College Football DFS: DraftKings Night Slate Picks and Lineup Strategy for Week 3

College Football DFS Picks: DraftKings Night Slate Picks and Lineup Strategy for Week 3

We head into the week 3 DraftKings night slate with all eyes on the SMU at Maryland matchup that has an O/U of 73 (!), second highest on the entire schedule behind Fresno State at USC (74.5) which is on the late-night docket. 

Everybody is going to be loading up on Mustangs and Terrapins players, but a couple Heisman candidates are in action with C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson leading Ohio State and Florida in their respective games while Washington's offense that is averaging 48.5 ppg gets their first true test hosting Michigan State. 

Texas Tech at NC State (O/U 56) and UTSA at Texas (O/U 59.5) should see plenty of offense as well so once again there is a bevy of options to explore in what could be a pretty explosive night slate. 

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DFS Matchup Info

DraftKings CFB DFS Picks: Quarterback

Your biggest pay-up option here is C.J. Stroud ($9.5k) and with obvious reason and he's looking at about 41% projected ownership just because of the variety available at QB. Stroud picked up 33 fp last week (351 yards, 4 TDs) even as a -44.5 favorite in the 45-12 win over Arizona State. 

Taulia Tagovailoa ($8.5k) and Tanner Mordecai ($8k) are the other two QBs getting a bulk of the ownership share as they play each other in the SMU at Maryland game with the total of 73. Here are some other options at the QB position this week: 

Donovan Smith ($7,700) Texas Tech  at NC State

Your next tier dude (outside of Stroud, Richardson, Tagovailoa) might be your best tier dude as Texas Tech's Donovan Smith threw the rock 58 times last week in the 33-30 win over Houston. The 3 INTs last week vs. the Cougars aren't ideal but TTU should find themselves in a close game or trailing for much of the duration as +10.5 underdogs against #16 NC State. Former Baylor associate Joey McGuire has shown he has no problem throwing the football in his first season at the helm in Lubbock. 

Michael Penix, Jr. ($6,300) Michigan State at Washington

We haven't truly been able to see what Michael Penix, Jr. brings to this Washington offense in 2022 because they've had a 35.5 margin of victory in their 2-0 start. There were some glimpses last week though with Penix, Jr. going 20/27 for 337 yards with 2/1 in the 52-6 victory over Portland State. 

Michigan State is an obvious boost in quality of competition for the Huskies, but Penix, Jr. torched the Spartans for 320 yards and 2 TDs when he was with Indiana in 2020, a game the Hoosiers won 24-0. 

Frank Harris ($5,700) Texas San-Antonio at Texas

One thing you like about Frank Harris is that you know he's going to be part of the UTSA offense on pretty much every play. Sure some of his numbers are inflated from playing in two OT games to start the season (1-1) but Harris threw the ball 43 times in the loss to Houston and 45 more in last week's win over Army. Add another 16 rushing attempts total on the season and Harris has a multitude of ways to hurt you. 

By the way, Harris doesn't just throw the ball, he throws it well with 696 yards in two games with 7 TD (1 INT) and a 68.2% completion rate. It's a tough matchup with Texas in week 3, but UTSA should be throwing as +12.5 underdogs and one would think the Longhorns have a little bit of a letdown after last week's 20-19 defeat to Alabama. 

DraftKings CFB DFS Picks: Running Back

Bijan Robinson ($6,500) Texas-San Antonio vs. Texas

Bijan Robinson ($6.5k) has the highest RB projections this week after his 130 total yards against Alabama last week and 3 scoring TDs on the season. Texas hasn't announced who will start at QB between Quinn Ewers and Hudson Card which usually means the running game is going to be a big part of their game plan. especially against a UTSA front line that was battered from 53 rush attempts by Army last week. 

Israel Abanikanda ($5,800) Pittsburgh at Western Michigan

Western Michigan isn't a complete pushover, but Pitt has had tough scheduling to start the season reinvigorating the 'Backyard Brawl' in a 38-31 win over West Virginia and then following that up with a 34-27 OT loss to #15 Tennessee. One of the surprise stars of the Volunteers loss was Israel Abanikanda, who filled in for Rodney Hammond, Jr. (leg) with 25 carries and 154 yards (although half of that did come on one run). WMU is giving up 176.5 ypg on the ground so Abanikanda can break another one - but pay attention to Hammond, Jr's status. 

Henry Parrish, Jr. ($5,500) Miami at Texas A&M

We're going to have a slugfest between #13 Miami and #24 Texas A&M this week which should mean grind it out football in the running game. The Aggies got shocked 17-14 at home by Appalachian State last week, a big reason why because they gave up 181 yards rushing to the Mountaineers. That opens up the door for UM's Henry Parrish, Jr. who has 4 TDs already and could also be part of the passing game as well. 

DraftKings CFB DFS Picks: Wide Receiver

Rashee Rice ($8,400) SMU at Maryland

He's chalk city but there look like very few surer things than Rashee Rice in a game with a 73-point O/U against Maryland. His numbers through two games are impressive, catching all 8 targets for 166 yards and a TD in week one and following that with grabbing 9 of 13 targets for 132 yards and 2 TDs last Saturday. The reason Rice is a must-play is because we may have not even seen the SMU offense cracked open, as they have beaten North Texas by 38 and Lamar by 29 this year. Imagine his numbers in a close game.  

Zakhari Franklin ($6,300) Texas-San Antonio vs. Texas

That's a great price on Franklin, who is Frank Harris' go-to guy with 24 targets in two games. Franklin grabs the ball when it comes his way too, catching 10 for 100 against Houston and 10 for 122 with 2 TDs against Army. 

Corey Crooms ($4,600) Pittsburgh  vs. Western Michigan

What we really need here is Pittsburgh getting a lead so WMU continues to throw the ball because if so Corey Crooms is going to have a ceiling game. He had just 5 catches for 41 yards in the season-opening loss against Michigan State, but was still targeted 11 times. Broncos QB Jack Salopek continued to look Crooms' way last week, targeting him 15 times for 102 yards with a TD. 

College Football DFS GPP Plays

Hudson Card ($6,800) Texas-San Antonio vs. Texas

Steve Sarkisian is mum on whether it will be Hudson Card or Quinn Ewers starting at QB this week, but Card filled in admirably when Ewers was hurt against Alabama going 14/22 for 158 yards against a good Crimson Tide defense. Card will have low ownership because of the uncertainty but he (or whoever starts) gets a great matchup against a UTSA defense that gave up 304 yards passing last week to Army of all teams - the most for the Black Knights since 2001. 

Antwain Littleton II ($4,800) SMU at Maryland

He doesn't get many touches but that seems like it should change soon. Antwain Littleton II had 6 carries for 34 yards and 2 TDs for the Terrapins in their season opener and broke free for a 59-yard TD score in his only carry last week (also adding 1 catch for 17 yards). That's a low owned weapon in a game with a 73-point total. 

De'Corian Clark ($4,800) Texas-San Antonio at Texas

There's no such thing as rostering too many UTSA receivers through the first two games of the season, and De'Corian Clark has had a great start to 2022 catching 6 of 9 targets for 70 yards in the opener but with 2 TDs. He followed that up catching 7 of 9 targets for 90 yards and another TD so he's a nice pivot off of Zakhari Franklin.