College Fantasy Football Start vs. Sit: Players to Start, Players to Bench for Week 5

It's the final weekend of September. Autumn has arrived, and that helps make a college football season feel more like, you know, college football. Also, now that we are at Week 5, it means we have seen every FBS team a handful of times, and the information is starting to become more substantive. The matchups become more intriguing, or perhaps more imposing. With that in mind, here are my starts and sits for Week 5 of the college football season.

AAC Starts and Sits

START

Demeer Blankumsee, WR, Memphis vs. Middle Tennessee State

The Tigers are coming off a loss to Navy that has all but knocked them out of the race for a playoff spot. Here's a chance to right the ship and blow off some steam. The Blue Raiders are comfortably last in passing yards allowed per game. How comfortable? Middle Tennessee has given up 342.0 yards per game through the air, and Wazzu is second-to-last at 319.5. Blankumsee is off to a slow start, but he had 901 yards and seven touchdowns for Memphis last season. Plus, both Roc Taylor and Koby Drake are banged up, so Blankumsee could be in line for more targets than usual.

SIT

Kevorian Barnes, RB, UTSA at East Carolina

The Roadrunners' offense has taken a couple of steps back this season, and Barnes shows that even the guys who stuck around have dropped off with less talent around them. Barnes averaged 5.5 yards per carry over the previous two seasons and scored six touchdowns in both campaigns. This year, he's down to 3.6 yards per carry, and his only touchdown has been against an FCS team. East Carolina's defense has held its own through four games, having only allowed 102.5 rushing yards and 18.3 points per contest, and it even kept Liberty's run offense (relatively) in check.

ACC Starts and Sits

START

Jordan Moore, WR, Duke vs. North Carolina

I don't want to overreact to North Carolina allowing 70 points to James Madison, but on the other hand, NORTH CAROLINA ALLOWED 70 POINTS TO JAMES MADISON. Mack Brown was asked if he planned to resign in the wake of the game! Moore has 24 catches for 340 yards and three touchdowns through four games, and he's been targeted 36 times in total. If Moore is looked to nine times Saturday, he's almost a lock to produce good numbers against the Tar Heels.

SIT

Tyler Shough, QB, Louisville at Notre Dame

Shough has taken to Louisville's offense with gusto, and he's completed 68.4 percent of his passes with eight touchdowns and zero turnovers. This is going to be comfortably his greatest challenge yet, though. Shough has to visit a Notre Dame team that has not allowed more than 16 points in a game. The Irish have not given up more than a single touchdown in any outing. Shough's the one who is going to need luck in Week 5.

Big Ten Starts and Sits

START

Dante Dowdell, RB, Nebraska at Purdue

Dowdell didn't play much as a freshman with Oregon, but he's emerged as a regular part of the Nebraska offense as a sophomore. He's averaged 5.0 yards per carry and scored three touchdowns, and he just had 20 carries (and two catches) against Illinois. It's only been three games, so this number will likely regress some, but Purdue has somehow allowed 269 rushing yards per contest, and it opened the season with an FCS opponent!

SIT

Darius Taylor, RB, Minnesota at Michigan

After a couple stellar games, Taylor ran into (literally, in this case) the bucket of cold water that is the Iowa defense. In Week 4 Taylor was held to 34 yards on 10 carries. Michigan's offense has looked brutal, but the defense, especially the run game, as largely lived up to the expectations. Even with that tough game against Texas, who may be the best team in the country, the Wolverines have held opponents to 76.5 rushing yards and 20.8 points per game.

Big 12 Starts and Sits

START

Avery Johnson, QB, Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State

Johnson is coming off a poor performance, as he only completed 53.6 percent of his passes en route to 130 yards and two interceptions. That could certainly have you second-guessing including him in your lineup. However, that was a road trip to BYU. Oklahoma State is last in both passing yards and rushing yards allowed per game in the Big 12. Johnson hasn't rushed for a touchdown yet, but he did it seven times last season in a spot role, and he's run for 261 yards through four games this season. Throw in the fact he threw for two touchdowns in each of his first three games of 2024, and I expect Johnson to rebound in a big way.

SIT

Quali Conley, RB, Arizona at Utah

Conley was impressive with San Jose State last season, and following his head coach Brent Brennan to Arizona has paid off. He's run for 250 yards and four touchdowns through three games. However, three of those touchdowns came against New Mexico, and 112 of those yards came against Northern Arizona. The Utes are routinely one of the best defenses in FBS, and it has only given up 93.8 rushing yards and 13.0 points per contest.

Conference USA Starts and Sits

START

Donerio Davenport, RB, Louisiana Tech at Florida International

Well, Marquis Crosby is hurt again, but that's the only bit of clarity to be found in the Louisiana Tech backfield. Davenport has gotten 25 carries and has seven catches, so he's managed something of a role through three games. I think it is well worth taking a shot on a Bulldogs back this week, though. Florida International just allowed 45 points to Monmouth. Four of those touchdowns came on the ground. Louisiana Tech will run on the Panthers. It's just figuring out who will produce the most in all that running.

