Developing Assets: Week Ten

Ray Garvin

Dynasty is a game of chess, not checkers. Whether you are tracking players for your devy leagues or are looking ahead to the 2020 class in a more traditional dynasty format, the goal is still the same. As an owner, you want to put your team in the best position for short and long-term success. Following the weekly world of college football can pay dividends for fantasy players who follow this advice.

Each week this season, I’ll focus on a trio of games throughout the day, along with some key future pros you might want to focus on as you watch.

For the prospects to watch section I will be excluding the players who are currently ranked inside DLF’s top-five devy positional rankings.

WAKE UP AND WATCH: NC STATE at wake forest (11:00 ct, espn)

Quiet as it’s kept, one of the best wide receivers in the nation plays for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Sage Surratt is having a fantastic season. He currently has 53 receptions for 881 yards and nine touchdowns, while averaging 16.6 yards per reception. He is a big physical receiver who can play above the rim and make things happen after the catch. He’s 6’3, 215 pounds and looks the part of a prototypical NFL playmaker. Surratt is a redshirt sophomore making him eligible for the 2020 NFL Draft, and his decision will definitely impact both the 2020 and 2021 wide receiver classes.

This game isn’t the most attractive on the slate, but watching Surratt play is well worth your time on Saturday morning.

Other teams in early action include:

Michigan at Maryland (11:00 CT, ABC) Prospect to Watch: RB, Hassan Haskins

Nebraska at Purdue (11:00 CT, FOX) Prospect to Watch: WR, David Bell

Liberty at UMass (11:00 CT) Prospect to Watch: WR, Antonio Gandy-Golden

MIDDAY MARQUEE: GEORGIA vs florida (2:30 CT, CBS)

Any time college football fans get the opportunity to watch D’Andre Swift play, they should take it! He is the most complete and dynamic running back in college football. While he does not currently have the same statistical output as players like Chuba Hubbard, Jonathan Taylor or JK Dobbins, make no mistake about it, his skill-set will be immediately transferrable at the next level.

WR George Pickens looks like a future star for the Bulldogs. It’s hard not to watch him with his frame and incredible catches and think about former Georgia great, AJ Green.

Florida’s Kyle Pitts is one of the most athletic tight ends in the nation. The 6’6” mismatch nightmare currently leads the team in receiving yards, receptions and is tied for the team lead in touchdowns He’s not eligible for the NFL draft until 2021, but he’s someone you should be targeting in your devy start-up drafts next season.

Other teams in mid-day action include:

TCU at Oklahoma State (2:30 CT, ESPN) Prospect to Watch: WR, Jalen Reagor

Miami at Florida State (2:30 CT, ABC) Prospect to Watch: TE, Brevin Jordan

Utah at Washington (3:00 CT, FOX) Prospect to Watch: QB, Jacob Eason

PRIMETIME PLAY: SMU AT MEMPHIS (6:30 CT, ABC)

This game has a 71.5 point over/under which means there will be lots and lots of scoring. SMU is led by Shane Buechele who transferred in from the University of Texas. He has two dynamic receivers to target in the passing game. Reggie Roberson Jr James Proche are both outstanding prospects who are eligible for the 2020 NFL Draft. Roberson is the big-play threat for the mustangs with Proche being the chain mover in the offense. Xavier Jones is also an underrated rusher with 884 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season.

The Memphis Tigers are led by do-it-all RB Kenneth Gainwell. The redshirt freshman is one of the nation’s leading rushers with 979 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also has been dynamic in the receiving game; he’s second on the team in receptions with 34 and second on the team in receiving yards with 440. Gainwell has already established himself as one of the top 2021-eligible running backs in dynasty.

Other teams with evening games include:

Oregon at USC (7:00 CT, FOX) Prospect to Watch: RB, Kenan Christon

Ole Miss at Auburn (6:30 CT, ESPN) Prospect to Watch: RB, DJ Williams

Vanderbilt at South Carolina (6:30 CT, SEC) Prospect to Watch: RB, Ke’Shawn Vaughn

2020 NFL MOCK DRAFT

As the NFL Draft has grown in popularity, that means it has become a year-round business and we no longer have to wait until the end of the football season to see where the top players project to land. Multiple sites and writers are nor regularly producing mock draft months out from the actual event and I’ll now be including those in these weekly updates.

Here’s the latest projection from Dan Kadar SBnation.com