College Football DFS: Thursday Slate Breakdown

There's no question that the college football season is awash with uncertainty, but as far as DFS goes, the sites are still churning out contests for us to play! Naturally, if there's DFS action to be had, we'll be there to cover it, so let's dive into the two-game slate available on DraftKings for Thursday.

SLATE OVERVIEW

UAB vs. Central Arkansas  (+16.5) O/U: 48

Southern Miss vs. South Alabama (+14.5) O/U: 53.5

Aside from USM, these teams aren't exactly household names, but I like UAB as a very stackable offense on the slate. The Blazers have a ton of offensive firepower and one of the country's best receivers, so they should get a lot of exposure in your builds. The Southern Miss-South Alabama game looks to be slightly more competitive, however. 

QUARTERBACK

Tyler Johnston III, UAB ($9,300) vs. Central Arkansas

Despite the high salary point, you have to like Johnston's chances against a passing defense that ranked 235th in the nation last season. His 17/15 TD/INT ratio isn't spectacular, but most of the offensive pieces are returning, so there is something to build on as the season begins. He also rushed for 247 yards on 84 attempts last season, which gives him an added dimension to his potential output.

Desmond Trotter, South Alabama ($6,000) vs. Southern Mississippi

The public will likely head over to Jack Abraham at QB or the S-Flex, but the Jaguars possess a pretty strong passing defense, and it should force the Golden Eagles to beat South Alabama on the ground.  Trotter took over at QB for the last month of the season and passed for eight touchdowns and only two interceptions in his final four games.  If the Jaguars' defense can keep the Golden Eagles' offense off the field, Trotter could emerge as a productive, less-popular target.

RUNNING BACKS

Spencer Brown, UAB ($7,500) vs. Central Arkansas

The running back position is especially weak on this slate. With Southern Mississippi likely taking a RBBC route for the beginning of the season, it narrows our focus to the remaining bonafide starters. A leg injury compromised Brown's junior season, but his freshman and sophomore campaigns were spectacular, totaling 2, 556 yards over his first two seasons. The Bears allowed an average of 147 rushing yards per game last season, so Brown is a stable play at a thin position.

Don Ragsdale, Southern Mississippi ($6,500) vs. South Alabama

Ragsdale is a wild-card on this slate. The transfer from Hinds Community College is listed as the starter, so the coaching staff seems high on the back after signing him last October. Finding actual numbers for Ragsdale appears next to impossible, but he's had a full offseason to learn the offense and could be a nice surprise as he plays in his first game of eligibility.

WIDE RECEIVER

Austin Watkins, UAB ($8,000) vs. Central Arkansas

Watkins is the unquestioned headliner wideout on the slate after a stellar junior campaign.  He also topped off the year with a 10-reception, 159-yard game in the New Orleans Bowl, Tyler Johnston will be looking for him early and often, and whether you employ Johnston at QB or the S-Flex, this is one of the best stacks to employ on the slate.

Tim Jones, Southern Mississippi ($5,300) vs. South Alabama

Although he only found the end zone three times last season, he caught 73 passes for 902 yards in his junior campaign.  There's a lot of hype around Jason Brownlee, who nails a starting gig after transferring from East Mississippi, but I believe Jones is the more stable choice as an apt possession receiver. Brownlee is a taller, quicker option that could emerge as a deep threat, but DraftKings employs a PPR scoring system and I think it gives Jones a slight edge.

Lujuan Winningham, Central Arkansas ($4,700) vs. UAB

Lest we forget, the Bears have already played their first game against Austin Peay, and although it wasn't pretty, they managed to eke out a 24-17 win.  Winningham scored the only receiving touchdown in the game and led the team with six receptions.  The wideout has shown great potential when healthy, but his college career has been plagued with injuries. For now, he'll be one of Breylin Smith's primary targets, and since they are big underdogs in this game, they'll need to air it out in the second half.

ADDITIONAL VALUES

Kierre Crossley, Central Arkansas ($5,000) vs. UAB

It helps to have at least a one-game history for this year, and Crossley had a superb game against Austin Peay last week, rushing 12 times for 110 yards and a touchdown. They'll face a tough UAB team, but based on his breakout ability, he should be able to match value with his low salary.

Myron Mitchell, UAB ($6,000) vs. Central Arkansas

Austin Watkins will get a lot of attention from the opposing secondary, allowing Mitchell to get a few open looks. After transferring to UAB in his junior year, he made an immediate impact, catching 34 passes for 554 yards and four touchdowns.