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

Welcome back for our Week 8 installment of Start vs. Sit. This week's slate features a number of big-time matchups, such as LSU vs. Mississippi State, Clemson vs. North Carolina State and Michigan State vs. Michigan. Of course, we also have College Gameday heading to Pullman for Washington State vs. Oregon, which marks the first time the Cougs have played host to the show.

I'd also like to take a second to give a shout out to any of our Louisiana readers. I was down in Baton Rouge last week for the Georgia-LSU game and would like to say that was an unbelievable atmosphere with great fans and the loudest stadium environment I've ever experienced. Cheers to everyone on that front.

Without further adieu, let's jump into this week's picks as we inch closer and closer to the first batch of College Football Playoff Rankings being released.

PLAYERS TO START

AAC

Marquez Stevenson, WR, Houston (at Navy)

Stevenson admittedly threw in a clunker last week (3 catches, 40 yards) in a game where the Cougs hung 42 points on East Carolina. There is a silver lining in that Stevenson saw his second-highest target count of any game with nine targets. His role in the offense isn't going anywhere, and last week's game should be considered an aberration. Stevenson has a golden opportunity to bounce back against a Navy secondary that has given up 10 passing touchdowns in five games. I also wouldn't be scared off of using Shamari Brooks even on the road against an SEC opponent in Arkansas.

ACC

Tamorrion Terry, WR, Florida State (vs. Wake Forest)

There's some risk involved in counting on a player to get catchable targets when his quarterback is on his back by the time he finishes his dropback, but here we are. If there's a true playmaker in the Florida State offense, it's Terry. The freshman averages 10.18 YPT and has scored in three straight games. Furthermore, Terry has been getting more involved in the offense as a whole with seven targets in back-to-back games. Getting a matchup against Wake Forest's 106th-ranked pass defense that also can't generate any pressure is a recipe for Terry to continue his hot streak.

BIG 12

Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU (vs. Oklahoma)

We have a grand total of four Big 12 teams playing this week (three depending on your view of Kansas football), so our options are a bit limited. Reagor might've been my pick even with a full slate, however. The sophomore has averaged 12.6 targets per game the last five games. The catch rate leaves something to be desired (52.3 percent), but part of that can be chalked up to Shawn Robinson's scattershot accuracy. Regarding the matchup, Oklahoma will have had two weeks to prep for this game and could be energized now that Mike Stoops is gone. But it's still Oklahoma's defense, after all. Look for Reagor to see a hefty target volume and his track speed makes him a threat to take any one of his catches to the house.

BIG TEN

Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue (vs. Ohio State)

Rondale Moore, like the noble honey badger, does not give a s**t. He does not care who you are, how many stars were on your recruiting profile or how many first-round mocks there are with your name featured. He is going to get his targets, and he is going to get his. Ohio State's pass defense isn't bad, but it's not something you're actively trying to avoid, either. Start Moore this week like you would in any other matchup.

CONFERENCE USA

Jaqwis Dancy, RB, Louisiana Tech (vs. UTEP)

Dancy came back from injury in Week 7 and, well, there were 21 carries for a whopping ... 34 yards ... against UT San Antonio. Not great but hey 21 carries in your first game back shows that Dancy's at least healthy. This week Dancy gets a home matchup against an 0-6 UTEP team that ranks 102nd in team defense per S&P+ and coughs up 207 rushing yards per game. Provided that Dancy is healthy and nothing changes to his status throughout the week, he should be in line for a strong outing against a much weaker opponent.

MAC

Jayden Reed, WR, Western Michigan (at Central Michigan)

The Chips might be 1-6 with a loss to Kansas on their ledger, but they also sport the toughest pass defense in terms of YPG in the MAC and they've picked off as many passes (7) as they've let go for scores. So, this isn't necessarily a no-brainer for starting the Broncos on your roster. Reed still fits the bill as a "start" though; he's seen more than 25 percent of the team's targets in each of the last four games and hasn't been held to less than 67 yards since Week 3. It's a tougher matchup than one might think, but still not a matchup worthy of sliding Reed onto your bench.

