Week 14 Street FA Report

By Nick Andrews

Updated: December 6th 2022

Each week we will recommend a group of players that are owned in less than 75% of RSO leagues that should be rostered. Depending on roster and league sizes not all of these players may be available. For that, we will offer one (1) player that is owned in <25% of leagues as our Sleeper add.

Add of the Week

Tyler Huntley, QB, BAL / Brock Purdy, QB, SF (Owned 24% / 2%)

Week 13: 187 yards, 1 INT, 10 Car/41 yards, 1 TD : 210 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 4 Car/-1 yard

A big week for replacement quarterbacks as not one (1) but two (2) starters left early in week 13 with injuries. Lamar Jackson’s is less serious, expected to take anywhere from 1-3 games, while Jimmy Garoppolo’s is season ending. Their replacements, Tyler Huntley and Brock Purdy, looked serviceable in relief and in superflex leagues are likely the coveted “adds of this week”. If you are making the playoffs, or need help to get in this week, you should be filing most if not all of your remaining salary cap on offers to both in the hopes of adding at least one of them. Between the two (2) I would give a slight edge to Huntley in priority as we have seen more from him in his career and his rushing capabilities favors more fantasy production.

Suggested Bid: 90-100% of remaining salary cap

RB Adds

Travis Homer, RB, SEA (Owned 10%)

Week 13: N/A

We will have to monitor the injury reports this week to see who will be available for the Seahawks at running back in week 14. Kenneth Walker and DeeJay Dallas both went out with injuries leading to special-teamer Tony Jones as the last man standing at the end of last week’s game. Travis Homer was inactive with an illness and would be expected to return to at least his third-down role with a likely expansion in the standard run packages. The Seahawks have not made any further roster moves, as of Tuesday morning, to suggest that they will add any considerable contributors at this time as well. Homer could be in line for a flashpoint game as the de facto RB1 for Seattle.

Suggested Bid: $6,000,000

WR Add

Quez Watkins, WR, PHI (Owned 26%)

Week 13: 5 Rec/37 yards

In the absence of Dallas Goedert much of the focus has been on Devonta Smith but Quez Watkins has also seen a consistent benefit over the last month. Watkins has averaged 10.5 PPR points in the Eagles’ last four (4) games and the offense has shown to be one of the highest scoring this season. Watkins did leave last week’s game early with a shoulder injury but in a blowout there likely was more precaution to his absence than any significant concern. Monitor his practice status throughout the week but Watkins does offer WR5 upside in deep leagues.

Suggested Bid: $500,000

TE Add

Chigoziem, Okonkwo, TE, TEN (Owned 11%)

Week 13: 4 Rec/68 yards

The Titans have slowly been integrating their tight ends more into the offensive which has led to the increase in production from both Austin Hooper and rookie Chigoziem Okonkwo. Okonkwo, more the “move” tight end to Hooper’s traditional tight end has seen five (5) targets in each of the last two (2) games scoring an average of 8.5 PPR points. For tight ends not named Kelce, scoring 8+ can seem like a fortune and with question marks surrounding the health of fellow rookie Treylon Burks there may be even more targets to go around.

Suggested Bid: $500,000

Sleeper Add (<25%)

Rashid Shaheed, WR, NO (Owned 9%)

Week 13: 4 Rec/75 yards, 1 Car/0 yards

Somewhat under the radar, Rashid Shaheed has become 2022’s poor man DeSean Jackson. The speedy wide receiver has a reception of 30 yards or more in four (4) of the Saints last seven (7) games showcasing that he can take the top off the defense on any play. It may be hard to identify which games Shaheed could potentially score a long touchdown in but the Saints, now in likely what is a lost season, should be evaluating what they have at the position behind rookie Chris Olave. Shaheed finally played over 60 percent of the snaps and it resulted in his highest reception total (4) this season. The Saints are unfortunately on a late bye this week but if you are hanging by the thread at wide receiver in the playoffs Shaheed could be a Hail Mary underdog against the Falcons in week 15.

Suggested Bid: $500,000

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Week 4 Street FA Report

By Nick Andrews

Updated: October 1st 2020

Add of the Week

Brian Hill, RB – ATL (Owned 31%)

Week 3: 9 Car/58 yards, 1 TD, 1 Rec/22 yards

Pro-active fantasy handcuffing philosophy suggests to only roster running backs who are the immediate backups to a team’s primary ball carrier. By this definition, Brian Hill has to be owned in more than 1/3^rd of leagues with how this season has been in terms of injuries. Todd Gurley has seen an average of 54 percent of the Falcons offensive snaps through the first three (3) weeks but only had five (5) more touches than Hill in week 3. Gurley is also ranked 4^th on Rotounderworld’s Injury Probability Index which means there is always a strong possibility that Gurley misses time either for rest or injury. Hill would immediately step into a role similar to Mike Davis of Carolina last week where everyone would be looking to add a potential starter from free agency. You can get ahead of the curve now and add him for much cheaper than what he could cost down the road.

Suggested Bid: $1,000,000

RB Add

Rex Burkhead, RB – NE (Owned 28%)

Week 3: 6 Car/49 yards, 2 TDs, 7 Rec/49 yards, 1 TD

I did not want to include Rex Burkhead this week as it would not be a shock if he never saw more than five (5) points in a game from this point on. In the two-week absence of James White however, he has been the “primary” running back for New England and also put up a monster stat line against the Raiders last week. The Patriots have always used Sony Michel as their traditional runner and White as the pass-catcher but it often leads to obvious play calling for the defense to react to. With Burkhead, the ability to run or pass gives a quarterback like Cam Newton who thrives off play-action passes more opportunities to make plays. Burkhead will not have another 30+ point game but his value may be more than most think with this new Patriots offense. Of the three running backs, he might be the most valuable at this point.

Suggested Bid: $2,000,000

WR Adds

Cole Beasley, WR – BUF (Owned 45%)

Week 3: 6 Rec/100 yards

Surprisingly, Cole Beasley is not owned in half the leagues as of week 4. He has averaged 12.5 PPR points and is currently the WR29 overall. He also ranks T-25^th in targets, T-16^th in receptions, and T-18^th in yards. This just begs the question if he is not being started in leagues why has he not been rostered at least? One thought is because he has yet to find the endzone and therefore is out of sight for those who are only scoreboard watching. The other is that most people have not come around to Buffalo being considered a multi-receiver fantasy team yet. If people are starting to be all-in on Josh Allen and his development as a viable passing quarterback then it should stand to reason that Beasley (and other options outside of Stefon Diggs) should be fantasy viable too. Add him this week and be happy if you ever need him in a spot start.

Suggested Bid: $2,000,000

Randall Cobb, WR – HOU (Owned 43%)

Week 3: 4 Rec/95 yards, 1 TD

Randall Cobb was invisible on opening night against the Chiefs but in the last two games he has put up similar production to the previously mentioned Cole Beasley. He is still clearly the 2B receiver along with Brandin Cooks behind Will Fuller but the Texans have played the sixth most 3WR sets this season (72%) and the targets have been spread around fairly evenly. Will Fuller is the only Texans receiver with a double-digit target game thus far back in week 1. The schedule has also been brutal to the Texans to start the season which may have something to do with their offense looking below-average thus far. As the schedule eases up there may be more opportunities for Cobb to be used as a fantasy option in deeper leagues.

