College football is officially back, and you can play weekly DFS contests at DraftKings for the duration of the season.
DraftKings has a CFB $175K Thursday Kickoff contest, with $50,000 going to first place. You can enter the contest for just $20 here.
Quarterback
Stud
Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati vs. Nebraska, $9,300
Brendan Sorsby had a great 2024 season at Cincinnati and should be ready for another big campaign. He threw 18 touchdowns last season and ran for nine more. Against a tough Nebraska team, Cincinnati will need to throw to stay in this game. Sorsby should be aggressive through the air and use his legs. He rushed for over 90 yards in two of the team’s final three games last season, and with fresh legs entering this new year, he should rack up yardage on the ground in this game as well.
Value
Dylan Raiola, Nebraska at Cincinnati, $7,500
Dylan Raiola should be set for a big season at Nebraska. Raiola showed moments of promise in his freshman season despite some tough times. He was a top-tier recruit out of high school and got a lot of experience as a freshman. He should use that experience to have a monster sophomore season, especially with Nebraska surrounding him with more help. It should be a good quarterback battle between Raiola and Sorsby in this game, forcing both quarterbacks to be bold through the air to keep up with each other.
Running Back
Stud
Darius Taylor, Minnesota vs. Buffalo, $9,000
Darius Taylor is one of the best returning running backs in college football. He rushed for 986 yards, had 350 receiving yards and scored 12 total touchdowns last season for Minnesota. That production was impressive, especially with the Golden Gophers having a strong passing offense led by Max Brosmer. Minnesota is breaking in a new quarterback this year and should rely heavily on Taylor to carry the offensive load. especially early in the season. He should get a lot of touches in this game against Buffalo and put up big numbers.
Value
Darrion Dupree, Wisconsin vs. Miami (OH), $5,300
Last year’s leading rusher at Wisconsin transferred during the offseason, leaving a role that needs to be filled in 2025. There is no clear replacement, meaning last year’s backups, Darrion Dupree and Dilin Jones, are likely to carry the load. Jones is expected to be the starter, which is why Dupree can be found at a good price in this contest. However, Wisconsin will likely take a committee approach in this game against an inferior opponent to see what they have with each back. This is a good chance to get Dupree at a cheap price, especially since he should get a lot of touches in this game.
Wide Receiver
Stud
Dane Key, Nebraska at Cincinnati, $7,800
Dane Key is a potential breakout star at Nebraska. He had over 700 receiving yards last season at Kentucky, despite them being one of the worst offenses in the conference. Key decided to move to Nebraska and catch balls from Dylan Raiola, one of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the country. Key is going to immediately fill the WR1 role for Raiola and should have a big game against Cincinnati.
Value
Vinny Anthony II, Wisconsin vs. Miami (OH), $5,500
Vinny Anthony was Wisconsin’s leading receiver last season with 672 yards through the air. Anthony is a deep-play threat and should click right away with his new quarterback, Billy Edwards Jr. Anthony finished last season strong with a touchdown in each of his final two games and a 137-yard performance against Nebraska. With another year of experience under his belt, Anthony should be the main man for Edwards from the jump.
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
Billy Edwards Jr., QB, Wisconsin vs. Miami (OH), $8,000
Billy Edwards transferred to Wisconsin from Maryland over the offseason. Edwards had a solid 2024 season at Maryland, but his strengths should be used to the maximum in Madison. Edwards is a smart runner with the football who had 12 rushing touchdowns over two seasons at Maryland, giving him plenty of upside with his legs. Edwards should have success through the air and on the ground in this game against an inferior MAC opponent.
Value
Justin Joly, WR, NC State vs. ECU, $6,300
Justin Joly emerged as a solid tight end target for NC State last season, leading the team in receiving yards as a junior. In his senior season, he is hoping to take things a step further and hit the national spotlight. Against a group of five opponent like ECU, this is the perfect chance for Joly to have a breakout game.
