QUARTERBACKS
Michael Pratt, Tulane
True freshman Michael Pratt replaced Keon Howard at quarterback and led the Green wave to a 66-24 win over Southern Miss. Pratt completed 8-of-18 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 40 yards and a score on the ground. After an off week, Tulane travels to Houston for a Thursday night matchup, so Pratt will have an extra week to prepare for his first collegiate start.
Collin Hill, South Carolina
In the Gamecocks’ season opener against Tennessee, Collin Hill completed 25-of-39 passes for 290 yards and accounted for two touchdowns, one passing and one rushing. Many fantasy owners probably took a wait-and-see approach with the graduate transfer after he was named the starting quarterback, but after Saturday night’s performance, Hill seems locked into the starting role.
RUNNING BACKS
Sean Tucker, Syracuse
The Syracuse offense had not given us much to be excited about after two games, but Sean Tucker did his best on Saturday to change our minds. In the Orange’s 37-20 win over Georgia Tech, Tucker carried the ball 24 times for 112 yards and scored two touchdowns. The 5-foot-10 and 202-pound freshman back will likely remain atop the depth chart for the team’s matchup against Duke, but the acquisition must be viewed as a long term play because Syracuse have a bye in Week 5.
Cameron Carroll, Tulane
Sophomore running back Cameron Carroll has scored at least two touchdowns in each of Tulane’s first three games and leads the nation with eight touchdowns. In the Green Wave’s 66-24 win over Southern Miss, Carroll carried the ball 15 times for 163 yards and three touchdowns. There are more than enough carries to go around in Tulane’s run-heavy system, and at the very least, Carroll should be the offense’s No. 1 option around the goal line.
RECEIVERS
Josh Ali, Kentucky
While we can debate who is the top option in the Kentucky backfield, it seems quite clear who their No. 1 option in the passing game is going to be in 2020. In Saturday’s 29-13 loss at Auburn, senior Josh Ali was targeted 13 times and caught nine passes for 98 yards. With the Wildcats scheduled to face Ole Miss and Mississippi State in the next two weeks, Ali will be needed in the passing game.
KeSean Carter, Texas Tech
We knew that T.J. Vasher and Erik Ezukanma would be top targets for quarterback Alan Bowman this season, but after two games, there seems to be a better fantasy receiver on the roster. Junior KeSean Carter leads the team in receptions (13), receiving yards (163) and touchdowns (3).
Billy Kemp IV, Virginia
It was a no-brainer projecting Terrell Jana as one of the Cavaliers’ top receivers heading into 2020. Jana is the team’s top returner at the position, having caught 73 passes for 878 yards and three touchdowns last year. In Saturday’s 38-20 win over Duke teammate Level Davis was the standout of the day, catching four passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns. However, hidden in Kemp’s stat line of seven catches for 70 yards is the fact that he was targeted a team-high 13 times by quarterback Brennan Armstrong. If Kemp is going to get that much attention in the passing game, he will be a nice addition for fantasy owners in PPR formats.