Here we go with our best college football picks for this Week 3 preview. We sifted through tons of daily fantasy sports picks and came up with our top six plays for Week 3.
Make sure to check back every week for a new article with all of our best college football player prop picks.
Best College Football Picks – Week 3
Below, Props.com analyst Kyle Krogstad breaks down his top six college football picks for this Week 3.
Kyren Lacy More Than 70.5 Receiving Yards
Our first play of the Week 3 CFB main slate is in the early SEC clash as LSU travels to South Carolina. Kyren Lacy is the WR1 now in Baton Rouge and it’s showing. In a Week 1 nail-biter, he had 10 targets for 94 yards and a TD. He followed that up with a Week 2 blowout win, but still finished with 9 targets, 65 yards and 3 TDs.
This South Carolina defense absolutely stifled Kentucky’s offense last week, holding them to 44 passing yards. Now, I believe the game script allowed them to pin their ears back and have an insane rush on Vandagriff last week, which contributed to the great pass defense success.
I think LSU is a different caliber team than Kentucky so they will be much more successful in the pass game. LSU has struggled to get the run game going in the first two weeks and they averaged just over 3 yards per carry last week against Nicholls. I could see them struggling again Saturday to move the ball against this tough SC defense.
LSU is averaging 38 pass attempts per game through the first two weeks, so I imagine the volume will be there. In a close game on the road, I expect them to air the ball out to Lacy.
Lacy owns a 25% target share and should get 8+ targets. LSU attempted 39 pass attempts in a close Week 1 game and 37 attempts in a week 2 blowout. So obviously, if they are losing and down a few scores, they will be throwing.
Where to play: Kyren Lacy More Than 70.5 Receiving Yards | Underdog
Barion Brown More Than 22.5 Receiving Yards
This Kentucky pass attack is coming off a 30 yard performance against South Carolina. Now they host Georgia… the #1 team in the country, what can go wrong?
There are a few angles to this play I really like. First off, he’s a yards after catch demon. 23 yards can come on any given point of this game, regardless of the score. Now he hasn’t had much production in the first two weeks of the season, but I don’t think it matters here.
I think Kentucky has one game plan here: control the time of possession and get the ball to their playmakers in space on the perimeter. I think Brown should have a few screen passes designed for him that might be enough to get us home here.
Another angle I’m attacking is game script. If Kentucky is in this game, it will be because these playmakers are making plays and moving the chains. If Georgia gets up big, it forces Kentucky to throw all game, which is good for us.
Where to play: Barion Brown More Than 22.5 Receiving Yards | Sleeper Fantasy
CJ Donaldson Jr. More Than 0.5 Rush + Rec TD
We’re basically going to an anytime TD here. Donaldson is West Virginia’s goal line back and should get all of the work around the end zone.
He’s leading the team in carries and yards early in this season and has a TD in both games so far this season. He also scored in 10 of his 12 games last season.West Virginia is a run first offense. They want to get the 3-headed monster going with Garrett Greene, Jahiem White, and CJ Donaldson.
Pitt is coming off a close win against Cincinnati, a game where they gave up 150 yards rushing to Corey Kiner for 7.5 yards per carry. Last year, they ranked 86th in the country, giving up 164.3 rushing yards per game. They also gave up 20 rushing TDs a year ago… in just 12 games.
Where to play: CJ Donaldson Jr. More Than 0.5 Rush + Rec TD | Underdog
Tre Harris More Than 85.5 Receiving Yards
Harris has had an insane start to the year in two blowout wins. 9 catches for 130 yards and 8 catches for 180 yards, and now he gets a matchup against Wake Forest.
This Wake Forest defense is probably the best defense Ole Miss has seen, but that isn’t saying much. They just gave up 357 passing yards a week ago to Anthony Colandrea and Virginia. They also ranked 82nd in the country last year, giving up an average of 240 passing yards.
This game could be a bit closer as WF actually has a capable offense, but either way, Ole Miss will be slinging the ball around. Harris owns a ridiculous 37% target share in one of the most explosive offenses in the entire country. In a game with the Ole Miss team total at 42.5, I expect some big-time offense Saturday night.
Where to play: Tre Harris More Than 85.5 Receiving Yards | Sleeper Fantasy
Makhi Hughes More Than 63.5 Rushing Yards
Last play for Saturday’s main slate comes in a game where Tulane is traveling to Oklahoma. They hit the road after an impressive performance against Kansas State last week. I expect that they’ll lean on stud sophomore Makhi Hughes and the run game to control the clock and keep this Oklahoma offense on the bench.
This Oklahoma defense has not given up much on the ground to start the year. Houston and Temple both struggled to run the ball, but I think this Tulane team can find some success. Oklahoma ranked 42nd against the run last season, and gave up 138.9 rushing yards per game.
Tulane ranked 55th in the country last season, averaging 149 rushing yards per game on an average of 38.4 carries per game. Hughes also went over this line in 11 of 14 games a season ago.
I think the game plan will be to get this run game going early and often, and if he gets 20 carries, there’s no doubt that we will cash this number.
Where to play: Makhi Hughes More Than 63.5 Rushing Yards | PrizePicks
Avery Johnson More Than 16.5 Longest Rush
Our next play is on the other mid-week big game. A top-25 clash as #20 Arizona visits #14 Kansas State in what should be a huge out of conference matchup between two Big-12 teams. We’re looking to Avery Johnson’s rushing ability to get us home here.
In week 1, Johnson had 3 carries for 37 yards, and a longest rush of 17 yards. Week 2, he had 8 carries for 40 yards, and a longest rush of 18 yards. So, he is 2/2 on this line entering Week 3, but even if you go back to last year, he is 3/3 on this line in the meaningful games he played in. This game should be a bit closer and even if K-State gets a lead, I think there’s always ability for him to break one.
Arizona has played New Mexico and Northern Arizona, who are nowhere near the caliber of this Kansas State offense. New Mexico’s QB, Devon Dampier, had 15 carries for 130 yards ,and Northern Arizona’s QB had 13 carries for 39 yards.
They have not been good vs the QB run-game and now they get Johnson, a true dual-threat QB that I think has a huge night on his feet. They’ve given up an average of 211 rushing yards per game in the first two weeks of the season, so this should be a perfect matchup for this K-State offense who is averaging 33 rushing attempts per game.
I also like the rushing yards at 42.5, but this takes sack risk out of it which I always prefer doing. One solid play is all we need here.
Where to play: Avery Johnson More Than 16.5 Yards Longest Rush | Underdog
Author: Kyle Krogstad