Start vs. Sit: Who to Play, Who to Bench Week 5

Week 5 is here and conference play is starting to get into full swing. We're getting treated to a number of great matchups this weekend, highlighted by USC's trip up to Pullman to face Washington State and a battle of ACC powerhouses between Clemson and Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. With conference play now in action, the Start/Sit conundrums get a bit tougher to parse. Let's look at who to fire up and who to bench for the last weekend of September.

PLAYERS TO START

AAC

Darius Tice, RB, South Florida (at East Carolina): Entering the season, it looked like D'Ernest Johnson was the USF back to own as Marlon Mack's replacement. Yes, Johnson has had more carries, but Tice looks like the superior back. Not only does Tice have six touchdowns compared to Johnson's two, he's averaging nearly two yards a carry more than Johnson (5.92 vs. 4.22). Tice is coming off his second consecutive 100-yard outing and draws about as favorable a matchup as he'll see all year against East Carolina, which has already allowed 12 rushing touchdowns through four games.

ACC

Mark Walton, RB, Miami (at Duke): This might seem like an obvious choice at first glance after Walton's huge outing against Toledo last week (11/204/1), but he'll be on a short week going against a Duke defense that's been great against the run. The Blue Devils are holding opponents to 2.3 YPC and have allowed just one team to cross the 100-yard mark ... and it took 33 carries to get there. Still, Walton is head and shoulders ahead of anyone Duke has faced to this point and has the look of one of the top backs in the ACC.

BIG 12

Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor (at Kansas State): It's slim pickin's in the Big 12 this week with just six teams in action, but Mims fits the bill as someone to plug into lineups for Week 5. Not only has Mims (6-foot-3, 197) been a stud this year with 18 grabs for 406 yards and six scores, but he'll be an even bigger focal point of the Bears' attack with Chris Platt (knee) done for the year. Kansas State does sport a lockdown secondary, which should give owners some reason for pause, but the market share boost Mims is going to see in Platt's absence raises his floor considerably.

BIG TEN

Juwan Johnson, WR, Penn State (vs. Indiana): I was a firm believer entering the season that Johnson was the best wideout on Penn State's roster, and after a bit of a slow start to the season, it started to show through last weekend against Iowa. Johnson caught the game-winning touchdown, capping off a seven-catch, 92-yard performance. Look for Johnson to be Penn State's most targeted wideout again Saturday against an Indiana secondary that is a bit suspect.

CONFERENCE USA

Jeffery Wilson, RB, North Texas (at Southern Miss): Wilson is one of the most underrated running backs in the country from a fantasy standpoint. He already has six rushing touchdowns and is coming off a dominant 200-yard outing against UAB. Look for North Texas to feed Wilson plenty Saturday against a Southern Miss defense that gave up 218 yards and nearly 6.0 yards per carry to Louisiana Monroe in its last game.

MAC

Jonathan Ward, RB, Central Michigan (vs. Boston College): The Chips are punching up a weight class this week with a showdown against BC, but this Eagles defense hasn't been quite the same since defensive coordinator Don Brown packed his bags for Ann Arbor. In fact, Boston College allows more than 6.0 yards per carry, placing the Eagles in the bottom five nationally in that category. It's fair to be skeptical of Ward after his 22 carries netted just 56 yards against Miami of Ohio, but his role as the feature back should allow him to wear down the Eagles defense Saturday. He's also shown a strong ability as a pass catcher as well, bolstering his floor in PPR formats.

MOUNTAIN WEST

Lexington Thomas, RB, UNLV (vs San Jose State): Rashaad Penny gets most of the pub among MWC running backs (rightly so), but Thomas is no slouch. He averages a borderline irresponsible 8.5 yards per carry and has the same number of rushing touchdowns (7) as Penny. Thomas also has the added bonus of a cupcake matchup against a San Jose State defense that can't stop the run to save its life (16 rushing touchdowns allowed in five games!), making him a must-start this week. Also, I expect the Colorado State-Hawaii game to be a shootout, so fire up any players you have from those squads.

PAC-12

Manny Wilkins, QB, Arizona State (at Stanford): The Cardinal have had one of the strongest defenses in the Pac-12 year after year for the better part of a decade, but this particular unit hasn't looked particularly stout. Sure, this is a road game in a hostile environment for Wilkins, but his performance to this point deserves some recognition. He's thrown for 1,271 yards, eight touchdowns, and – most important – zero picks despite facing some quality opponents. Again, this is a tough test for Wilkins, maybe the toughest he'll face this year, but he looks like a completely different quarterback this year and he's also has an immensely talented supporting cast. I also recommend Phillip Lindsay this week against a UCLA team that is an embarrassment to run defenses everywhere.

SEC

Shea Patterson, QB, Ole Miss (at Alabama): If you had any questions about Alabama coming into last week, they were answered emphatically with the Tide's utter devastation of Vanderbilt on the road. Obviously, that has to make Patterson owners nervous heading into Week 5. While Ole Miss is likely worse than Vanderbilt, the Rebs present far more matchup problems with their offense than what the 'Dores have to offer. Patterson, a Johnny Manziel clone on the field, is the kind of mobile quarterback with a gunslinger mentality who has given Alabama fits in the past. He also has a receiving corps that's as deep and talented as any in the nation. You might have to live with a turnover (or three) here by starting Patterson, but he's going to be throwing a ton of passes Saturday and is good enough to sting the Alabama defense with some shots deep down the field. Unless you have a far better option on your bench, keep Patterson in your lineup Saturday.

