College Surprise Fantasy POW – Week 11

By Phil Steele

My QB’s of the Week
Garrett Grayson, Colorado St • Cody Kessler, USC • BJ Denker, Arizona

QB Garrett Grayson  (Colorado St) – After a 397 yd passing game a week ago Garrett Grayson has to get a look in most leagues as Colorado St’s offense has been vastly improved averaging more than 100 ypg than in ’12 and a massive 549 ypg in their home matchups in 2013. This week’s opponent Nevada is allowing 602 ypg away from home this year so there should be plenty of chances for Grayson and the rest of the Rams offense.

QB Cody Kessler (USC) – Since the dismissal of Lane Kiffin following their blowout loss to Arizona St it appears that the USC offensive coaches have been a bit more aggressive with their play-calling and it’s resulted in a 3-1 record and Cody Kessler putting together some of his better outings including a 17-21 pass performance in the Trojans upset win over Oregon St a week ago. Next up, a Cal defense that has held just one of their 9 opponents this year under 400 yards of total offense. Kessler should deliver his first 300 yard passing game of the season here.

QB BJ Denker (Arizona) – Very important game in the P12 South between a pair of 6-2 squads and we like the dual-threat ability of BJ Denker to deliver some more fantasy gold after he had 300 ttl yards of offense last weekend vs Cal with 4 ttl TD’s. On the season Denker has 9 TD passes and 11 TD runs making him a threat to rack up points anywhere on the field. Riding a 3-game winning streak, a pickup of Denker could prove to be very wise this Saturday.

My RB’s of the Week
Tevin Coleman, Indiana • Storm Johnson, UCF • David Cobb, Minnesota

RB Tevin Coleman (Indiana) – With Penn St RB Bill Belton gashing the Illini defense for 201 yards on the ground, there should be no reason why Tevin Coleman shouldn’t have just as solid of a performance. In fact, Coleman is one of just two remaining FBS players (Bishop Sankey-Washington) who have rushed for at least 1 TD in each game this season. Coleman already has three 100+ rush games in ’13 and we believe #4 is within reach this weekend.

RB Storm Johnson (UCF) – Nearly matching Tevin Coleman and Bishop Sankey’s feat this season is Storm Johnson who has recorded a rushing TD in 6 of his 7 contests while hitting the 100 yard plateau on 2 occasions. In a must-win contest this weekend against Houston to stay in the running for the AAC Title and a BCS Bowl berth, the Knights will likely lean heavily on Johnson to keep the ever-dangerous Cougar offense off the field.

RB David Cobb (Minnesota) – With 3 consecutive 100 yard rushing outings in a row David Cobb gets the nod as one of our fantasy choices this weekend against a Penn St defense that has been susceptible to the run allowing 210 yards on the ground in road games this year. Another stat to consider for Cobb and the Gophers in this one is the fact that Minnesota is 4-0 on the season when he eclipses the 100 yard mark. Expect him to get a boatload of touches early on this weekend.

 My WR’s of the Week
Eric Ebron, North Carolina • Tyler Lockett, Kansas St • Josh Harper, Fresno St

WR Eric Ebron (North Carolina) – Despite the loss of their starting QB for this weekend, the Tar Heels do have a favorable matchup against a Virginia squad that has avg 513 ypg over the past 5 gms. With 27 rec over the L/4 games Eric Ebron has been a reception machine for UNC and there should be no reason why he doesn’t continue his solid run here.

WR Tyler Lockett (Kansas St) – The Wildcat offense appears to be getting on track over their last 3 games with 445+ yards in each contest. Tyler Lockett has surpassed the century mark in receiving 4 times this season including an 8 catch, 111 yard, 3 TD performance against WV two weeks ago. Therefore we feel very comfortable with the selection of this all-purpose threat this weekend against Texas Tech.

WR Josh Harper (Fresno St) – Sometimes when looking around for a fantasy option you tend to just look at the leader on the team and move on if he’s taken. The Fresno St WR unit is one you may need to take a 2^nd look at as the Bulldogs actually have 3 different players that have pulled in 56+ catches on the year. Our selection this week however is Josh Harper who had the hot hand for FSU last week as he put together a monstrous outing against Nevada with 17 rec, 253 yds and 2 TD’s. On the year, Harper has hit paydirt twice in a game on 4 occasions and matches up well against Wyoming this Saturday.

My DEFENSES of the Week
Iowa • Oklahoma St • Florida

Iowa Defense – In a league known for tough defense, Iowa’s unit has shown that they belong as they have held their opponents to 325 ypg this season while allowing just 26 combined points in their L/2 contests. This week’s opponent, Purdue has been held to 10 points or fewer on 5 occasions in ’13 including being shutout in each of their past 2 contests against Mich St and Ohio St. With that being said, it appears that the Boilermaker offense is in store for yet another long weekend.

Oklahoma St Defense – Solid defenses bounce back from bad outings and that’s what we expect this week as the Cowboys take on a Kansas offense that is averaging just 15 ppg and 258 ypg on the road this year. Prior to allowing 549 yds last week vs Texas Tech, OSU had allowed just 328 ypg over the previous 5 against mostly B12 opposition. Judging by those numbers, the Cowboys’ defense should shoot down the Jayhawks here.

Florida Defense – After allowing 275 or fewer yards over their first 5 games the Gators have been a bit more susceptible on the defensive side of the ball allowing 382 ypg. A favorable matchup against a Vanderbilt squad that will once again be without their starting QB is what Florida has on the docket this week in “The Swamp”. A solid outing from the Gator defense should be in the offing.

