FanDuel College Football DFS Picks: Main Slate for Saturday, December 23

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Published on December 22, 2023

CFB FanDuel DFS Breakdown for Saturday Main Slate

As we continue on in bowl season, it's a game of monitoring transfer portal and NFL Draft entries that will impact the outlooks of teams, and to find some potential spots for value on each slate. Topping the expected scoring charts for Saturday's six-game main slate is South Alabama against an Eastern Michigan team that will be without starting quarterback Austin Smith for this one after he entered the transfer portal. USA sports a 31.0 expected score, with Utah State (30.5) checking in behind the Jaguars as the only other team above the 30-point mark.

In terms of game totals, Utah State-Georgia State (59.5) leads the way by a five-points margin over NIU-Arkansas State (54.5). After those two, we see a 10-point drop to the next game.

South Alabama is the only doubl-digit favorite (-17.0) on the slate, while every other game sports a spread

College Football DFS Weather (winds 10+ MPH and precip. chance 50-plus percent noted)

Coastal Carolina vs. San Jose State: Chance for winds in the mid-to-high teens throughout.

Notable College Football Injuries/Absences for Saturday, December 23

Riley Leonard, Duke - Transferred to Notre Dame

Austin Smith, Eastern Michigan Memphis - Entered transfer portal

Cameron Rising, Utah Utah - Still sidelined with injury

Bryson Barnes, Utah Utah - Entered transfer portal

Nate Johnson, Utah - Transferred to Vanderbilt

Henry Belin, Duke Duke - Hasn't played since Week 8 and status as starter remains unclear even if he's available for bowl game

Cooper Legas, Utah State - Not listed on depth chart for bowl game

McCae Hillstead, Utah State - Listed as backup on depth chart for bowl game

Carter Bradley, South Alabama - Jags expected to use multiple QBs in bowl game

Zac Larrier, Air Force - Expected to play in bowl game

Marcus Carroll, Georgia State - Transferred to Missouri

Jordan Waters, Duke North Carolina State - Transferred to NC State

John Lee Eldridge, Air Force - Entered transfer portal

Ty Son Lawton, James Madison Indiana - Transferred to Indiana

Kentrel Bullock, South Alabama - Expected to be available for bowl game

Zak Wallace, Arkansas State - Was dealing with tailbone issue but is listed as co-starter on depth chart

Robert Briggs, Utah State - Listed on depth chart for bowl game but status is unclear

Zac Larrier, Air Force - Has a chance to return for the bowl game. Will need to check pregame warmups

Jared Brown, Coastal Carolina - Transferred to South Carolina

Robert Lewis, Georgia State Auburn - Transferred to Auburn

Rico Arnold, Georgia State - Entered transfer portal

Mikey Matthews, Utah Utah - Entered transfer portal

Kacper Rutkiewicz, Northern Illinois - Hasn't appeared in a game since Week 6, not on depth chart for bowl game

Davis Patterson, Northern Illinois - Not listed on depth chart for bowl game

Ja'Cyais Credle, Georgia State - Has missed much of season due to injury and barely played in last game

Micah Davis, Utah State - Underwent foot surgery and is out for bowl game

Devaughn Vele, Utah Utah - Declared for NFL Draft and will presumably sit out

Caullin Lacy, South Alabama - Transferring to Louisville

Andreas Paaske, Eastern Michigan - Transferred to Arkansas

Broc Lane, Utah State - Will miss bowl game

College Football DFS Tools

CFB DFS Plays on FanDuel for Saturday, December 23

Quarterback

Levi Williams, Utah State ($11,000) vs. Georgia State

Williams isn't as polished a passer as either Cooper Legas or McCae Hillstead, which tends to leave me downgrading the team's wideout options a bit. That said, Williams is the best runner of the bunch and proved it in the final regular-season contest when he scampered for 153 yards and three rushing scores against New Mexico. Georgia State has been more than accommodating to dual-threat quarterbacks on the ground this season, surrendering a slate-high 454 rushing yards and eight rushing scores to opposing signal-callers. It couldn't be a better pairing from a DFS perspective. I can't say Jordan McCloud isn't a safe and intriguing option atop the board at $11,200, but Williams' fantasy upside is sizable, and McCloud faces a triple option Air Force offense that limits possessions.

Gunnar Watson, Troy ($10,000) vs. Duke

While Kimani Vidal was the star of the Sun Belt Championship Game, amassing five rushing scores in the game, you can bet the Blue Devils' coaching staff saw it too and will be aiming to shut down the running game. Duke has done a good job of accomplishing just that down the stretch, keeping three of the last four running back rooms under their collective season averages, including the last two by 30-plus percent. Quarterbacks, on the other hand, have produced above season average in four straight, including 21-plus percent above average in three of four and 50-plus percent in two of them. Watson is a solid option to turn to throwing the ball and could be counted on to produce here if Vidal is shut down.

Jaylen Raynor, Arkansas State ($9,500) vs. Northern Illinois

Raynor's marks over the last three regular-season contests aren't particularly impressive, posting a combined 30.4 FD points. Over that span, he tallied just seven total rushing yards and a 2:2 TD:INT ratio, but next on the ledger is a matchup that should allow for Raynor to produce as a runner. The Huskies enter the week allowing 430 rushing yards and eight rushing scores to opposing quarterbacks on only 118 carries, suggesting there could be some room to run for Raynor, who has three games of 50-plus rushing yards and five total rushing scores on the year. In an expected high-scoring affair, it's generally crucial to get a piece of the action somewhere, and Raynor seems as good a spot as any.

