Not only has college football returned, but DraftKings brought the sport back after ending the CFB DFS games a few years ago. Just in case you are a little rusty, I am going to run through my top college football DraftKings picks for Week 1. These lineup picks are for the main slate of games, which this week DraftKings has limited to the early afternoon contests. The majority of contests feature a lineup with a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, a flex and a super flex.
A super flex spot functions like a traditional flex position, but it's referred to as a super flex since you can start a quarterback. You are going to find it very difficult to compete in games without starting two quarterbacks given their high point totals. One of the main complaints about college fantasy football is there are so many teams and players to keep up with. One of the ways DraftKings is trying to help alleviate this is by splitting up the games into different slates. The more you play college fantasy football, the more fun it gets as you will find it is high scoring, and more players are fantasy relevant. While it is not at the NFL level, information continues to improve which helps you as you are constructing a DFS lineup or setting your starters for season-long leagues.
Week 1 is one of the most challenging weeks as it is hard to tell what players are going to be given opportunities at the beginning of the season. With so much turnover from graduation and players leaving for the NFL, each season is a fresh start which can make predicting starters a bit challenging. This is also what makes college fantasy so fun, and it allows you to exploit your opponents early in the season if you have done your research. There are plenty of bargains to be had, if you know what players have been running with the first team offense throughout the summer. Overall, we are just happy to have college football DFS back, as it has been difficult to find with both FanDuel and DraftKings discontinuing the contests.
Earlier I mentioned you will want to play two quarterbacks, and my other recommendation is to play two dual-threat quarterbacks. There are plenty of college quarterbacks that hurt teams with their legs, and the pure pocket passers do not have the same kind of upside in college fantasy. A perfect example of this was Sam Darnold last season, who was not a great fantasy quarterback at USC even though he ended up being one of the top selections in the NFL draft.
The most expensive players in my lineup are quarterbacks, because if you do not get high production at this position you have no chance of winning a DFS contest. Your quarterbacks can carry you if you can combine them with some sleeper running backs or wide receivers, and there are plenty of candidates at the beginning of the season.
Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @JonDAdams with specific fantasy questions. Make sure to also check out my best picks against the spread for this week. Click the next arrow to see my top college football DraftKings lineup picks for Week 1.
No. 5 Tennessee WR Jauan Jennings, $5,600
Jauan Jennings was expected to be the Vols top receiver last season, then he injured his wrist in Tennessee's first game. Jennings was sidelined for the rest of the season, then he ran into trouble with the previous coaching staff. New coach Jeremy Pruitt is giving Jennings a fresh start.
"He's done exactly what I've asked him to do," Pruitt told the Times Free Press. "I really like Jauan. I like his competitive edge. He wants to be good. He wants his team to be good."
Jennings has an opportunity to emerge as the top wideout he was expected to be last season, especially against a West Virginia defense that has been prone to giving up a lot of points. Jennings' father, Bennie Jennings believes his son has finally turned things around, and is set for a breakout season.
"He knew he had to be more focused. Some of the off-the-field stuff, he had to leave that behind, because I know he's got two years of eligibility, but his dream is to play in the NFL," Bennie Jennings told the Times Free Press. "So he had to be more focused this time. A lot of that is a tribute to Jeremy Pruitt and the coaching staff for, I guess, sort of making him realize that his dream is closer than it was a year or two ago. So he's matured a lot. Of course, he just turned 21 a couple of weeks ago. You're going to mature when you get older, so some of the things he's had to let go."
Look for Jennings to finish as Tennessee's WR1 against West Virginia as he finally gets back on the football field. Jennings should be one of the main beneficiaries from this new coaching staff, and could be a fantasy factor all season long.
No. 4 TCU RB Sewo Olonilua, $6,500
Sewo Olonilua is priced below fellow TCU running back Darius Anderson, but I think there is a good chance Olonilua ends up being the top producing back. Both backs are going to put up big numbers against Southern, but Olonilua is the cheaper option. Olonilua was one of the players TCU featured during Big 12 Media Days, which could be an indicator that he is in line for an increased role in the offense this season. On media day, Olonilua spoke about TCU's level of talent.
