Developing Assets: Week One

Ryan McDowell Posted On August 30, 2014

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Editor’s Note: This article is a Dynasty Scouts exclusive. Remember, our Dynasty Scouts section focuses on the stars of tomorrow, with a laser focus on High School recruits and College players who look to have the talent to be future assets in dynasty leagues and have value today in devy leagues.

The college football season got off to an exciting start over the past couple of nights and it only gets better with a stacked slate of Saturday games, not to mention a couple of holiday bonuses. Here’s what you should be paying attention to.

A Look Back

Disappointment of the Week: Mike Davis, RB South Carolina

Of all the players taking the field this past Thursday on college football’s opening day, Mike Davis was among the small group that devy and dynasty players were most looking forward to checking out and he did nothing to impress. Obviously, the entire Gamecocks team was manhandled by Texas A&M and although they kept it close early, this was a rout from the get go.

Davis entered the game with a rib injury that had bothered him for the previous couple weeks and although head coach Steve Spurrier declared him “ready to go” earlier in the week, Davis did not earn the start. When he did see the field, he gained just 15 yards before reinjuring his ribs and missing the rest of the game. Hopefully, Davis can fully heal and show his true form in upcoming games against East Carolina and Georgia.

On the Rise: Kenny Hill, QB TX A&M

No one expected this! With the Aggies losing three key players to the NFL, there were questions abounding about this team. Quarterback Kenny Hill barely beat out true freshman Kyle Allen for the starting gig and there were already whispers about how long it might be until we see Allen getting snaps in this offense. Hill quieted all of that talk with a record-breaking performance, throwing for over 500 yards to go along with three touchdown passes. Hill looked confident and smooth from the opening snap and got everyone involved, finding 12 different pass catchers on the night in leading the Aggies to an easy win at South Carolina.

A Look Ahead

Wake Up and Watch: Penn State vs. Central Florida (ESPN2, 8:30 am)

[inlinead]I mean it when I say wake up early! This tilt kicks off before ESPN’s College Gameday begins and features a few key players that will be well worth the lost sleep. This game will be headlined by the quarterback some consider the best passing prospect in the college ranks, the Nittany Lions’ sophomore Christian Hackenberg. Hackenberg has all the tools and will be compared to and considered to be the next elite passer in the line of Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck.

While Penn State lost top receiver Allen Robinson to the Jacksonville Jaguars, they have a slew of talented pass catchers, including tight end Jesse James, who could end up being the top tight end in the country and an excellent devy/draft prospect. James is uber athletic even in his monster frame of 6’7” and over 270 pounds. I’m also excited to see what true freshman tight end Mike Gesicki is all about.

If You Can Only Watch One: Arkansas @ Auburn (SEC Network 4:00 pm)

This may be a surprising choice for one of the top games of the day, but this early season SEC battle is overflowing with juicy devy prospects, including a few we’ll be seeing for the first time. Maybe I’m oversimplifying this, but this game could come down to the Auburn pas offense against the Hogs loaded backfield.

The Tigers have three legit NFL prospects involved in the passing game, starting with quarterback Nick Marshall, who was more prolific as a runner than a passer a year ago. Despite an off-season arrest, Marshall is expected to play, although he will not start. With a pair of talented receivers, look for more focus on the air game this year. Those receivers of course, are junior Sammie Coates, who disappointed some dynasty owners when he chose to return to Auburn for another season. The new weapon in the Auburn offense and a player I can’t wait to see is junior college wide receiver D’haquille Williams. Williams has already learned multiple receiver positions in the Tigers’ offense and has drawn praise for his route running. If he loves up to expectations, this could be the next Cordarrelle Patterson situation where a JUCO only lasts one year before bolting for the NFL.

On the other side of the field, the Arkansas Razorbacks boast a deep backfield headlined by Alex Collins, but also featuring Jonathan Williams and Korliss Marshall, who was the star of pre-season workouts. All three backs return from last season, which saw Collins break the 1,000 yard mark, with Williams exactly 100 yards shy of joining him. Marshall only garnered 17 carries, but that should certainly change during his sophomore season.

Stay Up Late For: Wisconsin vs. LSU (ESPN, 9:00 pm)

Since we were all up so early to watch Hackenberg and company, we won’t stay up too late. This 9:00 pm matchup is the most anticipated game of the day as two top 15 teams face off and both are stacked with future NFL stars, especially at the running back position.

Let’s start with the youth of the LSU Tigers, who lost a ton of offensive talent last season with quarterback Zach Mettenberger, running back Jeremy Hill and receivers Odell Beckham, Jr. and Jarvis Landry all now residing on NFL rosters. A pair of true freshmen will be called on to shoulder the offensive load and both are already squarely on the devy radar. Running back Leonard Fournette was considered by some to be the top high school player last year and has drawn comparisons to Adrian Peterson. While there is no reason to think he will fail, dynasty owners do have a long three-year wait before he makes the jump to the NFL. Another true freshman will make us wait even longer to see if he’s legit. Wide receiver Malchi Dupre did not make the trip and will not play due to a sprained ankle. Dupre was among the top ranked incoming freshmen and should be able to contribute right away, once he’s back on the field.

Wisconsin, to the surprise of no one, will feature a powerful running game. This year, Melvin Gordon is expected to lead that attack and is widely considered the favorite to be the 1.02 rookie pick in dynasty leagues, behind only Todd Gurley of Georgia. Of course, there is plenty of time for things to change, but with Gordon expected to get even more touches, especially in the passing game, this should be a big year for him. The attention Gordon has earned sometimes leaves sophomore Corey Clement in his shadow. Clement saw a fraction of the carries that Gordon and current New England Patriot James White had a year ago, but with White now in the NFL, Clement will play a much larger role, as the Badgers should continue to employ a two back offense.

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Ryan McDowell

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

In addition to his senior leadership role here at DLF, Ryan is also a husband, father of three and PE teacher. Ryan is the commissioner of multiple dynasty leagues, most notably the Kitchen Sink Dynasty Leagues. Here at DLF, Ryan’s focus is on identifying, monitoring and analyzing player value.