College Football DFS: DraftKings New Year's Eve Bowl Picks

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Published on December 30, 2024

We have a packed day of bowl action on New Year's Eve, including a College Football Playoff semifinal. DraftKings will offer several windows to get involved in the slate, but the main featured slate with all five games will begin at 12:00 p.m. ET.

SLATE OVERVIEW

ReliaQuest Bowl: Alabama vs. Michigan

Sun Bowl: Louisville vs. Washington

Citrus Bowl: South Carolina vs. Illinois

Texas Bowl: Baylor vs. LSU

CFP Quarterfinal @ Cotton Bowl: #6 Penn State vs. #3 Boise State

CFB DFS Tools

DraftKings College Football Optimizer
FanDuel College Football Optimizer
Weekly CFB Matchup Info
CFB Targets
CFB Stats
CFB Team Trends
CFB Advanced Team Stats with Plays per Game, Pass %, Run % and more

NOTABLE TRANSFERS/OPT-OUTS

Alabama

CB DeVonta Smith

RB Justice Haynes

WR Kendrick Law

S Malachi Moore (injury)

Michigan

WR Tyler Morris

TE Colston Loveland (opt-out)

RB Donovan Edwards (opt-out)

RB Kalel Mullings (opt-out)

CB Will Johnson (injury)

Several defensive starters (opt-out)

Louisville

QB Tyler Shough (opt-out)

RB Ja'Corey Brooks (opt-out)

WR Ahmari Huggins-Bruce (opt-out)

Washington

QB Will Rogers (benched)

RB Cam Davis (opt-out)

2 first-string defensive players (transfer)

Illinois

WR Pat Bryant (opt-out)

South Carolina

RB Raheim Sanders (opt-out)

Baylor

4 Backup defensive players (transfer)

LSU

WR CJ Daniels

S Sage Ryan

TE Mason Taylor (opt-out)

WR Kyren Lacy (opt-out)

Several defensive players, resulting in three freshmen on the offensive line

Quarterback

Sawyer Robertson, Baylor ($8,000) vs. LSU

Robertson isn't a glitzy pick if you don't follow the Big 12 or don't care about Vegas metrics, but those in the know are well aware of what Robertson brings to the table. The Bears are headed into the Texas Bowl with their first string almost intact. Although Ashtyn Hawkins (hand) is questionable, the rest of Robertson's receivers are healthy and ready to play. As you can see above, LSU's defense surrenders the second-highest pass-yardage amount on the slate, and few quarterbacks can match Robertson's end-of-season success. Although they were thwarted by some early tough losses that eliminated their CFP aspirations, they want to let the college football landscape know that they deserved to be there. I am taking Robertson and stacking his passing game with confidence.

Drew Allar, Penn State ($8,100) vs. Boise State

The slate sets up as a spot where the S-FLEX might be best used by a non-QB, but I'll offer Allar as an alternative. Which pass defense ranks worse than LSU on the slate? You guessed it - it's the Broncos, who have struggled against opposing quarterbacks at times this season. Although the Nittany Lions have excellent talent at running back, I expect Allar to test the air a bit more than usual, as both defenses will try to contain the running back elites.

Running Back

Before endorsing, you have to ask the Ashton Jeanty ($10,900) question - do you play him? Can we fade him? It's a tough call, and while there are cheap opt-out subs you can use at the position to offset the enormous cost, I'm inclined to say no, unless you go with one quarterback and make Jeanty your S-FLEX. We're used to spending up with a quarterback spot anyway, so it's the position that makes the most sense.

Isaac Brown, Louisville ($7,100) vs. Washington

The Cardinals will have Harrison Bailey as their new quarterback, with occasional appearances by Deuce Adams. Both quarterbacks will rely on a strong backfield presence to keep them comfortable. Bailey is expected to take most of the snaps, and he's a true pocket passer who lacks dual-threat mobility. Brown will be the guy running it out of the backfield, as Bailey's feet are no threat. The Huskies also have one of the most forgiving rush defenses on the slate.

Jordan Marshall, Michigan ($3,000) vs. Alabama

I was keen to exploit Alabama's run defense, but I had to check on who would be the guy in the backfield with Edwards and Mullings out. After reading up on Marshall, I'm convinced that he could be the big surprise on the slate. The freshman has drawn comparisons to Blake Corum, which is lofty praise coming from his alma mater. I saw him return a couple of balls on special teams this season, and I can understand why he's going to get the call.

Also consider: Bryson Washington, Baylor ($8,500) vs. LSU

Wide Receiver

Aaron Anderson, LSU ($5,700) vs. Baylor

With Lacy and Taylor opting out, I expect Garrett Nussmeier to target Anderson often. The Nears can be beaten through the air, and we've seen how Nussmeier can shred secondaries despite the disappointing season endured by the Tigers. Chris Hilton ($3,700) could be the dark horse budget option for this offense, but I think Anderson will be the more dependable option.

Josh Cameron, Baylor ($5,000) vs. LSU

I'm following through with a Baylor stack and taking Cameron. Although picking the correct receiver for Baylor was a source of DFS frustration this season, Cameron was the top guy more often than not. I don't have an issue with Monaray Baldwin or Ashtyn Hawkins, but Cameron's target share is usually the highest on the team.

Zakhari Franklin, Illinois vs. South Carolina

I think the Illini are in for a long day against the Gamecocks, and Luke Altmyer will need to have a superb day through the air to have a chance. Franklin should be past the injury that hampered him at the end of the season, and he'll be Altmyer's top target. South Carolina's defense is strong, but their secondary is where they have the most gaps.

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.