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

Week 5 of the college football season brings September to an end. While we had a smattering of games in August, September is the real "first month" of college football. We've learned some things, and some information feels pretty locked in. The matchups aren't as exciting in Week 5, but that can make for better options for fantasy purposes. So, here are the guys to start, and to sit, from each FBS conference.

AAC Starts and Sits

START

Makhi Hughes, RB, Tulane vs. UAB

Hughes barely played last week against Nichols, but he averaged 5.8 yards per carry, which was still encouraging. The redshirt freshman already managed to establish himself as the new lead back for the Green Wave. UAB has allowed 6.1 yards per carry, and with a whole new coaching staff in place, I think that could be legitimate.

SIT

Jalon Jones, QB, Charlotte at SMU

Speaking of teams in a new conference with new coaches, that's the case with the 49ers, and Jones is the new quarterback. He has been unremarkable throwing the ball, but through four games he's run for 261 yards and three touchdowns. The AAC isn't remarkable defensively thus far, but SMU ranks 48th in runs scored at 3.6 yards per carry, and it is at home, so that's enough for me.

ACC Starts and Sits

START

Eric Singleton Jr., WR, Georgia Tech vs. Bowling Green

Singleton is a true freshman, but he's already arguably the top option. He has a touchdown in every game so far, and he's racked up 28 targets through four contests. Bowling Green is a MAC defense, one that ranks 120th in passing yards allowed per attempt, for good measure.

SIT

Jalon Calhoun, WR, Duke vs. Notre Dame

Notre Dame lost to Ohio State, but it also held it to 17 points. Marvin Harrison was largely kept in check, and that is really saying something. Calhoun has 20 catches for 258 yards and a touchdown, but three of his opponents have been Lafayette, Northwestern, and UConn. This is more in line with Clemson, who held Calhoun to five catches for only 32 yards.

Big 12 Starts and Sits

START

Kobe Hudson, WR, UCF at Baylor

Hudson followed Gus Malzahn from Auburn, and it's worked out for him. He had 641 yards and seven touchdowns last year, and this season, he has 20 catches for 463 yards and two scores. Hudson even had five catches for 138 yards against Kansas State last week with a backup quarterback under center. Baylor is having a tough year, and the fact it has allowed 9.6 passing yards per attempt has played a big part in that.

SIT

Devin Neal, RB, Kansas at Texas

I'm excited for this game, and it would be cool if the Jayhawks could pull off the upset, but I don't see it. In fact, the Longhorns will likely make it a long day for the Kansas offense. Texas has held opponents to 12.5 points per game and 2.7 rushing yards per attempt. Yes, Quinn Ewers' improvements have been key, but the defense has not messed around either. Neal is a really good back, but even last season, the Longhorns held him to 51 rushing yards.

Big Ten Starts and Sits

START

Roman Hemby, RB, Maryland vs. Indiana

Hemby is coming off a bad game, but on the season, he has 255 rushing yards and four touchdowns, plus 10 catches for 98 yards. That comes after he had 989 rushing yards and 10 scores in 2022, so I trust his track record. The Hoosiers just struggled with Akron, which is not ideal for a Big 10 team. They've also allowed 5.4 rushing yards per attempt.

SIT

Blake Corum, RB, Michigan at Nebraska

Corum has been as productive as any back, and if you consider him a must-start, I won't fight you. If you have other options, though, I'd look elsewhere. It has been a breezy schedule for the Wolverines so far, and this is their first road game. The Cornhuskers have a ways to go under Matt Rhule but have been excellent against the run. Against a fully FBS schedule, Nebraska has held opponents to a paltry 1.8 rushing yards per carry.

Conference USA Starts and Sits

START

Nicholas Vattiato, QB, Middle Tennessee State at Western Kentucky

After a couple of seasons as a backup for the Blue Raiders, Vattiato got the gig under center for 2023. He's completed a whopping 70.6 percent of his passes, has thrown seven touchdowns against two picks and has also run for over 30 yards in each of his last three games. That's with MTSU serving as a "cupcake" matchup for Alabama and Missouri in the first two weeks of the season. Western Kentucky did get rocked by Ohio State, a much better team than MTSU, but ranking 115th or lower in points allowed per game, rushing yards allowed per carry, and passing yards allowed per attempt is quite poor regardless.

SIT

Gavin Hardison, QB, UTEP vs. Louisiana Tech

Only six Conference USA teams are playing this week, so options either way are limited. Louisiana Tech was terrible defensively last season and hasn't been good this year. You might be enticed to give Hardison a shot. After all, he's been good enough to start four seasons for the Miners. Sure, he's a four-year starter, but it's been four years of mediocrity. He's lost yardage on the ground, has thrown three touchdowns against seven picks versus FBS teams, and completed less than half of his passes in his last two games.

