Week 1 Thursday DFS Cheatsheet – DraftKings $150k Contest

Games

  • Ball State vs Tennessee
  • Central Michigan vs Oklahoma State
  • West Virginia vs Pitt
  • SCST vs UCF
  • VMI vs Wake Forest
  • Louisiana Tech vs Missouri
  • Penn St vs Purdue
  • EIU vs Northern Illinois
  • NMSU vs Minnesota
  • NAU vs Arizona St
  • Cal Poly vs Fresno State

Quarterbacks

Top Plays

  • Jake Haener (Fresno St) $9,100
  • Hendon Hooker (Tennessee) $8,900
  • Mitch Griffis (Wake Forest) $8,800

All three of these players have great match-ups, and their teams should win by 4+ TDs. Keep in mind, if their team gets a big lead, they could be resting come the 4th quarter.

Best Value & Longshots

  • Brady Cook (Missouri) $7,900
  • John Rhys Plumlee (UCF) $7,400
  • Kedon Slovis (Pitt) $6,000
  • Daniel Richardson (Central Michigan) $5,100
  • Matthew Downing (Louisiana Tech) $5,000

Brady Cook and Kedon Slovis are my two favorite plays here. Cook could be in line for a 25-35 point game vs La Tech, and Slovis goes up against an inexperienced WVU Secondary. 6K is such a steal for Slovis. Plumlee has a great match-up. Richardson and Downing are true Longshots who will be trailing and having to pass.


Running Backs

Top Plays

  • Mohamed Ibrahim (Minnesota) $9,500
  • Isaiah Bowser (UCF) $8,300
  • Jordan Mims (Fresno St) $7,900
  • Justice Ellison (Wake Forest) $7,700

Ibrahim will be great vs NMSU, but at that price you need at least 30 Fantasy Points. And there’s no need for the Gophers to run him into the ground this game. Bowser, Ellison, and Mims have great match-ups vs FCS teams and should be a lock for 15-25 fantasy points.

Best Value & Longshots

  • Jabari Small (Tennessee) $7,500
  • Dominic Richardson (Oklahoma St) $7,200
  • Nathaniel Peat (Missouri) $6,500
  • Xazavian Valladay (Arizona St) $6,200
  • Harrison Waylee (Northern Illinois) $6,200
  • Antario Brown (Northern Illinois) $5,000
  • Nick Singleton (Penn St) $4,700

Small and the Vols Offense should put up a 50 piece on Ball State, and I expect him to have 15-25 Fantasy Points. Richardson and Peat have good match-ups and excellent value. Valladay is my favorite play of the week at RB. He’s a transfer from Wyoming who has an outstanding match-up for ASU, and $6,200 is a steal. Waylee and Brown are NIU RBs who face off vs EIU, and they should get plenty of touches. Singleton is a true freshman who should breakout for PSU this season and could do so this week vs Purdue.


Receivers

Top Plays

  • Cedric Tillman (Tennessee) $8,500
  • Jalen Cropper (Fresno St) $8,300
  • Ryan O’Keefe (UCF) $7,600

All three of these players face off against inferior competition, and they’re the top receivers on their team.

Best Value & Longshots

  • Cole Tucker (Northern Illinois) $7,300
  • Luther Burden III (Missouri) $6,700
  • Konata Mumpfield (Pitt) $6,600
  • Chris Autman-Bell (Minnesota) $6,300
  • Donovan Greene (Wake Forest) $6,100
  • Mitchell Tinsley (Penn St) $5,600
  • Broc Thompson (Purdue) $4,900
  • Gavin Bartholomew (Pitt) $3,600

Tucker is WR1 for NIU after WR Trayvon Rudolph went down for the season, and he should get 8-12 targets. Burden is a true freshman who Missouri wants to get established in the game plan early and often. And I like a Cooks/Burden stack. Mumpfield is one of my favorite plays. He transfers in from Akron and should be an excellent stack with Slovis. Don’t count out Donovan Greene just because QB Sam Hartman is injured. He’s an elite player and could get plenty of opportunities after missing last season with an injury. Tinsley at $5,600 is an excellent value as he could end up being WR1 for Penn St. The best value play of the week is TE Gavin Bartholomew at $3,600. He could easily get you 3 or 4 catches and a possible TD.

Mock Lineup

QB: Kedon Slovis $6,000
RB: Dominic Richardson $7,200
RB: Xazavian Valladay $6;200
WR: Luther Burden III $6,700
WR: Gavin Bartholomew $3,600
WR: Broc Thompson $4,900
Flex: Jabari Small $7,500
SuperFlex: Brady Cook $7,900