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

Welcome to November. This is where the college football season really ramps it up. Week 10 definitely features that level of excitement, as we have some huge games this week. Oh, and plenty of intriguing, and scary, fantasy matchups. We are already in the home stretch of the season. It's time to get to the players to start, and to sit, for your lineups in Week 10.

AAC

START

Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane at Tulsa

Spears hasn't been as much of a big-play performer now that he's Tulane's main back, but the increase of opportunity has led to the best numbers of his career. He's racked up 588 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, plus 203 yards and one touchdown through the air for good measure. It can be easy to conflate Tulane and Tulsa, but this year Tulane is quite good, while Tulsa is quite bad. The Golden Hurricane rank 121st in points allowed per game and 112th in rushing yards allowed per attempt.

SIT

Daba Fofana, RB, Navy at Cincinnati

Fofana has become the primary back for the Midshipmen. He's gotten at least 20 carries in each of his last four starts with five rushing scores. However, Cincinnati has been the one stingy defense in the AAC, and it ranks 14th in rushing yards allowed per attempt. Fofana might run into trouble on the road.

ACC

START

Brennan Armstrong, QB, Virginia vs. North Carolina

It's time for a vintage Armstrong performance. He lost his offensive coaching staff from 2021, and it has shown. It's been a brutal year for Armstrong and the Cavaliers. That being said, North Carolina is in the bottom 30 in points allowed per game, rushing yards allowed per carry, and passing yards allowed per attempt. The Tar Heels have the worst defense in the ACC. Armstrong does provide some value with his legs, having run for 353 yards and four touchdowns. Party like it's 2021, baby.

SIT

Treshaun Ward, RB, Florida State at Miami (FL)

It's expected that Ward will be back from his shoulder injury for this one, but it's hard to imagine the back will be 100 percent. Also, for all of Miami's woeful offense efforts, it has been solid against the run. In fact, the Hurricanes rank 21st in rushing yards allowed per carry. Even if Ward was known to be at full capacity, I would not risk him down in Miami.

Big 12

START

Brennan Presley, WR, Oklahoma State at Kansas

This is an opportunity for the Cowboys to get back on track. Kansas has allowed 33.6 points per game and ranks 110th in passing yards allowed per attempt. Presley is Oklahoma State's top receiver, and definitely the top healthy receiver, so if anybody is going to take advantage of the Jayhawks' defense, it's Presley

SIT

CJ Donaldson, RB, West Virginia at Iowa State

Donaldson is making a splash as a freshman for the Mountaineers, but this is going to be a real test of just how good the young back is. If the Cyclones had any offensive acumen, they'd be having quite the season, because the defense has done its job. Iowa State ranks ninth in points allowed per game and 15th in rushing yards allowed per attempt.

Big Ten

START

Isaiah Williams, WR, Illinois vs. Michigan State

Chase Brown is the star for the Illini, but Williams is the star of the show for the passing game. He's a reception magnet, racking up 56 catches in eight outings. Michigan State ranks 103rd in passing yards allowed per attempt after allowing the most passing yards in the FBS last season. The Spartans are also reeling after a rough trip to play the Wolverines last week.

SIT

Charlie Jones, WR, Purdue vs. Iowa

If Williams is a receptions magnet, Jones is like one of those super magnets that like you need to give ID to buy because they're so dangerous. However, the one team that shut Williams down is Iowa, and Iowa could do it to Jones as well. For all their offensive issues, the Hawkeyes have an elite defense. They allow a mere 5.6 passing yards per attempt, third in the FBS.

Conference USA

START

Austin Reed, QB, Western Kentucky at Charlotte

Reed hasn't been Bailey Zappe, but he has been putting up big numbers in the Hilltoppers' pass-happy offense. He's thrown for 2,762 yards, 22 touchdowns, and six interceptions through nine games, plus six rushing scores. Charlotte got a win last week after firing its head coach, but because it put up a ton of points. The 49ers' defense was still porous, and they've allowed 9.9 passing yards per attempt, worst in the FBS.

