Whew, what a fun week! Can you detect the sarcasm???? If you grabbed a few of our recent suggestions, you likely did well, especially as last week’s first suggestion – Colton Joseph – was the QB2 on the week. And he’s still less than 10% rostered!
So go grab Joseph if he’s available. Here are some other players you should target for help as the march toward the playoffs continues.
We apologize for being a bit late with this article. A quesadilla took out Jared—the first time you will ever hear that—and he will return!
Quarterbacks
Cooper Legas, Tulsa 2%
Once again, Cooper Legas teases us. After a week in which he was QB3 with nearly 400 total yards and five TDs, he’s back on our radars and worth a shot if you need QB help.
That big game was against UTSA, and Legas wasn’t even the starter. But he should be going forward. He’s got the ability to burn teams with his legs, which we always love, and he loves to pepper Kamdyn Benjamin with targets. Hence, we really love Legas in this role.
And the upcoming schedule is, as Biggie Smalls would say, JUICY. The Golden Hurricane faces UAB this week with an implied total of 58.5. Week 11 has a bye, but the last three weeks feature matches against ECU, South Florida, and Florida Atlantic. All four of those teams have pass defenses ranked 97th or worse.
Owen McCown, UTSA 19%
On the other side of the ball against Tulsa and Legas, McCown threw for 434 yards and four scores. He’s not much of a rushing threat, but like his father, Josh McCown, Owen loves to chuck the rock.
He’s eclipsed 27 points in four of his five starts, and this nearly 40-point outburst was his highest output of the year. McCown will throw some INTs in there, so you have to live with that, but that won’t stop him from airing the ball out.
McCown has a nice schedule coming up, which helps in his value. Memphis is next up, and the game has a 60-point implied total, with UTSA implied to score 26. They may reach that by halftime in what could be a fun, high-scoring game. There’s a bye next week, and then two more high-scoring matchups in Week 12 vs. North Texas and Week 13 with Temple loom.
Katin Houser, ECU 6%
This may be a pick with Jared shaking his head, but I have loved Houser since he committed to Michigan State. He has since left, obviously, and had his second consecutive strong game.
Against Temple, ECU got in a shootout, and Houser threw for 269 yards but five touchdowns and had two passes picked out. It gave him a top-ten scoring week after another week in which he flirted with the top ten against Army.
The Pirates have a bye this week, so Houser will likely be an easy player to pick up, but Weeks 11-13 have sexy matchups with potential for more shootouts. Florida Atlantic, Tulsa, and North Texas are the next three up, and Houser should be leading the team to 40+ points in that trio of games.
Honorable Mentions
Jake Retzlaff, BYU 29% – The Cougs have a bye, but Retzlaff has been as consistent as any QB in college football.
Sawyer Robertson, Baylor 22% – 30+ points in five starts, should be owned much more.
Evan Simon, Temple 7% – Not always pretty with Simon, but capable of massive weeks. Bye this week, four great matchups to wrap up the season.
Running Backs
Kentrel Bullock, South Alabama 10%
For some strange reason, I can’t quit the Jaguars’ backfield. I chased Bullock, I chased Fluff, now…. I am chasing Bullock again. What am I doing???
Bullock out-carried Fluff for the first time since Week 3 and rushed for 141 yards versus ULMonroe, while also finding the end zone twice. Both backs performed well against the Warhawks. Bullock can also catch passes but only had one target this game.
I want a piece of this rushing offense, and they typically rush the ball well. They’ve got Georgia Southern this week, which is one of the worst defenses in college football. They do have a bye next week, annoyingly, but have ULLaf in Week 12 and Southern Miss in Week 13, both incredible matchups for South Alabama’s offense.
If you have Bothwell, he’s now a lock to start, as I have staked my flag with Bullock.
Durell Robinson, UConn 13%
When the Huskies take on a rushing defense that can be exploited, Robinson has been the main beneficiary. This week, he faced a Rice defense that can be beaten on the ground, and the freshman back rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
If the Huskies want to keep rushing the ball and staying in games, they must keep their talented young back involved. Robinson can also contribute to the passing game, and the Huskies have been targeting him.
