(Editor's reminder: There is a 25 percent penalty of earned Fantasy points for FBS teams that play FCS schools.)
ACC
Notes: Duke head coach David Cutcliffe said Thaddeus Lewis will remain the starting quarterback despite Sean Renfree leading the Blue Devils to a comeback win against Army
on Saturday. Cutcliffe said he isn't afraid to play Renfree, but he
isn't ready to start ... North Carolina State RB Jamelle Eugene (knee) is questionable for Saturday against Gardner-Webb
... North Carolina TE Zack Pianalto is
out indefinitely after dislocating his right foot during a touchdown
celebration in Week 2 against Connecticut ... Virginia QB Vic Hall is questionable for Saturday's game against Southern Miss
with a hip injury ... Virginia Tech TE Greg Boone
(clavicle) is questionable for Week 3 against Nebraska. He has missed
the first two games.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS
schools: Wake Forest (vs. Elon); North Carolina State (vs.
Gardner-Webb)
Favorable matchup: North Carolina vs. East
Carolina. This isn't the same intimidating East Carolina defense from
2008. The Pirates have struggled defensively against both Appalachian
State and West Virginia. They are allowing 377.5 yards (82nd) and 29.5
points per game (95th).
Unfavorable matchup: Duke at Kansas.
The Blue Devils have struggled on offense this season. They have
averaged just 302.5 yards per game (96th) against the likes of Richmond
and Army. They now face a Kansas team that has allowed just 10 points
through two games and have the nation's 20th best total defense (227.0
ypg).
Big East
Notes: Heralded Rutgers freshman QB Tom Savage made his first career start Saturday against Howard and
looked good in a 45-7 thrashing of the FCS school. Savage completed 8 of
13 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns. He appears to have stolen
the starting job away from Domenic Natale
... South Florida QB Matt Grothe broke
the Big East's record for total offense on Saturday against Western
Kentucky. He now has 10,702 yards in his career, breaking the record of
10,529 held by former West Virginia star Pat White ... Connecticut lost
starting quarterback Zach Frazer to a
knee injury Saturday against North Carolina. He is out at least two
weeks and will be replaced by Cody Endres
in the meantime ... Rutgers RB Mason Robinson
is out for the season because of knee surgery and the Scarlet Knights
are still awaiting the return of Kordell Young,
who remains questionable with a knee injury heading into Saturday
against Florida International ... South Florida RB Mike Ford is expected to return to the lineup Saturday against
Charleston Southern after missing the first two games because of a
team-imposed suspension. However, WR Jessie Hester
is questionable with an ankle injury ... Cincinnati WR Mardy Gilyard continues to look every bit the part of an
All-American. He totaled six catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns
Saturday against Southeast Missouri State, while also returning a punt
for a score.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: South
Florida (vs. Charleston Southern)
Favorable matchup:
Pittsburgh vs. Navy. The Panthers absolutely destroyed the Midshipmen,
42-21, in 2008. Pitt rolled up 499 yards of offense, including 244 on
the ground. Freshman running back Dion Lewis
has been absolutely sick the first two weeks, averaging 159.5 yards per
game (3rd).
Unfavorable matchup: Louisville at Kentucky. The
only points Louisville got against Kentucky in 2008 was on a safety.
They totaled just 205 yards of offense (53 rushing), and Kentucky is
once again on the prowl after shutting out Miami (Ohio) in their opener
two weeks ago. They should be fresh coming off a bye.
Big 12
Notes: Oklahoma State RB Kendall Hunter is not expected to be in the lineup Saturday against
Rice after injuring his right leg in a Week 2 loss to Houston. The
Cowboys will use the tandem of Keith Toston
and Beau Johnson in his place. On a
positive note, All-American WR Dez Bryant
is not on the injury report after leaving the Houston game because of
leg cramps ... Colorado QB Cody Hawkins
is probable for Saturday's game against Wyoming after getting his bell
rung last week against Toledo. The news gets even better as WR Markques Simas is ready to join the lineup after missing two games
because of a team-imposed suspension ... Iowa State WR Houston Jones is still battling a sprained ankle and questionable for
Week 3 against Kent State ... Texas has been extremely pleased with the
emergence of freshman RB Tre' Newton.
