In a College Fantasy Football move that will go down in history as nothing short of monumental, Volume Pigs and Purple Reign have combined their CFF “mega powers” to form an unstoppable team.
Each week this heavyweight duo will outline College Fantasy Football players to start and sit at each position, and answer questions submitted on X (Twitter) from our readers.
QUARTERBACKS: Start ‘Em
Purple Reign
Tommy Ulatowski (Kent) at Western Michigan
Despite having a poor performance last week against Bowling Green, I’m a believer of “Tommy TD” when the match-up is right. The Western Michigan pass defense is ranked #116 in fantasy points allowed and gives up 1.57 passing TDs/game. Western Michigan also gives up twice as many third down conversion as Kent State converts, so this will help drives stay alive. There are two items of concern you should be aware of. Kent State plays on the road and Vegas is calling from them to only score 21 points.
Colton Joseph (OD) vs Georgia Southern
Joseph is this week’s dual-threat QB darling from the waiver wire and he has a good match-up to take advantage of. Georgia Southern’s rush defense ranks #109 in fantasy points allowed. They give up 5.24 yards/carry and 2 rushing TDs per game. The Georgia Southern pass defense also ranks #107 in fantasy points allowed and they give up TDs in the red zone 71.4% of the time.
Volume Pigs
Jacurri Brown (UCF) vs. BYU
BYU is a good defence this year, but I just saw Oklahoma State have a field day last Friday vs. the Coogs. Brown is a deadly rushing threat and he is in a perfect system under Malzahn to utilize his abilities.
Jacolby Criswell (UNC) vs. UVA
Criswell is seeing over 40 opportunities per game in his last four appearances, with a healthy mix of passes and rushes baked in. UNC plays UVA this week with an O/U at 59.5, with UNC as underdogs at +4.5.
QUARTERBACKS: Sit ‘Em
Purple Reign
Giovanni Lopez (SoAl) vs UL-Monroe
For those that have not noticed, UL-Monroe has put together one of the best pass defenses in the country, ranking #7 in fantasy points allowed and only giving up 0.5 passing TDs/game. The South Alabama game plan will need to attack ULM’s rush defense which ranks #83 in fantasy points allowed. Lopez does provide rushing production so he should be able to find the end zone once on the ground, but he may not be able to produce enough through the air to hold his normal fantasy value.
Jacurri Brown (UCF) vs BYU
This is another case of a rushing QB facing a tough pass defense. BYU ranks #15 in fantasy points allowed through the air, and their unit is far more seasoned than the sophomore signal caller. I can see Brown throwing 2 INTs in this game. BYU is adequate in rush defense but they only give up 1.14 rushing TDs/game. It will be a tall task for Brown to wrestle that rushing TD away from RB RJ Harvey.
Volume Pigs
Jaxson Dart (MISS) vs. OU
Dart’s been on a downward trend since SEC play kicked off and OU has a stingy defence. OU’s offence might give Ole Miss enough opportunities to boost Dart to a productive day, but I’d rather start someone else this week.
RUNNING BACKS: Start ‘Em
Purple Reign
Tre Stewart (JacSt) vs Middle Tennessee
I am a huge fan of this match-up for all Jacksonville State players this week. Middle Tennessee’s rush defense ranks #106 in fantasy points allowed and JSU’s rush offense ranks #5 in fantasy points scored. Middle Tennessee also gives up 4.68 yards/carry, 2 rushing TDs/game, and TDs in the red zone 77.1% of the time. This match-up is so favorable for JSU that Vegas is calling for them to score 42 points in this contest.
Delbert Mimms III (E Mi) at Akron
The Akron defense has a skill at bleeding points to opposing offenses. They give up TDs in the red zone 91.7% of the time, and 2.43 rushing TDs/game. These things will all go in Mimms’ favor this week. Akron’s rush defense ranks #121 in fantasy points allowed and they allow opposing offenses to convert third downs almost 50% of the time.
Volume Pigs
Braylon Russell (Ark) vs. MISST
Pittman said that Russell is in for a lot of carries this weekend with Ja’Quinden Jackson nursing an injury. Mississippi State is probably the worst team in the SEC this year so the Hogs should be able to impose their will early and often, with Russell apparently being the weapon of choice.
Avery Morrow (CSU) vs. NM
Morrow didn’t find the end zone last week, but he continues to get 20 carries per game dating back four weeks ago. He gets a soft NM defence this week.
RUNNING BACKS: Sit ‘Em
Purple Reign
Jonah Coleman (Wash) at Indiana
One of the biggest reasons that Indiana is still undefeated is that they field the #8 ranked rush defense in fantasy points allowed. This is going to be a tall task for Coleman and Washington’s #112 ranked rush offense in fantasy points scored. With Indiana only giving up 0.71 rushing TDs per game, its not going to be easy for Coleman to score on his usual workload of around 16 carries.
Eli Heidenreich (Navy) vs Notre Dame
Despite averaging just 7.5 total touches/game Heidenriech has made himself into a strong fantasy asset. He makes most of his fantasy points off of deep play action passes that go for TDs. It might be really hard finding room for Heidenreich to score when Notre Dame only gives up 1 passing TD/game and 0.71 rushing TDs/game. The Irish rush defense ranks #8 in fantasy points allowed and their pass defense ranks #23 in fantasy points allowed.
