Tight Ends
1. Tyler Eifert — Notre Dame vs Air Force
2. Vance McDonald — Rice vs. Memphis
3. Orson Charles — Georgia vs. Tennessee
4. Dwayne Allen — Clemson vs. Boston College
5. Coby Fleener — Stanford vs. Colorado
6. Gavin Escobar — San Diego State vs. TCU
7. Joseph Fauria — UCLA vs. Washington State
8. Evan Rodriguez — Temple at Ball State
09. David Paulson — Oregon vs. California
10. Ryan Otten — San Jose State at Colorado State
11. Ladarius Green — Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Troy
12. Tim Biere — Kansas at Oklahoma State
13. Kyle Efaw — Bowling Green at Western Michigan
14. Drake Dunsmore — Northwestern vs. Michigan
15. Nick Provo — Syracuse vs. Tulane
Kickers
1. Tyler Bitancurt — West Virginia vs. Connecticut
2. Quinn Sharp — Oklahoma State vs. Kansas
3. Jordan Williamson — Stanford vs. Colorago
4. Mathew Sims — Northern Illinois vs. Kent State
5. Jimmy Newman — Wake Forest vs. Florida State
6. Kevin Harper — Pittsburgh at Rutgers
7. John Potter — Western Michigan vs. Bowling Green
8. Randy Bullock — Texas A&M at Texas Tech
9. Nate Freese — Boston College at Clemson
10. Giorgio Tavecchio — California vs. Oregon
11. Anthony Cantele — Kansas State vs. Missouri
12. San San Te — Rutgers vs. Pittsbrgh
13. Carson Wiggs — Purdue vs. Minnesota
14. Matt Hogan — Houston vs. East Carolina
15. Matt Weller — Ohio at Buffalo
Defense/Special Teams
1. South Carolina (vs. Kentucky)
2. Alabama (vs. Vanderbilt)
3. Ohio (at Buffalo)
4. Stanford (vs. Colorado)
5. North Carolina (vs. Louisville)
6. Mississippi State (at UAB)
7. LSU (vs. Florida)
8. Central Florida (vs. Marshall)
9. Temple (at Ball State)
10. North Texas (vs. Florida Atlantic)
11. Penn State (vs. Iowa)
12. Virginia Tech (vs. Miami)
13. Arizona State (at Utah)
14. Northern Illinois (vs. Kent State)
15. Oklahoma (at Texas)
Quarterbacks
1. Denard Robinson — Michigan at Northwestern. Dual threat quarterbacks are becoming the new rage in the Big Ten this season, and Robinson’s 1396 total yards (793 passing, 603 rushing) project him to finish somewhere in the neighborhood of Pat White’s 2008 campaign. While his passing efficiency is worth monitoring, we don’t anticipate that factoring in his short-term value. Northwestern allows 24.3 points and 174.8 rushing yards per game. Michigan ranks second in the Big Ten in total offense, first in rushing, and third in scoring.
2. Chandler Harnish — Northern Illinois vs. Kent State. Through the first four weeks Harnish has 17 all purpose touchdowns and 1231 passing yards while accounting for 43 percent of his team's total scoring. Variance is the achilles heel of fantasy football and the volume you get with Harnish translates into consistent production. Kent State (1-4) ranks last in their conference in every statistical category both offensive and defensively. Harnish is on pace for 360 attempts, 2954 yards, and 41 touchdowns.
3. Seth Doege — Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M. Doege continues to post viable numbers in Texas Tech’s spread offense this season, where his 118/1315/14 ranks among the leaders at his position. His 73 percent completion mark and 14:1 TD-to-INT ratio have been equally as impressive, so Doege should be viewed as a high-end QB1 until he proves otherwise. Texas A&M ranks sixth in the Big 12 in points against (23.3) and last in pass defense (337 yards per game).
4. Robert Griffin — Baylor vs. Iowa State. In this week’s edition of By the Numbers we noted that Griffin once had a longer streak of passes without an interception than the one snapped Saturday at Kansas State. The interception would lead to KSU's game winning field goal, but it shouldn't take away from his accomplishments this season. Griffin's 1481 total yards and 19 touchdowns place him in an elite bracket that projects him to surpass his 454/3501/22 line from 2010. Playing behind a seasoned offensive line, he's the only matchup-proof quarterback in an otherwise volatile market.
5. Geno Smith — West Virginia vs. Connecticut. Last week the Connecticut defense allowed 479 passing yards in a 38-31 loss to Western Michigan. Expect that trend to continue this week as Smith is in line for a big game as he becomes more acclimated in Dana Holgorsen’s offensive system. His 1709 yards, 12 touchdowns, and three interceptions put him in the top half of the Big East leaderboard, and the emergence of WR Tavon Austin (35/490/1) and Stedman Bailey (27/456/3) give the Mountaineers one of the premier passing attacks in college football.
