College Football CFB DFS Playbook Week 1 Thursday: Top DraftKings and FanDuel Picks
Welcome back to the first CFB DFS slate for the College Football Week 1 schedule. We have a good chunk of games on Thursday night as we look at top CFB DFS picks and plays on DraftKings and FanDuel. The DK slate features 11 games while the FD slate includes only four games with both kicking off at 7 pm ET. Florida vs Utah is the big headliner on Thursday night, but our top college football DFS picks won't center around that game too much. We also get a Big Ten matchup of Nebraska vs Minnesota for our CFB daily picks tonight. Plus, some notable teams like UCF, NC State, Missouri, and Arizona State are in action. All the CFB Week 1 odds below are via DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of this writing. Let's now get into the top CFB DFS picks for college football Week 1 on Thursday, August 31st.
College Football Week 1 CFB DFS Schedule
- 7 pm ET – Elon at Wake Forest (-28) – 54 O/U
- 7 pm ET – Kent State at UCF (-35.5) – 56 O/U
- 7 pm ET – Rhode Island at Georgia State (-18.5) – 56 O/U
- 7 pm ET – St. Francis at Western Michigan (-15.5) – 52.5 O/U
- 7:30 pm ET – NC State (-14) at UConn – 46.5 O/U
- 8 pm ET – Florida at Utah (-5) – 44 O/U
- 8 pm ET – South Dakota at Missouri (-28.5) – 46 O/U
- 8 pm ET – Nebraska at Minnesota (-7.5) – 43.5 O/U
- 8 pm ET – Aransas-Pine Bluff at Tulsa (-37.5) – 55.5 O/U
- 8 pm ET – NC A&T at UAB (-22) – 50.6 O/U
- 10 pm ET – Southern Utah at Arizona State (-32.5) – 54 O/U
College Football Week 1 CFB DFS Picks
Top CFB DFS Quarterbacks
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| John Rhys Plumlee | UCF | KENT | 10600 | 25.71 | 12400 | 24.61 |
| Plumlee is back as UCF’s dual-threat QB and will be a top DFS option whenever he’s in action this season. He’s very expensive, but you’re paying for arguably the best floor/ceiling combo among QBs on this slate. Plumlee racked up 862 rushing yards and 11 rush TDs last year and the rushing ability gives him 40-50 DK point potential. Kent State won’t slow down this UCF offense much, so he should be busy as both a runner and passer to give us 25-30 DK. As you’ll notice below, there’s enough value on this slate to fit in Plumlee as your QB1 in cash or GPP. | ||||||
| Jaden Rashada | ASU | SOUT | 9800 | 0 | ||
| If you want to fade Plumlee on DraftKings, then Rashada could be an expensive pivot for GPP. The true freshman and prized high school recruit won over Arizona State’s starting QB job, beating out Trenton Bourguet and Notre Dame transfer Drew Pyne. There’s plenty of hype surrounding Rashada’s dual-threat talent and he gets an easy home matchup vs Southern Utah to kick off the college career. Even in a likely blowout, Rashada should play deep into the second half to get more game reps before facing Oklahoma St next week. Don’t be surprised if he’s the slate’s highest-scoring DFS QB with his rushing and passing skills. | ||||||
| Brennan Armstrong | NCST | UCONN | 8900 | 17.95 | 10500 | 15.13 |
| Brennan Armstrong is definitely expensive on both sites, but there’s plenty of upside here for GPP contests. The Virginia transfer replaces Devin Leary as NC State’s starting QB and he’s paired up with his old coach Robert Anaea again too. The 2021 UVA offense with Armstrong and Anae averaged about 35 points and 500+ total yards per game with Armstrong putting up huge numbers (nearly 4,500 yards, 31 pass TD, 9 rush TD). If we get that type of production from him, beginning tonight, then the price tag is warranted. UConn’s defense won’t offer much resistance here, so Armstrong makes for a contrarian QB play in tournaments. | ||||||
| Mitch Griffis | WAKE | ELON | 8300 | 8.58 | ||
| Mitch Griffis takes over as Wake Forest’s QB with Sam Hartman now at Notre Dame. We actually saw Griffis start the first game of last season with Hartman out and he went 22-for-29 with 288 passing yards, three TDs, and 22.6 DK points in a soft matchup. Elon’s defense will be no match for Wake’s offense here and we could easily see 25-30 DK from Griffis. The blowout factor is in play, but Griffis can do plenty for DFS before that becomes an issue. His DK price is actually cheap compared to other top QBs on this slate. | ||||||
