How did we get here? Ten weeks into the college football season, championship weekend is already in sight, and the college football playoff is starting to take shape. Week 10 is highlighted by a bevy of top 25 matchups, with ten of the top teams in the country taking to the field against each other. There are a pair of Big 12 battles, SEC showdowns, and a Pac-12 skirmish, all of which will factor into which teams potentially advance to the national semifinal.
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
Jordan Travis (Florida State Seminoles): $9,000 DraftKings
The Florida State Seminoles have flown under the radar as a National Championship contender. FSU is off to a perfect start, going 8-0 through the first two months of the season and sitting in the fourth seed in the CFP rankings. Jordan Travis has been a catalyst on offense and should have no problem exposing an overmatched Pittsburgh Panthers squad.
Travis has been one of the pre-eminent dual-threat quarterbacks across the FBS. His 2,109 passing yards put him 30th in the nation, and his 205 rushing yards are 45th-most among quarterbacks. Travis is one of only a handful of signal-callers to straddle both categories. More importantly, he’s our median and ceiling projections leader on Saturday’s main slate.
The Panthers defense sits in the middle of the pack in yards and points allowed, but they are trending in the wrong direction over their recent sample. Last week, Notre Dame hung 58 points and 535 yards on Pitt, driving their five-game averages up to 35.8 and 420.4, respectively.
Travis is proliferating over his recent sample. The senior pivot has thrown for 264 or more yards in three straight, running for 58 or more in two of three. Altogether, he’s totaled 95.04 fantasy points over the three-game stretch, a benchmark that only ratchets higher against Pitt.
Jordan McCloud (James Madison Dukes): $8,100 DraftKings
There are some highly regarded quarterbacks available on the main slate, all of whom will likely be heavily drafted on Saturday. As such, we’re going to zig when others zag, pointing to Jordan McCloud as an underrated fantasy commodity.
Like Travis, McCloud is a dual threat that can burn defenses with his arm or legs. McCloud’s 2,036 passing yards and 210 rushing yards are on par with Travis, with both QBs dishing out an identical 18 touchdowns. The comparisons don’t end there, like his Seminoles counterpart, McCloud has also been more effective over his recent stretch.
Going back to Week 5, a five-game sample, the Dukes signal-caller is averaging 31.32 fantasy points and accounting for 331.4 yards per game. That proficiency is reflected in our algorithm this week, with McCloud ranking among the best available.
The Dukes have a relatively unobstructed path to victory over the Georgia State Panthers. JMU enters the Sun Belt showdown as -5.5 chalk against a Panthers defense that has given up an average of nearly 400 yards per game over their last three. McCloud will add to those woes in Week 10.
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CFB DFS Running Back Picks
Ollie Gordon (Oklahoma State Cowboys): $7,200 DraftKings
Opponents have taken turns beating up on the Oklahoma Sooners over the past couple of weeks, a trend Ollie Gordon and the Oklahoma State Cowboys hope to extend into Week 10.
Gordon is having a breakout campaign in 2023. The sophomore has already surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark, putting him atop the FBS leaderboard. However, Gordon’s success isn’t limited to volume or touches, as his ten scores are tied for the ninth-most rushing touchdowns across the country.
More impressively, we’ve seen Gordon unlock his Heisman potential over the last couple of weeks. The Texas native has run for at least 271 yards in his previous two outings, toting the ball 54 times for a gaudy 553 yards and six touchdowns. That extends his streak of at least 100 rushing yards to five games.
Defense was never Oklahoma’s strength, but they’ve looked particularly bad more recently. Over their past three games, opponents are averaging 455.7 yards against the Sooners, 176.7 of which are coming on the ground. That sets Gordon and the Cowboys offense up for another strong showing, as he lives up to his billing as the top running back on the board.
Marcus Carroll (Georgia State Panthers): $7,000 DraftKings
Georgia State has its own offensive weapon it can unleash in its clash against the Dukes. Marcus Carroll has been the bellcow of the Panthers offense, accumulating the second-most rushing yards among FBS running backs. He’ll run roughshod over a James Madison side that was burned for a season-worst 137 rushing yards last week.
