CFB DraftKings DFS Picks: October 24, 2026 Main Slate

Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 12-game main slate | First lock: noon ET

Malachi Toney is the receiver I want to make room for. Will Hammond is the quarterback discount that gets us there. The rest of this build leans on Kamari Moulton’s recent workload, J’Koby Williams’ receiving involvement and a few cheaper pass catchers with a real reason to be in the lineup.

This isn’t a slate where we need eight expensive names. We need the right expensive name, two quarterbacks and savings that don’t depend entirely on a touchdown. Here’s where I’m starting.

Best plays at a glance

Player	DK position / salary	How I’m using him	Why
Will Hammond	QB / $5,800	Value QB	Salary relief without guessing on a backup.
Byrum Brown	QB / $7,300	Tournament QB	Rushing involvement gives him another way to score.
Kamari Moulton	RB / $7,100	Core RB	Workload over chasing last week’s efficiency.
J’Koby Williams	RB / $7,900	Core RB	Run-and-catch role; Cameron Dickey is out.
Malachi Toney	WR / $9,300	Priority WR	Pay for the established reception volume.
Kenny Johnson	WR / $4,900	Preferred stack partner	Hammond pairing when the extra $700 fits.
Rico Scott	WR / $4,600	Value WR	Existing role plus a thinner Alabama receiver room.
Trey’Dez Green	WR / $3,800	Upside value	Off the injury report, but returning workload is the risk.
Terrance Carter Jr.	WR / $4,200	Salary-saving stack	Cheaper Hammond partner, not a guaranteed goal-line package.

The spend-up: Malachi Toney, $9,300

Toney has 50 receptions, 758 yards and eight receiving touchdowns through six games. That’s the kind of established involvement worth paying for in full-PPR scoring. Pitt’s defensive split makes the case more interesting: the Panthers have allowed just 57.3 rushing yards per game, but rank 116th against the pass. I’d rather attack that side of the matchup than force a Miami running back into this build. Miami matchup preview.

Darian Mensah at $9,000 is the premium stacking route. The pair costs $18,300, so I prefer Toney as a standalone in a balanced lineup and the full pairing in a tournament build that can absorb cheaper slots elsewhere. The risk is game script: if Pittsburgh can’t sustain drives, Miami may not need four quarters of passing volume.

Quarterbacks: save with Hammond, chase rushing with Brown

Will Hammond, $5,800: We’re buying a modest salary, not pretending he’s an elite rushing quarterback. His first six games produced 1,334 passing yards and six passing touchdowns. That puts a ceiling on how aggressively I’d stack him. One receiver is enough for my starting build; two needs a stronger bet on this game staying competitive. Texas Tech season statistics.

Cincinnati just let West Virginia score 45, but its own offense generated 622 yards. That gives this game a plausible back-and-forth path. On the other hand, Texas Tech has allowed only 82 rushing yards per game, so Cincinnati repeating that offensive output isn’t something we should simply bake in. Cincinnati game preview.

Byrum Brown, $7,300: Brown ran 26 times for 115 yards and a touchdown against Georgia, while throwing for 150 yards and another score. I like that he can get there without a huge passing day. Those were last game’s numbers, not a workload promise for LSU. He’s a tournament choice because a difficult defensive matchup can still derail the entire Auburn offense. Auburn’s Georgia recap.

Sam Leavitt, $8,700: The more expensive alternative if you’re building around LSU passing production. He went 31-for-38 for 289 yards and four touchdowns against Mississippi State. Pairing him with Green is cheaper than stacking Miami, but Green’s return can also redistribute opportunities among LSU’s receivers. I wouldn’t chase every member of last week’s winning stack. LSU’s Mississippi State recap.

Running backs: two different reasons to pay

Running back	What matters	What can go wrong
Kamari Moulton · $7,100	26 carries in Iowa’s last game is the useful signal.	Iowa has other productive backs; 208 yards isn’t the weekly expectation.
J’Koby Williams · $7,900	21 catches through six games add a PPR route beyond rushing.	His 165 rushing yards last game came on just 11 carries. Don’t expect that efficiency again.
Dilin Jones · $8,200	Eight catches plus 14 carries in LSU’s last game.	Costs $1,100 more than Moulton, and Green returning may change the passing distribution.

Moulton is my first stop here. Iowa’s latest game brought 208 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries, but I’m interested in the touches more than the highlight runs. The Hawkeyes have already had four different 100-yard rushers this season, so this isn’t an exclusive backfield. Still, $7,100 is a workable price for the clearest recent workload in this part of the pool. Iowa game notes.

Williams has 538 rushing yards and 21 receptions through six games. Cameron Dickey is out on the Friday Big 12 report, which removes one back from the rotation, but Quinten Joyner remains a reason not to declare Williams a guaranteed workhorse. I like the combination of receiving involvement and explosive ability. I don’t need another 15 yards per carry to justify him. Texas Tech individual statistics; Big 12 availability report.

