College Football Start vs. Sit: Players to Start, Players to Bench for Week 3

College Football Start vs. Sit: Players to Start, Players to Bench for Week 3

Week 2 of college football brought surprises. The schedule didn't seem terribly exciting on paper, but then Texas made Alabama sweat and the Sun Belt threw its weight around. Now, we arrive at Week 3 with another slate of games that don't seem super exciting, but we college football fans know to always be vigilant. Here are some guys to start, and to sit, in the world of fantasy college football for Week 3. Let's do this!

AAC

START

Brandon Thomas, RB, Memphis vs. Arkansas State

I will admit, Thomas has not impressed this season. He's run the ball all of 17 times for 61 yards and a touchdown. Last year, though, he had 669 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. If there is any hope for Thomas, this is likely the week. Last year, Arkansas State allowed a staggering 281.1 rushing yards per game, most in the FBS. It's hard to get a sense of the Red Wolves' run defense this year since they've only played Grambling and Ohio State, but Ohio State did average 6.5 yards per carry against them in Week 2.

SIT

Jaren Mangham, RB, South Florida at Florida

Mangham has three touchdowns through two games, and he had 15 last season. However, two of those touchdowns came against Howard, and Mangham has averaged 3.9 yards per carry. This is South Florida's first road game, and they are in the Swamp facing the Gators. Florida has been challenged by its first two opponents. It will savor the chance to trounce the Bulls.

ACC

START

Will Shipley, RB, Clemson vs. Louisiana Tech

Shipley has only carried the ball 20 times, but he's rushed for 110 yards and four touchdowns. This is another great opportunity for the one reliable member of the Clemson offense. A Missouri offense that could get nothing going against Kansas State rushed for 323 yards and five touchdowns against this Louisiana Tech defense. Yeah, Shipley probably is in line for his third multi-touchdown game in as many outings.

SIT

Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami (FL) at Texas A&M

The Aggies did not lose last week because of their defense. They still rank third defensively in SP+. College Station is still not an easy place to play. Van Dyke has excelled time and time again, but I think this is a day where he's kept in check, especially if Texas A&M is fired up by losing at all.

Big 12

START

Eric Gray, RB, Oklahoma at Nebraska

You're free, Nebraska fans, but the tail of the Scott Frost era remains. Sometimes, you want to believe a team will get a boost from jettisoning their wayward head coach. I do not see that happening for the Cornhuskers, at least defensively. They are 116th in rushing yards allowed per game and 127th in passing yards allowed per game. Gray isn't a huge part of the passing game yet (three catches for 39 yards) but has averaged 6.7 yards per carry.

SIT

Myles Price, WR, Texas Tech at NC State

There are a lot of easy matchups for the Big 12 this week. The Red Raiders, though, have to visit NC State. The Wolf Pack rank 20th defensively in SP+. Also, Donovan Smith may start for Texas Tech again, and he seems to have a penchant for running whenever he gets the itch to, which could mean fewer targets for Price.

Big Ten

START

Ronnie Bell, WR, Michigan vs. UConn

I recommended starting Bell last week, feeling like Jim Harbaugh wanted to give J.J. McCarthy every chance to be named the starting quarterback, and figuring Bell would benefit. Sure enough, Bell was targeted seven times and had six catches for 76 yards and a touchdown, and McCarthy is the starter now. The Huskies are expected to be terrible, and thus far that seems to be the case. They gave up 48 points to Syracuse, and also 31 to a Utah State team that just was held to seven points by Weber State.

SIT

Payton Thorne, QB, Michigan State at Washington

Thorne enticed with four touchdowns in MSU's season opener. Then, he had zero touchdowns and two interceptions last week against Akron. Now, Thorne has to visit Washington, which ranks 25th in defensive SP+. Also, Thorne may be without his top receiver Jayden Reed.

CONFERENCE USA

START

DeWayne McBride, RB, UAB vs. Georgia Southern

McBride returned from an illness in Week 2. He lost two fumbles, which is a concern, but he ran the ball 20 times for 177 yards and a touchdown. Last season, he had 1,368 yards and 13 rushing scores. Georgia Southern, meanwhile, has allowed 257 rushing yards per contest.

