I cannot admit to watching every game, but I try to watch as many as I can, while reading into the numbers of every boxscore. These are my weekly notes and observations:
Power 5
- Rutgers RB Kyle Monangai received 19 rushing attempts in the Knights’ 44-7 win over Howard. I would not be surprised to see Monangai average 20 carries per game this year.
- UCF QB KJ Jefferson did not look sharp against New Hampshire, but another decent matchup next week (Sam Houston State) will hopefully get him going. At first glance, it doesn’t seem like Peny Boone will affect RB RJ Harvey’s fantasy potential, as we feared when Boone transferred in.
- After Week 1, Wake Forest QB Hank Bachmeier seems assured of starting next week against Virginia. Taylor Morin led the team with six receptions for 100 yards and a TD, but Deuce Alexander led all receivers with eight targets.
- Solid Week 1 for NC State’s starters: QB Grayson McCall 26/40 318yds, 3TD; RB Jordan Waters 20-123-2; WR KC Concepcion 9-121-3; TE Justin Joly 5-75.
- Good start to the 2024 season for two new Arkansas transfer additions: QB Taylen Green 16/23 229 yds 2 TD, 6-88-2 rushing; RB Ja’Quinden Jackson 8-101-2.
- Colorado’s offense seems to be an exact copy of last year…all pass, no run. QB Shedeur Sanders will get his yards because they will be throwing a lot, but I just wonder what happens if they start a downward spiral like last year. I am not worried about Travis Hunter. He looks to be a better receiver than DB…which says a lot, and he is going to be Sanders’ #1 RZ target. Big numbers for Hunter ahead. After Week 1, Jimmy Horn looks like the Buffs’ next-best fantasy asset.
- Leading up to the season, the Missouri backfield situation was intriguing with transfers Marcus Carroll and Nate Noel. Noel was a Week 1 standout for me, getting a majority of the early work and finishing with 48 yards and a TD on eleven rush attempts, and he caught 4 passes for 20 yards. His dual-threat ability in that offense makes him a very appealing fantasy asset.
- It would be nice to know when Minnesota RB Darius Taylor will return because Marcus Major will do the heavy lifting until that happens.
- Illinois WR Zakhari Franklin was getting glazed in preseason camp, but Pat Bryant was the Week 1 standout (5-63-2). Both Bryant and Franklin were targeted 5 times.
- Utah RB Dijon Stanley will get a lot of waiver wire consideration after totaling 184 yards of offense and scoring 2 TD on nine touches. For some, his upside will be worth the waiver investment. For others, he’s at least earned a spot on the Watch List.
- I never considered Michigan State QB Aidan Chiles a fantasy option this year, unless in a deep leagues, and now I would say real deep leagues. And as long as Nate Carter and Kay’ron Lynch-Adams are sharing backfield duties, I’m think they will neutralize one another as a fantasy option this year.
- I am not super-high on Oklahoma RB Gavin Sawchuk this year, and I regretfully moved him up in my rankings in late July, but Jovantae Barnes looked good, and I am not quite certain that offense is going to ride any one back as long as everyone stays healthy. WR Deion Burks was the obvious standout in the passing game (6-36-3), but TE Bauer Sharp was a surprise with 5 receptions for 47 yards and a TD on six targets.
- Duke WR Jordan Moore finished 7-112-0 on 12 targets.
- Split backfield at Wisconsin: Chez Mellusi 19-74-1; Tawee Walker 15-66-1. Can Mellusi stay healthy this year? I have a lot of Walker shares because I have my doubts about Mellusi holding up.
- TCU targets at Stanford: Savion Williams (15) 11-85-1; Jack Bech (9) 6-139-1; JP Richardson (8) 6-105-0.
- I am not feeling any more optimistic about Stanford QB Ashton Daniels than I did in 2023…Justin Lamson’s presence continues to be a thing.
- We may not have gotten much clarity in the Louisville backfield, but Ja’Corey Brooks is Tyler Shough’s top target. Jadon Thompson caught three passes for 44 yards and 2 TDs, and he looks like the second-best option.
- Virginia Tech QB Kyron Drones (22/33 322 yards, 2 TD, 19 rush yards) and RB Bhayshul Tuten (9-34-1 rushing, 6-18-1 receiving) posted respectable fantasy numbers, but the Hokies were a bit underwhelming. Hopefully, a Week 2 matchup against Marshall will help.
- Hudson Card had one of the more impressive stat lines of the weekend: 24-of-25 for 273 yards and 4 TDs.
