The quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff are here and there are some great matchups. You can place your bets for every game at DraftKings Sportsbook. You can also play weekly DFS contests at DraftKings for the duration of the college football season.
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Quarterback
Stud
Quinn Ewers, Texas vs. Arizona State, $8,000 – Quinn Ewers should have a big game against Arizona State. Arizona State ranks 77th in defensive EPA/play and 97th in defensive passing success rate. Ewers should be able to pick them apart like he did against Florida, Vanderbilt, Colorado State, Michigan and the other poor secondaries he faced this year. Ewers’ real struggles this year came against Georgia and Oklahoma, who have elite secondaries. Ewers played well against Clemson, who have a much better secondary than Arizona State. This should be a big game for Ewers.
Other Option – Riley Leonard ($8,300)
Value
Gunnar Stockton, Georgia vs. Notre Dame, $6,800 – Gunnar Stockton is the only real option if you want to go cheap at quarterback. Stockton is making his first career start in this game in place of the injured Carson Beck. The Georgia offense will look completely different under Stockton. Stockton is a good runner, and this will be a run-heavy approach by Georgia. Notre Dame also happens to have the best pass defense in the nation, measured by EPA/pass. They are 46th in defensive EPA/rush so they are vulnerable on the ground. Stockton is unlikely to have a huge day through the air, but he could pick up a lot of fantasy points if he can find the end zone on the ground and rack up some rushing yards.
Running Back
Stud
Jordan James, Oregon vs. Ohio State, $7,500 – Jordan James is set for a big day against the Buckeyes. James had 115 rushing yards and a touchdown when these teams faced earlier this season. Ohio State ranks second in the nation in defensive EPA/pass, so Oregon should come with a run-heavy approach, just like they did in the first matchup. James has 15 touchdowns in 13 games this season and should find the end zone at least once against the Buckeyes, racking up some major rushing yards along the way.
Other Option – Cam Skattebo ($9,400)
Value
TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State vs. Oregon, $5,800 – TreVeyon Henderson is one of the most undervalued players in this contest. It can be tough to depend on Henderson because he and Quinshon Judkins share a relatively even split of the carries for the Buckeyes. However, Henderson has been the one racking up the yardage in recent weeks. Henderson ran for 80 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to racking up 54 receiving yards, in the first round against Tennessee. That was Henderson’s third game this season with multiple rushing touchdowns, and he is consistently out gaining Judkins. In the first matchup against Oregon, Henderson had 87 rushing yards and he should have another big game here.
Other Option – Trevor Etienne ($6,000)
Wide Receiver
Stud
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State vs. Oregon, $6,200 – Jeremiah Smith has been a superstar for Ohio State this season. He has 13 touchdowns in 13 games for the Buckeyes and has become their top receiver, despite being a true freshman. Smith had 103 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the first-round matchup against Tennessee. Smith went for at least 70 receiving yards in 11 out of 13 games this season, and he should have another big game here. In the first matchup against Oregon this season, Smith had a season-high nine catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Will Howard looks to Smith as his go-to receiver, especially in the red zone, and that should result in a big game for Smith against the Ducks.
Other Option – Tez Johnson ($7,500)
Value
Gunnar Helm, Texas vs. Arizona State, $4,100 – Gunnar Helm has been a reliable tight end for Quinn Ewers this season. For the same reasons I like Quinn Ewers this week, Helm should have a big game against Arizona State. The Sun Devils rank 97th in defensive passing success rate, which means they are consistently allowing opposing offenses to stay ahead of the chains through the air. They will give up some deep shots as well, but mainly Ewers will be able to surgically break them down with small chunks of yardage. That should lead to Helm getting a lot of catches in the middle of the field in this game. Helm had a huge game against Clemson in the first round, with six catches for 77 yards and a score. This should be another big playoff performance from the Texas tight end.
Other Option – Isaiah Bond ($4,500)
Flex/Superflex
You can use any of the other names I listed in the above categories for the flex or superflex positions. However, here are a few more names, just in case.
Stud
Will Howard, QB, Ohio State vs. Oregon, $8,100 – Will Howard has the weight of the state of Ohio on his shoulders in this game. Howard has had some great moments for Ohio State and played arguably his best game of the season in the first-round matchup against Tennessee. However, Howard has also held the team back at times with turnover issues, mainly in the Michigan game, which was a tough loss for this team. I think Howard will have another big game against Oregon though. Oregon is vulnerable on the ground, and that is where Howard is at his best. Howard has seven rushing touchdowns this season, including one against Oregon earlier this season, and should be able to find the end zone again in this one.
Other Option – Jeremiyah Love, RB ($7,300)
Value
Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas vs. Arizona State, $5,900 – Jaydon Blue had a monster game against Clemson in the first round. Blue had a season-high 146 rushing yards and added two touchdowns as well. Texas has struggled to find a definitive rushing identity this season, but they may have unlocked something with Blue in the previous round. There is a chance Texas jumps out to a big lead early on in this game. That would allow them to feed Blue consistently in the second half as they try to control the clock and run the game out. Blue was basically shutout in both games against Georgia and against Texas A&M this season. However, outside those games against the best defenses they faced all year, Blue was consistent with his production. Against a subpar Arizona State defense, Blue should have another good game.
Other Option – Matthew Golden, WR ($4,900)
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is blakekrass) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