Suggested Bid: $500,000

TE Add

Jimmy Graham, TE – CHI (Owned 38%)

Week 3: 6 Rec/60 yards, 2 TDs

The switch has finally happened at quarterback for Chicago with Nick Foles taking over in the fourth quarter and stealing another game for the Bears. Having to come back from a large deficit was likely a big reason the offense was so pass-heavy with Foles in the game but it looked more efficient than when Mitch Trubisky was under center. Two benefactors of this efficiency were Allen Robinson and Jimmy Graham. Graham specifically was able to take advantage by having his first two (2) touchdown game since week 10 of 2017. His usage was always there as he was on the field more than any receiver other than Allen Robinson and has been the second most targeted receiver in two of the Bears’ first three games. He currently sits as the TE7 in PPR and would be a solid addition for teams that are working through Dallas Goedert or George Kittle injuries.

Sleeper Add (<25%)

Travis Homer, RB – SEA (Owned 10%)

Week 3: 2 Car/19 yards

The absence of Chris Carson should only be for a week or two so the suggestion of Travis Homer is a rather short-term one. However, Homer split his usage with Carlos Hyde behind and in replace of Carson in week 3 so Hyde may not be as much of a bell-cow as others are suggesting. Their roles in this offense are also more defined in that Hyde acts primarily as an early-down carrier while Homer is the third down and passing situation option. With Carlos Hyde’s ownership being over 2/3^rd in RSO leagues and how much the Seahawks are letting Russell Wilson pass the ball making for more opportunities to catch the ball out of the backfield, Homer would be the ideal sleeper add for owners rotating their starting running backs or flex position.

Suggested Bid: $500,000

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The Watch List: 2018 ACC Preview

By Bob Cowper

Updated: August 18th 2018

Welcome to The Watch List, a resource to help RSO owners identify the players, storylines and matchups from the college game that deserve your attention. Check back throughout the Summer for previews on each conference and my preseason predictions. During the regular season, The Watch List will continue to update you on who is fantasy relevant and worth your draft capital next year.

Storylines to Watch

Heisman Favorite: Cam Akers, RB, Florida State. According to Vegas, running backs Cam Akers and AJ Dillon have the best odds of winning the Heisman from the ACC. Clemson QB Kelly Bryant is close behind but I’m not sure he holds onto his starting job so I wouldn’t be putting money on him now. Akers has 2,000 yard potential while Dillon has 20 TD potential; ultimately I lean towards Akers as he will be playing on a better team than Dillon and should get more national exposure.
Darkhorse Heisman Candidate: Daniel Jones, QB, Duke. As I have previously discussed in this space, picking a conference’s best dual-threat quarterback is your best bet for predicting the Heisman winner. I’m a fan of Jones, see below, and think he has 3,000/750 yard upside but he needs to score more. Last year he had just 18 total TDs and would need to double that to get in the Heisman conversation. I’m not saying it’s likely, or even probable, but it’s possible.
Offensive Player of the Year: Taquon Marshall, QB, Georgia Tech. Few players in the FBS will be as valuable to their unit as Marshall to the Georgia Tech offense. He won’t get the national recognition of somebody like Cam Akers but he’ll put up big numbers and be a CFF darling. If he stays healthy, Marshall will top 1,000 yards each passing and rushing and will total 30+ TDs.
Defensive Player of the Year: Dexter Lawrence, DL, Clemson. Take your pick from the Clemson defensive line. I’ll go with Lawrence because of the impact he has on the opposing line on every play. Lawrence had a huge freshman season with 62 tackles and 6.5 sacks but regressed in 2017 to 33-2.0. At 6040/340, he’s a mountain of a man. It’s rare to find an interior defensive lineman with the combination of size and athleticism that Lawrence shows.
Newcomer of the Year: Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson. According to 247Sports, Trevor Lawrence was the top rated recruit in the 2018 class and had a near-perfect grade of 0.9999, the highest I have seen on their site. Lawrence is huge, listed at 6060, and put up equally big numbers in high school. His recruiting profile on 247Sports touts a 160:21 ratio with over 13,000 passing yards. I take high school stats with a grain of salt of course, but that’s just insane. I am not a big Kelly Bryant fan so I think it’s only a matter of time before we see Lawrence take over at Clemson.
Underclassmen to Watch: The ACC is chock-full of impact sophomores. Rather than pick one, I decided I needed to mention a few:
- Cam Akers, RB, Florida State: Akers will be the best of a talented group of young backs in the ACC this season.
- Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson: Etienne is an explosive runner with a long stride. He gained 766 yards and scored 13 TDs in a RBBC role last season and finished with a 7.2 yards per carry average. It remains to be seen if he can be as effective with a larger workload.
- AJ Dillon, RB, Boston College: Dillon is a 6000/245 bruiser who has a nose for the end zone. He scored 14 TDs last season and should see 20 this season. He’s a workhorse back who earned 300 carries as a true freshman and had four games with over 30.
- Greg Dortch, WR, Wake Forest: Dortch is an undersized (5090/165) slot and screen receiver who dominated at times in 2017 before getting injured. Against Louisville he had an incredible 10-167-4 line before falling to an abdominal injury. He contributes as a rusher and returner as well.
Best QB-WR Tandem: Ryan Finley and Kelvin Harmon, NC State. Finley is quietly the conference’s best quarterback prospect; meanwhile Harmon should be a first round fantasy rookie pick in 2019. I doubt many casual fans know their names though because they shared the spotlight last season with draftees DE Bradley Chubb, TE Jaylen Samuels and RB Nyheim Hines. Finley and Harmon eclipsed 3,500 and 1,000 yards respectively so they are a productive duo. I have more on these two Wolfpack stars below.
Best RB Corps: Georgia Tech. It should come as no surprise that a triple option team like Tech would land in my “Best RB Corps” spot. The Yellow Jackets led the conference in rushing (307 yards per game) and return their six leading rushers from that squad. The two that catalyze the option attack are QB TaQuon Marshall (1,146-17 rushing and 927-10 passing) and RB KirVonte Benson (1,073-6).
Coach on the Hottest Seat: Larry Fedora, North Carolina. Fedora has been in the news recently after his curious remarks at ACC Media Day. Those comments were best summarized by Luke Decock in the Charlotte News-Observer: “This is all ludicrous, of course, the earnest hyperbole a little less dangerous than the willful denial.” Even if Fedora didn’t put a target on his own back, he went 3-9 in 2017 and hasn’t won a bowl game since 2013. The Tar Heels are also dealing with “another compliance black eye” after numerous players were suspended for selling team-issued apparel. A winning coach could withstand most of this drama but not one who suffers another losing season.