| Darren Grainger | GAST | URI | 7400 | 23.93 | ||
| Grainger may end up going overlooked on the DK slate, but he could make for a solid Super-Flex play. The Georgia State QB brings some dual-threat upside into the mix as he ran for 734 yards and six TDs last season while leading the team in rushing. That ability to run gives him a safer DFS floor than most QBs on this slate and allowed him to average 23.9 DK points last year. Getting a home matchup against an FCS opponent is pretty attractive for him too. He’s arguably the top Super-Flex/QB2 play in cash lineups for Thursday. | ||||||
| Jeff Sims | NEB | MINN | 7100 | 14.21 | 7700 | 14.53 |
| Jeff Sims, the Georgia Tech transfer, is now Nebraska’s starting QB and he could be a solid Super-Flex cash play on both sites. Sims is a dual-threat, which usually keeps his DFS floor higher. As GT’s starter to begin last season, he ran for 287 yards over the first six games with 20+ DK in three of those. He also showed off the rushing upside in both of the previous two seasons whenever he played for Tech. Going on the road at Minnesota is a tough situation, though. Still we could see Sims run for 70+ yards to help return value at his cheap price tags. | ||||||
| Jacob Zeno | UAB | NCA&T | 6100 | 8.03 | ||
| There really aren’t many cheap QB options to like on this slate. On DK, Jacob Zeno could be a GPP dart for your Super-Flex spot. He was named UAB’s starting QB to open the first season under new head coach Trent Dilfer. Zeno had a couple of bright spots last year in his limited playing time, including 32 DK in a shootout with UTSA. He even flashed some dual-threat ability at times. It’s hard to trust Zeno in cash, but the potential to exceed value is certainly there at home against North Carolina A&T. Plus, don't rule out the UAB offense under Dilfer featuring more passing this year compared to last. | ||||||
Top CFB DFS Running Backs
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Sean Tyler | MINN | NEB | 7300 | 15.82 | 8800 | 13.29 |
| The Western Michigan transfer is now at Minnesota to replace the departed Mo Ibrahim. If we knew Sean Tyler was getting Ibrahim’s workload of 25-30 carries per game, then he’d be top overall play on this slate. However, Minnesota will apparently go with a committee backfield approach with four guys mixed in. Who knows how the touches will be split up? We can expect the Golden Gophers offense to be run-heavy, though, and Tyler will presumably get the majority of carries. Even so, assume risk here and limit Tyler exposure to GPP lineups at his expensive price tags. | ||||||
| Ja'Quinden Jackson | UTAH | UF | 6500 | 11.29 | 8300 | 9.89 |
| Reports are out that Utah QB Cam Rising is doubtful to play this game, which seemed more and more likely. With that in mind, we could see a healthy amount of touches for Ja’Quindon Jackson headlining the running game with Rising out and the backup Bryson Barnes in. Jackson was productive when he took over Utah’s lead back duties late last season after Tavion Thomas went out. In the final three games, he racked up 303 rushing yards and six TDs with DK outputs of 32, 25, and 16 points. Florida’s rush defense wasn’t great last year and isn’t expected to be any better this season. The ground game should be a focus for Utah’s offensive gameplan with Rising out. It sets up for Jackson to be a top RB play on this slate. | ||||||
| Jermaine Brown Jr. | UAB | NCA&T | 6200 | 14.37 | ||
| With DeWayne McBride off to the NFL, Jermaine Brown is slated to be the main back in UAB’s offense. Even as the secondary guy last year, Brown still put up 948 yards and eight TDs. That’s pretty darn impressive as the RB2 in an offense. When Brown got 20+ carries in three different games at the end of last season, he finished with 25+ DK points in each. Isaiah Jacobs was named a co-starter with Brown, but we have to expect the latter to get the majority of touches here. That makes him a top RB option in a softer matchup vs NC A&T. | ||||||
