Week 5 Notes & Observations

 

Power 5

  • After accounting for at least 3 TDs in each of the Cavaliers’ first three games of the year, QB Brennan Armstrong has only accounted for 3 TDs in the past two games, and he failed to reach the 300-yard passing mark for the first time Thursday night at Miami.  TE Jelani Woods did not play.
  • Miami was feeding RB Jaylan Knighton is his first game back from suspension, but it was Cam’Ron Harris that carried the rushing attack, racking up 111 yards and 2 TDs against Virginia.
  • Maryland WR Dontay Demus injured his knee in Friday nights game at Iowa and it looked season-ending. 
  • Baylor Romney got the start at quarterback for BYU since starter Jaren Hall was injured, but didn’t play in the second half after suffering a concussion at the end of the first half.
  • Pitt QB Kenny Pickett has thrown 4 TD passes in three consecutive games and WR Jordan Addison has three consecutive 100-yard receiving games, and has caught a TD pass in all five games this season.  TE Lucas Krull has caught a TD pass in four of five games.
  • Duke RB Mataeo Durant failed to score in his fifth consecutive game, but he did top the 100-yard rushing mark for the fourth time this year.  
  • North Carolina WR Josh Downs has caught at least 8 passes and a TD in all five games this year.  RB Ty Chandler has now scored in three of the Tar Heels’ last four games.
  • Opposing RBs seem to be a ‘must-start’ against Missouri this year.
  • Tennessee WR Velus Jones has topped the 60-yard mark in three consecutive games and has caught a TD pass in two of the last three.  WR JaVonta Payton has caught a TD pass in three consecutive games, but he only has 8 receptions in four games.
  • Illinois RB Chase Brown returned from injury and ran for 257 yards and 2 TDs, so I believe many fantasy owners that were on Josh McCray will be off of him this week.
  • Purdue made the switch to Aidan O’Connell at quarterback, and while his numbers looked good (34/52 for 371 yards and a TD), the Biolermakers still lost at home to Minnesota.
  • It has been a long time since I have had ‘zero’ interest in any single player on the Wisconsin roster.
  • TCU WR Quentin Johnston was injured just before halftime in Saturday’s game against Texas and I do not think he returned.  Look for an update this week.
  • Louisville QB Malik Cunningham has scored two rushing TDs in all five games this season.
  • Wake forest RB Justice Ellison has scored a rushing TD in three straight games.  WR Jaquarii Roberson has topped the 90-yard mark in three of the last four games.
  • USC WR Drake London has caught at least 9 passes for 130 yards in each of the Trojans’ last three games.  Teammate Gary Bryant Jr. has caught a TD pass in three consecutive games.  
  • Notre Dame RB Kyren Williams has rushed for fewer than 50 yards in three of five games this year.  TE Michael Mayer has caught 7 or more passes in four of five games this year.
  • Syracuse QB Garrett Shrader has scored at least 2 rushing TDs in three straight games.  RB Sean Tucker has rushed for at least 100 yards in four of five games this year, but Saturday’s matchup at Florida State was the first game this year Tucker did not score a TD.
  • Florida State RB Jashaun Corbin has scored a TD in four of five games this year.
  • Ohio State QB CJ Stroud looked good in his return to the lineup, passing for 330 yards and 5 TDs in the Buckeyes’ win at Rutgers.  Stroud has thrown at least 3 TD passes in three of his four starts.  RB TreVeyon Henderson has scored a TD in all five games this year.
  • Texas Tech WR Erik Ezukanma did not play in the Red Raiders’ game at West Virginia.  Teammate Kaylon Geiger has caught at least five passes for 80 yards in three consecutive games.  
  • West Virginia RB Leddie Brown has gotten at least 15 carries in all five games this year, but he has only topped the 75-yard mark one time.  He has scored a TD in four of five games and has caught at least 2 passes in every game.  
  • Kansas State RB Deuce Vaughn has totaled at least 90 yards of offense and scored a TD in all five games this year.
  • Oregon RB Travis Dye’s stock immediately rises with the injury to CJ Verdell.  Verdell could be out for the year with a leg injury. 
  • Stanford WR Elijah Higgins has caught a TD pass in each of the Cardinal’s last three games.  
  • Ole Miss WR Jadon Jackson caught 4 passes for 30 yards against Alabama.  He looks like the option to replace injured Jonathan Mingo, who is out indefinitely with a broken bone in his foot.
  • Apparently, Cal RB Damien Moore had another fumble, which led to him not be used much in Saturday’s loss to Washington State.  Last week, Moore fumbled at the one yard line as the Bears were attempting to tie the game in overtime at Washington.  
  • After two average performances to start the year, Iowa State RB Breece Hall has rushed for 100 yards and two TDs in each of the Cyclones’ last three games.
  • Oklahoma State RB Jaylen Warren has averaged 31.7 rush attempts per game over the last three games.
  • Mississippi State WR Makai Polk has caught at least 8 passes in four of five games this year and has caught a TD pass in three consecutive games.  
  • Given Clemson’s upcoming schedule, RB Kobe Pace (19-125-1 vs. BC) should get some attention on the waiver wire if he is available.
  • Boston College RB Pat Garwo III has scored a TD in four of five games this season.
  • Michigan State WR Jayden Reed has scored in four of five games this season and is averaging 23.2 yards per catch.
  • Penn State WR Jahan Dotson has caught a TD pass in all five games this season.
  • Washington RB Sean McGrew has scored 2 TDs in three consecutive games.
  • Oregon State RB BJ Baylor has scored 2 rushing TDs in four of five games this season.  
  • LSU WR Kayshon Boutte has caught aa TD pass in all five games this season.
  • UCLA RB Zach Charbonnet had scored a rushing TD in every game this year until Saturday’s loss to Arizona State.  WR Kyle Philips has caught a TD pass in four consecutive games.
  • Arizona State RB Rachaad White has scored a TD in every game this season and has scored 2 or more TDs in four of five. 

