FanDuel College Football DFS Picks: Saturday Main Slate for Week 5

Written by

Updated on September 28, 2024 4:09AM EST

CFB FanDuel DFS Breakdown for Saturday Main Slate

We finally get into the meat and potatoes of conference play in Week 5, featuring a bevy of intriguing matchups around college football on Saturday's slate. Headlining the main slate in terms of expected scoring is the UCF-Colorado contest, which shouldn't come as a shock. Kansas State-Oklahoma State checks in second on that slate, while Clemson-Stanford (56.5) is the only other game that checks in above 55 expected points.

Clemson sports the highest expected score on the slate at 39 points, while UCF is right behind them at 38.5. Ohio State (36.0) is the only other squad with an expected score over 35, and Ole Miss is just behind them at 34.0, followed by a trio of teams in Penn State (32.5), USC (32.5) and Kansas State (31.0) to round out the expected 30-points scorers. The Buckeyes are also the heaviest favorite at -23.5, but Clemson (-21.5), Penn State (-17.5), Ole Miss (-15.5), USC (-14.5) and UCF (-14.5) are all two-touchdown-plus favorites.

College Football DFS Weather (winds 10+ MPH and precip. chance 50-plus percent noted)

Kentucky at Ole Miss: winds potentially north of 11 MPH for much of the game (minor impact), minor chance of rain

Minnesota at Michigan: Significant chance of rain throughout and winds around 10 MPH

Louisville at Notre Dame: Some rain throughout, winds potentially 12-13 MPH

Colorado at UCF: Chance for rain throughout

Notable College Football Injuries/Absences for Week 5

Conner Weigman, Texas A&M - Listed questionable on injury report for Saturday

Dequan Finn, Baylor Baylor - Sat out last week and status for Saturday remains unclear

Maurice Turner, Louisville - Not on the depth chart and is not expected to be available

Chip Trayanum, Kentucky - Out again this week

Taylor Tatum, Oklahoma - Won't play this week

L.J. Johnson Jr., SMU Texas Tech - Considered day-to-day with a concussion

LJ Martin, BYU BYU - Not listed on the depth chart for Week 5

Roydell Williams, Florida State - Set to miss extended time

Sione I Moa, BYU BYU - Banged up during last week's game and spotted in a boot on campus this week. Status for Saturday is uncertain

Deion Burks, Oklahoma - Out against Auburn

Nic Anderson, Oklahoma - Out against Auburn

Andrel Anthony, Oklahoma - Out against Auburn

Jordan Watkins, Ole Miss Mississippi - Considered probable for Saturday

Nick Marsh, Michigan State - Game-time call for Saturday

London Humphreys, Georgia Georgia - Sitting out against Alabama

Makai Lemon, USC USC - Status uncertain after he left last week against Michigan in an ambulance, but he's doing well in recovery

Tyler Brown, Clemson Clemson - Considered day-to-day

Colston Loveland, Michigan - Slated to be a game-time decision

Lake McRee, USC USC - Slated to miss the next couple of weeks

College Football DFS Tools

Week 5 CFB DFS Plays on FanDuel

Quarterback

Cade Klubnik, Clemson ($10,800) vs. Stanford

Stanford has simply had not ability to cover opposing passing attacks in its two contests versus FBS opponents, allowing a combined 692 passing yards and four passing touchdowns between TCU and Syracuse. On top of that, the Cardinal allowed both Josh Hoover and Kyle McCord, two relatively unathletic quarterbacks in terms of running ability, to scamper for touchdown runs. Klubnik isn't the most prolific runner either, but he's tallied three rushing touchdowns already this season while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Things seem to be aligning here for Klubnik to put up his third straight big effort as the Tigers being to round into form after a rough showing versus Georgia to open the year.

KJ Jefferson, UCF ($9,900) vs. Colorado

So, I'm going to go a different direction than the way-too-obvious Harvey play listed below, Jefferson seems like an interesting pivot in the same game. Colorado yields the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks on the slate, and the Buffs have surrendered three rushing scores to opposing QBs through the first four contests, including two to North Dakota State. Jefferson has found pay dirt on the ground just once so far this year and did so only twice all of last season, but he totaled a combined 15 in his first two years at Arkansas, and he's in a much better offensive situation now than he was last year. He's also coming off a three-touchdown effort through the air last week versus TCU, and this could prove a high-scoring contest, so it may be worth the cheaper ticket to entry on the UCF side with Jefferson.

Riley Leonard, Notre Dame ($9,700) vs. Louisville

Speaking of mobile quarterbacks, Leonard certainly fits that mold, putting his full athletic ability on display over the last two weeks to the tune of 243 rushing yards and five rushing scores. Louisville has had its trouble defending running quarterbacks in its two games versus FBS opponents so far this year, yielding a combined 34 carries for 164 yards and two rushing touchdowns to Jacksonville State and Georgia Tech. Leonard has the wheels to take advantage of this Cardinals defense, and I expect him to use them once again Saturday.

Running Back

Way-too-obvious play: RJ Harvey, UCF ($11,500) vs. Colorado

This just feels like a must-have player in cash game lineups, but it's also a situation where you could justify bypassing Harvey in GPPs with the hope Colorado somehow manages to contain him. The Buffs are fifth-worst on the slate, allowing 21.5 FD points per game to opposing running backs, and Harvey enters this week averaging 39.0 FD points per game. Harvey will definitely be heavily rostered in DFS lineups because the value can frequently be found further down the board, so it may be worth the play, even if he's on more than half of the rosters.

