Hester's College Football Plays: Week 12
In Week 12, we don’t quite have the regular game set, due to a little bigger slate of games earlier in the week, along with a few big-name teams having an off week.
Those factors along with some bad matchups and weather concerns have me using a different approach to building my teams this week. I think this is the week to save a little at QB and pay up for RB. However, if you still want to spend at QB, that is never really a bad approach.
This is a list of a few of the main guys that will find their way into my lineups.
Quarterback
Christian Stewart (BYU) L – Stewart has stepped in for the do-everything Taysom Hill and played pretty decent considering he doesn’t have the same set of skills. He doesn’t run the ball nearly as well as Hill, but has still managed to score at least 4.7 points on the ground in every start and has found the end zone running the last two weeks. Starting RB Jamal Williams is now lost for the year, and so they will turn to Stewart more than ever. Putting all these positives and a matchup against a bad UNLV defense together, I think you have a great mid-range play in Stewart this week.
Joshua Dobbs (Tennessee) E – Dobbs was the third-string QB at Tennessee just a few short weeks ago. Most people probably don’t even know who Dobbs is, and for a good reason. Tennessee has been a fantasy wasteland for a few years now and most people don’t even consider playing anybody from that team. He was put into the starting lineup after an injury and some ineffective play, and has really transformed this Tennessee offense. The most appealing stat for me is the rushing attempts he is getting: 19 and 24 the last two weeks. Put all those rushing attempts along with 35 passes a game together and you’ve got yourself a mid-range play with some serious upside. I am hoping most people do not click on his game log, because he put up a 50-burger last week, so he might end up being highly owned in tournaments.
Trevone Boykin (TCU) E – Boykin is always a good play. I am just a little worried this game might be such a blowout that they don’t use him much in the running game. Boykin could end up getting 30 points in the first half and get you 40 for the game. I don’t expect more than a 10-point second half though. On the other hand, I think he is the safest play to get you 30 points – if you just want to pencil in 30 from your QB in cash games and build a solid lineup around him, no one would fault you for that. I consider Boykin a great cash game play this week but only an average GPP play. Of all the expensive QBs this week, Boykin is definitely at the top of the list for me.
Other Options: J.T. Barrett (Ohio St), Nick Marshall (Auburn), Marquise Williams (North Carolina)
Running Back
Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin) E – Gordon is the best running back in the country on a team that loves to run the ball. Wisconsin is playing their biggest game of the season against Nebraska, and the Huskers have a great back themselves in Ameer Abdullah. All these factors added together, along with the fact this might be a cold weather game, and I see no reason you shouldn’t have a lot of Melvin Gordon this week. Gordon brings a floor of 150 yards and a TD to the table this week, with the potential of putting up easily putting up a 40 spot. Fade Gordon at your own risk, as there are numerous good RBs in the early set of games, but I do not recommend that strategy at all.
James Conner (Pitt) E – Conner started the year off on a tear and then he hit a little rough patch during midseason. He has turned that slump around big time with eight TDs in the last 3 games. He also ran for 260 yards and had 38 carries last week. This week, he gets to face a horrible North Carolina defense, but NC is good enough of offense that this should be a shootout. The only reason not to consider Conner in your lineups is the fact he is expensive. There are also a number of great RB options elsewhere in the early slate of games. After Gordon though, he is the safest play at RB this week.
Elijah McGuire (Louisiana) L – The only thing that was holding McGuire back from being a great RB all year was splitting carries with Alonzo Harris. Harris got banged up a couple of weeks ago and McGuire has been getting the bulk of the carries ever since, and he’s been putting up huge numbers. Harris is expected back this week, but McGuire should still see the lion’s share of the carries as they ease him back into the lineup. McGuire has a string of four games with at least 25 fantasy points and I see that streak continuing this week in a rivalry game against UL-Monroe. He also has some great receiving skills, so he can help you in a couple of different ways.
Other Options: Jarvion Franklin (Western Michigan), Jay Ajayi (Boise St), Jeremy Langford (Michigan St)
Wide Receiver
I am only going to focus on mid to low tier guys at WR due to spending your salary cap on RB this week
Josh Doctson (TCU) E – Doctson was injured a couple of weeks ago and has been playing through the injury, but he hasn’t been at full strength. That has allowed his salary to drop, and this is the week to take advantage of that. He is the #1 WR in a very good TCU offense that should put up some major points on a weak Kansas team this week. Doctson has big-play ability along with being a major target in the red zone. These factors, along with his price tag this week, make him hard not to consider.
Thomas Sperbeck (Boise St) L – The Boise St offense is clicking on all cylinders right now and Sperbeck is their big play guy. The Broncos are averaging over 50 points per game in their last four games and I see them scoring quite a bit again this week. Sperbeck should be part of that scoring. The injury to Matt Miller has freed up an opportunity for Sperbeck to show off his skills and he has really impressed. The nice thing about Boise St WRs is that Jay Ajayi draws almost all of the attention of the other team’s defense – as such, they get multiple wide open looks down field every game. I would be surprised if Sperbeck doesn’t catch another long TD this week. He also has averaged over 150 yards in the last two games.
Jordan Taylor (Rice) E – Taylor is a very consistent WR that doesn’t have any huge games, but he had scored in four straight games before last week. While he didn’t find the end zone last week, he still had nine catches for 92 yards. This week Rice is probably going to be playing from behind most of the game, as they face a very good Marshall team. The consistency he brings makes him a great cash game play on FanDuel but only an average play on DraftKings, who have him priced a little higher.
Other Options: Corey Davis (Western Michigan), Bud Sasser (Missouri), Cayleb Jones (Arizona), Kenzee Jackson (Louisiana-Monroe)
Tight End
David Grinnage (NC St) E – Grinnage is not the best TE by any means, but he is the main red-zone threat in the Wolfpack offense, and that is enough for me to play him. He has scored in three of the last four games and has four total TDs in that time. He has to be considered the TE most likely to score a TD this week, and that should be good enough reason to consider him in your lineups.
Conner Hamlett (Oregon St) L – Hamlett was one of my favorite TEs to target early in the season because I thought he would put up WR numbers from the TE position. I was way off on that one, but he is starting to play a little better as of late. He scored a TD last week, and I think he will start being a focus in the offense going forward. This play is strictly a gut instinct play, as there are not a lot of stats to back it up. However, I did mention this same thing last week and he had a nice game.
Other Options: Bradley Miller (Texas St), Maxx Williams (Minnesota)