Another to consider: Rocky Lombardi, Northern Illinois ($9,200) vs. Arkansas State

Running Back

Antario Brown, Northern Illinois ($9,500) vs. Arkansas State

I actually started at the bottom of the list with my running back selections, because the value is strong thanks to opt-outs and transfers, but the potential for sizable leftover salary leads me back to the top to find some of the better options among the most expensive backs. Kimani Vidal is certainly explosive, but he goes up against a power-five opponent that has held its last two opponents in check. Brown, on the other hand, squares off against Arkansas State. While the RedWolves have kept each of their last five opposing backfield under season average, four of the five have come at an 11 percent clip or less. The Redwolves still allow 4.8 yards per carry and 183.8 rushing yards per game overall, so it's tough to ignore that kind of matchup with a quality back like Brown, who typically handles sizable volume.

Ja'Quinden Jackson, Utah ($8,300) vs. Northwestern

I'm looking for volume when it comes to backs in these bowl games, and Jackson is typically a safe bet on that front when healthy. Unfortunately, he's been battling injury throughout the season and has had a number of limited showings down the stretch for the Utes. However, he's had nearly a month to rest up since the end of the regular season, which I'm banking has allowed the sophomore back to heal up some leading up to the bowl game. While Luke Bottari will presumably be counted on for more than 10 pass attempts in this one, I still expect Utah to try to bludgeon the Wildcats with the ground game, and Jackson is the leading man on that front.

Braylon McReynolds, South Alabama ($5,500) vs. Eastern Michigan

McReynolds stepped into a lead role in the regular-season finale against Texas State with both La'Damian Webb and Kentrel Bullock sidelined and amassed 19 carries for 79 yards, adding six grabs for another 70 yards as a receiver. Webb indicated that he will be entering the 2024 NFL Draft and is set to miss the bowl game due to turf toe. While Bullock will be back, McReynolds will reportedly start the game, suggesting he will likely see a healthy workload. He gets to square off against an Eastern Michigan defense that has yielded nearly five yards per carry to opposing backs and 15 rushing scores on the year, not to mention 435 receiving yards. At this salary, that's a steal of good matchup and potential workload.

Freddie Brock, Georgia State ($5,400) vs. Utah State

Speaking of potential steals, Brock is another running back who should be poised for a significant workload, with Marcus Carroll having transferred to Missouri and KZ Adams also in the transfer portal. Their exits leave the running back room pretty barren, and he takes on an Aggies defensive front that has allowed each of its last seven opposing backfields to produce 25 percent or more above the season average production.

Others to consider: Dylan Carson, Air Force ($6,500) vs. James Madison, Zak Wallace, Arkansas State ($5,700) vs. Northern Illinois (if he plays)

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Georgia State Wide Receivers versus Utah State

The Panthers simply have a large void of targets atop the depth chart, with Robert Lewis having transferred to Auburn. Lewis drew a whopping 16 targets in the Panthers' final regular-season contest against Old Dominion and 26 total over the final two games. With the team's top two backs in the transfer portal as well, the stability of Darren Grainger under center could mean plenty of pass attempts. Lewis' targets will be distributed elsewhere, which means potential value. Talique Williams ($7,700) is second on the team with 64 targets on the year, amassing 581 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Jacari Carter ($6,000) ranks third with 49 targets, turning them into 34 grabs for 227 yards, and Cadarrius Thompson ($5,000) rounds out the regulars with 20 grabs for 149 yards and a score on 32 targets. However, another intriguing option for the Panthers would be Ja'Cyais Credle ($4,900), should he play. Credle is a deep-threat option who has been injured much of the year, but he put up some sizable efforts last year when healthy.

Jalen Royals, Utah State ($10,000) vs. Georgia State

While I mentioned Williams being a likely downgrade for the Aggies' passing game overall from the other quarterback options, Royals may still be an exception to that. Against New Mexico in the regular-season finale, Royals accounted for 10 of the 27 targets drawn from Williams, and this game could wind up calling for a bit more through the air against a Georgia State team that can also score. The Panthers have also allowed two other last three opponents to top season average in fantasy production, as well as three of the last five, so there is reason to believe Royals can cap off his season with another big day.

Jamaal Pritchett ($9,000) and Javon Ivory ($6,100) , South Alabama vs. Eastern Michigan

Pritchett and Ivory fall into a similar situation as the Georgia State wideouts above. Target hog Caullin Lacy is out of the picture for the bowl game after Lacy transferred to Louisville, leaving behind his 122 targets from the regular season (more than 10 per game). Again, even if there is a minor reduction in passes thrown with Lacy gone, the targets still need to be redistributed, and this duo seems the likely pair to accumulate most of them. Pritchett was consistently involved for the Jaguars and finished the year with 49 grabs for 756 yards and six touchdowns, and he has a 16-target game on the ledger, so I tend to lean his direction if the salary is manageable to toss in. That said, Ivory posted his best game of the season in Week 13, compiling four grabs for 85 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, so there is potential for him as well. Given that the Jaguars are the projected top-scoring team on the slate, adding a wideout to your exposure certainly wouldn't hurt.

Trayvon Rudolph, Northern Illinois ($4,000) vs. Arkansas State

Rudolph's salary ended up being mispriced here, because he entered the transfer portal before electing to withdraw his name and return to the Huskies. Thus, he'll presumably play in the bowl game and provide a ton of potential value at the wide receiver position, having turned in a couple of 20-plus point efforts over the final four games. Arkansas State has yielded 25-plus percent above average production to four of their last five opposing wideout rooms, so the matchup is also favorable. There's little reason to stray from Rudolph in most lineups, given how much value this opens up elsewhere.

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. Chris Benzine plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Crispy272001, DraftKings: Crispy27.