College Football Challenge: Anderson a top playBy Will Harris Season-ending injuries continue to pile up, with several teams losing top offensive stars in Week 3. The biggest blow was dealt to South Florida, which lost do-everything quarterback Matt Grothe to an ACL injury in the second quarter of the Bulls' win over Charleston Southern. Grothe had passed West Virginia's Pat White as the Big East career leader in total offense just last week. All the Bulls' signature wins of the past few seasons bore Grothe's mark, and few offenses -- arguably not even Florida's -- revolved so explicitly around the talents of one player. Others who will be missed include Notre Dame deep threat Michael Floyd, who broke his collarbone against Michigan State, and Boise State tailback D.J. Harper, another ACL victim. A pair of productive MAC quarterbacks are also gone for the year. Akron's Chris Jacquemain has been suspended for the season, while Eastern Michigan's Andy Schmitt suffered an ACL tear against Michigan. Both seniors trailed only MAC standard-bearers Dan LeFevour of Central Michigan and Tim Hiller of Western Michigan among the league's returning total offense leaders. Finally, star Arizona tight end Rob Gronkowski, who hadn't played this year due to a back injury, has opted for surgery and will miss the 2009 season.
Cream of the CropStar fantasy performers with favorable matchupsAndre Anderson, RB, Tulane: Expected to be one of the top fantasy backs in the nation this year, Anderson -- along with the entire Tulane offense -- got off to a rough start in early-season matchups with Tulsa and BYU. Now, after an open date, the schedule lightens with a visit from FCS McNeese State. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas: McCoy played well enough to get the job done last week against Texas Tech, but the Heisman hopeful is still looking for this season's breakout performance. That could come this week at home versus a defensively challenged UTEP team that ranks 92nd in total defense despite a soft early schedule. Damaris Johnson, WR, Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane's big-play receiver is fourth in the nation in all-purpose yardage despite last week's shutout at the hands of Oklahoma. Look for Johnson and the entire Tulsa offense to get healthy this week against Sam Houston State, which has enough offensive firepower to make Tulsa coach Todd Graham keep his foot on the throttle for the entire game. Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan: The "Tim Tebow of the MAC" is off to a fine start to his senior season, engineering an upset of Michigan State in Week 2. This week the potent Chippewas have a home date with a reeling Akron squad that just suspended its quarterback and an assistant coach for the year. Ricky Dobbs, QB, Navy: The Midshipmen were overpowered by Pitt's tough defense last week, but help is on the way in the form of a visit from new FBS member Western Kentucky. The Navy option attack will be the fourth different offensive scheme the Hilltoppers have faced this year, and it's unlikely that the weary four-touchdown underdogs will do anything to slow Dobbs & Co. as they seek to atone for the academy's worst offensive performance of the triple-option era. Team Defense, LSU: The Tigers' offense is still finding its way behind young quarterback Jordan Jefferson, but the defense has already shown improvement under first-year coordinator John Chavis, architect of many fine stop units during a long career at Tennessee. Mississippi State is transitioning to a spread offense under first-year coach and former Urban Meyer assistant Dan Mullen, but the Bulldogs lack the playmakers at quarterback and wide receiver required to dent the end zone much against LSU. Juan Nunez, WR, Western Michigan: Quarterback Tim Hiller's top target and a star performer in MAC-only leagues, Nunez has averaged nearly 100 yards per game so far despite facing two Big Ten teams. The offense gained momentum with Saturday's rout of rebuilding Miami, and this week should post its best day of the season versus FCS Hofstra. Dwight Dasher, QB, Middle Tennessee State: Former Troy and Auburn offensive coordinator Tony Franklin is making a star out of Dasher, who is the team's leading rusher and has thrown for 253 yards per game despite three contests against schools from stronger conferences. This week the Blue Raiders finally occupy the favorites' role when they travel to lowly North Texas. Team Defense, Penn State: Two of the team's star defenders may be sidelined with injuries this week, but that shouldn't stop you from using the Lions defense against a pedestrian Iowa attack that lacks playmakers on the perimeter and has not been able to protect its quarterback. Opportunity KnocksSeldom-rostered players with favorable matchupsTeam Kicking, Georgia Tech: Kicker Scott Blair has been solid this year, and was the hero of the Jackets' win over Clemson in week two. He'll be needed in order for Tech to best defensive-minded North Carolina this week. Mike Williams, WR, Syracuse: Williams had a breakout game last week against Northwestern, hauling in 11 balls for 209 yards and two scores. He's quarterback Greg Paulus' top target in a suddenly productive Orange offense. Daniel Thomas, RB, Kansas State: The Powercat offense hasn't done much this year, but juco quarterback-turned-running back Daniel Thomas has been the team's bell cow. He's averaging right at 100 yards per game through the first three contests -- with a touchdown pass, to boot -- and will shoulder most of the load this week against FCS Tennessee Tech. Robert Turbin, RB, Utah State: The sophomore is no workhorse -- he'll rarely touch the ball 20 times per game -- but Turbin is averaging an amazing 10.3 yards per carry thus far for the Aggies! Turbin is the most explosive runner on the team, and a skilled pass-catcher out of the backfield. Overmatched Utah State won't yield many fantasy selections this year, but Turbin could easily have another big game this week against FCS Southern Utah. Rusty Smith, QB, Florida Atlantic: The senior was 21-of-31 with two scores against South Carolina last Saturday. After tilts with the Gamecocks and Cornhuskers, FAU gets to fight someone its own size this week when it hosts Louisiana-Monroe. The Warhawks field the nation's 104th-ranked scoring defense and have allowed opposing teams to score in nearly all their trips inside the ULM red zone. On the ShelfKey players who need a week off due to injury, matchup or circumstanceJeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M: The nation's leading offense will be without its top receiver for four to six weeks after Fuller cracked a fibula in the Aggies' win over Utah State. Team Kicking, Arizona State: Thanks to Groza winner Thomas Weber, the Sun Devils' kicking game was among the top fantasy options. That's no longer the case, as Weber will miss more than a month with a tendon tear suffered against Louisiana-Monroe. Jay Finley, RB, Baylor: A juicy home matchup with Northwestern State would have made a great spot to start Finley, the nation's 19th-leading rusher. Unfortunately, he'll be a late-week decision with a swollen ankle. Don't expect head coach Art Briles to take chances with his top ball-carrier against the Southland Conference invader. Jake Sharp, RB, Kansas: Another productive Big 12 back whose status for this week is up in the air, Sharp will be a game-time decision against Southern Mississippi. The Jayhawks senior was limited last week versus Duke with an undisclosed injury suffered in a non-contact drill. Fresh FacesPlayers without much starting experience who will put up big numbersKeith Toston, RB, Oklahoma State: All-American Kendall Hunter is still out with an injury suffered in the loss to Houston, and now star wideout Dez Bryant is questionable with a strained calf. That means Toston will be the Cowboys' go-to playmaker against FCS Grambling. Darvin Adams, WR, Auburn: With 261 yards and four touchdowns through four games, sophomore Adams has emerged as the top target in Gus Malzahn's spread attack. Rebuilding MAC entrant Ball State is unlikely to slow his progress this week. Will Harris is a fantasy college football analyst for ESPN.com. |
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