Welcome back, college football fans and DFS players! How’d you do with your Week 8 DFS CFB lineups? We had a very interesting and exciting slate of football last Saturday with big performances from some offenses and duds from others. It’s time now to look towards the Saturday night slate of games kicking off at 7 pm ET and later. 

DraftKings has a solid 8-game slate while FanDuel has a slightly larger 12-game slate - with the eight earlier matchups overlapping on both sites. FD has added four late night games that will definitely make lineup construction interesting because we will want exposure to the Washington State-Oregon matchup. For the purposes of this playbook, though, we will break down the top plays from all price ranges for those eight common games across both sites - but we will include some top plays and sample lineups from the FD Only games.

Let’s take a quick look at the projected top-scoring offenses to target, according to Bovada’s spreads. 

Teams To Target (By Implied Point Totals):

1. Clemson -- 46.5 Points vs. Boston College (59 Total)

2. Alabama -- 43.75 Points vs. Arkansas (56 Total)

3. UCF -- 35.5 Points at Temple (60 Total)

4. Texas Tech -- 34.25 Points at Kansas (64.5 Total)

5. Memphis -- 33.5 Points at Tulsa (56.5 Total)

6. Kansas -- 30.25 Points vs. Texas Tech (64.5 Total)

Now, let’s dive into the specific players that are worth rostering in both cash game and tournament lineups for this Week 9 Saturday night slate!

QUARTERBACKS

Dillon Gabriel - UCF ($7,600 DK / $9,100 FD)

We’ll dive more into the UCF running backs in a second, but injuries to this backfield should result in the Knights passing the ball more at least for this week. Gabriel heads that attack and he’s thrown for at least 280 yards in each of the last five games. Temple’s pass defense is respectable this season - but this UCF offense is tough to handle for any opposing D. Gabriel’s passing volume is one that we definitely like for DFS as he’s racked up at least 35 attempts in three of the past four outings. Pairing Gabriel with his top wideout, Gabriel Davis, makes for a very nice stack on this slate as the two have combined for seven touchdowns over the last four games. 

Trevor Lawrence - Clemson ($7,400 DK / $9,500 FD) 

These Clemson offensive players remain pretty underpriced on this slate and it’s only a matter of time until Lawrence’s salary returns to what how expensive he was to begin the year. This is one of the final weeks we can buy low on Lawrence and Co. and we need to take advantage of an easy matchup vs. Boston College. The Eagles defense is allowing 281 passing yards and 454 total yards per game - which bodes well for Lawrence to have another 25+ DK points. The Clemson QB has been up-and-down all year long but he’s starting to find his groove. Although he threw two picks last week vs. Louisville, Lawrence still made value by throwing for three scores and adding 47 rushing yards. He’s actually ran for 40 or more yards in each of the last three games and has three passing TDs in two straight. 

Carter Stanley - Kansas ($6,300 DK / $8,600 FD)

Stanley was an ideal Super-Flex play last week against Texas when he tossed 310 yards and four touchdowns while adding 65 rushing yards. Stanley has now thrown for at least three touchdowns in four of the past five weeks and he’s already proven he can put up solid numbers in favorable matchups. That’s certainly the case this week in one of the slate’s highest-scoring games and facing a Texas Tech defense that is allowing 437 total yards per game. Stanley offers upside as a dual-threat runner out of the pocket but he can clearly get the job done through the air. He makes for a very affordable second QB this week if you are also wanting to pay up for Gabriel or Lawrence in all formats. 

Jayden Daniels - Arizona State ($6,100 DK / $8,700 FD)

Some people may ignore Daniels after he put up a measly 0.8 DK points and just 25 passing yards last week against Utah - but we need to look past this bad outing. Utah’s defense is legit and that was a tough road game for the freshman QB. Instead, we can buy low on Daniels right now as he has a very tasty matchup this week against UCLA - a defense that’s giving up nearly 300 passing yards per game. Daniels has already proven he can take advantage of this favorable matchups this season - like he did against Washington State and Colorado in two of the past four games. Plus, Daniels adds some rushing upside which is always an attractive asset for QB in this price range. 

