CFB DFS DraftKings Main Slate Breakdown: Week 5

by Jordan Vanek (vanekjordan) Last Updated 2025-09-26 16:44:09 Premium Content Part of the product CFB Premium

Using his experience as a former scout and staff member at Central Florida under Josh Heupel, Jordan Vanek takes an in-depth look at the upcoming CFB DFS main slate on DraftKings for Week 5. Formerly of The 33rd Team and 4for4 Fantasy Football, Jordan’s deep dive into the best stacks, running backs, and wide receivers is a must-read before you start building your lineups.

We’re getting into the part of the season where each week reveals who the true top-end teams are and who has simply benefited from a weak schedule. Last weekend, Indiana shocked me with their performance against Illinois, while Notre Dame’s defense continues to underwhelm. This weekend, though, might be the best slate of college football games we’ve ever had — and in my opinion, it has the potential to produce the highest scores of the season.

The main thing is to check out our CFB DFS projections. They’ll be constantly updating on Saturday as news breaks — and with several RB injuries on this slate, there will be plenty to monitor. Those updates will help you build the best lineups. You’ll also have massive opportunities for late swapping, and this week there are a few key injuries to keep an eye on.

CFB DFS DraftKings Picks: Top Stacks, RBs, & WRs for Week 5

Washington is the team that I am looking at in this graph, and it comes down to whether they can run this much man coverage against Ohio State’s WR core. If they believe they can, Jeremiah Smith should see plenty of opportunities to break the slate. He’s the best player in the entire country, and while Washington has talented corners, this is a different kind of playmaker at the WR position.

Pitt’s usage of zone coverage is the other glaring trend that could get them in trouble. Miller Moss absolutely destroys zone coverage schemes this year, and without their top RBs, he’s going to be asked to throw a lot this week.

These teams running high amounts of single-high coverage rely heavily on generating quick pressure. This slate features 15 teams with a pressure rate over 35% so far this season. The only issue with that is it depends on the offensive lines they’ve faced and whether that success will actually translate. For example, USC may run a lot of Cover 1 and Cover 3, but their 8.7% sack rate prevents them from getting beaten over the top. On the other hand, when you’re Notre Dame or Illinois and run single-high coverage with low pressure rates, you’re getting shredded down the field.

Pittsburgh doesn’t want to get beat deep, which is why they play a lot of two-high coverage. They’ve done a decent job limiting explosive passes, but they also haven’t faced a strong passing offense yet this season. Louisville will be their first real test.

Game Stacks

Miller Moss ($5,700, QB, Louisville)

Caullin Lacy ($5,000, WR, Louisville) or Chris Bell ($6,200, WR, Louisville)

Kenny Johnson ($4,700, WR, Pittsburgh)

Eli Holstein ($7,500, QB, Pittsburgh)

I explained earlier that Pitt’s defense has lived in zone coverage, and Moss is averaging over 10 yards per attempt against zone this year. Add in the fact that Louisville is depleted at running back, and it sets up for Moss to throw a lot more frequently — which makes me love him at the $5,700 price tag. Pairing Moss is also straightforward, with options like Chris Bell and Caullin Lacy. My personal preference is Lacy at the cheaper salary, given his slot role and the fact that he’s the quick-game option in this offense. Lacy should be able to rack up receptions and add yards after the catch in this matchup.

Louisville hasn’t faced a team yet that can truly test their secondary, but so far this season they’ve leaned heavily on Cover 3. Holstein has shown a willingness to push the ball downfield against Cover 3, and I think there’s a clear mismatch on the perimeter with Kenny Johnson. Johnson hasn’t made much noise this year, but it feels like only a matter of time before he connects on a deep shot. I expect this to be the game and for this one to turn into a high-scoring matchup.

Game Stacks

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