Bench
Trace McSorley, QB-Penn State at Michigan
Consider: McSorley has not accounted for more than two touchdowns in four consecutive games. This week he’ll face the sixth-best scoring defense (14.4 PPG) and the No. 1 ranked defense in yards allowed per game (220.0).
Miles Sanders, RB-Penn State at Michigan
Consider: Statistically, Michigan has the ninth-best run defense in the FBS. Also, reference Trace McSorley above. The 220.0 yards per game the Wolverines are allowing is 40 yards better than the next best team (Miami-261.5 YPG).
D’Andre Swift, RB-Georgia at Kentucky
Consider: Swift has carried the ball twelve or fewer times in seven of eight games. Kentucky is tied with Clemson as the nation’s top defense in points allowed, giving up 13.0 per game. Only seven teams in the FBS have given up fewer rushing touchdowns than the Wildcats. Swift is coming off his first 100-yard rushing game of the season, but he only has one 20-point fantasy game this season in PPR formats and is averaging 10.8 fantasy points in three road games this season.
Nick Brossette, RB-LSU v Alabama
Consider: Brossette has scored in five consecutive games and has carried the ball at least 15 times in every game this season. However, he hasn’t topped the 100-yard rushing mark since Week 2 and faces an Alabama defense that has only given up three rushing touchdowns in eight games.
Trayveon Williams, RB-Texas A&M at Auburn
Consider: In five home games this season, Trayveon Williams is averaging 211.2 total yards per game, but in three road games, all in conference, Williams is only averaging 63.0 yards per game. Auburn’s run defenses is ranked in the Top 30, giving up 125.5 yards per game on the ground, and are tied with Alabama in allowing the fewest rushing touchdowns in the FBS (3).
Bryce Love, RB-Stanford at Washington
Consider: Washington’s defense shouldn’t be considered elite, but they are certainly better than average. The Huskies are giving up less than 130 yards per game on the ground, have only given up eight rushing touchdowns in nine games, and have the eighth-best scoring defense in the FBS (15.2 PPG). Now, all of the aforementioned statistics are irrelevant if Love is completely healthy, but he has only totaled 116 yards of offense in the past two games, so is he worth the risk if your season is on the line?
Myles Gaskin, RB-Washington vs Stanford
Consider: The Stanford defense is not the main reason Myles Gaskin is on this list, but his shoulder injury has fantasy owners worried about his availability in Week 10, especially after the senior running back has missed two consecutive games. Last week, Gaskin was dressed but did not play in the game at California. If he was dressed last week, the odds are pretty good that he is back on the field this weekend, but you have to wonder whether or not he’s one big hit away from leaving the game against an always physical Stanford defense.
Start
Scottie Phillips, RB-Ole Miss vs South Carolina
Consider: Scottie Phillips has scored at least one touchdown in six of eight games and has at least 80 total yards of offense in all but one game, which was against Alabama in Week 3. Phillips has not rushed for 100 yards in a conference game this season, but South Carolina is allowing 174.1 yards per game on the ground, which is third-worst in the SEC.
Darius Bradwell, RB-Tulane at South Florida
Consider: Even though Darius Bradwell only has one 100-yard rushing game this season, the junior back has topped the 70-yard mark in six of the last seven games and has scored in six consecutive games going into this weekend’s matchup at South Florida. The Bulls are in the bottom ten of the FBS in rushing yards allowed per game (233.6 RYPG).
Marcel Murray, RB-Arkansas State vs South Alabama
Consider: Marcel Murray has carried the ball more times in the past two games than he has in any two-game stretch this season, which has resulted in back-to-back 100-yard games and four touchdowns. This Saturday, Murray will face a South Alabama defense that is allowing 225.5 yards per game on the ground and has given up 23 rushing touchdowns in eight games.
Devine Ozigbo, RB-Nebraska at Ohio State
Consider: Two weeks ago, we recommended starting Purdue running back DJ Knox against Ohio State and he ran for 128 yards and three touchdowns against the Buckeyes. Knox was the fifth running back to run for at least 125 yards against Ohio State’s defense this season. Devine Ozigbo could become No. 6. In the last five games, Ozigbo has gone over 100 yards four times and has scored seven touchdowns.
Trevon Brown, WR-East Carolina vs Memphis
Consider: It took seven weeks for Trevon Brown to produce his first 100-yard game of the season, but he has at least 90 yards receiving in four of his last six games. In the past two games, Brown has looked like the elite fantasy receiver we projected him to be in the preseason, catching 23 passes for 298 yards and two touchdowns. This week, Brown and the Pirates’ offense will be challenged to keep up with a Memphis offense averaging 42.5 points per game.
Reggie Roberson, WR-SMU vs Houston
Consider: Reggie Roberson got off to a slow start in 2018, but he has at least 99 yards receiving in each of his last three games. In the past two weeks, Roberson has caught 14 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns. This Saturday, he and teammate James Proche will face a Houston defense that has given up more passing yards than any other school in the FBS (324.8 PYPG).
Nykeim Johnson, Syracuse at Wake Forest
Consider: Nykeim Johnson has had his most productive two-game stretch of the season over the past two weeks. The 5-foot-8 sophomore receiver has topped the 100-yard mark and scored in back-to-back games. The Demon Deacons are allowing 287.0 passing yards per game and only nine teams in the FBS have given up more touchdown passes (Wake Forest-20). The Syracuse-Wake Forest 75.5 O/U is the second-highest total of the week, so expect points aplenty.