As I sat down to research the upcoming matchups, the Coastal Carolina-Louisiana game was postponed over the weekend as Hurricane Delta approached the Gulf Coast. In 2020, college fantasy footballers must be prepared for any, and all, possibilities. If a CFF owner needs a roster upgrade or a last-minute replacement, my Surreptitious Starters look at the top College Fantasy Football Sleepers for Week 6 of the NCAA Football season to insert into lineups.
College Fantasy Football Sleepers for Week 6
Quarterback
Devin Leary, North Carolina State at Virginia: O/U 63 & Virginia -9.0
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 13%
Opponent Defense vs. Pass: 307.5 ypg.
Opponent Points Allowed: 30.5 ppg.
It is difficult to find a more tempting matchup for opposing quarterbacks: Virginia bleeds passing yards and points on defense. There is risk picking up and inserting Devin Leary into lineups, but the reward warrants a gaze from CFF managers who need a quarterback this weekend.
A redshirt sophomore, Leary won the job in the spring but missed 20 practices during the summer because of contract tracing due to Covid-19. He remained on the sideline in the first game of the ’20 campaign and replaced the starter, Bailey Hockman, in the second half two weeks ago.
Against Pittsburgh on Saturday, Leary earned the call to duty and led the Wolfpack to a last-second victory when he completed his fourth touchdown of the game. He finished the afternoon with 336 yards passing and a 90.3 QBR rating.
“We’ve been waiting for him (Leary) to become the guy. We’ve always known what his arm was. This team believes in him, you can see it in the locker room, they rally around him. He’s just calm and poised, has a really good arm, he’s a tough kid and played a heck of a football game,” coach Dave Doeren said after the game versus the Panthers (newsobserver.com).
Overlooked by the national press and fans, the Wolfpack employ one of the surprise offensive units in college football. North Carolina State averages 33 points per game and yields over 415 yards of total offense. Leary provides a great starting option among quarterbacks still available on the waiver wire.
Luke Anthony, Louisiana Tech vs. UTEP: O/U 51.5 & Louisiana Tech -14.5
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 32%
Opponent Defense vs. Pass: 251 ypg.
Opponent Points Allowed: 23 ppg.
When looking at the leaders among CFF quarterbacks, I could not believe that Luke Anthony stood among the Top Ten fantasy field generals with 104.6 points. Of course, the totals are high because Louisiana Tech has played four games. Sorting players on a per-game basis, he is the seventeenth-highest signal-caller, averaging 34.8 points per game.
A graduate student, Anthony has completed over 61% of his passes for 654 yards and posted a 10:2 TD:INT ratio. He has also added 30 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground. Those numbers are inflated by an eye-popping performance against Houston Baptist with six scores, which tied a school record by five other signal-callers.
“Coming into camp and being able to lead the team, I believe, Luke did a great job. His knowledge for the game is amazing…Then we go out there during camp and you see his ability to throw. I’m very happy that he’s our quarterback and I have a lot of faith in him. I know he can get the job done,” left guard and teammate Joshua Mote proclaimed early in the fall (thenewsstar.com).
Last week, the Bulldogs were stymied by a very tough BYU defense on the road. Anthony performed reasonably well with 191 yards and two touchdowns. Against UTEP, the Bulldogs’ passing game will clearly fly higher as Anthony passes for over 250 yards and three touchdowns at home.
Honorable Mention:
Nick Tronti, Florida Atlantic at Southern Mississippi: O/U 57.5 & FAU -2.5
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 4%
Opponent Defense vs. Pass: 265.5 ypg.
Opponent Points Allowed: 40 ppg.
Jemel Jones, Army vs. Citadel: O/U 50.5 & Army -31
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 1%
Twitter on Fire!
Who Ya Got at quarterback in lineups in Week 6?
- Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh: 48%
- Jeff Sims, Georgia Tech: 28%
- Jemel Jones, Army: 18%
- Other, post below: 6%
“I lean Pitt QB Kenny Pickett here—take out the Austin Peay blow-out in game 1—and he has thrown 36 to 39 passes each of the past three games (plus run for three TDs). They play Boston College, whose QB Phil Jurkovec is eighth in the nation with 39 passes a game. Hope for a shootout!” @FBSFantasyFoot
“Brennan Armstrong from Virginia is my guy this week.” @dfs_fred
“It’s gotta be Kenny Pickett; he has been Money this year. I never saw this, didn’t even pretend too.” @JustinNottingh6
Running Back
Sean Tucker, Syracuse vs. Duke: O/U 52 & Syracuse +2
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 16%
Opponent Defense vs. Run: 193.5 ypg.
Opponent Rushing Touchdowns Allowed: 10
On the Syracuse campus, a prodigious gallery of all-time greats—Jim Brown, Ernie Davis, Floyd Little, Larry Csonka, and Joe Morris— and awards grace the hallowed halls of the University. Regrettably, over the past decade, college fantasy footballers could not draft a runner in the Orange backfield with any confidence. Maybe, times are changing in upstate New York.
Two weeks ago, Sean Tucker posted the first 100-yard game by a Syracuse freshman since 2015. Against Georgia Tech, Tucker rambled for 122 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown.
“Tucker has elite speed in the open field that you’re not even seeing yet, and he’s a powerful kid, built really well. He was always good for a 40, 50, 70-yard run (in high school), and he wasn’t just a great outside runner. He was a good inside runner who could make a guy miss and get to the hole. He’s dynamic and he’s powerful,” stated Dominque Warren, an assistant who coached Tucker at Calvert Hall (syracuse.com).
At 5’10” and 200-pounds, Tucker earned three-stars from the major recruiting sites, ranked as the No. 58 running back in the 2020 Class by 247Sports.com and graded among the top 15 prospects from Maryland. Syracuse is a home underdog, and the game script foretells a close contest in the fourth quarter. The matchup illuminates a productive rushing attack for the Orange. Insert Tucker with confidence on Saturday.
Joshua Mack, Liberty vs. UL-Monroe: O/U 61 & Liberty -19.5
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 34%
Opponent Defense vs. Pass: 282.8 ypg.
Opponent Rushing Touchdowns Allowed: 15
Only hardcore college football fans could correctly identify Liberty as one of nine undefeated teams after playing at least three games. Neither the Coaches nor AP Top 25 polls ranked the Flames among the Top 25 teams in the nation this week.
In the polls, winning games gets national recognition, and the Flames triumph running the ball. Liberty employs one of the dominant ground games, ranking sixth with over 274 rushing yards per game. Last year, Frankie Hickson, who is no longer at the school, and Joshua Mack shared the backfield duties. In 2020, Mack sits atop the depth chart and churns out yards. He has eclipsed over 100 yards in all three games (100, 107, and 130) and gained 337 yards on 52 carries, averaging 6.5 yards per carry.
A redshirt senior, Mack, 5’11” and 200-pounds, played at Maine for two years and rushed for 2,047 yards and 15 touchdowns on 383 carries. He also snatched 41 receptions for 385 yards and two scores. Afterward, he transferred to Liberty and sat out the entire 2018 season per NCAA guidelines. In 2019, Mack logged 792 rushing yards on only 136 carries and scored seven times.
In four games, the Warhawks have surrendered over 1,100 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. With the return of QB Malik Willis, the Flames will likely rush for over 300 yards on Saturday, and Mack will easily surpass the 100-yard barrier for the fourth consecutive game.
Honorable Mention:
Johnny Ford, South Florida vs. East Carolina: O/U 55.5 & South Florida -4.5
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 21%
Opponent Defense vs. Run: 235.5 ypg.
Opponent Rushing Touchdowns Allowed: 5
Tre Harbison, III, Charlotte at North Texas: O/U 67.5 & Charlotte -3.0
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 44%
Opponent Defense vs. Pass: 219 ypg.
Opponent Rushing Touchdowns Allowed: 8
Twitter on Fire!
Who Ya Got at running back in lineups this weekend?
