Can the upcoming slate of college football games come close to matching last week’s memorable outcomes? Not likely. Even so, I will be watching all day and night.
College fantasy football playoffs are a month away, and wins are at a premium this time of the season. With so many top teams and primetime players on the sidelines, it is imperative that CFF diehards manage their starting lineups well.
I identified nine players, who are possibly available in your season-long CFF leagues (less than 50% rostership). Matt Hicks and I break down the upcoming College Fantasy Football slate on the CFF Week 8 show presented by the Rookie Big Board, and CFF fanatics in the Twitterverse provide insight and analysis for potential starters.
Enjoy my fellow CFF diehards!
Scholar’s CFF Serendipitous Starters: Week 8
QB Michael Pratt, Tulane vs. Memphis
O/U 56.5, Tulane -7.0
Opponent Defense: 301.4 PYPG and 15 P-TDs
@Fantrax Ownership: 25%
Ranked as the No. 25 team in the country, Tulane is 6-1 overall and 3-0 in the American Athletic Conference. The Green Wave average 33 ppg. and 420.3 ypg. The conductor of the Tulane offense is Michael Pratt, who has quietly been productive for CFF diehards. For the season, Pratt has scored 172 fantasy points, averaging 28.6 FPPG. Over the past two weeks, he produced 29.4 and 38.6 fantasy points on 655 passing yards, four aerial strikes, and three rush scores.
The Memphis’ secondary surrendered 40.6 and 25.1 fantasy points versus Clayton Tune and Holton Ahlers over the past two games. Pratt is playing better than both aforementioned quarterbacks and is in a smash spot this weekend. Start the Tulane signal caller with confidence.
QB Jayden Daniels, LSU vs. Mississippi
O/U 68, LSU -2.0
Opponent Defense: 202 PYPG and 7 P-TDs
@Fantrax Ownership: 46%
No one is likely going to believe me, but I planned on listing Jayden Daniels among last week’s sleepers. Regrettably, I chose Cooper Legas instead based on rostership…Ugh! I am still upset with my last-second switch. Daniels scored 54.3 fantasy points at Florida: He passed for 349 yards, rushed for 44, and totaled six touchdowns (three passing and three rushing). As a CFF signal caller, he is underrated this season. The Tigers’ dual threat has posted a 10:1 TD:INT ratio and scored six times on the ground. With so many teams off this week, Daniels offers a great option in the free-agent pool as a starter.
QB Kyle Vantrease, Georgia Southern at Old Dominion
O/U 67, Georgia Southern +2.5
Opponent Defense: 278.3 PYPG and 10 P-TDs
@Fantrax Ownership: 27%
Volume is king and no quarterback has thrown more passes (347) than Kyle Vantrease. He is also second in passing yards (2,512) and tied for tenth in touchdown passes (17). The Eagles will throw the football nearly another 50 times against the Monarchs, and Vantrease easily surpasses 25 fantasy points for the sixth time this season.
RB Sieh Bangura, Ohio vs. Northern Illinois
O/U 65.5, Ohio +3.0
Opponent Defense: 116.1 RYPG and 6 R-TDs
@Fantrax Ownership: 34%
I am going to feature Sieh Bangura in every weekly Cheat Sheet column until he is rostered in 50% of leagues. How can he still be available in so many? In the last three games, he has scored 23.9, 36.6 and 26.5 fantasy points in PPR-scoring formats. He is the CFF RB3, producing 86.9 points and averaging over 28 FPPG during his hot streak. Run to the waiver wire immediately and pick up the Bobcats’ bruising ball carrier now.
RB Damien Martinez, Oregon State vs. Colorado
O/U 48.5, Oregon State -23.5
Opponent Defense: 251 RYPG and 16 R-TDs
@Fantrax Ownership: 29%
Surprisingly, the Colorado’ run defense shut down California runner Jaydn Ott (47 rushing yards) last week. Have the Buffaloes fixed their run defense or is it an outlier performance by a bottom five unit? I’m leaning toward the latter of the options.
