Congratulations if you are reading this column. It likely means that you are alive in the College Fantasy Football playoffs and seeking some advice for your lineups. I qualified for the postseason in three leagues and hope to win a ring down the stretch while also helping readers get a title. In full disclosure, I did not make the playoffs in the CFF King’s Classic league (9-13) and will not defend last year’s championship…Ugh!
Editor’s Note: Starting next week, the weekly College Fantasy Football column will evolve into a playoff primer article and will be published on Wednesday mornings for the final two weeks of the 2024 campaign.
Week 11 College Fantasy Football Waiver Wire
Quarterbacks
Katin Houser, East Carolina (Laub)
Fantrax Rostership: 13%
Total Fantasy Points: 135.8
FPPG: 27.2
PFF Grade: 75.5
I could not have been happier watching East Carolina versus Florida Atlantic last Thursday. The game brought back so many memories. When I first started playing College Fantasy Football, the Pirates were one of the more explosive offenses in the nation, and QB Shane Carden posted elite fantasy seasons in 2013 and 2014. Running back Keaton Mitchell and receivers Justin Hardy, Zay Jones and C.J. Johnson all have been CFF studs as Pirates. I have also seen East Carolina versus UConn at the Rent twice in the past decade.
In September, Jake Garcia opened the season behind center for East Carolina, starting the first six games of the campaign. Against Charlotte, former coach Mike Houston benched Garcia and Katin Houser came into the contest. In the next game versus Army, Houser got the start and has not looked back since, igniting the Pirates’ passing game.
Over the past three contests, Houser has tossed 13 touchdowns and passed for 894 yards. The former Michigan State quarterback completed 17-of-22 passes for 343 yards and five touchdowns against the Owls last week. He has registered 36.5, 38.8, and 54.9 Fantasy Points (FPs) since taking over. In the next two weeks, Houser has incredible matchups versus Tulsa and North Texas. If a CFF coach needs a quarterback, the Pirates’ passer must be considered as a strong option.
Notebook: “(Katin) has had 10 touchdowns in the last two weeks. Just the confidence he’s carrying himself with, the energy he’s carrying himself with, I didn’t see that early on. You’ve seen it the last couple of weeks and just a smile on his face. That’s contagious to his teammates and our whole football team. So proud of him and what he’s meant to our team,” interim head coach Blake Harrell stated after the victory over FAU (ecupirates.com).
Braylon Braxton, Marshall (Probasco)
Fantrax Rostership: 9%
Total Fantasy Points: 149.2
FPPG: 21.3
PFF Grade: 75.0
In Week 12 the Thundering Herd have a date with Coastal Carolina. I am picking up and playing Braylon Braxton less on how he has been performing and more so on how bad the Chanticleers have been on defense. Coastal has allowed 214 yards rushing per game over their last four, and the Thundering Herd has averaged 240 yards rushing in their past four contests.
Why bring up rushing when talking about quarterback play? Well, Braylon Braxton is a factor on the ground. The weekly leader in rushing attempts each game (different player in each) has equated to 54 total rush attempts. Braylon Braxton has 46 carries over that same four-game stretch. Braxton is a part of this Thundering Herd ground game. Given Coastal Carolina’s struggles versus the run (203 ypg allowed for the season), I anticipate a nice overall game from Braxton.
Brad Jackson, Texas State (Volume Pigs)
Fantrax Rostership: 1%
Total Fantasy Points: 25.2
FPPG: 25.2
Brad Jackson filled in admirably for the injured Jordan McCloud this weekend with a pair of rushing scores on 17 carries, and 126 rushing yards. However, he only completed four passes on nine attempts for 16 yards and no scores. He’s purely a runner, but that may just be enough given what we saw in his first appearance. They play Southern Mississippi this week; look out if McCloud misses more action.
CFF Twitterverse on Fire!
Who is the top target on the CFF waiver wire this week?
- WR Jordan Tyson, Arizona State: 40%
- WR Kenny Odom, UTEP: 3%
- RB Eli Sanders, New Mexico: 43%
- WR Tru Edwards, Louisiana Tech: 14%
Scholar’s Selection: Give me Eli Sanders down the stretch to help win CFF playoff games. I featured Jordan Tyson below for readers.
“Ei Sanders for me. Kid has been ballin’” @aceholesrule
Running Backs
Damien Taylor, Troy (Probasco)
Fantrax Rostership: 9%
Total Fantasy Points: 103.1
FPPG: 11.5
PFF Grade: 80.9
Damien Taylor is averaging 16 attempts for 88 yards and half a touchdown over his last four games. Troy plays the Eagles of Georgia Southern this week. The Eagles have allowed 176 yards rushing and about one touchdown on the ground over their last four games.
We have seen a bit of an uptick in Taylor’s usage over the last two weeks. This can be attributed to Troy’s move at quarterback to Matthew Cladwell. I believe we see a heavy dose of Damien Taylor and Gerald Green against Georgia Southern. Honestly, if Taylor is rostered in your league…go grab Gerald Green. He is averaging only two fewer carries per game (14) and the same number of yards (88) and touchdowns (0.5) per game.