Also Consider: 

Anthony Gordon - Washington State ($10,500 FD Only)

Justin Herbert - Oregon ($9,000 FD Only)

Brady White - Memphis ($7,100 DK / $8,900 FD)

Jett Duffey - Texas Tech ($6,600 DK / $8,800 FD)

RUNNING BACKS

Kenneth Gainwell - Memphis ($8,200 DK / $10,200 FD)

There’s no denying why Gainwell is the most expensive RB on both sites for this night slate as all you have to do is look back at his last game. The guy put up 63.7 DK points with his 307 total yards and three touchdowns. Since taking over Memphis’ lead back duties for Patrick Taylor after Week 1, Gainwell has been a fantasy beast on a weekly basis and it won’t stop on Saturday. Gainwell has racked up at least 100 rushing yards and a touchdown in each of his last five games - and he’s usually doing a lot more damage than that. Memphis is also starting to use Gainwell as a receiver out of the backfield more now as he caught eight passes for 98 yards two weeks ago before his insane performance last week of nine catches, 203 yards and two receiving TDs - to go along with his usual dominant rushing stats. The only wrinkle here is that we have to check on Patrick Taylor’s status before this 7 pm ET kickoff. Taylor, who entered the season as Memphis’ top dog, has been out since Week 1 with a leg injury and he’s been practicing in non-contact drills this past week. It seems like he won’t play on Saturday because he’s yet to practice with contact, but we need to check to make sure we can pay all the way for Gainwell - who’s definitely worth any price tag DK or FD gives him at this point. 

Travis Etienne - Clemson ($7,200 DK / $9,200 FD)

It’s still a buy low opportunity for the Clemson offensive players and Etienne remains a bargain for what his fantasy ceiling is on a weekly basis - especially in this favorable matchup. The Boston College defense is allowing 172 rushing yards per game and they may have their hands full with Etienne and the bulky Clemson offensive line. Etienne put up 205 rushing yards in Week 1, but then his DFS value fell off a cliff as he failed to top 80 yards the next four games because Clemson didn’t need him as much in blowout wins. However, he’s bounced back the last two games as the Tigers offense starts to take shape for how it will likely look the rest of season. Etienne ran for 127 yards on 17 carries two weeks ago and 192 on 14 rushes last game. He should take advantage of this easy matchup and put up another 100+ yards with a touchdown or two. 

Najee Harris - Alabama ($6,700 DK / $9,500 FD)

The biggest injury news on this slate surrounds Alabama’s starting QB - and it should instantly benefit the Crimson Tide running game. Tua Tagovailoa is out for this week (and maybe longer) with a sprained ankle which leaves Mac Jones as the starter. Don’t expect Nick Saban to put too much on Jones’ shoulders in his first collegiate start against a poor defense like Arkansas. Plus, there are reports that Saban will also give Tua’s brother, Taulia, some time at QB this week as well. Instead, we should bank on Najee Harris getting a ton of carries as ‘Bama’s lead back - which will make him a cash game lock on DK with a discounted price tag. Harris had 105 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries last week - with four catches as well - and he was leaned on in this offense once Tua left the game. It was his second straight game with at least 20 carries and 100 rushing yards and he’s shown he can definitely take on the increased workload and still be productive. Also take a look at Harris’ backup, Brian Robinson Jr., who’s been getting 7-10 carries per game in relief of Harris in blowout wins this year - which is how Saturday should go for Alabama as 30-point favorites over Arkansas. 

Otis Anderson - UCF ($5,000 DK / $7,400 FD)

The UCF backfield situation this week should create a ton of value on this slate and it all starts with Otis Anderson. Both of the Knights’ top two backs are injured right now with Greg McRae already ruled out and Adrian Killins questionable to suit up after he twisted his ankle a week ago. If Killins is out as well (or at least limited), Anderson should see the bulk of the carries for UCF in a game they are favored by two scores over Temple. After McRae and Killins both left last week’s game, Anderson took over as the lead guy and had 18 carries for 80 yards. He’s already been used as the change-of-pace back in this offense all season and split return duties for the Knights as well - so he’s familiar with the system and should be trusted to handle the increased workload. Meanwhile, UCF has used multiple backs all year long so Bentavious Thompson should see an increase in touches as well and he presents a nice value too for GPP’s. 

