ACC
Start
Marc Verica, QB, Virginia at Duke
Verica led the Cavs to
an upset win over Miami last week, completing 19-of-27 passes for 176
yards and a touchdown, and faces a Duke defense which is 0-4 in the ACC
and has given up at least 32 points in each of the last two weeks.
Josh Harris, RB, Wake Forest vs. Boston College
Harris
was shut down by a surprising Maryland defense last week, but he still
had a touchdown, and went wild against Virginia Tech two weeks ago for
241 yards and two more scores. BC is also 1-4 in the ACC and having
quarterback issues, meaning it will be hard for them to move the ball
and keep their defense off the field.
Sit
Danny O'Brien, QB, Maryland at Miami (FL)
O'Brien has
tossed seven TDs over his last two games, but the ‘Canes have been
stingy against the pass, forcing seven interceptions while allowing just
one passing touchdown over their past three contests. You can bet
they'll be raring to go after last week's embarrassing loss to UVA as
well.
Jarvis Williams, WR, North Carolina State at Clemson
Williams
leads all Wolfpack receivers with four Touchdowns, but Russell Wilson has been using his legs more often, and Williams hasn't
found the end zone in since October 9th. He also has failed to catch
more than five balls in any one contest this season, and the Clemson D
is 18th in the nation in points allowed per contest.
Big 12
Start
Cody Hawkins, QB, Colorado at Kansas
Hawkins has
returned to the starting role, tossing three touchdowns over his past
two games. Most importantly, he hasn't tossed an interception over that
span. With Kansas 0-4 in the Big 12 and starting their third-string
quarterback, Hawkins should have plenty of opportunities to shine
against the 100th ranked D in the land.
Joseph Randle, RB, Oklahoma State vs. Baylor
Shootout
potential abounds in this contest, but a backup running back? The
Cowboys have shown a commitment to utilizing Randle, and the emerging
star freshman totaled 123 yards in his last contest against K-State.
Justin Blackmon's return will hurt the other wideouts more than the
running backs.
Sit
De'Vion Moore, RB, Missouri at Texas Tech
Yes, it
appears as though Moore has taken the lead in the Missouri rushing
attack, but you just never know with the three-headed monster that also
includes Henry Josey and Kendial Lawrence. In a game that should be wide open, it's simply too
difficult to predict which running back be the most productive.
Austen Arnaud, QB, Iowa State vs. Nebraska
Although the
Nebraska run defense has been unimpressive this season, the pass defense
is the exact opposite. The Cornhuskers have allowed opposing
quarterbacks to complete just 47.2 percent of their passes while
throwing 13 interceptions to seven touchdowns. That's bad news for
Arnaud, who heads into this weekend averaging just 5.8 yards per pass
attempt.
Big East
Start
B.J. Daniels, QB, South Florida vs. Rutgers
Daniels
accumulated four total touchdowns against Cincinnati and might have
finally found his groove. Rutgers allowed 41 points against Pitt, so
this might be another favorable situation for Daniels.
Doug Beaumont, WR, Louisville at Syracuse
Beaumont has
seven grabs in each of the last two contests, pushing him to the lead as
the top Cardinal wideout. Quarterback Adam Froman
is surging, with a 9:1 touchdown:interception ratio over his last five
games.
Sit
Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse vs. Louisville
The Cardinals
are allowing just 18.8 points per contest, good for 22nd in the country.
Nassib has just one 200-plus-yard passing game over his past five
contests, while throwing three interceptions over that span.
Joe Martinek, RB, Rutgers at South Florida
Martinek has
scored in each of his last two contests, but is averaging just 3.8 yards
per carry, a number that has decreased in every season for the Scarlet
Knights. He has also failed to gain over 52 yards since the first game
of the season.
Big Ten
Start
Kirk Cousins, QB, Michigan State vs. Minnesota
The cure
for your first loss of the season? Facing the worst team in the
conference, which distinction the Gophers unceremoniously hold. Cousins
should get back on track after a nightmare three-interception game
against Iowa last week.
Derek Moye, WR, Penn State vs. Northwestern
Moye has
been surging of late, with at least 72 yards receiving in each of the
last three games for the Nittany Lions. Assuming Dan Persa plays for Northwestern, Penn State might need to air
it out to keep up with the Wildcats.
Sit
Ben Chappell, QB, Indiana vs. Iowa
Except for Ohio
State, Chappell has not faced a defense like Iowa's. And against OSU,
Chappell posted season-low numbers. He's got four interceptions over his
past two games, and the 4-0 start seems like a distant memory for the
Hoosiers, who are 0-4 in league play.
A.J. Jenkins, WR, Illinois at Michigan
Though the
Michigan D has not played well, the Illini have proven a rushing team at
heart, whether it be running back Mikel Leshoure
or quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase.
After a career-high four passing touchdowns for Nate the Great last week
against Purdue, including one to Jenkins, expect a return to the rushing
attack for Illinois, which will diminish Jenkins' value.
