I am looking forward to the upcoming weekend. The family is celebrating my daughter’s 21st birthday, and the slate of college football offers so many impactful college fantasy football games: USC-Oregon State, TCU-SMU, Duke-Kansas and Stanford-Washington. Woefully, injuries are starting to mount on CFF rosters and many managers likely need a starter to insert into their lineups this week.
I have identified nine players, who are possibly available on the waiver wire in your season-long CFF leagues. Matt Hicks and I breakdown the upcoming College Fantasy Football slate on the CFF Week 4 show presented by the Rookie Big Board, and CFF fanatics in the Twitterverse provide insight and analysis for potential starters this week.
Enjoy my fellow CFF diehards!
Scholar’s CFF Serendipitous Starters: Week 4
QB Stetson Bennett, Georgia vs. Kent State
O/U 62, Georgia -45
Opponent Defense: 294.7 passing ypg., 8 P-TDs and 29.3 ppg.
@Fantrax Ownership: 38%
In order to be successful at fantasy sports, analysts and players must be willing to change their perspective when confronted with new facts and information. I cannot ignore the productivity of quarterback Stetson Bennett any longer.
The Bulldogs’ leader is the No. 19 ranked CFF signal caller, scoring 79.1 fantasy points in three games. Bennett has completed 73.9% of his passes, averaged 10.8 yards per attempt and logged eight total touchdowns. Start him with confidence against the Golden Flashes.
QB Carter Bradley, South Alabama vs. Louisiana Tech
O/U 60, South Alabama -13.5
Opponent Defense: 212.3 passing ypg., 4 P-TDs and 39.0 ppg.
@Fantrax Ownership: 9%
My Fantrax teammate Ryan Cobbett featured the Jaguars’ signal caller in the week 2 waiver wire column and recommended readers pick up Carter…I now agree. After watching the UCLA-South Alabama game last week, I walked away impressed by Carter Bradley and the offense in the one-point loss. Carter will perform well against one of the worst defenses in the nation.
QB Riley Leonard, Duke at Kansas
O/U 65.5, Duke +7.0
Opponent Defense: 244.7 passing ypg., 5 P-TDs and 27.3 ppg.
@Fantrax Ownership: 4%
Some of my favorite sports moments have included great basketball players–Christian Laettner and Danning Manning–at Duke and Kansas. There are very few memorable moments at either school on the gridiron. It is clearly a strange time to be a sports fan: I am excited for this battle of two unbeaten teams on Saturday.
A dual-threat competitor, Riley Leonard has eclipsed 35 fantasy points in 2-of-3 games with five passing and two rushing touchdowns. The game script illuminates a pass-heavy script if the Blue Devils fall behind in the second half on the road. Leonard likely posts three total touchdowns in a fascinating game for college football fans.
RB Demie Sumo, North Carolina State vs. UConn
O/U 49.5, NCST -38.5
Opponent Defense: 171.8 ypg, 10 R-TDs and 35.3 ppg.
@Fantrax Ownership: 3%
I have started opponents against the Huskies’ defense for years, and I am not changing my strategy now despite the slight improvements at UConn in 2022. Last week, Demie Sumo took over the backfield after teammate Jordan Houston suffered an injury versus Texas Tech. At 6’0” and 210-pounds, the sophomore should find little opposition in an expected blowout at home.
RB Samson Evans, Eastern Michigan vs. Buffalo
O/U 60, Eastern Michigan -6.0
Opponent Defense: 196.3 rushing yards, 7 R-TDs and 35.3 ppg.
@Fantrax Ownership: 13%
I expected that CFF diehards would take a stab at picking up Samson Evens after a 258-yard effort against Arizona State and MAC Offensive Player of the Week. He had a 13% ownership on Sunday. Yet, the Eagles’ ball carrier is still available in 87% of leagues after waiver wire moves. Do not let him remain available if you need a runner this week.
The Bulls’ defense ranks among the bottom 10 in total defense and even Holy Cross (an FCS program) rambled for over 200 rushing yards versus Buffalo. Evans provides a great high-ceiling option at the Flex position this week for CFF coaches in need of assistance.
RB Dae Dae Hunter, Liberty vs. Akron
O/U 53.5, Liberty -26.5
Opponent Defense: 229.0 ypg., 13 R-TDs and 46.0 ppg.
@Fantrax Ownership: 15%
With starting quarterback Kaidon Salter out against Akron, coach Hugh Freeze likely will rely heavily on the ground game with Dae Dae Hunter against the Zips. The former Hawaii runner has been productive this year: He has surged for 215 yards on 38 attempts, scored twice and snatched eight passes for 31 yards.
