After an incredible slate of SEC games last weekend, the Week 6 schedule has just 5 games involving SEC teams.
That doesn’t mean, however, that our options in the DFS market are limited. Quite the contrary, actually. With massive matchups in Tuscaloosa, Gainesville, and College Station, the DFS scene is looking like a buffet this week.
Here’s what to target.
Week 6 DFS predictions
Below are 3 DFS picks from the Week 6 college football slate that can all be found on Underdog Fantasy. If you’re new to Underdog, grab Saturday Down South‘s exclusive Underdog Fantasy promo code SDS that will help you earn $100 in bonus credits when you enter your first $5 contest!
Texas QB Arch Manning higher than 0.5 interceptions vs. Florida
We’ll see a pair of stout defenses going against 2 of the SEC’s most disappointing offenses in The Swamp. Both teams have had 2 weeks to prepare for each other, and both of them need wins from this spot for different reasons. I’m expecting a fist fight. With a banged-up Texas backfield against a strong Florida front, the Longhorns could struggle to run the football. There will be all sorts of pressure on Arch Manning in what will be just his second road game of the season.
In his first road game, Manning completed 17 of his 30 passes for just 170 yards. He had an interception in each of his first 3 games before finally breaking out a bit against Sam Houston on Sept. 20. Finding a rhythm and then immediately going on a bye week might actually throw the Texas offense off a bit, at least to start the game. Additionally, Florida has been a bit unlucky in the turnover department. The Gators have 18 passes defended through the first 4 games and only 2 interceptions. At home, I think a little bit of positive juice is all Florida needs. It would not surprise me if the Texas offense looks more like its Week 1 self than its Week 4 self and struggles to move the football. The longer that lasts, the more likely we are to get a panic throw from Manning, who has made plenty of questionable throws this year.
Alabama WR Isaiah Horton higher than 3.5 receptions vs. Vanderbilt
Points are expected when these 2 teams get together. Last season’s meeting featured 75 combined points and a ton of explosives. While Vanderbilt has been excellent to begin the season, the pass defense has yet to really find itself, so I’m looking to an Alabama receiver who has come on strong lately.
Isaiah Horton, a Miami transfer, had only 1 target in 11 receiver snaps in Week 1. He had 3 targets in Week 2, 5 targets in Week 3, and then a team-high 9 targets in Week 5 against Georgia. His role has grown each week, and I don’t think he’ll taper off. Horton flew under the radar as an important addition in the offseason, and he gives Ty Simpson a reliable target over the middle of the field. Within 19 yards of the line of scrimmage, Horton has caught 10 of 12 targets between the numbers for 134 yards. Vanderbilt’s linebackers are pretty average in coverage, and the Commodores have deployed a heavy rotation in the secondary this season in search of reliability. Horton has another strong performance.
Mississippi State RB Fluff Bothwell higher than 63.5 rushing yards vs. Texas A&M
Mississippi State’s ground game is good. Really good. The Bulldogs are top-10 nationally in EPA per run. And now they’re going on the road to face a Texas A&M defense that is not stuffing the run the way its numbers would suggest. Don’t mistake last week’s 52-yard rushing performance for Auburn with a dominant day for the Aggie run defense. A&M had 5 sacks in the game and Auburn simply refused to hand the ball to its tailbacks. Auburn’s 2 backs averaged 4.8 yards per carry against the Aggies.
Notre Dame averaged 4.1 sack-adjusted yards per run against A&M, and it hit 7 explosives in the ground game. UTSA averaged 6.6 sack-adjusted yards per run in the opener against A&M and hit 6 explosives, including a 75-yarder. Bothwell was a huge offseason addition for State and I think he shows exactly why in this kind of game.
Bothwell went for 134 yards and 2 scores in the near-upset of Tennessee. He had 103 rushing yards the week prior and 93 in the Week 3 win. Mississippi State is committed to its ground game, averaging 43 rushing attempts per game. That almost netted a massive win over the Vols in Week 5, and I don’t see why they’d switch up now.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