Conference USA
Start
Pat Shed, RB, UAB vs. Marshall
Shed crushed USM last
week for 176 yards on 29 carries, while also finding the end zone for
just the second time this season. Marshall's D is awful aside from
sack-master Vinny Curry, allowing 32.6
points per contest. Expect the Blazers to take the Herd behind the
woodShed in this one.
Mike Hayes, RB, Houston vs. UCF
Hayes stepped in nicely
for the injured Bryce Beall last week,
gaining 123 yards and finding the end zone for the Cougars. He received
20-plus carries for the second-consecutive week. The running back is
used a lot in the spread offense, meaning if Beall is sidelined once
again, Hayes could be in for a big output, even against a stout UCF
defense.
Sit
Trevor Vittatoe, QB, UTEP vs. SMU
Vittatoe is a shell of
his former self, tossing six interceptions in his last three games while
posting a career-low 54.7 completion percentage. His ankle injury may
have something to do with it, but he needs to prove he's over it before
his fantasy owners can turn to him again.
Gregory Ray, RB, Memphis vs. Tennessee
Just in case you
were looking to take a flier on a running back after Ray's 176-yard
outburst, it's best to look elsewhere, as the Tigers host SEC opponent
Tennessee in a game that will get out of hand quickly. Keep in mind that
despite last week's output, Ray is still splitting carries with Jerrell Rhodes as well.
Independents
Start
Greg Jones, WR, Navy at East Carolina
The Midshipmen do
in fact pass the ball, as witnessed by Jones and his nine catch,
134-yard output last week against Duke. Though clearly the triple-option
is first, second and third in the offense, Jones has 390 receiving yards
and two Touchdowns on the year. This game figures to be high-scoring,
giving Jones a few extra snaps to get the ball tossed his way. Still,
Jones is only an option in very deep leagues.
Sit
Trent Steelman, QB, Army vs. Air Force
The ultimate
ball-control game, with option offenses on both sides. Air Force has
some playmakers, while Army has relied almost exclusively on Jared Hassin over the past few games. With Hassin dominating with
three 100-yard plus outputs in a row, Steelman will most likely take a
backseat in this one once again.
MAC
Start
Keith Wenning, QB, Ball State vs. Akron
A one-time-only
appearance for Wenning as he faces the 0-9 Zips. Wenning actually has
seven touchdowns over his last three games…along with six interceptions.
However, if you're in a bind due to injuries or byes, Wenning could be
an adequate replacement against an Akron squad which is 114th in the FBS
in defense.
Steven Goulet, WR, Ohio vs. Buffalo
Another high-risk
start, Goulet caught five passes for 126 yards last week against
Louisiana-Lafayette. He has caught at least one pass in every game he's
played in. Meanwhile, Buffalo is on a three-game slide and can't seem to
do much of anything right.
Sit
Ryan Radcliff, QB, Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan
Radcliff's
stats have taken a nosedive over the past two games, as he's failed to
reach the 200-yard passing mark in either contest, while tossing four
interceptions. Compounding the problem is a six-game losing streak for
the Chippewas, and a matchup with the high-flying Broncos.
Andre Flowers, RB, Kent State vs. Temple
Despite leading
the Golden Flashes in rushing yards with 77 last week, Flowers has
played in just two games this season, and Jacquise Terry is still the starter. Temple has a formidable defense as
well, meaning Flowers' chances for an encore are slim.
MWC
Start
Bryan Kariya, RB, BYU vs. UNLV
It's been the J.J. Di
Luigi show for the better part of the season for the Cougars, but Kariya
rushed 19 times for 88 yards and a score to lead the BYU victory last
week against Wyoming. Likewise, this week's game with UNLV should get
out of hand fairly quickly, giving Kariya additional touches in an
attempt to rest Di Luigi.
David Leonard, WR, Wyoming at New Mexico
Leonard hauled
in two touchdowns against San Diego State last week, while also catching
a touchdown against Utah two weeks prior. He'll face a lifeless New
Mexico team limping to the finish line at 0-8.
Sit
Jordan Wynn, QB, Utah vs. TCU
If the Utes are to knock
off TCU and stay undefeated, it will have to be via the running game
with Eddie Wide and Matt Asiata. This will be by far Wynn's stiffest test of the season,
and with five interceptions in his past four contests against
lower-level opponents, he might play it safe and leave the ground game
to do the dirty work.
Josh Boyce, WR, TCU at Utah
Boyce has had a few big
games, but has disappeared in others. He has big-play ability but still
has had some growing pains. With some inconsistency from the freshman,
expect TCU to lean on established threats like Ed Wesley, Matthew Tucker and Jeremy Kerley.
Pac-10
Start
Keenan Allen, WR, California at Washington State
With Kevin Riley out, new quarterback Brock Mansion could not have asked for a better opponent this week
that the 1-8 Cougars. Allen, the talented true freshman, caught eight
balls last week, most from Mansion, and scored in three straight games
prior to that contest.