The values that make Toney fit

Kenny Johnson, $4,900: My first-choice Hammond receiver when the budget allows it. Johnson caught seven passes for 120 yards against Arizona State. He gives the stack a demonstrated receiving path rather than relying on a one-catch touchdown. The 120-yard game is upside evidence, not his expected result. Texas Tech postgame notes.

Rico Scott, $4,600: Alabama’s Friday SEC report lists Ryan Coleman-Williams out. Scott already had a role before that news: four catches for 54 yards at Tennessee, and 22 catches through seven games. That’s why I prefer him to a minimum-price receiver whose path is purely hypothetical. More opportunity is possible; a sudden target monopoly isn’t. Scott’s official game log; SEC report.

Trey’Dez Green, $3,800: Green is absent from LSU’s Friday injury report after missing time with a knee injury. His first three games this season included 14 receptions for 222 yards. At this price, the return is interesting, but I want the risk stated plainly: being available doesn’t tell us how much he’ll play. He’s a higher-variance salary saver, not a safe workload bet. Green’s 2026 game log; SEC availability.

Terrance Carter Jr., $4,200: Carter is WR-eligible on DraftKings despite playing tight end. He has 14 catches across four appearances, and he took a one-yard wildcat carry into the end zone last week. That rushing score is a bonus possibility, not something to count on recurring. Kenny Johnson is the stronger receiving preference; Carter is the cheaper way to attach Hammond to a pass catcher. Texas Tech receiving statistics; Arizona State game notes.

Stack comparison

Pairing	Combined salary	Best fit	Trade-off
Hammond + Kenny Johnson	$10,700	Balanced tournament starting point	Affordable correlation; Hammond’s passing ceiling has been modest.
Hammond + Carter	$10,000	Toney-first builds	Saves $700, but gives up Johnson’s receiving upside.
Mensah + Toney	$18,300	Premium passing stack	Expensive, with blowout-related volume risk.
Leavitt + Green	$12,500	LSU tournament stack	Green’s returning workload is uncertain.

A $50,000 lineup example

This is an aggressive tournament construction, not a cash-game safety claim. It keeps Toney, two quarterbacks and both preferred running backs, with three Texas Tech players. That concentration is intentional, and it’s also the main way this lineup can disappoint if Tech’s offense stalls.

Slot	Player	Salary
QB	Will Hammond	$5,800
RB	Kamari Moulton	$7,100
RB	J’Koby Williams	$7,900
WR	Malachi Toney	$9,300
WR	Trey’Dez Green	$3,800
WR	Rico Scott	$4,600
FLEX	Terrance Carter Jr.	$4,200
S-FLEX	Byrum Brown	$7,300
Total		$50,000

If you want Kenny Johnson instead of Carter, find $700 elsewhere before locking the lineup. Don’t make that swap by itself. If Green’s pregame outlook turns negative, rebuild the combination rather than force a replacement into an already-tight budget. Keeping money unused is fine when it improves the actual players you’re choosing.

Availability that matters before noon

Checked Saturday morning, October 24. These are the latest Friday reports available at review, not final game-day guarantees.

News	DFS impact
Cameron Dickey OUT; Jalen Jones and Donte Lee Jr. OUT	Supports the Texas Tech shortlist without guaranteeing anyone a fixed touch count.
Ryan Coleman-Williams OUT	Scott is an appealing value, not an automatic volume spike.
Trey’Dez Green absent from LSU report	Playable as a return-from-injury tournament value; workload remains the question.
Ja’Kyrian Turner and Mason Heintschel OUT for Pitt	Avoid both. Do not assume Pitt can keep Miami passing for four quarters.
LJ Martin OUT; Alonza Barnett III QUESTIONABLE	Do not build around either as a confirmed active player.
Kamario Taylor QUESTIONABLE	Keep him out of a set-and-forget lineup.

Sources: Big 12 Friday report, October 23 at 10 p.m. ET, ACC Friday report, October 23 at 8 p.m. ET and SEC Friday report, October 23 at 8:10 p.m. ET.

Five games begin at noon ET. Oregon–Illinois follows at 3 p.m., with the remaining six games at 3:30 p.m. Check the game-day reports before each player’s lock and keep later players in flexible slots where practical. Don’t leave a known inactive in the lineup just because he made the morning shortlist.

The bottom line

My priority is Toney, with Hammond providing the savings. Moulton and Williams are the running-back pairing I prefer. Brown adds rushing upside at S-FLEX, while Green, Scott and Carter make the example work. If you can spend a little more on the receiver stack, Johnson is the upgrade I want.

More Saturday coverage: college football best bets and player props.