Snatch ‘Em Up Now
If they weren’t already drafted in your league, these guys will be hot commodities on the wire this week.
Quarterbacks:
Max Duggan, TCU – Still plenty of frustrating moments from Duggan who does still struggle with some accuracy issues but cannot deny the production with 13 total touchdowns in the last three games. We know Chandler Morris is healthy, but there is no way the staff can make the switch back if Duggan continues to perform like this. He’s got a ton of weapons at receiver – while barely even target Quentin Johnston (sigh) – and his offensive line is allowing Duggan to just sit back and survey the field with confidence. Road trip to Kansas upcoming.
Kurtis Rourke, Ohio – Just a year ago, Ohio had the worst passing offense in the MAC. Five games into 2022 and the Bobcats are No. 1 in the conference and No. 13 nationally at 315.4 yards per game. And that’s even after games against superior opponents in Penn State and Iowa State.
Running Backs:
Dae Dae Hunter, Liberty – For the next two weeks at the very least, we want to get All Dae Dae Hunter, as they call him, on our roster facing a UMass defense that is allowing 178 yards per game on the ground. After that, another favorable matchup hosting Gardner-Webb. Reps have increased over the last three games, averaging over six yards a carry on the year.
CJ Beasley, Coastal Carolina – Max Balthazar was getting some early run against Georgia Southern, but it was still Beasley who led the team with 12 carries, including a dazzling 24-yard touchdown run in the closing moments to seal the victory. It doesn’t sound like Braydon Bennett will return anytime soon at this point, and Reese White has missed the last two games.
Wide Receivers:
Rome Odunze, Washington – We’re including Odunze in the must-add section with the understanding that it could very well be Jalen McMillan or Ja’Lynn Polk as the top receiver next week. Fact of the matter, though, is that Odunze has scored 20 or more fantasy points in three of four games played, and 30 or more fantasy points in the last two weeks. Arizona State and Arizona in consecutive weeks means big games ahead for the Washington passing game.
Devontez Walker, Kent State – Another reminder to scoop up Walker while you can at just 8% ownership. Any notion that Dante Cephas wasn’t the WR1 here was crazy talk, but the duo is absolutely dominating the team target share at 64%. 6-107-0 on eight targets is still a very productive game for a WR2.
Bru McCoy, Tennessee – From reports, Cedric Tillman is expected to be out 4-5 weeks. Looks like he had the same procedure done that Tua Tagovailoa had at Alabama which kept him out 28 days. Ramel Keyton filled in for Tillman in the starting lineup, but it was McCoy that had made up for his production with 102 yards and five receptions against Florida. Both he and Jalin Hyatt will be the top two targets for the next month or so, and not sure we see a ton of drop off.
Tight Ends:
Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas – There was that two-week lull there vs. Alabama and UTSA, but we’re going to attribute that to competition played and Hudson Card. Texas doesn’t have anyone outside of Worthy that is trusted enough to catch the football, and Quinn Ewers should be back…this week? Boost to Sanders and all of the Texas pass-catchers.
Worth A Look
If you have the roster room, these prospects are worth a look.
Quarterbacks:
Jayden de Laura, Arizona – The Wildcats are now ranked inside the top 10 nationally in passing, averaging 340 yards per game, much of which is due to the tremendous receivers that de Laura has to throw to. But some credit is also needed for the junior quarterback who has topped 400 yards in each of the last two weeks, and just two interceptions in the last three games. Five straight ranked opponents upcoming is why de Laura is not in the must-add section.
Chase Cunningham, Middle Tennessee – Its not the 40 passing attempts per game that we expected in the preseason, but Middle Tennessee is 33rd in the country, averaging 35.8 passes per game under OC Mitch Stewart. After the disastrous opening performance, Cunningham is averaging 314.5 pass yards per game over the last four weeks.
Riley Leonard, Duke – We’ve already covered Leonard in this article previously so not doing a deep dive. We’ll just throw this out there. Georgia Tech and North Carolina are his next two opponents.
Running Backs:
Brandon Campbell, Houston – Numbers weren’t great on Friday, rushing for 66 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries against Tulane. But these 19 carries might be the standard moving forward as Ta’Zhawn Henry was helped off the field with crutches. Severity unknown right now but Holgorsen did say it was an ankle injury. Cambell could be “the” guy in the Houston backfield.
Miyan Williams, Ohio State – Not entirely sure what’s going on behind the scenes with TreVeyon Henderson as he practiced all week, but something came up in warmups where the team decided to be “careful.” Same thing happened with Bijan Robinson two weeks ago, yet he went for 40 fantasy points despite not being 100%. Makes you go, “hmm.” Either way, best probably to add Williams whether in need of a TreVeyon handcuff or a roster filler as he’s averaging 12.8 carries per game in 2022.