QB Colt McCoy has raved about his
playmaking abilities and coach Mack Brown said Newton has earned the
right for more carries after leading the Longhorns with 62 rushing yards
on eight carries Saturday against Wyoming. Vondrell McGee better watch out ... Iowa State QB Austen Arnaud had a brutal game in Week 2 against Iowa. He passed for
just 79 yards while throwing four interceptions ... Nebraska QB Zac Lee has made a smooth transition since replacing the graduated
Joe Ganz. He has passed for 553 yards and six touchdowns in his first
two games while throwing just one interception ... Kansas State WR Brandon Banks misses QB Josh Freeman. He had not adjusted well to Carson Coffman with just 10 catches for 100 yards and no touchdowns in
two games ... Texas Tech QB Taylor Potts
threw seven touchdowns on Saturday against Rice with three going to his
former high school teammate, Lyle Leong ... Kansas WR Dezmon Briscoe made his season debut in Week 2 after serving a
one-game suspension and didn't look one bit rusty. He had eight catches
for 154 yards in a win over UTEP.
Byes: None
Teams
playing FCS schools: Missouri (vs. Furman)
Favorable matchup: Oklahoma
State vs. Rice. The Cowboys are looking to make a big statement after an
embarrassing loss to Houston last week. Rice is the perfect remedy as
the Owls rank dead last in scoring defense (49.5 ppg).
Unfavorable
matchup: Kansas State at UCLA. The Wildcats are coming off a
disappointing loss to La.-Lafayette and now head west to face a UCLA
team allowing just 242.5 yards (27th) and 14.5 points per game (33rd).
Big Ten
Notes: Iowa RB Jeff Brinson
is finally back from an ankle injury and should work into the rotation,
but this ailment likely cost himself the chance to be the Hawkeyes'
feature back. Iowa has received quality play from Adam Robinson and Brandon Wegher,
and those two are likely to remain in the mix for carries ... Michigan
WR Junior Hemingway, who missed Week 2
against Notre Dame with a sprained ankle, is questionable for Week 3
against Eastern Michigan ... Michigan State WR Mark Dell, who has yet to play this season with a shoulder injury,
is questionable for Saturday against Notre Dame ... Wisconsin RB Zach Brown might have stolen the spotlight in the preseason, but John Clay has been the team's best running back thus far. He has 186
rushing yards and three touchdowns in two games ... Indiana RB Demetrius McCray had a career-high 134 rushing yards Saturday against
Western Michigan. He has emerged as Indiana's top back as they
transition to the run-heavy Pistol formation ... While Minnesota WR Eric Decker has no touchdowns in two games, he still leads the
Gophers with 19 catches for 296 yards. Even though the opposition knows
the ball is headed to Decker, they just can't stop him.
Byes:
Illinois
Teams playing FCS schools: Wisconsin (vs. Wofford)
Favorable
matchup: Penn State vs. Temple. This game wasn't even close in 2008.
Penn State used a 31-point second quarter to rout the Owls, 45-3. Penn
State rolled up 308 rushing yards and QB Daryll Clark didn't even need to play the whole game. Temple lost to a
FCS school in Week 1 (Villanova), so they are already headed in the
wrong direction.
Unfavorable matchup: Minnesota vs. Cal. While
the Golden Bears offense has been steamrolling the competition (55.5
ppg), the defense has been equally impressive. They have allowed just 20
points in two games and rank 36th in total defense (269.0 ypg).
Conference USA
Notes: Southern Miss got some great news in
Week 2 when star receiver DeAndre Brown
made his 2009 debut. Brown had been hobbled because of a setback in his
recovery from a broken leg suffered during last season's bowl game. He
looked at 100 percent against UCF, hauling in seven catches for 75
yards. It's safe to put Brown back in all Fantasy lineups ... Houston
already has three receivers with at least 10 catches and more than 100
yards -- Charles Sims (11 catches for
174yards), Tyron Carrier (10 catches
for 135 yards) and Patrick Edwards (11
catches for 121 yards) ... SMU is known for its pass-happy ways, but
they seem to be running the ball effectively thanks to Shawnbrey McNeal, who has 225 rushing yards and two touchdowns in two
games ... UAB should consider throwing the ball to WR Frantrell Forrest more often. Three of his seven catches this season have
gone for TDs. He leads UAB with 133 receiving yards ... UTEP QB Trevor Vittatoe has struggled through the first two games of the
season. He has yet to break 300 yards and has thrown just one touchdown
as the Miners are 0-2.
