I am still in shock that Michigan could not shut the door on Michigan State after opening a 30-14 lead in the third quarter. The Spartans’ Kenneth Walker rambled for nearly 200 yards and five touchdowns to propel himself among the Heisman hopefuls this fall. Amazingly, he was a college fantasy football waiver wire target after the opening game against Northwestern–drafted in only 25% of leagues.
There is not another player of Walker’s status on the waiver wire this week. Nevertheless, astute CFF players will continue to improve their rosters in preparation for the upcoming postseason. JD Yonke and I have the insight and analysis to help you identify the best players still available on the college fantasy football waiver wire after last week’s performances.
College Fantasy Football provides alternative-reality zealots, NFL Draftniks, and Dynasty and Devy owners a competitive advantage against their opponents. What are you waiting for this summer? Get off the sideline and into the game on Fantrax. We guarantee that you will not regret playing in a CFF league this fall.
Week 9 College Fantasy Football Waiver Wire
Quarterbacks
Chase Garbers, California (Laub)
Fantrax Ownership: 20%
Yards Per Attempt: 7.4
TD%: 5.2%
Total Fantasy Points: 205.5
It is likely that the majority of CFF managers have not watched California QB Chase Garbers this season. Why would CFF diehards turn on a team that opened the campaign with five losses in six games? In the past two weeks, the Golden Bears have won back-to-back contests behind the improved play of Garbers, who is finally producing a plethora of fantasy points after five years on campus.
“We knew the team we had. We knew what we were capable of. We lost some close games early in the season–one or two plays here or there and our record is a different story. We knew what we had talent-wise and scheme-wise. We just had to put it all together,” Garbers declared after the game (calbears.com).
Since October 15, the redshirt senior is the No. 8 ranked CFF signal-caller; he has logged 34.3, 26.6, and 20.9 fantasy points, scoring 81.8 points. Garbers has passed for 734 yards, scrambled for 185, and totaled eight touchdowns. In the victory over Oregon State, he finished among the top 10 CFF quarterbacks with 262 passing yards, 58 rushing yards, and four scores.
At Corona Del Mar high school, 247Sports graded Garbers as a four-star Pro-Style QB prospect. He registered 9,260 yards of total offense and completed 589-of-854 (69%) passes with 90 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He was named Daily Pilot Dream Team Player of the Year and first-team All-Pacific Coast League as a junior and senior while he was also conference MVP his final year in high school.
In the past, Garbers has flashed fantasy upside but has not been consistent. It appears that he has turned the corner and reached the expectations out of high school. California averages 25.4 points and accumulates 423.6 total yards per game. In the next two weeks, the Golden Bears travel to Arizona and host USC. Both contests are favorable matchups, and Garbers will continue to shine in CFF lineups.
Clayton Tune, Houston (Yonke)
Fantrax Ownership: 31%
Yards Per Attempt: 8.0
TD%: 6.9%
Total Fantasy Points: 158.2
A huge component of fantasy football is monitoring schedules and picking up players from the waiver wire who have a soft matchup, or matchups, in front of them. Tune is the clear winner when I seek quarterbacks who have a fantasy-friendly schedule to finish out the year. Here’s how Houston’s schedule lines up for the final four weeks of the season: South Florida, Temple, Memphis, and UConn. All apologies to our resident Huskies fan John, but that’s about as soft of a schedule imaginable.
Tune’s been around for a while, so we know what he is by now. He’s a dual-threat quarterback playing for a Dana Holgorsen team, which usually leads to fantasy points. He’s been a solid if somewhat disappointing fantasy producer over the years, so many managers in your league may have Tune fatigue at this point. It’s understandable.
In a win over previously undefeated SMU a week ago, Tune showed what he was capable of: 412 passing yards and four touchdowns through the air. Not bad! Considering both UConn and Temple are allowing over 35 points per game while South Florida and Memphis are both allowing over 250 passing yards per game, it’s highly possible that Tune ends the season on a hot streak.
CFF All-Americans: Week 9
- QB Brennan Armstrong, Virginia: 46.9 points
- QB Sam Hartman, Wake Forest: 46.2 points
- RB Tyler Allgeier, BYU: 62.1 points
- RB Kenneth Walker, Michigan State: 53.8 points
- WR Nathaniel Dell, Houston: 43.5 points
- WR Andrel Anthony, Michigan: 33.5 points
- WR Carlos Carriere, Maryland: 33.4 points
- TE Peyton Hendershot, Indiana: 28.6 points
- Flex Tyler Badie, Missouri: 49.4 points
CFF Player of the Week: Tyler Allgeier, BYU
Twitterverse on Fire!
In CFF leagues, playoffs will kick off soon: Who Ya Got at quarterback?
