FanDuel College Football DFS Picks: CFB Week 12 Main Slate Picks and Breakdown

Written by

Published on November 15, 2024

CFB FanDuel DFS Breakdown for Saturday Main Slate

We are officially in the home stretch of the college football regular season, with only three or fewer contests remaining for each squad. We have some interesting games on the board this week, with West Virginia-Baylor (59.5) topping the game totals charts. Arkansas-Texas is next in line (57.5), with Florida-LSU (55.5) rounding out the games with 55-plus expected points. Ten of the 14 games Saturday sport totals north of 50 points.

Penn State (39.5) headlines the expected scoring totals, while SMU (36.5), Ohio State (36.0) and Texas (35.0) close out the teams with expected scores of 35-plus points.

There is a significant chunk of double-digit favorites in Saturday's contest, but there are some with significant blowout potential. Penn State and Ohio State (both -28.5) are the clear heaviest favorites who have the biggest chance of blowout potential against Purdue and Northwestern. Only one other team Saturday in SMU (-19.5) is more than a two-touchdown favorite.

College Football DFS Weather (winds 15+ MPH, precip. chance 50-plus percent and hot/cold temps noted)

Oregon at Wisconsin - Wind around 15 MPH all game with wind gusts near 30 MPH and showers late in game possible

Notable College Football Injuries/Absences for Week 12

Eli Holstein, Pitt Pittsburgh - Game-time call Saturday

Garrett Greene, West Virginia - Practiced all week and good to go

Taylen Green, Arkansas - Listed as probable for Saturday

Brady Cook, Missouri - Doubtful to play against South Carolina

DJ Lagway, Florida Florida - Set to return Saturday against LSU

Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee - Listed Questionable for Saturday

Dequan Finn, Baylor Baylor - Didn't play last week and status uncertain. Not likely to see much action either way

Brandon Rose, Utah Utah - Out for season

Cam Skattebo, Arizona State - Set to play this week, barring a setback

Jordan James, Oregon Oregon - Limited work last week versus Maryland; status unclear

Nicholas Singleton, Penn State - Full participant in Wednesday's practice

Ja'Quinden Jackson, Arkansas - Listed probable for Saturday

Trevor Etienne, Georgia Georgia - Won't play Saturday

Montrell Johnson, Florida Florida - Listed as questionable

Cash Jones, Georgia Georgia - Listed as questionable

Braylen Russell, Arkansas - Upgraded to probable Thursday

Micah Welch, Colorado - Status unclear for Saturday

Dominic Richardson, Baylor Baylor - Status questionable

Tez Johnson, Oregon Oregon - Seems unlikely to play but may not get confirmation on status until Saturday

Konata Mumpfield, Pittsburgh - Left last week, status unclear

Daejon Reynolds, Pittsburgh - Departed last week, status uncertain

Elijhah Badger, Florida Florida - Set to return this week

Dont'e Thornton, Tennessee - listed as questionable for Saturday

Bryce Kirtz, Northwestern - Hopeful to return before the end of the season, status for Saturday TBD

Jerand Bradley, Boston College - didn't play last week, status unclear

Jake Bailey, SMU SMU - Game-time call for Saturday

CJ Daniels, LSU LSU - Listd probable for Saturday's game

None

College Football DFS Tools

Week 12 CFB DFS Plays on FanDuel

Quarterback

Will Howard, Ohio State ($11,600) at Northwestern

I thought last week against Purdue might be the time the Buckeyes decided to lean on the ground game, and I was wrong. It was instead Howard who cruised to a season-best showing with 29.1 FD points. Well, the Week 12 opponent isn't a ton better against quarterbacks. While the raw numbers indicate the Wildcats have allowed just 15.3 FD points per game to opposing QBs, Northwestern hasn't faced any premier signal-callers yet. In fact, five of the last six quarterbacks have produced from 10-29 percent above their season average fantasy production. Northwestern has kept opposing rushing attacks in check to an extent, so this could be a spot for Howard to have another big game as the Buckeyes cruise.

Garrett Greene, West Virginia ($9,000) vs. Baylor

Greene hasn't lived up to his high expectations coming into the season, but some of that can be attributed to missing a chunk of the season due to injury. Fortunately, he's practiced all week and is set to retake his spot under center for the Mountaineers. While Baylor hasn't fared particularly well against opposing QBs this season, it's primarily been the aerial threat that has burned the defense, allowing only 145 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 76 carries to opposing QBs. That would seem to be a problem for Greene, the poster child for the dual-threat quarterback with more than 80 rushing yards in each of his last four starts. However, Baylor's prior schedule reveals Jake Retzlaff as arguably the closest to a dual-threat signal-caller the team has faced to date. Retzlaff has 291 rushing yards on his register this season, while Greene has nearly double that total in two fewer games played. Retlaff ran for 53 yards and a touchdown against the Bears, and I think Greene could put up a big performance here as well.

