Week One was hyped as an enormously exciting slate of games, and it definitely did not disappoint. Utah/Florida, UNC/App State, and Notre Dame/Ohio State were all games that had us on the edge of our seats. Beyond the big games, we also had a ton of big-time performances. Some came from players that we expected, like Bryce Young or Brennan Armstrong. Several came from less-expected sources, like Kurtis Rourke or Grayson James. I won’t advocate for adding either of those guys, but some performances caught my eye and deserve a look on the C2C waiver wire this week.
I will distinguish between waiver set ups, because general waiver advice is not one-size-fits-all in campus to canton leagues. For those that have limited waivers, I’d only take a look at the first section because these players should be rostered in all leagues and can be difference makers. For those with unlimited waivers, feel free to churn the bottom of those rosters with some additional names. Lastly, the watch list section provides some names that you should pay attention to but shouldn’t necessarily be rostered.
LIMITED WAIVERS
Charlie Jones, WR – Purdue: Although recent camp news suggested that Jones could be the go-to guy for the Boilermakers, most of us still clung to Tyrone Tracy as the main receiver in this offense. Jones punished us for that this week with a 12/153/1 line. We want the big pieces in the Purdue passing attack, and if Jones is that guy, he should be extremely valuable as a college producer. If Jones is on your wire, consider spending at least 30-40% of your FAAB budget on him.
Rodney Hammond, RB – Pitt: Hammond left this game with an injury, so his situation should be monitored closely. If reports are positive, I’d argue that Hammond should be rostered in almost 100% of leagues. Hammond and Israel Abanikanda split snaps evenly on the night (34 for Izzy, 32 for Hammond), but Hammond saw more carries and was much more efficient with them. If this continues, he’ll supplant Abanikanda. Don’t add until we receive injury confirmation, but I could spend 10% or so on him.
CJ Donaldson, RB – West Virginia: Donaldson is the type of player that I shift all in on as soon as they flash. Donaldson is a TE/RB hybrid, but it looks like he’ll line up as a running back for the time being. The true freshman only played fifteen offensive snaps, but he received carries on seven of those and turned them into 125 yards and a touchdown. He’s a load to bring down at 240 pounds, but he moves like he’s at least 20 pounds less. If you’re a lover of big backs (and you cannot lie), you should be all over Donaldson. Is there a chance he will develop into a legit NFL prospect? It’s probably too early to say, but I see no reason that his physical skills can’t get him there. I’m spending 15-20% on Donaldson.
UNLIMITED PICK UPS
Ladd McConkey, WR – Georgia: Okay, I’m finally done counting McConkey out. A former 3-star recruit, everyone assumed McConkey would get buried on a Georgia depth chart consistently featuring multiple 4 and 5-star players. McConkey refuses to settle for a bench spot and has established himself as one of Stetson Bennett’s favorite targets. Georgia used him as a rusher this week, adding 5 catches, 72 yards, and a pair of touchdowns through the air. Could he end up making it to the NFL? I refuse to rule it out at this point. McConkey shouldn’t be a priority guy, but for 5% of my FAAB budget I wouldn’t complain.
Cam Camper & DJ Matthews, WR – Indiana: I’m tempted to place this duo in the previous section, but the uncertainty surrounding this Indiana offense has me hedging. Quarterback Connor Bazelak had an extremely concentrated target distribution this week. On his 52 attempts, Bazelak looked Camper’s way 17 times, and Matthews saw 12 targets. Matthews’s fantasy score was buoyed by his touchdown, but both had over 100 yards on the day and looked dangerous. Indiana has no rush game to speak of, so they’ll need to rely on the passing game if they want to score. 5% on either guy should do the trick.
WATCH LIST
Kobe Paysour, WR – North Carolina: If Josh Downs misses significant time, Paysour could be the main beneficiary. Paysour is a second year receiver for the Tarheels and has the athleticism and size to be a good college receiver. You can’t say that about many of the guys on this team behind Downs. With UNC’s porous defense, expect plenty of offensive opportunities here, and Paysour could be a guy that benefits. This is all a moot point if Downs returns quickly, as he’ll be relegated to a part-time role.
Roman Hemby, RB – Maryland: I’m not sure the Maryland running back is a particularly alluring value, but this situation should be monitored. Hemby had a pair of scores today and 100 yards on the ground. If the volume stays consistent, he’s a guy that could be a popular pickup over the next few weeks.
