Start vs. Sit: Who to Play, Who to Bench Week 8

PLAYERS TO START

Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma (vs. Kansas)

Jones has really seen his stock fall, professional potential wise, the last couple of seasons, and he started slowly star this year. However, the last two weeks he has had good games against legitimate teams in Texas Tech and Texas. This week, the Sooners play host to Charlie Weis' miserable Kansas team. If Jones is going to have a really big game this season, this is probably his best chance.

Colby Cameron, QB, Lousiana Tech, (vs. Idaho)

Cameron is at the helm of the offense with perhaps the most fantasy potential. He has thrown for 1,906 yards, with 18 touchdowns and ZERO interceptions. He's also ran for a touchdown, as well, just to show off. Even last week against Texas A&M, Cameron had 450 yards passing and five touchdowns. Now, Louisiana Tech welcomes lowly Idaho, perhaps the worst team in the FBS. The scoreboard is going to get a work out.

LaDarius Perkins, RB, Mississippi State, (vs. MTSU)

Mississippi State seems to have emerged as the third-best team in the SEC West, and if it can beat Middle Tennessee State it will move to 7-0 on the season. Perkins has been a big part of that. He has rushed 105 times for 600 yards and seven touchdowns, while adding 10 receptions for 91 yards as well. The Blue Raiders may have pulled off an upset of Georgia Tech, but they've given up plenty of points this season, and Perkins shouldn't find their defense to be much trouble.

Silas Redd, RB, USC (vs. Colorado)

Redd's transfer has not given the Trojans the running boost they may have expected, but he's been good so far, rushing for 570 yards and six touchdowns on 101 carries. Additionally, he rushed 26 times for 155 yards and a touchdown last week, his biggest workload thus far. In Week 8, USC plays Colorado, the Trojans' easiest opponents thus far, so this could be a chance for Redd to pad his stats en route to what should be a rout.

Martel Moore, WR, Northern Illinois (at Akron)

Moore has been a little up and down this season, but one of his lesser games came against Iowa, a much tougher opponent than Akron. On the season, Moore has 36 receptions for 543 yards and six touchdowns, and he has scored in five of Northern Illinois' seven games. This game seems like a good bet for one of his better weeks, and he is coming off an eight-reception, 133-yard game to boot, which is, at the very least, mildly encouraging.

Noel Grigsby, WR, San Jose State (at UTSA)

After years of sub-mediocrity, the Spartans look pretty good this season, and they have one of the conference's best passing offenses. Grigsby has been SJSU's best receiver, catching 39 passes for 580 yards and four touchdowns, including a seven-catch, 93-yard, one-touchdown performance against Stanford. UTSA is a surprise 5-1 in its first year in FBS, but when it faced its first notable competition in Rice, the Roadrunners got beat fairly soundly. Grigsby and the Spartans should have no problem in the passing game in this contest.

Chuckie Keeton, QB, USU (vs. New Mexico State)

After BYU held Utah State to three points in Week 6, Keeton and company bounced back in a major way against San Jose State, with Keeton throwing for three touchdowns and running in another. He has 14 touchdowns and four interceptions this season and is a legitimate threat running the ball, as well. Against his fellow Aggies from New Mexico, Keeton could be in for an even better game in Week 8 than he had in Week 7.

PLAYERS TO SIT

Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M (vs. LSU)

The freshman signal caller has helped Kevin Sumlin and Texas A&M's transition into the SEC go smoothly. Manziel has thrown for 1,680 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions, but it's on the ground where he has been even more impressive. He leads the Aggies in rushing, gaining 676 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns on 91 carries. Manziel certainly has a bright future, even in the short term, but this week he has to face LSU's staunch defense. He may not have to travel to Death Valley like Connor Shaw did last week, but this could still be the first notable bump in the road in Manziel's college career.

B.J. Daniels, QB, South Florida (at Louisville)

South Florida is off to a disappointing 2-4 start, and Daniels has struggled a bit. While he has rushed for 277 yards and four touchdowns, he's only thrown for 10 while tossing eight picks. This week, the Bulls visit Louisville to take on a team looking to stay undefeated and keep their hopes of a Big East title alive. The Cardinals have admittedly not been too tough defensively, but this matchup should be enough to suppress Daniels' numbers.

Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina (at Florida)

Lattimore makes the Players to Sit list in back-to-back weeks as South Carolina hits the tough part of its schedule. Last week against LSU, Lattimore was held to 35 yards on 13 carries, with a touchdown somewhat salvaging his fantasy value. It doesn't get much easier this week, as now the Gamecocks are visiting the Gators in Gainesville. Florida's defense isn't quite as formidable as LSU's, but very few teams are, and they are certainly tough enough to keep Lattimore in check for a second straight week.

Benny Cunningham, RB, MTSU (at Mississippi State)

While Cunningham's counterpart, LaDarius Perkins, is on this week's Players to Start list, Cunningham finds himself on the flipside of the coin. There is no doubt he has been on fire. In Week 5, Cunningham torched Georgia Tech for 217 yards and a whopping five touchdowns. Last week, against Florida International, he rushed 36 times for 230 yards and two more scores. However, FIU is a bad team, and the Yellow Jackets saw fit to fire defensive coordinator Al Groh. Mississippi State, on the road to boot, is far and away Cunningham's toughest matchup so far. It may finally be fine for him to come back down to earth.

Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Tennessee (vs. Alabama)

Patterson is a triple threat, having scored touchdowns receiving, rushing, and returning this season. He is certainly a dynamic athlete and a difficult player to keep in check. However, this week the Volunteers have to play Alabama, a defense loaded with dynamic athletes. Considering that Patterson isn't the top option in the passing game on his own team, and given the impressiveness of the opponent, this could be a less-than-stellar outing for him.

Eric Ward, WR, Texas Tech (at TCU)

Texas Tech is riding high off its decisive victory over previously undefeated West Virginia, and the Red Raiders are fourth in the FBS in passing offense. However, their better games came against lowly competition, and against West Virginia's porous defense. When they faced legitimate defenses in Iowa State and Oklahoma, they have not impressed. Visiting TCU is another test, and this is also a team that spreads the ball around. There's no "go-to" receiver, including Ward, and, in fact, Ward finds himself third on the team in receiving. As such, there is a good chance Ward has a mediocre week.

John White, RB, Utah, (at Oregon State)

Utah has struggled to get its offense going this season - losing its expected starting quarterback certainly didn't help - and White has found it slow going this year. He only has 345 yards and one touchdown in six games, and that score came against Northern Colorado. Having to visit still undefeated Oregon State does not feel like the best opportunity for White to turn it around. It may happen someday, but it won't be in Week 8.