Honorable Mention
6. Case Keenum — Houston vs. East Carolina
7. Andrew Luck — Stanford vs. Colorado
8. Brandon Weeden — Oklahoma State vs. Kansas
9. Nick Foles — Arizona at Oregon State
10. James Franklin — Missouri vs. Kansas State
11. Darron Thomas — Oregon vs. California
12. Nathan Scheelhaase — Illinois at Indiana
13. Alex Carder — Western Michigan vs. Bowling Green
14. Dominique Davis — East Carolina at Houston
15. Tyler Wilson — Arkansas vs. Auburn
16. Kellen Moore — Boise State at Fresno State
17. Landry Jones — Oklahoma vs. Texas
18. Mike Glennon — N.C. State vs. Central Michigan
19. Tajh Boyd — Clemson vs. Boston College
20. Logan Kilgore — Middle Tennessee vs. Western Kentucky
21. Tevin Washington — Georgia Tech vs. Maryland
22. Blaine Gauntier — Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Troy
23. EJ Manuel — Florida State at Wake Forest
24. Collin Klein — Kansas State vs. Missouri
25. Tyler Tettleton — Ohio at Buffalo
Running Backs
1. Marcus Lattimore — South Carolina vs. Kentucky. Lattimore is coming off his worst statistical outing in South Carolina’s 16-13 loss to Auburn, generating 66 yards on 17 carries despite Stephen Garcia’s highly inefficient 9-of-23 passing. Following that performance, Sophomore Connor Shaw will take over the starting job in a move that stands to benefit Lattimore, who’s 124/667/9 ranks first in the SEC and Top Five nationally. Kentucky yields an average of 198.8 rushing yards and 24.6 points per game.
2. Joseph Randle — Oklahoma State vs. Kansas. In addition to scoring consistency and receiving value, Randle is averaging 115.2 yards per game and expected to see an increased workload this week, as Kansas ranks 119th in total defense and 118th against the run. To put those numbers in context, the Jayhawks allowed 604 rushing yards on 50 attempts in their Week 3 loss at Georgia Tech, and yield an average of 545 yards per game. Oklahoma State is rushing eight percent more frequently on offense this season (39.5 Rush/G) as reflected in their year-over-year averages.
3. Cierre Wood — Notre Dame vs. Air Force. Wood posted career numbers last week, accounting for 213 total yards (191 rushing, 22 receiving) in an uncontested 38-10 win over Purdue. Going in to their Week 6 matchup, Notre Dame has won 11 of its last 13 contests against Air Force while averaging 34.9 points per game. Traditionally, Mountain West teams are hotbeds for inflation and we recommend targeting those mismatches whenever possible. Wood is an emerging talent behind an offensive line that’s clicking on all cylinders. Air Force allows an average of 228 rushing and 409.5 total yards per game.
4. Trent Richardson — Alabama vs. Vanderbilt. After five weeks of action, it is becoming apparent that an SEC team will represent the BCS title game for the sixth consecutive season, where Richardson is making his case for Heisman consideration after rushing for 181 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s win at Florida. Currently second in the SEC in rushing behind only Marcus Lattimore, Richardson ranks fourth and third respectively in both yards and scoring. While Vanderbilt (3-1) has put together a strong first quarter, they’re outmatched in every statistical category by Alabama. Richardson should be viewed as a high-end RB1 in all formats.
5. David Wilson — Virginia Tech vs. Miami. Fumbling concerns aside, Wilson leads the ACC with 640 yards in five games and looks to be separating himself as one of the most dynamic playmakers in college football. Unless the passing game improves, Virginia Tech will continue to rely on him going forward — and in his matchup against Miami, who yields an average of 202 rushing yards per game. Wilson provides the type of latitude you want from your RB1 with four, 40-plus yard touchdowns and 60 broken tackles this season.
Honorable Mention
6. Giovanni Bernard — North Carolina vs. Louisville
7. Ray Graham — Pittsburgh at Rutgers
8. Robert Turbin — Utah State vs. Wyoming
9. Lamar Miller — Miami at Virginia Tech
10. LaMichael James — Oregon vs. California
11. Michael Dyer — Auburn at Arkansas
12. Bernard Pierce — Temple at Ball State
13. Lance Dunbar — North Texas vs. Florida Atlantic
14. Doug Martin — Boise State at Fresno State
15. Eric Stephens — Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M
16. Morgan Williams — Toledo vs. Eastern Michigan
17. Brandon Rutley — San Jose State at Colorado State
18. Treyvon Green — Northwestern vs. Michigan
19. Ronnie Hillman — San Diego State vs TCU
20. Jasmin Hopkins — Northern Illinois vs. Kent State
21. Christine Michael — Texas A&M at Texas Tech
22. Bobby Rainey — Western Kentucky at Middle Tennessee
23. Michael Hayes — Houston vs. East Carolina
24. James Washington — N.C. State vs. Central Michigan
25. Cyrus Gray — Texas A&M at Texas Tech.
Wide Receivers
1. Justin Blackmon — Oklahoma State vs. Kansas. Blackmon ran circles around Texas A&M cornerback Terrence Frederick in Week 4, totaling 121 yards and one touchdown on 11 receptions. Expect more of the same this week as Kansas ranks last in the Big 12 and among the worst statistical defenses in the nation (see above section on Joseph Randle). Blackmon is a plug-and-play WR1 in all formats.