Ryan Katz, QB, Oregon State at UCLA
Katz sparkled with a
20-of-27 game against Cal last week, and if you throw out a
three-interception contest against Washington, he has a 9:0
touchdown:interception ratio on the season. UCLA is on a three-game
losing streak and the Bruins have given up at least 29 points in each of
their last three tilts.
Sit
Jamal Miles, WR, Arizona State at USC
Miles hauled in
two touchdowns last week against Washington State in an ASU rout.
However, he had just 13 catches on the entire season before Saturday
and, as a former running back, is slowly being transitioned away from
the running game. The lack of touches is problematic, meaning Miles will
likely be unable to duplicate his prior performance.
Allen Bradford, RB, USC vs. Arizona State
There might
not be a backfield in the country more obnoxious to fantasy owners than
the USC one. After burning up the ground coming off the bench and
earning the starting spot against Stanford, Bradford has done next to
nothing while the starting spot was handed back to Marc Tyler. The unpredictability of the situation makes it a
problematic one for fantasy owners.
SEC
Start
Caleb King, RB, Georgia vs. Idaho State
King returned
from injury to lead the Bulldogs in rushing last week against the
Gators, and the Bulldogs get a reprieve from SEC play with a cupcake
matchup with Idaho State. King should go off against the Big Sky's
Bengals.
Mike Hartline, QB, Kentucky vs. Charleston Southern
Another
matchup play as UK hosts the Buccaneers. Hartline has thrown multiple
touchdown passes in six of nine games this season. With Derrick Locke and Raymond Sanders
both iffy at running back, passing game weapons like Randall Cobb and Chris Matthews might
have to carry Kentucky in this one.
Sit
Knile Davis, RB Arkansas at South Carolina
After going
berserk the last two weeks to the tune of 41 carries for 258 yards and
five Touchdowns, Davis faces an SC defense that is 19th in the nation in
points allowed and held Alabama to just 36 yards rushing. Davis won't
find much room to run in a game that will rest on QB Ryan Mallett's
shoulders.
Stevan Ridley, RB, LSU vs. Alabama
Once again, a bad
week to play Ridley, as the Tide is No. 2 in the country in defense.
Ridley will have his productive days, but not against one of the most
feared units in all of college football, which will stack the box and
try to put the game in the hands of one of LSU's shaky quarterbacks.
Ridley rushed for just 37 yards two weeks ago against Auburn.
Sun Belt
Start
Luther Ambrose, WR, Louisiana-Monroe at Florida International
Rather
quietly, Ambrose has had a standout season for the Warhawks, with 44
grabs for 495 yards and four Touchdowns. ULM stunned Troy last week and
will look to impose its will on inferior an FIU. Ambrose is the most
likely beneficiary of the Warhawk stampede.
Alfred Morris, RB, Florida Atlantic at Western Kentucky
One
of the lone bright spots for the Owls, Morris should have a field day
against the 109th-ranked defense in the land. Morris is averaging 4.2
yards per carry and has six touchdowns on the year.
Sit
Brad McGuire, QB, Louisiana-Lafayette at Mississippi
McGuire
stepped in for the injured Chris Masson
last week against Ohio and completed 25-of-39 passes for 384 yards, two
touchdowns and an interception. However, whoever starts this week will
face an SEC defense in Mississippi, who will want to make certain that a
Jacksonville State-type debacle does not happen again.
Kedrick Rhodes, RB, Florida International vs. Louisiana-Monroe
Rhodes
appears to have snatched the starting job away from Jeremiah Harden with a 100-yard effort against Florida Atlantic, but
faces a surging ULM squad that held Troy to under four yards per carry
last week. The Panthers may also be behind early in this one, forcing
them to abandon the run.
WAC
Start
Derrvin Speight, RB, Utah State vs. New Mexico State
Speight
has gotten at least 11 carries in every game this season, and has yet to
play a defense as bad as New Mexico State. He's reached the end zone
four times on the year and should be in for a breakout performance
against an Aggies' squad yielding 36.9 points per contest.
Rashad Evans, WR, Fresno State at Louisiana Tech
Watch
out for Evans, who could be the leading receiving for the Bulldogs if
not for missing two contests earlier this season. Though not usually a
big-play threat, Evans found the end zone in Fresno's last tilt with San
Jose State, and has proven to be the most consistently productive of the
‘Dogs receivers.
Sit
Bryant Moniz, QB, Hawaii at Boise State
Not
surprisingly, Moniz has feasted on weaker opponents while looking more
average against better defenses. Boise State is about as good as they
come, particularly at home on the blue turf. The Broncos are currently
3rd in the nation in points allowed per game, meaning Moniz may be
better left on the bench if you have a better matchup.
Nathan Enderle, QB, Idaho vs. Nevada
The Vandals are in
the midst of a murderous stretch, losing to Hawaii and having to face
Boise in the not-so-distant future. This week they get Nevada, with
Enderle coming off a two-interception performance. Enderle torched
squads like Colorado State, Western Michigan and New Mexico State, but
has struggled against better opponents.