Jafar Armstrong - Notre Dame ($4,400 DK / $5,700 FD)

After being out since suffering a Week 1 injury, Notre Dame’s lead back finally returned to the field last week and only got one carry on a handful of snaps. However, he’s expected to play a much larger role this weekend in a marquee matchup against Mighigan. Irish head coach Brian Kelly has said this week that Armstrong “is going to be an important part” of Notre Dame’s offensive gameplan as a “full go” this week, per his press conference. This is a huge vote of confidence for a guy that should step in as the lead rusher for an offense that uses the running game a ton - and we get him a very nice bargain price on both sites. Kelly also cited how Armstrong was activated last week against USC to get him exposure to a game situation again and he should be all ready to go this time against Michigan in basically a must-win game for Notre Dame. 

Also Consider:

Eno Benjamin - Arizona State ($7,100 DK / $9,500 FD)

Max Borghi - Washington State ($9,300 FD Only)

Pooka Williams Jr. - Kansas ($6,700 DK / $9,100 FD)

SaRodorick Thompson - Texas Tech ($5,400 DK / $8,600 FD)

Brian Robinson Jr. - Alabama ($5,400 DK / $7,100 FD) 

Bentavious Thompson - UCF ($4,800 DK / $5,600 FD)

WIDE RECEIVERS

Gabriel Davis - UCF ($7,700 DK / $9,900 FD)

If you’re playing Dillon Gabriel at QB, definitely consider pairing him with his top receiving target to complete the Gabriel-to-Gabriel connection. Davis has been an absolute beast this season and his past four games are the stuff of legend - he’s racked up 37 receptions for 604 yards and seven touchdowns over that stretch while averaging 9.3 catches, 151 yards, 1.8 TDs and 37.9 DK points per game. He’s being leaned on heavily in this offense as Gabriel targets him far more often than any other UCF receiver. Plus, the Knights could use the pass more than usual this week with their top two running backs banged up and facing a Temple defense that’s worse against the pass than the run this year. Stacking Davis with Gabriel has been a winning formula each of the last four weeks and we should be going right back to the well until it stops flowing. You can even play Davis on his own because he’s the top overall WR on this night slate. 

Lynn Bowden Jr. - Kentucky ($7,000 DK / $8,500 FD)

FanDuel got it right by listing Bowden as a QB but DraftKings screwed up by having him as a WR this week. Undoubtedly, though, he’s the starting QB for Kentucky after transitioning there a couple weeks ago - and he’s basically just a run-first, dual threat in this offense. Bowden runs the ball a ton out of the Wildcat formation and offers just a little upside passing-wise. In his first game as the starting QB, Bowden ran for 196 yards and two scores on 24 carries while adding 78 passing yards and a touchdown through the air. In his next start - last week in a tough, rain-soaked matchup against Georgia - he ran for 99 yards on 17 carries. Against Missouri this week, we can reasonably expect a performance somewhere in between these last two games which would give us about 25 DK points. If you’re not paying up for Davis on DK, Bowden is the next-best high-priced WR to lock in because he’s not actually a WR in real life anymore.

Brandon Aiyuk - Arizona State ($5,700 DK / $8,900 FD)

If we’re rostering ASU QB Jayden Daniels, we definitely want to try to pair him with his top wideout. Aiyuk is the clear No. 1 in this offense and he’s being targeted heavily by Daniels in plus matchups this season. This week presents a very favorable matchup for the Arizona State passing attack as the UCLA defense is giving up nearly 300 passing yards per game. Against a tough defense last week vs. Utah, Aiyuk only had one reception - but he’s shown this season he can post big numbers when the matchups are in his favor. He racked up seven catches for 196 yards and three touchdowns two weeks ago against Washington State and had nine grabs for 122 yards and a score against Colorado back in Week 4. We can basically throw out Aiyuk’s most recent outing because Utah’s pass D is very good. Instead, we can expect him to reach 6-10 catches and 100+ yards yet again this week in a nice bounce-back spot. 

Justyn Ross - Clemson ($5,900 DK / $8,000 FD)

We’ve mentioned already how the Clemson guys are still underpriced and Justyn Ross remains a bargain at his salary this week. After battling an injury to start the year and posting inconsistent numbers, Ross has bounced back lately with 10 catches for 116 yards and three touchdowns over the last two games combined. Opposing defenses have focused more on stopping fellow WR Tee Higgins as the big-play threat and it’s opened up more short-to-mid range targets for Ross lately. Plus, Higgins is battling a hamstring injury which has given Ross the safer fantasy floor with QB Trevor Lawrence looking his way more often. Ross began the year as one of the higher-priced DFS wideouts and he’ll likely return to that price range with a couple more good games - which should come this week against a Boston College defense giving up a ton of passing yards per game. 