SIT

Joshua Cephus, WR, UTSA at Texas

The Roadrunners' offense is legit. However, is the Longhorns' defense also legit? Texas just kept Bryce Young and Alabama relatively in check. The Longhorns have only allowed 190 passing yards per contest. Additionally, UTSA has three receivers who have all been excelling this year. If only one of them is going to get theirs, it's likely Zakhari Franklin, not Cephus.

MAC

START

Collin Schlee, QB, Kent State vs. Long Island University

Man, Kent State did itself no favors. It opened the year on the road against Washington and Oklahoma, and their game after this one is against Georgia. In between, though. The Golden Flashes get to face LIU, one of the worst teams in the FCS. Schlee has not done a ton yet, but he's rushed for over 40 yards in each of his games, which is encouraging compared to his passing numbers.

SIT

Dequan Finn, QB, Toledo at Ohio State

Finn's situation is the inverse of Schlee's. He got to start the year against LIU (two passing scores and a rushing score, by the way) and UMass. Now, though, he has to visit the Buckeyes. Ohio State is going to give Finn a dose of reality.

MOUNTAIN WEST

START

Kyle Williams, WR, UNLV vs. North Texas

Williams has a touchdown in each of his first two games this season. That ties his career high, but last year when he had two touchdowns he also had 42 catches for 601 yards. North Texas ranks 126th in passing yards allowed per game, and is also 107th in defense in SP+

SIT

Toa Taua, RB, Nevada at Iowa

Taua has carried the Nevada offense, though the competition has been easy. Now, Taua has a track record, but so does the Iowa defense. The Hawkeyes' offense is an affront to humanity, but the defense is truly legitimate. They've allowed 129 rushing yards per game this year after having allowed a mere 114.6 in 2021.

PAC-12

START

Cameron Ward, QB, Washington State vs. Colorado State

Last year, Ward was an FCS star, throwing for 4,648 yards and 47 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. Now a Cougar, he had a strong, if not stellar, game against Idaho and a rough day on the road against Wisconsin. Colorado State tips toward the former. Thus far, the Rams look brutal, having allowed 51 points to Michigan and 34 points to MTSU.

SIT

Bo Nix, QB, Oregon vs. BYU

Nix, a transfer like Ward, has also had two different starting experiences. He had a brutal day against Georgia – entirely forgivable – and then threw for five touchdowns against Eastern Washington. BYU isn't as tough as Georgia, but it ranks 21st in defensive SP+ and 18th in passing yards allowed per game.

SEC

START

Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee vs. Akron

Wright and Jabari Small have shared carries pretty evenly thus far. He's carried the ball 22 times for 135 yards and a touchdown, and last year he had 85 carries for 409 yards and four scores. Akron has a new head coach, but also just allowed 52 points and 262 rushing yards to Michigan State.

SIT

Antwane Wells, WR, South Carolina vs. Georgia

Wells, a James Madison transfer, has turned heads. Through two games he has 15 catches for 244 yards and a touchdown. That being said, Georgia may still have the top defense in the FBS. The Bulldogs have allowed all of three points this season and allowed a mere 10.4 points per contest last season.

SUN BELT

START

Chris Smith, RB, Louisiana at Rice

Smith hasn't done a ton yet this year, but last season he had 855 yards and eight touchdowns. There may be a new head coach in Lafayette, but that doesn't hurt Smith too much. Honestly, I am looking less at the 66 points USC scored against Rice. What's more enticing to me is the fact McNeese State ran 30 times for 172 yards against the Owls last week.

SIT

La'Damian Webb, RB, South Alabama at UCLA

Webb has had over 100 totals yards and two touchdowns in each of his first two games. Now, though, he has to hit the road and face a team tougher than Nicholls or Central Michigan. UCLA's defense has been stout thus far, especially against the run, and last year it allowed 127.9 rushing yards per contest.