Eric Froton Fantasy Analyst Thu, October 22, 2026 at 7:38 PM UTC · 10 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are left to cover numerous open spots in our starting lineup since there are a whopping 14 teams on bye in Week 8. Here is my start/sit column with an eye on players you can consider picking up if any late-week injuries pop-up to throw your lineup into flux.
Baylor led all Power Four programs with 42 passes per game last year, and have continued that trend into this season. The Bears are averaging 42.7 passes, which ranks second to only Cal, to go with 288 passing yards per game, 14 TDs and six INTs. Lagway dropped back 60 times last game against TCU's top-flight pass defense, and gets to play a Kansas defense that is allowing 35 PPG to P4 opponents and ranks 133rd in marginal explosiveness with 18.5% of completions going for 20+ yards (105th). The Bears' aggressive pass game is generating 20+ yard pass plays on 20.5% of completions (30th) with 19% of all throws being 20+ yards downfield. I expect Lagway to unleash 40+ passes and throw for 3+ touchdowns against a Kansas team that has yet to win a Big 12 game.
Iowa State is fielding one of the worst secondaries in the nation, allowing 17.6 yards per successful dropback (134th) with 32% of targets being considered wide open (130th). ISU's 81% tackle success rate is the third-worst mark in the country (88% average), while Arizona ranks seventh in yards per successful dropback and 14th with a 52% passing success rate. Fifita has generated at least 20+ points in every game this season, averaging a superb 29.5 points per game over his last four appearances. The Cats are favored by 10.5 points and should be able to score 30+ points against Kansas' reeling defense.
West Virginia ranks 126th in SP+ defense and 137th in yards per dropback allowed (9.1), making them a quarterback's dream opponent. Craig hasn't been a factor on the ground, which lowers his ceiling, but he has thrown for at least 294 yards in four of his last five games. He is an attractive emergency streaming option at just a 2% roster rate against the most fantasy-friendly defense in the Power Four.
Managers are justified to feel trepidation at the prospect of starting the hobbled Lacy after spending a top-five draft selection to acquire his services. He only recorded 16 carries and two receptions for 80 total yards from Weeks 3-6 (which included a bye). Lacy returned to form last week, but only produced 12.3 fantasy points, so his 18-touch workload may have slipped under the radar. With Texas reeling and Ole Miss smelling blood in the water, I expect a 20-touch outing for Lacy and am starting him with confidence despite the unfavorable recent returns.
2025 bellcow Cameron Dickey is injured, which has opened the door for Williams to handle the primary rushing duties. He has responded by scoring 13+ points in five-of-six games and ripping Arizona State for 28.3 points last week. The all-purpose weapon faces a Cincinnati defense ranks 103rd in rushing success rate and just got smoked for 464 passing yards and 45 points by West Virginia. Williams is a must-start and still available in 18% of leagues.
OC Chip Kelly has had Northwestern literally running the option at times, to devastating effect as Northwestern averages 5.6 YPC with a solid 11.0 yards per successful rush that ranks 14th nationally. Komolafe should run all over the Scarlet Knights' pitiful run defense that ranks 131st in yards before contact and 135th in yards per successful rush allowed.
Duke Scott will not play, leaving Gause to shoulder the rushing load against Stanford's almost comically bad defense that ranks 134th in points per drive allowed (3.1) and dead last in red-zone touchdown rate (86%). I expect a similarly heavy carry share as the 21 totes and three receptions that he shouldered in NC State's 31-28 upset of Louisville.
Mosley returned from his month-long absence to set a career high with 13 targets and score 17.5+ points for the fourth time in his four collegiate appearances. In addition to catching a touchdown in each game, Mosley has two carries for 17 yards and 158 punt return yards with a touchdown on special teams, showing his all-purpose utility. He ranks sixth in FBS on a points per game basis, but is still only 42% rostered because teams dropped him during his injury hiatus. If Mosley is available in your league, go get him right now.
Williams was perceived to be battling DeAndre Moore and Danny Scudero for targets, but Scudero got hurt leaving Williams to monopolize 32% of the team's targets while racking up 35 receptions, 485 yards and five touchdowns over the last five games. This game profiles as a shootout with OSU having just allowed 343 passing yards and five touchdowns to Houston and are allowing 18% of completions to gain 20+ yards. Williams is rostered in 63% of leagues and well worth picking up where available.
Pegan is averaging 16.9 PPG and has seen 11+ targets in three of his last four games. This should be a competitive, high scoring affair between Big 12 contenders, with Houston's defense ranking 124th nationally in explosive play rate (7.7%) allowed. Pegan has scored 23+ points in three-of-six games and should have another fine showing against the Cougars at a 62% roster rate.
