From a pure CFB viewpoint, this is probably the most impactful week of the season with matchups like Oregon/OSU, OU/Texas, and Ole Miss/LSU. But from a CFF perspective, I like to think of this as MOVING WEEK. We have 6+ weeks of data now, and most leagues are approaching trade deadlines. I treat my CFF like I do my poker….always be the aggressor. If you have a shot at the playoffs – go for it! If you have a shot at the title – go for it!
Aces Up in Vegas
Speaking of poker, Ricky White’s 2024 has all the feels of seeing the pocket pair you were dealt turn to crap on the flop of Matt Sluka getting the start, only to see them come back with a vengeance on the turn of Hajj-Malik Williams. Here is the difference in the two QBs for White in two games each versus FBS opponents:
With Sluka: 5 receptions, 15 yards, 0 touchdowns
With HMW: 20 receptions, 262 yards, 3 touchdowns
We are still waiting to see what the river holds for White, but you have to like where this hand is headed all of a sudden.
Flag Plant Time
Sam Houston State redshirt freshman running back Deon “DJ” McKinney has arrived and I am here to say that HE IS HIM. After putting up big numbers at Oklahoma powerhouse Tulsa Union, he flew under the radar. But McKinney should fly under the radar no more. He has been the most explosive RB for KC Keeler on limited snaps and I think there is a real chance he becomes the featured back before season’s end.
Moving Week
Since it is moving week, just a reminder to always check the cabinets and closets to make sure no items were left behind. Well, here are a handful of QBs that you might check the waiver wire to ensure they weren’t left behind if you plan for 2025 in deeper leagues. Some we forget still have eligibility. Some have athletic or system upside that could pay off.
Robby Ashford – South Carolina: Yep. He has another year left. Insane, I know. What would be even more insane is if he recognized his peer group and took his dual-threat ability to the G5 instead of bouncing around the SEC.
Blake Shapen – Miss State : Lebby has publicly stated he sat down with Shapen and his family to discuss returning in 2025 with a medical waiver. He either enters next season as the QB1 or looks elsewhere if Van Buren impresses the rest of the way.
Tayven Jackson – Indiana : Stick with me here. He is the current Cignetti QB2. Is he a lock to win the job and succeed Kurtis Rourke? Certainly not. Maybe a transfer arrives. Maybe the staff leaves. But sometimes a system is so good that it’s worth taking a shot on a QB that could go nuclear if he actually threads that needle. See John Mateer.
Dewayne Coleman – Army : I don’t make a habit out of rostering Army QBs. Bryson Daily may just be a straight up Dogg. In fact, that dude probably is. But this system is rolling and Coleman has actually looked nice in relief and we don’t have to worry about transfers taking his job at Army.
Hank, Hold the Jam
“Ya’ll ain’t never got two things that go together. Kool Aid, no sugar. Peanut butter, no jelly. Ham, no burger.” Now, Hank, no Jam?
Few, if any, backfields have formed a more formidable duo than Oregon State. But last week, Jam Griffin was injured in the win against Colorado State. When writing this article, there has been no official word on the injury, but it’s feared to be serious. Anthony Hankerson has quietly been a top 15 CFF RB this season. That is while sharing the Beaver load as part of a two-headed Beaver monster with Griffin. Hank saw a season high 28 touches after Jam went down. Could he be in store for a big Beaver workload the rest of the way?
Welcome Back, Carlos
Wazzu’s matchup against Fresno in Week 7 appears to the be the introductory game for Carlos Hernandez this season. The second year Coug was one of my offseason darlings and an expected starter prior to an August injury. Dickert says he will be used all over the field from the boundary, to the slot, and maybe even some out of the backfield. It will be interesting to see how much of a workload he gets and how it could impact Kris Hutson and Josh Meredith.