Woody Marks, USC ($9,400) vs. Wisconsin

If you're looking near the top of the board and shifting away from Harvey, Marks may be one of the better options to turn to. Wisconsin's defensive front has been unable to corral the opposition so far this season, having lost arguably its best defensive lineman for most, if not all, of 2024 in James Thompson prior to the start of the season. running backs have fared well as a result, averaging 18.7 fantasy points per game on just 53 total carries through three games. That efficiency bodes well, as USC isn't a particularly high-volume rushing attack, ranking 124th in the country with 26.3 totes per contest. Marks gets the vast majority of those looks, however, handling 73 percent of carries against LSU and 62 percent versus Michigan last week. Against this Wisconsin front, Marks could be in line for another big day.

DJ Giddens, Kansas State ($8,500) vs. Oklahoma State

While most of the matchups this week aren't that enticing among running backs, this one does catch my eye a bit. The Cowboys have surrendered big numbers versus opposing running backs so far this season, with the biggest being Arkansas' running back room, totaling 28 carries for 168 yards and three touchdowns. Through four games, opposing backs are averaging 5.5 yards per carry on the season and have averaged more than four catches per contest for a total of 93 yards. While the touchdowns haven't been there (just three through four games), Giddens is one of the better bets to find the end zone in a Wildcats offense missing some firepower with Ben Sinnott going to the NFL. the junior back has reached pay dirt twice through four gams this year and has seven grabs to his name, though none in either of the last two. The staff will find ways to get the ball in his hands this week after a blowout loss to BYU last week, and Giddens should be able to make the most of it in a high-scoring affair with the Wildcats expected to put up 31.

GPP Value Play: Hinckley Ropati, BYU ($5,800) at Baylor

This is certainly not a play for the faint of heart, as Ropati could certainly fail to garner much run in the contest; he's listed alongside three other backs as co-starters for the contest. But we do know that Martin is presumably out (see injuries above), and last week's lead dog, Moa, was in a boot at some point this week and could miss. Martin wasn't listed on the depth chart, so the other two to contend with Ropati are Miles Davis and Enoch Nawahine if Moa can't play. Ropati came into the season considered the potential starter ahead of Martin by many reports, so he's a name I'm willing to bet on. The matchup isn't the best, but there's potential for some volume here, and this is certainly a play that doesn't figure to tabulate much rostership.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Travis Hunter, Colorado ($11,200) at UCF

Going to the top of the board at each position doesn't typically work in most DFS formats, but it can be a strategy in CFB, with some hidden gems often found further down the board. I was hesitant to go with Hunter here because he's yet to find the end zone against a power-five opponent, but he's also notched five touchdowns against Colorado State and North Dakota State, and he's topped 100 receiving yards in all four games. I think you need Hunter to find pay dirt in this one at least once to return the necessary value here, but that's certainly within the realm of possibility against a UCF defense allowing the most fantasy points per game (43.5) to opposing wideouts on the slate. That number includes the second most receiving touchdowns (six) on the slate, which bodes well for Colorado to put up a decent amount of points in this one.

Brennan Presley ($9,500)/De'Zhaun Stribling ($7,900), Oklahoma State at Kansas State

Presley has proven to be the most consistent and reliable option among wideouts this season, claiming a healthy 26.9 percent target share and turning that into 10.8 yards per target, along with four touchdowns. The offensive line hasn't been able to generate frequent openings for star running back Ollie Gordon so far this season, and Kansas State has held its opposition to just 2.8 yards per carry and 83.3 rushing yards per game, so I could see more of a reliance on the passing game her again, especially if the game script follows with the Cowboys 4.5-point underdogs. Stribling isn't particularly far behind on target front, posting 33 targets to Presley's 43, and Presley's target share is buoyed by a 19-target game versus Arkansas in Week 2. Outside of that, Stribling is on par, though his production has proven much more volatile. Even so, Stribling has shown he can explode with his Week 3 performance against Tulsa, racking up seven catches for 174 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Both seem like viable plays in Week 5.

Antonio Williams ($7,800)/Bryant Wesco ($5,200)/Tyler Brown ($4,700) - If he plays, Clemson vs. Stanford

Through three games, Williams has been the Tigers' most reliable weapon at wide receiver, tallying 12 grabs for 159 yards and three touchdowns. Next up is a matchup versus a Stanford defense who hasn't contained a passing attack this year, highlighted in Klubnik's piece above. Williams could be the primary beneficiary of that matchup, especially considering Stanford has held opposing tight ends in check this year, including star tight end Oronde Gadsden (two catches for 12 yards last week). If we leave Jake Briningstool off the table, Wesco, who no longer shares an "or" designation as a starter on the depth chart with Adam Randall sidelined due to a toe injury, enters the conversation, as does Brown (if healthy). Wesco put his ability on full display in Week 2 with three grabs for 130 yards and a touchdown, and this matchup could be an opportunity for the true freshman to truly shine. Brown's basically missed the past two weeks and was seemingly limited in the opener as well, so we haven't gotten the full share of his work this year. He was arguably the most reliable wideout for the Tigers last year, turning in 52 catches for 531 yards and four touchdowns on 65 targets, and he could have a solid showing in store if he plays Saturday.

Bauer Sharp, Oklahoma ($5,300) at Auburn

I've rambled on long enough, so I'll keep this one brief. Injuries, injuries, injuries. The Sooners are digging deep down the depth chart at wide receiver for help this week with Burks, Anderso, Anthony and Farooq out, but Sharp has proven a reliable option in the passing attack early. At this salary, and with the lack of weapons available for Michael Hawkins in his first career start, Sharp seems as good a bet as any to produce for the Sooners on Saturday.

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.