Teams to Watch

Miami (10-3 in 2017)

I was consistently down on Miami last season. I did not believe they could run the table and kept picking against them during their winning streak. The wheels finally came off in late November when Miami lost to Pitt, a game I still remember for how frustrating it was to watch, which started a season-ending three game losing skid. Miami should be in the ACC Coastal running again but what makes them even more interesting to watch are the plethora of NFL prospects they will field. On offense they will feature RB Travis Homer, WR Ahmmon Richards and TE Michael Irvin Jr (Editor’s note: Irvin Jr. is now injured). The defense returns its top five tacklers, including first round hopeful safety Jaquan Johnson. LB Shaq Quarterman and CB Michael Jackson should end with high draft grades as well. The Hurricanes feature 14 returning starters, including QB Malik Rosier. I was very critical of Rosier last season and hope that an additional season of experience helps him play more efficiently. If he does, Miami will end up in another New Year’s Six bowl, as I am currently predicting, with a shot at the playoff.

Florida State (7-6 in 2017)

I don’t think there is any disagreement among college football fans that the Seminoles will rebound from a demoralizing 7-6 season last year which required them to make up a meaningless game against UL-Monroe just to become bowl eligible. The question is, just how high do they rebound with new head coach Willie Taggart? I have gone out on a slimsy (yes, that’s a word) limb and predicted that they will be selected for the College Football Playoff. Three of FSU’s toughest games (the nationally broadcast opener versus VaTech, Clemson and Florida) will be played in Tallahassee. I’m also feeling optimistic because I think the offense will be miles ahead of 2017. QB Deondre Francois returns from injury; if he’s shelved again, sophomore James Blackman now has valuable experience. The offensive line, which tends to be a weak spot for Florida State, returns four starters. The largest factor will be the running backs: wunderkind soph Cam Akers and senior Jacques Patrick. Akers crested 1,000 yards (1,094) and earned 2nd-Team All-ACC honors as a true freshman. Patrick is a 6030/231 bruiser who added 780 yards of his own. Both backs had seven scores. The receiving corps is filled with young and/or unproven targets but the team’s leading receiver, Nyqwan Murray returns. The defense may struggle as they only return four starters and lost top prospect Derwin James. One interesting stat gives me hope: per Phil Steele, the last time the Seminoles returned just four defensive starters, which was 2013, they allowed just 12.1 yards per game. Oh, and by the way, that team went 14-0 and won the BCS National Championship.

Players to Watch

Honorable Mentions

Daniel Jones, QB, Duke: Jones is on my shortlist of candidates for the 2019 QB1 spot. In my limited study, I noted that he has good anticipation and throws excellently while on the run. He has above average athleticism for the position and runs with good vision. There are some areas for improvement, namely his passing accuracy and pocket awareness. Plus, he could add a few pounds to fill out his 6050 body due to his physical playing style. His touchdown total decreased last season (16 to 14) while his interceptions increased (9 to 11), which is not a good sign. He did add 518-7 on the ground which helped keep the Blue Devil offense moving. I’ll check in on Jones periodically this season. If he improves nearer a 2:1 ratio he’ll be in consideration for a first round NFL Draft pick.
Deondre Francois, QB, Florida State: This time last year, I was one of many college football fans who was expecting Francois to take a big step forward in 2017. Unfortunately, that growth was stunted in the Seminoles’ opener against Alabama after he sustained a season-ending knee injury. True freshman James Blackman filled in and, luckily for Francois, did not do enough to guarantee himself the job for 2018. I think Francois has the inside track to win the starting job but it’s not impossible to think that Blackman wins the gig in Fall camp. Francois is tough as nails but is on the smaller side for a quarterback prospect (6010/205). He has 3,500 yard upside so I am pulling for him and I hope he gets a chance to realize his potential. I am predicting that FSU will make a run to the College Football Playoff and that hope rests squarely on Francois’ shoulders.
Eric Dungey, QB, Syracuse: I loved watching Dungey last season and recall his standout games against Pitt and Clemson. Sadly, Dungey has a long injury history which has limited him to just 26 career games over three seasons. He’s not all that prolific or efficient (40:21 career ratio and 131.5 career passer rating) but there’s something about him that I enjoy watching. He is a true dual-threat quarterback: in a shortened season he still managed 595 rushing yards and 9 TDs. I’m not sure there exists a universe where Dungey is a relevant 2019 rookie but he’ll be fun to watch in 2018 as long as he stays healthy.
Travis Homer, RB, Miami: Homer started the season as the backup to Mark Walton but took over after Walton went down with an injury. He had a six game stretch in the middle of the season where he totaled 642 yards and 4 TDs; he also added 12-146-1 as a receiver in that span. Homer did sputter a bit down the stretch but that middle-season burst is encouraging. Per DLF, Homer is one of the youngest draft eligible players in the 2019 class which could increase his draft stock if he can enhance his numbers this season.
Jaylen Smith, WR, Louisville: Our friends at the Dynasty Command Center loved Smith for the 2018 draft before he decided to return to school. In Volume One of their rookie prospectus they listed Smith as the WR5. Despite coming back for his senior season, Smith is just 21 years old. He has elite size at 6040/219 and pairs his big frame with 4.50 speed. He is a constant deep threat. Eight of his 60 receptions in 2017 went for 25 or more yards; in 2016, on just 27 receptions, that number was even higher at nine. A wrist injury caused him to miss time in 2017 but he finished strong with 7-107-1 in the Cardinals’ bowl game. My biggest concern is whether new starting quarterback Jawon “Puma” Pass can hit Smith downfield with the same frequency.
Tommy Sweeney, TE, Boston College: Sweeney is the leading returning receiver on a potentially ascending BC team. Last season, he paced the Eagles with 36 receptions, 512 yards and 4 TDs. The passing offense should improve in 2018 with QB Anthony Brown back under center. Brown started the year as a redshirt freshman but missed the end of the campaign with an injury; when he was healthy he struggled (11:9, 51.9%) but another year of experience will help. I have not watched any film of Sweeney but based on his size (6050/255) I expect that he will be able to hold his own as a blocker.
Austin Bryant, Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins, DL, Clemson: I don’t have the space, or honestly the expertise, to delve into the Clemson defensive line in this preview. Suffice it to say that they will be a fearsome group. Come next Spring, we could see all four of these guys getting first round NFL Draft buzz. If you don’t believe me, just check out one of many mock drafters who are predicting just that. Some others are saying that this unit is overrated – let’s ask ACC quarterbacks what they think.
Jaquan Johnson, S, Miami: Johnson is the leading safety prospect according to a number of sources I trust (i.e. Phil Steele’s preview magazine and DraftScout.com). He’s a former 4-star recruit who decided to stay home and eschew offers from heavyweights like USC, LSU and Clemson. Johnson became a full-time starter in 2016 and did not disappoint. He finished with 96 tackles, 4 INTs, 3 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries. The Miami offense prides itself in forcing turnovers and Johnson was an important link in that chain (pun intended).