SUN BELT

Caleb Evans, QB, Louisiana-Monroe (vs. Coastal Carolina): OK, there might be some recency bias, but come on. Evans is coming off an absurd six touchdown (with five rushing!) performance against Louisiana-Lafayette. There aren't many easier matchups out there than the Ragin Cajuns, but a Coastal Carolina team that just got pantsed by Western Illinois is one of them. It'll be tough for Evans to fully replicate his Lamar Jackson impression Saturday, but he should be in for another big outing against the Chanticleers.

PLAYERS TO SIT

AAC

Darrell Henderson, RB, Memphis (at Central Florida): As a streaming option, Henderson has been money in the bank this season, taking 38 carries for 345 yards (9.1 YPC) and three scores through three games. However, Doroland Dorceus appears close to returning and could be back as soon as Saturday, which further spreads out the carries out of the Memphis backfield. What's more, UCF actually sports a stout run defense that allows just 2.8 YPC and just shut down Maryland's Ty Johnson. This was going to be a tough matchup for Henderson to begin with, but the added likelihood of him ceding carries to Dorceus makes him an even less appealing option this week.

ACC

Deon Cain, WR, Clemson (at Virginia Tech): Cain entered the year with First Team All-ACC aspirations, but we're four games in and his production has been middling. He has 11 catches for 151 yards and a score, and he hasn't had more than 30 yards in a game since Week 1. Part of that can be chalked up to Clemson not needing to air it out, but that's still disappointing production. Clemson likely will need to be more balanced this week against a stout Hokies defense, but Cain is seemingly Kelly Bryant's third favorite option. Cain should get things turned around as the season progresses, but I don't see it this week in a tough matchup.

BIG 12

Allen Lazard, WR, Iowa State (vs. Texas): This game is all sorts of weird with both teams coming off byes and neither entering Week 5 with any sort of discernible identity, but I digress. It's clear Iowa State's opponents are most concerned with stopping Lazard, who is a nightmare to cover at 6-5, 222. Teams have had some success lately, though, holding him to 6.4 YPR over his last two games. While his size makes him a red-zone terror regardless of opponent, I'm betting on the Horns doing everything in their power to limit Lazard's impact.

BIG TEN

Justin Jackson, RB, Northwestern (at Wisconsin): Jackson is one of those rare backs whose volume you can set your watch to, and that's something that gives him a consistently reliable floor. He's also going to be fresh Saturday coming off a bye. Even with that in mind, it's hard to start any running back with confidence against Wisconsin, especially in Madison. Jackson actually has a pair of 100-yard games to his credit against Wisconsin, but a Wisconsin defense with an extra week to prepare is not something to be trifled with.

CONFERENCE USA

Samuel Stewart, RB, Rice (at Pittsburgh): This isn't as obvious of a sit situation as one might think. Pitt just had to deal with 67 Georgia Tech triple-option runs last week, and teams tend to be sluggish the week after facing that type of football assault. Still, Stewart might be in for a low-volume outing if Rice falls behind early, which the Owls are wont to do. He's also dealing with some bruised ribs, and even though he still played through it last weekend, it wouldn't be surprising to see Rice spread the carries around to other backs to limit Stewart's exposure to ACC-level hits.

MAC

Jordan Huff, RB, Northern Illinois (at San Diego State): First of all, the Aztecs are for real. Second of all, Northern Illinois' quarterback situation is shaky at best. So San Diego State will try to eliminate Huff and the run game to make the Huskies try to win with new quarterback Daniel Santacaterina (great name, unproven QB). Look for Huff to see a lot of eight-man fronts Saturday.

MOUNTAIN WEST

Wyatt Demps, WR, Nevada (at Fresno State): Demps is a talented wideout with a secure role in the Nevada offense, but he might be the only stable thing about the Wolf Pack. Nevada is a mess with a murky quarterback situation that drives Demps' ceiling down. Also, this is a road game against a Fresno State team that is ridiculously battle tested, so Nevada will look like a cupcake compared to what the Bulldogs have faced. I'm fading this Nevada offense until it shows some sign of life.

PAC-12

Ryan Nall, RB, Oregon State (vs. Washington): Like the aforementioned Demps, Nall is the best and most reliable part of his offense. Unfortunately, that means he'll be at the epicenter of Chris Peterson's defensive game plan this week. It's not just the scheme that Nall should be worried about, but also the personnel. Washington is fast and vicious against the run and just made Phillip Lindsay look pedestrian in Boulder last week. Nall is an excellent back who should see plenty of volume, but this matchup is too one-sided to start him with confidence.

SEC

John Kelly, RB, Tennessee (vs. Georgia): Kelly has been a stud all season with three 100-yard games and six rushing touchdowns and has been a pleasant surprise in PPR with 18 receptions. However, Georgia's defense is playing at a terrifying level and is coming off an absolute dismantling of one of the SEC's scarier offenses. This game figures to be a low-scoring rock fight, and using even Kelly is a risky proposition against the Georgia defense.

SUN BELT

Jordan Chunn, RB, Troy (at LSU): Not a whole lot has clicked into place for the Bayou Bengals this season, but Coach O's Tigers are still a terror on defense. Chunn, one of the best and most reliable runners in the Sun Belt, should be in for a long day Saturday against a Tiger defense that ranks seventh in S&P+ and has a habit for completely suffocating the run game (the Miss State game notwithstanding).