- Maryland WR Tai Felton was a Week 1 standout with 7 receptions for 178 yards and 2 TDs.
- Iowa RB Kamari Moulton was named the starter and he finished with 65 rushing yards on 19 attempts. Kaleb Johnson (11-119-2) scored two fourth-quarter rushing TDs when the score was 26-0. Will Johnson get more work next week against Iowa State? What seems clear is that projected preseason starter Leshon Williams is droppable.
- Nate Frazier RB2 for Georgia behind Trevor Etienne? Because I have shares of both TE Benjamin Yurosek and Oscar Delp, I was very aware that Lawson Luckie (2 rec. for 37 yards) was the only TE to catch a pass.
- I don’t think we should overreact to the lack of offense Clemson displayed against Georgia. It was Georgia. Let’s see how the Tigers perform against Appalachian State next week.
- Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava may spread the ball around quite a bit this year, but the Vols’ receiving corpse will be better fantasy assets than they were last year. I am not sure there there are many leagues in which I do not own RB Dylan Sampson. I feel good about my heavy investment.
- Hopefully, Penn State’s WR1 will actually be a fantasy factor this year. Great start for Harrison Wallace III (5-117-2).
- Oklahoma State WR Rashod Owens (5-81-1) had more fantasy points than teammate De’Zhaun Stribling, but Stribling (6-83-0) had more targets (8 to 5).
- Cincinnati RB Corey Kiner getting only 7 rush attempts against Towson was disappointing, but I do not expect a lot of RB rotation next week when the Bearcats host Pitt.
- Have we been bamboozled by preseason reports that came out of Washington State? Josh Meredith only had two targets against Portland State, while teammates Kyle Williams and Kris Hutson were targeted at least 5 times. I think you have to hold Meredith for another week, but I expect many fantasy owners balking at the decision to start him against Texas Tech next week.
- After catching 81 passes for 1,191 yards last year at James Madison, Indiana WR Elijah Sarratt finished with 2 receptions for 12 yards against FIU, and he was only targeted three times.
- Nebraska WR Isaiah Neyor emerged as QB Dylan Raiola’s top target in Week 1, finishing with 6 receptions for 121 yards and a TD in the win over UTEP.
- Not an encouraging start for Iowa State RB Abu Sama III (5-36-0), as four ISU running backs had at least three of the Cyclones’ 22 total rush attempts in the 21-3 win over North Dakota.
- Miami RB Damien Martinez carried the ball 15 times for 65 yards in the Hurricanes’ 41-17 win at Florida, while teammate Mark Fletcher Jr. scored 2 rushing TDs on seven rush attempts, one of which was from 1-yard out. Will Fletcher vulture the goal line opportunities?
- I would not feel confident having Florida assets right now.
- I am not concerned with Texas RB Jaydon Blue’s lack of fantasy production in the Longhorns’ 52-0 win over Colorado State. Preseason injuries have them thin on experience at the position and this was the type of matchup to get a live look at the younger talent. I think we’ll see a lot of Blue next week when Texas travels to Michigan.
- Ohio State freshman WR Jeremiah Smith was certainly a Week 1 standout, but I cannot say that I ‘love’ any specific Ohio State player as a fantasy asset right now. A Week 2 matchup against Western Michigan should allow them to spread the ball around once again.
- In 2-QB leagues, I can see Mississippi State QB Blake Shapen being a starting option in the next couple of weeks.
- Oregon State RBs Jam Griffin (20-160-2) and Anthony Hankerson (24-155-2) split backfield duties. Given the Oregon State schedule, I can see some fantasy potential here, especially if one of the two emerge as THE GUY.
- One of the more disappointing performances in Week 1 was that by the Houston offense. Wow! Parker Jenkins 17 yards on two rushing attempts. Perhaps, new head Willie Fritz has more work ahead of him than we thought.
- I am not feeling the Ole Miss backfield situation. I think they will just try to let Dart add to his TD totals when they get to the goal line.
- Don’t think we learned anything new about the Alabama WR situation other than Ryan Williams confirming that he will be a stud.
- Texas Tech WR Josh Kelly was targeted 13 times in Saturday’s game against Abilene Christian and caught ten passes for 156 yards and a TD. Coy Eakin caught 5 passes for 76 yards and 2 TDs, while hyped up freshman Micah Hudson barely played.
- I’m not very optimistic about the Michigan backfield situation heading into this week’s matchup against Texas.