SIT

Caden Veltkamp, QB, Western Kentucky at Boston College

Stepping into the starting role for TJ Finley, Veltkamp threw for 398 yards and five touchdowns in his first start of 2024. That's impressive, but it also came against Middle Tennessee State. You know, the worst pass defense in the country. Last week, at home against Toledo, Veltkamp did total three touchdowns, one through the air and two on the ground. However, he also had three turnovers. A trip to Boston College to play what has been an above-average ACC defense thus far is going to be an even tougher challenge than that. I could see three turnovers happening again. I don't see three touchdowns being in the mix.

MAC Starts and Sits

START

Delbert Mimms III, RB, Eastern Michigan at Kent State

I will grant you nobody on Eastern Michigan is as talented as, well, probably anybody on the two-deep at Tennessee or Penn State. Even so, Kent State has allowed 51.3 points per game, and every FBS team has scored at least 55 against it. The Golden Flashes have given up almost 300 yards per contest on the ground. Mimms, an NC State transfer, is a plodder. He's averaged 3.5 yards per carry in his college career. However, he has 169 yards and three touchdowns on the ground for the Eagles. If this isn't the best game of his career, I'll be surprised.

SIT

Chris Parker, WR, Central Michigan vs. San Diego State

Parker is coming off a game with five catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns against Ball State. He's had at least 45 yards versus every opponent but Illinois. San Diego State is somewhere in between those two defenses. The Aztecs have been run on in 2024, but they have only allowed 166.0 passing yards per contest. Central Michigan may decide to focus on the run game in this matchup, and if so, Parker may not even get five targets, much less five catches.

Mountain West Starts and Sits

START

Cameron Camper, WR, Boise State vs. Washington State

Yes, Ashton Jeanty is a star, but the Broncos need not rely solely on their lead back. That's especially true given the matchup. As I mentioned earlier, Wazzu is second-to-last in passing yards allowed per game. Camper, an Indiana transfer, has 10 catches for 221 yards and three touchdowns through three games. He even managed 52 yards and a score against Oregon. If he can do that against the Ducks, he can do better than that against the Cougars.

SIT

Malik Sherrod, RB, Fresno State at UNLV

Sherrod was held out last week with an undisclosed injury against New Mexico, but that was a matchup worth resting up your top back against. Part of that is because a trip to UNLV, where Barry Odom has revamped the defense, is a much tougher circumstance. The Rebels have held opponents to 101.3 rushing yards and 13.7 points per game, both best among Mountain West teams. Also, if Sherrod can't go, his backup, Elijah Gilliam, is not worth taking a shot on in this matchup either.

SEC Starts and Sits

START

Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas vs. Mississippi State

The quarterbacks at Texas get all the attention, but amid the Arch Manning hysteria last week, it was Blue who carried the offense. He ran for 124 yards and three scores against Louisiana-Monroe, and he added a receiving touchdown as well. In Texas' first conference game in the SEC, it gets a visit from Mississippi State. The Bulldogs have allowed 216.8 rushing yards per contest. Whether or not Manning or Quinn Ewers is under center, Blue should be running all over the opposition.

SIT

Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama vs. Georgia

When Bama and the Dawgs get together, it's always exciting for college football viewers, but always a problem for fantasy college football players. Milroe has been Heisman-level good under his new head coach, but a familiar opponent looms. Georgia has only allowed 6.0 points per game, but the remarkable thing, even with the competition, is that it has only given up 91.3 passing yards per contest.

Sun Belt Starts and Sits

START

Christian Veilleux, QB, Georgia State vs. Georgia Southern

Maybe Veilleux just needed to leave the Keystone State. After unsuccessful stops at Penn State and Pitt, Veilleux is now with Georgia State and has proven successful in the starting role thus far. Through three games he has thrown for 717 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception, and he's added a rushing score as well. Georgia Southern is last in the Sun Belt in passing yards allowed per game, and second-to-last in rushing yards and points allowed, so this intrastate battle looks to be in Veilleux's favor.

SIT

Fluff Bothwell, RB, South Alabama at LSU

Look, it pains me to tell you to sit a guy named "Fluff Bothwell." That goes double considering that the true freshman is off to a remarkable start to the season. He's run for 359 yards and six touchdowns! Bothwell has also played North Texas, Ohio, Northwestern State, and Appalachian State. That's the antithesis of a murderer's row of defenses. LSU has been a bit disappointing defensively, but this is still an SEC defense. The Tigers are still at home at Death Valley. For this week, and possibly only this week, you'll want to avoid Fluff Bothwell, as tough as that may be.