Byes: Houston, Tulane
Teams
playing FCS schools: Memphis (vs. Tennessee-Martin)
Favorable
matchup: SMU at Washington State. The Mustangs love to throw the
ball and the Cougars have shown they can't stop the pass. Washington
State ranks 117th in pass defense (341.0 ypg) and are allowing 38.5
points per game (107th).
Unfavorable matchup: East Carolina at
North Carolina. While the Tar Heels continue to progress on offense, it
has been their defense that has carried them through the early season.
They have allowed just 16 points in two games and rank seventh in total
defense (174.5 ypg).
Independents
Notes: Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd left Saturday's game against Michigan with a bruised
shin, but the injury is not serious and Floyd is not on the injury
report for Week 3. Keep him active in all Fantasy formats ... Notre Dame
RB James Aldridge (shoulder) is
questionable for Saturday's game against Michigan State ... RB Marcus Curry is quietly emerging as Navy's best playmaker. Curry leads
the Midshipmen in both rushing (138) and receiving (101). He has three
total touchdowns.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable
matchup: Army vs. Ball State. Now that Brady Hoke is coaching at San
Diego State, the Cardinals have fallen apart. They are 0-2 and lost to
New Hampshire (23-16) last weekend. They can't get anything going
offensively and can't stop the opposition either, allowing 417 yards per
game (98th).
Unfavorable matchup: Navy at Pittsburgh. As we
mentioned earlier, Navy was embarrassed by Pitt last season (42-21) and
was held to just 194 rushing yards. Pitt should once again be ready for
the triple-option attack.
MAC
Notes: Kent State and Fantasy owners were dealt a big blow
by the news that RB Eugene Jarvis will
miss the rest of the season with a kidney injury suffered Saturday
against Boston College. The only three-time captain in Kent's 87-year
history, Jarvis rushed for 3,426 career yards, just 563 shy of the
school record. He was a must-start Fantasy RB ... Toledo RB Morgan Williams is set to return to the lineup Saturday against Ohio
State after missing two games because of a suspension ... Toledo QB Aaron Opelt leads the nation in total offense (437.0 ypg) and is
quickly turning into a must-start Fantasy option ... Dwyane Priest has
emerged as Eastern Michigan's top tailback. He has 36 carries for 210
yards and two touchdowns in two games ... Despite losing QB Drew Willy
to graduation that hasn't stopped WR Naaman Roosevelt from continuing to make plays. He has 11 catches for
248 yards and three touchdowns in two games ... Akron WR Deryn Bowser had a three-touchdown outing Saturday against Morgan
State. In two games, he has 11 catches for 149 yards and four scores...
In case you missed it, Miami (Ohio) has not scored through two games.
The Mike Haywood era is not off a riveting start.
Byes: None
Teams
playing FCS schools: Central Michigan (vs. Alcorn State); Ohio (vs.
Cal Poly)
Favorable matchup: Bowling Green at Marshall. The
Thundering Herd is licking their wounds after Virginia Tech laid the
smack down, 52-10, in Week 2. Marshall ranks 103rd in total defense
(458.0 ypg) and 109th in scoring defense (40.0 ppg). Bowling Green also
looks to get back on track after a disappointing 27-20 loss to Missouri
last week.
Unfavorable matchup: Temple at Penn State. The Owls
managed just three points and 138 yards of offense against the Nittany
Lions last season. Temple lost their opener to Villanova and Penn State
can't wait to send the Owls to 0-2.