Eli Sanders, New Mexico (Laub)
Fantrax Rostership: 23%
Total Fantasy Points: 153.7
FPPG: 15.4
PFF Grade: 72.0
I missed an opportunity last week to profile Eli Sanders but did list him as an honorable mention candidate. Fortuitously, I featured Sanders in the Rookie Big Board sleeper’s column and picked him up on two teams. The Lobos’ runner scampered for 173 yards and two touchdowns, producing 32 FPs…Yum, Yum!
A three-star recruit in high school, Sanders joined Iowa State in 2021, redshirted for a season and earned two varsity letters as a member of the Cyclones. At Iowa State, he rushed for 703 yards on 158 carries and scored four times. Over the past winter, he joined the Lobos and began to take over the backfield chores on October 12 when he scampered for 80 yards on five carries versus Air Force.
The following week Sanders logged 14 attempts for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Over the past five games, he has scored 120.8 FPs, averaging 24.1. In that stretch of dominance, Sanders is CFF RB6, which is more than Omarion Hampton, Dylan Sampson, Tahj Brooks and Phil Mafah. Unfortunately, New Mexico has a bye in two weeks. Nevertheless, the Lobos have an upcoming matchup versus Washington State and conclude the campaign against Hawaii during CFF Championship Week.
Notebook: “I learned on and off the field from Breece Hall. I just took the lessons with me and ran. I was grateful that he taught me those ways, and I couldn’t ask for a better leader straight out of high school to look up too. So, I’m very grateful for that,” Sanders reflected in an interview during training camp (krqe.com).
HE GONE. Eli with 2 TDs on 123 yards and 3 carries… in the 1st quarter.
📺FS1
#GoLobos | #EarnedNotGiven pic.twitter.com/wyXhx9bF7D— New Mexico Football (@UNMLoboFB) November 9, 2024
Telly Johnson, Northern Illinois (Volume Pigs)
Fantrax Rostership: 2%
Total Fantasy Points: 30.9
FPPG: 15.5
Another player filling in behind an injured star, Telly Johnson finished the day with over 100 yards and two scores on 23 carries for the NIU Huskies. If Antario Brown is missing again this week, Johnson is an intriguing lightning rod to insert into your lineup. There is a lot of risk associated with this player, so tread carefully.
Honorable Mention Running Backs
Davon Booth, Mississippi State
Fantrax Rostership: 16%
Total Fantasy Points: 130.1
FPPG: 13.0
PFF Grade: 73.8
Keyon Mozee, Miami (OH)
Fantrax Rostership: 3%
Total Fantasy Points: 77
FPPG: 8.6
PFF Grade: 79.4
CFF Twitterverse on Fire!
Humble Brag Time: Did you make the CFF Playoffs? Post your league record and best player on the team in the thread below.
- Yes: 83%
- No: 17%
Scholar’s Selection: In a 16-team league, I posted a 9-2 mark and am the No. 3 seed in the postseason, finishing second in points scored. On the squad, quarterback Jalen Milroe is the most productive fantasy player and running backs Devin Neal and LeQuint Allen are a fearsome duo in the backfield.
“No playoffs in our league. Just score the most points in 14 weeks!” @FantasyFBS
“In Thor Nystrom’s 50 Team CFF league, I finished 9-2 and were division champ. First-round pick was RB CJ Baxter. Best player was WR Tre Harris. Now? Probably Ahmad Hardy of ULM.” @sjjeckoso2
“I finished 19-3 and the #1 seed. Best player(s) has to be a tie for me with RB Dylan Sampson and WR Nick Nash.” @caddie45130
“I am 9-2 in one league and 8-3 in another: #2 seed in both leagues. QB Cameron Ward and WR Travis Hunter on the nine-win team, and RB Tahj Brooks leads the other.” @bjfolk12
“I’m in an 18-team league with a 9-2 record (#2 seed). Jaxson Dart is the MVP.” @huddlea12
“I made the playoffs in three of four leagues: First, Second, Third seeds. 8-3 record in all three. MVP Kaleb Johnson on all three and Ashton Jeanty is my highest-scoring player.” @aceholesrule
“50 Team Division Champs at 10-1. Also 15-7 in CFF Joes vs. Pros, looking across at the Gridiron Scholar in the first round…but I’m MOST excited about breaking my 7-year playoff drought in my home league!” @WBP83
Wide Receivers
Anthony Smith, East Carolina (Volume Pigs)
Fantrax Rostership: 1%
Targets: 49
Fantasy Points: 111.3
FPPG: 12.4
PFF Grade: 72.2
QB Katin Houser has been a revelation for the Pirates, who are on a two-game winning streak since firing their head coach. Whatever, it is that the team is doing now is working, and our guy Anthony Smith has back-to-back 100-yard games with a score in each. His target volume isn’t monstrous, but the way East Carolina uses him as a deep threat means that he often can pick up a lot of FPs in one or two plays.
Dymere Miller, Rutgers (Laub)
Fantrax Rostership: 3%
Targets: 76
Fantasy Points: 113.8
FPPG: 12.6
PFF Grade: 72.1
I have not highlighted many Rutgers’ receivers over the past decade; yet, I cannot ignore the numbers that Dymere Miller is putting up for the Scarlet Knights recently. Also, Miller’s journey to a P4 program is fascinating and worth featuring.
