College Football DFS Picks: Week 8 Thursday Slate Plays and Strategy

The major fantasy sites are spreading contests for the two-game slate Thursday night, and we are here to cover all the bases for DraftKings and FanDuel.

SLATE OVERVIEW

Georgia Tech (-3) vs. Virginia O/U: 47.5

South Alabama (-3) vs. Troy O/U: 

Georgia Tech's quarterback situation is in flux leading up to game time, and this article works on the assumption they will be rolling with their backup. The situation adversely affects the short-term outlook for all Tech receivers, but they immediately come back into focus if Jeff Sims is able to play. Conversely, a Zach Gibson start could give a little more credit to Brennan Armstrong, who didn't make our endorsements but could have some value if the Yellow Jackets can't keep their offense on the field.

WEATHER REPORT

No weather concerns

College Football DFS Tools

• DraftKings Lineup Optimizer
•  Matchups Page (Vegas odds, opponent averages, etc.)
• Advanced Lineups Page
• Stats
• Team Trends
• Targets
• Defense vs. Position
• Team Rankings
• Advanced Team Stats

QUARTERBACK

 Carter Bradley, South Alabama (DK $8,300, FD $11,000) vs. Troy

I wouldn't hesitate to aim high for Bradley. At least on paper, Bradley stands head and shoulders above all other signal-callers, and he faces a Troy team that allows an average of 230 yards per game to opposing quarterbacks. Through six games, Bradley has thrown for 1,679 yards and holds an excellent 13:4 TD/INT ratio. He's also accrued two rushing touchdowns.

Gunnar Watson, Troy (DK $6,700, FD $8,000) @ South Alabama

Watson suffered a minor injury last week but he is expected to play. Late news to the contrary would give way to Jarret Doege (DK  $5,500, FD $8,000). Doege already shares an 80/20 timeshare with Watson already, but Watson is far more productive, and I think the dual approach might give Watson a bit more roster scarcity. You are also getting s great discount for your S-FLEX, as he's very affordable on both sites.

RUNNING BACK

La'Damian Webb, South Alabama (DK $7,400, FD $9,700) vs. Troy

I wouldn't pay much mind to Webb's uncharacteristic line against ULM last week. By and large, Webb has received more touches than any other player on the squad and has seven rushing touchdowns to his credit over six games. He's also caught 12 passes out of the backfield and hit paydirt with one of them.

Hassan Hall, Georgia Tech (DK $5,200, FD $7,800)  vs. Virginia

The Cavaliers don't have much of a defense, so even though we don't know who will play quarterback, we have to get involved in this game somehow. I like Hall's numbers over Dontae Smith. Although the duo has comparable numbers, Hall is the more consistent ball carrier. The only knock on Hall is that he's yet to cross the goal line this season, but that could change if Zach Gibson assumes the role at QB. Jeff Sims has accounted for two rushing touchdowns and is a frequent element of Tech's run game.

DK Billingsley, Troy (DK $3,200, FD $8,400) @ South Alabama

Most will click on Kimani Vidal without much thought when looking at Troy rushers, but DraftKings has been caught sleeping on Billingsley, and you have to grab him at $3,200 if you are playing there. FanDuel placed him just behind Webb, which I think is too high, and it also puts him in a far more chalky spot. There's a $1,400 salary difference for Vidal on FanDuel, so he might be slightly smarter there. Billingsley has been very consistent and should smash max value with the DraftKings salary.

WIDE RECEIVER

Caullin Lacy, South Alabama (DK $6,400, FD $9,500) vs. Troy

The Jaguars' Jaylen Wayne is ahead of Lacy in the player pool, and you're only getting a small discount by moving down, but the two receivers are almost identical on paper. Typically would look at recent trends as a guide, but they both had spectacular games last week.  Wayne has the overall edge in the touchdown department, but Lacy has him beat in yards and receptions. Despite the almost identical yardage last week, Lacy had twice as many catches, and as we all know, the PPR can add up quickly, especially on DraftKings. I can't fault anyone for clicking on Wayne, but I think Lacy has more upside.

Tez Johnson, Troy (DK $6,200, FD $9,000) @ South Alabama

Johnson has been reliable for the Trojans all season, and although he has caught only 22 balls, he's amassed 479 yards and four touchdowns. That ratio comes out to about 22 yards per catch. Although one of those receptions went for 74 yards, it's still a pretty impressive stat. The loss of Jabre Barber (leg) is going to give Johnson even more opportunities, and since it seems Barber may be gone for the season, Johnson is no longer just a streaming option.

Dontayvion Wicks, Virginia (DK $5,600, FD $7,100) @ Georgia Tech

Virginia's offense hasn't lived up to the hype this season, and Wicks' early numbers reflected that trouble. Despite a painfully slow start, Wicks has recovered admirably and is trending up after netting almost 100 yards in his last game. It's no secret that Keytaon Thompson is the top wideout in this offense, but the Yellow Jackets know this as well, and when it's time to double-team, the safeties will roll Thompson's way. Wicks could be the key to success this week - he certainly has the skills to do it. He made many key catches last season, and he's due for another standout day.