WR Javon Baker, UCF vs. Georgia Tech
O/U 56.5, UCF -20.5
Opponent Defense: 253.7 passing yards, 4 P-TDs and 33.3 ppg.
@Fantrax Ownership: 14%
Javon Baker graded out as a four-star prospect coming out of high school in 2019 and landed at Alabama. In two seasons, he barely earned targets and only corralled nine passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. In the offseason, he transferred to UCF and quickly became the top pass catcher for the Knights.
The former Crimson Tide receiver has 251 yards on 17 catches and two touchdowns in three games. Baker has been consistently targeted (9, 10 & 12) in each game and produced 54.1 fantasy points. The Yellow Jackets are a bad defensive team, and Baker will not be challenged down the field.
WR Ashtyn Hawkins, Texas State vs. Houston Baptist
Opponent Defense: FCS program
@Fantrax Ownership: 15%
One of my favorite pastimes is looking at targets among receivers in college football every Sunday evening after the NFL games are over. When looking at the numbers, I could not help but notice that Ashtyn Hawkins was the No. 6 target magnet in the country.
He has 39 targets—averaging 13 per game—for 27 receptions for 251 yards and four scores. I expect fireworks between the Bobcats and Huskies, and Hawkins to continue posting great numbers for CFF diehards.
WR Roderic Burns, North Texas at Memphis
O/U 70, Memphis -12.5
Opponent Defense: 274.7 ypg., 8 P-TDs and 31.3 ppg.
@Fantrax Ownership: 27%
Looking at CFF production, Roderic Burns has been underwhelming this season. He has only surpassed double-digit points in 2-of-4 games with a season-best 13.5 fantasy points two weeks ago. There is no question that Memphis is going to push the ball down the field and put points on the board. The Mean Green offense must throw to keep the game close, and Burns sees a season-best targets and receptions versus the Tigers’ secondary.
CFF Positional Battles for Week 4 Matchups
Twitterverse on Fire!
Who Ya Got at Quarterback?
- Riley Leonard, Duke: 7%
- Seth Hennigan, Memphis: 31%
- J.J. McCarthy, Michigan: 33%
- Stetson Bennett, Georgia: 29%
“Seth Hennigan has been flawless (0 INTs) while chucking the ball around (62-for-92 for 940 yards and six touchdowns) and takes on The Mean Green of North Texas that allows 255 yards per game and three touchdowns per game.” @NinoBrown_T2T
“J.J. McCarthy…All Day.” @TheFF_Educator
“I’ll give you a write-in vote: Parker McNeil, Louisiana Tech. I like this guy to get it going as the season moves on.” @FantasyFBS
“As crazy as it seems, I’m going to start Stetson Bennett. He is averaging nearly 25 FPPG, which is impressive. The numbers don’t lie and it doesn’t seem to matter what type of opponent the Bulldogs are playing.” @RJsFantasyFB
“Seth Hennigan: The Tigers have the Mean Green at home. North Texas gave up 48 points to SMU and 58 to UNLV. Hennigan has put up 775 passing yards and five touchdowns over his last two games.” @WaggleLeft
“Stetson Bennett—a man on a mission!” @bigguyadocious
Who Ya Got at Running Back?
- Demie Sumo, North Carolina State: 21%
- La’Damian Webb, South Alabama: 31%
- Israel Abanikanda, Pittsburgh: 23%
- Aidan Robbins, UNLV: 23%
“Izzy (Israel Abanikanda) is looking VERY good for the next two weeks: FCS team, then Georgia Tech who is 106th vs. the run!” @CFFonIG
“Issy!!! 55 attempts for 287 yards and two scores in the last two games and one game was against Tennessee!!” @NinoBrown_T2T
“La’Damian Webb: The former FSU transfer has played up to the hype since moving down in competition. Now getting into the Fun Belt part of the schedule, $$$…” @JustinNottingh6
Who Ya Got at Wide Receiver?
- Derwin Burgess, Georgia Southern: 13%
- Ashtyn Hawkins, Texas State: 29%
- Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee: 50%
- Oronde Gadsden, II, Syracuse: 8%
“Jalil Hyatt: Fresh off a week 2 with 11-reception game, he decided to let college football know his name week 3 vs Akron 5 catches for 166 yards, two touchdowns, 33.2 YPC.” @NinoBrown_T2T
“Ashtyn Hawkins. He’s got 39 targets—second best on his team is 14!! He’s competing with no one else on his team for catches.” @CFFonIG
Rookie Big Board presents College Fantasy Football
- Marvelous Matchups
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- Matt’s DFS Lineup
- All-American RBB Best Bets