SIT

Zakhari Franklin, WR, UTSA at UAB

 Franklin is one of three wide receivers having big years for the Roadrunners, but he's coming off his worst game of the season. He had six catches, but for 21 yards. The Blazers have had some issues offensively, but they are stout against the pass. UAB has allowed 23.1 points per game and ranks seventh in passing yards allowed per attempt.

MAC

START

Carlos Carriere, WR, Central Michigan at Northern Illinois

Welcome…to MACtion! There are four MAC games this week, two Tuesday and two Wednesday. Getting in on the MACtion is a little tricky for recommendations as a result, and by the time you read this it may be too late for the Tuesday games, so I am going to focus on the two Wednesday games. Carriere has 39 catches for 448 yards through seven games, while Northern Illinois is in the bottom 20 in points allowed per contest and passing yards given up per attempt.

SIT

Lew Nichols, RB, Central Michigan at Northern Illinois

I'm going back to the same matchup. Nichols may not even be able to play due to injury. On top of that, the Huskies are 18th in rushing yards allowed per carry. The Chippewas will probably focus on passing the ball against the Northern Illinois defense, and rightfully so, which could leave Nichols an afterthought, and that's assuming he plays.

Mountain West

START

Jordan Mims, RB, Fresno State vs. Hawaii

Mims was held to 32 yards by San Diego State, but still got in the end zone of the third-straight game in a row. On the year, he's averaged 4.8 yards per carry, and this is a much easier matchup for Mims. Hawaii is last in rushing yards per attempt, and it won't even have the benefit of its unusual home-field situation Saturday.

SIT

Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State at San Jose State

Horton followed his head coach from Nevada, and it has only taken him eight games to almost replicate his numbers from last season. However, all five of his touchdowns and his two 100-yard games of the season were all within the first four contests of the year. San Jose State has allowed a mere 16.3 points per game and is 25th in passing yards allowed per attempt, so I don't expect Horton to finally return to the end zone.

Pac-12

START

Mar'Keise Irving, RB, Oregon at Colorado

The Ducks have gotten in the groove after that loss to Georgia in the opener, and while Bo Nix has been the star, Irving deserves some shine as well. In addition to 568 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, Irving has 206 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Colorado is bottom five in points allowed per game and rushing yards allowed per attempt, and Irving and the Ducks should remain in that groove they've been in.

SIT

Elijhah Badger, WR, Arizona State vs. UCLA

Badger just put up his first two 100-yard games of the season, but they came against Stanford and Colorado. The Bruins are a different story. They rank 22nd in passing yards allowed per attempt. These two 100-yard games? They were the first of Badger's career, so he's not yet a proven commodity.

SEC

START

Antwane Wells, WR, South Carolina at Vanderbilt

Wells was an FCS star last season with James Madison, and this year he has 37 catches for 464 yards and two touchdowns. Sure, he isn't going to have 15 touchdowns like he did in 2021, but he can take advantage of this matchup. The Commodores have allowed 37.4 points per game and rank 121st in passing yards allowed per attempt.

SIT

Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee at Georgia

Tillman returned last week, but didn't seem like he was back to full strength. He caught all four of his targets, but for only 22 yards. This is not a matchup for getting your feet under you. Georgia is top five in points allowed per contest and passing yards allowed per attempt.

Sun Belt

START

Layne Hatcher, QB, Texas State at Louisiana-Monroe

Hatcher transferred from Arkansas State and won the starting job for the Bobcats. It's been an up-and-down year, but he has 1,949 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in eight games. I believe Hatcher has it in him to tackle this matchup, though. Louisiana-Monroe has allowed a whopping 42.0 points per game and ranks 124th in passing yards allowed per attempt.

SIT

Michael Jefferson, WR, Louisiana vs. Troy

Jefferson has gone from being a big-play guy who only got a handful of touches in 2021 to the lead receiver for the Ragin' Cajuns in 2022. However, his five touchdowns on 30 catches is a hard rate to continue at. Troy has the top defense in the Sun Belt, though. It ranks 11th in points allowed per contest and ninth in passing yards allowed per attempt as well.