DJ Lagway, Florida ($7,100) vs. LSU

Lagway's tenure as the starting quarterback lasted all of a game and a half before a hamstring injury took him out of commission as well. In his lone full game, he ran for 46 yards and also threw for 259 yards on just seven completions versus Kentucky. While the latter may not occur again Saturday versus LSU, it's also worth noting that the Gators ran for five touchdowns versus Kentucky, but they all ended up siphoned away by Jadan Baugh. However, Lagway is amply sized at 6-foot-3, 239 pounds, to see some of those carries as the goal line draws near, and his next opponent is a Tigers defense that has yielded seven rushing touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks over the last two games. A rushing touchdown or two for Lagway would go a long way toward him reaching value.

Another to Consider: Sawyer Robertson, Baylor Baylor ($10,500) at West Virginia

Running Back

The Top Dogs

Brashard Smith, SMU ($9,900) vs. Boston College

Bryson Washington, Baylor ($9,700) at West Virginia

Phil Mafah, Clemson ($9,600) at Pittsburgh

Smith has taken his workload to new heights in the last two weeks, totaling 27 and 29 touches against Pittsburgh and Duke. That bodes well for another big effort Saturday versus a BC defensive front that has yielded a combined 103.6 FD points to opposing running backs in the last three games, including seven rushing touchdowns. Smith has four rushing scores in the last two games, and there's little reason to believe he can't replicate similar totals for a team with a 36.5 expected, score, ranking second on the slate.

Washington posted a season-high 59 percent carry share last week after matching his season-high mark with 46 percent of the totes a week prior, signaling that the Bears' coaching staff may finally be turning the backfield over to the redshirt freshman. Washington shined last week to the tune of 196 yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries against TCU, and the Mountaineers have shown some cracks in the run defense of late, allowing three of the last four running back rooms to go over season average in fantasy production. Three of the last four RB groups have topped 100 yards rushing, and the opposing backs have combined to score seven rushing touchdowns in the last four games. I'll take my chances with Washington in what I anticipate to be a high-scoring affair.

Mafah finished with a bit of a down week last week but still totaled 128 rushing yards on 26 carries. While Pitt has been reasonably stingy against the run overall this season, part of that is due to the Panthers leading most of their games. That narrative changed the last two weeks, as did the game script as a result. SMU and Virginia combined for 291 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, adding 11 grabs for another 68 yards and two scores as receivers out of the backfield. Mafah may not be a touchdown threat as a receiver, but he does have 35 catches for 178 yards to his name between 2023 and 2024, and he can certainly get it done on the ground, averaging 6.1 yards per carry. The Panthers have remained ungenerous to opposing quarterbacks, so I could see this being the Mafah show this week.

Mid-Tier Targets

Nicholas Singleton ($8,800) and Kaytron Allen ($8,100), Penn State at Purdue

Noah Whittington, Oregon ($7,200) at Wisconsin

I took a stab at Ohio State's talented backfield last week, and TreVeyon Henderson panned out with 20.3 points at a $7,000 salary. Well, Penn State likes to run the rock even more than the Buckeyes, so this is a week I feel more confident yet in the production of at least one, if not both, of the two backs. Singleton has been banged up of late, but he was reportedly a full participant in practice during the media viewing session earlier this week, so it seems he may finally be healthy. That's good news because he's the best receiving back they have, and the Boilers have yielded 36 grabs for 386 yards and three touchdowns to opposing running backs through nine games. On top of that, they've also yielded the most rushing yards (1,284) and rushing touchdowns (18) on the slate, including 17 carries of at least 20 yards. Singleton is the bigger home-run threat here, while Allen can grind out yardage consistently and has scored four of his five touchdowns inside the red zone, where the Nittany Lions could be living this week with the highest expected score on the slate.

Jordan James was heavily limited last week against Maryland, resulting in Whittington's heaviest workload (13 carries) since the season opener against FCS Idaho. If James is similarly limited this week, Whittington could see a significant workload again, and he put up 14.6 or more FD points in each of the prior three games. So, there is certainly an argument to be made that if Oregon reaches its 32.5 expected total as two-touchdown favorites, Whittington and the rushing attack could have a healthy hand in doing so. The Badgers have allowed a combined 400 rushing yards and five touchdowns to Penn State and Iowa in the last two games, and their secondary is the strength of the defense, so this could be a spot for the ground game to shine.