MOUNTAIN WEST

Chase Jasmin, RB, San Diego State (vs. San Jose State)

Jasmin hasn't been overly effective (44 carries, 3.4 yards per carry) over the last two weeks. A matchup against San Jose State is a welcome sight as a result. San Jose State ranks 125th in scoring defense and 94th in run defense and has allowed 13 rushing touchdowns in six games. Jasmin is clearly not the runner Juwan Washington, and a tweaked hamstring doesn't help matters, but the volume is there for him to have a breakout game against the West Coast Spartans.

PAC-12

Brandon McIlwain, QB, California (at Oregon State)

All right so we might've jumped the gun on anointing McIlwain considering his dreadful performance in an inexcusable loss to UCLA. Oregon State likely will draw on UCLA's gameplan as a blueprint to stopping McIlwain. The thing is: UCLA isn't lacking for talent. Oregon State is. So even with a similar scheme, the Beavers might not have the horses to run with McIlwain and contain him as a runner. This is a bit of a doubling down on my belief in McIlwain as a college quarterback, but there are worse teams to double down against than Oregon State.

SEC

Jordan Ta'amu, QB, Mississippi (vs. Auburn)

Auburn is a shambles following a loss to Tennessee that has the fanbase and boosters alike calling for the school to pick up Gus Malzahn's massive buyout. Auburn's defense, though, is still good even with what happened last weekend. Ta'amu is effectively matchup proof (save for Alabama), even without star receiver D.K. Metcalf. We know that Ta'amu will be going to the air early and often, and we know he'll be efficient in doing it. What we didn't know is how effective he can be as a runner when he needs to scoot -- he took off 17 times for 141 yards and a score in the win over Arkansas. Even if Auburn works on containing him in the pocket, Ta'amu is still talented enough to produce as a passer against the Tigers and put up start-worthy numbers.

SUN BELT

Trey Ragas, RB, Louisiana-Lafayette (at Appalachian State)

The Mountaineer defense can bring nearly any team and any player to its knees. Ragas isn't the run of the mill Sun Belt back though. He averages 6.7 yards per carry on the season and ripped off 7.0 YPC against MIssissippi State. Ragas also ran for 111 yards on 16 carries against Alabama. He's too big a focal point of the offense to disappear and remains a start-worthy player despite the tough matchup.

PLAYERS TO SIT

AAC

David Pindell, QB, Connecticut (at South Florida)

Pindell has cooled off a bit since his torrid start and has a combined 13 runs for 57 yards and a touchdown the last two weeks. When you rely on rushing production from a quarterback, like we do in Pindell's case, that's simply not enough. South Florida's defense isn't a world beater in its own right, but Connecticut enters this game as 32-point underdogs with a very low implied point total. This simply does not bode well for Pindell putting points on the board Saturday even if he rediscovers his rhythm as a rusher and picks up some chunk yardage.

ACC

Ryan Finley, QB, North Carolina State (at Clemson)

Finley has been far-and-away the ACC's most prolific passer, averaging 324 passing yards per game while the conference's second-most prolific passer averages 251.0 (OK, the ACC might not be the high point of quarterback achievement this year, but you see what I mean). Well, Clemson has a pass defense that's in a different stratosphere from what Finley has faced this year with matchups against JMU, Georgia State, Marshall, Virginia and Boston College. Now, Clemson hasn't faced a quarterback as polished as Finley, either. Still, Clemson is at home with two weeks to prep for this game. This a potential disaster scenario for Finley.

BIG 12

Darius Anderson and Sewo Olonilua, RB, TCU (vs. Oklahoma)

Sticking with the Horned Frogs for this section, I'll shift my focus to the run game. It's been a mediocre attack for much of the season, especially in conference play where the Frogs have averaged a mere 3.45 YPC and 126.3 RuYD per game. Anderson has been particularly concerning as his 5.5 YPC on the season belies the 2.7 YPC he sports against Big 12 competition. Again, this is a game Oklahoma will have had two weeks of preparation, and this duo is inefficient. Toss in the fact that Anderson and Olonilua eat into each other's carries and we come to a sit conclusion for these two.

