a primary target early in the season, before an injury derailed the latter part of his campaign. Ten of Humphrey’s 20 receptions came in the first three weeks, including 234 yards and three of his four touchdowns.
Barring any setbacks, Humphreys is ready to shine as a senior. His path to fantasy glory starts against a rebuilt Hilltoppers’ secondary. You will find Humphreys in the endzone plenty this season, and triple-digit receiving yard performances could be a regular occurrence.
Pofele Ashlock (Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors) $6,900
There is no denying Pofele Ashlock’s fantasy potential, and that’s reflected in his slate-leading salary. Still, we would be remiss if we didn’t highlight him as a game-changing fantasy option in Week 0.
In two seasons with the Rainbow Warriors, Ashlock has been one of the program’s most reliable producers. The Texas native has recorded 144 receptions, 1,461 yards, and 15 touchdowns across those campaigns. Further, he has recorded no fewer than 61 catches or 629 yards in either season.
A mid-season lull in 2024 robbed Ashlock of more robust metrics; however, at his best, no one on the Rainbow Warriors could hold a candle to him. As a sophomore, he posted five games of at least eight receptions and surpassed 73 receiving yards in six of his 11 games.
Micah Alejado took over in last season’s regular season finale, throwing for 469 yards on 37-for-57 passing. In that contest, Ashlock reeled in eight passes for 79 yards and a touchdown. That’s the floor for what to expect from the speedy pass-catcher in Week 0, and we predict Ashlock will blow past that.
Pictured: Jalon Daniels
Photo Credit: Imagn
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