Brenden Brady, UTSA – The Roadrunners rush offense is far from what it was a year ago, but with how explosive the passing game is, everyone on the team has a shot at finding the end-zone each week. Trelon Smith was back in the lineup, but still appears Brady has the starting job right now, finishing with 98 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Middle Tennessee.
Mar’keise Irving, Oregon – The Ducks are splitting carries between 2-3 backs and getting Bo Nix involved in the running game, so you won’t see heavy volume here. But Irving has been plenty productive, averaging 12 FPPG and over seven yards a carry. Strong matchup this week against Arizona and their 125th ranked rush defense. If you need a bye week filler, Irving is a decent selection.
Wide Receivers:
Jaylin Lane, Middle Tennessee – Back-to-back 100-yard performances for Lane who had a season-high 10 receptions on 15 targets in the loss to UTSA. Clear WR1 for the Blue Raiders.
Jake Bobo, UCLA – I do think there is some legitimacy to Bobo’s increased production the last three weeks because of how UCLA is utilizing him differently. After playing just 18% of snaps in the slot the first two games, that has now increased to 44% over the last three games. I think Bobo is more comfortable with his new team and the staff is finding how best to utilize him.
Isaiah Winstead, East Carolina – C.J. Johnson got the headlines Saturday, but Winstead is East Carolina’s WR1, and still rostered in just 10% of leagues. Double-digit fantasy points in every game this season and nearly 30% of the team target share. Close to double the amount of Johnson.
Carlos Carriere, Central Michigan – The Maryland transfer has been on this list a few times, but will include again as he’s sitting at 9% ownership. Production is spotty, yes, but 32 targets in the last two games alone. There is nobody else reliable on CMU to catch the football outside of Carriere and tight end Joel Wilson. And the Chips are having to throw the ball because the run game is in disarray.
Dominic Lovett, Missouri – Maybe this was already known for some, but Dominic Lovett is the WR1 on this team, not Luther Burden. Six or more targets in every game so far, and at least 80 yards receiving in the last three games. Burden is receiving similar targets, so why the disparity? 4.20 yards per route run and 14.4 average depth of target for Lovett. Burden? 0.52 yards per route run and 8.3 aDOT.
Elijah Cooks, San Jose State – Surprised to see Cooks at 18% roster ownership. Two 100-yard receiving performances in four games. The two games he didn’t top that mark – at Auburn and a game against Western Michigan where the Cooks wasn’t needed in a blowout.
Kaden Prather, West Virginia – Double digit targets for all three West Virginia receivers in the loss to Texas. The 6-foot-4 sophomore has really come on since the first week of the season with at least six receptions in the last four games. Should be very apparent that WVU is no good, which is bad for Mountaineer fans but good for us that own BFW or Prather in that they’ll be trailing in most games.
Dorian Singer, Arizona – Singer was a player on the rise late last year and that strong play has continued into 2022, now averaging 8.4 targets a game. Topped 100 yards in each of the last two weeks. In the same vein as de Laura, I’m curious to see how the Arizona passing game looks against a stretch of ranked opponents.
Tight Ends:
Jake Briningstool, Clemson – The former 4-star prospect is seeing an uptick in targets the last three games with 15 of 17 coming in that stretch and has found the end-zone in three of the last four weeks. Good DJU is beneficial to everyone!
Longshots
Need to see more from these guys before pulling the trigger unless you are in the deepest of leagues.
Quarterbacks:
D.J. Irons, Akron – Oh look, MACtion starts and Irons puts up his best performance of the season with over 300 total yards of offense and three touchdowns. The unexpected occurrence in the first four games was a Joe Moorhead QB1 not running the football hardly at all. Give Irons 13 attempts – which is the norm for a Moorhead quarterback – and good things happen.
Running Backs:
Latrele Palmer, James Madison – Not ready to prioritize Palmer despite his 100-yard, three touchdown performance against Texas State. This was the first time all year Palmer received more than 10 rushing attempts, and much of that had to do with starter Percy Agyei-Obese being questionable entering the contest. Maybe Palmer gets the nod next week? Can’t say for certain right now.
Jacquez Stuart, Toledo – This one will take a little deeper dive throughout the week to see why Toledo was so successful on the ground against Central Michigan, but we’ve see Stuart get double-digit carries each of the last two weeks. Career high 121 yards on 16 carries against Central Michigan, who is allowing under four yards a carry on the season. Still not confident Toledo has “a” guy in the backfield just yet, so I’m putting this as low priority.
Devontae Houston, Connecticut – RB1 Nate Carter is out for the season, so Houston stepped into the starting role on Saturday, rushing for 99 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. UConn hasn’t done much right in 2022, but they’ve been good at running the football, averaging 4.19 yards per carry as a team. Houston has a favorable matchup next week against FIU.
