Week 1 DraftKings CFF Thursday Plays

College football returned last Saturday, but there’s a reason why it was referred to as Week 0. It was a short slate, all in one day. Now, it feels like college football is truly here, as we’re in store for three consecutive days of multi-game slates.

Thursday night is highlighted by Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes taking on the traditional FCS powerhouse, North Dakota State. There are eight additional games on the slate, and only two feature a matchup between FBS teams. So it’s time to dive into games featuring big favorites and hope the chaos of Week 0 continues.

As a reminder, we are going to have plenty of content in-season for you every week in our CFB Package, including:

· DFS (Articles & Livestream)

· Player Props Articles

· Matchup Reports

· Projections

· Rankings

· and MORE!

Let’s dig in…

Against the Spread Picks

Minnesota (+2) vs North Carolina

Colorado (-9.5) vs North Dakota State

Total Wagers

Lafayette vs Buffalo (Under 47)

Coastal Carolina vs Jacksonville State (Over 54.5)

Quarterbacks

Cameron Rising, Utah vs Southern Utah (DK: $9.0K | FD: N/A | O/U: 53 | Implied: 45.5)

Cameron Rising is priced as the fifth most expensive QB on the slate. Rising didn’t play in 2023, but the last time we saw him, he threw for over 3,000 passing yards and 26 touchdowns. In both of his two seasons as a starter, he rushed for over 450 yards and six touchdowns with more than 70 carries each year.

Rising and the Utes take on Southern Utah, an FCS school coming off of a 6-5 season in which they allowed 23.73 points per game. Against their two FBS opponents, they allowed 32.5 points per game. The risk of Rising coming off of a serious injury is present, but it’s impossible to ignore his implied total and overmatched opponent. With his built-in rushing floor, Rising is typically a safe option, but with a strong matchup, he is one of the top options on the slate despite his price tag.

Brady Cook, Missouri vs Murray State (DK: $8.5K | FD: $11.5K | O/U: 57.5| Implied: 51.75)

Brady Cook checks in as the eighth most expensive QB on the slate despite averaging 23.92 points per game on DraftKings in 2023 and a matchup against an FCS opponent. Cook passed for 3,317 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2023 and added eight more touchdowns on the ground. He’s coming off of back-to-back seasons with more than 100 rush attempts.

In 2023, Murray State played two FBS opponents, Louisville and Middle Tennessee State. In those two games, they allowed an average of 45.5 points. Missouri comes into this game as a 46-point favorite, so it’s clear that Vegas is anticipating scoring in droves for the Tigers. At the center of the scoring is likely to be Cook and his top WR (who will be discussed shortly).

Grayson McCall, North Carolina State vs Western Carolina (DK: $7.1K | FD: N/A | O/U: 61 | Implied: 47.25)

Grayson McCall is priced at just $7,100, behind multiple backup QBs, as the 16th-most expensive QB option on the board. In 2023, McCall averaged 17.5 points per game in seven games. Now with the Wolfpack, McCall joins the Robert Anae offense that struggled in 2023, averaging just 194 passing yards per game; but had been among the nation’s best in 2021 at Virginia.

McCall and the Wolfpack enter their matchup against Western Carolina as 33.5-point favorites and are the second-highest total of the slate. Western Carolina allowed an average of 27.73 points per game, including 56 points against their only FBS opponent, in 2023. McCall is an inexpensive option that comes with an elite stack option and a cheap stack that will give plenty of flexibility to roster builds.

Alternatives:

Jalon Daniels, Kansas vs Lindenwood (DK: $9.5K | FD: N/A | O/U: 58.5 | Implied: 51.5)

KJ Jefferson, UCF vs New Hampshire(DK: $9.3K | FD: N/A | O/U: 63 | Implied: 52.25)

Running Backs

RJ Harvey, UCF vs New Hampshire (DK: $8.2K | FD: N/A | O/U: 63 | Implied: 52.25)

Peny Boone, UCF vs New Hampshire (DK: $7.7K | FD: N/A | O/U: 63 | Implied: 52.25)

When Vegas is expecting a one-sided game with a game total in the 60s, it's a DFS dream for the RB position. RJ Harvey averaged 23.88 fantasy points per game in 2023 while averaging 18.84 touches per game. This season, he’ll share the workload with transfer Peny Boone. Boone averaged 22.74 fantasy points on 16.07 touches per game. Both backs are expected to see a reduction in workload with the other present, but the Gus Malzahn offense averaged 40.33 rushing attempts per game during his three seasons at UCF. Even with the addition of Boone and Jefferson, there will be plenty of rushing opportunities to go around.

UCF takes on a New Hampshire team that allowed 143.4 rushing yards per game and 29.55 points per game. In their one game against an FBS opponent, they allowed 45 points to Central Michigan. With the highest game total and a 41.5-point spread, UCF should have enough scoring to grab both backs in this game, depending on roster construction. Due to Harvey’s proven track record in the offense, he’s the safer choice, but Boone’s history at Toledo makes him a play, as well.

Devin Neal, Kansas vs. Lindenwood (DK: $7.9K | FD: N/A | O/U: 58.5 | Implied: 51.5)

Devin Neal has a three-year history of consistent production. He averaged 22.67 fantasy points per game in 2023 and only had one game with fewer than 10 fantasy points. He totaled 1,280 rushing yards and 17 total touchdowns. In his three seasons on campus, he’s eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards twice and amassed more than 700 yards in his true freshman season.

Kansas faces a Lindenwood team that allowed 31.5 points per game and 148.9 rushing yards per game. With Jalon Daniels returning from a missed season, it’s a fair expectation that Kansas will ease him back into the offense and keep the heavier workload on Neal. Even at his price, Neal is a top play because of the amazing matchup and expected volume.

