This article is part of our FanDuel College Football series.
CASH-GAME TARGETS
QUARTERBACK
Patrick Mahomes - Texas Tech vs. Kansas State ($9,300)
Mahomes would ideally face a more uptempo team than the impressively slow Kansas State offense, but the Kansas State defense probably can't stop Mahomes, meaning Texas Tech's far-faster tempo should set the general tone -- Kansas State can slow the game down if they want, but it'll only hasten their defeat. The Wildcats will eventually need to hurry up to compete with Mahomes, who's attempting an average of 43.6 passes and 9.1 carries per game. Texas Tech is projected to score about 38 points -- a figure that I suspect might be a bit low -- Mahomes led Tech to a 53-point total against a tougher Oklahoma State defense.
Honorable mention:J.T. Barrett - Ohio State at Illinois ($9,300), Marquise Williams - North Carolina vs. Miami ($8,900)
RUNNING BACK
Elijah Hood - North Carolina vs. Miami ($7,000)
After foolishly limiting Hood's workload in North Carolina's first six games, coach Larry Fedora finally woke up in the last three weeks, giving Hood 58 carries, which turned into 268 yards and five touchdowns. The Hurricanes are allowing 5.1 yards per carry and 192 rushing yards per game this year, including 5.5 yards per carry and 226.6 yards per game against ACC opponents, so a top talent like Hood should produce with ease at home.
Sony Michel - Georgia at Auburn ($6,800)
Michel's broken hand proved a non-factor against Kentucky last week, as the highly talented runner took off for 165 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries (6.9 YPC). The Auburn defense is better than the Kentucky one, but it's still one that a player of Michel's talent level will exploit more often than not. The Tigers allow 4.8 YPC this year, as well as 5.0 YPC and 190 rushing yards per game against SEC opponents. Those six SEC opponents also ran for 13 touchdowns.
Honorable mention:Dalvin Cook - Florida State vs. North Carolina State ($9,300), Derrick Henry - Alabama at Mississippi State ($8,900), Josh Adams - Notre Dame vs. Wake Forest ($6,300) (ONLY IF C.J. Prosise IS OUT), Aaron Green - TCU vs. Kansas ($6,200), Chris Swain - Navy vs. SMU ($6,100)
WIDE RECEIVER
William Fuller - Notre Dame vs. Wake Forest ($7,300)
I like Fuller at this price and matchup either way, but I'll like it even more if C.J. Prosise (concussion/neck) sits out the game. DeShone Kizer is an excellent quarterback who has the Notre Dame offense humming, and Fuller is producing at a scorching pace again after a bit of a lull in a three-game stretch from October. In his last three games Fuller has 15 catches for 329 yards and five touchdowns. With 27 touchdowns on his last 120 catches, Fuller is an obvious touchdown machine.
Artavis Scott - Clemson at Syracuse ($5,300)
Scott's average of 9.9 yards per catch is quite a bummer, and four touchdowns on 56 receptions isn't good, either, but I have a lot of trouble passing on a player as heavily targeted as Scott playing on a team projected to score roughly 42 points. Scott has caught more than a fourth of Clemson's completed passes this year, including 27 catches in the last four weeks. There's probably not much upside here, but Scott is cheap enough for me to build with him.
Honorable mention:Josh Doctson - TCU vs. Kansas ($8,600), Aaron Burbridge - Michigan State vs. Maryland ($7,500), Jakeem Grant ($7,400), Stacy Coley - Miami at North Carolina ($6,000), Kolby Listenbee - TCU vs. Kansas ($5,500), Travis Rudolph - Florida State vs. North Carolina State ($5,400), Calvin Ridley at Mississippi State ($5,000)
TIGHT END
Jaylen Samuels - North Carolina State at Florida State ($5,600)
I realize this is expensive for a tight end, but it's worth trying to make room. Samuels' skill is obvious, and his role is almost game flow- and matchu-proof since he produces as both a runner and receiver. The matchup might not be so bad, though - the Seminoles just allowed over 100 yards receiving to Clemson tight end Jordan Leggett, and that 100 yards is nearly a third of his yardage on the whole season. Samuels is likely to be both the leading runner and receiver going forward for North Carolina State.
Honorable mention:Jordan Leggett - Clemson at Syracuse ($3,800), Jake Butt - Michigan at Indiana ($3,300), Josiah Price - Michigan State vs. Maryland ($2,800)
TOURNAMENT TARGETS
QUARTERBACK
Keenan Reynolds - Navy vs. SMU ($7,200)
Reynolds is probably a decent cash-game consideration, too, but sometimes teams game plan almost solely for Reynolds when facing the Navy offense, opting to single out Reynolds while leaving themselves vulnerable to the handoff and pitch options in the Navy backfield. It's why Reynolds ran for just 21 yards and a touchdown against Colgate despite running for 142 yards and five touchdowns against East Carolina the next week. Still, he's playing at home against a vulnerable defense in a game where Navy is projected to score roughly 42 points. It's the exact setting where Reynolds has been known to go off in the past.
Honorable mention:Trevone Boykin - TCU vs. Kansas ($10,400), Pat Mahomes - Texas Tech vs. Kansas State ($9,300), J.T. Barrett - Ohio State at Illinois ($9,300), Marquise Williams - North Carolina vs. Miami ($8,900), Joe Hubener - Kansas State at Texas Tech ($6,200)
RUNNING BACK
Charles Jones - Kansas State at Texas Tech ($4,700)
I imagine Jones' price is this low because of the perceived potential for a blowout as Kansas State goes on the road. Otherwise, it seems to be a screaming value. Jones isn't particularly good, but he has 34 carries over the last two weeks for 198 yards against Texas and Baylor. His bigger game between the two (Texas) just happened to be on the road, for what it's worth. Anyway, the real draw here is the fact that Texas Tech's run defense has been spectacularly bad, allowing 5.8 yards per carry and 273.6 rushing yards per game - as well as 33 rushing touchdowns in just 10 games.
Honorable mention:Dalvin Cook - Florida State vs. North Carolina State ($9,300), Derrick Henry - Alabama at Mississippi State ($8,900), Josh Adams - Notre Dame vs. Wake Forest ($6,300) (ONLY IF C.J. Prosise IS OUT), Aaron Green - TCU vs. Kansas ($6,200), Chris Swain - Navy vs. SMU ($6,100), Jovon Robinson - Auburn vs. Georgia ($5,00)
WIDE RECEIVER
KaVontae Turpin - TCU vs. Kansas ($5,200)
Even with Josh Doctson (wrist) fully expected to play, this is a tempting price for Turpin. Turpin might be undersized, but his explosiveness is off the charts, and coach Gary Patterson regularly goes out of his way to enthusiastically praise the freshman. TCU is projected to score roughly 58 points, and Turpin's last two games reveal a player who's a regular in the offense at this point. Turpin has 14 catches for 149 yards in the last two games, as well as four carries for 22 yards.
Honorable mention:Josh Doctson - TCU vs. Kansas ($8,600), Aaron Burbridge - Michigan State vs. Maryland ($7,500), Jakeem Grant ($7,400), Will Fuller - Notre Dame vs. Wake Forest ($7,300), Stacy Coley - Miami at North Carolina ($6,000), Kolby Listenbee - TCU vs. Kansas ($5,500), Travis Rudolph - Florida State vs. North Carolina State ($5,400), Calvin Ridley at Mississippi State ($5,000), Deon Cain - Clemson at Syracuse ($4,500)