Stephon Robinson Jr. - Kansas ($5,400 DK / $8,000 FD)

This Kansas-Texas Tech game will be a back-and-forth, high-scoring contest so we definitely want some exposure to either offense. Robinson Jr. presents a very affordable avenue to one of the top receivers in this game and someone who’s been a touchdown machine for Kansas lately. The wideout has caught two touchdowns in each of the past two games as QB Carter Stanley has started to look his way more often in the red zone. Robinson hadn’t scored all year before these last two games (that was Andrew Parchment, for the most part) - but it’s encouraging to see Stanley throw his way a lot more frequently now. Robinson has totaled 12 receptions for 198 yards and four scores over the last two outings and he’s quietly a huge bargain on this slate if he can replicate those performances against a Texas Tech defense that’s allowing over 250 passing yards per game. 

RJ Turner - Texas Tech ($5,000 DK / $6,500 FD)

How about another value WR in this Kansas-Texas Tech game? The Red Raiders have T.J. Vasher who is the clear No. 1 wideout in the offense, but RJ Turner has started to turn heads with a pair of impressive games over the last two weeks. After failing to total more than four catches or 44 yards in any game, Turner exploded for seven receptions and 138 yards in Week 7 - and then he followed that up with 11 grabs for 76 yards last week. He’s been Texas Tech’s leading receiver two weeks in a row now as QB Jett Duffey has started to look his way more often. On both sites on this slate, Turner is a great bargain if he’s getting targeted this much with the upside of scoring a TD - something he’s yet to do this year but his increased involvement suggests he’ll get there eventually. 

Also Consider: 

Jaylon Redd - Oregon ($8,400 FD Only)

Mycah Pittman - Oregon ($6,100 FD Only)

Kyle Phillips - UCLA ($5,700 DK / $8,300 FD)

Cole Kmet - Notre Dame ($5,400 DK / $7,800 FD)

Joey Magnifico - Memphis ($4,300 DK / $6,800 FD)

Josh Johnson - Tulsa ($3,600 DK / $5,800 FD)

Example Lineup on DraftKings (1st Option):

QB: Trevor Lawrence - CLEM ($7,400)

RB: Najee Harris - BAMA ($6,700)

RB: Otis Anderson - UCF ($5,000)

WR: Justyn Ross - CLEM ($5,900)

WR: Brandon Aiyuk - ASU ($5,700)

WR: RJ Turner - TTU ($5,000)

FLEX: Kenneth Gainwell - MEM ($8,200)

S-FLEX: Jayden Daniels - ASU ($6,100)

Example Lineup on DraftKings (2nd Option):

QB: Dillon Gabriel - UCF ($7,600)

RB: Travis Etienne - CLEM ($7,200)

RB: Jafar Armstrong - ND ($4,400)

WR: Gabriel Davis - UCF ($7,700)

WR: Stephon Robinson Jr. - KU ($5,400)

WR: Lynn Bowden Jr. - UK ($7,000)

FLEX: Joey Magnifico - MEM ($4,300)

S-FLEX: Carter Stanley - KU ($6,300)

Example Lineup on FanDuel (1st Option):

QB: Trevor Lawrence - CLEM ($9,500)

RB: Kenneth Gainwell - MEM ($10,200)

RB: Jafar Armstrong - ND ($5,700)

WR: Stephon Robinson Jr. - KU ($8,000)

WR: Gabriel Davis - UCF ($9,900)

WR: Justyn Ross - CLEM ($8,000)

S-FLEX: Carter Stanley - KU ($8,600)

Example Lineup on FanDuel (2nd Option):

QB: Justin Herbert - ORE ($9,000)

RB: Najee Harris - BAMA ($9,500)

RB: Otis Anderson - UCF ($7,400)

WR: Brandon Aiyuk - ASU ($8,900)

WR: Jaylon Redd - ORE ($8,400)

WR: Stephon Robinson Jr. - KU ($8,000)

S-FLEX: Jayden Daniels - ASU ($8,700)