After an appetizer of a slate last Saturday, the first main CFB slate of the year begins on Thursday, and it should be a good one. With 11 games in play and the majority of teams playing against inferior competition, there are plenty of strong plays at all positions and some potentially lopsided scores across the board. This article will provide DFS lineup picks for the DraftKings slate on Sept. 1 that locks at 7 p.m. ET.
College Football DFS: Week 1 Thursday CFB Picks
Quarterback
Hendon Hooker, Tennessee ($8,900) — Simply put, there isn’t much not to like about Hooker this week. Coming off a big-time year in which he threw for 2,945 yards, 31 touchdowns and only three interceptions, Hooker finds himself in a perfect spot to keep that positive momentum rolling in a cupcake matchup at home against Ball State. Projected as the top quarterback on the board, Hooker isn’t even all that expensive at $8,900. As a 31-point favorite in a game with a total approaching 70, it’s safe to say his upside is enormous in this spot.
Emory Jones, Arizona State ($8,400) –– Too cheap at $8,400, there’s also a lot to like about Jones this week, and pairing him with Hooker makes a lot of sense. While the total in this game isn’t quite as high as some of the others, Jones’ rushing upside more than makes up for that. As close to a four-touchdown favorite, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t find the end zone at least twice passing and running combined. While it remains to be seen exactly how much Herm Edwards wants to run Jones, Jones had at least 60 yards rushing in 7 of 13 games last year at Florida, all while splitting time with Anthony Richardson. His rushing alone gives him a really nice floor at this price point.
Other Quarterbacks: Mitch Griffis, Wake Forest ($8,800); Brady Cook, Missouri ($7,900); Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma St. ($7,800); John Rhys Plumlee, UCF ($7,400); Kedon Slovis, Pitt ($6,000)
Running Backs
Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota ($9,500) — Ibrahim is expensive at $9,500, but with value scattered around every position, he is a priority in all formats. A certified beast when healthy, Ibrahim looked the part in Week 1 last year against a formidable Ohio State defense, rushing for 163 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries before getting hurt and missing the rest of the season. Now back on his revenge tour, Ibrahim is in a juicy spot at home against New Mexico State. Minnesota might pull him late if this game gets out of hand, but he easily could have five trips to the end zone before that, and his upside is just too massive not to lock in and move on. Not to mention, he’s projected to be by far the highest-scoring player on the slate.
Xazavian Valladay, Arizona State ($6,200) — Speaking of value, Valladay looks like one of the top dollar-for-dollar plays across the board at $6,200. As the featured back in a good Arizona State offense, he’s one of the best plays on the entire slate. He was excellent at Wyoming, and now that he is in a much better offense, playing behind a much better offensive line, he has a chance to put up big numbers this season.
Other Running Backs: Isaiah Bowser, UCF ($8,300); Jordan Mims, Fresno State ($7,900); Jabari Small, Tennessee ($7,500); Dominic Richardson, Oklahoma St. ($7,200); Antario Brown, NIU ($5,000); Kobe Lewis, Purdue ($3,000)
Wide Receivers
Jalen Cropper, Fresno State ($8,300) — Tennessee’s Cedric Tillman is also a great pairing with his running mate Hooker. On paper, however, Cropper is projecting for almost 3 more fantasy points, and at a $200 discount, it’s hard to argue with that. The biggest favorite on the board, Fresno State gets an easy opening matchup at home against Cal Poly. While it is unwise to completely load up on the entire Bulldogs offense, exposure is definitely necessary, and Cropper is their top piece. As one of the better floor/ceiling combinations on the slate, he’s a strong play in all formats.
Smoke Harris, Louisiana Tech ($5,500) — Similar to Valladay, Harris projects as one of the top value plays on the board. After leading Louisiana Tech in receiving last year, Harris should be in line for an even stronger campaign. Though they are 20-point underdogs, Louisiana Tech could easily be in this game throughout its entirety. Even if they’re not, Harris will still get plenty of targets and should eat either way at this cheap $5,500 price tag.
Other Wide Receivers: Cedric Tillman, Tennessee ($8,500); A.T. Perry, Wake Forest ($8,000); Ryan O’Keefe, UCF ($7,600); Parker Washington, Penn St. ($6,500); Jared Wayne, Pitt ($5,100); Leroy Thomas, VMI ($4,400)
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