Start vs. Sit: Who to Play, Who to Bench Week 6

Week 5 had some seismic shifts in the college landscape with USC losing in Pullman, Virginia Tech getting taught a lesson at home and LSU submitting its bid for worst loss of the year. This week has similarly large implications, particularly in the ACC where we have Louisville-NC State, Clemson-Wake Forest and Miami-Florida State squaring off.

PLAYERS TO START

AAC

Anthony Miller, WR, Memphis (at Connecticut): We're more than a month into the season and, frankly, Miller has been one of the biggest disappointments across the fantasy landscape. All those warm fuzzy feelings everyone got after he torched UCLA's secondary were rewarded with a combined nine catches for 84 yards and one touchdown against Southern Illinois and Central Florida. His showing against UCF was particularly discouraging, but Miller is still too talented to shy away from just yet. It's fair to at least admit Miller is wearing on owners' collective patience (I'm one), but this is too good a matchup to ignore. Connecticut allows a 162.0 passer rating, ranking 121st in the nation. This is a huge opportunity for a Miller bounce back, and I'm buying in.

ACC

Andre Levrone, WR, Virginia (vs. Duke): Levrone heads up an underrated Wahoo receiving corps and certainly looks the part of a big-time FBS wideout, checking in at 6-foot-3, 225. He averages 26.7 YPR, tops among FBS receivers with at least 10 catches, and four of his 13 receptions have gone for touchdowns. Olamide Zaccheaus and Doni Dowling are both solid complements alongside Levrone, but Levrone is clearly quarterback Kurt Benkert's favorite deep threat. Levrone faces a Duke secondary that has been fine on paper most of the year, but looked highly suspect against an inexperienced Malik Rosier on Friday. (Also, if we want to count Notre Dame as a partial ACC member, Josh Adams is going to go off against North Carolina this week).

BIG 12

Darius Anderson, RB, TCU (vs. West Virginia): Both teams enter the weekend fresh off bye weeks, but an extra week to study from Gary Patterson leads me to believe TCU will know exactly where to attack the Mountaineers. West Virginia is soft against the run, giving up 5.26 yards per carry and notably allowing Kansas' Khalil Herbert (who you should start this week) to go full-Bryce Love on it two weeks ago. Anderson, meanwhile, has been a workhorse back for the Horned Frogs and should push for a ton of carries Saturday as TCU looks to extend possessions to keep West Virginia's offense on the sidelines.

BIG TEN

Johnnie Dixon, WR, Ohio State (vs. Maryland): Maryland is coming off a road win with its third-string quarterback, but a showdown with Ohio State is an entirely different animal. The Terrapins stymied Minnesota's passing game as well, but again, Ohio State is an entirely different animal. Dixon, for one, is a big-play threat unlike anything Maryland's seen this year. There's a bit of risk baked in because he's a low-volume receiver (just eight catches), but when he gets his hands on the ball, the other team is in trouble. Dixon averages 28.5 yards per reception and half of his catches have gone for scores. One or two explosive plays from Dixon should do the trick and allow him to produce start-worthy numbers Saturday.

CONFERENCE USA

Jalen Rhodes, RB, UTSA (vs. Southern Miss): Ito Smith is arguably the more well-known back in this matchup, but Rhodes has been an absolute force for a UTSA team that doesn't get nearly enough respect. Rhodes has played just three games and has seen just 45 carries, but he's turned those limited opportunities into 338 yards (7.51 YPC) and three scores. He faces a Southern Miss defense that's holding opposing runners to 3.69 YPC, but Rhodes is simply too good to be slowed by a C-USA opponent. Rhodes isn't just a great play for C-USA centric leagues this week, but he's a legit front-end RB2 in FBS-wide formats. I'm also buying in on Marshall's offense demolishing Charlotte, so players like Chase Litton and Tyre Brady are certainly in play.

MAC

Gus Ragland, QB, Miami (OH) (vs. Bowling Green): Ragland was a personal favorite among MAC quarterbacks entering the season after his impressive performance down the stretch last year and strong supporting cast. He's been a bit uneven, completing just 51.9 percent of his passes, but his 10 passing touchdowns are second in the conference and he also has a pair of rushing scores. Ragland performed about as well as one could expect against Notre Dame last week, but a matchup against a Bowling Green team that's circling the drain is extremely enticing. The Falcons have a bottom-10 defense according to S&P+ and have lost to some putrid or remarkably banged up teams, which doesn't bode well for their chances Saturday. I don't just think Ragland is a borderline option who becomes startable with a soft matchup, I think Ragland is capable of stud-level production this week.

