DFS: Saturday College Football Lineup Optimizer

With 17 games on the schedule, FanDuel's early college football contest this week is an absolute monster. Some of the biggest names in the sport are on the schedule too, which means if you want Leonard Fournette and Trevone Boykin in your lineup, sacrifices have to be made.

Our Optimal Lineup has some of the best potential bargains around, and it looks like there's more than enough room for Boykin and Fournette if you want. That isn't the exact combination we're going with, but it is on the table if that's the way you want to go. The good thing about a massive slate like this is, there's no shortage of options to choose from in every price range. You might be able to put together five lineups you like just as much, so this might be a good time to go crazy and play multiples.

Of course, that is also what makes this a risky tournament to take part in. This many games means there is a nearly limitless number of potential lineup combinations, and it also means hitting on the exact one is going to be extremely tough. Still, if you can hedge your bets in the right spots, this could be a great weekend for you.

Here is the Optimal Lineup for FanDuel's early CFB slate, as of Friday at 3 p.m. ET.

Note: The Optimizer will produce multiple lineups throughout the week based on news and other factors leading right up to kickoff. The lineup Chris spotlights in his column may be significantly different than the lineup you receive from the Optimizer later.

TCU QB Trevone Boykin @ Texas Tech $10,300
Key Stat: Top projected player of the week

The Horned Frogs like to put the ball in the air, and that has led to excellent results for Boykin, who averages 33 pass attempts. He is projected for 32.7 FD points this week, and that seems like a pretty realistic expectation for a player who has at least 28 in each of his two games against FBS competition. He probably won't go off for seven touchdowns like he did in these teams' last meeting, but you have to love the matchup here even if everyone in your tournament might be looking to play him.

Indiana RB Jordan Howard @ Wake Forest $8,500
Key Stat: Top projected RB of the week

Few running backs are up to the task of working as much as Howard, who has at least 22 touches in each game. He is coming off a massive 203-yard, 31-carry game against Western Kentucky, and should continue to see a huge role for the Hoosiers. His projected role continues to make him one of the safer players at the position.

Purdue RB Markell Jones vs. Bowling Green $4,900
Key Stat: Scores 15-plus FD points in 45 percent of simulations

Jones, a freshman, hasn't had a ton of work so far, but he has made his touches count, with at least one touchdown in each of his first three games. He has 32 carries for 229 yards and five receptions for 33 yards, giving him a pretty robust stat line despite his status as a backup. There should be plenty of scoring in this game, and he has managed to produce in every game situation, so consider him a really nice low-cost flier.  

Notre Dame WR William Fuller vs. UMass $7,700
Key Stat: No. 1 projected WR

The only conceivable reason to think Fuller might not live up to his price is playing time. He has at least 22.1 Fantasy points in each game so far, so you only have to worry about the game getting out of hand leading to an early seat on the sidelines. On the other hand, that wasn't an issue in the opener against Texas, when he had seven catches for 142 yards and a pair of scores, so it might not be an issue here.

Ohio State WR Braxton Miller vs. Western Michigan $6,400
Key Stat: Scores 15+ FD points in 71 percent of simulations

Because his sample size in his current role is so limited, Miller is a very tough player for the Optimizer to project. He's been in here every week, a decision that has led to increasingly diminished returns over the last two games. Miller has game-breaking ability, but had just four touches in last week's game, making him a tough player to rely on. If you could guarantee 8-10 touches, it's easier to like him, but the bag is so mixed, this is a tough one to bet on. Isaiah Ford, coming off consecutive games with 12+ FD points, is probably a safer play for $100 less.

Rice WR Dennis Parks @ Baylor $4,500
Key Stat: Highest projected minimum-price scorer

Parks is curiously underpriced based on his production so far this season, as he has eight receptions for 240 yards and two touchdowns in two games. Parks didn't do much before this year, with just 29 receptions in each of his previous two seasons, but he seems to be a bigger part of the offense this season, and this week should be a good showcase of that; Baylor's high-powered offense is likely to force the Owls to throw it a ton. In three games dating back to last year's bowl game, Parks is averaging 21.1 FanDuel points.

Virginia Tech TE Ryan Malleck @ ECU $2,000
Key Stat: Second-highest projected score at position

Finding tight ends who even contribute is hard enough, especially if you don't leave yourself much room. Fortunately, Malleck is one of the few who does in the college game, with 40 or more receiving yards or a touchdown in each game so far this season. He  made just one catch last week, but it was a 40-yarder, giving him five receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown on the season. He was held to just 1.1 FanDuel points in his last game against ECU last season, but has double-digit potential based on his recent play; he has 10-plus in two of his last five.