Dallan Hayden, Colorado vs North Dakota State (DK: $5.6K | FD: $6.4K | O/U: 55.5 | Implied: 33.0)

Dallan Hayden transferred into Boulder after a two-year stint with Ohio State. During his time with the Buckeyes, Hayden eclipsed 100 rushing yards three times despite only receiving more than 10 carries in five games across two seasons. Hayden is expected to share the workload with Charlie Offerdahl and he represents the bigger back role in the offense.

Colorado takes on a North Dakota State team that is coming off their worst season in recent memory. However, in spite of their shortcomings, they maintained many of the principles from their previous successes. They held opponents to just 299 total yards per game and 19.93 points per game. Because of this, I’m expecting this game to be more of a grind than the total would suggest.

Offerdahl is expected to be the flashier, big-play option for the offense over the course of the season, but I expect Hayden to cut into the workload late in the game and be the better value option at the lower price point due to his proven consistent running style behind an unproven offensive line.

Alternatives:

Omarion Hampton, North Carolina vs Minnesota (DK: $8.5K | FD: $10.2K | O/U: 49.5 | Implied: 25.75)

Micah Bernard, Utah vs Southern Utah (DK: $5.8K | FD: N/A | O/U: 53 | Implied: 45.5)

Jordan Waters, North Carolina State vs Western Carolina (DK: $5.2K | FD:N/A | O/U: 61 | Implied: 47.25)

Jamar Curtis, Lafayette vs Buffalo (DK: $4.7K | FD: N/A | O/U: 47 | Implied: 25.25)

$4.5K-or-less options:

Al-Jay Henderson, Buffalo vs Lafayette (DK: $4.4K | FD: N/A | O/U: 47 | Implied: 25.25)

Cortezz Jones, Lindenwood vs Kansas (DK: $3.5K | FD: N/A | O/U: 58.5 | Implied: 7)

Receivers

Luther Burden III, Missouri vs Murray State (DK: $9.0K | FD: $10.5K | O/U: 61 | Implied: 47.25)

Luther Burden is the elite stack option on the slate. Not only is he an elite, high-volume WR, but he’s facing an overmatched opponent. Burden averaged 21.8 fantasy points per game while racking up 1,212 receiving yards and nine touchdowns as a true sophomore. In what is almost guaranteed to be his final college season, Burden may take on an even larger role with the exit of Cody Schrader.

Missouri takes on a Murray State team that allowed 34.2 points per game and 214.18 passing yards per game. With an implied total of 51.75, Missouri is expected to be scoring nearly at will. The pair of Burden with Cook is made possible with a few discount options and is probably the best way to start lineups.

Kevin Concepcion, North Carolina State vs Western Carolina (DK: $7.7K | FD: N/A | O/U: 61 | Implied: 47.25)

Kevin Concepcion averaged 20.0 fantasy points per game during his freshman campaign. He accumulated 1,159 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns. After establishing himself as the future of the NC State offense during this campaign, it’s now abundantly clear that the offense flows through him as a sophomore. As a freshman, he averaged 8.15 targets per game. With any elevation of that number, Concepcion will be one of the most heavily featured WRs in the country.

As mentioned above, Western Carolina struggled mightily in their one game against an FBS opponent in 2023, which is why the Wolfpack’s implied total is pushing 50. If NC State can get anywhere near that total, the only thing that could hold back Concepcion is playing time, but he should get enough early volume to pay back his price tag before an expected early exit.

Kobe Hudson, UCF vs New Hampshire (DK: $7.4K | FD: N/A | O/U: 63 | Implied: 52.25)

As with the RBs discussed above, you’ll want to target UCF players on this slate. Hudson is the fourth most expensive WR on the board, but he costs only $400 more than his teammate Xavier Townsend, who has less proven production and demonstrated a lower upside.

UCF has an implied total of 52.25 against New Hampshire, which allowed 275.27 passing yards per game and 23 receiving touchdowns in 2023. Because of the matchup, Hudson is one of the highest-upside WRs on the slate. With KJ Jefferson’s high price tag, the stack may be difficult to build, but even Hudson should be considered in all builds due to his proven volume and deep threat potential.

Daniel Jackson, Minnesota vs North Carolina (DK: $5.8K | FD: $8.3K | O/U: 49.5 | Implied: 23.75)

Daniel Jackson averaged 16.72 fantasy points per game and finished the year with 831 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. Despite playing in an offense that traditionally leans on the running game, Jackson had five games with at least 20 fantasy points last season.

In one of the few FBS vs FBS matchups, Minnesota hosts North Carolina. The Tar Heels allowed 27.3 points per game and 241.2 passing yards per game. After averaging 9.07 targets per game in 2023, Jackson returns with a new QB and should quickly re-establish himself as the focal point of the passing game.

Alternatives:

Travis Hunter, Colorado vs North Dakota State (DK: $9.2K | FD: $9.6K | O/U: 55.5 | Implied: 33.0)

Dorian Singer, Utah vs Southern Utah (DK: $6.7K | FD: N/A | O/U: 53 | Implied: 45.5)

Lawrence Arnold, Kansas vs Lindenwood (DK: $6.5K | FD: N/A | O/U: 58.5 | Implied: 51.5)

$4.5K-or-less options:

Noah Rogers, North Carolina State vs Western Carolina (DK: $4.2K | FD: N/A | O/U: 61 | Implied: 47.25)

Jeff Caldwell, Lindenwood vs Kansas (DK: $4.1K | FD: N/A | O/U: 58.5 | Implied: 7)