Colorado travels north to Cornwallis to take on the Beavers and Damien Martinez. Against Washington State last week, Martinez carried the pigskin 16 times for 111 yards, and in the past two outings, he has 194 rushing yards on 19 carries, scoring 25.4 fantasy points. The freshman appears to be the best option in the Beavers’ back field, and CFF diehards can place him in their lineups with conviction against the Buffaloes.
RB Devin Mockobee, Purdue at Wisconsin
O/U 51, Purdue +2.5
Opponent Defense: 114.4 RYPG and 10 R-TDs
@Fantrax Ownership: 8%
Believe it or not, Devin Mockobee has scored over 100 fantasy points and is the CFF RB58 for the season. More importantly, he has taken over the backfield duties at Purdue and is the CFF RB23 over the last three games, scoring 28.6, 14.6, and 18.7 fantasy points. In the three contests, the redshirt freshman has three scores and six receptions for 63 yards, which provides a nice fantasy floor each week.
Last week against Nebraska, he earned 30 carries and scampered for 178 yards. While the matchup does not appear strong for the Boilermakers, Mockobee is a nice Flex option for CFF fanatics this week.
WR Kaden Prather, West Virginia at Texas Tech
O/U 65.5, West Virginia +6.5
Opponent Defense: 220.5 PYPG and 7 P-TDs
@Fantrax Ownership: 22%
Looking at targets, Kaden Prather’s stat lines scream “start me” in CFF lineups. In the last four games, he has earned 11, 11, 8 and 10 targets and has 54 on the campaign. Despite all of the targets, the sophomore has only secured 36 passes for 369 yards and three touchdowns, averaging a paltry 10.3 ypc. with a longest of 25 yards. An advantageous game script foreshadows a big passing day for the Mountaineers and Prather against the Red Raiders.
WR Kody Epps, BYU at Liberty
O/U 58, BYU -7.0
Opponent Defense: 209.9 PYPG and 7 P-TDs
@Fantrax Ownership: 12%
All season, I held onto Cougars’ WR Puka Nacua, who finally exploded with 12 targets, eight receptions for 141 yards, and a touchdown last week. His teammate Kody Epps has quickly developed into a playmaker for BYU: He is the CFF WR44 with 112.3 fantasy points.
After seven games, Epps earned an 84.9 grade for his performance by PFF. Over the last three games, the 5’11” and 185-pounder has 18 catches for 301 yards and four scores. While the Flames likely focus on stopping Nacua, the freshman will be relied upon in the Cougars’ passing game.
WR Elijah Spencer, Charlotte vs. Florida International
O/U 63.5, Charlotte -14.5
Opponent Defense: 267 PYPG and 14 P-TDs
@Fantrax Ownership: 28%
If a CFF diehard has not watched a Charlotte game (other than me, who actually has?), the 49ers have a trio of nice playmakers (Grant DuBose, Victor Tucker and Elijah Spencer) to prop up the aerial assault with quarterback Chris Reynolds. Among the three, Elijah Spencer–CFF WR35 with 32 catches for 641 yards and four touchdowns–is the wide receiver on the 49ers to roster.
In three of the last four games, the sophomore speedster has eclipsed 20 fantasy points and scored in each game. Neither team has won a conference game and both employ poor defensive units. Expect the 49ers to throw the ball over 35 times, and Spencer to garner another eight targets.
Twitterverse on Fire!
CFF Positional Battles for Week 8 Matchups:
Who Ya Got at Quarterback?
- Michael Pratt, Tulane: 25%
- Kurtis Rourke, Ohio: 36%
- DJ Irons, Akron: 7%
- Jason Bean, Kansas: 32%
“Listen, it’s Roll Wave for me! Give me Michael Pratt vs. an awful Memphis secondary, rolling back-to-back 300-plus yards, two touchdown games. Plus, the GreenWave will be in full force at Yulman!” @NinoBrown_T2T
“’Tough one. Gave Kurtis Rourke a slight edge over Michael Pratt. He’s been super productive recently, and the matchup vs. Northern Illinois is a little better than Tulane vs. Memphis.” @CFBWinningEdge
Who Ya Got at Running Back?