Ikaika Ragsdale, North Texas – Going to squash any questions about this before they’re asked. North Texas is clearly riding the hot hand in the backfield this season, whether its Ragsdale, Oscar Adaway or someone else. Ragsdale was the guy on Saturday with over 100 yards and a score. Unsurprisingly, North Texas is second in C-USA in rushing because of their tremendous offensive line.
Jordan Byrd, San Diego State – Absolute dumpster fire of an offense, but maybe some brighter days ahead as Brady Hoke fired his long-time offensive coordinator. Braxton Burmeister needs to be next. But we have seen Byrd gain some separation in the running back room with 29 carries over the last two games. Some favorable matchups with Hawaii and Nevada upcoming.
Brian Snead, Arkansas State – I’ve been hesitant to put Snead on this list because of how pass-oriented the Arkansas State offense is, but the production has been there now for four weeks. Double-digit carries in every game and six rushing touchdowns.
Deneric Prince, Tulsa – College football reporting for you. There was no indication this week about Keylon Stokes playing or not, and Deneric Prince randomly emerges from his “suspension” to lead the team with 78 yards and two touchdowns. Not sure that it was a suspension, but Prince was not in the good graces of the coaching staff. Looks to be now.
Kairee Robinson, San Jose State – Some tidbits that we mentioned in our DFS article this week. San Jose State only runs the ball 42% of the time, but when they do, its usually Robinson who is garnering 68% of the backfield volume share. Nobody else is getting carries here. Found the end-zone in each of the last three games, rushing 20 times for 100 yards against Wyoming.
Vincent Davis, Pittsburgh – Longshot add that we need to monitor throughout the week. Israel Abanikanda was seen in a sling during the second half of last week’s game, and Rodney Hammond continues to be out. Davis would be the next man up after rushing for 80 yards on 11 carries against Georgia Tech.
Wide Receivers:
Terrell Vaughn, Utah State – If you’re in need of a low-cost filler, and really only in full-point PPR formats, Vaughn is a decent option. Taking over in the slot for Kyle Van Leeuwen who is lost for the year, Vaughn now has 11 receptions on 18 targets in the last two games. He’s separated himself from Ny Ny Davis.
Adonicas Sanders / Jose Barbon, Temple – We’ve seen some improvement with the Temple passing game since E.J. Warner, son of Kurt, has taken over the starting QB job. Barbon and Sanders now combine for 48% of the team’s target share, with Barbon topping 100 yards on Saturday against Memphis. We know Temple is going to be trailing most games, so game script works in their favor.
Daniel Jackson, Minnesota – Still feels weird to me giving consideration to the Minnesota passing game, but they’re clearly an improved group under OC Kirk Ciarrocca. After scoring two TDs last week, Jackson was targeted 10 times against Purdue, finishing with six receptions and 110 yards. Someone needed to step up with Chris Autman-Bell out for the season, and Jackson appears to be the guy.
Ohio WRs – If we’re all in on Kurtis Rourke, there has to be some wide receivers of value in CFF. Based on season-long snap counts, Milers Cross and James Bostic are starters seeing the most playing time. Cross is second on the team in targets (29), having seen at least seven targets in each of the last three games. Senior Sam Wiglusz, an Ohio State transfer, is third in snaps, but has made the most of them as he’s tops on the team in targets, receptions, and touchdowns.
Odieu Hilaire, Bowling Green – As always, names pop up that were completely off the radar in the preseason. Hilaire fits the bill but has emerged as the Bowling Green WR1 with 18 receptions and four touchdowns on 34 targets. In the three games against G5 or FCS opponents, Hilaire has compiled 15 of his 18 receptions and scored double-digit fantasy points in each game. All MAC opponents from here on out.
Monaray Baldwin, Baylor – Breakout performance from the sophomore speedster with 7-174-2 on a team-high nine targets. Baldwin is talented, but QB Blake Shapen is drastically improving with every week now that he gets more experience. Should lead to more production from the receivers.
Jyaire Shorter, North Texas – You know the scene in the Grinch where he gives us that devilish smile? That was my reaction after seeing Shorter tally three touchdowns in the win over FAU. Talent was never in question; it was his health. And Shorter is healthy, resulting in five touchdowns in the last three games.
Jared Brown, Coastal Carolina – It was a quiet first three weeks for Brown before exploding the last two games with consecutive 100-yard receiving performances. Targets are up with 15 in that span and three touchdowns.
Michael Mathison, Western Kentucky – Checked the game log and it does appear that Malachi Corley did play the entire game. Mathison appears to be making a move up the pecking order, with 25 of his 32 targets coming in the last three games. That culminated in his best performance of the season with 160 yards on 10 targets in the loss to Troy. Trending upwards.
Streaming DST
If you stream DST or need a bye week replacement, here are some to consider this week.
Liberty at UMass
San Diego State v Hawaii
Nevada v Colorado State
Wyoming @ New Mexico
