It is conference championship weekend in college football. It is the final chance to play college football DFS before bowl season and the College Football Playoff.
DraftKings has a CFB $150K Saturday Kickoff contest, with $50,000 going to first place. You can enter the contest for just $20 here.
Quarterback
Stud
Ty Simpson, Alabama vs. Georgia, $8,100
Ty Simpson has been fantastic for Alabama all season. In his first season as a starter, he threw for over 3,000 yards and had a 25-4 TD-INT ratio in the regular season. Simpson now has a chance to seize another SEC title for Alabama and cement a spot in the College Football Playoff. Simpson played great in the regular-season matchup against Georgia, throwing for 275 yards and two touchdowns, plus a rushing touchdown. It should be another solid performance from Simpson in this second matchup against the Bulldogs.
Value
Darian Mensah, Duke vs. UVA, $7,000
With so few quarterbacks in play on Saturday, no starting quarterback can be found at a very low price. However, Darian Mensah is one of the lowest-priced quarterbacks on the slate, and he shouldn’t be. Mensah has been fantastic for Duke, ranking sixth in the nation in passing yards and passing touchdowns this season. Mensah has had some massive games this season, and with everything on the line, Duke should have some tricks up its sleeve to create some big plays.
Running Back
Stud
Cameron Dickey, Texas Tech vs. BYU, $7,800
Cameron Dickey has been fantastic for Texas Tech all season, but especially in recent weeks. Over the last three games of the season, Dickey is averaging 92.3 rushing yards per game. Dickey has 15 total touchdowns on the season, scoring at least once in every game but one this season. The BYU defense is solid, but Dickey played great when these teams faced off in the regular season. Dickey rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown, and added 24 yards through the air as well. He should have another great performance in the Big 12 title game.
Value
Nate Frazier, Georgia vs. Alabama, $5,600
Nate Frazier has been fantastic for Georgia over the past few weeks. Frazier entered the season as the starting running back, but took a bit of a backseat for a while due to fumble issues and the emergence of Chauncey Bowens. However, Frazier has once again taken control of the Georgia backfield. Over the past four games, Frazier has averaged 103.8 rushing yards per game. He lost a fumble in the regular-season game against Alabama, leading to him getting a smaller role over the next few games. Frazier will want his revenge in this game and should get it.
Wide Receiver
Stud
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State vs. Indiana, $8,400
There is not much that needs to be said about Jeremiah Smith. He has 942 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season, and is one of the best wide receiver prospects in modern college football history. Indiana has a great team all-around, but the pass defense is the weakest facet of the team. The Hoosiers rank 17th nationally in defensive dropback success rate, compared to fifth in defensive rushing success rate. Ohio State didn’t make the Big Ten title game last season, but in the first two rounds of the CFP, Smith combined for 290 yards and four touchdowns. He should step up to the plate again on the big stage for Ohio State and have a huge game against Indiana.
Value
Zachariah Branch, Georgia vs. Alabama, $4,700
Zachariah Branch is a big-play weapon for Georgia. His price is low because he is a boom-or-bust player, but that makes him a good value play. In the SEC Championship Game, Georgia could have some interesting formations and trick plays it has been waiting to break out. If that’s the case, there is a good chance those plays involve Branch. Even if it’s a pedestrian game for Branch, he is averaging 57.6 receiving yards per game. In this biggest of games, he should rise to the occasion and turn in a solid performance.
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
Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia vs. Alabama, $8,300
Gunner Stockton is looking to win his second straight SEC Championship Game. Stockton came into the SEC title game against Texas last season after Carson Beck got injured. Stockton stepped in and won a conference title for Georgia and has started every game for the Bulldogs since then. This season is much different, as this time around it is Stockton’s team. He has significantly improved as a passer as the season has progressed and can make plays with his arm, as well as his legs. In the first half of the season, Stockton had just six passing touchdowns in six games. In the six games since then, he has thrown 14 passing touchdowns. Stockton should be ready for this big game and turn in a better performance than he did in the regular season against Alabama.
Value
Jordan Brunson, RB, Miami (OH) vs. Western Michigan, $5,300
Jordan Burnson has been a solid back for Miami all season. In the MAC Championship Game, he should produce on the ground. Brunson’s best game of the regular season in terms of yards per carry was against Western Michigan. In that game, Brunson rushed for 90 yards on 6.9 yards per carry. Earlier in the season, Miami quarterback Dequan Finn vultured a lot of the touchdowns by running into the end zone himself. Finn is no longer with the team, and the new quarterback is more of a pocket passer. That has presented more goal-to-go touches for Brunson, and he scored a touchdown in the regular season finale. Brunson should have another strong game against Western Michigan, making him a great value play on Saturday.
