Hendon Hooker, Tennessee QB
Game: Tennessee (-10.5) vs. South Carolina - O/U 56.5
DraftKings Price: $7,900
Looking over this weekend's slate, I tried to force myself away from Tennessee quarterback
Hendon Hooker several times, but simply couldn't bring myself to do it.
Hooker has started the last three games for Tennessee, taking over for air yards king
Joe Milton after the team's Week 2 loss to Pittsburgh.
In those three starts, which included back-to-back road games at Florida and Missouri, Hooker has completed 45-of-67 for 645 passing yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions. He has also rushed 37times for 167yards and two more touchdowns, averaging 28.5 DraftKings points along the way.
Hooker has been on a heater as of late, and boasts the title of, "Most Efficient Fantasy QB on the Slate" (along with Arkansas' K.J. Jefferson) in terms of fantasy points per completion and per attempt.
On the season, Hooker is averaging 1.8 points per completion, however, if you look at only the games he has started, that efficiency number gets a slight bump to 1.9 points per completion.
In points per attempt, Hooker is tied for the lead as well at 1.2 points per attempt on the season. He again stands alone at the top if you account for only his starts, in which he has averaged 1.3 points per attempt.
Hooker's best game of the season came last week at Missouri, when he led the Vols to a 62-24 victory over the Tigers when he threw for 225 yards and three scores, and rushing for another 80 yards and a touchdown.
The Volunteers get a much tougher matchup at home this weekend, as they face a South Carolina defense that ranks 25th in the nation in yards allowed per game (297.2) and is tied for 23rd in the nation in points allowed per game (17.4). But South Carolina's lofty defensive rankings may not be what they're cracked up to be come Saturday.
To date, South Carolina has not faced many offenses as potent as Tennessee's, and when it did, the end result was a 40-13 road loss to Georgia.
The Gamecocks sit at 3-2 on the year with wins over FCS Eastern Illinois and FBS foes East Carolina and Troy. Both FBS teams rank outside the top 50 in points per game and boast a combined record of 5-5. The Volunteers, on the other hand, are 10th in the nation in points scored (40.8) and are 19th in yards per game at 473.6.
South Carolina also ranks at the bottom third of the nation in yards per game with 328.8, and could face a difficult task on moving the ball against Tennessee, who Pro Football Focus has graded as the 28th best defense in the nation (83.7).
What makes Hooker especially attractive on this weekend's slate is his $7,900 price tag, which ranks as 12th most expensive quarterback this weekend. Combining his recent success through the air with his highly efficient play and rushing floor makes Hooker an intriguing add for this weekend.