This is the last we have of MACtion for the 2021 season. The games that would usually happen on Wednesday are on Friday. We still have four of the teams that wanted to get this done so they can properly gorge on Thursday. Who can blame them?
We start off Tuesday MACtion with Ball State hosting the reeling Buffalo Bulls. We finish with Northern Illinois, who has already clinched a berth in the MAC Championship, hosting Western Michigan. Let's have some fun with this!
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy college football lineup picks for DraftKings on 11/23/21 locking at 7 pm eastern. I’ll be providing multiple player suggestions for players at guard and forward, aiming to highlight one option apiece at the high, middle, and lower end of the salary scale. Good luck, RotoBallers.
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CFB Betting Picks 11/23:
Buffalo at Ball State(-6.5)
Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3
This feels low. I know Ball State burns me like every damn week, but this is the last of the MACtion! No guts, no money.....or something to that effect. Give me Ball State.
Western Michigan(-3.5) at Northern Illinois
Betting Pick Confidence Factor: 3
If Northern Illinois is running at full strength for this game, they're not losing at home. Give me the Huskies unless something changes in the next 18 hours or so. EDIT: 5:35pm Central time: Rocky Lombardi is out, so I'm flipping to WMU with the same confidence points. I don't see NIU winning this without Lombardi.
DraftKings CFB DFS Quarterbacks
Rocky Lombardi, Northern Illinois ($7,500)
The good thing about the Northern Illinois defense struggling lately is that the offense is forced to keep up, mostly through the air. Lombardi has done well with it, tossing eight touchdowns to just one interception over the last five games. Lombardi's upside isn't that great, but on a two-game slate I have no issues playing a guy that doesn't make mistakes. Just be aware that the Huskies may elect to play it safe with some of the more important pieces.
Matt Myers, Buffalo ($5,300)
Kyle Vantrease is done for the year, which means Myers can let it fly with little worry of being benched. Myers has three touchdowns over the last three games with two more on the ground. He's not going to put up big numbers, but Myers can run better than Vantrease did too. He has a little bit of extra potential with rushing yards. Considering that Plitt has struggled of late, I'll take the savings and roll with Marks against a Ball State defense that has allowed 25 or more points in every MAC game except for Miami of Ohio.
Also consider: Kaleb Eleby, Western Michigan ($7,200); Drew Plitt, Ball State ($6,300)
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DraftKings CFB DFS Running Backs
Dylan McDuffie, Buffalo ($7,100)
Kevin Marks is firmly planted as the backup now. McDuffie has at least 20 carries in five straight games. He has scored seven touchdowns in that span and only Miami of Ohio was able to hold him under 100 rushing yards (91). I doubt Ball State holds him under that mark either. The Bulls leaned heavily on the ground game last week with Myers under center. Expect more of the same here.
Clint Ratkovich, Northern Illinois ($4,900)
Ratkovich logged more carries than Jay Ducker last week, including scoring the game-winner in overtime. The Huskies like the way Ratkovich runs. He was getting a decent workload even when Ducker was running for triple digits. I don't know if the guard has changed or not, but Ratkovich is the safest option since he has a decent floor even if Ducker or Harrison Waylee take back over as the starter. Ratkovich has six touchdowns in the last four games.
La'Darius Jefferson, Western Michigan ($4,500)
The Broncos are using a committee of backs, but considering how bad NIU has been against the run lately, I can see at least two of them having nice games here. Jefferson led the Broncos in carries and yards for the first time this season last week. Sean Tyler still had the touchdown and has scored six times in five weeks, but I like the extra volume going Jefferson's way. There's nice potential here for the price.
Also consider: Carson Steele, Ball State ($6,600); Jay Ducker, Northern Illinois ($5,200); Ron Cook, Buffalo ($4,100); Jaxson Kincaide, Western Michigan ($3,300)
DraftKings CFB DFS Wide Receivers
Trayvon Rudolph, Northern Illinois ($7,700)
Rudolph has 657 receiving yards on 32 receptions with six touchdowns in the last four games. The NIU offense taking off has everything to do with hitting their stride just in time to get into the MAC Championship Game. Rudolph even ran three times last week for 94 yards! The Huskies are getting him involved all over the place even when the Buffalo defense did a solid job of covering him. It's worth paying up for a big play guy like Rudolph.
Skyy Moore, Western Michigan ($7,300)
Too bad Moore can't play a rival every week. He hauled in a dozen passes against Eastern Michigan last week for 181 yards and a touchdown. I have a feeling that the Broncos are going to run more here just because they can, but Moore still has a high ceiling. Eleby only completed 10 passes to receivers not named Moore last week. When the Broncos throw, there's at least a 50-50 chance it goes to Moore.
Yo'Heinz Tyler, Ball State ($5,000)
If Justin Hall is out again, lock in Tyler. The Ball State passing offense isn't the well-oiled machine that it was last year, but it's still plenty good enough, especially if the number one receiver is this cheap. I have a feeling that even if Hall plays that he'll be limited. I like Tyler regardless of Hall's status.
Jamari Gassett, Buffalo ($3,700)
Gassett was the leading receiver with Matt Myers starting for the Bulls last week. Jovany Ruiz remains out and Myers remains in. That's good news for Gassett. This feels like a week that Buffalo will have to throw more. Ball State's run defense is solid enough to force the Bulls to the air more. Williams still has much higher upside, but the fact that Gassett led the team in catches and yards with Myers under center is intriguing.
Also consider: Cole Tucker, Northern Illinois ($5,600); Quian Williams, Buffalo ($5,400); Jaylen Hall, Western Michigan ($4,800); Jayshon Jackson, Ball State ($4,700)