The first order of business each week of the College Fantasy Football season is to evaluate the players on your roster and decide if there are players that could be cut to make room for new talent. Purple Reign has reviewed last week’s action and identified several players that fantasy owners may be considering the “Keep Or Cut?” question for.
QUARTERBACKS: Keep
Josh Hoover (TCU)
Fantrax Ownership 74%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 15.05 PPG
Season Stats: 277 Att, 184 Comp, 2270 P-Yds, 16 P-TD, 6 INT, 21 Ru-Att, -13 Ru-Yds, 3 Ru-TD
Hoover was averaging 30.47 PPG over the first three games of the season. He has hit a slump the last two games, averaging just 15.05 PPG. He faced Houston and Utah who have pass defenses ranked #65 and #28 in fantasy points allowed. I think the slump has more to do with the level of defensive play than it does Hoover having issues. The schedule is great moving forward with every game a fantasy worthy starting game. The toughest pass defense left on the schedule is Oklahoma State who ranks #81 in fantasy points allowed.
Previous Entries
Jaxson Dart (Miss)
Fantrax Ownership 100%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 18.77 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Wait for team to get healthy on bye week, use the Weeks 9-10 games to evaluate Dart’s fantasy value.
Thomas Castellanos (BC)
Fantrax Ownership 84%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 16.93 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Want to see 25+ pass attempts on a regular basis, has great fantasy match-ups from Weeks 11-14, leave on bench if you have the depth on your roster.
QUARTERBACKS: Cut
Previous Entries
Nico Iamaleava (Tenn)
Fantrax Ownership 99%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 10.08 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Offense is too run oriented, not getting scoring opportunities unless in a tough competitive game, any good future fantasy match-up will have running game dominate the scoring opportunities.
Seth Henigan (Mem)
Fantrax Ownership 96%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 22.93 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Coaches are favoring the running game in the red zone which is limiting passing TDs, previously mentioned to see how Weeks 7-8 go, is still failing to score TDs regularly.
Quinn Ewers (Tex)
Fantrax Ownership 87%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 14.7 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Has yet to have a game where he scored 25 fantasy points, stares down WRs too much, in a classic redraft league he doesn’t provide enough volume to be fantasy worthy.
Brady Cook (Mizzou)
Fantrax Ownership 83%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 15.32 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Struggling to score passing TDs, rushing production is holding up fantasy value, schedule will get tougher and harder for rushing production to stay at same level.
Noah Fifita (Ariz)
Fantrax Ownership 83%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 10.97 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Getting a decent passing attempt workload, failing to score TDs and throwing too many INTs, has failed to produce in good fantasy match-ups.
RUNNING BACKS: Keep
Jalen Buckley (WestMi)
Fantrax Ownership 93%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 7.7 PPG
Season Stats: 47 Att, 271 Ru-Yds, 2 Ru-TD, 4 Tgt, 2 Rec, 38 Rc-Yds, 0 Rc-TD
After coming back from injury Buckley has been demoted from RB1 to splitting carries with Jaden Dixon. Dixon has be HOT lately and Buckley has averaged just 10.3 carries/game over the last three contests. What is disappointing is that he ran for a total of 104 yards against Ball State and Buffalo. Those teams have rush defenses that rank #112 and #90 in fantasy points allowed. I feel like we should give Buckley one more week to see how he does against Kent State who has a rush defense that ranks #132 in fantasy points allowed. If he is still struggling to put up fantasy points after that game it may be time to cut him loose.
Terion Stewart (BGSU)
Fantrax Ownership 80%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 9.65 PPG
Season Stats: 85 Att, 463 Ru-Yds, 4 Ru-TD
Since returning from injury Stewart just hasn’t been himself. His workload fluctuates between 13 carries/game or 20+ carries/game. He has been okay when he gets more carries, but these are games where he should have been good not just okay. He has a tough fantasy match-up with Toledo this week, then he can rest up during a bye week. After that, the schedule becomes very fantasy friendly for Stewart. Of the last four games on the schedule Central Michigan has the best rush defense which ranks #93 in fantasy points allowed. He has an amazing slate for the playoffs and should be held onto.
Anthony Tyus (Ohio)
Fantrax Ownership 75%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 8.9 PPG
Season Stats: 112 Att, 610 Ru-Yds, 5 Ru-TD, 9 Tgt, 8 Rec, 59 Rc-Yds, 1 Rc-TD
If you remove Tyus’ season opener from his stat line he is averaging 15.75 carries for 60.75 yards and 0.25 TDs per game and 7.77 PPG. In weeks 5 & 7 he had his best games where he scored 10 fantasy points in each game and against opposing rush defenses that rank #93 & #121 in fantasy points allowed. In fantasy match-ups like those you should be able to count on 15 fantasy points/game. While I’m pessimistic on Tyus’ future I’m giving him one more week to show me he can score 15 fantasy points this week against a Buffalo rush defense that is ranked #90 in fantasy points allowed. If he continues his current level of fantasy production then its time to drop him.
RUNNING BACKS: Cut
Previous Entries
Gavin Sawchuk (Okla)
Fantrax Ownership 99%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 2.6 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: The QB position is syphoning too many rushing opportunities, Sawchuk is running second string and averaging a paltry 3.3 carries/game.
Abu Sama (IaSt)
Fantrax Ownership 98%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 4.4 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: The coaches are spreading the rushing opportunities out too much, Sama just isn’t getting a reliable workload, just ignore what happened in Week 5 and move on.
