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:
Emmett Brown, San Jose State – The Spartans are now 8th nationally in pass yards per game and 10th in attempts per after their overtime loss to Washington State where Brown scored 44 fantasy points, throwing four touchdowns for the second straight game. No reason to think Brown slows down in MWC when throwing to a receiver like Nick Nash with this kind of passing volume each week. SJSU is on bye this week.
Running Backs:
RB Braedon Sloan, Ball State – Just above the 30% ownership threshold so we’ll include Sloan one last time on here. Great volume share again this week in the loss to CMU with 19 rushing attempts, five targets and no other running back having more than three carries in the game. He’s a clear cut RB1 for the Cardinals.
Kalel Mullings, Michigan – Shocked honestly to see Mullings with just 26% ownership on Fantrax still given what he’s done this season already. We were under the impression this would be a split backfield with Donovan Edwards the entire season, but you’re *really* starting to see separation as to who the best back on the roster is. Even HC Sherrone Moore came out after the game and called Mullings the RB1.
Micah Bernard, Utah – Bernard is no longer Utah’s third-down, pass catching option out of the backfield. The senior is a legitimate RB1 and workhorse this season, now with three-straight 100-yard performances. Like Mullings, I’m shocked to see Bernard does not have more ownership on Fantrax.
Wide Receivers:
Cade McDonald, Miami (Ohio) – We knew that McDonald would likely be a sit this week on the road at Notre Dame. But the volume is extremely promising with eight targets vs. the Irish. McDonald is now averaging 9.3 targets per contest through three games and Miami (Ohio) gets UMass this week before hitting MACtion.
Worth A Look
If you have the roster room, these prospects are worth a look.
Quarterbacks:
Alonza Barnett, James Madison – If you remember back to last season under the previous coaching staff, Barnett beat out Jordan McCloud coming out of fall camp. He wound up losing the job, obviously, but there’s obvious talent there if you beat out a top 5 fantasy QB from a year ago. 67 fantasy points with seven touchdowns in the shocking win over North Carolina Saturday. We’ll put Barnett here as his Week 2 performance with seven fantasy points against Gardner Webb doesn’t scream weekly starter, but he’s a priority add in any dynasty formats.
Tyler Huff, Jacksonville State – Huff is now firmly entrenched as JSU’s QB1, now with 29 or more fantasy points in each of the last three games. Schedule is pretty clear moving forward with all Conference USA opponents remaining.
Maalik Murphy, Duke – Impressive Duke offense so far, led by Murphy, who has now scored over 23 fantasy points in all four games this season. His next opponent? A team that gave up 70 points to James Madison on Saturday.
Kevin Jennings, SMU – It was all about the run game for SMU on Saturday, but Jennings still managed 21 fantasy points in the win over TCU. Most notably, Preston Stone did not play at all. Looks like Jennings is the full-time starter moving forward.
Running Backs:
Fluff Bothwell, South Alabama – Last chance at being able to add the true freshman who was the talk of college football on Twitter (X) on Thursday night with his second consecutive 100-yard performance. Kentrell Bullock is still in the mix and Braylon McReynolds will return at some point, but there’s an evident gap in terms of talent here. LSU is the matchup this week so might have to sit Bothwell for one game before USA gets back into conference play.
Rahsul Faison, Utah State – Faison has been excellent the last two games, surpassing 100+ yards against Utah and Temple, while getting a season-high 26 rushing attempts. We like Faison so long as Robert Briggs remains out due to injury. Will have to check on his status this week.
Star Thomas, Duke – CFF is crazy sometimes. Star Thomas was an afterthought at New Mexico State last season. Now he’s taken hold of the Duke RB1 job, rushing for 100+ in each of the last two games. I’d say its not sustainable given he did so against UConn and Middle Tennessee, but they might have better defenses than UNC right now, Thomas’ next opponent.
Wide Receivers:
Ismael Cisse, Stanford – Cisse has been impressive these last two games with 16 receptions on 18 targets and has surpassed Tiger Bachmeier as the team’s WR2 behind Elic Ayomanor. Cisse is a redraft candidate but a must-add in dynasty as Ayomanor will be off to the NFL Draft after this season.