2. Kendall Wright — Baylor vs. Iowa State. Wright caught nine passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns in Baylor’s 36-35 loss to Kansas State in Week 5. As Griffin's go-to guy, there isn’t a better situation for consistent targets in college football. Projections in the 90/1110/10 range would place him among the elite at his position, but look to be consistent with his first quarter production.
3. Sammy Watkins — Clemson vs. Boston College. After being held to three catches for 38 yards last week, Watkins is a strong bounceback candidate against a Boston College team that yields an average of 250 passing yards per game and 403 yards of total offense. Defensive back Donnie Fletcher is a physical corner that lacks the speed to maintain Watkins vertically and in space. Clemson has beat ranked opponents handily in three consecutive weeks, and the Eagles are decidedly not a top 25 program.
4. Jordan White — Western Michigan vs. Bowling Green. White is off to another impressive campaign, going for 55/668/5 in his first five games and ranking second nationally in both receptions and yards. The emergence of senior WR Chleb Ravenell should allow for more one-on-one matchups, with Ravenell creating pressure and drawing attention to the opposite side of the field. The Broncos are 21st in the NCAA in passing offense (301.8) and 56th overall in points scored.
5. Da’Rick Rogers — Tennessee vs. Georgia. Rogers is the primary receiving target in the Volunteers high-volume passing offense with star WR Justin Hunter (knee) out for the season. Few players have more athletic talent than the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Rogers, who was an AJC Super 11 selection at Calhoun High. Georgia DB Sanders Commings is a standout performer in his own right, but there’s no reason to think he won’t hit his projections this week. Tennessee ranks second in the SEC in both passing yards and touchdowns, and first overall in completion percentage.
Honorable Mention
6. Ryan Broyles — Oklahoma vs. Texas
7. A.J. Jenkins — Illinois at Indiana
8. Derek Moye — Penn State vs. Iowa
9. Quinton Patton — Louisiana Tech at Idaho
10. Lance Lewis — East Carolina at Houston
11. Jarius Wright — Arizona at Oregon State
12. Michael Floyd — Notre Dame vs. Connecticut
13. T.J. Graham — N.C. State vs. Central Michigan
14. Mohamed Sanu — Rutgers vs. Pittsburgh
15. Stedman Bailey — West Virginia vs. Connecticut
16. Dwight Jones — North Carolina vs. Louisville
17. Keith Sconiers — Arkansas vs. Auburn.
18. Dwayne Frampton — Arizona State at Utah
19. Marquess Wilson — Washington State at UCLA
20. Nick Harswell — Miami at Virginia Tech.
21. Markus Wheaton — Oregon State vs. Arizona
22. Keenan Allen — California at Oregon
23. Eric Ward — Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M
24. Alshon Jeffery — South Carolina vs. Kentucky
25. Chris Owusu — Stanford vs. Colorado
Tight Ends
1. Tyler Eifert — Notre Dame vs Air Force
2. Vance McDonald — Rice vs. Memphis
3. Orson Charles — Georgia vs. Tennessee
4. Dwayne Allen — Clemson vs. Boston College
5. Coby Fleener — Stanford vs. Colorado
6. Gavin Escobar — San Diego State vs. TCU
7. Joseph Fauria — UCLA vs. Washington State
8. Evan Rodriguez — Temple at Ball State
09. David Paulson — Oregon vs. California
10. Ryan Otten — San Jose State at Colorado State
11. Ladarius Green — Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Troy
12. Tim Biere — Kansas at Oklahoma State
13. Kyle Efaw — Bowling Green at Western Michigan
14. Drake Dunsmore — Northwestern vs. Michigan
15. Nick Provo — Syracuse vs. Tulane
Kickers
1. Tyler Bitancurt — West Virginia vs. Connecticut
2. Quinn Sharp — Oklahoma State vs. Kansas
3. Jordan Williamson — Stanford vs. Colorago
4. Mathew Sims — Northern Illinois vs. Kent State
5. Jimmy Newman — Wake Forest vs. Florida State
6. Kevin Harper — Pittsburgh at Rutgers
7. John Potter — Western Michigan vs. Bowling Green
8. Randy Bullock — Texas A&M at Texas Tech
9. Nate Freese — Boston College at Clemson
10. Giorgio Tavecchio — California vs. Oregon
11. Anthony Cantele — Kansas State vs. Missouri
12. San San Te — Rutgers vs. Pittsbrgh
13. Carson Wiggs — Purdue vs. Minnesota
14. Matt Hogan — Houston vs. East Carolina
15. Matt Weller — Ohio at Buffalo
Defense/Special Teams
1. South Carolina (vs. Kentucky)
2. Alabama (vs. Vanderbilt)
3. Ohio (at Buffalo)
4. Stanford (vs. Colorado)
5. North Carolina (vs. Louisville)
6. Mississippi State (at UAB)
7. LSU (vs. Florida)
8. Central Florida (vs. Marshall)
9. Temple (at Ball State)
10. North Texas (vs. Florida Atlantic)
11. Penn State (vs. Iowa)
12. Virginia Tech (vs. Miami)
13. Arizona State (at Utah)
14. Northern Illinois (vs. Kent State)
15. Oklahoma (at Texas)