College Football DFS Picks: Week 8 CFB DraftKings Main Slate Breakdown (Saturday, October 24th)

Oh, boy. Just when you thought the cream of the college football crop was rising to the top, we get to Week 6. Simply put, the Top 25 was thrown into a blender. While there is still plenty of time between now and the end of the season, there is no telling which teams will make their respective conference championship games and which teams will make the playoffs. Thanks to the FantasyLabs projections, we have a lot more certainty with respect to the fantasy happenings between here and there. And that starts with another loaded Week 8 schedule.

---

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

LaNorris Sellers (South Carolina Gamecocks): $7,700 DraftKings

DraftKings continues to underestimate LaNorris Sellers‘ fantasy acumen. The South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback enters the main slate with another diminished salary, despite his consistent performances and reliable production. We’re not making the same mistakes as DraftKings and are backing Sellers as one of the primo signal-callers in Week 8.

Sellers has made his presence felt since landing in Columbia. Over the last three seasons, the junior has thrown for over 6,000 yards, 45 touchdowns, and 8.2 yards per pass attempt. Moreover, he’s showcased his entire skill set with over 1,400 rushing yards and 15 scores. That robust production should continue in Saturday’s spat against the Tennessee Volunteers.

While Sellers delivered in the non-conference portion of the Gamecocks’ schedule, he’s been at his best in SEC play. In four conference matchups, he’s thrown for 243.0 yards per game, with multiple touchdowns in all but one of those contests. Of course, that’s without considering his ground barrage. Sellers is averaging 72.8 rushing yards per game against SEC foes on 14.5 carries.

Scoring has been Sellers’ most prominent asset in recent weeks. Across his last two games, he’s accounted for seven touchdowns, six passing and one rushing, without turning the ball over. Even against the Vols’ defense, Sellers can be counted on to deliver a slate-leading fantasy performance.

---

Keelon Russell (Alabama Crimson Tide): $8,000 DraftKings

Keelon Russell‘s stock has taken a bit of a hit in recent weeks. But I suppose that’s true for the Alabama Crimson Tide as a whole. Russell and company have dropped consecutive games, weakening their grip in the SEC and the playoff picture. We’re predicting a monumental bounce-back performance against the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday.

Russell’s metrics have dipped over the past couple of weeks, pushing him further away from career norms and expected production. He’s completed just 59.3% of his passes for 332 yards (5.6 yards per pass attempt), one touchdown, and two interceptions. We should have expected some regression in those last two contests, as Russell had completed over 72.7% of his throws in three straight. Now, expect his numbers to settle back toward his season marks (67.5% completions, 9.1 yards per attempt). Both are well within reach against A&M.

Back in Week 4, Sam Leavitt threw for 312 yards in a home win over the Aggies. Austin Simmons was less prolific, but still managed 147 passing yards in Mizzou’s home win over Texas A&M two weeks later. On a per-game basis, that means the Ags are allowing 229.5 passing yards per game in road matchups against SEC competition. Still, Russell is more than capable of matching Leavitt’s production in a must-win game for Alabama.

We’re predicting a massive jump in Russell’s passing production in Week 8. The sophomore is better than he’s shown in recent weeks, making him a natural progression candidate against the Aggies. Combined with his rushing prowess – scoring rushing touchdowns in four of his last five – Russell should have no problems reaching his fantasy ceiling at home.

CFB DFS Running Back Picks

Kamari Moulton (Iowa Hawkeyes) $7,100 DraftKings

Through five games this season, Kamari Moulton has been an all-or-nothing running back for the Iowa Hawkeyes. Fortunately for DFS punters, we’re expecting another all-in effort from the senior in Week 8’s test vs. the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Moulton’s most notable fantasy performances have come in his first and last games. Back in Week 1, the Florida native busted loose for 183 rushing yards on just 11 touches, recording two touchdowns. Last time out, he muscled out 208 yards on 26 carries, adding another two scores. While he accounted for just 128 rushing yards in the three contests in between, he was dealing with a nagging shoulder injury and sharing touches with four other players out of the backfield. With his latest effort, Moulton has reasserted his control of the backfield and quelled any concerns regarding his shoulder.

Minnesota has surprised many with its 4-2 start to the season. However, we have persistent concerns with the state of its run defense. Almost half of their yards allowed per game (288.8) come via the rush (129.2). More concerningly, they’ve looked incapable of stopping downhill runners, like Moulton. In last week’s loss to Purdue, Fame Ijeboi toted the ball 31 times for 195 yards and three scores. Likewise, Fluff Bothwell went off for 113 yards and two scores in Mississippi State’s triumph back in Week 2.

Moulton’s perceived fantasy value is low, but the senior is more than capable of turning the tide for the Hawkeyes. We’ve keyed in on him as the ideal “buy-low” candidate on this week’s main slate.