“It’s a new era,” Olonilua told 247 Sports. “Coach P is getting the big recruits, a lot of people know more about TCU. We’re just getting out into the national spotlight. They could’ve gone to the championship in 2014. That shows how good a coach (Patterson) is. They were still getting two and three-stars and he brought them to a 12-1 season. The next step is we’ve got to get our Big 12 championship and go from there.”
Olonilua is a big back at 6'3", but still possesses great speed that allows him to be a factor in a variety of ways. The Dallas News broke down how they expect Olonilua to be used this season in an expanded role.
"Though TCU fans should be sad to see Kyle Hicks graduate, his diploma clears the way for this guy -- maybe the most underappreciated talent on the roster," Dallas News explains. "Last season, Sewo Olonilua felt like a third-wheel and was somewhat limited to red zone and wildcat duties. Anderson will almost certainly out-rush Olonilua again, and that's fine. Olonilua is more of a Swiss-army knife anyways. He's a power back with linebacker size and the elite ability to run downhill, even after catching passes in the backfield."
Olonilua performed well last season despite only receiving limited opportunities. In the one game where he had double-digit carries, Olonilua impressed with 10 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown against Baylor. He also had three receptions for 40 yards. This would have amounted to over 20 fantasy points on DraftKings.
Olonilua is a freak athlete given his size and speed. NFL Network's Ben Fennell reported Olonilua runs a 4.49 40 yard dash, squats 770 pounds, benches 425 pounds and has a 40" vertical. Look for Olonilua to have a breakout game this weekend as he finally gets more opportunities to showcase his athleticism and talent.
No. 3 Georgia WR Riley Ridley, $3,700
The Georgia receivers represent a bit of an unknown as it is difficult to project who will emerge as the Bulldogs WR1. Riley Ridley has been discussed this off-season as one of the standouts of the summer, and has a chance to become Georgia's top receiver. You may recognize his name as he is Calvin Ridley's brother, the former Alabama standout receiver who is now playing in the NFL for the Falcons. At just $3,700, Ridley is worth the risk, especially as Georgia takes on Austin Peay.
The last time we saw Ridley, he had six receptions for 82 yards against Alabama in the national championship. Ridley was one of the receivers Georgia coach Kirby Smart mentioned by name this off-season as he spoke about his confidence in the Bulldogs receiving group.
“Terry (Godwin) and Riley (Ridley), Mecole (Hardman) those three guys, they have a presence about them,” Smart explained to 247 Sports. “They have a confidence about them. They were able to make some plays last year.”
Overall, the Georgia offense should be much more explosive this season as Jake Fromm enters his second year. The Bulldogs are known for their punishing run game with multiple running backs, but the Bulldogs receivers should see an uptick in production this season. Ridley is a great bargain option at under $4,000. Overall, wide receiver targets vary from week to week in college football. I'd rather pay up at running back and quarterback given their relative level of consistency. If you spend a good portion of your budget on a top wide receiver who flops, it can really ruin your chances for the week.
The pricing on the college football side appears to be a work in progress for DraftKings. Demetris Robertson is over $2,000 more than Ridley, and I would be surprised if he outperforms Ridley. Now is the time to exploit these market inefficiencies if there is a team you follow closely where you know a certain player is going to get opportunities.
Washington wide receiver Ty Jones is another sleeper wide receiver this week. The Huskies lost their top wide receiver Dante Pettis to the NFL, meaning there are more targets to go around. Jones is going to be starting for Washington, and is priced at only $3,300. He has been one of the players people in Seattle have been talking up over the off-season.
No. 2 TCU QB Shawn Robinson, $9,300
The TCU quarterback position has consistently been one of the best fantasy picks in college football. Shawn Robinson begins his first season as the starter for the Horned Frogs. The key to picking a great fantasy quarterback in college football is finding a signal caller that is going to get you a good amount of rushing yards. Robinson is a legit dual-threat quarterback in a fantasy-friendly offense. Did we mention TCU is playing Southern in their opener? Robinson should put up massive numbers as the Horned Frogs kick off their season. He is not necessarily a bargain play at $9,300, but he is priced well below the first tier of quarterbacks for this week, even though he has a great chance to outscore them.
