College football Week 1 continues with a three-game Sunday slate. CFB DFS differs from traditional NFL DFS in a few key areas. Rosters do not require a defense and instead incorporate a superflex where a second quarterback can be rostered. With the exception of short slates, using a second quarterback generally makes the most sense. From there, traditional stacking rules and other general football DFS strategies apply (such as looking at college football ownership projections). With that said, let’s dive into our CFB Week 1 DFS picks, projections and more.
CFB Week 1 DFS Picks and Projections
Quarterback
Jayden Daniels ($9,000): The top projected quarterback on the slate, Jayden Daniels benefits from LSU being a slight favorite. He is also more mobile than Jordan Travis on the other side, as Daniels rushed for 710 and 885 yards over the last two seasons. He also averaged 208.1 passing yards per game last year.
Jordan Travis ($8,400): Travis is the superior passer to Daniels but lacks some of the rushing equity. He still posted 559, 530 and 417 rushing yards over the last three years, giving him solid dual-threat ability. Travis also averaged 247.2 passing yards per game last year and has the higher ceiling as a passer.
Chevan Cordeiro ($7,200): The top price-adjusted quarterback on the slate, Chevan Cordeiro faces Oregon State as a 15.5-point underdog. In a similar situation last week, Cordeiro passed for 198 yards and three touchdowns while adding another 52 rushing yards. Unlike the top two options, he offers some salary relief.
Running Back
Damien Martinez ($5,700): After a breakout freshman season, Damien Martinez returns as Oregon State’s top back. He accounted for 982 yards on 161 attempts (6.1 yards per carry) while catching four passes in the pass game. As a massive favorite, he should handle a solid workload.
Trey Benson ($6,100): Florida State lead back Trey Benson rushed 154 times for 990 yards while catching 13 passes last year. The Seminoles also lost Treshaun Ward this offseason, potentially consolidating further opportunity. Lawrance Toafili will steal some pass down work, but Benson has one of the better roles on the slate.
Josh Williams ($5,600): Listed as LSU’s starting tailback, Williams rushed for 532 yards and caught 21 passes in an injury shortened season last year. The Tigers have a pair of transfers in Noah Cain and Logan Diggs behind Williams. However, the incumbent starter should get the first crack at this backfield.
Cam Porter ($4,800): Evan Hull departed, vacating 913 rushing yards and 55 receptions. Cam Porter rushed 87 times for 286 yards and caught seven passes as a change of pace last year. With little depth behind him, Porter should step into a feature back role. This gives him viability as a running back salary saver.
Editor Note: Looking for more 2023 college football predictions? Experts are to break down this college football season — make sure to check out the rest of OddsShopper’s’ college football articles. If you still need more picks, our market-based betting model might just be for you — or try it out now!
Wide Receiver
Malik Nabers ($7,300): Malik Nabers turned 72 catches into 1,017 yards last year, and he stands out as LSU’s top receiving option on a wide-open slate in terms of pricing. For those looking to pivot for GPPs, Brian Thomas, Kyren Lacy and tight end Mason Taylor are the most intriguing options.
Keon Coleman ($6,000): Florida State projects to funnel most of their targets through Johnny Wilson and Michigan State transfer Keon Coleman this year. With the Spartans, Coleman caught 58 passes for 798 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He should be a little more contrarian than Wilson. For those getting deep, tight end Jaheim Bell should also be considered.
Nick Nash ($5,400): Nick Nash stands out as the primary beneficiary of a potential Justin Lockhart absence. Nash stepped up for six catches 89 yards and three touchdowns in Lockhart’s place last week. Charles Ross could also be considered after he had five catches for 62 yards.
Johnny Langan ($3,300): While the Rutgers offense does not offer much in terms of efficiency, it does have an interesting tight end in Johnny Langan. He carried the ball 31 times for 139 yards last year while catching 31 passes for another 296 yards.
