College Football DFS Primer – Building Lineups on FanDuel

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 FanDuel-based 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 FanDuel over the last three seasons.

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1. Know the scoring

The setup between FanDuel and DraftKings have several key differences. FanDuel has only seven roster spots. You must play one quarterback, two running backs and three receivers, then a superflex position that can be filled with any quarterback, rusher or pass-catcher you’d like. 

Another key difference is the scoring. Receivers only receive half a point per reception and don’t see the same three-point bonus for hitting 100 yards. Rushers also don’t receive the three-point 100-yard bonus as they would on DraftKings.

2. Have a superflex QB

Statistically speaking, utilizing the ability to have two quarterbacks is simply the right choice. We want upside, and dual-threat quarterbacks have more ways to produce than any other position. It’s possible a running back can pay off as a superflex, but approximately 96% of top lineups in 2020 used a quarterback or running back.

I recommend using two dual-threat quarterbacks every opportunity we can get. Few backs will be incredible each week, whereas there are several mid-tier quarterbacks who we can afford to squeeze into our FanDuel lineup who have high-scoring potential. Getting a 200-yard passer with even 60 yards rushing and three total touchdowns will outscore almost every top back each week, and the top quarterbacks can do far more damage.

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3. Stack quarterbacks with their receivers

We don’t see the same upside for receivers on FanDuel as we do DraftKings due to the point setup, but that doesn’t mean the overall strategy changes. 91% of top teams on FanDuel stacked teammates, and the majority of these lineups went with QB/WR stacks. We want our quarterback feeding his star pass-catcher and most oblige.

Touchdowns are the most valuable scoring method for receivers and there’s no way for receivers to substitute for it on FanDuel. Of course, it’s the most random and difficult method to predict. Some receivers will catch 10 passes for 150 yards and no touchdowns while others may have two five-yard touchdowns.

Our best bet is to play the most explosive passing offenses and bank on the top receiver getting at least one score. 

4. Pay for RBs

FanDuel makes running backs more valuable than receivers, and we’re going to pay handsomely for them. Expect to spend around $19,000 between our two backs. Gain comfort from the fact that the top scoring teams almost always have backs around the $8,000-$11,000 range.

The bell cow backs are reliable, and it’s worth taking a relatively unknown back stepping into a starting job early in the season if the program churns out highly productive runners. Most backs aren’t catching passes at a high rate, so we’ll prioritize experienced offensive lines and strong pedigrees in our running back lineups. We generally avoid offenses featuring one star back and below-average surrounding casts. 

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.