Ryan Finley, QB, North Carolina State

Finley is entering his third season as the starting signal caller for NC State. He transferred from Boise State in 2015 as a graduate transfer. Finley was granted a sixth year of eligibility because his two seasons at Boise were marred by injuries. So, he arrived at Raleigh as the rare graduate transfer with three years of eligibility for his new team. If you’re thinking that Finley must be an old prospect after such a winding road, you’d be right. Finley is currently 23.6 years old and is the oldest prospect on DLF’s 2019 age table. Age doesn’t necessarily make or break somebody’s draft stock, but it will be a hurdle Finley needs to overcome in scouts’ eyes.

On the field, Finley has played well but has been more of a distributor than a dynamic playmaker. He has completed 63.0% of his passes for NC State with a 35:14 ratio over two seasons. He doesn’t commit many turnovers but he also doesn’t sling the ball around either. He threw for a career-high 3,514 yards in 2017 but his yards per attempt dropped to 7.4 (sixth best in the ACC). Finley added a bit on the ground in 2017: 198 yards and 3 TDs. He’s not the type of prospect whose stats and game logs will garner attention from casual fans. Instead, Finley will need to impress during film study.

I came away from my viewing of Finley feeling conflicted. His best trait for me was his awareness, specifically his penchant for fakes of all kinds. There’s a nuance to his play action and pump fakes that I don’t often notice in other college passers. He also has a good awareness of the field and situation. When he scrambles he rarely takes a hit and instead is able to take a track that gets him out of bounds before contact. This combination of field and situational awareness was perhaps best illustrated by a play against FSU. The Wolfpack were up eleven late in the game but Finley was in shotgun in his own end zone. There was a bad snap and as Finley scrambled for the ball, he swatted it out of the back of the end zone for an intentional safety rather than allowing a defender to fall on it for a game-changing touchdown.

Probably my fave play from studying Finley. Late in game, up 11, swats ball out of EZ for safety rather than potentially giving up a defensive TD. Another example of his positive awareness.

Ryan Finley – Intentional Safety vs Florida State – 2017 https://t.co/K3Rwti1rV8

— Robert F. Cowper | RSO (@RobertFCowper) August 11, 2018

Unfortunately the rest of my notes on Finley were less glowing. He has good accuracy and anticipation on short throws but he’s lacking on intermediate and deep throws. A number of his deep throws were well overthrown or out of bounds so his receiver had no chance. Speaking of short throws, many of his attempts are quick screens or slants without multiple reads. As an athlete he is not quick (maybe 4.75) but he does have functional rushing ability to gain a few yards. His arm is more confident than strong. He trusts himself to fit the ball into tight windows but sometimes he lacks the zip or accuracy to get it done. Right now, I see Finley projecting as an NFL backup with some upside to start an occasional game. (Film watched: Clemson 2017, Florida State 2017)

Kelvin Harmon, WR, North Carolina State

Harmon emerged as a sophomore in 2017, finishing with 69 receptions, 1,017 yards and 4 TDs. His season started off with a bang when he had a combined 19-235-1 line to start the year against South Carolina and Marshall. He also had big games against Notre Dame (7-97-1), Clemson (8-155-1) and Wake Forest (8-105). He has boom or bust capability, shown by a few duds on the game logs: four games under 25 yards. Harmon exhibits a good mix of speed, size and strength. I estimate he has 4.50 speed and he’s listed at 6030/213. While I think Harmon may measure shorter than 6030, there’s no questioning his ability to win the ball in the air.

Put simply, Harmon excels in contested catch situations. He often high points the ball and is strong enough to survive the defender and the ground with possession. He’s also adept at catching the ball over his shoulder while in stride. He’s a powerful runner after the catch who can break tackles and carry defenders on his back for extra yardage. In the game against Clemson, I noted two spectacular routes that he ran which gave him separation. It’s a shame there aren’t more full games cuts of Harmon because I would love to see more of his route running because what I saw was great. He releases well off the line due to his combination of speed and strength. If I were to nitpick, I would say that Harmon needs to be eliminate some of his body catches. Sometimes it’s like he jumps too high which causes him to bring in the ball at his midsection rather than away from the body with his hands.

Based on the above size/speed measureables Harmon would be comparable to guys like Courtland Sutton and Allen Robinson. I think Harmon will project more like Stefon Diggs in the NFL because of his excellent route running ability. Harmon will be a first rounder in rookie drafts next year but I suspect his stock will fluctuate as he’s not as “sexy” as some of the other big name receiver prospects. (Film watched: Clemson 2017, Highlights 2017)

Ahmmon Richards, WR, Miami

Ahmmon Richards starred as a true freshman in 2016. He earned freshman All-American honors after finishing the year with 49 receptions, 934 yards and 3 TDs. His 19.1 yards per reception mark was fourth best in the ACC that season. Expectations were high for Richards in 2017 as a sophomore but unfortunately injury sidelined him to start the season and again in October and then again in December. Richards ended up playing just 7 games, totaling 24 catches for 439 yards and 3 TDs. Encouragingly, he finished the regular season strong, combining for 7-98-2 against Virginia and Pitt. Richards is a lean 6010/190. At that size, I’d like to see him flash 4.45 speed which looks probable on film. Per the Hurricanes, he’s ran a 4.31 and a 4.40 on previous attempts but you always need to question school-reported numbers.

Richards’ tape was frustrating to watch. For starters, he was often the victim of poor quarterback play from Malik Rosier. This was especially apparent against Florida State where Rosier chucked some ducks. Pair that with questionable hands from Richards and you have multiple plays that should have gone for points instead of going incomplete. Richards often body catches the ball; when it does hit his hands he too frequently let’s it zip right through so I question his hand placement and hand strength. His play strength in contested situations is also lacking. He’s not the type of receiver who will play above the rim and win jump balls with regularity. Where Richards excelled is on shorter routes. He has an elite ability to get off the line and away from press-man coverage on slants. He quickly slaps the defender’s hands away and can chop through contact to get open. After the catch, I noted a few plays where Richards showed his speed, cutting ability and some strength to gain extra yards. He even had an impressive hurdle against Syracuse which showed his athletic ability. Unfortunately, my sample size was just ten receptions so I want to see more opportunities for RAC this season. Richards is a willing blocker whom I saw lay out two Seminole defenders (one was a penalty though). He lined up tight in a few goal line situations and did not block well then but in the open field he’ll at least be average. I want to see Richards stay healthy this season and improve the consistency of his hands. If he can pair average hands with his speed and ability to get open at the line he could turn into a valuable NFL asset. (Film watched: Syracuse 2017, Florida State 2017)

