We did it, guys! After biding our time from January through the end of August to watch some much-needed sports, it's finally arrived: college football is back! With a lower-than-usual three-game main schedule and a modest Week 0 offering featuring four games total, we're sure to please our taste buds. But after seven months without football to watch, we'll happily accept what the football schedulers have in store for us and prepare for the next five months of intense action.
For DFS purposes, we’ll highlight our picks from Saturday’s main slate.
College football is back at FantasyLabs, and with our player models, you can easily create up to 300 lineups for your DFS contests using our lineup optimizer.
Or, if cash games are more your style, you can use the Lineup Builder to build your lineup based on our predictions. From there, you can build your lineup manually or lock in a few players and let the builder optimize the rest based on our predictions.
Here is a summary of our model:
Let's take a closer look at what's on offer this week!
CFB DFS Quarterback Picks
Tommy Mellott (Montana State Bobcats): $7,000 DraftKings
While most teams will be loading their early season schedules with FCS games to prepare for next season, the New Mexico Lobos are already at a disadvantage. They enter Saturday's matchup against the Montana State Bobcats as shocking +13.5 underdogs at home, a game that should see Tommy Mellott shine.
Montana State employed a strange quarterback strategy last year, sometimes using three quarterbacks in the same game to lead the offense, and Mellott was the undisputed leader of the offense even with the split duties, but he entered the season as the best quarterback and likely the undisputed starter going forward.
Mellott had a great season last year, performing at his best when the pressure was strongest. The Montana native completed 63.0 percent of his passes for 1,089 yards and 10 touchdowns, then stepped up in the playoffs, completing 13-of-17 passes for a season-high 204 yards in a win over the North Dakota State Bisons in the second round of the FCS Championship.
With an unencumbered workload under center, Mellott should develop into one of the best quarterbacks in the FCS ranks, and the first step of that will be Saturday against the Lobos, when he'll have a chance to step up against an FBS opponent and solidify his status as the best quarterback in the game.
DJ Uiagalelei (Florida State Seminoles): $9,000 DraftKings
Florida State Seminoles fans don't need to be reminded of last year's heartbreaking disappointment, but they will be hoping to see their team retool rather than rebuild as they look to defend their ACC crown. Thankfully, Florida State acquired standout quarterback DJ Uiagalelei this offseason, giving them a great opportunity to build on last season's success.
Uiagalelei is coming off perhaps the best season of his career, setting a career high in passing yards despite attempting a record few passes as a junior. Uiagalelei totaled 315 passes for 2,638 yards and 8.4 yards per attempt. This efficiency also led to 21 touchdown passes, one shy of his career high.
His completion percentage dropped slightly in 2023, but should rise this year. The Seminoles have a ton of elite pass-catching players, so Uiagalelei should be able to bounce back to his career averages, which could help him surpass last year's impressive 81.0 QBR and finish 12th in the country.
Uiagalelei's rushing ability also can't be discounted. The Oregon State Beavers put a damper on his running game last year, but FSU should embrace his dual-threat nature and allow their rookie quarterback to reach his full potential.
The well-traveled point guard has made an impact every season of his career, but he's looking to save his best for last. Uiagalelei leads the Seminoles in their season opener against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and should have no problem hitting his fantasy ceiling in a neutral-site game in Ireland. Hopefully, last year's struggles will be a distant memory for the Seminoles.
CFB DFS Running Back Picks
Jamaal Haynes (Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets): $6,300 DraftKings
Over the past few seasons, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have displayed a more balanced offense. But if anything, that has only taken the pressure off the ground game, forcing defenses to plan for an aerial attack rather than filling the box and defending the run. As a result, Jamaal Haynes will thrive in the Yellow Jackets backfield and look to be at his best in 2024.
Three players had at least 100 rushing attempts last year. Dual-threat quarterback Haynes King had 737 yards on 120 carries and Dontae Smith added another 504 yards on 100 carries. But it was Jamal Haynes who was the most productive, rushing for 1,059 yards on 174 carries and looking to do even better heading into his junior season.
Haynes was solid from start to finish last year, but emerged as a top threat in the second half of the season. The then-sophomore topped 100 yards in three of the season's final five games, improving his yards per carry to 6.8 during that time, which will set a new standard for him as he becomes an even bigger part of the offense in his junior season in 2024.
Expect Haynes to perform well this season, but his fantasy value will increase even more in the Yellow Jackets' season opener against the Seminoles, which will likely be Haynes' minimum salary this season, so be sure to take advantage.
