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It's the first week of the college fantasy football playoffs!
Some great options are on bye (Josh Nesbitt, Ricky Dobbs, Joe McKnight, among many others), so you need this advice to win your round one matchup!
I’m going to stick to guys in BCS conferences, as your league more than likely contains those conferences in some combination. I’m also going to try stay away from telling you it’s a good matchup to play guys against FCS teams. Use your own judgment for those plays, as some players will definitely put up stats, but will be subject to a 25% penalty. And sometimes the backups will get a lot of time.
Quarterbacks
Sean Canfield, Oregon State (Washington State) – Look up who’s playing the Cougs. Pick up their key players. Rinse. Repeat. Last 4 games: 31, 12, 29, 31 points. Here’s hoping this is one of those 30-pointers.
Blaine Gabbert, Missouri (Iowa State) – Good QB, good matchup, low ownership (including the fact he’s sitting in the walk-on pool of the Official Gatorsfirst.com League), good roster move.
If you’re hardcore: Trent Steelman, Army (@North Texas) – Consider this extremely hardcore, as he hardly racked up the points at home against VMI last week. But in a league where I have Ricky Dobbs and Juice Williams on bye, and my other option was Tate Forcier, I considered it.
Running backs
Adam Robinson, Iowa (Minnesota) – Before getting hurt, Robinson was a very good play. The news was he was out for the season. As has been a recurring theme this year, he wasn’t. He got 20 carries for 74 yds and 2 receptions for 13 yds last week in his return v. Ohio State. He was likely dropped or never owned in your league. Personally, I’m hoping I can ride him to the championship round in one of my leagues.
Jordan Todman, Connecticut (Notre Dame) – He’s likely near the top of your league’s fantasy point producers. A bye last week has made your league mates forget about his 45-point outburst against the Bearcast week 10 (previous 3 weeks were 12, 16, and 17 points- not too shabby) He’s available in 20% of CBS leagues, and I picked him up during his bye week in the Official Gatorsfirst.com League just to play him this week. In case you somehow made the fantasy playoffs by being entirely out of touch with college football: Notre Dame struggles on defense.
Shane Vereen, California (@Stanford) – He got 30 carries in Best’s absence, and put up 22 fantasy points last week. It doesn’t seem like all the Best owners have picked him up yet, and he has the talent and the opportunity.
If you’re hardcore: Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M (Baylor) – His season averages are good, and he’s playing Baylor. So why is this hardcore? Because he’s gotten 3 and 4 points the last 2 games, and CBS has a player note that he’s starting to lose carries to a freshman named ‘Christine’. Ouch.
Wide Receivers
Joe Adams, Arkansas (Mississippi State) – 3 straight weeks with a TD, since returning from a stroke. I’m facing Mallett in one league, so I hope it doesn’t keep happening. But it will.
Tandon Doss, Indiana (Purdue) – Purdue sucks (as does Indiana). But, Doss is probably the best receiver in the Big Ten now, with Benn under-performing and Decker out for the season. He’s unowned in most CBS leagues, including the G1 league. So he could be available in yours.
Shay Hodge, Mississippi (LSU) – 7 points last week was his lowest output over 5 games, but he was matched up with Eric Berry and Dexter McCluster blew up. Think he may get less attention this week? Me, too.
If you’re hardcore: Chris Owusu, Stanford (California) – At this point in the season, Owusu has been putting up stats almost regardless of the competition. Andrew Luck is an emerging stud, so even though this isn’t the best matchup, I think he puts up the fantasy numbers. And I’m hoping he has a big enough game to keep Gerhart from single-handedly ending my season in one league.
Tight Ends
Joe Halahuni, Oregon State (Washington State) – Once more to the well for my recommending a play against the Cougars- and for Halahuni to make it 3 big games in a row. In a league with few options, I made him my top waiver priority. I think he’s really emerged late in the year, and should be good for double-digit points. Is that what you’ve really been getting from your TE? This is very much an upside play, as I dropped Drake Dunsmore and his consistent (if boring) 4 points/week.
If you’re hardcore: Jimmy Graham, Miami (Duke) – He has 9 catches this season- 5 for TDs. He’s gotten one each of the last two games. Duke Sucks. Are you feeling lucky?
Defense / Special Teams
Nebraska (Kansas State) – I’m betting K-State leaves the “power towel” at home. Big Red is only owned in 21 percent of CBS leagues, and has been averaging 15 points/game.
If you’re hardcore: Oregon State (Washington State) – I picked them up and played them last week against Washington (which didn’t turn out too badly- 12 points) just to make sure I could play them against the Cougs this week. There really is a formula here.
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