Notes: In an effort to standardize the description of key positional traits, I frequently use the following adjectives: elite, good, above average, average, below average, poor. My experimental grading system uses a Madden-like approach by weighting position relevant traits on a 100-point scale; bonus or negative points are awarded based on production, size, injury history and character. Heights listed are using a notation common among scouts where the first digit corresponds to the feet, the next two digits correspond to the inches and the fourth digit corresponds to the fraction, in eighths. So, somebody measuring 5’11” and 3/8 would be 5113. This is helpful when trying to sort players by height. When watching film for a player, I typically pick two games at random to watch. For top prospects I may add a third game, while for long shots I might only devote the time for one. If game film is not available I will search for highlight reels, but keep in mind these are the best plays that player had all season so they really need to jump off the screen. I do not necessarily want to watch games where they did very well or very poorly as that may not be a great illustration of their true ability. If possible, when comparing players at the same position I also like to watch film against common opponents. Full disclosure, I am not watching film of every single game any player plays, instead I am looking for a representative sample. There are a lot of analysts out there who have a deeper depth of knowledge about certain players but I pride myself in a wide breadth of knowledge about many players. When researching college players I use a number of resources, I would recommend bookmarking the below sites…

Stats: espn.com, sports-reference.com, cfbstats.com, herosports.com, fcs.football, foxsports.com
Recruiting: 247Sports.com, espn.com, sbnation.com, rivals.com
Film: 2019 NFL Draft Database by Mark Jarvis, youtube.com (but be wary of highlight only reels)
Draft info and mocks: draftcountdown.com, draftscout.com, walterfootball.com, mattwaldmanrsp.com, draftek.com, ndtscouting.com
Draft history: drafthistory.com
Combine info: pro-football-reference.com, espn.com, nflcombineresults.com
Season preview magazines: Phil Steele, Lindy’s, Street and Smith’s, Athlon Sports
Podcasts: ESPN’s First Draft, Strong as Steele with Phil Steele, The Audible by Football Guys (specifically episodes w/ Matt Waldman), UTH Dynasty, Draft Dudes, 247Sports College Football, College Fantasy Football: On Campus, Underdog Pawdcast, Saturday 2 Sunday, Locked on NFL Draft
Logos & Player Media Photos: collegepressbox.com, the media home for FWAA members

Robert F. Cowper is a freelance writer who lives in New Jersey. He is a proud member of the Football Writers Association of America and the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. Robert works as a recreation professional, specializing in youth sports, when he isn’t acting as commissioner for his many fantasy sports leagues.

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The Watch List: Bowl Game Previews, Part V

By Bob Cowper

Updated: December 30th 2017

Welcome to The Watch List, a resource to help RSO owners identify the storylines, players and matchups from the college game that deserve your attention. To view my weekly picks, follow me on Twitter @robertfcowper. During the college bowl season, The Watch List will continue to update you on who is fantasy relevant and worth your draft capital next year. Note: times listed are Eastern.

Friday, Dec. 29

Hyundai Sun Bowl, Arizona State (7-5) vs. #24 North Carolina State (8-4), 2 p.m. (CBS)

Arizona State: 40th scoring offense, 49th passing offense, 50th rushing offense; 88th scoring defense, 119th passing defense, 82nd rushing defense
NC State: 47th scoring offense, 29nd passing offense, 51st rushing offense; 50th scoring defense, 97th passing defense, 29th rushing defense

Both of these teams have endured some coaching carousel drama over the last month. NC State’s Dave Doeren was an early target in Tennessee’s never-ending coach search but ultimately he spurned the Vols to stick with the Wolfpack. Doeren has NC State playing in their fourth straight bowl and should the team stay competitive next year he’ll probably be in the running for an even bigger job at the end of 2018. Arizona State made the odd, in my opinion, hire of Herm Edwards. Herm is a master motivator for sure but Herm has not been involved with the college game since 1989. Even more odd is that outgoing coach Todd Graham is sticking around to coach the bowl.

Arizona State’s offense is led by two NFL hopefuls in senior RB Kalen Ballage and sophomore WR N’Keal Harry. Ballage is a big back at 6’3″ and 230lbs. His size concerns me because few backs have been successful in the NFL at that height. Since 2010, only four backs have measured 6’2″ and 225lbs or bigger at the combine: Derrick Henry, Matt Jones, Dominique Brown and James Wilder. Henry has potential but he has not yet earned the starting role in Tennessee and teams may be hesitant to roll the dice on a big back like Ballage. Ballage has not handled a full load in any of his four seasons but he is a productive pass catcher (44 receptions in 2016, 19 this year). His high number of carries came this year with 153. He has under 2,000 yards in his career. I’m just not able to get that excited about him, honestly. I have read comparisons to David Johnson but I think that is crazy: Johnson was more than twice as productive in most stat categories in college. Ballage will get drafted in fantasy leagues but it won’t be by me. The other big name for the Sun Devils is WR N’Keal Harry. Harry is not draft eligible so it’s not worth a deep dive yet but you will hear his name constantly next season. He has elite height (6’4″) and has been very productive as a young receiver on a mediocre team (career line of 131-1,659-12). Add Harry to your 2019 short list now!

North Carolina State has three draft prospects that I will touch on. First and foremost is DE Bradley Chubb. I mentioned Chubb a few times in the middle of the season when NC State was looking like it could challenge Clemson for the conference title. He has 25 sacks and 54.5 tackles for loss in his career. Chubb is relentless and should be a Top 5 pick in the NFL Draft. Sadly, he’s banged up and may miss the bowl game. On offense, QB Ryan Finley and TE Jaylen Samuels are the two to watch. Samuels is one of my favorite players of the season because he transcends position. He is listed as a TE but he’s really too small to play the position in the NFL. Instead he’ll probably factor in as a hybrid RB, FB, TE who lines up all over the field. To give you an idea of Samuels’ versatility, look at his 2017 stats: 68 receptions, 547 receiving yards, 4 rushing TDs, 72 rushing attempts, 387 rushing yards and 11 rushing TDs. Samuels was the only player in the FBS with more than 65 receptions and rushing attempts. More so than any other prospect, Samuels’ 2018 fantasy value relies heavily on his landing spot. If he gets drafted by a team with a creative offense he could turn into the ultimate third down and short yardage weapon. Finley is a late round quarterback prospect that is hard for me to get excited about. He should add a few pounds to his 6’4″ frame because he’s listed at just 210lbs and may be lighter. He’s efficient and does not turn the ball over often. Finley does have another year of eligibility so we could see him come back for another season to improve his draft stock. WalterFootball.com has him as QB16 for 2018 while NFLDraftScout.com has him as QB14 in his 2019 class. If he can show a more prolific side to his game in 2018, he could become a mid-rounder next year.

Even if it weren’t for the Sun Devils coaching distractions, I would have gone for NC State because Arizona State’s defense is so bad. Prediction: North Carolina State

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, #8 USC (11-2) vs. #5 Ohio State (11-2), 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

USC: 24th scoring offense, 19th passing offense, 36th rushing offense; 61st scoring defense, 98th passing defense, 57th rushing defense
Ohio State: 5th scoring offense, 28th passing offense, 13th rushing offense; 22nd scoring defense, 18th passing defense, 7th rushing defense

I don’t care what the name of this bowl is, it’s the Rose Bowl to me. I hate the fact that with the new CFP we lose the historical tradition of some of the biggest games. The folks running the Cotton Bowl got themselves a doozy of a matchup with two Power 5 conference champions and a slew of NFL prospects. Covering each and every one of the draft hopefuls in this game is impossible – I will touch on a few but by no means is this a comprehensive list.

Let’s start with Ohio State. By now, we have all heard and participated in the debate about whether or not Ohio State should have been in the playoff. I fear that topic will be prominent during the telecast and will overshadow some of the great players on the field for the Buckeyes. QB JT Barrett improved on a number of stats this season but probably hurt his chances of playing quarterback in the NFL after poor performances in three big games (against Iowa, Michigan [before the injury], and Wisconsin). I don’t have an opinion yet on whether Barrett should enter the draft process as a QB but my gut says he will. The RB duo of freshman JK Dobbins and redshirt sophomore Mike Weber was very productive (nearly 2,000 combined rushing yards and 17 TDs). Dobbins took advantage of an early, and lingering, injury to Weber to steal the lead role. If Weber comes out for the 2018 draft, I think his stock is less now than it was four months ago. He could return but it’s clear he won’t be the first choice back. Maybe he transfers, sits out a year, and dominates at a lower level Power 5 school in 2019. I listed Weber as my RB13 in November so if he does come out he’s a mid-rounder at best. The strength of Ohio State’s team lies outside of the offensive skill positions. Drafttek.com has six Buckeyes ranked in their Top 10 NFL draft prospects from the Big Ten: three defensive linemen (Sam Hubbard, Tyquan Lewis, Dante Booker), one corner (Denzel Ward) and two offensive linemen (Jamarco Jones and Billy Price). I’ll venture a guess that four of the six go in the first round (Ward, Hubbard, Price, Jones) with the other two following on Day Two. The best prospect on the defense, sophomore DE Nick Bosa, is not yet draft eligible but he’d be a first rounder too if he were.

The biggest name on USC’s team is QB Sam Darnold but he has really hurt his draft stock this season. Darnold was a walking turnover in 2017: 12 INTs and 10 fumbles (7 of which were lost). Elite quarterback prospects just can’t turn the ball over that often; for comparison, Rosen (13) and Mayfield (5) combine for fewer turnovers than Darnold. Darnold is only a redshirt sophomore so he is young and still has two more years of eligibility should he decide to return to college for further seasoning. Ultimately, I think Darnold comes out and is a Top 3 pick because of the potential the he has shown. Despite his turnovers, the yardage, scoring and efficiency are all above average. He’s also an above average runner with enough speed to earn first downs when flushed from the pocket. What Darnold has that doesn’t show up in the box score is his confidence and swagger. If I had to pick one college QB to lead my team in a comeback, I would take Darnold because he wouldn’t shrink from the challenge. One negative: Darnold’s throwing motion. I noticed this in the offseason and plan on watching more film before the draft to see if it’s improved. Darnold’s favorite receiver is WR Deontay Burnett. Burnett is undersized (6’0″ and 170lbs) so he likely won’t garner early round attention but I’ve raved about him numerous times this season. A close size comp for Burnett would be Travis Benjamin who was a 4th round pick back in 2012. Burnett was good, but not great, this season going for 74-975-9. I started the season low on RB Ronald Jones but I came around by mid-September. He is just so quick and agile that it’s almost not fair to defenders. I was previously concerned about his size but no longer. Even though he missed a game due to injury, Jones totaled 1,486 yards and 18 rushing TDs; he added 13 receptions for 165 yards and another score. After a down game against Notre Dame, Jones ended the season strong with over 800 yards and 10 TDs in the last five games. He’s fun to watch and I am so happy he won’t be skipping the Cotton Bowl. On defense, the Trojans have a number of prospects including Cameron Smith and Porter Gustin. Gustin missed most of the season, and is doubtful for the bowl, but could get drafted based on a solid sophomore season if he comes out (68 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks). Smith is a prototypical MLB who has 263 career tackles and has been a big part of the USC defense for three years; according to WalterFootball.com he is looking at a mid-round grade.

Ohio State’s defense will be the best unit on the field and is strong enough to limit Darnold and Jones. I expect the Buckeyes to win in a game where they beat USC in time of possession. Prediction: Ohio State

Saturday, Dec. 30

TaxSlayer Bowl, Louisville (8-4) vs. #23 Mississippi State (8-4), 12 p.m. (ESPN)

Louisville: 13th scoring offense, 15th passing offense, 14th rushing offense; 71st scoring defense, 77th passing defense, 52nd rushing defense
Mississippi State: 38th scoring offense, 109th passing offense, 15th rushing offense; 24th scoring defense, 13th passing defense, 24th rushing defense

As far as the NFL Draft prospects go this matchup is all about Louisville, let’s touch on Mississippi State first though. QB Nick Fitzgerald could be an interesting study in 2019 but I don’t think he has enough of a resume to warrant coming out for 2018, especially after a season-ending ankle injury sustained on Thanksgiving. NFLDraftScout.com has him as the QB6 in his 2019 draft class. Fitzgerald will need to improve on his efficiency in 2018 because he doesn’t complete enough passes (55.6%) and throws too many INTs (15:11 ratio this season). He’s a tremendous rushing threat with 33 career rushing TDs and nearly 2,500 yards but that won’t matter to scouts if he’s missing throws. The backup QB is freshman Keytaon Thompson. I don’t think I have seen any of Thompson play this season but I am intrigued by the combination of his size (6’4″ 222lbs) and rushing ability (he played in nine games this season totaling 299 yards and 3 TDs rushing). Thompson played significant snaps in the Egg Bowl vs Ole Miss after Fitzgerald went down so at least he’s not coming in cold. He rushed for 121 yards and a score but only completed 13 of his 27 passes for 195 yards. I came across the name of DB JT Gray on NDT Scouting’s website while researching potential draft prospects from Mississippi State. He has played at both linebacker and safety and his listed measureables are similar to those of Jabril Peppers who was a first rounder last year; maybe he could be a poor man’s Pepper in the late rounds. Per Pro Football Focus, Gray did not allow a single TD in coverage this year and the passer rating against him was 70.4 which is above average.

Louisville has their own DB, Jaire Alexander, who excels in those same metrics. Alexander has also shut out opposing receivers and, this is not a typo, has allowed a passer rating against of just 17.7. For comparison, a QB who had one completion for negative nine yards would have a rating of 16. Alexander allowed just five receptions on the season and ranks 5th in PFF’s “Cover Snaps per Reception” stat, meaning he is in coverage a lot and allows few receptions. Alexander declared for the 2018 draft already and is skipping the bowl so you won’t get to see him play against Mississippi State but you’ll see him playing on Sundays soon. You may be thinking to yourself, how has he not mentioned Lamar Jackson yet? You’re right I may be burying the lede but Jackson has been talked about ad nauseam on every platform this season. That includes me too: I tagged Jackson in eight of my weekly The Watch List pieces and focused on him in my preseason preview. Talk of Jackson changing position is useless, in my opinion, because Jackson will go into the NFL as a quarterback. If anything, the brief spark of Deshaun Watson this season shows NFL teams that a lightning quick deep-ball thrower with accuracy issues can still lead a team to victory. Some team will take Jackson in the first round but I don’t think I’ll be taking him in any of my fantasy drafts. Jackson’s top target is junior WR Jaylen Smith. Smith is 6’4″ and 219lbs which is great size for a receiver but it’s his speed and deep-ball ability that makes him a threat to the defense. To illustrate this, despite his size, only three of his 53 receptions came in the red zone; meanwhile he had seven receptions of 25+ yards. He totaled 873 yards and 6 TDs (he missed three games due to a wrist injury). I’m not as high on Smith as some, including our friends at Dynasty Command Center who have him as their WR5 for 2018 rookies. Jackson and Smith versus the stout Bulldog defense will be fun to watch, regardless of what you think of their NFL chances.

Defense wins championships, sure, but offense wins college bowl games. Take the Cardinals. Prediction: Louisville

AutoZone Liberty Bowl, Iowa State (7-5) vs. #20 Memphis (10-2), 12:30 p.m. (ABC)

Iowa State: 53rd scoring offense, 32nd passing offense, 112th rushing offense; 28th scoring defense, 81st passing defense, 31st rushing defense
Memphis: 2nd scoring offense, 8th passing offense, 31st rushing offense; 104th scoring defense, 123rd passing defense, 100th rushing defense

Iowa State had a whirlwind of a season. Get it? The Cyclones had a whirlwind…. okay, okay I’ll stop. Seriously though, Iowa State was a surprisingly fun team to watch this season. They had a number of interesting story lines throughout the season including 1) an up-and-coming head coach in Matt Campbell, 2) jack-of-all-trades Joel Lanning playing at both LB and QB in a number of games, 3) the continued emergence of RB David Montgomery, 4) the revolving door at quarterback including underclassmen, walk-ons and transfers and 5) the upset of #3 Oklahoma and #4 TCU. Montgomery is fantastic. He has good speed, is amazing at breaking tackles and gaining yards after contact and is a reliable receiver. He is just a sophomore so he’s not coming out in 2018 but there’s a chance he is my top RB next year. Leading receiver Allen Lazard is a 6’5″ red zone monster (15 of his 25 career touchdowns came inside the twenty). I think Lazard is underappreciated as far as draftniks go. I had him as WR13 a few weeks ago but will likely move him up into the WR10 range. The Iowa State defense has played well most of the season and is led by emotional leader Joel Lanning (the aforementioned former QB). As much as I enjoy rooting for Lanning, I don’t think he’ll be considered by NFL teams.

Memphis has an incredibly efficient and high scoring offense that will be fun to watch against the solid Iowa State defense. QB Riley Ferguson is a former Tennessee transfer who has played exceptionally well in his two seasons at Memphis. Ferguson throws a lot of touchdowns, completes more than 63% of his passes, has never thrown more than 10 INTs in a season and has 10 career rushing touchdowns. He’s also 6’4″; like Ryan Finley at NC State he is just 210lbs so needs to add some weight for the NFL. I think Ferguson sneaks up NFL draft boards and gets taken on Day Two. Ferguson’s top target was undoubtedly WR Anthony Miller. I fell in love with Miller in the preseason when I jokingly compared him to Antonio Brown. In hindsight that comp may have been more accurate than I could have guessed. Miller caught 92 balls for 1,407 yards and 17 TDs. Miller has unreal hands, great body control and is tough. If you watched the AAC Championship game you might recall how exhausted and banged up he was yet he was on the field and still making plays when it mattered the most. I want him on my NFL team and my fantasy team and I don’t care what pick it takes. In September, I had him at 2.02 for 2018 rookie drafts but now I would even be willing to part with a late first for him.

By the rankings this may not be the best game of the day but I bet it’s the most entertaining. The Tigers offense is just too good to stop. Prediction: Memphis

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, #11 Washington Huskies (10-2) vs. #9 Penn State (10-2), 4 p.m. (ESPN)

Washington: 17th scoring offense, 73rd passing offense, 39th rushing offense; 6th scoring defense, 19th passing defense, 2nd rushing defense
Penn State: 7th scoring offense, 26th passing offense, 62nd rushing offense; 7th scoring defense, 43rd passing defense, 17th rushing defense

This PAC-12 vs Big Ten matchup definitely has less going for it than the Ohio State vs USC matchup but it’s still a game with some key NFL prospects to keep an eye on. Thankfully, Penn State RB Saquon Barkley confirmed back in November that he planned to play in the team’s bowl game.

Penn State was looking like a favorite to make the playoff when they were ranked #2 in late October but back-to-back losses to Ohio State and Michigan State put an end to that. Even the most casual of fan knows about Barkley and I have covered him exhaustively for RSO. In fact, I tagged Barkley in thirteen different articles this season. My deepest dive on Barkley came in the preseason in my Big Ten conference preview. At some point you just run out of things to say but he was so dominant at points he just demanded to be discussed. Barkley ran the ball less this year but he increased his yards per attempt (5.5 to 5.7) and became more involved as a receiver (47 receptions, 594 yards and 3 TDs). He’ll likely be a Top 5 NFL Draft pick and will be the unanimous 1.01 pick in fantasy rookie drafts. QB Trace McSorley is also draft eligible but he will probably return for another season. He won’t be able to improve on his size (just 6’0″ and 202lbs) but he can continue to improve his efficiency and yards per attempt. The pass catcher with the highest draft grade in my opinion will be TE Mike Gesicki. Gesicki went for 51-501-9 this season and had one of my favorite highlights of the season when he hurdled McSorley after a touchdown. Penn State keeps track of some combine-like measureables and supposedly Gesicki ran a 4.54 40 yard dash – that is crazy good for somebody his size. I expect that number to increase at the combine, it must be the benefit of some “home cooking,” but still he’s looking at a favorable size/speed comp to the likes of Jimmy Graham and Travis Kelce. The first round may be too early for Gesicki realistically but he’s a Day Two guy at worst. The Nittany Lions’ top defensive prospect is senior safety Marcus Allen. I researched him in the preseason and was nonplussed. I felt he needed to show scouts that he was equally as good in coverage as he is in run support. He still succeeded in run support (just two missed tackles against the run per Pro Football Focus) but he only had one interception (the first of his career) and had just two pass break-ups (just ten in his career). He’ll probably start his career as a situational player and won’t be an IDP factor right away unless he can prove he should stay on the field for every snap.

Washington QB Jake Browning finished 6th in Heisman voting in 2016 after a huge 43 TD season. Unfortunately for Huskies fans, that season was the outlier for Browning as he returned to his 2015 levels with just 18 TDs this year. His completion percentage did increase significantly this year (62.1% to 68.8%) but all of his other rate stats decreased. One of my favorite plays in football is the quick kick from a quarterback and Browning excels at that: he has 11 career punts, averaging about 35 yards per kick. The two offensive standouts are WR Dante Pettis and RB Myles Gaskin. I’ve never been a huge fan of either and I am willing to admit it is probably an east coast bias since I don’t see them play that often. I previewed Pettis in the preseason and expressed concerns that his size would limit him in the NFL. Pettis played in thirteen games each of his first three seasons so he’s avoid any long-term injuries but he is currently hurt (but probabl for the bowl game). He is a good receiver (averaging 40 receptions, 500 yards and 6 TDs per year over his four year career) but a better punt returner (9 career punt return TDs, including 4 in 2017). He’s currently my WR8 and should find himself drafted in the late second round. RB Myles Gaskin is ranked a little lower in my positional rankings (RB13) but he’s somebody that I definitely need to revisit. Gaskin’s numbers are great and if they were attached to a different name I would probably be higher on him. He rushed for 1,282 yards this season and rushed for 19 TDs. He also added 18 grabs for 228 yards and 3 receiving scores. He has been consistent, and healthy, throughout his three year career. He’s gone over 1,300 total yards each year and has 47 career TDs. He’s slightly undersized (think Theo Riddick) but not so small that he can’t play a heavy role in an NFL offense. On defense, LB Azeem Victor and DT Vita Vea are both likley Day Two prospects. Victor’s college career has been marred by injuries and off-field issues (he was suspended to start 2017 for a failed drug test and was suspended late in the season after a DUI arrest). In 2015, his only full season, Victor had 95 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception. Vea is an agile, space-eating DT who could end up going in the late first if he dominates the combine. Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports had Vea going 19th overall in his December 5th mock; Trapasso thinks that Vea may be the most physically strong prospect in the entire draft class.

Given the strength of the two defenses, I expect this one to be a low scoring affair. I’ll take the team with the best player on the field. Prediction: Penn State

Capital One Orange Bowl, #10 Miami (10-2) vs. #6 Wisconsin (12-1), 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Miami: 58th scoring offense, 50th passing offense, 73rd rushing offense; 21st scoring defense, 52nd passing defense, 44th rushing defense
Wisconsin: 31st scoring offense, 95th passing offense, 21st rushing offense; 4th scoring defense, 4th passing defense, 1st rushing defense

The Orange Bowl may feature two Top 10 teams but I’m just not finding the matchup all that intriguing. I was down on Miami for most of the season before the team imploded against an unranked Pitt team and laid an egg against Clemson in the ACC Championship game. At least Wisconsin was competitive in their conference championship and proved that they belonged in the playoff conversation despite a weak schedule.

Hurricanes QB Malik Rosier was overrated, in my opinion, during Miami’s unbeaten run to start the season. He ranks 89th in adjusted completion percentage according to Pro Football Focus; that metric is meant to give a better picture of a quarterback’s accuracy by not counting spikes/throwaways against them and by giving them credit for drops. Per their stats, the Miami receivers dropped 22 passes, which is about average, but even after factoring those back in he is still at the bottom of the list (there are only twelve worse qualifying QBs). Rosier did rush for 427 yards and 5 TDs which helps make up for his negative plays but it’s not enough in big games. Case in point: Rosier was pulled late in the Pitt game to give redshirt sophomore backup Evan Shirreffs a shot. Shirreffs had five career passing attempts at that point so in that moment the coaches though he gave them a better shot than Rosier (predictably, Shirreffs did nothing and was replaced by Rosier). Miami lost RB Mark Walton early in the season but sophomore Travis Homer has emerged in his stead. Homer has over 1,100 total yards and scored 8 TDs. He had a big game against #3 Notre Dame (18 rushes for 146 yards) but had just 55 combined rushing and receiving yards in the late losses to Pitt and Clemson. If Miami is to stand a chance against Wisconsin’s great defense it will fall on Walton. Senior DE Chad Thomas had 30 total pressures per PFF and finished the year with 3.5 sacks. Safety Jaquon Johnson improved his stats in 2017 to end with 85 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and 4 INTs. Miami’s defense did get better in 2017 but gone are the days when the NFL Draft was littered with Hurricane defenders; Thomas and Johnson could be mid-round picks but I doubt anybody goes higher than that.

Speaking of defense, Wisconsin’s is a juggernaut. They are 4th in scoring, 4th against the pass and 1st against the run. They don’t have a weakness and it’s unfortunate we did not get to see them play a stronger schedule. We may never know if this was a historic unit or just a product of a soft schedule. Their leader, LB TJ Edwards, is good in both run support (27th ranked in run stop percentage per PFF) and in coverage (4 INTs). According to DraftTek.com, he’s the 11th ranked prospect in the conference and according to WalterFootball.com he’s looking at a 3rd-5th round grade. Edwards may not be a Watt brother but he’s keeping up the tradition of productive Wisconsin linebackers with initials instead of first names! The Badgers offense is all about freshman RB Jonathan Taylor. Taylor had 1,847 rushing yards and 13 TDs this season and he finished 6th in Heisman voting. Those rushing yards ranked him first in the conference and third in the FBS. Not bad for a three star recruit. Taylor still has two more seasons before he’s draft eligible so we have to wait and see what he develops into but he’ll probably be on my Heisman watch list for next season. Aside from offensive tackle Beau Benzschawel, the best offensive prospect is TE Troy Fumagalli. Fumagalli has a long injury history that I discussed in my Big Ten preview, but I still like his chances in the NFL. He’s more of a traditional TE than the “move TE” that is en vogue right now so that may lower how high he is drafted. Regardless of where he is drafted, he will be on the field from day one because of his above average blocking ability. Fumagalli led the team with 43 receptions, 516 yards and 4 TDs. He has already declared for the NFL Draft but Fumagalli has confirmed that he will play in the bowl. Fumagalli may not be a fantasy factor in his rookie season but he’ll still be worth a third round pick.

I don’t have a doubt in my mind that Wisconsin will win this one. Prediction: Wisconsin

Note: When watching film for a player in the offseason, I typically pick two games at random to watch. If game film is not available I will search for highlight reels, but keep in mind these are the best plays that player had all season so they really need to jump off the screen. I do not necessarily want to watch games where they did very well or very poorly as that may not be a great illustration of their true ability. If possible, when comparing players at the same position I also like to watch film against common opponents. Full disclosure, I am not watching film of every single game any player plays, instead I am looking for a representative sample. When researching college players I use a number of resources, I would recommend bookmarking the below sites…

Stats: espn.com, sports-reference.com, cfbstats.com, herosports.com, fcs.football, foxsports.com
Film: draftbreakdown.com, youtube.com (but be wary of highlight only reels)
Draft info and mocks: draftcountdown.com, nfldraftscout.com, walterfootball.com, mattwaldmanrsp.com, draftek.com
Draft history: drafthistory.com
Combine info: pro-football-reference.com, espn.com, nflcombineresults.com
Season preview magazines: Phil Steele, Lindy’s, Street and Smith’s
Podcasts: ESPN’s First Draft, Strong as Steele with Phil Steele, The Audible by Football Guys (specifically episodes w/ Matt Waldman), UTH Dynasty

Robert F. Cowper is a freelance writer who lives in New Jersey. Robert works as a recreation professional, specializing in youth sports, when he isn’t acting as commissioner for his many fantasy sports leagues.

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