AFriedman15 – Aaron Friedman researches and writes college football articles for DFS Army. Aaron is a lifelong resident of the Chicago suburbs and a Northwestern alum and football season ticket holder. College football was Aaron’s first DFS sport and he was thrilled to see it return in 2018. He believes that the thrill, pageantry, and the importance of every game are unparalleled in sports. Aaron enjoys betting on the games and watching everything from #Pac12AfterDark to #MACtion, and especially enjoys the Tuesday-Friday games with so much happening on Saturdays. In real life, Aaron is an IT analyst and with his wife, is the parent to three small dogs. Find Aaron on Twitter at @AFriedman15DFS.
Bowl Slate Overview and Picks:
Quarterbacks:
Cash and GPP:
The above graph shows the 6 projected starting quarterbacks and their prices on the two sites. I like comparing the two sites because you can take advantage of the different price discrepancies. Much better QB slate today. My three favorite FD QBs are Vanderbilt QB Kyle Shurmur, Baylor QB Charlie Brewer, and Duke QB Daniel Jones (Jones is an FD only play for me). On DK, I love Russo at $5,000, but I cannot pay for him on FD with Jones cheaper and Shurmur only a few hundred dollars more expensive. Jones could be a decent NFL prospect, he is a big strong dual threat QB (who I saw live vs. Northwestern). Baylor has been on a ton of the main CFB slates throughout the course of the season, so there is a degree of comfort and familiarity there. I actually like him better on FD where you are able to punt a spot (not unlike the FD drop score).
GPP:
I want to mostly stick with the top 4 guys. No one will be on Rosier and Coan, and they have terrible matchups. They are strictly large-field ownership plays.
Running Backs:
Cash:
The best two backs are Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor (280-1989-15) and Temple RB Ryquell Armstead (210-1098-13). Simply put, both are the best players on their offenses, and I expect both very popular, so it is almost a block as much as an acknowledgement of their talents. Taylor would have in Manhattan as a Heisman finalist if Wisconsin had a good season and Armstead has been invited to the Senior Bowl, so NFL scouts can see his talents at the next levels. Unlike many of his peers, Armstead seems committed to play in this game.
GPP:
My next tier of backs is Vandy RB Ke’Shawn Vaughn and Duke RB Deon Jackson, both 2nd team all-conference in their respective leagues. I would not pair them with their QBs, but I like both. Miami RB Travis Homer would be 5th on my list, but I won’t have a lot of him. On DK, I love Baylor RB JaMycal Hasty as a flex option, much like TCU’s Olonilua was on Wednesday. Wisconsin FB Garrett Groshek is a DK only dart.
Wide Receivers:
Cash:
Vandy WR Kalija Lipscomb (81-886-9) is the best reciever on the slate and the only one near 20 DKPPG. Baylor will enter the bowl game without star WR Jalen Hurd, so I do like Baylor WRs Chris Platt and Denzel Mims to have a more dominant role. Another cash viable play is Temple WR Ventell Bryant. Bryant is 5000 on DK, yet only 6900 on FD compared to Wisconsin’s Danny Davis III who is 5400 and 7900 respectively. So Bryant is a value. In most of my FD cash lineups, I will end up with a punt WR, somewhat similar to the FD drop score in NBA.
GPP:
Much like the Cal/TCU game (HOPEFULLY NOT TOO MUCH LIKE THAT GAME), the game with the lowest total presents some value. Wisconsin WR Danny Davis III is a decent price play and I did end up playing Wisconsin WR/TE Jake Ferguson a fair amount over the season. I am more likely to pivot to others though. I love TJ Rahming on DK, he provides a great deal of FPPG/$. My slate dark horse might be Miami TE Brevin Jordan who missed the last game but is probably the top receiver for Miami. It was funny to see Jordan cheaper than Jeff Thomas who is off the team and will be transferring to Illinois.