| Cam Skattebo | ASU | SOUT | 5900 | 22.94 | ||
| Cam Skattebo, a Sacramento St transfer, has been named Arizona State’s starting RB for Week 1. He ran for nearly 1,400 yards last season while averaging 7.0 ypc. Yes, it came against FCS competition, but that production is impossible to ignore. It’s encouraging that Skattebo came in and won the starting RB job at ASU despite transferring up to a power conference. The price tag is very affordable on DK for the lead back in a soft matchup vs Southern Utah. Even with the unknown of this offense with Rashada under center, Skattebo can be an excellent cash RB. | ||||||
| Jordan Ford | TLSA | ARK-P | 5300 | 6.02 | ||
| Jordan Ford has been named Tulsa’s starting RB for this season opener after impressing the coaching staff in camp. As a third-stringer last season, Ford saw 56 carries for 288 yards and a 5.1 ypc average. This should be an easy win for Tulsa over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. That alone puts Ford firmly on our radar as the lead back for a team that should score 30+ points and play from ahead. He’s very affordable on DK as an RB2 or FLEX play, but may go overlooked. | ||||||
| RJ Harvey | UCF | KENT | 5200 | 13.39 | 9500 | 12.47 |
| With Isaiah Bowser gone, RJ Harvey is now UCF’s lead RB after an impressive 2022 season. He put up 796 rushing yards and averaged 6.7 ypc in a backup role to Bowser last year. With a lead back workload in a high-scoring UCF offense, we should see Harvey be a weekly top RB play for DFS this season. The DK price tag is way too cheap for his new role and proven production, making him an easy play for all formats. The FD price makes it more of a decision, but there’s a path to 100+ yards, multiple TDs, and 25+ DK with UCF as big favorites in a soft matchup. | ||||||
| Marcus Carroll | GAST | URI | 4500 | 10.1 | ||
| Marcus Carroll is set to be Georgia State’s lead back with Tucker Gregg gone. He ran for 622 yards and six TDs last season in a tandem with Gregg, who accounted for 705 yards and 12 scores. Though Carroll likely won’t take on a bellcow RB role, especially with dual-threat QB Darren Grainger in the mix, he should take on a bigger workload this season. Either way, Carroll is a starting RB at home facing an FCS defense and he’s priced below $5000 on DK. That fact alone makes him an attractive value for cash lineups. When he received more carries late last season, Carroll had a couple of 100-yard games and could do the same here. | ||||||
| Demarkcus Bowman | UCF | KENT | 3800 | 0 | 5000 | |
| As mentioned above, RJ Harvey will now take on the lead back role for UCF with Isaiah Bowser gone. One other name to know in the RB room, though, is Demarkcus Bowman. The former 5-star recruit has bounced from Clemson to Florida and now to UCF. He had to sit out last season after transferring twice, but he’s ready to go and could factor into this backfield right away. Though Harvey should be the clear No. 1 and Johnny Richardson will be involved too, but Bowman may move into a secondary role like Harvey’s of last season. Specifically in this opener in a blowout win, he could get a lot of playing time in the second half considering he hasn’t seen any real game action in over a year. At his cheap prices, it’s worth a GPP dart. | ||||||
| Gavin Garcia | KENT | UCF | 3000 | 3.81 | 5100 | 2.26 |
| If you can get a starting RB this cheap, you have to consider him. Gavin Garcia has surprisingly been named Kent State’s starting back over both Xavier Williams and Ky Thomas. That’s pretty notable for a guy that was a backup last year. Kent State’s offense is expected to be much worse than last year because it lost a number of key players to the transfer portal. Still, the opportunity is there for Garcia as the lead back. As big underdogs to UCF, it’s tough to roster anyone from Kent St. If you want a GPP value, though, Garcia at least is a starting tailback who is way cheap. | ||||||