- Roman Hemby, Maryland: 17%
- Damien Martinez, Oregon State: 27%
- Casey Filkins, Stanford: 45%
- Devin Mockobee, Purdue: 11%
“D-Mart has come into his own the last two games with a combined 19 carries for 194 yards and a score vs. Washington State and Stanford. I’ll take this angry Beaver vs. the woeful Colorado Buffaloes.” @NinoBrown_T2T
“Stanford OL health is a major concern, but we could see some of the players who missed time recently back in uniform. Plus, the Arizona State DL has been banged up, too. Either way, Casey Filkins should get a heavy workload.” @CFBWinningEdge
Who Ya Got at Wide Receiver?
- Ryan O’Keefe, UCF: 43%
- Elijah Spencer, Charlotte: 24%
- Kody Epps, BYU: 9%
- Caullin Lacy, South Alabama: 24%
“Chief Ryan O’Keefe for me here. Last two games, a healthy O’Keefe has gone for damn near-mirror games (7 receptions, 111 yards & two touchdowns/ 6 receptions, 117 yards & two scores). He will put up another 100-plus two touchdowns vs. the Pirates in Week 8.” @NinoBrown_T2T
“Kody Epps is totally off the radar but proved last week he’s a key piece for BYU. Even with Puka Nacua back, he had 14 targets! And he had a touchdown for the fifth straight game!!” @CFFonIG
“Took your (@CFFonIG) advice to pick up Kody Epps. In our varsity league, I got a big game this week.” @CffNation
“Ryan O’Keefe is such an explosive player, and UCF does a good job of finding ways to get him the football.” @CFBWinningEdge
CFB on Prize Picks
Pick 3 (or 2) (Saturday Slate)
QB Jayden Daniels, LSU OVER 295.5 Pass+Rush Yards
RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin OVER 17.5 Fantasy Points
WR Kaden Prather, West Virginia OVER 13.5 Fantasy Points
Pick 3 (or 2) (Saturday Slate)
QB Michael Pratt, Tulane OVER 22.5 Fantasy Points
RB Zach Charbonnett, UCLA OVER 20.5 Fantasy Points
WR Antonio Williams, Clemson OVER 10.5 Fantasy Points
CFB Fantastic 4 on DraftKings: Week 8
Day Slate
| Pos. | Player | Team | Opponent | O/U | Salary | Proj. Points | PV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | D. Pyne | Notre Dame | UNLV | 47.5 | $5,000 | 18.3 | 3.7 |
| RB | T. Spears | Tulane | Memphis | 56.5 | $5,700 | 22.3 | 3.9 |
| RB | Z. Charbonnet | UCLA | Oregon | 69.5 | $6,700 | 25.6 | 3.8 |
| WR | K. Boutte | LSU | Mississippi | 66.5 | $5,300 | 18.4 | 3.5 |
| Totals | $22,700 | 84.6 | 3.7 |
Night Slate
| Pos. | Player | Team | Opponent | O/U | Salary | Proj. Points | PV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QB | M. Duggan | TCU | Kansas St. | 54.5 | $7,900 | 26.5 | 3.4 |
| RB | M. Lloyd | South Carolina | Texas A&M | 45 | $6,000 | 17.9 | 3 |
| RB | D. Martinez | Oregon St. | Colorado | 48.5 | $3,500 | 14.7 | 4.2 |
| WR | C.J. Johnson | ECU | UCF | 64 | $5,400 | 16.7 | 3.1 |
| Totals | $22,800 | 75.8 | 3.3 |
Fantastic Four Season Average: 75.9
Rookie Big Board presents College Fantasy Football
- Marvelous Matchups
- Fantastic 4: CFF Sleepers
- CFB DFS Fantastic 4
- CFB Prize Picks
- All-American RBB Best Bets