DraftKings College Football DFS Picks: Main Slate Plays and Strategy for Championship Weekend

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Published on December 3, 2022

DraftKings College Football DFS Plays: Championship Weekend

Since many will not have eyes on this article in time to play the all-day eight-game slate, I will begin with general picks for the full slate and follow with other selections specific to the afternoon and evening locks. Although the main slate has more contests, the afternoon four-game offering and the two-game night slate have a suitable array of contests to choose from. The best way to interpret the article for those able to play the eight-game slate is to count all listed endorsements as good plays for the whole day. For the smaller slates, take the eight-game selections specific to your time frame into account as well as the specific section for your slate.

SLATE OVERVIEW

* - All-Day

# - Afternoon,

+ Night,

*TCU (-1.5) vs. Kansas State O/U: 61.5

*Toledo (-3) vs. Ohio O/U: 54.5

*#Troy (-7.5) vs. Coastal Carolina O/U: 47.5

*#Georgia (-17.5) vs. LSU O/U: 51.5

*#Boise State (-3) vs. Fresno State O/U: 54.5

*#Tulane (-3.5) vs. UCF O/U: 57

*+Clemson (-7.5) vs. North Carolina O/U: 63.5

*+Michigan (-16.5) vs. Purdue O/U: 51.5

WEATHER REPORT

CCU/TROY - 81 percent chance of rain

UCF/TUL - 100 percent chance of rain

College Football DFS Tools

MAIN SLATE QUARTERBACKS

Max Duggan, TCU ($8,100) vs. Kansas State

I'm a big fan of holding on to the Cinderella narrative for the Horned Frogs, and although I think this game could be won or lost on the ground, TCU's run game will open up the passing game and benefit the likely Heisman candidate. Getting the run game going against KSU's improved defense will be the difference-maker, but Duggan's outstanding 29:3 TD/INT ratio and dual-threat capability tell you all you need to know about this pick.

Aidan O'Connell, Purdue ($5,700) vs. Michigan

Purdue's signal-caller is incredibly cheap, even against Michigan's defense. Even the most casual viewers of college football know that Purdue has a history of crashing the party, upending superior foes in surprising fashion. I don't think the Boilermakers will play the spoiler this time, but O'Connell's reduced salary is quite intriguing. He only struggled in two games this season, and while his line against Minnesota was odd, the tepid stats against Iowa are a bit easier to swallow. I favor spending up on running backs for the main slate, so the ability to save coin on a quarterback should be a smart play.

Also consider: Dequan Finn (if he starts), Toledo ($6,700) vs. Ohio

MAIN SLATE RUNNING BACKS

Will Shipley, Clemson ($6,800) vs. North Carolina

Despite last week's embarrassing loss to intrastate rival South Carolina, Shipley was able to throttle the Gamecocks for over 100 yards while the passing game struggled. I would only be worried about Shipley if coach Dabo Swinney flips the script and allows Cade Klubnik into the game. While I understand the desire to move to another quarterback after last week, Klubnik is simply not ready. A feather in Shipley's cap is UNC's run defense, which ranks 92nd in the country against the run.

Donovan Edwards, Michigan ($6,400) vs. Purdue

Edwards and Blake Corum were dubbed 'lightning and lightning', but Corum would steal most of the headlines. Now that Corum is no longer available, Edwards is in line to take over the every-down duties. He racked up a whopping 216 yards and two touchdowns against the Buckeyes, and we should expect another superior game against Purdue, who could arguably have a similar quality run defense to Ohio State.

Kendre Miller, TCU ($6,600) vs. Kansas State

A great day from Miller is essential to a TCU win. The best stat to quote for Miller is that he has scored a touchdown in every game this season, and has scored multiple touchdowns four times. Combine this point with what will once again be a heavy load in the backfield, a standout fantasy total is a good possibility. He sits very undervalued at this salary.