- Chase Garbers, California: 19%
- Jaren Hall, BYU: 58%
- Anthony Brown, Oregon: 21%
- Other, post below: 2%
“The next two weeks for Jaren Hall include FCS opponent Idaho St and the worst FBS passing defense in Georgia Southern…yes please!” @copieps
“These are Anthony Brown’s scores (28.1, 26.3, 24.1, 22.9, 24.3, 12.1, 23.9 and 22.5) this season. ‘Consistency’ is his middle name! Sometimes, that is exactly what you need in your CFF lineup.” @CFF_Jared
Running Backs
Tavion Thomas, Utah (Yonke)
Fantrax Ownership: 5%
Scrimmage Yards: 565
Touchdowns: 10
Total Fantasy Points: 116.5
Tavion Thomas should be owned everywhere. The write-up really is that simple…but I’ll elaborate.
The starter among Utah’s running back room has been a highly valuable CFF target for years now. That reputation has taken a hit this year as the Utes opted for more of a running back by committee approach to start the season. Things have changed over the last four games, as Thomas has seized the reins and become a workhorse back.
Thomas has seen at least 20 carries in each of his past three games and has a rushing touchdown in four straight. His statistics over the last four games speak for themselves: 81 carries, 431 yards, and eight touchdowns. It’s not a coincidence that Thomas’s rise has followed the same timeline as Cam Rising’s emergence at quarterback. This offense found their identity and has two new faces at the forefront of their newfound attack.
Utah is surging in the PAC-12 and is the overwhelming favorite to win the South Division. They should be in advantageous game scripts in three of their next four games, with Stanford, Arizona, Oregon, and Colorado on the schedule. Stanford and Arizona feature two of the weaker run defenses in the country, so Thomas and this Utah team should continue to run rough-shod over conference opponents.
Pick him up, put him in, and reap the rewards.
Tyjae Spears, Tulane (Laub)
Fantrax Ownership: 18%
Scrimmage Yards: 390
Touchdowns: 4
Total Fantasy Points: 74.6
Every once in a while a player impresses you when least expected. Last year, Tyaje Spears jumped off the television screen in the opening two games for the Green Wave. His campus tenure began in record-setting fashion: He scampered to over 100 yards in both games, becoming only the fourth Tulane freshman to surpass the century mark in consecutive games. “He could cut, he could run past defenses, he could catch the ball out of the backfield and if he needed to, he could run people over.” (Tulanegreenwave.com).
With high expectations, I plucked Spears off the waiver wire last fall. Regrettably, he suffered a torn ACL in the third game against Southern Mississippi, missing the final nine games of the campaign. Over the summer, Spears confessed it was challenging to regain confidence during rehabilitation. “I’m getting back there. I take it week by week. That’s all I can do,” Spears stated during training camp (Tulanegreenwave.com).
It has been a difficult journey to regain his faith and skills. In the first five games this year, the Tulane runner only garnered 19 carries for 51 yards. Over the past three games, Spears has 38 carries for 256 yards and three scores, averaging 6.7 yards per carry. Against Cincinnati, the No. 2 team in the country, he exceeded the 100-yard mark for the third time in his tenure with 106 yards on a season-high 19 carries.
It is clear that the Tulane ball carrier has recovered from the ACL injury and is capable of assisting CFF managers over the final month of the crusade.
Will Shipley, Clemson (Yonke)
Fantrax Ownership: 27%
Scrimmage Yards: 436
Touchdowns: 7
Total Fantasy Points: 90.1
I agree with the Twitterverse respondents who are excited about Will Shipley’s emergence for the Clemson Tigers. A five-star recruit, Shipley was a huge get for the Tigers on the recruiting trail. He’s paying immediate dividends, producing as a 19-year old true freshman just when the Tigers needed it the most.
Clemson’s offense has been a bonafide mess in 2021 and they’re badly in need of players to step up and be effective. With teammates Lyn-J Dixon entering the transfer portal and Kobe Pace out injured, Shipley, who recently returned from a knee injury himself, stepped up in a major way in a 30-20 win over Florida State this past Saturday. He finished with 25 carries for 128 yards and two scores on the ground, while chipping in four receptions for 24 yards. This backfield is now all his.
Expect Clemson to continue featuring Shipley as they look to avoid any further embarrassment over the course of its final four games. There are some juicy matchups on the horizon, with Louisville, UConn, Wake Forest, and South Carolina next in line. A manageable schedule coincides nicely with Shipley’s emergence as a threat that will be giving defenses fits for the entirety of his college career.
Twitterverse on Fire!
Running backs are always in demand: Who Ya Got in the free agent pool this week?
