Devy Roundup: Week Four
With the first few weeks of the season out of the way, we start to get some more interesting matchups on the weekly slate. Upsets are sure to come and make the season even more exciting. Alabama and Clemson are good bets to make the playoffs but who else will do so? Ohio State, Oklahoma, and LSU are contenders but there could very well be a surprise team make it this year. Regardless, many are hoping for a rematch of last year’s national championship.
MY RANKINGS
I decided to change it up a bit this week. Below is a preview of my Top 25 Cornerstone rankings. These include players from the 2018, 2019, and 2020 classes. You can find my full set of devy rankings here.
Here are a couple of key takeaways:
1. Ten of the 25 players are from the projected 2020 class, including five of the top ten. This shows how highly I view the incoming class. There is a lot of hype surrounding it but I believe it will live up to it. Keep collecting any 2020 picks you can, not just firsts.
2. Josh Jacobs was my top prospect from the 2019 class in single-quarterback leagues. I currently have three 2020 prospects ahead of him and four more in the same tier. All but one are running backs.
3. One of my favorite exercises of these rankings is to see how potential draft picks compare to NFL players. For instance, I have four NFL players ranked ahead of my top devy player. Of course, Saquon Barkley is worth more than the top rookie pick next year, but I would be comfortable dealing any first-round pick for Nick Chubb, Kerryon Johnson, or DJ Moore at this point as well. These are the only four players from the 2018 and 2019 classes who fit in this category for me. This is useful when worrying about if the pick you give up ends up being early.
Top performers
Below are some of the top performers of the week. Of course, I could not list everyone who played well, but here are a few who stood out. You can find the full set of statistics from the week here.
JK Dobbins, RB Ohio State (193 yards rushing, 2 TDs, 2 rec, 14 yards, 1 TD)
Both JK Dobbins and Master Teague ran all over Indiana last Saturday. Dobbins displayed nice agility, power through contact, and his stiff arm in this one. Even after the departure of Dwayne Haskins, the addition of sophomore quarterback Justin Fields has kept the Buckeyes as one of the most explosive offenses in college football.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB Alabama (444 yards passing, 5 TDs)
Tagovailoa is one of the most consistent producers in college football. Regardless of his competition, you can almost always expect him to play well. His skill set is a perfect fit with his wide receiver group. They can beat you deep or they can throw a quick screen and use their speed to run by you. At this point, Tagovailoa seems like a near-lock to be a top-five NFL draft pick next April.
Jalen Hurts, QB Oklahoma (289 yards passing, 3 TDs, 150 yards rushing, 1 TD)
Jalen Hurts looks like one of the most improved players in college football. Head coach Lincoln Riley continues to put Hurts in situations in which he is likely to succeed and Hurts is making the most of them. He looks so comfortable both throwing and running. As a result of his strong play, he remains one of the top Heisman contenders three weeks into the season.
Chuba Hubbard, RB Oklahoma State (256 yards rushing, 3 TDs)
In the last twelve months, nobody has moved up my devy rankings quicker than Hubbard has. His blend of vision, elite speed, acceleration, and receiving ability makes him a tantalizing prospect. My only concern right now is the team is asking him to do so much. He has had over 25 carries in two of his first three games this year. While it is a good test to see if he can handle a full three-down workload I do not want to see him overworked before he heads to the NFL.
Tyler Johnson, WR Minnesota (10 rec, 140 yards, 3 TDs)
After a quiet first two weeks in which teammate Rashod Bateman received most of the spotlight, Johnson exploded in week three. He is one of my favorite route-runners in the projected 2020 class. He might not have as much upside as guys like Laviska Shenault but he is still one of the top receivers in the class.
MARQUEE MATCHUPS
Below are some of the games I will be sure to tune into for this upcoming week’s slate. You can check out the full week four schedule here.
#11 Michigan vs. #13 Wisconsin – 9/21 @ 12 PM EST on FOX
This classic Big-10 matchup features one of the top freshman running backs, Zach Charbonnet, and one of the top overall running backs, Jonathan Taylor. The team who wins in the trenches will likely win this game. I am picking Wisconsin.
#8 Auburn vs. #17 Texas A&M – 9/21 @ 3:30 PM EST on CBS
Bo Nix continues his freshman campaign against a tough SEC opponent in Texas A&M. Auburn running back JaTarvious Whitlow is coming off a big game last week and Texas A&M receiver Jhamon Ausbon seems to be a forgotten man in the devy community after being highly regarded last year. This game features a ton of talent.
Oklahoma State @ #12 Texas – 9/21 @ 7:30 PM EST on ABC
My favorite matchup of the week could be another Big-12 shootout. Chuba Hubbard is coming off a career-high 256 yards rushing and the three-headed monster of Hubbard, Spencer Sanders, and Tylan Wallace is one of the most explosive in the country.
With running back Jordan Whittington still nursing a sports hernia, Keontay Ingram figures to see a bulk of the carries once again for Texas. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger will try to beat Oklahoma State for the first time in his career.
#7 Notre Dame vs. #3 Georgia – 9/21 @ 8 PM EST on CBS
Although their rankings are close, the spread in this game is not. Notre Dame handled Louisville in its opener and dominated New Mexico last week but Georgia is a much tougher test. It is time to see what the Irish are made of.
Colorado @ #24 Arizona State – 9/21 @ 10 PM on PAC12
This Pac-12 matchup features two highly-regarded devy players in Laviska Shenault and Eno Benjamin. Both players have had slow starts to the season and will look to bounce back throughout the rest of the year.
- Devy Roundup: Week 14 - November 26, 2019
- Devy Roundup: Week 13 - November 20, 2019
- Devy Roundup: Week 12 - November 12, 2019
