DFS College Football 2015: Best Value Sleepers to Target Early This Season
That giddy sensation you're feeling comes from daily fantasy college football about to kick off. On Thursday night, DFS players all across the country will cash in on unpaid athletes—and it feels so good.
In order to see a big payday, owners will need to know big-name players like Deshaun Watson or Pharoh Cooper. But to build a winning lineup over the next several weeks, finding value players can be a difficult task with so many moving parts in college football. Here's a look at our value plays to start the season.
Quarterback: Maty Mauk, Missouri ($6,500)
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Looking for a consistent quarterback who is far below the $9,000 mark? Maty Mauk is your man. The Missouri signal-caller was solid last year and heads into his junior season with plenty of expectations and enough talent to carry the Tigers.
Much like several college quarterbacks, Mauk faces easy opponents to start the season before entering SEC play. If he maintains his $6,500 price tag against cupcakes like Southeast Missouri State, Arkansas State and UConn, expect Mauk to outperform his value early on.
Running Back: A.J. Ouellette, Ohio ($6,400)
You may not know his name now, but A.J. Ouellette has a chance to emerge as a fantasy stud this season. The sophomore tailback exploded for Ohio as a walk-on during his freshman campaign. He'll show why he earned a scholarship last season when he explodes against Idaho.
In 2014, Idaho ranked 119th in the country (that's out of 125 teams) in rushing yards allowed with 246.2 per game. Meanwhile, Ouellette averaged 126 rushing yards with five total touchdowns in his final three games of 2014. Even at over $6,000, Ouellette is a great value play for any lineup.
Running Back: De'Veon Smith, Michigan ($4,500)
New Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has a quarterback battle on his hands for the season opener against Utah. But there is no question who will start at running back with De'Veon Smith emerging this offseason. The 5'11", 228-pound junior is ready to start his third collegiate game and make a statement against Utah.
Last year in the season opener, Smith rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns on just eight attempts. Don't expect those exact numbers against Utah, a decent rushing defense in 2014, but look for Smith to prove why he's worthy of keeping the starting job. That makes him an ideal start as an RB2 or flex for just $4,500 on DraftKings.
Wide Receiver: Mitch Mathews, BYU ($6,700)
What is there not to like about Mitch Mathews? At 6'6", Mathews towers over defensive backs. With 73 receptions for 922 yards and nine touchdowns in 2014, he's a force for BYU's dynamic offense. Oh, and he has Taysom Hill throwing him the ball again after a season-ending injury six games into last season.
Another positive, as Mathews pointed out to Talo Steves of Scout.com, is that he has help now at receiver and should put together a complete game against Nebraska.
"We’ll be able to rotate a lot of receivers to keep us fresh and be as effective as we can be," Mathews said. "Last season I was playing almost 70 plays a game and that’s a lot. At the end of the game you’re exhausted and your routes aren’t as crisp. We’ve got a lot of depth at receiver, which will help."
Expect a fresh Mathews at the beginning and end of his matchup with Nebraska. In four must-win games for the Cougars to compete on the national stage, Mathews will have to shine against Nebraska, Boise State, UCLA and Michigan. Even at $6,700 for the opener, Mathews is a massive value for DraftKings owners.
Wide Receiver: Marquez North, Tennessee ($4,200)
Hello, opportunity. Marquez North got just that when Pig Howard was suspended for the season opener against Bowling Green. Despite battling through an offseason injury and missing multiple games to close out last season, North is ready to go against Bowling Green, according to head coach Butch Jones.
As the top option for Joshua Dobbs, North should thrive against Bowling Green. Owners will have to play wait and see after that with Howard likely returning and a wealth of playmakers on the roster. But at $4,200, North is a low-risk, high-reward receiver on DraftKings to slot at either WR2 or WR3 in Week 1.
DraftKings owners can win $300k in the "Dive for the Pylon" tournament to start off the college football season!
Follow R. Cory Smith on Twitter for more MLB DraftKings advice.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
