College football Week 9 has a great slate of games on the featured DFS slate this Saturday. You can play weekly DFS contests at DraftKings for the duration of the season.
DraftKings has a CFB $175K Saturday Kickoff contest, with $50,000 going to first place. You can enter the contest for just $20 here.
Quarterback
Stud
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana vs. UCLA, $9,200
Fernando Mendoza is one of the breakout stars of this college football season. This Indiana Hoosiers team has proved that not only was last season’s run to the College Football Playoff not a gimmick, but they have leveled up. Part of the reason they have taken that jump is the play of Mendoza. He is tied for the FBS lead in passing touchdowns, with just two interceptions. This UCLA team has found a spark since making a coaching change, but they still have some major issues on defense. The Bruins rank 132nd in the nation in defensive success rate and 119th in defensive EPA/drive. Mendoza should move the ball against them and put up big numbers.
Value
Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati vs. Baylor, $7,400
Brendan Sorsby is arguably the most underrated quarterback in the country. He opened the college football season by running for 96 yards and two scores against Nebraska. Since then, he has shown his great ability as a passer as well. Sorsby has led Cincinnati to a 6-1 start, making them serious Big 12 contenders. Since the opener against Nebraska, Sorsby has a flawless 18-0 TD-INT ratio. This week against Baylor, Sorsby should have another big game. The Bears rank 100th in the nation in defensive EPA/rush and 92nd in defensive passing success rate. Whether it is through the air or with his legs, Sorsby should have success in this game.
Running Back
Stud
Ahmad Hardy, Missouri vs. Vanderbilt, $7,300
Ahmad Hardy is one of the best running backs in the nation. He ranks third in the FBS in rushing yards and second in rushing touchdowns this season. This is a massive game against Vanderbilt as the Tigers look to keep their season alive. Vanderbilt has been an incredible story this season, and they have a great offense. However, the defense has some frailties, which Alabama exposed. Jam Miller rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns on over six yards per carry against the Commodores. Hardy should be able to rack up similar numbers and have a big day.
Value
Roman Hemby, Indiana vs. UCLA, $5,800
Roman Hemby should be in for a huge day against UCLA. The Bruins rank 135th in the nation in defensive rushing success rate, which is the second-worst mark in all of the FBS. They also rank 123rd in defensive EPA/rush. While Indiana utilizes two running backs, Hemby is the one with the largest share of the carries this season. The Maryland transfer has shown up against big-time opponents, rushing for 70 yards and two scores against Oregon, but has also been utilized in blowouts, rushing for 111 yards against ODU. Against an awful UCLA run defense, Hemby should be in for a big game.
Wide Receiver
Stud
Elijah Sarratt, Indiana vs. UCLA, $7,600
Elijah Sarratt is another incredible weapon in this Indiana offense. Sarratt followed Curt Cignetti from JMU to Indiana in 2024, hoping to win something special with his coach. Sarratt had a great 2024 season, but just like the rest of this Indiana team, he has leveled up in 2025. He leads the Hoosiers in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns this season. He leads the nation with nine receiving touchdowns and is inside the top 20 nationally in receptions and yards. Against this UCLA defense with so many flaws, Sarratt should be able to break off some explosive plays and add to his touchdown total.
Value
Josh Cameron, Baylor at Cincinnati, $5,500
Josh Cameron is the leading receiver on the nation’s leading passing offense. Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson is on another level than any other quarterback in the country when it comes to pure numbers. He is averaging 339 passing yards per game, significantly more than the next-best quarterback. While he spreads the ball out to a number of targets, Cameron leads the team in receptions and yards. The senior has been playing with Robertson for four years now, and the two have a special connection. Cincinnati ranks 97th in the nation in defensive EPA/pass, and Robertson will need to exploit that to keep up with a high-flying Cincinnati offense. Cameron just had eight catches for 86 yards against TCU last time out, and should have another big game against the Bearcats.
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
Byrum Brown, QB, South Florida at Memphis, $9,000
Byrum Brown is one of the most electric players in the country. Brown has South Florida on the warpath for a College Football Playoff spot. The Bulls have signature non-conference wins over Florida and Boise State, and are undefeated in the American. This game against Memphis is the toughest left on their schedule, and Brown should give a maximum effort to get the win. Memphis is a good team, but they struggle to stop the pass. The Tigers rank 89th in the country in defensive EPA/pass. Brown is one of the hardest quarterbacks in the country to stop with his dual-threat ability. Brown has 22 total touchdowns on the season and has racked up the yards through the air and on the ground. He should have a big game in this showdown against Memphis.
Value
Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama at South Carolina, $6,600
Germie Bernard has emerged as a top-tier receiver this season. Bernard followed Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama and was a great complement to Ryan Williams during his special freshman season. However, Williams has not been consistently productive this season, allowing Bernard to emerge as Ty Simpson’s top target. Bernard leads the team in receptions, receiving yards and total touchdowns this season. DeBeor uses Bernard in unique ways. For example, he carried the ball four times for 49 yards against Tennessee last week. These coaches want to get the ball to Bernard by any means possible. Against a South Carolina defense that ranks 101st in defensive passing success rate, this should be a big game for Bernard.