MAC Starts and Sits

START

Rashad Amos, RB, Miami (OH) at Kent State

Amos, a South Carolina transfer, hasn't had a chance to get going in total but has emerged as Miami's top back. Against UMass, he ran for over 100 yards, and against Delaware State, he averaged 11.8 yards per carry and scored a touchdown (on five carries, but still). Kent State had the most roster turnover of any team this offseason and, as such, was expected to be quite bad. Indeed, that has been the case, including having allowed 5.8 rushing yards per carry.

SIT

Odieu Hiliare, WR, Bowling Green at Georgia Tech

As an inverse to my starting recommendation from the ACC, Bowling Green is a MAC team visiting an ACC team, even if it is not an acclaimed one. That still matters to me. Hiliare started the year strong, with a touchdown in both of his first two games. Since then, though, he has seven catches for 82 yards over two outings.

Mountain West Starts and Sits

START

Mikey Keene, QB, Fresno State vs. Nevada

Fresno State has the chance to be the top Group-of-Five team in the country if they win out, and Nevada should absolutely be a win. The Wolf Pack are as bad as any team in the country, especially defensively. They rank second to last in rushing yards allowed per carry and passing yards allowed per attempt. Now, Keene doesn't do much with his legs, but the UCF transfer has thrived under Jeff Tedford, having thrown for 1,195 yards, 12 touchdowns, and only two interceptions.

SIT

Jaylon Armstead, RB, San Diego State at Air Force

Armstead has 228 yards and four touchdowns in five games since the Aztecs played in Week 0. However, Air Force obviously chews up clock with its offense, which keeps the opponent's overall numbers down, and it also has excelled on a per-play basis versus the run. The Falcons are 15th in rushing yards allowed per carry.

Pac-12 Starts and Sits

START

Brenden Rice, WR, USC at Colorado

Even during the heavy hype era, there were plenty of us noting that Colorado's defense was bad. Oregon made that abundantly clear to a national audience, and now USC gets a chance to feast on Buffalo. On a team littered with receiving talent, it's actually a Colorado transfer, Rice, who has stood out. He has at least one touchdown in every game and is coming off his best outing of the season, seven catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns against Arizona State.

SIT

Damien Martinez, RB, Oregon State vs. Utah

A Friday-night "sit" for you. Martinez failed to rush for 100 yards for the first time last week, though with 19 receiving yards in addition to 81 on the ground, he got there in terms of total yardage. Well, I hope he doesn't expect to hit 100 yards against the Utes. You could make the argument Utah has the best defense in the nation, and it ranks in the top six in points allowed per game and rushing yards given up per carry.

SEC Starts and Sits

START

Evan Stewart, WR, Texas A&M at Arkansas

After Stewart missed the ULM game with an injury, he was quite efficient against Auburn. He was targeted three times and came away with three catches for 50 yards and a touchdown. Even last year, Stewart impressed as a true freshman and, as much fun as it can be to poke fun at Texas A&M, Bobby Petrino seems to have sparked the offense. Arkansas keeps things exciting, but part of that is being poor against the pass. The Razorbacks have allowed 9.7 yards per attempt through the air.

SIT

Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida at Kentucky

The Gators have had a nice few weeks after being throttled by Utah – an offensive performance that gets more understandable by the day – but it's time for a reality check. You go to Lexington and face Mark Stoops' Wildcats defense, and it tends to be hard. Indeed, this year, they have held opponents to 15.0 points per game and 5.5 passing yards per attempt. Pearsall has been a target machine, even against Utah, but I don't want to have to trust Graham Mertz in this matchup.

Sun Belt Starts and Sits

START

Ismail Mahdi, RB, Texas State at Southern Miss

This Texas State offense has been a lot of fun, bolstered by as many transfers this side of Boulder. Mahdi, making the leap from the FCS, made a few big plays over the first three games for the Bobcats before getting the gig and running with it against Nevada. Yes, the Wolf Pack are terrible, but Mahdi still ran 21 times for 216 yards and two touchdowns while adding two catches for 40 yards. Southern Miss has allowed 43.7 points per game, and it ranks in the bottom 25 in rushing yards allowed per carry and passing yards allowed per attempt.

SIT

La'Damian Webb, RB, South Alabama at James Madison

It was true last year when they were fresh to the FBS, and it has been true in 2023: You do not run on James Madison. The Dukes allowed a mere 2.6 rushing yards per attempt in 2022, the best in the FBS, and this year, they are first at 1.2 yards per carry. Webb has been running over just about everybody besides Tulane, but I think James Madison will also keep him in check.