Volume Pigs
Ollie Gordon (OKST) vs. Baylor
He had a big game last week, but he was also banged up and there are rumours about him sitting the rest of the season. I don’t know that I buy that, but I am apprehensive about starting OGII to this week in what would normally be a good matchup.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Start ‘Em
Purple Reign
Luke Wysong (NM) at Colorado State
Even though New Mexico’s pass offense only ranks #78 in fantasy points scored, Wysong has become a “volume pig” for targets. He will get to feast on a Colorado State pass defense that ranks #120 in fantasy points allowed and that gives up 2 passing TDs/game. What I like even more is that Colorado State is giving up TDs 87.5% of the time offenses reach the red zone. I think this offense should score more than the 29 points Vegas is predicting.
Devin McCuin (UTSA) at Tulsa
McCuin has been very up and down this year and it makes it hard to predict what he’ll do from week to week. I’ve seen him go into games with great fantasy match-ups and he end up producing a dud, so keep that in mind. The UTSA pass offense ranks #35 in fantasy points scored and Tulsa’s pass defense ranks #129 in fantasy points scored. Tulsa gives up 2.43 passing TDs/game and TDs in the red zone 85.7% of the time. If McCuin is fed his normal workload of targets he should produce this week.
Volume Pigs
Jakobie James (UMass) vs. Wagner
James is UMass go-to WR and when the Minutemen play an inferior opponent, good things tend to happen for their players. In particular, I’m looking at James’ game vs. Central Conn earlier this season where he scored around 20 points in 1PPR formats.
Jaden Smith (Nevada) vs. Hawaii
Smith’s been quietly trending up and is coming off a 12 target performance last week. I don’t see Hawaii’s defense as a team to avoid in a matchup here, and I like Smith to potentially have another big day.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Sit ‘Em
Purple Reign
Pat Bryant (Ill) at Oregon
Bryant has had a bad stretch of fantasy match-ups and that streak continues this week. The Oregon pass defense ranks #7 in fantasy points allowed and only gives up 0.57 passing TDs/game. Illinois has to travel multiple times zones to Oregon, and Vegas thinks the Illini offense will only put up 16 points. It will also be difficult for Illinois to sustain drives when Oregon holds opposing offenses to a 31.9% third down conversion rate.
Kaden Prather (MD) at Minnesota
My gut tells me that Maryland will score more than the 21 points Vegas is predicting, but I still think its safe to leave Prather on the bench this week. He’s traveling to Minnesota to face the #6 ranked pass defense in fantasy points allowed. The Gophers only give up 0.43 passing TDs/game. If you think Maryland can get one passing TD then you would be making a safer bet to put your money on Felton or Prather.
Volume Pigs
Mac Dalena vs. SJSU
Dalena’s production has been trending down for several weeks now and Fresno State has a bunch of WRs who could all lead them in targets on any given day.
TIGHT ENDS: Start ‘Em
Volume Pigs
John Michael Gyllenborg (Wyo) vs Utah State
Gyllenborg, when healthy, is the #1 target in the Cowboys’ passing attack. Enough said for the TE position, right? They get a very weak Utah State defense this week with the highest O/U total on a Wyoming game this year.
TIGHT ENDS: Sit ‘Em
Purple Reign
Thomas Fidone (Neb) at Ohio State
No rest for the wicked when it comes to Nebraska’s schedule. They travel to the Horseshoe to face an Ohio State pass defense that ranks #8 in fantasy points allowed and only gives up 0.67 passing TDs/game. Ohio State also holds opposing offenses to a 32.1% third down conversion rate. With Vegas calling for Nebraska to score just 11 points, I find it hard to believe that Fidone will score the team’s only TD.
READER SUBMISSIONS
Andrew Bracht
Superflex pick 2, 6 pt PTD: Been struggling with production at QB despite what feels like some big names rostered. Can we trust Salter (Lib) this week (Weds night) in a great matchup @ Kennesaw State? Will Barnett (JMU) bounce back in a great matchup vs So Miss? Gleason (Toledo) and Greene (WVU) questionable. Don’t trust Navarro (Ohio) after last week. Might try to pick up and stream Huff (JacSt), Petras (UtSt), or HM Williams (UNLV)?
Purple Reign: I agree with you about holding off on Gleason, Greene, and Navarro. I have Huff and Barnett right next to each other. Both teams are expected to score around 40 points. Both games are at home. Both defenses give up similar third down conversion rates. If you don’t want to drop any QBs then roll with Barnett who should dominate the team’s scoring. The JMU match-up is best for rush defense rank, yards/carry allowed, and rushing TDs allowed. I have Huff slightly higher even though he will share TDs opportunities with RB Stewart. The Jacksonville State match-up is better for defensive red zone TDs allowed, and passing TDs allowed.
Volume Pigs: It feels like if Salter doesn’t produce this week then I don’t know when he will. It’s a great matchup and even though Salter’s been shaky this year, I wouldn’t mind plugging him in. I wouldn’t trust either Gleason or Greene due to injuries. Unless there’s an injury I don’t know about, picking up any of those three mentioned for streaming is a no-brainer for me. I’d want to start Huff and HMW.