Bargain Options

Caden Durham, LSU ($6,500) at Florida

Nate Frazier, Georgia ($6,100) vs. Tennessee

Durham has just 17 carries to his name over the past pair of weeks, but much of that can likely be attributed to the Tigers trailing in both contests and needing to abandon the run game. Fortunately, that shouldn't be the case this week as favorites against the Gators. Florida has allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing backs (27.1) on the slate, and that includes the two biggest fantasy efforts of the season in the last two week. Georgia and Texas backs combined to produce 84.9 FD points over that span, including three touchdowns each week. Durham is more than capable to produce via the ground or through the air, sporting six rushing scores and two of the receiving variety, and he could be in for a sizable day.

Frazier doesn't have the best matchup on the slate, but there are simply no other healthy backs remaining in the Bulldogs' backfield. Thus, Frazier should have a healthy workload in hand, and Georgia is a 9.5-point favorite, which, if the script holds, would presumably give him the opportunity at numerous second-half rushing attempts. While Tennessee has been tough against the run overall, each of the last two opponents have outproduced season averages by a significant margin. Despite a 21-point loss, Mississippi State trampled the Vols defensive front to the tune of 188 rushing yards and two scores. Frazier certainly has the tools to be a big-time contributor and will have every opportunity this week.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

The Top Dogs

Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State ($9,600) at Northwestern

Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State ($8,800) at Kansas State

Tyler Warren, Penn State ($8,500) at Purdue

Of the two Ohio State wideouts to choose from in Smith and Emeka Egbuka ($9,200), Smith is the one who tends to thrive when fewer opportunities are on the table, while Egbuka tends to shine in big games with heavy volume targets. Saturday seems more likely to land in the former category with the sizable chance at a blowout in this contest, likely leading to fewer pass attempts for the Buckeyes overall. In three of Smith's four games crossing the 20-point fantasy barrier, Smith only needed five or six catches in three of them. Meanwhile, Egbuka has hit that mark just three times an needed nine or more grabs in two of the three to reach it. Smith just has a bit more big-play potential, ergo, I'll take my Buckeyes shot on him.

Tyson has simply been a target hog of late, claiming a slate-high 46.0 percent of team targets since Week 9. He's turned in 15 catches for 180 yards and three touchdowns during that stretch, and the Wildcats allow the second-most fantasy points per game (35.3) to opposing wideouts on Saturday's slate. The target share and matchup are on the side of Tyson to piece together another strong effort.

While most teams tend to tunnel the majority of the passing attempts to wideouts, the Nittany Lions' passing attack runs through Warren, who ranks third in the FBS in target share (30.6) behind just Harold Fannin and Colston Loveland. An odd pairing would be one of the Penn State backs and Warren, but it's certainly not out of the question, given how bad Purdue's defense has proven to be. Warren is another goal-line threat to score, amassing three rushing touchdowns of his own as a former quarterback used in a sort of goal-line wildcat. He also has four receiving touchdowns on the year, and the matchup is rosy through the air as well.

Mid-Tier Targets

Isaiah Bond, Texas ($7,400) at Arkansas

Josh Cameron, Baylor ($7,000) at West Virginia

Bond is the clear No. 1 option at wide receiver for the Longhorns this year, and he showed why in his return from injury last week, amassing 99 total yards (55 receiving, 44 rushing) and a touchdown (on a reception). Now on the schedule is a Razorbacks defense that allowed a colossal 453 passing yards and five touchdowns last week on just 17 catches. Bond can certainly make the most of his targets. averaging a team-best 11.2 for the season.

Cameron is a combination of a matchup play against a West Virginia opponent that has allowed each of its last three wideout opponents to surpass season averages, and the fact that Cameron has explosive showings under his belt already this year, posting two games of 28-plus points. This has the feel of another shootout, and Cameron could prove to be a difference-maker.

Bargain Options

Jake Briningstool, Clemson ($5,800) at Pittsburgh

Matthew Hibner, SMU ($5,400) vs. Boston College

While I do look through the wideout for any interesting plays, there were two tight ends who caught my eye as potential value plays. Pitt is simply a defense that can't guard tight ends. Prior to last week against Virginia, tight ends posted totals between 16.6 and 21.9 in the previous four. Brinigstool is still considered one of the better tight ends in college football, and this matchup could be too good to pass up for a Tigers team with an expected score of 32.5.

Hibner has been a backup tight end for most of the 2024 campaign thus far, but I noted him as a value play two weeks ago following the news RJ Maryland (knee) was done for the year, and Hibner delivered to the tune of three grabs for 108 yards and a touchdown against Pitt (see Briningstool above). while he doesn't get Pitt again, Boston College has really struggled against tight ends the last two games, yielding a combined 14 catches for 152 yards and three touchdowns. Rhett Lashlee likes to utilize the tight end in his offense, and Hibner has proven he's capable of contributing when called upon.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Chris Benzine plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Crispy272001, DraftKings: Crispy27.