- Tavion Thomas, Utah: 44%
- Will Shipley, Clemson: 46%
- Keaontay Ingram, USC: 8%
- Other, post below: 2%
“I voted for Will Shipley, but how about Dedrick Parson doing his best Calvin Turner these past couple of weeks.” @copieps
“Another ho-hum 25 carries for 100-plus yards for RB/WR Blake Watson out of Old Dominion.” @CFF_Legend
“I’m on this train (Watson) too. He has dual eligibility as an RB/WR and has gone over 20 carries and 100 yards in three straight games now.” @travisty13
“Will Shipley has FINALLY arrived.” @aceholesrule
“Utah looks to have found their RB No. 1. That’s a must-have in CFF!” @CFF_Jared
Wide Receivers
Ryan O’Keefe, UCF (Yonke)
Fantrax Ownership: 16%
Targets: 63
Team Target Share: 28%
Total Fantasy Points: 122.3
O’Keefe makes his second appearance as a Waive Wire Gemstone in 2021 after yet another solid performance. If you didn’t take my advice a number of weeks ago when I recommended snaring O’Keefe off waivers, I don’t blame you—quarterback Dillon Gabriel broke his clavicle, throwing this offense’s outlook in doubt.
While the offensive results have mostly been underwhelming sans Gabriel, O’Keefe has been a producer regardless of whose under or center or how many points the team is producing. O’Keefe now has four touchdowns over his last two games and has established himself as the go-to receiver. Most recently, he accumulated six receptions for 72 yards and two scores through the air while also rushing for 26 yards. The volume has been sure-fire, as O’Keefe is averaging 7.3 receptions over his past four games and is also used in the running game (118 rushing yards and a score over his last three games).
WIth teammate Jaylon Robinson out injured, O’Keefe should continue to see major volume. The team has made it a point to get the ball in his hands in any way possible in order to take advantage of his track star speed. The remaining schedule sets up extremely favorably, with Tulane, SMU, UConn, and South Florida awaiting. O’Keefe should be a nice producer over that stretch and has extra value in full-point PPR leagues.
CFF Waiver Wire Honorable Mention
- QB Devin Leary, North Carolina State
Fantrax Ownership: 24%
Yards Per Attempt: 7.6
TD%: 7.3% - QB Jaren Hall, BYU
Fantrax Ownership: 16%
Yards Per Attempt: 8.1
TD%: 5.7% - RB Johnny Ford, South Florida
Fantrax Ownership: 9%
Scrimmage Yards: 647
Touchdowns: 6
Total Fantasy Points: 113.9 - RB Kimani Vidal, Troy
Fantrax Ownership: 20%
Scrimmage Yards: 676
Touchdowns: 5
Total Fantasy Points: 109.6
WR Mitchell Tinsley, Western Kentucky
Fantrax Ownership: 16%
Targets: 54
Team Target Share: 13.6%
Total Fantasy Points: 134.7 - WR Nathaniel Dell, Houston
Fantrax Ownership: 30%
Targets: 71
Team Target Share: 28.5
Total Fantasy Points: 175.9 - TE Peyton Hendershot, Indiana
Fantrax Ownership: 23%
Targets: 48
Team Target Share: 18.2
Total Fantasy Points: 104.1
Andrel Anthony, Michigan (Laub)
Fantrax Ownership: 1%
Targets: 11
Team Target Share: 5.1%
Total Fantasy Points: 31.1
Only in childhood dreams does a player score a 93-yard touchdown on his first college catch. Michigan Andrel Anthony turned a fantasy into reality against Michigan State when he weaved and raced past the Spartans’ secondary on his first career reception for a seven-point lead.
Anthony had impressed the coaching staff with his playmaking ability in practices. “Seen a lot of really good things. Andrel continues to stand out in practices and he makes a big play every practice. It’s only a matter of time until he makes one of those in games,” coach Jim Harbaugh stated on October 11 (wxyz.com). Anthony manifested Harbaugh’s clairvoyance on Saturday.
Before the touchdown, the Wolverines’ freshman was mostly unknown in the CFF community. He had never recorded a catch before the game and was overlooked by the industrial-scouting complex. Earning only three stars by 247Sports, he was the No. 523 overall player in the country, the No. 81 receiver in the nation, and the No. 14 prospect in Michigan. He graduated East Lansing High School as the all-time pass-catcher with 1,971 career receiving yards.
At 6’2” and 185-pounds, Anthony also played basketball in high school and was recruited as an athlete by schools. Raised in East Lansing, he chose Michigan over his hometown program after visiting the “Big House” and was impressed with the stadium, according to his Mom.
After a head-turning afternoon with six catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns, Anthony is a nice pickup with about a month left in the season in Dynasty leagues and worth a look in redraft ones.
Twitterverse on Fire!
Plucking the right wide receiver off the waiver wire can provide a needed playoff boost: Who Ya Got this week?
- Mitchell Tinsley, Western Kentucky: 17%
- Nathaniel Dell, Houston: 53%
- Trevon Bradford, Oregon State: 25%
- Other, post below: 5%
“I am rolling with Nathaniel Dell. Tune and he are harmonious!” @aceholesrule
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