Week 9 Notes & Observations

Here are my notes and observations from Week 9:

Power 5 Notes

Colorado WR Laviska Shenault caught 9 passes for 172 yards and a TD in Friday night’s game against USC, but you can tell he is still bothered by an injury. For those that would consider trading Shenault soon, after playing UCLA and Stanford, the Buffaloes have a bye, host Washington, and play at Utah over the final three weeks of the season.
USC RB Kenan Christon rewarded those fantasy owners who took a chance on him, totaling 77 yards of offense and catching a TD pass. The surprise in the Trojans’ running game was WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, who carried the ball three times for 50 yards and a TD. WR Michael Pittman haas caught a TD pass in five of the last six games and WR Tyler Vaughns has caught a TD pass in three straight games.
Miami RB Cam Harris led the Hurricanes in rushing against Pitt, carrying the ball 16 times for 60 yards and a TD. DeeJay Dallas went through warmups, but did not suit up for the game. My guess is that he will probably play next week, which will certainly have an effect on Harris. WR KJ Osborne has caught a TD pass in five of the last seven games.
Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts has accounted for 4 TDs in all but one game this season and WR CeeDee Lamb has caught at least 1 TD in all but one game.
Two weeks ago, Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor was held under 100 yards against Michigan State, but the totaled over 100 yards of offense and scored 2 TDs. Against Ohio State, Taylor was held to a season-low 52 yards rushing and was kept out of the end zone for the first time this season.
Ohio State RB JK Dobbins topped the 120-yard mark for the sixth time this season, has totaled over 150 yards of offense in four straight games, and has scored in all but one game. WR Chris Olave has caught 2 TD passes in three of the Buckeyes’ last five games.
Purdue doesn’t have a running game, so it was very predictable they were going to struggle in the rain against Illinois.
Kylin Hill rushed for 150 yards and a TD at Texas A&M on Saturday. Hill had totaled only 92 rushing yards in the previous three games combined.
Texas A&M RB Isaiah Spiller carried the ball 22 times for 90 yards and a TD against Mississippi State. Now Spiller becomes a legitimate fantasy option next week against UTSA. QB Kellen Mond has thrown at least 2 TD passes in four of the last five games.
Syracuse QB Tommy DeVito has only thrown 1 TD pass in his last three games.
RB Cam Akers continues to carry the Florida State offense, as he carried the ball 20 times for 144 yards and 4 TDs in the Seminoles’ 35-17 win over Syracuse.
Oklahoma State RB Chuba Hubbard extended his scoring streak, scoring at least 1 TD in every game this season. QB Spencer Sanders threw 3 TD passes in each of the Cowboys’ first two games this year, but he has not thrown more than 2 TDs in any of the last six games.
I think we finally found Iowa State’s most consistent receiver, TE Charlie Kolar, who has caught a TD pass in four of the last five games. RB Breece Hall has scored at lest 2 TDs in each of the last 3 games.
Indiana WR Whop Philyor has caught at least 10 passes for 100 yards in three of the last four games.
Nebraska RB Wan’Dale Robinson had 28 touches (22 rush/6 rec.) in the Cornhuskers’ 38-31 loss to Indiana.
Penn State QB Sean Clifford has thrown at least 3 TD passes in four of his last five games.
Minnesota RB Rodney Smith has rushed for at least 100 yards and a TD in five consecutive games and WR Tyler Johnson has caught TD pass in five of the last six games.
Stanford RB Cameron Scarlett has scored in three consecutive games. QB KJ Costello returned to action and passed for 312 yards and 3 TDs in the 41-31 win over Arizona.
Auburn RB JaTarvious Whitlow made a surprise appearance in the game against LSU in the wildcat, but it was DJ Williams who led the Tigers in rushing with 130 yards on 13 carries.
LSU RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire topped the 100-yard mark for the third time in the last five games.
TCU QB Max Duggan was listed in the Week 9 Best Play/Next Play because he was facing the Texas defense. He accounted for over 300 yards of offense and 3 TDs, both career highs.
Louisville RB Javian Hawkins topped the 120-yard rushing mark for the third time in the last four games and has scored a TD in five of the last six games.
Duke QB Quentin Harris has accounted for only 1 TD in each of the last three games.
North Carolina WR Dazz Newsome has caught a TD pass in three consecutive games and has 80 or more yards receiving in four of the last five games.
South Carolina RB Tavien Feaster has scored a rushing TD in three of the last four games.
Texas Tech RB SaRodorick Thompson has scored 5 TDs in the last three games.
Kansas QB Carter Stanley has thrown at least 3 TD passes in three consecutive games and in five of the past six. WR Stephon Robinson has caught at least 2 TD passes in three straight games. In the past three games, Robinson has caught 18 passes for 384 yards and 6 TDs.
Alabama RB Najee Harris has scored 2 rushing TDs in back-to-back games. WR Jerry Jeudy caught a TD pass for the first time since September 21. He now has 3 multiple-TD games.
Clemson RB Travis Etienne has rushed for over 100 yards and scored at least 1 TD in three consecutive games. WR Tee Higgins has caught only five passes in the last three weeks for a total of 83 yards and has not scored.
Michigan RB Zach Charbonnet has now scored in four consecutive games. Teammate Hassan Haskins has rushed for at least 100 yards in two of the last three games.
After scoring in each of the first 6 games of the season, Arizona State RB Eno Benjamin has gone back-to-back weeks without a TD.
UCLA RB Joshua Kelley has rushed for at least 120 yards in three of the last four games and has scored in five straight games.
Not much to mention about the Cal offense, 83 total yards at Utah Saturday night.
Since his return from injury, RB Zack Moss has rushed for 2 TDs in three consecutive games.
Washington State WR Brandon Arconado has at least 100 receiving yards in four of the last five games in which he has played. RB Max Borghi has scored at least one TD in all but one game this season. WR Easop Winston had his worst fantasy game of the season against Oregon, 3 catches for 28 yards.
Fantasy owners of QB Justin Herbert were probably looking forward to the Ducks’ Week 9 matchup against Washington State, but RB CJ Verdell stole the show, carrying the ball 23 times for 257 yards and 3 TDs. Herbert did not throw a TD pass after tossing 4 TD passes in a win at Washington in Week 8.

