CFB 2023 Week 1 Thursday Top DFS Plays – Daily Fantasy Sports

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Quarterbacks

John Rhys Plumlee – UCF (DK $10,600/FD $12,400)

I am much higher on the 4-game FanDuel slate than the full 11-game DraftKings slate, but I think Plumlee is in play on both sites.  He is back healthy and his backup who split reps with him at the end of the year last year is gone.  The floor should be nice here and Plumlee has a huge ceiling any given week.  Kent State struggles on defense but should stay in the game longer than a lot of the FCS teams on the DK slate.  Plumlee has a 100+ yard rushing upside and still has a nice WR room.  He will be chalky but I think he is chalk that you can eat this week 1 opening night.

Brennan Armstrong – North Carolina State (DK $8,900/FD $10,500)

Armstrong goes to NC State where he reunites with his OC from Virginia of a few years ago, Robert Anae.  In 2021, Armstrong threw for over 4400 yards and 31 TDs and ran for another 9 TDs.  I do not love the total here being under 50 but I think UConn can give up some big plays and stay close enough that Armstrong should get plenty of reps.  I am excited to see the Armstrong of old this year.

Mitch Griffis – Wake Forest (DK Only, DK $8,300)

Griffis replaces Sam Hartman who transferred to Notre Dame and draws Elon this week.  In week 1 last year, with Hartman sidelined, Griffis threw for 288 yards and 3 TDs in a blowout of VMI.  I think Wake Forest really wants to see what they have with this post Hartman offense this year and lets the 1s get a good amount of work.

Running Backs

RJ Harvey – UCF (DK $5,200/FD $9,500)

Harvey is priced completely differently on both sites.  On DraftKings, he is very cheap and if you do not have Plumlee in your cash lineup, I think he is definitely in play.  It is hard to play the most expensive RB and QB on FanDuel UCF has such a high ITT that I do think they are both in play on a shorter 4 gamer.  Harvey should step into that workhorse role that Bowser had at times last year and Kent State is not good at stopping the run.  I love the TD upside and think he could be the top RB on both sites.

Ja’Quinden Jackson – Utah (DK $6,500/FD $8,300)

Jackson takes over the lead role here after having a huge end of the season.  He averaged over 8.4 yards per carry along with 6 TDs over the last 3 games last year.  The coaches have said he will be featured in this offense and with Rising hurt (or out), he should get extra runs this week.  I don’t love either passing game in this matchup but I think Jackson is a top tier play here.

Jermaine Brown Jr. – UAB (DK Only, DK $6,200)

Brown took over as the least back at the end of last year and had 22+ carries for over 115 yards in 3 of the last 4 games.  This game should not be that close but I think that Brown should get a decent role to start the Trent Dilfer era at UAB.    Brown has a 25+ fantasy point ceiling and is a great mid-priced play on this bigger DK slate.

Wide Receivers

Javon Baker – UCF (DK $8,000/FD $7,800)

Baker is a little priced up on DraftKings but I really like stacking him on FanDuel with Plumlee.  Baker had over 100 targets last year and now Ryan O’Keefe takes his 104 targets up to Boston College.  This could turn into a crowded WR room with a ton of talent, but I think Baker will be one of the clear top dogs here and he should have a nice game to start the year.

Kevin Conception – North Carolina State (DK $3,000/FD $4,000)

Conception could really turn into the cheap chalk on this slate, but I am just fine eating it.  He is a freshman who enrolled last spring and has taken off ever since.  He earned the starting role at the inside WR which is the same WR that Armstrong peppered with targets in his last year with Anae.  He really opens up the slate to play almost whoever you wand and I love playing him at min price.

Taylor Morin – Wake Forest (DK Only, DK $6,500)

I want some exposure to this Wake Forest passing game that has been so high-powered in the past, and Morin looks to be one of if not the top dog here this year.  With Perry going to the NFL, over 100 targets open and Morin should get a few more looks.  I think in GPPs you can definitely stack this Wake Forest passing game and you can play some pieces alone as well.