College Fantasy Football Start vs. Sit: Players to Start, Players to Bench for Week 9

I'd call Week 9 of college football the Halloween weekend slate, but the return of MACtion happens on Halloween proper, so we'll just have to settle on this being the last weekend of October. Last week was a weird one for big teams, and will any of them get a pre-Halloween scare in Week 9? These are my players to start and to sit for fantasy purposes when it comes to college football.

AAC Starts and Sits

START

Preston Stone, QB, SMU vs. Tulsa

The Mustangs' passing game has really spread the ball around, so landing on a receiver to start is tricky. Of course, regardless of who is getting the ball, Stone is the one throwing it, so he's a name to point to. It's been an imperfect campaign for the first-year starter, but Stone has thrown for 1,767 yards with 16 touchdowns and five picks and is coming off a 300-yard outing. Tulsa has allowed 35.2 points per game and ranks 115th in passing yards allowed per attempt. Stone should be able to do his usual productive distribution of the ball.

SIT

Chase Sowell, WR, East Carolina at UTSA

Sowell, a Colorado transfer (there are a few of those), suddenly went out and posted 14 catches for 208 yards over two games. Had he found his footing with his new team? Maybe not, as he dropped down to three catches for 27 yards last week. Now he has to visit a UTSA team that ranks a solid, respectable 38th in passing yards allowed per attempt. This isn't likely to be a day where Sowell returns to that brief run of form.

ACC Starts and Sits

START

Omarion Hampton, RB, North Carolina at Georgia Tech

Will the Tar Heels falter in the wake of a major upset? I think the offense will be just fine, and Hampton was not part of the issue in that loss to Virginia. The true sophomore had 19 carries for 112 yards, his third 100-yard game of the campaign. Georgia Tech has allowed 5.4 yards per carry and was run into the ground by Boston College. Hampton can replicate that.

SIT

Bub Means, WR, Pittsburgh at Notre Dame

Means has a three-game touchdown streak, but in the first of those games, he turned his sole catch into a 75-yard touchdown, which is hard to replicate. It will be hard for Means to make that four games in a row. Notre Dame is ninth in passing yards allowed per attempt and 17th in points allowed per contest, and it has played the kind of tough schedule that really tests the legitimacy of a defense.

Big 12 Starts and Sits

START

Brennan Presley, WR, Oklahoma State vs. Cincinnati

While the rise of Ollie Gordon at running back has been big for the Cowboys' offense, Presley has been no slouch himself. Over the last two weeks, he has 17 catches for 141 yards and two touchdowns. Cincinnati has had a tricky transition to the Big 12, and a reason for that is the fact the team has allowed 8.4 passing yards per game.

SIT

Monaray Baldwin, WR, Baylor vs. Iowa State

After being uninvolved to start the season, Baldwin has 22 catches for 406 yards and two touchdowns over his last four games, including two outings with over 100 yards and a touchdown. The defenses have not necessarily been imposing, though, and Iowa State will test Baldwin and the Baylor passing game. The Cyclones rank 12th in passing yards allowed per attempt.

Big Ten Starts and Sits

START

Darius Taylor, RB, Minnesota vs. Michigan State

Taylor returned from his leg injury last week and ran for 59 yards while adding 25 yards through the air. However, that was against Iowa, who, for all its faults as a program, has a great defense. Prior to the injury, the true freshman back had three games in a row with over 100 yards and a touchdown. As for Michigan State, well, we've been watching them collapse the last few weeks, culminating with a 49-0 loss at home to Michigan in Week 8. Taylor should be able to take care of the Spartans' defense.

SIT

Will Pauling, WR, Wisconsin vs. Ohio State

There have been fits and starts to Wisconsin hiring Phil Longo and picking up the pace of the passing game, and Pauling has emerged as the top target. He's been targeted 33 times and just picked up his first touchdown of the season. The Buckeyes have been outstanding against the pass, as it ranks first in passing yards allowed per attempt. It's wise to avoid the Ohio State defense when you can.

Conference USA Starts and Sits

START

Malik Jackson, RB, Jacksonville State at Florida International

Before MACtion takes over next week, Conference USA is at the center of midweek action for Week 9. Jackson has been banged up and missed the Gamecocks' last game, but in his six healthy outings, he ran for 559 yards and four touchdowns. This would be a good matchup to return for, as FIU ranks 110th in rushing yards allowed per carry. If Jackson is out, Anwar Lewis will shoulder the load again and is also a worthy start in that case.