- I do not think anyone thought Oregon would start the 4th quarter of their matchup against Idaho on 14 points. WR Tez Johnson caught 12 of his 13 targets for 81 yards and 2 TDs. Evan Stewart had 5 targets, as did RBs Jordan James and Noah Whittington, while TE Terrance Ferguson had eight targets.
- Arizona QB Noah Fifita and WR Tetairoa McMillan are off to a fast start. All four of Fifita’s TD passes went to McMillan, who finished with 10 receptions for 304 yards.
- In Washington’s win over Weber State, Giles Jackson was targeted 10 times and Denzel Boston eight times, while Jeremiah Hunter was only targeted twice.
Group 5
- Central Michigan RB Myles Bailey feels like a solid fantasy option next week at FIU if Marion Lukes is going to miss another game.
- Bowling Green RB Terion Stewart (14-161-3) should be a productive fantasy option in MAC play, but the Falcons travel to Penn State next week. TE Harold Fanin’s owners received some reassurance with his team-leading six targets against Fordham.
- Two fumbles in the rain for UAB RB Lee Beebe, but he still finished with 78 yards and 2 TDs on 15 carries, while teammate Isaiah Jacobs finished 12-58-0.
- Tulsa’s projected WR1 Kamdyn Benjamin with a fast start to the season, 5-65-1 and a PR TD. QB Kirk Francis was the standout, completing 23-of-30 passes for 299 yards and 4 TDs.
- Tulane RB Makhi Hughes only 14-59-1 against SELA, but no worry here, even though the Wave play Kansas State next week.
- RB Ahmad Hardy was a Week 1 standout for LA Monroe (19-103-1), but I am passing on him with much tougher schedule on the horizon.
- San Jose State RB Floyd Chalk was productive in the second half of the Spartans’ win over Portland State, finishing 18-87-2, and he distinguished himself from teammate Jabari Bates. While there might be concerns about running game consistency, WR Nick Nash has the look of a consistent fantasy option.
- FAU WR Omari Hayes finishing 5-74-0 at Michigan State was encouraging for his future fantasy potential.
- Western Michigan RB Jalen Buckley’s owners have to feel great about his fantasy potential this year after his productive outing at Wisconsin (16-64-2).
- Eastern Michigan WR Oran Singleton was targeted 10 times and caught 8 passes for 89 yards and a TD against UMass.
- Air Force Dylan Carson had 7 rushing attempts on the first drive of the game, but suffered an injury and never returned. Now we wait to learn if he was held out as a precaution or if the injury was a little more serious. Owen Allen (16-63-0) is most likely the next man up.
- Add Northern Illinois QB Ethan Hampton (18/20 328 yards, 5 TDs) to your watchlist. NIU has Notre Dame next week, but Hampton could become an option as the Huskies get into MACtion.
- Miami, Ohio’s WR1 is always roster worthy, and Cade McDonald had 8 catches for 105 yards against Northwestern.
- There were two standout performers in Ohio’s 38-22 loss at Syracuse: RB Anthony Tyrus III, who carried the ball 16 for 203 yards and 2 TDs, and WR Coleman Owen, who was targeted 14 times and caught 10 passes for 137 yards.
- Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty’s stat line is the reason why we love College Fantasy Football: 20 carries for 267 yards and 6 TDs.
- Old Dominion WR Isiah Page was targeted 14 times in the Monarchs’ 23-19 loss at South Carolina, and caught 8 passes for 115 yards and a TD.
- North Texas WR Damon Ward Jr. was targeted 15 times against South Alabama and finished with 12 receptions for 230 yards and 2 TDs.
- Stone Earle got the nod at quarterback for Marshall and threw 2 TD passes and rushed for 55 yards before turning the game over to Braylon Braxton with a 24-0 lead in the third quarter.
- Not sure if there is anything on Sam Houston State WR Noah Smith out there that I do not know about, but he was only targeted two times against Rice. Smith was targeted 101 times last year.
- Texas State WRs Joey Hobert, Kole Wilson, and Jaden Williams all had at least 8 targets in the Bobcats’ win over Lamar.
- San Diego State RB Marquez Cooper had 30 touches in Saturday’s win over Texas A&M-Commerce (27-223-2 rushing, 3-10-0 receiving).
- It seems that Kyrese White (3-131-2) is going to be the complement to Jalen Royals in the Aggies’ offense.
I hope everyone has a nice Labor Day Weekend. For me, it’s time to work on Week 2 content and projections.
Joe D
