Thursday night brings a battle in the state of Utah to the forefront and the players to be mindful as Utah State vs. BYU FanDuel DFS picks are a varietal treat. With no Holy War between the Cougars and in-state rival Utah Utes this season, this matchup is BYU’s only in-state game on the 2022 college football season. State pride, national implications as they must finish 11-1 to push for the NY6 bowl game, and DFS lineups are all on the line when the Aggies and Cougars meet Thursday night.
Utah State vs. BYU: Top FanDuel DFS picks to target
As good as things have gone for BYU this year, you could say the opposite for Utah State. The Aggies entered the year with hopes of repeating as Mountain West Champions. But after a loss to UNLV last week, their short week was made even more difficult as BYU enters the matchup on the heels of the best performance from their quarterback, Jaren Hall. And it’s Hall who leads off our FanDuel DFS picks.
MVP: Jaren Hall, QB, BYU ($17,500)
It’s been one special performance after another for Hall this season, and he’s the lock to be your MVP here. Though you could flirt with Miles Davis in this spot, Hall gets the benefit of the doubt as the playbook is still being installed for Davis. Hall has thrown for over 300 yards in each of his past two games and was brilliant against Wyoming on Saturday.
[bet-promo id=”174860″ ]At this rate, Hall’s floor is three touchdowns and 300 yards as the offense goes through him. You can all but guarantee a big day from Hall given Utah State’s lack of defense this year.
Flex: Keanu Hill, WR, BYU ($13,500)
The big man on the outside has powered his way into BYU fans’ hearts over the past 1.5 seasons and Keanu Hill isn’t stopping anytime soon. Hill is a monster at the catch point and is even more impressive after the catch with his massive frame and terrific athleticism. The short week and likely absence of Puka Nacua makes Hill the No. 1 wideout and first read on the majority of wide-field targets from Hall.
Hill is also the deep threat of this group until proven otherwise, even with Gunner Romney returning. He’s worth the high price tag because we can save some cash with our next two picks.
Flex: Miles Davis, RB, BYU ($8,500)
The playbook install is going well, and Davis should get a lot more run as the season progresses. After wowing in his first start against Wyoming, getting him at this price is a steal.
Last week, Davis had 13 carries, 131 yards, and another four receptions in the passing game and has a ridiculously high ceiling for this outing. He’s elusive and shifty, big and powerful, and should carry a much higher price tag as the year goes along in DFS.
Flex: Calvin Tyler Jr., RB, Utah State ($8,000)
As sound as BYU’s defense has been, you have to pick one Utah State player to maximize your chances. As such, BYU’s defense has been soft against the run this season, and Calvin Tyler Jr. is the undisputed leader of the backfield for the Aggies.
He hasn’t been as successful to start this season as he was a year ago, but Tyler is due for a big game, as he’s increased his yards-per-carry average over the past three games. He’ll be largely touchdown-dependent to be your lead back here, but with the Cougars’ defense susceptible to the run this year, Tyler’s a good bet to get in the end zone on Thursday.
BYU is giving up 146.5 rushing yards per game and has allowed multiple rushing touchdowns in all but one game this year. Either way, Tyler is talented enough that he increases Utah State’s chances of winning. They’d be best to give him the rock at least 20 times in this outing.
Flex: Gunner Romney, WR, BYU ($11,000)
All signs point towards Romney being a full-go despite the short week. It would be his first action of the season, but a now-deleted tweet from a particular person close to Romney indicated he’s ready to go.
Romney is incredibly talented and gives the Cougars’ offense a new vertical threat that we haven’t seen in 2022. He has nine career receiving touchdowns and averages over 16.0 yards per reception in his career. It’s still a high price tag for a player who hasn’t played all year long, but that’s the impact Romney has — when healthy — on this lineup.
Others to consider
- WR Kody Epps, BYU ($9,000)
- RB Lopini Katoa, BYU ($7,500)