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:
Noah Fifita, Arizona – Six passing touchdowns in the last two games, and at least three passing touchdowns in four of his five starts in place of Jayden de Laura. Gets a matchup this week with a Colorado defense that has allowed the second most fantasy points in the country to opposing quarterbacks.
Running Backs:
Phil Mafah, Clemson – The Mafah > Shipley truthers are celebrating after this week with the junior running back rumbling for 188 yards and two scores on 35 carries against a very good Notre Dame front. We’ll see on the status of Shipley this week, but tough to imagine it’ll be a full workload should he return against Georgia Tech coming out of concussion protocol. If Shipley is out, wheels up for Mafah against a defense that allows 21.2 FPPG to RB1s.
Malik Sherrod, Fresno State – 22 or more fantasy points in four of the last five games for Sherrod who took the starting job away from Elijah Gilliam midseason. If Sherrod isn’t getting the job done on the ground, his usage in the passing game increases his fantasy value with 18 targets in the last three games.
Wide Receivers:
Trayvon Rudolph, Northern Illinois – This is the version of Trayvon Rudolph we saw as a freshman in 2021. 23 of his season-long 52 targets have come in the last two games with over 200 receiving yards. Ball State has allowed four different receivers to score 20 or more fantasy points against them this season.
Eugene Wilson, Florida – Star in the making. The 5-star freshman has been outstanding the last month of the season with 33 receptions and four touchdowns in the last four games with an 88.2% catch rate.
Elijah Sarratt, James Madison – The JMU passing game is rolling lately, with Sarratt emerging as the team’s WR1 in the last month with at least eight targets in each of the last four games. Smooth sailing the rest of the way for this entire JMU offense with Connecticut, Coastal Carolina and Appalachian State to close the year.
Tez Johnson, Oregon – We’ve seen some separation at receiver for Oregon with Troy Franklin and Tez Johnson now combining for 41% of the team’s target share and 57% of the receiving touchdowns. Johnson had a career day with 180 yards and two scores on 13 targets. He’s now got at least six catches in each of the last four games. No explanation needed to tell you how good the matchup is next week against USC.
Worth A Look
If you have the roster room, these prospects are worth a look.
Quarterbacks:
E.J. Warner, Temple – Warner made his return from injury and didn’t miss a beat, completing 76% of his passes for 394 yards and four touchdowns. Great streaming option this week against a South Florida defense that has allowed the most fantasy points in the country to quarterbacks.
Running Backs:
Marion Lukes, Central Michigan – No Myles Bailey against NIU, which left all the carries to Marion Lukes who rumbled for 202 yards and a touchdown on 21 attempts. Unknown status on Bailey as of now, but this was a 50-50 split prior to the injury. Should Lukes get the start again on Tuesday, he faces a Western Michigan defense that has allowed four running backs to score 23 or more fantasy points this season.
Mario Anderson, South Carolina – Anderson was a popular streaming option this past week against Jacksonville State and delivered with 15.5 fantasy points and 75 yards on the ground. He’ll remain on your roster this week against a Vanderbilt defense that has been dominated by SEC running backs, particularly this past week with a season-high 32 fantasy points from Jarquez Hunter.
Nay’Quan Wright, South Florida – Those that added Wright this week expected a lot more against one of the worst rush defense in the country. Another bite at the apple this week against Temple which allows the fifth most fantasy points to running backs in the country.
Gavin Sawchuk, Oklahoma – Don’t ask me to predict the Oklahoma backfield each week, because I don’t believe a fortune teller could do it either. Sawchuk seems to be the name trending up most of late with a rushing touchdown in each of the last three games. It makes the most sense (to me) for this coaching staff to start riding their underclassmen now that the Sooners have been eliminated from CFP contention.
Kaden Feagin, Illinois – No other running back for Illinois recorded a carry against Minnesota as the 4-star freshman had 89 yards on the ground with three catches for 59 yards and a score as a receiver out of the backfield. Gets a matchup with Indiana this week who allows 15.9 FPPG to opposing RB1s.
Jaylan Knighton, SMU – Did you see what UTSA did to the North Texas defense this past weekend? The Mustangs might lean on the run game this week depending on the health status of Preston Stone who left the game against Rice in the 4th quarter and did not return. North Texas allows the most fantasy points in college football to running backs.
