College Football DFS: Saturday Night Slate on DraftKings an FanDuel for Week 3

The Week 3 Saturday Night Slates for DraftKings and FanDuel share six games, so we will focus on selections for that group, followed by specific game-by-game picks for the outlier matches for each site.

Slate Overview

Texas (-35.5) vs. UTSA O/U: 55

Georgia (-22) @ Kentucky O/U: 44.5

TCU (-1) vs. UCF O/U: 62.5

Colorado (-7) @ Colorado State O/U: 58.5

Indiana (-3) @ UCLA O/U: 46

Maryland (-1.5) @ Virginia O/U: 57.5

Baylor (-15.5) vs. Air Force O/U: 41.5  (DraftKings Only)

Auburn (-27) vs. New Mexico O/U: 59.5 (FanDuel Only)

Mississippi State (-10.5)) vs. Toledo O/U: 56.5 (FanDuel Only)

Weather

TOL/MSST: 40 percent chance of rain

NM/AUB: 70 percent chance of rain

CFB DFS Tools

• DraftKings College Football Optimizer
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• CFB Stats
• CFB Team Trends
• CFB Advanced Team Stats with Plays per Game, Pass %, Run % and more  

CFB Saturday Night Picks on DraftKings and FanDuel for Week 3

Quarterback

We've seen how Shedeur Sanders (DK $9,600, FD $11,000) can produce in a blowout loss, and he is in a much better spot this week against the Rams. I also think his DK salary is a bit too good to pass up. Also, the spread is reasonably narrow, and the total is high. He is a QB/S-FLEX lock for me on DK. 

Carson Beck, Georgia (DK $9,400, FD $10,400) @ Kentucky

I have no illusions about this game being competitive, but when you look at the top-tier passers on the slate, the rivalry environment on the road might be the best spot to spend. The salary drop between Beck and Sanders is wider on FanDuel, and he's a more reasonable pivot there. 

Josh Hoover, TCU (DK $9,100, FD $9,800) vs. UCF

After putting up two strong games to begin the year, I think Hoover is a stable option. You aren't getting much of a discount on DraftKings, but he's a good way to pay down on FanDuel. KJ Jefferson will likely have a tougher time against the Horned Frogs' defense, and I'm inclined to go the other way in what should be one of the highest-scoring contests on this slate.

Running Back

Cam Cook, TCU (DK $5,800, FD$7,900) vs. UCF

The blowout scenarios dilute the potential for other top rushers on the slate. Cook is a different story entirely, and I expect him to play a key role in this matchup. He scored a career-high three touchdowns last week, and although his yardage isn't elite yet, his nose for the end zone is a compelling draw.

Roman Hemby, Maryland (DK $5,800, FD $7,500) @ Virginia

Hemby struggled against Michigan State last week, but he faces a Virginia defense that's surrendered its fair share of big plays to opponents this season. They allowed Wake Forest's Demond Clairborne to rush for 86 yards and two touchdowns, and we could argue that Hemby is a better and more experienced back. 

Jerrick Gibson, Texas (DK $4,000, FD $5,200) vs. UTSA

Gibson is our first bargain opportunity. The Longhorns should be able to rest Jaydon Blue relatively early, and Gibson is the most likely beneficiary. He's logged 10 rushing attempts and a touchdown in each game this season, so the staff seems confident in the freshman's chances in the red zone. He's very helpful on both sites due to the requirement for expensive options at quarterback.

Also consider: Justin Marshall, Colorado State (DK $4,700, FD $5,700) vs. Colorado

Wide Receiver

Travis Hunter, Colorado (DK $9,500, FD $10,400) @ Colorado State

Colorado has a wide array of pass-catchers to choose from, but a straightforward stack of Sanders and Hunter projects to be extremely reliable. A triple stack of Sanders, Hunter, and someone like Jimmy Horn or Will Sheppard is also feasible, but Hunter has topped the box score in every game so far. There's no sign of a downturn in production, and Colorado Stare should run into bug problems defending this passing attack.

Dominic Lovett, Georgia (DK $6,200, FD $6,400) @ Kentucky

Stacking is a very effective way to climb up the rankings in DFS contests, and Lovett gives us another opportunity to match with a recommended quarterback. While Georgia is playing like the best team in the country, the loss of Brock Bowers has forced the 204 Bulldogs to find alternate ways of moving the ball through the air. Lovett has been a good candidate to absorb that production, but his stats haven't elevated to an elite level yet.  The stats for other receivers on the team are currently on par with Lovett, but he's been targeted 10 times over the first two games.

Malachi Fields, Virginia (DK $8,300, FD $8,600) vs. Maryland

Fields is a PPR dream, but he's also topped the century mark in yardage for every game this season. Maryland has given up a lot of yards to opposing quarterbacks so far, so Anthony Colandrea should able to get the ball out frequently to his favorite target.

Baylor vs. Air Force (DraftKings)

I don't see a lot to like in this matchup. QB Dequan Finn has yet to establish a consistent floor of production, so I'm hesitant to risk on him or any of his receivers. No Air Force player made it into my list of picks.

Auburn vs. New Mexico (FanDuel)

Auburn will move from Payton Thorne and go with an untested freshman quarterback this week, so it's difficult to predict how the Tigers will look. Jarquez Hunter ($8,500) would be my best bet for this game, as I anticipate Aubrun to lean on the run.

Mississippi State vs. Toledo (FanDuel)

There isn't much to choose from here. It's best to ignore this game and look for other options.