SIT

Shomari Lawrence, RB, Florida International vs. Jacksonville State

Lawrence has averaged 5.2 yards per carry and rushed for four touchdowns, but he did a lot of his damage early against bad run defense for Louisiana Tech and North Texas. Since the UNT game, Lawrence has averaged 3.9 yards per rush over five contests. Jacksonville State has only allowed 3.1 yards per carry, so this is not the week for Lawrence to get back to that early-season production.

MAC Starts and Sits

START

Samson Evans, RB, Eastern Michigan vs. Western Michigan

Evans came into this year with some hype (certainly by MAC standards, at least) after he ran for 1,166 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2022. After a slow start to 2023, Evans has kind of been forgotten. However, since conference play began, the back tallied five touchdowns in four games. Western Michigan has not been terrible against the run or the pass but has allowed 36.7 points per contest. The Eagles will score points, and Evans is likely the guy to do it.

SIT

Gage Larvadain, WR, Miami (OH) at Ohio

Larvadain's move up to FBS football has gone well, as he has 589 yards and seven touchdowns in effectively only five games. The issue is that he was doing that with Brett Gabbert under center, but Gabbert has been lost for the season with a leg injury. Now, with a new quarterback throwing to him, Larvadain has to face a defense in the top 15 in points allowed per game and passing yards allowed per attempt.

Mountain West Starts and Sits

START

Jalen Moss, WR, Fresno State vs. UNLV

Moss, a redshirt freshman, has tallied 36 catches for 390 yards and four touchdowns, including two 100-yard outings. It's been a delightful season for UNLV, bowl-eligible already, but the team is not without faults, to be sure. In fact, UNLV ranks 126th in passing yards allowed per attempt.

SIT

Tory Horton, WR, Colorado State vs. Air Force

Horton has been a target magnet, and he's picked up 65 catches if seven contests. He's been a prolific receiver, as he was last year, but Air Force's defense has been stout. The Falcons' style of offense tends to limit opportunities for the opposition, but it's not just that. Air Force has only allowed 14.5 points per game and 5.9 passing yards per contest.

Pac-12 Starts and Sits

START

Ja'Lynn Polk, WR, Washington at Stanford

Even with Washington's offense struggling unexpectedly against Arizona State, Polk had nine catches for 102 yards. That was the fifth time that Polk finished a game with over 100 yards. I fully expect the Huskies to put some more points on the board against Stanford, a team that has allowed 8.3 passing yards per attempt.

SIT

Bucky Irving, RB, Oregon at Utah

This is an exciting matchup. Irving, whose health is not in question as far as head coach Dan Lanning is concerned, has been one of the best backs in college football. Utah, though, is Utah. This is a program built on formidable defense and making things tough for even the top offensive talents. The Utes have only given up 16.3 points per game and 2.9 rushing yards per carry. I can't wait to watch this one.

SEC Starts and Sits

START

Ulysses Bentley, RB, Mississippi vs. Vanderbilt

I don't need to tell you that Quinshon Judkins and Jaxson Dart should be in your lineup, but this matchup is so favorable that Bentley could get his as well. Bentley's touches have been sparse, but he's averaged 6.1 yards per carry and also managed two touchdowns over his last three games. Vanderbilt has allowed 37.4 points per contest and 5.1 rushing yards per attempt. This could easily be a blowout, which would likely lead to more work for Bentley.

SIT

Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee at Kentucky

Touchdowns can be fickle. Wright is a great example of that. Last year, he scored 10 touchdowns. This season, he's averaged 6.5 yards per carry, but he's scored only once. Now, Alabama's tough defense has shown that it is possible to keep Wright in check from a yardage front as well. Bama has only allowed 3.1 yards per carry, but Kentucky has actually allowed a mere 3.0 yards per tote.

Sun Belt Starts and Sits

START

Joey Aguilar, QB, Appalachian State vs. Southern Miss

Aguilar's first season as a starter has gone fairly well. He's completed 61.5 percent of his passes for 1,782 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions. This is a great chance for Aguilar to put up some video game numbers, though. Southern Miss has a terrible defense, especially against the pass. Somehow, the Golden Eagles have managed to allow 10.5 passing yards per attempt, comfortably last in the FBS.

SIT

Ismail Mahdi, RB, Texas State vs. Troy

James Madison gets a ton of love among Sun Belt defenses, and rightfully so, but don't overlook Troy. The Trojans rank in the top nine in points allowed per game and rushing yards allowed per attempt. Mahdi has been key to the transfer-heavy turnaround for the Bobcats, but this is going to be a real test he may struggle to pass.