This article is part of our Start vs. Sit series.
As is often the case, this week of college football is a bit of a step down. With rivalry week and the Thanksgiving weekend coming up, things are throttled down a bit. There's a reason why my friends are scheduling their wedding for this Saturday: slipping it in between Michigan-Penn State and Michigan-Ohio State. Week 12 still has a ton of action for us, though. That means parsing between players to put in your lineups and players to leave on the sidelines. So let's get to the starting and the sitting!
AAC Starts and Sits
START
Anthony Watkins, RB, Tulsa vs. North Texas
Watkins was a big-play back last year, averaging 7.4 yards per carry on 86 touches. This season, with double the touches, he hasn't sustained that level of productivity, but he's had some good games, like when he ran for 146 yards and a touchdown against Charlotte a couple of weeks ago. North Texas is the easiest matchup Watkins will catch, though. The Mean Green have allowed 38.2 points per game and a whopping 5.7 rushing yards per carry.
SIT
Seth Henigan, QB, Memphis vs. SMU
Henigan has some issues with turnovers, having thrown eight picks, but he has 22 passing touchdowns, and he's added 229 yards and four scores on the ground. However, the Mustangs have been strong in every aspect of playing defense. SMU is in the top 18 in points allowed per game, rushing yards allowed per carry, and passing yards allowed per
As is often the case, this week of college football is a bit of a step down. With rivalry week and the Thanksgiving weekend coming up, things are throttled down a bit. There's a reason why my friends are scheduling their wedding for this Saturday: slipping it in between Michigan-Penn State and Michigan-Ohio State. Week 12 still has a ton of action for us, though. That means parsing between players to put in your lineups and players to leave on the sidelines. So let's get to the starting and the sitting!
AAC Starts and Sits
START
Anthony Watkins, RB, Tulsa vs. North Texas
Watkins was a big-play back last year, averaging 7.4 yards per carry on 86 touches. This season, with double the touches, he hasn't sustained that level of productivity, but he's had some good games, like when he ran for 146 yards and a touchdown against Charlotte a couple of weeks ago. North Texas is the easiest matchup Watkins will catch, though. The Mean Green have allowed 38.2 points per game and a whopping 5.7 rushing yards per carry.
SIT
Seth Henigan, QB, Memphis vs. SMU
Henigan has some issues with turnovers, having thrown eight picks, but he has 22 passing touchdowns, and he's added 229 yards and four scores on the ground. However, the Mustangs have been strong in every aspect of playing defense. SMU is in the top 18 in points allowed per game, rushing yards allowed per carry, and passing yards allowed per attempt. Of those three realms, SMU is best against the pass, which is most concerning for Henigan.
ACC Starts and Sits
START
LeQuint Allen, RB, Syracuse at Georgia Tech
Allen doesn't have a touchdown in his last four games, but he has three 100-yard outings in that time. Plus, he has eight total scores on the season, so he has shown the capacity to find the end zone. Another 100-yard game could be in the offing in Week 12, as the Yellow Jackets have given up 5.4 rushing yards per carry.
SIT
Jawhar Jordan, RB, Louisville at Miami (FL)
Jordan has been stellar for the Cardinals, but disappointment in the Hurricanes (and that infamous loss to the Yellow Jackets) has overshadowed some great run defense. Miami has held opponents to 3.0 yards per carry, 2.9 over its last three games, and 2.6 at home. There have been a couple of games where Jordan has been held in check, so the Hurricanes could certainly do that.
Big 12 Starts and Sits
START
Donovan Smith, QB, Houston vs. Oklahoma State
Smith, a Texas Tech transfer, has had some issues with interceptions, but he has thrown for 2,404 yards and 20 touchdowns over 10 games, and he's added 342 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Oklahoma State got some buzz when Ollie Gordon was running all over the place, and that win in Bedlam was nice, but this team is terrible against the pass. The Cowboys rank 128th in passing yards allowed per attempt and, over their last three games, have allowed 10.0 yards per passing attempt.
SIT
Eli Sanders, RB, Iowa State vs. Texas
People have expressed frustration with Texas, a playoff contender that seemingly can't look like one for a full 60 minutes, but you can't quibble with the run defense. The Longhorns have allowed 3.0 rushing yards per attempt, 2.6 over their last three games. Sanders has a touchdown in each of his last two games and four scores in the eight games he's played in, but he's got to face the one reliable element of this Texas team.
Big Ten Starts and Sits
START
Kyle McCord, QB, Ohio State vs. Minnesota
Marvin Harrison and Emeka Egbuka get a lot of love, but, you know, somebody is getting those two the ball. McCord has four games this season with three touchdown passes and zero interceptions. There isn't a terrible defense in the Big Ten by the numbers, but Minnesota just allowed 49 points to Purdue, which feels collapse-adjacent, if not full-on collapse.
SIT
Braelon Allen, RB, Wisconsin vs. Nebraska
Iowa has an elite defense. So does Michigan. These are two facts that are quite clear by this point. Nebraska, though, has been strong defensively as well. Specifically, the Cornhuskers have held the opposition to 2.7 rushing yards per carry, fourth in the FBS. Allen is banged up, but even if he was at full strength, I wouldn't like him in this matchup.