MOUNTAIN WEST

Timothy McVey, RB, Air Force (vs. Navy): This is a slugfest matchup between service academies that run the option as well as anyone. Yes, Navy won't necessarily be caught off guard by what Air Force is (figuratively) throwing at them, but the Midshipmen's defense hasn't been particularly stout this year. They rank 90th in S&P+ defense and McVey has been explosive on a per-touch basis this year with a 6.62 yards per carry average with three touchdowns. Air Force and Navy might be able to get this game in under three hours, but the Falcons will see enough possessions to where McVey will get plenty of opportunities for splash plays. Lexington Thomas is also worth starting if you're on the fence, even with the tough SDSU matchup.

PAC-12

Phillip Lindsay, RB, Colorado (vs. Arizona): Lindsay is a bit of an under-the-radar player for a multi-year starter, but that doesn't mean he hasn't produced this season. He averages a PAC-12-high 21.8 carries per game, which he's turned into 105.8 yards per game. Lindsay's workload and production are some of the most reliable fantasy assets that can be relied upon in the PAC-12. He'll also be going against Arizona, which has trouble stopping physical runners like Lindsay. Arizona very well could get gassed after 20-plus Lindsay carries at mile-high elevation. Look for Lindsay to really start grinding out chunk yardage once the game gets into the second half. I'd also start Darren Carrington even though he's working with a new quarterback and playing Stanford.

SEC

Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn (vs. Ole Miss): Don't look now, but Auburn finally woke up after a sluggish start and looks like the only team that can compete with Alabama in the SEC West. Part of that recent resurgence has been Johnson, who has racked up nine rushing touchdowns in just three games. Kamryn Pettway has been hampered by plantar fasciitis in addition to some ball security issues, allowing Johnson to leapfrog him in Auburn's running back pecking order. This week, Johnson gets Ole Miss, which is still recovering from being bludgeoned for 60 minutes (and 365 rushing yards) against Bama on Saturday. Don't overthink it, Johnson is a must-play.

Sun Belt

Tyler Rogers, QB, New Mexico State (at Appalachian State): The Mountaineers represent one of the toughest challenges Rogers will face in-conference, but Rogers has managed to torch better competition already. For instance, Rogers is averaging 371 passing yards against *Power 5* competition this year. Against non-Power 5, Rogers has thrown for nine touchdowns against just two interceptions. Appalachian State has been tough against the pass and tough at home, but not so much to where I'm worried about starting Rogers.

PLAYERS TO SIT

AAC

Kyle Postma, QB, Houston (vs. SMU): Welp, we're barely into October and the Kyle Allen Experience has already gone completely off the rails. Coach Major Applewhite handed the reins to Postma last week and he responded with a strong overall outing, accounting for 301 yards from scrimmage (81 on the ground) and a score in a win over Temple. On paper, he gets another crack at a soft defense this week with SMU (92nd in Def. S&P+), but unlike last week, Postma's going to be asked to put up points. SMU can score on almost anyone, and I'm not sold on a Postma-led offense being able to keep pace.

ACC

Malik Rosier, QB, Miami (at Florida State): Deondre Francois' injury and the Noles' subsequent losses have clouded their national perception, but this is still a good Florida State team – a good team with a scary defense. The Noles still sport a top-10 defense according to S&P+ and have the added bonus of playing at home this week. To be clear, Rosier has exceeded my expectations and looked more than serviceable in Miami's road win against a respectable Duke team Friday. This is just a matchup that generally doesn't end well for untested young quarterbacks. Florida State's speed and overall talent on defense, combined with DC Charles Kelly's scheme, will make for tough sledding for the Rosier-led Hurricanes. Even if Miami escapes with the win Saturday, it won't be due to a gaudy stat line from Rosier.

Also this scene is all I can think of when I picture Mark Richt looking across the field at Jimbo on Saturday:

BIG 12

Alex Barnes, RB, Kansas State (at Texas): Say what you will about how Texas has done in Year 1 under Tom Herman, but the Horns – unlike almost everyone else in the Big 12 – can actually play defense. This should be an interesting matchup that could be decided on who can control tempo as Texas plays at warp speed while Kansas State, uh, emulates its coach in terms of tempo (66.7 plays per game). Barnes has one of the steadier workloads of any Big 12 running back, but his usage could go by the wayside if the Wildcats fall behind Saturday. What's more, he has to contend with quarterback and noted touchdown vulture Jesse Ertz when K-State gets down near the goal line. So not only is this a tough matchup even if Barnes gets fed, but this is a situation where he sees a dangerously low volume.