- Tyler Allgeier, BYU: 33%
- Ainias Smith, Texas A&M: 41%
- Joshua Mack, Liberty: 24%
- Other, post below: 2%
“I am a Joshua Mack man, all the way. He is very consistent on an offense that is dedicated to the run.” @aceholesrule
Wide Receivers
Jacob Cowing, UTEP at Louisiana Tech: O/U 51.5 & Louisiana Tech -14.5
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 36%
Opponent Defense vs. Pass: 331.7 ypg.
Opponent Points Allowed: 37.7 ppg.
There is no reason that Jacob Cowing is not rostered on more CFF teams. He is the twenty-second ranked fantasy receiver (48.7 points) and fourth-most targeted wideout (35). He has snatched 22 passes for 377 yards, which leads the nation.
At 5’11” and 170-pounds, the sophomore paced UTEP in receiving yards (550), receiving touchdowns (3), and yards per reception (17.7) as a true freshman in 2019. Against Charlotte last year, Cowing established a Miners’ freshman record with 145 receiving yards.
Louisiana Tech has been kind to opposing receivers this year. Gunner Romney (7-101-1), Jerreth Sterns (14-138-3), Ben Ratzlaff (10-137-2) and Tim Jones (8-160-2) have all surpassed the century mark against the Bulldogs. Cowing and Justin Garrett are an underrated wide receiver duo, and both should find plenty of open space in the Louisiana Tech secondary. Cowing is a great option to insert into CFF lineups this weekend.
Kadarius Toney, Florida at Texas A&M: O/U 57 & Florida -6.5
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 50%
Opponent Defense vs. Pass: 292.5 ypg.
Opponent Points Allowed: 32.0 ppg.
College football is abuzz with news and tidbits in regard to Florida’s dynamic pass-catching combo of QB Kyle Trask and TE Kyle Pitts. The Twitterverse is already profiling and projecting both players up NFL Draft boards next spring. And shrewd college fantasy footballers scooped up both Gators in their drafts this year.
In the first two games of the SEC crusade, one Florida player not getting enough attention is wide receiver Kadarius Toney. A versatile playmaker, the Senior rushed for a career-high 55 yards and accumulated 59 receiving yards in the opening contest of the season against Mississippi.
Last week against South Carolina, Toney tied a career-high in receptions (6) and established a career-best in receiving yards (86). In college fantasy football, he has produced 19.9 and 17.6 points to open the campaign, ranking twelfth in fantasy points scored at the position over the past two weeks.
“We knew we needed to get Toney the ball. I think you’ve seen how he’s grown as a player for us. He’s always been a get-it-to guy for us. But he’s taken such a huge step as a wide receiver, and he showed that today,” Mullen told the media following Florida’s win last weekend (saturdaydownsouth.com).
The Gators travel to Texas A&M, and Las Vegas projects another high-scoring game. With the Florida offense firing on all cylinders, Toney is a must start against the Aggies.
Honorable Mention:
RB/WR Billy Kemp, Virginia vs. North Carolina State: O/U 63 & Virginia -9.0
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 3%
Opponent Defense vs. Pass: 276 ypg.
Opponent Points Allowed: 38.7 ppg.
Gunner Romney, BYU vs. UTSA: O/U 63 & BYU -35
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 50%
Opponent Defense vs. Pass: 300.3 ypg.
Opponent Points Allowed: 28.5 ppg.
Twitter on Fire!
Need assistance at the wide receiver position: Who Ya Got in starting lineups this weekend?
- Jacob Cowing, UTEP: 6%
- Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina: 18%
- John Metchie III, Alabama: 65%
- Other, post below: 11%
“I am excited for John Metchie. I mean look what DeVonta Smith did last year as the No. 3 WR at ‘Bama. And Mac Jones, are you kidding me?” @JustinNottingh6
Last Week’s Fantastic Four: 37.1 points scored
Fantrax was one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites of 2019 and we’re not letting our foot off the pedal now! With multi-team trades, designated commissioner/league managers, and drag/drop easy click methods, Fantrax is sure to excite the serious fantasy sports fan – sign up now for a free year at Fantrax.com.