College Football Week 5 Friday DFS Picks: Frank Harris/Zakhari Franklin Stack Leads the Way (October 1)

There is nothing better than Friday night football under the lights, and there are five games this evening before the typical monster slate on Saturday. It is not the greatest slate of games from a real-life perspective, but for daily fantasy sports purposes, there’s a ton to like.

With only five games in play, there aren’t going to be nearly as many strong plays as there would be on a main slate, so be prepared to roster players that are generally skippable on a Saturday afternoon. This article will provide NCAAF DFS picks and lineup advice for the DraftKings slate on Sept. 30 that locks at 7 p.m. ET.

College Football DFS: Week 5 Friday Night CFB Picks

Quarterback

Frank Harris, UTSA ($6,800) — There’s a lot to like about Michael Penix Jr. and Dorian Thompson-Robinson facing off against each other, but Harris is the top quarterback on the slate, as he projects better than both at a much cheaper $6,800 price tag. Coming off a monster upset win against Miami on the road, Middle Tennessee State is in a prime letdown spot and Harris is just too cheap, matched up with a Blue Raiders defense that gives up a ton of yards through the air. He has at least 32 DraftKings points in every game but one, and Harris is the highest-projected quarterback on the slate.

Other Quarterbacks: Michael Penix Jr., Washington ($8,500); Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA ($8,100); Doug Brumfield, UNLV ($7,000); Michael Pratt, Tulane ($6,500); Taylen Green, Boise State ($5,300)

Running Backs

Aidan Robbins, UNLV ($6,800) — Projected as the top running back for the entire weekend, Robbins looks like a stone-cold lock in all formats at a very affordable $6,800 price tag. After being criminally underpriced last week, DraftKings gave him a nice increase here, but he’s still too cheap and undoubtedly one of the top overall plays on the slate.

Robbins is averaging 25.3 DraftKings points, and he has seven touchdowns through four games. He is also in another phenomenal spot Friday night, matched up with a horrendous New Mexico defense. As the true bell cow of UNLV’s offense, Robbins has one of the better floor/ceiling combinations on the slate, and he’s a cog in the machine for all formats.

Frank Peasant, Middle Tennessee State ($5,100) — There’s also a lot to like about George Holani from Boise State here, but Peasant is projected for a similar number of points at a much cheaper price tag. He is averaging just under 18 DraftKings points through the first four games, and he has been one of the best running backs in the country since a tough Week 1 matchup against James Madison. Simply put, he’s just too cheap at $5,100. With Middle Tennessee State a 4.5-point home underdog, expect a heavy dose of Peasant as the Blue Raiders attempt to keep Harris and the UTSA offense off the field.

Other Running Backs: George Holani, Boise State ($6,700); Zach Charbonnet, UCLA ($6,500); Brenden Brady, UTSA ($5,900); Tyjae Spears, Tulane ($5,300)

Wide Receivers

Zakhari Franklin, UTSA ($7,500) — Harris’ top target and one of the best wide receivers in college football, Franklin projects as the third-highest-scoring wideout for the entire weekend. At only $7,500 it’s hard to get away from him on Friday night. He is averaging 25.3 DraftKings points per game, and he had at least six catches and 80 yards in all four of UTSA’s games while also scoring four total touchdowns.

Despite a pretty stout run defense allowing under 100 yards per game rushing, Middle Tennessee State gives it up through the air, with opponents averaging close to 250 yards per game passing. This sets up as a great spot for Franklin and the Roadrunners passing offense, and pairing him with Harris makes sense in all formats.

Nathaniel Dell, Houston ($7,400) — It is not a great idea to lock in the two highest-priced receivers on the slate, but such is life on Friday night, with Franklin and Dell the clear top two options. Dell projects right behind Franklin and has also been spectacular this season, averaging 22.4 DraftKings points and posting 25 catches, 380 yards and three touchdowns through four games.

While Houston has stumbled a bit out of the gate, losing to both Kansas and Texas Tech, its offense is definitely not to blame, as Dell and company have put up at least 30 points in all four games. Coming off a monster performance against Rice (seven catches, 134 yards and a touchdown), Dell is in great form right now and is a true “fade at your own risk” type, especially on a slate this small.

Other Wide Receivers: Jake Bobo, UCLA ($7,300); De’Corian Clark, UTSA ($6,500); Rome Odunze, Washington ($5,400); Joseph Manjack IV, Houston ($3,900)

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Matt Belman graduated from Tulane University with a degree in Consumer Behavior. He has been playing and analyzing DFS full time since 2018. He has qualified for the 2023 DraftKings NBA World Championship (5x), the 2023 DraftKings MLB World Championship (2x), the 2023 FanDuel MLB World Championship (2x) and the 2023 DraftKings NFL World Championship. You can find him on X at @fantasytipsmatt.

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