Conference USA Starts and Sits
START
Quinton Cooley, RB, Liberty versus UMass
The Flames will likely go undefeated heading into bowl season, and quarterback Kaidon Salter gets a lot of the shine, and rightfully so. However, Wake Forest transfer Cooley has been pivotal as well. He's racked up 1,066 yards and nine touchdowns. I would say Massachusetts has the worst defense in FBS football. It does rank second to last in points allowed per game and straight-up last in rushing yards allowed per attempt.
SIT
Diego Pavia, QB, New Mexico State at Auburn
Pavia has been to NMSU what Salter has been to Liberty. It's been a wonderful season for the Aggies, a school with little track record for football success. Unfortunately, visiting an SEC team is a splash of cold water. Pavia has racked up the stats against low-level competition, but the Tigers will use this as a chance to tune up for the Iron Bowl. NMSU's quarterback is a bit banged up, and honestly, head coach Jerry Kill would be wise to live to fight another day and leave Pavia on the sidelines, which would likely short-circuit this entire offense. Wave the white flag in Week 12 and prepare for the stretch run.
MAC Starts and Sits
START
Marquez Cooper, RB, Ball State vs. Kent State
We're in the throes of MACtion, but these two teams are playing on Saturday. Heresy! Maybe Cooper won't be too revved up to have a big game against the university where he was a star back. The coaching staff and roster is effectively unrecognizable. However, Cooper doesn't need the extra motivation. He's carried the ball 76 times for 345 yards and two touchdowns over his last three games, and Kent State has allowed 39.7 points per contest on the road.
SIT
Marion Lukes, RB, Central Michigan at Ohio
What do the Ohio Bobcats and Ohio State Buckeyes have in common? They have both held opponents to 3.4 yards per carry. The Bobcats have also held the opposition to 15.7 points per game. Sure, Lukes ran all over Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, but Ohio is a different challenge.
Mountain West Starts and Sits
START
Harrison Waylee, RB, Wyoming vs. Hawaii
It's hard to play in Laramie, but Hawaii is also a team known for stark home-and-road splits. Case in point, it has allowed 28.6 points per game in the islands but 38.0 points per game in away outings. The Rainbow Warriors have also ceded 5.1 rushing yards per carry on the road. Waylee has had injury issues this year, but when he's been on the field, he's averaged 5.9 yards per rushing attempt.
SIT
Donavyn Lester, RB, UNLV at Air Force
Lester has scored eight touchdowns, which undoubtedly catches the eye. However, he's also only managed 418 yards across 10 games. When Lester isn't scoring, he's rarely making a splash. Air Force has lost its luster, but not so much defensively. The Falcons remain in the top eight in points allowed per game and rushing yards allowed per attempt.
Pac-12 Starts and Sits
START
Elic Ayomanor, WR, Stanford vs. Cal
Yes, Ayomanor having 13 catches for 294 yards and three touchdowns against Colorado has played an outsized role in his overarching numbers. That being said, he has gone over 100 yards with a touchdown in two of his last three games. Cal and Stanford have both been porous defensively, especially against the pass, so expect a lot of points in this one. To the Golden Bears, they have given up 44.3 points per game on the road, which is wild. You know, maybe Ayomanor can actually have three touchdowns in a game again.
SIT
MarShawn Lloyd, RB, USC vs. UCLA
The blame for UCLA's collapse falls on the shoulders of quarterback play. Defensively, the Bruins remain stout, especially against the run. They rank third in rushing yards allowed per carry and 11th in points allowed per game. Lloyd has been quite good, even though he's been in the shadow of Caleb Williams, but the Bruins have been too imposing against the run for me.
SEC Starts and Sits
START
Jordan Watkins, WR, Mississippi vs. Louisiana-Monroe
This is that classic week in the season where two-thirds of the SEC plays some cupcake team before the regular season comes to a close. Alabama is playing freakin' Chattanooga. At least Ole Miss will lick its wounds from being smashed by Georgia against an FBS team, albeit one that has allowed 35.3 points per game. Watkins is the number-two receiver behind Tre Harris but has 661 yards and three touchdowns. This is the kind of game where multiple guys can get their numbers.
SIT
Squirrel White, WR, Tennessee vs. Georgia
The flip side in a week where teams like Texas A&M are facing teams like Abilene Christian is that players to avoid are trickier to find. Obviously, the Vols facing the Dawgs stands out among all these cushy matchups. White is the top receiver for the Volunteers, but as a slot guy, he's racked up receptions and yards but only found the end zone twice. Georgia has been human against the run but is in the top seven in passing yards allowed per attempt and points allowed per game.
Sun Belt Starts and Sits
START
Robert Lewis, WR, Georgia State at LSU
If Georgia State feels like trying to score on LSU, Lewis should have plenty of opportunity, even if a lot of it comes in garbage time. The Tigers have SEC talent, but they also rank 111th in passing yards allowed per attempt. Lewis has 52 catches for 727 yards and seven touchdowns. Even if he ends up with 100 yards and a score mostly built on fourth-quarter production in a game well out of hand, it all counts from a fantasy perspective.
SIT
Jacob Kibodi, RB, Louisiana at Troy
There is no need to leave the Sun Belt to find a defense that is imposing. The Trojans have allowed 14.3 points per game and 3.1 rushing yards per attempt. Troy may win the Sun Belt built upon defense (and James Madison not being eligible), and Kibodi could be in for a long day, especially with his top two quarterbacks banged up. That makes it a lot easier to focus on stopping the run.
