Slate Breaker: College Football Week 1 (Friday)

Game Picks

Temple @ Oklahoma

This is the easiest pick on this slate by a mile. The Sooners did lose their star QB Dillon Gabriel, but they had Jackson Arnold ready and waiting, shown by his 361 yards in the Alamo Bowl. There might be a slight dip in production from this Sooner offense but they were 3rd in the nation in yards per game so even if they take a step back, the Sooners will still be an offensive juggernaut. This offense gets a cake matchup to open the season as they play an Owls defense who allowed the 10th most yards per game. The Sooners will cruise to their first win of the season.

Florida Atlantic @ Michigan State

The Jonathan Smith era is beginning in East Lansing and he could not have gotten an easier debut. The Spartans matchup against a Florida Atlantic team that went just 4-8 last year. The Owls lost their top offensive playmaker with LaJohntay Wester transferring to Colorado, but they did upgrade at the most important position with Cam Fancher coming in as the new QB. Fancher went 11-6 as a starter at Marshall so this Owl team could be much improved, but I still think the Spartans pull this one out to begin the Smith era on a high note.

Western Michigan @ Wisconsin

Another matchup between a Power 4 school and lower conference school so I would not expect any surprises. Western Michigan does have some offensive firepower as they return a 1,000 yard rusher and a first team All-MAC WR Kenneth Womack so they could surprise some people. The Badgers strength is their defense so the Bronco offense will need to play out of their minds in order to keep this game close. This game may be closer than many expect, but the Badgers will still open the season with a win.

Texas Christian @ Stanford

The only game between two Power 4 schools, this matchup offers the most intrigue on the Friday slate. Both of these teams are looking to bounce back from losing seasons. Their offenses should take giant steps forward as they feature young QBs who were thrust into action before they were ready so with a full offseason under their belts, expect a much more functional offense from both of these teams. Ultimately, TCU is a much more talented team so they should pull out the W but this game could end being a bit of a toss up with no team having a clear edge.

Player Spotlight

Top Fantasy and DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) Plays

Quarterbacks

Play of the Day: Jackson Arnold, Oklahoma (vs Temple)

Even though the Sooners will blowout the Owls, there simply is no other QB or offense as potent as Arnold and the Sooners on this slate so they need to be a prominent part of your lineups. I know that none of the Sooner starters will play the entire game but they will still score 5-7 TDs so there is plenty of production to utilize before they leave the game. Arnold will be the focal point of this offense so he should be responsible for at least 4 TDs and 300 total yards so you definitely want to pay up for him.

Josh Hoover, Texas Christian (@ Stanford)

Hoover was thrust into action midseason and he was able to step right in without missing a beat. Across 4 starts, Hoover was ultra productive passing for 300+ yards in 5 of those games and scoring a total of 15 TDs. Stanford lacks any kind of real identity on defense allowing the 2nd most yards per game during the 2023 season so expect Hoover to slice this defense up with ease.

Aidan Chiles, Michigan State (vs Florida Atlantic)

You are going to need to take a leap of faith on this one as Chiles is basically unproven. He was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school and changed schools with coach Jonathan Smith so he is well established in this offense so the growing pains should be limited. He has impressed in his very limited action going 24 for 35 for 309 yards with 4 TDs and no picks. It is undeniable that Chiles oozes potential and he gets a great matchup to ease him into life as a starter. 

Running Backs

Play of the Day: Gavin Sawchuk, Oklahoma (vs Temple)

Sawchuk opened the 2023 season in the dog house buried as the 3rd string running back but he forced his way into the starting lineup against Oklahoma State and never looked back, rushing for 100 yards in 5 straight games. It would be very surprising if Sawchuk did not step right back into that lead back role in 2024 and he has a great matchup to deliver a huge line as Temple allowed the 7th most rushing yards per game last year. Even if Sawchuk only plays two quarters, he will deliver solid production against the Owls.

Chez Mellusi, Wisconsin (vs Western Michigan)

Following the departure of Braelon Allen, Mellusi looks like the next man up at RB U although it should be mentioned that Tawee Walker has also been impressing at camp. Even if Mellusi ends up in a committee with Walker, a Badger O line should dominate the WMU defensive front with their eyes closed. Mellusi should rack up at least 70 rushing yards and a score while also being involved in the passing game. 

Michigan State RBs (vs Florida Atlantic)

I would love this play if I knew exactly who to play but it appears as if Michigan State is still making that decision since they are yet to release a depth chart with the game just 2 days away. Nate Carter is the returning starter but he delivered lackluster production while newcomer Kay'ron Lynch-Adams arrives with quite the impressive resume. KLA carried the UMass offense on his back last year with 1,157 rushing yards and 12 TDs so if ends up as the lead back for the Spartans he can definitely deliver on the opportunity. Taking a shot on one of these backs is definitely worth the risk, but be prepared to be left disappointed.

Wide Receiver

Play of the Day: Oklahoma WRs (vs Temple)

You are definitely going to need an Oklahoma WR or two in your lineup. Deion Burks seems primed to take over the WR1 role because he is a crisp route runner and can handle a lot of work underneath the coverage so expect him to garner the most targets. Andrel Anthony appears set to return from an injury that cut his 2023 season short, but he was very explosive with 16 yards per catch so if he is fully back expect solid production. Brenen Thompson is the truly intriguing option for DFS players as he can be had for basically nothing and is going to be slotted into the starting lineup with Nic Anderson out. If Thompson slots into that exact Anderson role, he will be the biggest difference maker on this slate so I would definitely roll the dice on him.

Elic Ayomanor, Stanford (vs TCU)

Ayomanor is the only true WR1 on this slate. He will definitely lead the Cardinal in targets which should result in solid production. The big concern for Ayomanor's fantasy viability is whether he will receive competent quarterback play. There are a lot of questions regarding Stanford's QB situation as returning starter Ashton Daniels has not done enough to lock down the starting job as he is listed as a co-starter to open the season. Even if the Stanford QBs play poorly, he should get enough work to be productive; but if the Stanford QBs ball out, Ayomanor will be the top scoring WR on this slate.

Will Pauling, Wisconsin (vs Western Michigan)

If you want a solid floor play then look no further than Pauling. He is a prototypical slot receiver where he will garner a lot of targets, but they are not valuable targets as most of them come close to the line of scrimmage. Unless he scores a TD, he will score about 10 fantasy points; but if he is able to find the endzone, he will be a must play.

TCU WRs (@ Stanford)

If you like to gamble then look no further. TCU does not have any true hierarchy in their WR room as their leading WR recorded just 573 receiving yards last year. Savion Williams and JP Richardson were both decent last year as they both passed the 500 yard threshold, but things have gotten a bit murkier. Dylan Wright is back healthy again and he was all the rage during camp last year, but injuries held him back. Boise State Eric McAlister is also in the fold now and he displayed true playmaking potential in his limited run in Boise last year. In the end, any of these TCU wideouts could end up with a dominant stat line but there is just too much talent to point to one guy as a sure shot producer. Stanford has a horrible pass defense so they are all viable plays.

FanDuel DFS Dream Team

QB: Jackson Arnold, Oklahoma (vs Temple)

RB1: Gavin Sawchuk, Oklahoma (vs Temple)

RB2: Chez Mellusi, Wisconsin (vs Western Michigan)

WR1: Deion Burks, Oklahoma (vs Temple)

WR2: Elic Ayomanor, Stanford (vs TCU)

WR3: Brenen Thompson, Oklahoma (vs Temple)

Flex: Josh Hoover, TCU (@ Stanford)

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