---

J’Koby Williams (Texas Tech Red Raiders) $7,900 DraftKings

After his latest effort, people are starting to buy into J’Koby Williams as a legitimate fantasy threat. The Texas Tech Red Raiders’ running back saw a massive spike in his salary following last week’s dominant effort. Still, his salary doesn’t reflect his rushing ability or fantasy ceiling. We’re riding the Williams’ train for one more stop in Week 8.

Williams was unstoppable in Week 7. The junior busted through ASU’s run defense for a monstrous 165 rushing yards on just 11 carries. While it was just his second 100-yard effort this season, he’s demonstrated the ability to break off runs in big chunks and has stolen the lion’s share of touches out of the Red Raiders’ backfield.

So far this season, Williams has totaled 538 yards on just 74 touches for 7.3 yards per carry. His volume is still a concern – as he splits duties with Cameron Dickey – but Williams has the big-play profile that his teammate doesn’t. Williams has game-long jaunts of 29 or more yards in four of his last five, including a 62-yard touchdown last week. Further, he’s been more of a factor in the pass game, ranking third on the team in receiving yards (145) and second in receptions (21).

Williams’ salary will continue to increase over the coming weeks and is reflective of his fantasy ascent. For now, you can roster him at a discounted rate, expecting similar production as the top-priced running backs on the main slate.

Interested in more action? Check out Polymarket and use our Polymarket promo code.

CFB DFS Wide Receiver Picks

Dakorien Moore (Oregon Ducks) $6,000

It has been a dicey season for the Oregon Ducks. Already with two losses and a near-miss against Nebraska last week, the Ducks can’t afford any more slip-ups before the end of the campaign. With that, Oregon will need to demand more from its top performers, including Dakorien Moore.

Moore and Evan Stewart continue to lead the way in the Ducks’ passing attack. Stewart has a modest advantage in terms of production, outpacing Moore in receptions (27 vs. 25) and receiving yards (352 vs. 347). Still, those metrics are contradicted by the receivers’ workloads. Through six games this season, Moore’s 45 targets eclipse Stewart’s 38 by a wider margin, accounting for a 20.8% target share. Further, the gap is widening in Oregon’s most recent outings.

Over the last two games, Moore has a staggering 24 targets. He saw 14 in last week’s come-from-behind win over Nebraska, and 10 in Week 6’s loss to UCLA. Assuredly, Moore needs to do more with the balls thrown his way. However, we expect a similar workload in Saturday’s clash against Illinois.

It’s not captured in his salary, but Dakorien Moore has been the Ducks’ go-to receiver for the past couple of weeks. Combined with his improved efficiency and scoring prowess, he should end Week 8 as one of the top-performing receivers in the FBS.

---

Ed Small (TCU Horned Frogs) $4,900

There will be nothing diminutive about Ed Small’s fantasy performance in Week 8. The TCU Horned Frogs’ receiver has emerged as an elite threat, and he should vastly exceed the implied production of his diminished salary.

Small has been TCU’s premier receiving threat all season. He leads the team in receptions (35), receiving yards (494), and target share (24.2%), all of which should be on the rise against West Virginia’s ineffective pass defense. Small’s closest competition is tight end Kari Ashley, who is questionable this week. Inevitably, Small will be saddled with more looks against WVU, and we expect him to do the most with those.

The Mountaineers’ secondary has been completely absent this season, giving up 297.4 passing yards per game. When we factor out their performance against FCS Tennessee-Martin, that number inflates to a mind-numbing 333.5. Easily the worst mark across the FBS.

TCU’s offense is predicated on throwing the football. They rank 27th in the FBS in passing yards per game (263.3), representing 67.1% of their total offensive production. Naturally, that points us toward a game-changing performance from Small.

---

Rico Scott (Alabama Crimson Tide) $4,600

Malachi Toney is the highest-salaried receiver on the main slate this week. Undoubtedly, he is worth including in any format. Adding Rico Scott to the mix could be the solution to offsetting Toney’s staggering $9,300 salary. In line with our usual thinking, he’s also the ideal stacking companion for Keelon Russell.

Unlike in previous seasons, Alabama doesn’t have a standout wide receiver. Four different pass-catchers have 15 or more receptions, with just nine catches separating top from bottom. There’s also a small gap in terms of receiving yards. Ryan Coleman-Williams and Lotzeir Brooks are tied for the team lead with 415, but Scott (278) and Marshall Pritchett (219) have also done a lot of heavy lifting.

That equitable workload has tilted in Scott’s favor of late. The junior saw 11 targets in Week 7, and has soaked at least seven targets in three of his last five. Scott hasn’t had a breakout game just yet, but we are expecting a substantive jump in his production to match his increasing workload.

As inferred, there are several Crimson Tide receiving options to stack with Russell. We contend that Scott is the ideal candidate and the top value on the Week 8 main slate.

Pictured: Keelon Russell