Mountain West
Notes: Wyoming is finally getting back one of
their top receivers in Greg Bolling,
who has been suspended the first two games for a rules violation. He is
expected to suit up Saturday against Colorado ... New Mexico first-year
head coach Mike Locksley is having a tough time getting his spread
offense going. The Lobos have produced just 16 points in two games and
QB Donovan Porterie has looked sluggish
coming off major knee surgery. He has not thrown a touchdown pass in six
games dating back to last season before his injury ... San Diego State
WR Vincent Brown has been as good as
advertised. He has totaled 11 catches for 281 yards and two touchdowns
in two games ... UNLV has done a good job working a trio of receivers
into the mix. Ryan Wolfe leads the team
with 14 catches for 158 yards, but Rodelin Anthony has a team-high three touchdowns on top of seven
catches for 130 yards and Phillip Payne
has 10 catches for 101 yards and one touchdown.
Byes: None
Teams
playing FCS schools: TCU (vs. Texas State-San Marcos)
Favorable
matchup: Utah at Oregon. The Ducks were weak on defense in 2008 and
still do a poor job stopping the opposition in 2009. They rank 89th in
scoring defense (27.5 ppg) and 94th in total defense (406.0 ypg).
Unfavorable
matchup: None. Pretty much every Mountain West team has a favorable
matchup from a Fantasy standpoint.
Pac-10
Notes: UCLA might have escaped SEC country with a win
over Tennessee in Week 2, but the Vols got in their shots. QB Kevin Prince is out at least three weeks while recovering from a
broken jaw. Head coach Rick Neuheisel will announce Tuesday whether Kevin Craft or Richard Brehaut will
start against Kansas State ... USC QB Matt Barkley (shoulder) is practicing and should be able to play in
Saturday's Pac-10 opener against Washington. However, safety Taylor Mays (knee) is questionable ... There is still no word on
whether Arizona TE Rob Gronkowski
(back) will make his 2009 debut Saturday against Iowa. He remains
questionable ... Stanford WR Ryan Whalen
leads his team with 13 catches for 197 yards and two touchdowns. He is a
favorite target of QB Andrew Luck ... Washington freshman receiver James Johnson leads the team with nine catches for 111 yards and two
touchdowns ... USC RB Stafon Johnson
has a team-high four rushing touchdowns ... It seems Washington State
has found a new star tailback in Cal transfer James Montgomery. He leads the team with 31 carries for 157 yards and
one touchdown ... Arizona RB Nic Grigsby
is second in the country in rushing, averaging 162.5 yards per game ...
It might not be too long before Oregon State RB Jacquizz Rodgers pops up in the Heisman talk. He already has 269 rushing
yards, 97 receiving yards and four touchdowns in two games.
Byes:
None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup:
Washington State vs. SMU. There probably won't be many times we can
recommend starting the Cougars this season, but this is one since their
game against SMU might be a high-scoring affair. Neither team plays
defense particularly well. SMU is ranked 91st in scoring defense (28.0
ppg) and 102nd in total defense (454.0 ypg).
Unfavorable matchup:
Arizona at Iowa. The Wildcats have looked pretty good in their first two
games. They rank fifth in rushing offense (305.5 ypg) and 15th in total
offense (503.5 ypg). However, they now face their first BCS opponent,
and Iowa is looking good after shutting down Iowa State in Week 2. The
Hawkeyes have allowed just 19 points in two games.
SEC
Notes: Tennessee is sticking with QB Jonathan Crompton after he completed just 13 of 26 passes for 93 yards
in a loss against UCLA on Saturday. Coach Lane Kiffin said poor
protection and bad playcalling were to blame for Crompton's struggles a
week after he threw five touchdown passes against Western Kentucky ...
While Alabama has jumped out to a 2-0 record and are among the top 15
offenses in the country, they have done so without much from star
receiver Julio Jones, who has just five
catches for 55 yards and no touchdowns. To add injury to insult, he is
now questionable for Saturday's game against North Texas with a knee
injury ... Alabama RB Roy Upchurch is
also questionable with a knee injury ... Jones hasn't been the only
disappointing SEC player from a Fantasy standpoint. LSU RB Charles Scott has just 25 carries for 101 yards and no touchdowns. He
isn't even the leading rusher on the Tigers. That's Keiland Williams with 123 yards and two scores ... Georgia RB Caleb King is questionable for Saturday against Arkansas with a
lingering hamstring issue ... Ole Miss has both star QB Jevan Snead and WR Dexter McCluster
as questionable for Saturday against Southeastern Louisiana because of
flu-like symptoms. If this was an SEC game, both players would certainly
play. However, it is not, so coach Houston Nutt could opt to rest his
star players ... Florida WR Deonte Thompson
had his breakout game Week 2 against Troy with a two-touchdown
performance ... Both Auburn RB Ben Tate
(137.0 ypg) and RB Onterio McCalebb
(131.0 ypg) rank in the top 10 for rushing.