The upcoming schedule lends well to Robinson and his chances. He’s a good fill-in if you need depth through the bye weeks, and his next two matchups are enticing. RBs have repeatedly gashed Georgia State, and UAB is a leaky sieve regarding rushing defense. A Week 12 bye and Week 13 matchup vs. Syracuse make Robinson not startable past those two matchups, though.
Honorable Mentions
Ahmad Hardy, UL-Monroe 26% – Why is he under 30%?
Braylen Russell, Arkansas 13% – Monitor injury situation; Arkansas has tough matchups, but Russell rushed for 175 yards in his debut start.
Cartevious Norton, UNCC 15% – Keep an eye on Norton, getting workload but two tough weeks (Tulane, Bye) followed by strong matchups in Weeks 12, 13, and 14.
Tre Wisner, Texas 23% – Bye this week, but really strong playoff matchups.
Wide Receivers
J.J. Jones, North Carolina 8%
As Jacolby Criswell took over at QB, JJ Jones emerged as his top target and had his first big game in the Tar Heels’ thrashing of Virginia in Week 9.
JJ JONES WOW @UNCFootball 🤯 pic.twitter.com/856MKcwI8C
— College Football Headlines (@CFBHeadlines) October 26, 2024
Jones had seven targets and has been consistently involved all season, but he converted those seven into five grabs for 129 yards and a pair of scores. He’s a player the Tar Heels need to get more involved with; he’s a dangerous outside receiver with crazy YAC skills.
Florida State is up next, and Criswell will likely lean on Jones in a match where the Tar Heels will want to score and score as much as possible. There’s a bye in Week 11, which is not ideal, but North Carolina has Wake Forest in Week 12. Jones could be a must-start in that juicy matchup. Boston College and NC State are solid matchups beyond that.
Cam Thompson, NIU 0%
Let’s shoot some from deep here; these first two might be a little crazy, but if you have a deep CFF league, these guys may be some strong options.
Thompson has received nine and thirteen targets in the past two games and has emerged as the top target for the Huskies. He turned his 13 targets into eight receptions for 128 yards and a score against Ball State.
NIU has a bye this week, but afterward, it’s wheels up for the Huskies and their passing attack. They roll into the fantasy playoffs while facing Western Michigan, Akron, and Miami of Ohio. The offense will need to produce if they want to reach a bowl game, as the team has been stumbling since their upset of Notre Dame.
The QBs haven’t been amazing, but Josh Holst and Ethan Hampton throw the ball a ton, and Thompson is established as a top target.
Chris Carpenter, UTSA 0%
Carpenter has had 9+ targets in each of the last four games, but this game versus Tulsa featured his biggest output with all of those targets. Was it a product of the shootout? Potentially, but it’s hard to ignore.
Carpenter caught seven of the nine targets this week for 115 yards and the score mentioned above. McCown does spread the ball around, including 19 targets to TEs in this game. Willie McCoy also had nine targets and has been getting consistent looks.
With all that said, I want a piece of this offense, especially with the matchups coming up. I mentioned them in the McCown write-up, and there will be massive scoring for the Roadrunners in your fantasy playoffs.
Honorable Mentions
Victor Snow, Buffalo 2% – He’s getting targets and a TD in two straight games, plus MACtion matchups. It’s almost November – get ready for more Snow.
Eric Rivers, FIU 18% – Jared mentioned him last week, and Rivers had nine more targets, a TD, and crazy good matchups for the rest of the season.
Junior Vandeross, Toledo 18% – 12 targets in two straight games. 9+ in every game. Why is he 18% owned???
Tight Ends
Houston Thomas, UTSA 1%
I know I have mentioned the UTSA offense a bunch, but when a TE gets ten targets, he’s worth a shot. Thomas had ten last week and six or more in two other games. If you need help, the offense should be humming, and Thomas will get targets.
- Blake Bosma, Western Michigan 29% – He’s still involved, and ownership has greatly increased. If he’s there, grab Bosma!
- Sam Roush, Stanford 24% – Dropped in some leagues after a slow start, Roush has eight targets in each of the last two games.
- Seydou Traore, Mississippi State 16% – Freshman QB Michael Van Buren has targeted Traore six times in each of the past three games.