MAIN SLATE WIDE RECEIVERS

Tez Johnson, Troy ($6,300) vs. Coastal Carolina

While on the hunt for soft matchups, Johnson stands out. The Chanticleers have been fairly stout against the run but terrible against the pass, and Johnson is the Trojans' top receiving target. I also feel like the projected total is way too low, and there will be more total possessions than expected.

Brock Bowers, Georgia ($6,000) vs. LSU

Bowers hasn't done much over the past month, but I think that could change against the Tigers. LSU has a strong secondary but can sometimes lose tight ends in a crossing route, especially on downs where they expect the Bulldogs to run. Bowers can get out of the blocking scheme and wreak havoc out in the open, it's just a matter of snaps and utilization for his skill set.

Jerjuan Newton, Toledo ($5,000) vs. Ohio

Ohio has one of the worst pass defenses in the country, and Newton has been a very reliable target for the Rockets throughout the season. He's logged 689 yards and nine touchdowns over 11 games, and although that yardage total isn't massive compared to other elites, Toledo's passing game is in a very exploitable spot.

AFTERNOON SLATE QUARTERBACKS

John Rhys Plumlee, UCF ($7,700) vs. Tulane

This matchup is one of the more intriguing games on the slate, and although the weather is a slight concern, these two offenses should create a lot of firepower. Plumlee has a very talented receiving corps, and although Tulane contained them in the regular season, they couldn't stop Plumlee's wheels. He racked up 176 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, which is a huge boost to his resume in this spot. For the second quarterback selection, I will take Michael Pratt ($7,000) on the other side of the ball.

AFTERNOON SLATE RUNNING BACKS

George Holani, Boise State ($7,600) vs. Fresno State

You won't find a more reliable floor on any slate than Holani. Though the team has undergone quarterback changes and some frustrating moments, Holani has been rock-solid. He also beat up on Fresno State in the regular season, compiling a season-high 157 yards.

Kenny McIntosh, Georgia ($6,500) vs. LSU

It will be interesting to see how Georgia chooses to approach this game offensively because the team's defensive superiority is always consistent. You can look at McIntosh's numbers and surmise that the Bulldogs have been using him a bit more than usual, and the numbers say that the ground game is where the Bulldogs will have more success. McIntosh is also on a two-game touchdown streak, and it would be great to see that continue.

AFTERNOON WIDE RECEIVERS (All-day recs: Tez Johnson, Brock Bowers)

Sam Pinckney, Coastal Carolina ($6,200) vs. Troy

The PPR numbers will add up, but my only knock on Pinckney is his touchdown total. There's no evidence that the trend will change in this game, but in terms of volume, Pinckney is in McCall's sights more often than teammate Jared Brown ($6,100). I think you can mix and match the two if you are fielding multiple lineups.

NIGHT SLATE QUARTERBACKS (All-Day Rec: Aidan O'Connell)

DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson ($7,300) vs. North Carolina

I hope I don't regret this one! As you can see, I am fading Drake Maye despite his Heisman-worthy numbers due to Clemson's consistently stingy defense, and while he'll do reasonably well, it won't be enough to justify the elevated salary. Mack Brown's Tarheels have one of the worst defenses in the nation, and it's miracle that they could ride that deficiency to the championship game. Uiagalelei deserves to be benched after his awful game against the Gamecocks, but as said previously, Cade Kluubnik isn't the answer, at least right now. If he can find the and zone with his feet and re-establish a rapport with his wideouts, this pick could pay off.

NIGHT SLATE RUNNING BACKS (All-day recs: Will Shipley, Donovan Edwards)

NONE

NIGHT SLATE WIDE RECEIVERS

Charlie Jones, Purdue ($7,400) vs. Michigan

The O'Connell-to-Jones connection needs to be on fire for the Boilermakers to stay competitive. For the most part, Jones has been matchup-proof and is easily one of the best wide receivers on the slate. He didn't make the all-day list but you can certainly use him there, especially if you follow the recommendation of O'Connell.

Also consider: Cornelius Johnson, Michigan ($5,100) vs. Purdue, Antoine Green, UNC ($6,600) vs. Clemson

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.