DFS College Football 101: Week 11 Friday Picks

DFS College Football 101: Week 11 Friday

Here we go with a pair of Friday night games in Week 11. We don't have much to watch on the weather front, as the Louisville-Syracuse tilt will be played in a dome. Fresno State at Boise State is forecasted to be clear but cold at 35 degrees.

In terms of injuries, keep an eye on questionable tags for Syracuse RB Moe Neal and Boise WR John Hightower. I'll cover the potential ramifications of those injuries later in the write-ups. Meanwhile, here are the odds attached to these Friday matchups:

Louisville at Syracuse (-21) – Total: 69

Fresno State (-3) at Boise State – Total: 53

Looking within that, I'll highlight the best fantasy selections on FanDuel & DraftKings while also touching on some situations to monitor for your DFS squads.

QUARTERBACK

Eric Dungey – Syracuse (FanDuel $10,400 / DraftKings $9,800)

I wouldn't be surprised if Syracuse topped 50 points in this home date vs Louisville, and the oddsmakers apparently agree. As a capable dual-threat quarterback, Dungey will be the focal point of this potential blowout. He has notched 10 scores on the ground and eight more through the air this season, and he's primed to add at least a couple of each on Friday. To put it bluntly, he's an absolute necessity in this DFS slate.

Also Consider: I understand that it doesn't make for the most exciting article, but taking the chalk with Dungey and Fresno State QB Marcus McMaryion looks like the best cash game strategy. Both signal callers have strong matchups, as McMaryion will take advantage of a Boise State defense that ranks 92nd in opponent passer rating … I'm avoiding the Louisville quarterback situation, but you could look towards Jawon Pass in large tournaments while hoping something crazy happens in garbage time. However, that would assume that Pass actually makes things happen while avoiding mistakes and fending off backup Malik Cunningham … Brett Rypien is a more legitimate (but more expensive) tournament pivot off McMaryion, as he has shown the ability to flex upside numerous times this season. The only problem comes from facing a tough Fresno State pass defense.

RUNNING BACK

Alexander Mattison – Boise State (FanDuel $9,900 / DraftKings $7,000)

Mattison is a no-brainer in cash games (and probably tournaments) for this slate. He's the only running back in the player pool who has guaranteed volume with 20+ touches. The matchup isn't great against a Fresno State team that ranks 30th in yards per carry allowed, but I'm thinking Mattison will pull through based on sheer opportunity. As good as Fresno's run defense seems, their pass defense is even better – ranking third in opponent passer rating. That means the Broncos should lean heavily on Mattison here, and this isn't the first tough draw he's seen this season. The Junior RB went for 75 total yards with two touchdowns (20 FP) vs San Diego State (2nd in YPC allowed). He also posted 129 total yards and a pair of scores vs BYU last week, a team that ranks 40th in yards per carry allowed. In other words, there's no reason to shy away from Mattison on Friday.

Dontae Strickland – Syracuse (FanDuel $6,600 / DraftKings $4,000)

Syracuse has used a three-headed monster at running back this season, spreading carries between Moe Neal, Dontae Strickland and Jarveon Howard. Neal is questionable in this game, and his absence would provide a nice boost to the other two backs. If Neal plays, I still believe Strickland can be utilized in cash games along with looking towards Howard in tournaments. Remember that Syracuse is a 21 point home favorite with a heavy 69 point over/under. On top of that, Louisville ranks 125th in yards per carry on the season. Translation: the Orange should enact a run-heavy approach in the second half while maintaining a lead. With that being the case, majority of those carries could funnel towards the healthier option of the two co-starters: Dontae Strickland.

Also Consider: Piggybacking off the Strickland write-up, Jarveon Howard of Syracuse has been a touchdown machine with five scores on just 21 carries in his past four games. He could absolutely add to that total in this great draw vs Louisville, and there's a chance Howard could see some more carries if this one gets out of hand. He's a great tournament play and borderline cash filler if you need more value to swing the top dollar plays … Ronnie Rivers of Fresno State is an explosive playmaker, but he's also very costly on both sites while seeing no more than 15 touches in any game this season. On top of that, Boise State ranks 32nd in opponent yards per carry. Rivers is a tournament only play for me.

WIDE RECEIVER

KeeSean Johnson – Fresno State (FanDuel $9,600 / DraftKings $7,800)

Johnson is the most expensive receiving option on both sites, but there's a great chance he'll be worth every penny. Johnson has been a beast with eight receptions and more than 97 yards in each of his past three games. He also has two multi-touchdown games in his past six. The matchup at Boise looks good on paper, as the Broncos rank 92nd in opponent passer rating. Add it all up, and KeeSean easily has the best floor/ceiling combination of any WR on the board.

Nykeim Johnson – Syracuse (FanDuel $8,100 / DraftKings $5,100)

I've mentioned this several times throughout the article, but Louisville's defense is bad. To illustrate that point, consider that the Cardinals rank 125th in yards per carry allowed and 123rd in opponent passer rating. Jamal Custis was the top receiving option for Syracuse early in the season, but Nykeim Johnson has emerged as the go-to guy as of late. He's also cheaper than Custis on both sites, which makes the decision even easier in cash games. Although Nykeim posted a dud last weekend, he flexed quality upside with 12 receptions, 238 yards and two touchdowns total in his previous two games. Johnson is a viable receiving weapon who could have a strong bounce-back performance in this fantastic draw.

Also Consider: I'll be looking to Boise State top WR A.J. Richardson through all formats for only $5600 on DraftKings. He's avoidable (in favor of K.Johnson) for $9400 on FanDuel … You'll probably want a cheap filler or two while trying to stack your lineup with Dungey, McMaryion, K.Johnson and/or Mattison. Michiah Quick, Taj Harris, and Ravian Pierce are the best options (in order of preference) when looking at cheap receivers.