The fifth-year senior played at Monmouth (an FCS team) in the Colonial Athletic Association for four seasons. Last year, he was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award (FCS most outstanding player) and named FCS First Team All-America, securing 90 passes for 1,295 yards and nine touchdowns. Wanting to improve his NFL Draft stock, Miller transferred to Rutgers and has continued to impress onlookers.
At 5’11” and 184 pounds, Miller has helped ignite a usually dormant aerial attack over the past three games. He has 39 targets and corralled 21 passes for 259 yards and two scores, accumulating 58.9 FPs. To close out the 2024 campaign, Rutgers plays Maryland, Illinois and Michigan State. If the Scarlet Knights want to guarantee a bowl invite, they need to win two of their final three games and will likely rely on Miller to move the chains in the air.
Notebook: “Honestly, Monmouth gave me my name. Without the program, I wouldn’t have the confidence that I have. They gave me that confidence, they helped me build it throughout the years, so I’ll always appreciate them. That’s always going to be family,” Miller reflected in late August (app.com).
DYMERE MILLER ‼️ @RFootball takes the lead 😎#B1GFootball on Peacock 💻 pic.twitter.com/GuswXtkja8
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 9, 2024
Chris Carpenter, UTSA (Probasco)
Fantrax Rostership: 2%
Targets: 56
Fantasy Points: 89.7
FPPG: 10.0
PFF Grade: 65.2
Owen McCown has thrown the ball, on average, 44 times for 351 yards and three touchdowns over the Roadrunners’ last three games. Chris Carpenter has led, or finished second, on the team receiving yards and receptions in each of those contests. He is averaging 93 yards receiving over that stretch.
UTSA has an upcoming matchup with North Texas. The Mean Green played Army in Week 11 and we know they don’t throw the ball a lot, so let’s look at their previous three games prior to their Week 11 matchup. In those three contests, North Texas allowed an average of 281 yards passing and two touchdowns. In a game that has an O/U of 71.5 points, give me all the players possible in this shootout.
Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State (Laub)
Fantrax Rostership: 38%
Targets: 74
Fantasy Points: 153.8
FPPG: 17.1
PFF Grade: 74.5
Don’t look now but the Sun Devils are one of the hotter teams in the country with a 7-2 record and in the hunt for the Big 12 title. The Sun Devils are scoring over 31 points and totaling 399 yards per game behind an electric offensive trio—quarterback Sam Leavitt, running back Cam Skattebo, and receiver Jordyn Tyson.
Skattebo is owned in nearly every CFF league, but the pass-catching duo of Leavitt and Tyson are still available. After Week 7 of the season, I spotlighted Tyson in the waiver wire column when he was only rostered in 13% of leagues. He is now on 38% of teams but should be in over 50% after corralling the game-clinching touchdown on Saturday versus UCF. Tyson hauled in seven passes for 99 yards and two scores against the Knights, leading the Sun Devils to their seventh victory.
In his last five games, Tyson has subjugated opponents with six touchdowns on 32 receptions for 488 yards, averaging 14 yards per catch. He has been CFF WR7 since October 5, scoring 112.8 FPs. In the CFF playoffs, Tyson and the Sun Devils travel to Kansas State and Arizona while hosting BYU in between the two road trips. The playmaker is a nice addition to CFF rosters if he is available.
Notebook: After the game-winning catch, Tyson affirmed that “It’s just my coaches and QB Sam (Leavitt) trusting me. They know I’m gonna make a play when my numbers called.” (arizonasports.com)
CFF Twitterverse on Fire!
If you were a member of the CFP Committee, which non-P4 team are you banging the table for to be included in the 12-team playoff field?
- Louisiana 8-1: 2%
- Army 9-0: 36%
- Boise State 8-1: 53%
- Washington State 8-1: 9%
Scholar’s Selection: As a historian who loves learning about the storied past of the game, I am rooting for Army to win the AAC and finish the season undefeated. As a college football analyst, Boise State is the best G5 team with the current Heisman favorite (Ashton Jeanty), and the Broncos only loss came against undefeated Oregon on September 7. I would bang the table for Boise State.
“Boise State’s only loss was to #1 Oregon, and they have a Heisman hopeful player.” @bjfolk12
“Army for me! History and a great middle finger to the NIL…happy college football.” @aceholesrule
CFF All-Americans: Week 11
QB Katin Houser, East Carolina: 54.9 points
QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama: 46.8
RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State: 42.1
RB Raheim Sanders, South Carolina: 37.8
WR Kenny Odom, UTEP: 36.8
WR Jaylin Noel, Iowa State: 36.6
WR Tru Edwards, Louisiana Tech: 32.2
TE Tyler Warren, Penn State: 28.2
Flex Braydon Bennett, Coastal Carolina: 34.1
CFF Player of the Week: Katin Houser, East Carolina
HE GOT WHEELS TOO @katinhouser 🏴☠️ pic.twitter.com/Iao9R7Xz2Y
— ECU Football (@ECUPiratesFB) November 8, 2024