Roydell Williams (Florida State Seminoles): $7,100 DraftKings
Of course, FSU could fight fire with fire and lean on its own star running back. In four seasons with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Roydell Williams never really found his footing. His best showing came in 2023, but even then he was a backup to Jace McClellan and never got a chance to shine. Now, the Seminoles should be able to see all the former four-star has to offer.
Williams has a relentless running style that should allow him to play well against inferior ACC opponents, and FSU has three running backs averaging at least 5.8 yards per carry, setting a benchmark for Williams heading into the 2024 season. Also, as the leading rusher, expect the senior to be a more visible presence in the red zone and boost his fantasy ceiling each week.
Don't overlook Georgia Tech's lackluster rush defense either — the Yellow Jackets allowed an ACC-worst 438.2 yards per game last year, including 225.7 on the ground — and no significant improvement is expected this season, which gives the Seminoles an unnecessary advantage as -10.5 favorites to win.
Williams will finally get a chance to become the player many expected him to be with the Crimson Tide, serving as the leadoff back for FSU's potent offensive line, and that opportunity begins in Week 0 against a porous Georgia Tech defense.
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CFB DFS Wide Receiver Picks
RJ Maryland (SMU Mustangs): $5,400 DraftKings
The most likely matchup for Week 0 is the SMU Mustangs taking on the Nevada Wolf Pack, with odds of -25.5. This betting market confidence bodes well for the Mustangs' aerial attack to have no trouble gaining yards against a shaky Wolf Pack defense. SMU has several players rated highly in Fantasy Lab's projections, but we rate RJ Maryland the most highly.
He was a favorite target for Maryland all season, but he was at his best in the red zone. The big-framed tight end was the team's leader in pass catches with seven touchdowns last year and will likely be Preston Stone's safety blanket in 2024.
Still, Maryland's fantasy contributions aren't limited to red-zone targets. He was a regular in the passing attack, with three or more receptions in eight games last season and 56-plus receiving yards in three of the season's final five games. Continuity is expected this year as Maryland becomes the mainstay of the Mustangs' aerial attack.
Nevada had one of the worst defenses in the country last year, holding the Wolfpack to a dismal 442.8 yards per game and allowing opponents to give up 254.1 yards per game in the passing game. With Maryland leading the way in the season opener, the Mustangs should dominate the Wolfpack.
Malik Benson (Florida State Seminoles): $7,000 DraftKings
Stacking remains one of our preferred options in the world of CFB DFS, and our strategy for opening week will involve throwing in a bunch of notable Seminoles: DJ Uiagalelei will want to make an immediate impact with his new team, so he should try to build immediate chemistry with rookie Malik Benson.
Benson committed to FSU after a limited time playing FBS last season with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Despite appearing in 14 games, Benson only had 13 receptions and 162 yards in his junior season. After a strong spring with the Seminoles, the Kansas native has risen to the top of Florida State's recruiting ranks and will be Coach Uiagalelei's prime candidate for progression throughout this season.
A former four-star recruit, Benson has shown off his speed to get out there at every level he's played at, but that speed doesn't come at the expense of his route running, as the senior uses his explosiveness to create space on defenders and thrives on short-to-mid-range routes.
Benson still has something to prove against some of the best talent out there, but that proof won't come against Georgia Tech's secondary in Week 0. Expectations are high for the wide receiver, but we expect Benson to deliver for the Seminoles, especially in the season opener.
Ty McCullough (Montana State Bobcats): $4,900 DraftKings
With a small roster, we're not going to pass up the opportunity to go with a dual stack and pair Ty McCullough with Bobcats quarterback Tommy Mellott. McCullough was the preferred passing option for Montana State's offense last season and will look to build on his team-leading performance from last year.
McCullough set the standard in every way in 2023. Despite only playing in eight games due to injury, he led the Bobcats in receiving yards and touchdowns. More importantly, his chemistry with Mellott pushed McCullough even further in his senior season. Like Mellott, McCullough became even more involved in the offense toward the end of the season, giving both Bobcats a lot of confidence going into the 2024 season.
The final three games of last year were when the stakes were highest, with McCullough rushing for 241 yards and four touchdowns, and we expect to see even more of that on Saturday as McCullough re-establishes himself as a top passing option and dominates the Lobos at every opportunity. Betting markets continue to tilt the betting lines in favor of the Bobcats, and it's the same confidence that has DFS bettors signing up McCullough for their main slate.