Top CFB DFS Wide Receivers
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Javon Baker | UCF | KENT | 8000 | 12.4 | 7800 | 10.28 |
| Javon Baker looks poised to be UCF’s top receiver with Ryan O’Keefe gone from last year’s team. Even with O’Keefe there, Baker’s 796 receiving yards led the team in 2022. The former Alabama transfer will be a top offensive weapon for the Knights this time around too. However, there is a lot of competition for production in the WR corps with Kobe Hudson, Xavier Townsend, Corey Gammage, and Trent Whittemore all vying for targets. It actually may be tough to trust Baker and his expensive salaries for this opener in a likely blowout win over Kent State. Consider him for GPP lineups but stay away in cash. | ||||||
| Luther Burden III | MIZZ | SDU | 6800 | 11.1 | ||
| After leading Mizzou in receiving TDs last season, Luther Burden is back and he’s expected to take on a bigger role in the offense. Dominic Lovett has transferred away and Burden will be moving over to the starting slot WR role. In that spot last year, Lovett led the team in receptions (56) and yards (846). We should count on a big year from Burden as the offense’s top weapon and it starts tonight with a soft home matchup vs South Dakota. It’s worth noting that Mizzou has a QB battle ongoing and multiple guys will reportedly play in this opener. | ||||||
| Jahmal Banks | WAKE | ELON | 6500 | 13.55 | ||
| Jahmal Banks broke out last year with 636 receiving yards and nine TDs. In 2023, he’s poised for a huge season with A.T. Perry in the NFL and Donavan Greene sidelined with a knee injury. Even with Sam Hartman gone, the opportunity is there for both Banks and Taylor Morin to quickly become Mitch Griffis’ top targets. Both should be considered on this slate in an easy matchup vs Elon, despite the blowout factor. Banks can easily go for 100+ yards and multiple scores to be a top WR on the DK slate. He has the higher upside while Morin brings a safer PPR floor as a potential safety valve of production for Griffis. | ||||||
| Keyon Lesane | NCST | UCONN | 5000 | 6.43 | 7700 | 5.41 |
| Three of top four NC State receivers are gone from last year, so there’s a big opportunity for Keyone Lesane to step into a bigger role. The senior wideout had 31 catches for 342 yards and two TDs last season. That also in an offense that sputtered and struggled. Things should be much different with Brennan Armstrong at QB and Robert Anaea running the offense. Leane is very cheap on DK as potentially the Wolfpack’s No. 1 pass-catcher. Of course, there is risk until we see how the targets and receiving production shakes out. | ||||||
| Billy Kemp IV | NEB | MINN | 4900 | 3.8 | 5200 | 2.27 |
| There isn’t a lot to like from Nebraska’s offense outside of Jeff Sims. One value to consider, though, is Billy Kemp. The Virginia transfer is now Nebraska’s starting slot WR and expected to play a big role in the offense this season. Kemp wasn’t that productive last year at UVA, but he isn’t far removed from putting up 74 receptions, 725 yards, and six TDs in 2021. He could be a great short-yardage target for Sims in this Nebraska offense and provide a decent DFS floor. Kemp is really cheap on both sites as a value WR in cash. | ||||||
| Tejhaun Palmer | UAB | NCA&T | 4600 | 9.29 | ||
| With Trea Shropshire gone from last year’s team, Tejhaun Palmer is expected to become UAB’s top receiver this season. Palmer is an elite athlete and even made The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman’s college football freaks list this offseason. In new QB Jacob Zeno’s limited action last year, it’s notable that Palmer had eight receptions, 110 yards, a TD, and 28 DK in Zeno’s best game. That bodes well for Palmer being a top weapon for Zeno this season. Plus, the Trent Dilfer offense should feature more passing. Put it all together and Palmer is a value at sub-5k on the DK slate. | ||||||