Byes: None
Teams
playing FCS schools: Mississippi (vs. Southeastern Louisiana)
Favorable
matchup: South Carolina vs. Florida Atlantic. The Owls were a bad
defensive team in 2008 and they didn't look one bit improved in an
opening loss to Nebraska two weeks ago. The Huskers posted 490 yards of
offense and 49 points. South Carolina just dropped 37 points on Georgia,
a fairly decent defensive squad.
Unfavorable matchup:
Tennessee at Florida. The Vols couldn't get the offense going in Week 2
against UCLA, and we don't expect them to have much success against a
Florida team that returned all 11 starters on defense from last year's
national championship squad. Florida has allowed just nine points in two
games to open the season. Also, they will be extra motivated to have a
strong outing after Kiffin assured a Tennessee win when he was named
head coach.
Sun Belt
Notes: Troy WR Jerrell Jernigan and RB DuJuan Harris
have been pretty non-existent as the Trojans have limped out to a 0-2
mark. Jernigan has just five catches for 37 yards and one score, while
Harris has 26 carries for 52 yards and a touchdown ... North Texas QB Riley Dodge will not play Saturday against Alabama after separating
his shoulder in Week 2. Nathan Tune
will get the start for the Mean Green ... La.-Monroe RB Frank Goodin continues to lead the Warhawks offensive effort in 2009
with 165 rushing yards and four touchdowns in two games.
Byes: Arkansas
State
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup:
Middle Tennessee State at Maryland. The Terrapins hired Don Brown in the
offseason to revamp the defense and through two games he has failed
miserably. The Terrapins were destroyed by Cal in Week 1 and allowed 35
points to James Madison, a FCS school, in Week 2. The Terps rank 108th
in total defense (479.5 ypg) and 113th in scoring defense (43.5 ppg).
Unfavorable
matchup: North Texas at Alabama. The Mean Green are down their
starting quarterback and now have to face one of the best defenses in
the country. Offense might be North Texas' forte, but defense is
Alabama's.
WAC
Notes: Fresno State might be breaking in a new quarterback
in Ryan Colburn, but it has been a
pretty smooth transition so far. Just ask the wide receivers. The
Bulldogs have three players with at least 120 receiving yards -- Seyi Ajirotutu (140), Devon Wylie
(138) and Marlon Moore (122) -- and four
receivers with at least one score -- the previously mentioned three and
Chastin West ... Unfortunately, Louisiana Tech hasn't been able to
jumpstart their offense despite returning many stars. RB Daniel Porter has really suffered, only averaging 50 yards in his
first two games and scoring once ... Hawaii WR Greg Salas has opened the season with consecutive 100-yard games,
but equally impressive has been junior college transfer Rodney Bradley. He had a breakout game in Week 2 against Washington
State with seven catches for 150 yards and two scores. He leads the team
with three touchdowns. If you missed out on Salas on Draft Day, then
quickly pick up Bradley before it's too late... Jordan La Secla seems to have won the starting quarterback job at San
Jose State. He will start Saturday against Stanford after passing for
269 yards last week against Utah.
Byes: None
Teams
playing FCS schools: Louisiana Tech (vs. Nicholls State)
Favorable
matchup: Boise State at Fresno State. The Broncos destroyed the
Bulldogs to the tune of 61-10 last season. Fresno State is coming off an
overtime loss to Wisconsin and allowed the Badgers to rack up 413 yards,
which included 225 passing yards from an inexperienced quarterback in Scott Tolzien.
Unfavorable matchup: Utah State at Texas
A&M. The Aggies already embarrassed one team from out west -- New Mexico
(41-6) -- in their opener and are well rested coming off a bye week.
Utah State is also coming off a bye, but they will definitely find Kyle
Field intimidating.