TCU coach Gary Patterson spoke with the Star-Telegram on how Robinson won the quarterback job this summer.
“Shawn is really starting to step up, own the offense, understand what’s going on," Patterson explained to the Star-Telegram. "He lost 10-12 pounds, which has made him even faster and probably more durable, better shape than he was maybe at the end of the school year last season. He’s done everything up to this point we’ve asked him.”
Robinson follows a long line of TCU quarterbacks like Trevone Boykin and Kenny Hill that have helped fantasy owners since TCU opened up their offense a few years ago. Unlike NFL fantasy football, the quarterback is the most important position in college fantasy, and you can gain an advantage on your opponent by having a quarterback like Robinson who will gain a lot of rushing yards in addition to passing. It is important to pay up at the position unless you are confident in a sleeper for this week. A lot of the DraftKings contests have a super flex position, and you are going to want to play a second quarterback in that spot. Here are a few more quarterbacks you can target this week on DraftKings.
Drew Lock is surprisingly under-priced at $9,500 as there could be some skepticism on how Lock will perform as former offensive coordinator Josh Heupel moved on to UCF. Missouri will have no problem putting up points against Tennessee-Martin, and the only thing to be concerned about is whether Lock is taken out of the game early if it becomes a blowout. Ole Miss quarterback Jordan Ta'amu is a more expensive option at $9,900, but he should put up plenty of fantasy points against Texas Tech's defense. Georgia's Jake Fromm is another solid option at $8,200 as the Bulldogs take on Austin Peay. Fromm should put up bigger numbers this year after gaining experience in 2017.
No. 1 FAU RB Devin Singletary, $7,100
If you play season-long college fantasy football, you know the name Devin Singletary. He has consistently been the No. 1 running back taken in fantasy drafts after rushing for 1,920 yards and 32 touchdowns a season ago. Singletary is being discounted at $7,100 on DraftKings based on FAU's matchup against Oklahoma, but this does not worry me as the Owls are going to lean heavily on their running back with their uncertainty at quarterback.
FAU coach Lane Kiffin sees shades of other great running backs in Singletary's game.
“He was stronger in the fourth quarter, and that’s how Derrick [Henry] was [against Auburn and Florida],” Kiffin explained to the Palm Beach Post. “We thought [Derrick] would wear down, and he was actually tougher at the end. Making the first guy miss is similar to the Reggie [Bush] part.”
DraftKings did not have college football games last season, but if they did Singletary would have averaged 33 fantasy points per game. It's surprising that Singletary is not among the top 10 highest priced running backs this week, but there are likely fantasy owners scared off by Oklahoma.
If you are looking at some other running back options, Ty Chandler is a solid option at $6,100. Chandler is expected to get the bulk of the carries at Tennessee, and has a nice matchup this week against West Virginia. Jeremy Pruitt takes over the Vols program, and comes over from Alabama where the running game was the focal point of the offense. Chandler was the backup to John Kelly last season, and should have a big season if he can hold onto the starting responsibilities.
Ohio State's Mike Weber is expected to share the load with J.K. Dobbins, who is this week's priciest running back. Both running backs are listed as the co-starters heading into the season, but Weber is much more affordable at $6,600. Even if Dobbins starts the game, Weber is going to get carries, especially against Oregon State who the Buckeyes should be leading by a large margin causing both backs to get significant carries. Weber had six games with double-digit fantasy points last season despite being limited with injuries.
If you are looking to pay up at running back, Washington's Myles Gaskin is a great option at $8,500. Gaskin rushed for 1,380 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. Fans can also expect Gaskin to be more involved in the Huskies passing game as the team replaces multiple wide receivers.
College Fantasy Football Picks: Best DraftKings Lineup Week 1