Group 5 Notes

In SMU’s 34-31 win at Houston RB Xavier Jones topped the 100-yard rushing mark for the sixth time this season and recorded his sixth multiple-TD game of the year. WR Reggie Roberson left the game in the first quarter with a foot injury, which put a lot of fantasy owners in an early hole. Rashee Rice will get more playing time if Roberson is out for an extended period of time.
Houston RB Patrick Carr did not play in Thursday night’s game against SMU, which should have been great news for those that own RB Kyle Porter. However, it was Mulbah Car who led the Cougars on the ground, carrying the ball 18 times for 136 yards. QB Clayton Tune returning from injury proved valuable for WR Marquez Stevenson, who caught 5 passes for 211 yards and 2 TDs.
Western Michigan RB LeVante Bellamy has scored multiple TDs in five of the last seven games.
Army QB Kelvin Hopkins has gone three consecutive games without scoring a rushing TD. In 2018, he did not have a two-game stretch without a rushing TD.
San Jose State QB Josh Love has thrown at least 2 TD passes in four consecutive games.
Appalachian State RB Darrynton Evans has not scored in two of the last three weeks and has rushed for 80 yards or less in five of the last six. Don’t expect him in the Top 10-12 RB Rankings anytime soon.
Southern Miss RB Kevin Perkins led the Golden Eagles in rushing against Rice, carrying the ball 13 times for 86 yards and 2 TDs. Despite reports out of Hattiesburg that RB De’Michael Harris would not play, he totaled 15 touches and 52 yards.
Ohio QB Nathan Rourke posted his third consecutive 30-point fantasy game in the Bobcats’ 34-21 win at Ball State. RB De’Montre Tuggle has scored two rushing TDs in back-to-back games.
Ball State RB Caleb Huntley fumbled his first carry of the game against Ohio, and I’m not sure if that played a role in his lack of carries, but it probably did not help. Teammate Walter Fletcher carried the ball 14 times for 156 yards and a TD.
Wyoming RB Xazavian Valladay has carried the ball 61 times over the last two weeks and has totaled 432 yards of offense and scored 2 TDs during that stretch.
Western Kentucky RB Gaej Walker posted his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season and his third in the last four games.
Georgia Southern RB Wesley Kennedy has posted consecutive 100-yard, 2-TD games. Teammate JD King topped the 100-yard rushing mark for the first time this season and has carried the ball at least 19 times in three consecutive games.
Northern Illinois RB Tre Harbison has rushed for at least 100 yards and 2 TDs in three of the last four games.
Tyre Shelton led Miami (OH) in rushing against Kent State with 148 yards on 14 carries. Teammate Jaylon Bester had 18 carries for 67 yards and a TD. Bester has now scored in four consecutive games.
After totaling 21 points in their last two games, Toledo exploded for 37 points in a win over Eastern Michigan. RB Bryant Koback carried the ball 32 times for 259 yards and 2 TDs.
Tulane WR Darnell Mooney has caught a TD pass in three consecutive games and in four of the last five.
In Navy’s win over Tulane, FB Jamale Carothers rushed for 154 yards and 3 TDs. Carothers has now rushed for at least 50 yards and a TD in three consecutive games. QB Malcolm Perry failed to score a rushing TD for the first time in seven games this season.
Middle Tennessee QB Asher O’Hara rushed for a career-high 159 yards against FIU and has now scored a rushing TD in four consecutive games.
UConn RB Kevin Mensah was a great one-week addition for his matchup against UMass. Mensah carried the ball 19 times for 164 yards and 5 TDs.
UMass Bilal Ally has rushed for at least 90 yards and a TD in back-to-back games.
