College Football DFS Primer – Building Lineups on DraftKings

The 2021 college football season is almost upon us, and that means it’s time to make money. The DFS industry has taken off as more states legalize gambling. Players are finding that DFS can quickly turn a profit even without a ton of research each day. 

In preparation for the season, we’ve prepared a DraftKings-centric primer for you to study to ensure this is a profitable season in the college football DFS derby. While some luck always helps win, there’s also a handful of basics that have proven to be trustworthy over the last few years. I’ll guide you through what I’ve found to be valuable after studying optimal lineups on DraftKings over the last three seasons.

(Take advantage of the FTNFantasy Platinum package for the 2021 season!)

1. Know the scoring

The scoring of DraftKings is advantageous for wide receivers who get a lot of targets. Volume is always good, but DraftKings rewards players with a full point per receptions. We also receive six points for a receiving touchdown and three additional points for a 100-receiving-yard game. 

Three receivers are required, as are one quarterback and two running backs. We have a flex position that can either be a receiver or rusher, and a superflex position that can be a quarterback, rusher or receiver. Each flex position has massive upside and will likely decide the big winners each week.

There’s a salary cap of $50,000 for your lineup of eight players. We obviously can’t spend on a top name at each position and our strategy is molded by the limitation. But that’s also why this is fun. 

2. Have two dual-threat QBs

The No. 1 thing I found is that rushing quarterbacks are incredible for your optimal lineups. Rarely do pocket passers emerge as the best play each week because the yards and rushing scores are so valuable. And defenses are almost helpless against top dual threats who have the green light to run because the free defender spying can rarely win one-on-one in space.

I always use my superflex position on a rushing quarterback. It’s easier than ever to find them across the country since non-traditional quarterbacks are en vogue, and there’s even value to be found in non-Power 5 games. The edge you get from even a solid outing from a rushing quarterback can literally win you first place compared to a great pocket passer.

Make sure you’re not taking a quarterback from a middling offense, though. The quarterback still must be able to achieve respectable passing yards and a couple of touchdowns. Failing to clear 200-plus yards and two scores through the air can lead to a massively disappointing return. 

3. Stack quarterbacks with their receivers

Try to stack one of your quarterbacks with his top receiver, especially if one is more of a pocket passer. One good sign that a game will have monstrous numbers is if the game total is set at 70 or higher through DraftKings. This is nearly an automatic play when there’s a dual-threat quarterback, high-volume receiver, and expectation of a barnburner. 

The best way to be a high-upside lineup is to find two players who can excel at the same time. Sure, it’s a bit higher risk if the offense falls on its face, but rarely will an offense carrying two elite producers simply disappear. Don’t be afraid of going with the grain if you’re confident you’re nabbing the best quarterback and receiver. 

(Get an All Access pass to FTN NFL coverage across all sites for $349.99.)

4. Pay for RBs

Unfortunately, you can’t go too cheap at running back. History shows the top running backs almost always cost at least $9,500. Be comfortable with this price while building your lineup.

This is less important on DraftKings than FanDuel, thankfully. But also keep in mind how the collegiate game is played compared to the NFL. Running backs often get 99% of their production on the ground and few are receiving more than a couple passes a game.

I prefer to rely on consistency from the running back position than someone who might have success against bad teams but not good teams. A program’s reputation matters to me because generally a strong reputation comes when they win in the trenches. The better the blocking, the easier it is for our running back to finish with the most points.

5. Swing big on WRs

DraftKings offers the perfect opportunity for us to save money on receivers. Most optimal lineups had at least $500 leftover and they were shaving salary on receivers. The reason is we can dig deep into trends and find productive pass-catchers who aren’t on good overall teams or even reliable offenses.

Getting a full point per reception means we’re looking at pure target volume as a priority. While recency bias can be dangerous, we’re also able to spot trends early by prioritizing target data over the last two weeks in particular. This is the best way to account for injuries and coaching staff adjustments. 

Following these key points will put you squarely in the mix each week when it comes to college football DFS. Take the risk and trust your guy after you’ve done the research.