BIG TEN

Shannon Brooks, Rodney Smith, Minnesota RB, (at Purdue): You know 2017 is a little weird when playing a Purdue gives reason for pause. Are the Boilermakers merely the Big Ten's equivalent of Vanderbilt – a team that looks better than usual and gets some undue hype going against a Blue Blood only to get smashed? I say no. Purdue is in the beginning stages of really turning a corner and should be a thorn in the side of a Minnesota team looking to bounce back after losing at home to Maryland. My concern for Brooks and Smith: 1) This is a tough matchup against a Purdue team that allows less than 4.0 yards per carry despite facing some great running teams, and 2) Smith and Brooks are both always in danger of losing carries to the other, particularly if one struggles early or coughs up a fumble. Either way, Smith and Brooks don't look too appealing this week. I'd also want no part of either offense in the Michigan-Michigan State game, for the record.

CONFERENCE USA

Ito Smith, RB, Southern Mississippi (at UTSA): Like I said, Smith gets plenty of well-deserved pub as a senior looking for his third consecutive 1,000-yard season. He's up to 435 yards on the year and has gone for 321 yards and three scores in his last two outings. However, UTSA is nearly a two-touchdown favorite Saturday, which implies that the Golden Eagles will rely on Kwadra Griggs and the passing game against the Road Runners. Also, the Road Runners allow just 2.69 yards per carry this season, better than the likes of Clemson or Georgia. This could be a low volume game for Smith where he never finds a groove and winds up with one of his lower YPC averages of the season Saturday.

MAC

Shane Morris, QB, Central Michigan (at Ohio): I think we can put the whole "hey, Morris played at Michigan so he's going to roast the MAC" narrative to sleep. Morris has above average talent for a MAC quarterback and has an above average supporting cast and yet the Chips look utterly lost. Aside from a five-touchdown aberration against Kansas, Morris has completed 49 percent of his passes for 869 yards, four touchdowns and eight interceptions. Don't let the bloated Kansas numbers affect your evaluation, Morris needs to be benched in most leagues and possibly in real life.

MOUNTAIN WEST

Alexander Mattison, RB, Boise State (at BYU): BYU hasn't been particularly stout against the run this year and Boise State is coming off a bye, but I still can't get behind using Mattison at this stage. He averages 4.15 yards per carry after going against Troy, Washington State, New Mexico and Virginia. While none of those are abject dumpster fires defensively, none are world-beaters. Furthermore, Mattison hasn't reached paydirt since Montell Cozart started getting into the mix at quarterback. If Boise State continues to roll with Cozart for several series as a change-of-pace option, Mattison's goal-line chances will dwindle even further.

PAC-12

James Williams, RB, Washington State (at Oregon): This is strictly for non-PPR formats, as Williams' 8.0 receptions per game would be too much to leave on your bench on a given week. However, if you play in a standard league, Williams might be worth moving to the bench. Despite his role in such an up-tempo, quick-passing attack, Williams is still posting mediocre production on a per-touch basis. His 40 catches have gone for just 290 yards and he averages just 3.87 yards per carry. Meanwhile, backfield counterpart Jamal Morrow was the unsung hero in Friday's upset win over USC with 138 yards and two scores from scrimmage. Don't be surprised if Morrow starts seeing the lion's share of the snaps in the Wazzu backfield.

SEC

Derrius Guice, RB, LSU (at Florida): This hinges on Guice actually being active this week instead of just being in uniform on the sidelines like last week, but even if Guice does play Saturday, I have some reservations. First, LSU is an absolute mess, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Even when Guice was good to go earlier in the year, he wasn't producing in the same stratosphere as what he was doing in 2016 or even 2015. Then there's the issue of Florida's defense, which has shut down opponents all year even after losing several key pieces to the draft. Florida ranks in the top 15 in defensive S&P+ and has only allowed two rushing touchdowns this season. If Guice is scratched Saturday, another sit candidate would be Texas A&M's Christian Kirk.

SUN BELT

Keenan Barnes, WR, UL-Lafayette (at Idaho): Barnes has been one of the most productive receivers in the Sun Belt this season with 25 catches for 329 yards through four games. However, the Ragin' Cajuns are in for a sneakily tough matchup Saturday against the Vandals. Idaho ranks in the top 25 in passer rating allowed. Additionally, starting quarterback Jordan Davis is battling a knee injury and might not be available. Even if Davis is good to go, Barnes is in for a tough matchup Saturday.