Hatcher is quietly the fourth-highest scoring wide receiver in the country, commanding a 34% target share while leading 'Cuse with 74 targets. He has an extremely high floor, having scored 10+ points in every game this year despite having four different quarterbacks throwing passes to him. Hatcher is rostered in 83% of leagues and has to be in your lineup despite the instability at quarterback.
Rodriguez has carved out a steady role in HC Willie Stein's surging Kentucky offense, having caught five+ passes in each of his last three games, with three "Wildcat" rush attempts to help elevate his touchdown potential. He is coming off a banner day versus Oklahoma, catching five passes for 38 yards and two touchdowns in the 21-13 victory. He should have plenty of scoring opportunities against a Vanderbilt defense that ranks 125th in red-zone touchdown rate (75%) and 111th in success rate allowed.
Carter had been forgotten about after a pair of four-point games to start the year, followed by an injury that cost him two games. Since returning against Colorado, Carter caught eight-of-nine passes for 67 yards and a touchdown for 16.7 points. Last week, he received two goal-line carries for three yards and a touchdown in a 53-25 win over Arizona State, as he picked up the short-yardage slack vacated by injured RB Cameron Dickey.
Manning has scored under 25 points in each of his last five games, with a high of 24.4 points in a losing effort against Oklahoma. His rushing utility is nearly non-existent having rushed for 25+ yards just once this year, as his poor pocket presence has led to 13 drive-killing sacks over the last three games. The Longhorns are going three-and-out 34% of the time and ranks 124th in plays of 20+ yards (5%). This is despite UT wideouts streaking wide open on 35% of targets, which ranks fifth-most nationally. I simply can't support starting Arch against Ole Miss, as the preseason QB1 has been officially removed from the Yahoo "no-cut" list.
It has been a sad state of affairs in College Station this year, with the Aggies losing three of their four SEC games and Reed's inability to operate from the pocket and throw on time being a primary contributor to the offense's failures. He is still rostered in 37% of leagues and should be dropped after a disappointing 11.5 point showing against Citadel last week.
I simply don't know what to do with Davison, who is the nominal starting running back for the Ducks, but also lacks the ability to break chunk gains and has lost a fumble in each of the last two games. Compounding matters is the rotating backup QBs we've seen Oregon shuttle through as Dante Moore recovers from a head injury, which has caused teams to load up the box and dare them to make layered throws. Co-starter Dierre Hill handled the vast majority of carries down the stretch against Nebraska, with Davison gaining just 29 yards on 12 carries. Davison could be transitioning to an early-down/short-yardage-only role and cannot be trusted against Illinois this weekend.
Beebe broke out with 24-carries and 203 yards in a 29-23 victory over Northwestern when starting RB Turbo Richard was injured. However, since Indiana bulldozed the pathetic Rutgers' run defense 47-15, Beebe has received just nine rushes in each of the following two contests for 55 yards and zero touchdowns. Complicating matters is the return of 2025 RB3 Khobie Martin who is not listed on the team's availability report for the first time all season. I'm leaving Beebe on the bench against a formidable Michigan run defense.
Brown is 56% rostered, but has scored 10+ points just one time and hasn't received more than seven carries since Sept. 19, spanning three games. Freshman Cardae Mack has cut into his workload and rendered Brown on the roster cut line.
The effectiveness of the Oregon passing attack has cratered after QB Dante Moore was injured, with Dakorien Moore receiving 24 targets over the last two games, but catching just 11 of them for 113 yards and no touchdowns. Oregon has officially ruled out Dante Moore for this weekend's game against Illinois, making the entire passing game a red flag. I'm looking for other options after the Ducks managed to scrape together 31 total points combined against UCLA and Nebraska.
Craver missed last week's win over Citadel with an undisclosed injury, but his star had been fading before that, having produced just 47 receiving yards on five receptions in his previous three games combined. I am not starting him until further notice.
The touchdown-less streak extends to six games as Wesco somehow managed to catch four passes for just 25 yards in a 37-0 annihilation of Charleston Southern last weekend. He has scored more than 10 points just once and is relying on true freshman Tait Reynolds to deliver him the ball, making Wesco a wait-and-see proposition against the Hokies.
Andrews broke out with a touchdown reception and three carries for 26 yards for a season-high 9.9 points last week against Colorado. However, he had just one carry for four yards previous to that with just three total receptions in the previous four contests. TE Noah Bennee is the preferred receiving option, making Andrews a risky bet coming off a rare spike-game.
Wade is still 48% rostered, but that is a relic of the preseason when he was a top-five tight end according to consensus rankings. He has been passed over in the offense and has produced just 4.3 points over the last four games, making him an imminently drop-worthy player.
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