College football is officially back, and you can play weekly DFS contests at DraftKings for the duration of the season.
DraftKings has a CFB $300K Saturday Kickoff contest, with $100,000 going to first place. You can enter the contest for just $20 here.
Quarterback
Stud
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana vs. ODU, $8,200
Fernando Mendoza transferred to Indiana from Cal to look to replicate Kurtis Rourke’s 2024 season. Rourke was one of 13 quarterbacks in the country to throw for over 3,000 yards and at least 29 touchdowns. Most importantly, he led Indiana to the College Football Playoff and gave them their best season in recent memory. Mendoza did a similar thing at Cal last season, also throwing for over 3,000 yards and taking Cal to a bowl game despite not having much help around him. In this opening game against ODU, Curt Cignetti should push Mendoza to see exactly how he fits into this system. Cignetti likes to run it on the cupcake out-of-conference teams, averaging 53.3 PPG in those three games last season. Mendoza should put up big numbers in his first game with the Hoosiers.
Value
Zach Calzada, Kentucky vs. Toledo, $5,300
Zach Calzada has bounced around the college football world. He was expected to be the guy at Texas A&M, but once that didn’t work out, he moved to Incarnate Word. Incarnate Word has been an FCS quarterback factory over the last few years. It’s where future No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward went to school before transferring to Washington State, and it’s where Calzada went to get ready to return to the SEC. Calzada threw for 3,744 yards last season, the fifth-best mark among FCS quarterbacks, as well as 35 passing touchdowns, the second-most among SEC quarterbacks. Head Coach Mark Stoops is under pressure at Kentucky this season, and starting the season with a dominant win over Toledo would start things off on the right note. This could be a game where Kentucky allows Calzada to let it rip against inferior competition.
Running Back
Stud
Nate Frazier, Georgia vs. Marshall, $7,800
Nate Frazier is hoping to follow in the footsteps of great Georgia running backs of the 21st century, Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, D’Andre Swift, Knowshon Moreno and more. Last season, Trevor Etienne was supposed to be the lead back for Georgia, but he struggled with injuries throughout the season. Frazier had to step into that role as a freshman and proved he is up to the task, rushing for over 671 yards, the team leader in that stat. Etienne is off to the NFL, leaving Frazier as the clear RB1 in Athens with a year of experience under his belt. He should go off against Marshall, just like he did in a similar spot against UMass last season. Against UMass, Frazier ran for 136 yards and three touchdowns. Expect a similar performance from Frazier in this game.
Value
Richard Young, Alabama at Florida State, $5,800
Alabama’s starting running back, Jam Miller, is out for their opening game against Florida State. That means sophomore running back Richard Young will need to step up and make plays for the Crimson Tide. He got just 27 carries last season, but showed the explosiveness he possesses on a 62-yard run against Missouri. This is a great price to get Young, due to the fact that he was projected to be a backup this season. However, with a new quarterback at the helm, Alabama will want to lean on the running game, meaning Young should get a lot of touches in this season opener.
Wide Receiver
Stud
Elijah Sarratt, Indiana vs. ODU, $7,100
Elijah Sarratt is a holdover from last year’s playoff team at Indiana. Sarratt was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2023 at JMU under Curt Cignetti, then led Indiana in receiving last season after following Cignetti to the Big Ten. Not that it should come as a surprise, but Sarratt was particularly good against inferior teams. Sarratt had 137 receiving yards and a touchdown in a non-conference game against Western Illinois, and 165 yards and two touchdowns against Purdue, the worst team in the Big Ten last season. Against ODU, Sarratt should have a big game, connecting with his new quarterback.
Value
Devonte Ross, Penn State vs. Nevada, $5,400
Devonte Ross is one of the three transfer wide receivers brought in by Penn State to help Drew Allar. Last season, they had Tyler Warren, an incredible tight end. However, they have never given Drew Allar great receivers. This season, they were aggressive in the transfer portal to get three brand-new receivers who excelled elsewhere. You never know which of those players Allar will click with right away, making it worth taking the value play on Devonte Ross, the cheapest of the three starting receivers for Penn State. Ross was a 1,000-yard receiver at Troy last season and brings a lot of experience with him to Happy Valley. He might not be as flashy as Kyron Hudson from USC or Trebor Pena from Syracuse, but he should have a big game against an inferior Nevada team to start the season.
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
Drew Allar, QB, Penn State vs. Nevada, $8,900
Drew Allar should be one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Allar had the potential to be a 2025 first-round NFL Draft pick, but chose to return to school to win a national title. Penn State has one of the best rosters in the country, and while other top programs like Ohio State, Michigan, Texas, Georgia and Alabama are all breaking in new quarterbacks, Allar is an experienced veteran. Penn State has one of the best running back duos in the country, but also three brand new transfer receivers, all with massive potential. This Penn State offense should be a nightmare to face for any defense, let alone for a team like Nevada. Allar should have a big game in the opener, setting the tone for the big season ahead.
Value
Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama at Florida State, $6,200
Germie Bernard had a great first season at Alabama. Bernard was at Washington with Kalen DeBoer on the team that made the national title game in 2023-24. However, he was behind three NFL receivers, Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan, so he didn’t get too many looks. He followed DeBoer to Alabama and led the team in receptions in his first season with the program. Bernard will be reunited with his former Washington Offensive Coordinator, Ryan Grubb, this season as well. Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams is a sensation, considered one of the top two receivers in the country heading into this season. He should receive massive amounts of defensive attention, making it easier for Bernard to get open. In his second season at Alabama, Bernard should hit the ground running.