Dante Wright, Temple – Three straight games now for Wright finding paydirt and has at least 99 yards in each of those weeks as well. Maybe Temple found something at quarterback in Evan Simon who threw for five scores in the win over Utah State (yikes Aggies). Wright is the clear WR1 for the Owls.
Eric McAlister, TCU – The Boise State transfer has come on in recent weeks as his routes run per game have steadily increased. McAlister found the end-zone in each of the last two games with a season-best 114 receiving yards vs. SMU. This passing game becomes increasingly more valuable for TCU each week because the Frogs cannot run the football.
Adrian Norton, Akron – The offseason hype surrounding Norton is coming to fruition as the sophomore now has a receiving touchdown in three straight games. Two of which coming against South Carolina and Rutgers. All MACtion from here on out for Akron.
Tight Ends:
Kenny Fletcher, Rutgers – Volume was minimal for Fletcher the first two weeks with a combined five targets but found the end-zone twice. This week, Fletcher failed to find paydirt yet was targeted eight times with seven receptions.
John Michael Gyllenborg, Wyoming – Horrendous start to the tenure of first-year head coach Jay Sawvel as the Cowboys have very little identity and are winless through the first four weeks. I think we can take advantage of those that gave up on Gyllenborg already, as he had a season-high five receptions on seven targets vs. UNT. Finally healthy after missing the first two games of the year.
Longshots
Need to see more from these guys before pulling the trigger unless you are in the deepest of leagues.
Quarterbacks:
Bert Emanuel Jr., Central Michigan – Just throwing Emanuel on here in case you have extra room on a roster. Joe Labas is still QB1, but Emanuel got playing time this week, rushing for 34 yards and two touchdowns. Knowing that he’s still with the team, maybe he will get a shot down the road in MACtion. And we know what he’s capable of.
Timmy McClain, Arkansas State – Similar to Emanuel, this is an add if you have the space. That’s two weeks in a row where McClain has now replaced Jaylen Raynor and looked like the better QB. Maybe Raynor turns it around in conference play, or maybe McClain takes over this job at some point during the season.
Running Backs:
Dante Dowdell, Nebraska – Notable that just two Nebraska running backs had rushing attempts vs. Illinois on Friday, with Dowdell out-carrying backup Rahmir Johnson 20-4. Not sure about Gabe Ervin Jr., but Emmett Johnson did play and did not receive a single attempt. Is this how the backfield will look moving forward?
Tre Stewart, Jacksonville State – Stewart has been the primary ball-carrier the last two weeks, rushing for 140 combined yards and three touchdowns. Stewart isn’t higher on the list because he’ll fight for carries with both Tyler Huff and Anwar Lewis. Does Andrew Paul make an appearance at some point this season as well?
Wide Receivers:
Elijah Metcalf, Marshall – The QB room is a disaster for Marshall, but Metcalf has been productive the last two weeks against both Virginia Tech and Ohio State with a combined 12 receptions on 19 targets. Marshall is done with P4 opponents now on the schedule.
Oran Singleton Jr., Eastern Michigan – 10 targets in back-to-back weeks for the Akron transfer. He’s surpassed 80 receiving yards in three of four games played this season.
Aaron Anderson, LSU – Things might get a bit muddier now that Chris Hilton is back in the mix, but Anderson has been LSU’s most consistent receiver outside of Kyren Lacy. At least five receptions in each of the first four games.
Kenny Odom, UTEP – Breakout performance from Odom against Colorado State with 7-128-2 on 12 targets. His 47 routes run were a season-high, and now has three touchdowns in the last two weeks. UTEP is averaging just 2.7 yards per carry this season, so the high passing volume could continue.
Eric Rivers, Florida International – Not sure how consistent this will be week-to-week since FIU is awful, but that’s now consecutive 100-yard performances for Rivers. He’s averaging over 19 yards per reception for the season.
Raylen Sharpe, Fresno State – The Missouri State transfer has taken over the starting slot role for Fresno, now with seven targets in each of the last two games. Ran a season-high 32 routes vs. New Mexico.