Carroll has more carries and yards than any other back, toting the ball 196 times through his first eight games of the year for 1,060 yards. That works out to an inflated average of 24.6 carries and 132.5 yards per game. Predictably, there’s a strong scoring correlation, with the Panthers back also tied for the fourth-most scores among rushers.
Still, Carroll’s contributions aren’t limited to the ground game. The senior has added 146 yards on 13 catches in the passing game, highlighting his versatility as an every-down back. The Panthers have recognized that strength and leaned into Carroll, feeding him the ball 82 times over the previous three games, resulting in 477 rushing yards.
The total for this Panthers vs. Dukes contest is set in the mid-50s, but that still might not be high enough. Both teams feature offensively gifted players, and this one could easily turn into a good old-fashioned shootout. If that’s the case, you’ll want players from both teams, and Carroll is the ideal Panther to target on this side of the ball.
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CFB DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Luther Burden (Missouri Tigers): $6,900 DraftKings
From Week 2 through 6, no one could touch Luther Burden. Over that stretch, the Missouri Tigers wide receiver totaled 697 yards on 47 catches, yielding an untouchable 155.7 fantasy points. Burden may have fallen off that pace the last couple of games, but he’s ripe for progression in Week 10.
Burden’s magical run came to a screeching halt in Week 7. The sophomore had just two catches for 15 yards against the Kentucky Wildcats, following that up with an improved 90-yard effort against the South Carolina Gamecocks. That’s a step in the right direction and a precursor to what should get him closer to the highs Burden previously achieved.
With a week off to prepare for the two-time defending National Champion Georgia Bulldogs, Mizzou will need their best players to step up on Saturday. Chief among them is Burden, who leads the team in every receiving category by a substantial margin. His 905 yards are more than double the next closest Tiger, while his 87 targets match the next two closest pass-catchers beneath him.
Burden’s salary does not yet reflect his potential, making him a steal on the main slate. Building your receiving corps around him could afford some much-needed flexibility in other spots. Make Burden a priority on Saturday.
Marvin Harrison (Ohio State Buckeyes): $8,900 DraftKings
We’ve avoided the temptation of rostering Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison for most of the season. But his upside is too good to pass up in Week 10. Harrison may have a cost-prohibitive salary, but he could very well end the day as the top fantasy performer, irrespective of position.
The junior wideout has been the Buckeyes’ top pass-catcher again this season. Through eight games, Harrison has compiled 889 yards, eight TDs, and 48 catches on 85 targets. Harrison Jr. got off to a slow start, falling below 32 receiving yards in two of his first four games. However, he’s gotten progressively better each time out and is about to peak at the right time of year.
The Philadelphia native has 105 or more receiving yards in four straight contests, totaling 31 catches along the way. Moreover, Harrison has been targeted at least 11 times in each of those outings, easily setting the high mark on the team each time out.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights have a vaunted pass defense, but they have yet to see the likes of Harrison and the Buckeyes offense. The Ohio State receiver will again be a focal point, maintaining his lofty standards at SHI Stadium in New Jersey.
Reggie Brown (James Madison Dukes): $5,000 DraftKings
There are several stacking options to consider with our aforementioned quarterbacks. You wouldn’t be wrong for pairing Keon Coleman or Jaheim Bell with Jordan Travis. Alternatively, you could turn to Elijah Sarratt of the Dukes at a discounted $4,800 salary to secure next to McCloud. But for just $200 more, you could get Reggie Brown, who rates as one of the best receivers available, at a penny-pinching $5,000.
Brown has been a revelation all season, but he’s found a new gear of late. Over his previous two outings, the senior has hauled in 15 of 22 targets for 268 yards and three scores. Further, that’s the third time in five games that Brown has recorded at least 124 receiving yards and the sixth time this year he’s led the team in targets.
As noted, Georgia State’s abandoned its defensive structure over its recent schedule, but they’ve been particularly bad against the pass all year. The Panthers rank 111th in against FBS opponents, giving up 264.9 passing yards per game.
Stacking Brown with McCloud could be a sneaky, low-cost pairing to separate your lineup from others. Both players rate highly in our projections and should maintain their connection on the road against Georgia State.
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