CollegeFootballGeek.com’s Sneaky Plays – Week 11

By Kevin Mount, CollegeFootballGeek.com

A very interesting Week Ten is in the books and it is now time to look ahead to the seventh week of the college football season and the “sneaky” plays it has in store for fantasy owners. Here is a look at some guys who might fill in nicely for owners in need of a potential diamond in the rough.

QUARTERBACKS

QB Brendon Kay, Cincinnati (vs. SMU):
Kay has topped the 300-yard mark in the last two games and could post a huge stat line this week versus SMU. The Mustangs have the eight worst pass defense in all of college football, allowing over 290 passing yards per game. Look for a ton of points in this game, with Kay passing the ball up and down the field. It would not be a big surprise to see Kay drop 350 yards and three or four scores on SMU in Week Eleven. He could be a great plug in for owners in need at the QB position.

QB Blake Bortles, Central Florida (vs. Houston):
Bortles has tossed six touchdowns in the past two games and could add a few more this week against Houston. The Cougars pass defense ranks 115th in the country and routinely gives up plenty of big plays to opposing quarterbacks. This could be a high scoring contest with Bortles having a hand in plenty of points and yards. Bortles looks to be a very nice option this week, especially in BCS only leagues. Expect Bortles to drop 300 total yards and a few scores on Saturday night.

RUNNING BACKS

RB Joey DeMartino, Utah State (vs. UNLV):
DeMartino has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the past two games and has scored 5 rushing touchdowns over the last 3 games. He could feast on an UNLV rush defense that is allowing 244 yards per game and is ranked 118th in the country. DeMartino could easily pile up 100 total yards and a score or two against the Rebels this week. This Aggie appears to be a very attractive option in most league formats this week.

RB Silas Redd & Javorius Allen, USC (vs. Cal):
Both Redd and Allen topped the 100-yard mark last week against Oregon State and could do so again in Week 11. The duo will likely see plenty of carries against a Cal defense that offers about as much resistance as a wet paper bag. There seems to be a good chance for both of these guys to find the end zone this week and either one could be a nice option in BCS only leagues this week.

RB Fitzgerald Toussaint, Michigan (vs. Nebraska):
Toussaint struggled last week against a stingy Michigan State defense, but could bounce back in a big way this week versus Nebraska. The Cornhuskers rush defense is simply not very good and could yield some big plays to Fitz in Week Eleven. The Wolverines could use Fitz as a battering ram to pound Nebraska into submission in the Big House. Look for this Wolverine to compile at least 100 yards on the ground and add a couple of scores against Nebraska this Saturday.

RB Malcolm Brown, Texas (vs. West Virginia):
Brown has scored six rushing touchdowns in last two games and also topped 100 yards rushing in two of his last three contests. He has never really lived up to the hype surrounding him out of high school, but appears to be on a hot streak currently. The West Virginia defense may be hard pressed to keep Brown out of the end zone this week. While there is risk with Brown, the six touchdowns in the last two games are just too hard to ignore. Look for Brown to continue his scoring ways this week and be a nice play in BCS only leagues.

WIDE RECEIVERS

WR Jamal Robinson, La Lafayette (vs. Troy):
Robinson has been fairly consistent this season, but has not scored a touchdown in the last three games. His scoreless streak could come to an end this week against Troy. The Trojans pass defense is putrid (122nd ranked) and may have trouble containing Robinson this week. Look for this Ragin Cajun to go over the century mark this week and likely add a score or two. Robinson could be a nice #3 WR in most league formats in Week Eleven.

WR Keenan Holman, SMU (vs. Cincinnati):
Holman is averaging 167 yards receiving and two scores over the past two games and has become an integral part of the pass heavy SMU offense. With defenses focusing on Jeremy Johnson and Darius Joseph, Holman has found plenty of open spaces to work in. Even though the Bearcats pass defense is ranked 7th in the nation, they have not faced a passing attack with the firepower that SMU brings to the table. Look for Holman to continue racking up the yards and scores this week. He could be an excellent option in all league formats in Week Eleven.

WR Shaq Washington, Cincinnati (vs. SMU):
Washington has recorded 11 receptions in three games this year and has become a favorite target of Brendon Kay. He could catch plenty of passes this week against an SMU pass defense that ranks 116th in the country this season. There could be a ton of yards and points in this game and Washington could have his hand in plenty of both. Washington holds particular value in PPR leagues and could be a nice option for owners in need of some catches and yards.

SNEAKY D’S

Bowling Green vs. Miami Ohio
Missouri vs. Kentucky
Iowa vs. Purdue
Georgia vs. Appalachian State
USC vs. Cal
Boston College vs. New Mexico State
Navy vs. Hawaii
Oklahoma State vs. Kansas
Memphis vs. UT Martin

There you have it everyone, enjoy this week’s action and always remember to have fun playing college fantasy football. Good luck this week!

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CollegeFootballGeek.com is your home for 2013 college fantasy football content! Draft kit, injury reports, player news, player projections, player rankings, mock drafts, community forums, and much more!

CollegeFootballGeek.COM’s 2013 Coll Fantasy FB Player Rankings – Wk 11

Todd DeVries, CollegeFootballGeek.com

For complete up-to-date college fantasy football player rankings and statistical projections, visit CollegeFootballGeek.com

Scoring System Used for CFG Rankings:
4 points per passing touchdown
6 points per rushing/receiving touchdown
25 passing yards = 1 point
10 rushing/receiving yards = 1 point
1 interception = -2 points
1 reception = 0.5 points

Phil Steele is a college football analyst who has been publishing his annual College Football Preview since 1995. His magazine is regarded as one of the best in the business.
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