Central Michigan’s Jonathan Ward had his streak of 100-yard rushing games come to an end against Buffalo, but he still totaled 100 yards of offense and scored a TD. WR Kalil Pimpleton has caught TD pass in three of the last four games.
Buffalo WR Antonio Nunn has caught a TD pass in three of the last four games.
FAAU TE Harrison Bryant is averaging nearly 5 receptions per game, but not until Saturday’s game against Old Dominion did he catch his first TD pass of the season.
North Texas WR Jaelon Darden has now caught a TD pass in six of the past seven games and has gone over the 100-yard mark in each of the last two games. Teammate Jyaire Shorter has 17 receptions this season and has scored 7 TDs. RB Tre Siggers returned to the lineup and carried the ball 17 times for 131 yards.
In Charlotte’s 39-38 win over North Texas, WR Victor Tucker posted season-high number in both reception (10) and receiving yards (140). He now has three consecutive 100-yard receiving games.
South Florida RB Jordan Cronkrite has topped the 120-yard rushing mark in three of his last four games.
East Carolina WR CJ Johnson has caught at least 5 passes in four of the last five games and has at least 80 receiving yards in three consecutive games.
In New Mexico’s 45-31 loss to Hawaii, RB Ahmari Davis carried the ball 16 times for 200 yards and 2 TD.
Central Florida WR Gabriel Davis failed to score or top the 100-yard mark for the first time since Week 2.
Temple WR Branden Mack has scored in three consecutive games and has at least 100 yards receiving in three of the last four games.
Arkansas State RB Marcel Murray has rushed for at least 100 yards in each of the last two games. Murray was likely dropped by several fantasy owners after his early season injury and could be available on waivers.
Memphis RB Kenneth Gainwell posted his sixth consecutive 100-yard rushing game of the year in the Tigers’ 42-41 win at Tulsa.
Tulsa WR Keylon Stokes has at least 90 receiving yards in five of the last six games.
Georgia State RB Tra Barnett has rushed for at least 100 yards and a TD in four consecutive games. On the season, he has five 100-yard rushing games and has scored in six of eight games. RB2 Seth Paige doesn’t have nearly the amount of carries as Barnett, but he has scored a rushing TD in three of the last four games. TE Aubry Payne has scored in every game in which he has caught at least one pass (6 games).
Colorado State RB Marcus McElroy carried the ball 18 times for 117 yards and 2 TDs against Fresno State. Teammate Jaylen Thomas had 10 carries for 38 yards, but it is clear that McElroy will get the bulk of the work. WR Warren Jackson has three straight games with at least 1230 yards receiving. TE Trey McBride has at least 50 yards receiving and a TD in back-to-back games.
Fresno State RB Ronnie Rivers posted his first 100-yard rushing game of the season and has now scored in three straight games. In the past two games, RB Josh Hokit has carried the ball 13 times and scored 5 TDs.
Louisiana Tech RB Justin Henderson has now scored in five consecutive games and has four multi-TD games during that 5-game stretch.
UTEP RB Treyvon Hughes has scored a TD in three consecutive games.
Air Force FB Timothy Jackson has scored in four consecutive games in which he has gotten at least one rushing attempt. He also has three consecutive 100-yard rushing games.
San Diego State RB Juwan Washington has at least 16 carries in all six games in which he has played, but still does not have a 100-yard rushing game.
UNLV RB Charles Williams had his first 100-yard rushing game since Week 2, but he has only scored one TD in the last five games.