College football Week 4 begins with a single-game Thursday 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. Aside from that, traditional stacking rules and other general football DFS strategies apply (such as looking at college football ownership projections). With that said, let’s get into the CFB Week 4 DFS picks and projections for Thursday, Sept. 21.
CFB Week 4 DFS Picks and Projections | Thursday
Quarterback
Grayson McCall ($10,800): Grayson McCall is one of the top price-adjusted plays on the entire slate. Coastal Carolina is a 7-point favorite in a game 63 total, making the entire Coastal Carolina offense slightly underpriced. McCall hasn’t run as much in the new offense, but he averages 3.3 yards per carry for his career. The offensive line has been a major concern, which could work against McCall at times this year. With that said, Georgia State ranks 121st in coverage, per PFF. McCall averages 10.0 yards per pass attempt in his career, giving him an excellent floor/ceiling combo.
Darren Grainger ($12,000): Despite coming in as a touchdown underdog, Darren Grainger is firmly in play. Grainger has already rushed for 216 yards this year behind his elite mobility. He also averages 267.3 passing yards per game behind elite efficiency. While somewhat cost prohibitive, Grainger is an elite DFS play.
Running Back
Marcus Carroll ($10,400): The only true feature back on the slate, Marcus Carroll averages 24.3 touches per game. He also has an elite 85.4% route participation, giving him viability in all game scripts.
Braydon Bennett ($6,200): Coastal Carolina runs a three-back rotation, but Bennett leads this group with 30 touches. This has only amounted to 41.3 total yards per game, but he is the safest play in the backfield.
Reese White ($4,000): If active, Reese White could be the top price-adjusted play in the Coastal Carolina backfield. He missed last game, and his status hasn’t been updated. He handled 21 touches in two games before the absence. If White misses this game, it will make Bennett and C.J. Beasley ($5,200) superior plays.
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
Sam Pinckney ($8,400): Coastal Carolina funnels most of its receiving production through its top two receivers. After a 17-target Week 1, Sam Pinckney now has a 29.7% target share on the year. He currently averages 81.3 receiving yards per game.
Jared Brown ($7,400): Jared Brown operates as the WR2 behind Pinckney. He has a 23.1% target share and averages 62.3 yards per game. Brown also has four carries in the run game and will receive a few gadget plays per game. He is a nearly equal price-adjusted play to Brown.
Robert Lewis ($9,000): Robert Lewis has jumped into the WR1 role for Georgia State flawlessly, following the departure of Jamari Thrash. He has 26.9% target share, averaging 115.7 yards per game to this point.
Ja’Cyais Credle ($5,800): While he only averages 29 receiving yards per game, Ja’Cyais Credle has the second-best opportunity metrics on the team. He boasts a 20.5% target share and 76.4% route participation, which ranks ahead of Jacari Carter ($3,600) and Tailique Williams ($6,600)
Tyson Mobley ($4,000): Tyson Mobley is the top punt option for Coastal Carolina. He has 52.8% route participation, but he missed Week 2 and participated in 85% and 68% of the routes in his two healthy games.
Ahmon Green ($2,000): Tight end Kris Byrd ($2,800) is questionable for this game after getting injured in Week 1. Prior to the injury, Byrd had split time evenly with Ahmon Green. Once he returned, Green saw four targets and jumped to a 63% route share. He will become the top value play on the entire slate if Byrd misses this game.
