This article is part of our FanDuel College Football series.
CFB FanDuel DFS Breakdown for Saturday Main Slate
This week, the main slate of contests Saturday on FanDuel is, well, the slate. 'Tis the season for conference championships. There are six games on the docket for Saturday, each of them a conference title game. This, of course, means fewer DFS options than usual, and also much fewer favorable matchups to target. One does not make the SEC title game by dint of playing porous defense. Also, five of these six games are on a neutral site. Only the Sun Belt, where Louisiana hosts Marshall, features a true home game Saturday. With all that in mind, here are my recommendations to help you on the DFS front for conference title Saturday, which kicks off at noon E.T.
Notable College Football Injuries for Conference Championship Week
There's only really one notable injury for this week. Well, let's say one-ish. Harrison Wallace is questionable for Penn State in the Big Ten title game after sitting out the Maryland game with an undisclosed injury. He had 36 catches for 591 yards and three touchdowns, but Tyler Warren is the top target in this passing game. Still, Wallace is the Nittany Lions' leading receiver, so his status being questionable is noteworthy.
The bigger question is Trevor Etienne. Georgia's top back has missed the last three games with a rib injury. Etienne only played eight games this season after transferring from Florida, but he averaged 5.0 yards per carry and scored seven touchdowns. With Etienne's injury issues, true freshman Nate Frazier has emerged for the Bulldogs. He's on a five-game touchdown streak, but Texas is a tougher matchup than, say, UMass. There are questions about Etienne's health, but also how his return to the lineup would impact Frazier's production.
College Football DFS Tools
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- Advanced Lineups Page
- Stats
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- Defense vs. Position
- Team Rankings
Conference Championship CFB DFS Plays for FanDuel
Quarterback
Cade Klubnik, Clemson ($10,800) vs. SMU
Porous pass defenses need not apply when it comes to Saturday. The Mustangs have given up 230.3 passing yards per game, which is far from bad, but the highest among these 12 programs. You can't run on SMU with any sustained success, so Clemson's hopes are on Klubnik's shoulders. He only turned the ball over six times this season, and on seven occasions he had at least three passing touchdowns. That includes against Virginia Tech, who had a better pass defense than SMU.
Brett Gabbert, Miami (OH) ($8,200) vs. Ohio
If you want to try and save some salary on your quarterback, Gabbert is the guy in my opinion. While he started the season slowly, playing for a MAC team often means tough out-of-conference games. During conference play, Gabbert threw 18 touchdowns against four interceptions in eight games. That includes three touchdowns and no turnovers against this same Ohio team. I certainly like his chances better than, say, Quinn Ewers ($8,000) against Georgia.
Running Back
Brashard Smith, SMU ($10,200) vs. Clemson
Of the two backs who will set your salary back five digits, I prefer Smith to Cam Skattebo ($12,000). If Arizona State does anything offensively against Iowa State, it will be Skattebo, but my concern is that it might, you know, not do anything offensively. I don't see Clemson keeping SMU in check in the same way. Why Smith never got a shot at Miami I couldn't tell you, because he left the Canes for the 'Stangs and rushed for 1,157 yards and 14 touchdowns. Clemson was reasonable against the run, having only allowed 150.3 yards per game, but Smith also contributes in the passing game. He added 29 catches for 269 yards and three scores.
Elijah Davis, Louisiana ($8,300) vs. Marshall
An important note: While at RotoWire we have Davis listed with the first name "Elijah," on FanDuel he's listed as "Bill Davis." The redshirt freshman tallied 777 rushing yards and 10 total touchdowns, nine on the ground. As I mentioned, the Ragin' Cajuns are the only team with a true home game Saturday. Marshall has a good pass defense, but allowed a middling 189.3 rushing yard per contest. I'm glad to have a piece of the offense for the only proper home team in action, and the run game is the area to target.
Kyson Brown, Arizona State ($5,400) vs. Iowa State
This is the proverbial "galaxy brain" thinking, but hear me out. Iowa State allowed 156.9 passing yards per game, third-fewest in the FBS. If Arizona State wants to win, it will be on the ground. Skattebo is the lead back, but his salary is hefty, higher than not just any other back, but any player in action Saturday. Brown comes at a much lower salary. He wasn't involved at all early in the season, but over the last six games he's gotten 55 carries and rushed for 299 yards and two touchdowns. If you want to take a flyer, consider Brown.
Wide Receiver
Jayden Higgins, Iowa State ($9,000) vs. Arizona State
When tough pass defenses abound, one thing stands out: quantity. That's where Higgins shined. He was targeted 126 times this season, the fifth most in FBS football. Higgins turned those targets into 80 catches for 1,068 yards and nine touchdowns. Seven times this season Higgins was targeted at least a dozen times, and that could certainly be the case in the Big 12 title game.
Lance LeGendre, Louisiana ($7,500) vs. Marshall
While running the ball should be easier for the Cajuns known for Ragin', at this salary, getting the clear top receiver for the program works for me. Over the last nine games of the season LeGendre had 38 catches for 633 yards and six touchdowns. Over Louisiana's last two games he was targeted 15 times for 10 catches, 143 yards and two touchdowns. I specify that because Ben Wooldridge missed those games with his injured collarbone so they came with extant Louisiana quarterback Chandler Fields under center.
Bryant Wesco, Clemson ($5,600) vs. SMU
Wesco is the inverse of Higgins, and thus a worthwhile option for an all-or-nothing play. He had 30 catches in 10 games this season, but turned them into 535 yards and three touchdowns. Wesco averaged 17.8 yards per reception. Only SMU's Moochie Dixon did better among receivers in action Saturday, and he only had 18 catches. Wesco is more likely to be targeted and to catch a few passes. All he needs to do is break one off to provide bang for your buck.
