Developing Assets: Week 12

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 – michigan state vs michigan (11:00 ct, ABC)

The Michigan State Spartans haven’t lived up to expectations as a team this season. However, they do have a couple of intriguing devy prospects on their roster who we’ll need to be paying attention to this weekend. Redshirt freshman running back Elijah Collins is probably the most intriguing of the bunch. At 6’0”, 220 pounds, he looks and plays like an NFL style runner. He’s rushed for 715 yards and five touchdowns on the season while adding ten receptions to his resume. He’ll be facing a Michigan defense that will be looking to shut him down early to keep him from getting into a rhythm.

Senior wide receiver Darrell Stewart Jr. started the season hot but has since cooled, having only caught 12 balls in his last three games combined. He’s a player who will most likely not be selected during your rookie drafts but could be considered as a taxi squad stash in deeper dynasty leagues.

On the Michigan side of the ball, this one starts with not one but two talented Wolverine runners. Zach Charbonnet, the true freshman runner, leads the backs in yards and touchdowns. He’s looked like the most talented running back from the 2019 class so far in their early careers. His devy stock has increased in his first season. Hassan Haskins is a lesser-known player but a talented one deserving of some devy love heading into the 2020 season. He has rushed for 426 yards and forced his way into a committee of sorts with Charbonnet. Anytime these two teams get together, anything could happen. We get a fun one early Saturday morning.

Other teams in early action include:

Alabama at Mississippi State (11:00 CT, ESPN) Prospect to Watch: RB, Kylin Hill

Wisconsin at Nebraska (11:00 CT, BTN) Prospect to Watch: RB, Wan’Dale Robinson

Indiana at Penn State (11:00 CT FSI) Prospect to Watch: RB, Noah Cain

MIDDAY MARQUEE – Georgia at auburn (2:30 CT, CBS)

The Georgia Bulldogs have found their way into the fourth slot of the college football playoff rankings and now get to take on a dangerous Auburn team at home. Georgia will be led by experienced quarterback Jake Fromm and dynamic running back D’Andre Swift. Fromm has been steady as ever, taking care of the ball and moving his offense down the field with efficiency not flash. He’s thrown for 1,858 yards 13 touchdowns compared to only three interceptions and still projects as a top quarterback selection should he declare for the NFL Draft.

There really aren’t enough superlatives to bestow upon Swift. He’s a stud and a surefire lock to be drafted high in your dynasty rookie drafts next spring. Take a look at what he did last week below; this play just gives you yet another glimpse at what makes this young man so special.

The Auburn Tigers are 7-2 and rank third in the SEC West, led by true freshman quarterback Bo Nix. Nix has come along this season as a passer but there are times where he still looks like an inexperienced athlete running around trying to make plays. The good thing is he is not devoid of talent surrounding him to take some pressure off of this arm.

Runnings backs JaTarvious Whitlow and DJ Williams are both very talented runners with devy appeal written all over them. Whitlow is the more experienced runner, but the true freshman Williams is powerful and explosive. Sophomore wideout Seth Williams is also rounding into shape and looking like the monster he was in 2018. Williams should be viewed as one of the top 2021-eligible receivers. He possesses freakish size and athleticism for the position with the production to match. While he doesn’t receive the same hype and fanfare as players like Rondale Moore, Ja’Marr Chase or Amon-Ra St. Brown, make no mistake Williams is an absolute stud.

Other teams in mid-day action include:

Texas at Iowa State (2:30 CT, FS1) Prospect to Watch: RB, Breece Hall

Memphis at Houston (2:30 CT, ESPN2) Prospect to Watch: WR, Marquez Stevenson

Minnesota at Iowa (3:00 CT, FOX) Prospect to Watch: WR, Rashod Bateman

PRIMETIME PLAY –OKLAHOMA AT BAYLOR (6:30 CT, ABC)

The night game should be an absolute BLAST! Whenever two of the most potent offenses in the Big-12 get together, college football fans should expect lots of scoring and minimal defense. Oklahoma’s Heisman-contending quarterback Jalen Hurts not only has been getting it done through the air, but he’s also leading the team in rushing with 869 yards, and there’s a good chance he goes over 1,000 yards in this game. His stock has skyrocketed this season from an afterthought to a potential day-one or at the latest day-two NFL pick.

Oklahoma will be without one of its top rushers, Trey Sermon who was lost for the season with a knee injury in the Iowa State game. Sermon may be the next Sooner running back to declare for the NFL draft as he saw his opportunities and production take a massive dip with Jalen Hurts in the fold. He very well may have ended his Sooners career with 385 yards and four touchdowns his 2019 season. Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb is ridiculous. That’s just about all you can say. Let the clip below do the talking for the All-American.

The undefeated Baylor Bears have some intriguing prospects on their end as well starting with one of the more underrated wide receivers in the nation Denzel Mims. He’s a 6’3”, 215-pound receiving specialist. His body control and run after the catch ability are very good. He’s a player who could see his dynasty stock rise into the top ten at the position when it’s all said and done.

Charlie Brewer, the junior signal-caller, is an intriguing prospect. On the season he’s thrown for 2,228 yards and 16 touchdowns. Baylor is known for its spread and shred system but that shouldn’t be viewed as a negative with today’s NFL conforming to a lot of the college ways and plays. Brewer has quietly put together a very impressive resume from his freshman season until now, and he could be a quarterback worth taking a late shot on in your dynasty rookie drafts should he declare but the more logical outcome is he returns for his senior season and really puts himself on the map for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Other teams with evening games include:

Air Force at Colorado State (6:00 CT, ESPN2) Prospect to Watch: WR, Warren Jackson

Arizona State at Oregon State (6:30 CT, ESPNU) Prospect to Watch: WR, Isaiah Hodgins

South Carolina at Texas A&M (6:30 CT, ESPN) Prospect to Watch: RB, Isaiah Spiller

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 Kevin Hanson of Sports Illustrated: