Start vs. Sit: Players to Start, Players to Bench for Week 10

A lot of people feel like the start of November is when college football really kicks things up to the next level. Will that be the case? This is the first week of football in November, and also the first week of MACtion. That means a few MAC teams have already played by the time you are reading this. Fortunately, there are still plenty of players I can get into for this edition of Start vs. Sit. Let's start November off right.

AAC

START

Ryan O'Keefe, WR, UCF vs. Tulane

With Jaylon Robinson dealing with injury (he's questionable again this week), O'Keefe has stepped up. Over the last four games he has 29 receptions for 246 yards and three touchdowns. He's also rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown as well. Whether or not Robinson plays, O'Keefe should do well in this matchup. Tulane has allowed 43.9 points and 306.3 passing yards per game.

SIT

Josh Johnson, WR, Tulsa at Cincinnati

Johnson, like O'Keefe, was excelling because his team's top receiver (Keylon Stokes in this case) was out. However, last week Johnson was held to two catches for 18 yards. Was that because Navy shortens a game with all its rushing the ball? Perhaps, but it's still a concern heading into an even tougher matchup. Cincinnati is in the top four in both points and passing yards allowed per contest.

ACC

START

Taysir Mack, WR, Pitt at Duke

Kenny Pickett and Jordan Addison need no introduction. I'm looking a step further now with Mack. The reason for that is the fact Duke ranks last in passing yards allowed per contest. Now, Mack did leave last week's loss to Miami with an arm injury. If he can't play, maybe consider Shocky Jacques-Louis if you are looking for a long shot with some upside?

SIT

Jalen Mitchell, RB, Louisville vs. Clemson

Mitchell showed promise as a freshman last season, and he has averaged 4.5 yards per carry this year. However, for some reason, Louisville just doesn't want to go all-in on its top back. Mitchell hasn't had more than 18 carries in a game. For all of Clemson's offensive concerns, it still ranks 22nd in rushing yards allowed per contest and fifth in points allowed per game.

Big 12

START

Abram Smith, RB, Baylor at TCU

Smith has enjoyed a breakout campaign you may have missed. Through eight games he's rushed for 898 yards and a whopping 11 touchdowns. He's only had one game where he has failed to find the end zone. Meanwhile, TCU's defensive collapse was so bad it led to school legend Gary Patterson getting the boot. In particular, the run defense has allowed 225.0 yards per game.

SIT

Leddie Brown, RB, WVU vs. Oklahoma State

Brown is coming off of two top-notch games – though one was against the aforementioned TCU – but before that he was held under 60 yards for three-straight contests. The Cowboys are a step up in terms of competition, though. They've only allowed 93.9 rushing yards per game.

Big Ten

START

Tyler Goodson, RB, Iowa at Northwestern

Goodson started off the season hot, but like Iowa in general he's cooled down a bit. I can see him getting over 100 yards on the ground in this one, though. Northwestern has ceded 260.0 yards per game to opposing rushing offenses. Michigan had two backs go over 100 yards against them. Iowa can at least have Goodson do it.

SIT

Jayden Reed, WR, Michigan State at Purdue

Kenneth Walker carried Michigan State to a win over Michigan, and the Spartans may want to rely on him again here. That's because Purdue has only given up 174.0 passing yards per game. Additionally, while Reed had a four-game touchdown streak earlier this year, he's been held without a touchdown for three straight games.

Conference USA

START

Johnny Ford, RB, FAU vs. Marshall

The Thundering Herd has a top-10 pass defense and a bottom-10 run defense. Needless to say, I expect Ford to be given the ball quite a bit in this game. In three of his last four games, he's rushed for over 90 yards and scored a touchdown. The other game was on the road against UAB, maybe the toughest defense in Conference USA.

SIT

Sincere McCormick, RB, UTSA at UTEP

I don't feel great about this, because McCormick is a real-deal talent. However, Conference USA is full of porous defenses and mediocre offenses. Let's just say there are a lot of players you either would never sit in their matchup, or would be sitting regardless. UTEP's defense has been formidable, as its in the top 20 in both points and rushing yards allowed. The Roadrunners do have a strong pass offense as well, so they might eschew McCormick in this matchup for what could work better.

MAC

START

Jay Ducker, RB, NIU at Kent State

Like I said, MACtion started this week. There were three games Tuesday, and the other two games are Wednesday. For fantasy college football purposes, the MAC doesn't really seem to care about us. From Wednesday, Ducker is a strong choice. Harrison Waylee got hurt, and now over the last two weeks, Ducker has 64 carries for 393 yards. He hasn't found the end zone yet, but Kent State has given up 36.7 points per game

SIT

Lew Nichols, RB, Central Michigan at Western Michigan

Nichols is enjoying a breakout campaign, but he's on the road against a Western Michigan team that has only allowed 140.3 rushing yards per game. He's also not proven to be incapable of a bad outing, though. Miami (OH) held him to 21 yards on 12 carries, for example. Usually Nichols crushes it, but he's not matchup proof.

Mountain West

START

Logan Bonner, QB, Utah State at New Mexico State

For the first time this season, Bonner didn't throw an interception last week. On top of that, he threw for 361 yards and four touchdowns against Hawaii. He could stay hot this week, as New Mexico State has given up 39.0 points per contest.

SIT

Trey McBride, TE, Colorado State at Wyoming

McBride is considered one of the best tight ends in the country, and I know normally in fantasy college football you just grab a tight end and roll with him. However, for DFS purposes, or even for your season-long fantasy lineup, McBride is somebody to try and avoid this week if you can. This may come as a surprise to you, but Wyoming has allowed the fewest passing yards per game this season. It's true, the Cowboys have only allowed 144.9 passing yards per contest, fewer than even Georgia. Colorado State's passing game, McBride included, is likely to be shut down.

Pac-12

START

Chase Garbers, QB, Cal at Arizona

Last week I recommended Garbers against Oregon State, and he went ahead and threw for 262 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 58 yards and a touchdown. Over the last three games he's tossed seven touchdowns with zero picks. Arizona, meanwhile, is possibly the worst team in the Pac-12. The Wildcats don't rank that low in pass defense, but Garbers has also rushed for 376 yards and three scores this year.

SIT

Sean McGrew, RB, Washington vs. Oregon

McGrew didn't play in the first two games of the season, but he then proceeded to score two touchdowns in three-straight contests. However, he's now failed to score in his last three games, and twice in that time he was held under 50 yards. While Oregon ranks 57th in points allowed per contest, that's actually good in the Pac-12. Plus, the Ducks are 31st in rushing yards allowed per game.

SEC

START

James Cook, RB, Georgia vs. Missouri

This is one of those times where I think two running backs are going to have big days in a matchup. Zamir White doesn't need my recommendation, but look past him and you will find Cook, who has averaged 6.0 yards per carry, admittedly on 57 attempts. The thing is, Missouri has given up a staggering 282.3 rushing yards per game. This could be one of those days where two backs go over 100 yards.

SIT

Tyler Badie, RB, Missouri at Georgia

Time to flip this matchup around. Badie just ran for 254 yards and two touchdowns. That was against Vanderbilt. This is the Georgia Bulldog defense. The Dawgs rank in the top two in points, rushing yards, and passing yards allowed per game. Even coming off a 250-yard game, you don't mess with the Georgia defense.

Sun Belt

START

Nate Noel, RB, Appalachian State at Arkansas State

The Missouri Tigers rank 129th in rushing yards allowed per game. Arkansas State is the one team below them. The Red Wolves have given up 309.3 yards per contest on the ground. Noel does only have two touchdowns, but he's rushed for 765 yards on 130 carries in eight games. Since touchdowns can be a little fluky, I still like him in this matchup quite a bit.

SIT

Tez Johnson, WR, Troy vs. South Alabama

With Reggie Todd out Johnson is the lead receiver for the Trojans, and he has a touchdown in back-to-back games. However, those are also his only two touchdowns against FBS teams. South Alabama ranks 21st in passing yards allowed per game, and like I said touchdowns can be a little fluky and hard to predict. I expect Johnson to be kept out of the end zone here.