| Trent Whittemore | UCF | KENT | 4500 | 4.23 | 5100 | 3.57 |
| We mentioned above how Javon Baker may be too expensive to roster this week. Kobe Hudson is also priced up and hard to trust. One value WR for UCF, though, is Trent Whittemore. The Florida transfer has been named a co-starter with Hudson, which shouldn’t go overlooked since the latter is a proven guy from last year’s UCF offense. Of course, this UFC receiving corps is loaded with talent and consistent production may be tough to come by for Whittemore. Still, he’s worth a look in GPPs to exceed value. | ||||||
| Jalin Conyers | ASU | SOUT | 4100 | 11.22 | ||
| Conyers came on strong in the second half of last season with 30 receptions, 346 receiving yards, and five TDs over the last five games. The tight end is set up to be one of Arizona State’s top pass-catchers this year and he’s priced way too cheap on the DK slate. In this opener, Conyers could end up being a favorite target for freshman QB Jaden Rashada – especially with top WR Elijhah Badgers suspended for the first half. With that in mind, it’s tough to pay up for Badger as well. Conyers should be a fairly popular value in cash. | ||||||
| Brant Kuithe | UTAH | UF | 3700 | 15.15 | 6900 | 12.02 |
| So it looks like Cam Rising is doubtful to play. We still don’t know for sure about Brant Kuithe, who’s returning from an injury himself. If he plays and starts, then the DK price tag is criminally cheap for Utah’s top tight end. Kuithe was a stud last year when healthy for a few games and he’s too far removed from leading the Utes in receiving yards in 2021. With Rising out, Kuithe would be even more important as a short-to-medium receiver for this offense. If/when we get official word he’s active, lock in Kuithe on DK. If he does end up sitting, then fellow tight end Thomas Yassmin would be a huge value as he steps into the vacated production of Dalton Kincaid. Even if Kuithe plays, Yassmin has a chance to be Utah’s top pass-catcher in this opener and overall this season. | ||||||
| Jacari Carter | GAST | URI | 3500 | 10.77 | ||
| Jacari Carter makes for an interesting GPP dart throw on the DK slate. The transfer from Merrimack was an FCS All-American last year and could emerge as Georgia State’s top playmaker on offense, outside of Grainger. Last year’s leading receiver Jamari Thrash is gone, so there’s a ton of production up for grabs. Thrash accounted for 61 receptions and 1,122 yards while seeing the lion’s share of targets. Roster Carter with caution, though, as he was listed as a backup WR on the depth chart. Yet, all reports are that he’s arguably the top WR on the team. At the very least, he is the team’s starting punt and kick returner. | ||||||
| Kevin Concepcion | NCST | UCONN | 3000 | 0 | 4000 | |
| This is one of the notable mispriced players on both slates for Thursday night. Kevin Concepcion has been named the starting inside WR as a true freshman. Beat reporters have named him as a possible breakout player for NC State this season as just a frosh. The inside receiver spot was a very productive one in Robert Anaea’s Virginia offense with Brennan Armstrong under center. With the two now at NC State and Concepcion in that role, he’s way too cheap and should be considered a good value in all formats. As mentioned above, three of the Wolfpack’s top four pass-catches from last year are gone. | ||||||
CFB DFS Week 1 Core Plays
DraftKings Cash
- John Rhys Plumlee – UCF
- Ja'Quinden Jackson – Utah
- Jalin Conyers – Arizona State
FanDuel Cash
- John Rhys Plumlee – UCF
- Ja'Quinden Jackson – Utah
- Billy Kemp IV – Nebraska
DraftKings GPP
- Jaden Rashada – Arizona State
- Sean Tyler – Minnesota
- Brant Kuithe – Utah
FanDuel GPP
- Jeff Sims – Nebraska
- Demarkcus Bowman – UCF
- Kevin Concepcion – NC State
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