Mark Fletcher, Miami – It was only a matter of time this was going to happen. The 4-star freshman has taken over the Miami backfield, rushing for 115 yards on 23 attempts with both Henry Parrish and Don Chaney Jr. combining for five carries. Tough next two weeks with Florida State and Louisville but could be a starter for your lineup in the finale against Boston College should he remain the workhorse like we expect.
Wide Receivers:
Daniel George, Akron – Who’d have thought that George’s production would be better with a backup quarterback under center. The last three weeks have been what we thought we’d get the entire season from the former Penn State transfer with 38 combined targets.
Will Pauling, Wisconsin – Tough day for the Badgers against a mediocre Indiana defense, but slot-man Will Pauling continued his strong stretch of performances with three touchdowns in the last three games. He’s now also hit double-digit targets in four of the last five.
Tight Ends:
Sam Roush, Stanford – Still no Ben Yurosek who is out with injury, and they don’t need to rush him back either with the performance of the sophomore tight end with 18 targets in the last two games. Season-high seven receptions on eight targets against Washington State.
Longshots
Need to see more from these guys before pulling the trigger unless you are in the deepest of leagues.
Quarterbacks:
Gunnar Watson, Troy – Didn’t think Gunnar Watson would ever appear on this list but can’t ignore what he’s done the last two weeks against good defenses with a combined 58 fantasy points scored against Texas State and South Alabama – two teams going to bowl games in 2023. Louisiana-Monroe is not. Potential streaming option if in dire need.
Running Backs:
Jaquez Moore, Duke – We’re going to see double-digit carries from both Jordan Waters and Jaquez Moore the rest of the season, as I doubt we see Riley Leonard again in 2023. Moore had another good day on Friday with 76 yards and a TD on 11 attempts. Great matchup against a North Carolina defense giving up nearly 30 fantasy points a game to opposing backfields.
Emmett Johnson, Nebraska – Third game in a row that Johnson led the Nebraska backfield in rushing attempts, now with 26 fantasy points combined in the last two weeks. Home bout with Maryland this week who allows 13.6 FPPG to RB1s.
Ron Wiggins, Jacksonville State – Wiggins got the starting nod against South Carolina and shouldered the workload with 90 rushing yards on 17 attempts. Malik Jackson had just one carry on the day (not sure why). Strong matchup this week against Louisiana Tech if Wiggins gets another start.
Brandon Thomas, Memphis – Blake Watson injured his leg late in the matchup with USF, so we’ll have to check his availability for this week against Charlotte. Thomas, since coming back from injury, now has scored six rushing touchdowns in the last three games.
Zak Wallace, Arkansas State – Turns out Wallace loves the state of Louisiana. Over 200 rushing yards and three scores the last two weeks against Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana-Lafayette. Last resort type of add with a bad matchup this week against South Alabama.
Ty’Son Lawton, James Madison – Starter Kaelon Black suffered a first quarter injury and did not return against Georgia State. No clarity updated after the game by the JMU coaching staff. Lawton, the team’s RB2, got the lion’s share of work the rest of the way with 94 yards on 18 attempts. Remember last year with Percy Agyei-Obese being a staple in CFF lineups during the playoffs? Might we see something similar here with Lawton if Black is out long-term?
Sean Dollars, Nevada – You have some brass you know what if you start Sean Dollars in a first-round CFF playoff matchup. But the former Oregon transfer did find the end-zone twice this past week against Hawaii, and now has a matchup with a Utah State team that allows the third most fantasy points to running backs in college football.
Jahiem White, West Virginia – This is more a dynasty add than redraft, but the 4-star freshman has asserted himself as the team’s RB2 the last two games with 232 rushing yards. CJ Donaldson had some NIL offers from other teams this past offseason to enter the transfer portal. Does that happen again this offseason?
Wide Receivers:
Chris Lewis, Troy – Three receiving touchdowns on five targets for the 6-foot-4 sophomore who now has five TDs in the last four games. Louisiana-Monroe is allowing the 17th most fantasy points to receivers in college football.
Jamaal Pritchett, South Alabama – Modest day from Pritchett with 59 yards on six receptions but did have seven targets still with a backup QB under center. Top heavy target share for South Alabama with Pritchett and Caullin Lacy combining for 54%.
Leon Johnson, Oklahoma State – No Jaden Bray again this week, and not sure he’d get his starting job back the way Johnson is playing, with 70 yards and five receptions on eight targets. The starting receivers for Oklahoma State – Johnson, Presley, Owens – combined for 23 of the 28 receptions on Saturday with no other receiver garnering a single target.