Jacquez Stuart (Toledo)
Fantrax Ownership 70%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 2.7 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Toledo is using too many rushers and Stuart is only averaging 6.2 carries/game.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Keep
Kyle Williams (WaSt)
Fantrax Ownership 96%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 8.85 PPG
Season Stats: 47 Tgt, 32 Rec, 562 Rc-Yds, 5 Rc-TD, 4 Ru-Att, 11 Ru-Yds, 0 Ru-TDs
Williams has not been productive during the month of October scoring just 8.85 PPG. While fellow WR Kris Hutson has been productive lately, Hutson was still productive in the second half of September and Williams was putting up good numbers during that time. I think you’ve got to stay the course with Williams as he’s one of the top WRs in one of the best passing offenses in the country. His schedule is also amazing once Week 11 hits.
Previous Entries
Jordan Moore (Duke)
Fantrax Ownership 87%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 3.15 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: His slump goes hand-in-hand with the slump of the QB play, the Weeks 8-9 games with Florida State and SMU will be good match-ups for Moore to bounce back.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Cut
Sean Atkins (SoFl)
Fantrax Ownership 99%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 4.95 PPG
Season Stats: 56 Tgt, 36 Rec, 358 Rc-Yds, 0 Rc-TD
Atkins has been a major disappointment this season and with QB Byron Brown out with injury I don’t see that changing. Over the last three games Atkins has not topped 35 yards receiving and is yet to score a TD this season. There’s nothing to overthink here, just him loose and if Brown comes back later in the season you could pick Atkins back up easily if you really want him.
Will Pauling (Wisc)
Fantrax Ownership 98%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 7.67 PPG
Season Stats: 50 Tgt, 30 Rec, 302 Rc-Yds, 2 Rc-TD
At this same point last year Pauling had 62 targets for 38 receptions, 381 yards and 2 TDs. He turned up his fantasy production at the end of the season but last year’s fantasy match-ups were more favorable than this year’s. Last season he had eight games with 9+ targets and this year he has two. The workload isn’t the same and he was never a WR who was going to give you 100 yards and 1 TD on a regular basis (last season he did that once). The Iowa game in Week 10 is the only fantasy playable game left on the schedule and that’s not enough to keep him around when there are so many other WRs available on the waiver wire.
Caullin Lacy (Lou)
Fantrax Ownership 83%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 7.27 PPG
Season Stats: 24 Tgt, 15 Rec, 179 Rc-Yds, 0 Rc-TD, 3 Ru-Att, 11 Ru-Yds, 0 Ru-TDs
I was surprised to see Lacy with such a high ownership rate considering he was injured at the start of the season and while being back for four games now, hasn’t been productive. He’s getting a decent workload but the yards and especially TDs aren’t there. I’d like to see him averaging at least 14 PPG but he is sitting at 8.5 PPG for the season. We’ve seen in these four games how Lacy is being featured in the offense and its just not a big enough role to hold onto him.
Mac Dalena (Fres)
Fantrax Ownership 75%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 9.3 PPG
Season Stats: 46 Tgt, 30 Rec, 607 Rc-Yds, 4 Rc-TD, 3 Ru-Att, 15 Ru-Yds, 0 Ru-TDs
When the Fresno State passing game is on Dalena can take the top off a secondary. The problem this year is that the passing game has been off and that probably has a lot to do with the departure of head coach Jeff Tedford. The most recent game where Dalena should have been good for fantasy owners was Week 7 against Washington State at home. Against a pass defense that ranks #115 in fantasy points allowed, Dalena only scored 10.1 fantasy points. There aren’t good match-ups on the schedule until Weeks 13-14 which means he will continue to have to ride the pine for several more weeks in the hopes the offense can find its stride by Week 13.
Previous Entries
Noah Smith (SamHu)
Fantrax Ownership 95%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 7.6 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Smith is lacking the heavy workload he that produced his 2023 fantasy value, is averaging 3.8 targets/game, and has yet to score a TD this season.
Rashod Owens (OkSt)
Fantrax Ownership 90%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 5.9 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Is the WR3 of the Cowboys’ offense, has only had one game with 10+ targets, has not had a game with 65 receiving yards, and has scored 10+ fantasy points in two games.
Dalvin Smith (W Ky)
Fantrax Ownership 83%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 8.85 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Smith has never had more than 5 targets, or 4 receptions, or 39 yards in a single game and is not being featured in this offense.
Zachariah Branch (USC)
Fantrax Ownership 73%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 5.03 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Outside of the Michigan game he is averaging 5.75 targets and 3.25 receptions, 25.75 yards and 0 TDs per game. The only reason to hang onto Branch at this point is if you are in a keeper or dynasty league as he is only a sophomore and has time to grow in this offense.
TIGHT ENDS: Keep
None
TIGHT ENDS: Cut
Previous Entries
Luke Lachey (Iowa)
Fantrax Ownership 93%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 6.45 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: I stated the Ohio State game would determine if Lachey should be kept. He had 5 receptions for 39 yards and no TDs. The QB play is awful and there aren’t good match-ups on the schedule.
Caden Prieskorn (Miss)
Fantrax Ownership 86%
Fantasy Scoring Over Last 3 Weeks: 3.13 PPG
Summary of previous write-ups: Offense is spreading the ball around too much, he is averaging 2.2 targets and 0.14 TDs per game which shows that he is an afterthought in this offense.