It’s been a week for college football fans, and we haven’t even gotten to the meaty part of the schedule yet. Week 7 started with a trio of contests on Wednesday night, followed by two more on Wednesday and Thursday. Over that stretch, there’s been several notable upsets and some high-scoring affairs. Hopefully, that’s foreshadowing what to expect over the coming days as we conclude what’s sure to be another eventful week of NCAAF action.
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
Michael Penix Jr. (Washington Huskies): $10,200 DraftKings
Whichever team emerges from the Oregon Ducks vs. Washington Huskies clash puts themselves on a fast track to the Pac-12 Championship game. Washington opened as modest -1.5 favorites, but bettors have bought that line up to -3 and climbing. We tend to agree, deferring to Michael Penix over Bo Nix as our preferred quarterback DFS play.
So far this season, Penix Jr. has been the superior fantasy option under center. The Huskies signal-caller ranks second in the country with 1,999 passing yards, third in touchdowns with 16, and fourth in passer rating. Moreover, Penix Jr. is setting new personal benchmarks across the board. The senior has a career-best 74.7% completion rating, averaging 11.2 yards per pass attempt.
Those stats could ratchet higher against a relatively untested Ducks’ secondary. Oregon’s stiffest competition came against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in Week 2, a game in which Tyler Shough threw for 282 yards and three scores.
Penix Jr. will have the home crowd at his back and can pick apart the Ducks on Saturday. He’s near the front of our projections, but Penix Jr. could set the bar even higher than expected against Oregon.
Taulia Tagovailoa (Maryland Terrapins): $8,200 DraftKings
The Maryland Terrapins have one of the most unobstructed paths to victory in Week 7. The Big Ten contenders enter Saturday’s conference tilt against the Illinois Fighting Illini as -13.5 chalk, with the total hovering in the low 50s. Taulia Tagovailoa has been integral to the team’s success and could be one of the top fantasy producers on Saturday.
Tagovailoa was held in check by the Ohio State Buckeyes last week, completing just over 50.0% of his passes and throwing two interceptions. He’ll have a much easier time throwing against an inferior Illinois squad, who aren’t even close to the same realm as Ohio State. Illinois gives up an average of 225.5 passing yards per game, jumping to 247.0 as the visitors. Worse, they are giving up 28.8 points per game against FBS opponents, inflating to 39.0 on the road.
The Terrapins quarterback has enjoyed success this season, but it’s not limited to the aerial assault. Tagovailoa is also tied for the team lead in rushing touchdowns, crossing the plane four times already this season. That added layer gives him a leg up over other quarterbacks available versus an ineffective Fighting Illini defense.
Already this season, Tagovailoa has thrown for more than 340 yards in two of three home games. Further, he’s completing 67.7% of his throws with a 10-2 touchdown to interception ratio at SECU Stadium. Don’t be tempted by other quarterbacks; Tagovailoa is the pivot to target.
CFB DFS Running Back Picks
Bucky Irving (Oregon Ducks): $7,500 DraftKings
Once again, the heavyweight bout between the Huskies and Ducks factors into our running back ratings; however, this time, we give the edge to Bucky Irving. The Ducks running back has been remarkable this season, showcasing as an every-down back for Oregon. Still, his price doesn’t reflect his ceiling, making Irving one of the top values available.
The junior does it all. Irving ranks first on the team in carries and yards, totaling 50 carries and 393 yards through five games. However, Irving has also been a noteworthy pass-catcher for Bo Nix in the passing game, hauling in all but two of his 20 targets for 137 more yards. That puts Irving second on the team in receptions and fifth in receiving yards.
Washington has been penetrable against the pass or run this season, playing into Irving’s versatility. Nix can sit back and take what the Huskies give him, leaning into his top-tier running back to get yards however needed.
Oregon will need their best players to step up to keep things close in this crucial Pac-12 matchup. Irving should feature prominently in the game planning en route to one of his best performances of the season. We’re highlighting the Ducks’ leading rusher as the premier running back available.
Devin Neal (Kansas Jayhawks): $6,700 DraftKings
We are making another value play with our second selection, turning to Devin Neal as our must-roster running back. The Kansas Jayhawks have deployed Neal as their feature back, and the junior has responded with some of the best metrics in the conference.
Neal is well on his way to surpassing the high marks he set in his sophomore campaign. Already, Neal has 593 rushing yards, leaving him less than 500 short of the 1,090 he accumulated last year. Consequently, his yards per carry is almost 2.0 higher than in 2022, with Neal averaging 7.7, up from 6.1 last year.