BIG TEN

Adrian Martinez, QB, Nebraska (vs. Minnesota)

The freshman quarterback has been a rare bright spot for the Cornhuskers this season with nine total touchdowns. Freshman mistakes are something Martinez hasn't quite grown out of, however. He has thrown four picks in his last four games and has lost two of four fumbles in the last two games. Now, Nebraska may be favored (how?) and Minnesota's offense may be unwatchable, but the Goph's defense is a salty group that ranks 23rd in team defense per S&P+. This is a tough spot for Martinez in what should be a very physical game.

CONFERENCE USA

Ben LeMay, RB, Charlotte (at Middle Tennessee)

The 49ers enter this one as heavy road underdogs, and that's always an issue when considering said underdog's running back. It'd be easier to trust LeMay if he was a more adept pass-catcher, but he's been boom-or-bust in that regard and has posted more than 30 receiving yards in a game just once since the season opener. Charlotte is breaking in a new quarterback as well with Chris Reynolds (ankle) done for the season. Look for Middle Tennessee to sell out on stopping LeMay to force quarterback Evan Shirreffs to beat the Blue Raiders with his arm.

MAC

Gus Ragland, QB, Miami (OH) vs. Army

Army's defense and general play style makes it difficult to like anybody playing against it from a fantasy perspective. The Black Knights possess the ball, on average, 39:44 per game. That is far and away the best mark in the nation. So at best we can realistically expect Ragland and Co. to have the ball for a third of this game. Ragland has been excellent lately with nine total touchdowns and just one turnover in his last four games. Unfortunately, he simply may not get enough chances to produce this weekend against Army.

MOUNTAIN WEST

Preston Williams, WR, Colorado State (at Boise State)

Williams has beasted out against good defenses at several points this year, highlighted by back-to-back 100-yard games against SEC opponents. While Williams' talent is beyond questioning at this point, the rest of the Rams deserve some scrutiny. Colorado State is giving up more than 2.0 sacks per game and Boise State is racking up more than 3.0 sacks per game, so quarterback K.J. Carta-Samuels will be under duress this weekend. Boise State hasn't necessarily played any world-beaters at home, but allowing just 92.0 passing yards over any sample that doesn't include an option school is impressive nonetheless. This has everything to do with the Rams and what they're up against, but it's still enough to bench Williams this weekend.

PAC-12

Steven Montez, QB, Colorado (at Washington)

Montez is coming off his worst performance of the season and his reward is a trip up to Washington to face a team coming off a heartbreaking loss. Washington's defense has been especially good against opposing quarterbacks, allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to signal-callers. The Huskies even held Oregon's Justin Herbert in check. There's also the issue of star receiver Laviska Shenault being dinged up with a toe injury that could limit or even sideline him Saturday. Montez would be a questionable starting this weekend if his supporting cast was at full strength, but a beat-up Shenault makes him a definite sit candidate in Week 8.

SEC

Jarrett Stidham, QB, Auburn (at Mississippi)

Looking at the other side of this SEC West showdown, we have a player in Stidham who is coming off his first 300-yard game of the season. I'm not necessarily buying it, though. It took him 45 passes to get there against Tennessee. Now, Mississippi's defense is fairly awful at this stage as well, but it's difficult to trust Stidham and this offense at the moment. I also believe that when Auburn's offense is running at peak efficiency, it's reaching that level via the run. With that, look for Auburn to establish the run early and not have the game get away from it to the point where the Tigers are asking Stidham to air it out 45 times.

SUN BELT

Dan Ellington, Georgia State (at Arkansas State)

Ellington draws a matchup against the Sun Belt's top pass defense this week, and in this case, Arkansas State will be hungry and well-rested coming off a shellacking at home last Tuesday. The first-year starter has done some damage with his legs along with completing 63.0 percent of his passes. That said, he hasn't thrown multiple touchdowns against any FCS team this season and has to go against a Red Wolves team that holds opponents to just 4.3 yards per pass attempt in its home stadium.