 

 

Group 5

  • Houston RB Alton McCaskill has three multiple-TD games this year and has gotten at least 16 carries in each of the past three games.  WR Nathaniel Dell has caught at least 6 passes in four of five games.
  • Memphis WR Calvin Austin had his 4-game scoring streak snapped in the Tigers’ 34-31 loss at Temple, but he did top the 100-yard receiving mark for the fourth consecutive week.
  • Western Michigan WR Skyy Moore has caught at least 9 passes in three consecutive games.  RB LaDarius Jefferson has scored a TD in all five games this year.
  • Last week, I mentioned that Appalachian State RB Camerun Peoples did not have a carry after his second-half fumble against Marshall.  Well, there could have been more to it than a coach’s decision to bench him.  Peoples did not play in Saturday’s game at Georgia State and there seem to be some chatter about him having an ankle issue.  I do not have anything credible, but that’s all I have right now.  
  • Northern Illinois RB Harrison Waylee was injured in Saturday’s game against EMU or was taking an injury into the game, but he only had 13 rushing attempts while teammates Antario Brown (16-101) and Clint Ratkovich (19-49-1) combined for 150 yards on 35 carries.   
  • Coastal Carolina RB Shermari Jones missed another game and redshirt freshman Barydon Bennett finished with 76 yards and 2 TDs in the Chanticleers’ win over UL Monroe.  I would not be surprised to see Bennett open the 2022 season as the team’s RB1. 
  • Ohio RB De’Montre Tuggle had 201 yards rushing against Akron on Saturday.  He has to impress in his next game before I can get behind starting him with confidence.  
  • Central Michigan could not get anything going on the ground at Miami, OH and RB Lew Nichols was held to 21 yards on 12 carries.  WR JaCorey Sullivan has caught a TD pass in all five games this year.  Teammate Dallas Dixon has posted back-to-back 100 yard receiving games and has caught a TD pass in three of the last four.  
  • East Carolina RB Keaton Mitchell has rushed for at least 125 yards and a TD in three consecutive games.  
  • UCF RB Isaiah Bowser and WR Jaylon Robinson both missed Saturday’s game at Navy with injuries.  
  • Tai Lavatai got the start at quarterback for Navy against UCF and carried the ball 21 times for 57 yards and 2 TDs, while leading the Midshipmen to a 34-30 win.
  • Boise State Khalil Shakir caught 4 passes for 70 yards and a TD against Nevada, but I believe he left the game early due to an injury.  
  • FIU WR Tyrese Chambers has now caught a TD pass in four of five games.
  • SMU RB Ulysses Bentley has reportedly been dealing with a slight injury and missed Saturday’s game against South Florida. 
  • Ball State RB Carson Steele has scored a TD in four of five games this year, but he hasn’t topped the 20-yard mark in three of five.
  • UTSA WR Zachary Franklin did not play in the Road Runners’ game against UNLV.  He went through warmups and was dressed, but was held out because he was a little dinged up (injury unknown).
  • Marshall RB Rasheen Ali has scored two or more TDs in four of five games this season.  WR Corey Gammage has caught at least 7 passes in four of five games.
  • Middle Tennessee RB Chaton Mobley rushed for 132 yards in the Blue Raiders’ win over Marshall, but there is no interest to add him on waivers because that running game is too inconsistent. 
  • Now the real fun begins with the Western Kentucky offense as they head into conference play.  
  • I’ve come to accept that the Louisiana Lafayette running game is not going to produce a consistent fantasy back this season. 
  • Seems as if UTEP has gone back to giving RB Deion Hankins the lion’s share of carries in the Miners’ backfield (22-70-1 vs. Old Dominion).
  • Hawaii RB Calvin Turner has scored a rushing TD in all five games this season and has caught at least four passes in every game.
  • Fresno State WR Jalen Cropper has caught a TD pass in all six games this season.