Additionally, we can’t dismiss his value added in the passing game. Neal sits third on the team in receptions and fourth in yards, highlighting his importance to the Jayhawks’ offense.
Still, his salary doesn’t reflect Neal’s potential. We’re designating Neal as the top value on the board and recommending him under any format. Rostering Neal affords some flexibility in other positions, leaving more room in the budget for other top picks.
Blake Corum (Michigan Wolverines): $8,400 DraftKings
There’s no disputing the Michigan Wolverines’ acumen as championship contenders; however, their defense is getting the lion’s share of credit for their success. We’ve looked past Blake Corum on occasion this season, but we like him to excel in Week 7 against the Indiana Hoosiers.
For starters, Indiana is one of the worst run defenses in the FBS rank. They rank 102nd in rushing yards allowed, letting opponents steamroll them to the tune of 182.5 yards per game and 5.5 yards per carry. In each of their past two games, the Hoosiers have allowed two 100-yard rushers in each contest.
That’s a pretty tantalizing invitation for Corum. The senior running back ran for 69 yards on seven carries last time out, bumping his season-long yards per carry up to 5.6. He remains below last year’s benchmark of 7.3, implying Corum is a progression candidate to end the year.
Nevertheless, most of Corum’s fantasy value comes from his red zone metrics. The Virginia native has a touchdown in every game this season, finding paydirt ten times through five games. Factor in improved rushing metrics against one of the worst rush defenses in the nation and Corum could be poised for his biggest game of 2023.
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CFB DFS Wide Receiver Picks
Brock Bowers (Georgia Bulldogs): $7,400 DraftKings
We haven’t talked about Brock Bowers yet this season, but the tight end is up to his usual antics with the Georgia Bulldogs. The junior has been a safety blanket for first-year starter Carson Beck and should torch a combustible Vanderbilt Commodores defense on Saturday.
Bowers’ metrics put him in the upper tier of FBS pass-catchers. The California native is top 20 in the country in receptions (37) and receiving yards (545), resulting in a respectable 14.7 yards per catch. More impressively, most of Bowers’ production has come over the last few weeks.
Bowers has seen a surge in production, going north of 120 yards and seven catches in three straight games. Over that stretch, Bowers has totaled 410 receiving yards on 24 catches, with a sterling 75.0% catch rate.
Predictably, Bowers’ improved performances coincide with a boost in scoring. All four of his touchdowns have come over the three-game sample, with Bowers endearing himself as a red-zone target for Beck. Those two should continue to build their chemistry against a Vandy defense that ranks 118th in passing yards allowed.
Ainias Smith (Texas A&M Aggies): $4,900 DraftKings
After a bogus 2022 season, the Texas A&M Aggies are having a renaissance. The Aggies are off to a promising 4-2 start, with their only conference loss coming to the Alabama Crimson Tide. They are in tough against the 19th-ranked Tennessee Volunteers, but thankfully, have a stable of offensive stars to help keep them competitive. Among those standouts is receiving yards leader Ainias Smith.
A brief absence from Evan Stewart propelled Smith to the top of the Aggies’ depth chart. Smith has led the team in targets in four straight games, accumulating 364 yards, 20 catches, and a 25.4% target share along the way. Still, Smith has yet to score a touchdown this season. He’ll have a chance to reverse that trend against a Volunteers side that has given up six TDs in two conference matchups.
With or without Stewart, Smith has cemented himself as the top passing option for the Aggies. Weigman will look his way early and often as Texas A&M continues its hot start to the season. This salary is a bargain for what Smith brings to the table.
Rome Odunze (Washington Huskies): $7,900 DraftKings
Surely, we couldn’t forget about our correlated play. As usual, we’re stacking a wide receiver with one of the previously identified quarterbacks, this time shining a light on Rome Odunze. The junior had a coming-out party in 2022, carrying that momentum into this season.
Last year, Odunze led the Huskies in receiving yards, falling just short of Jalen McMillan in receptions and touchdowns. Odunze improved his standing with the team early in 2023, leading the way in catches and yards while tied for the lead in TDs. Moreover, Odunze has carved out a robust 22.9% target share from Penix Jr., making him a fantasy commodity worth investing in.
This total remains one of the highest on the board, leaving it ripe for the fantasy picking. Pairing Odunze with Penix Jr. could be the basis for a winning strategy on the main slate.
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