College Fantasy Football Start vs. Sit: Players to Start, Players to Bench for Week 3

So…is the SEC going to get six teams in the playoff? With Michigan and Notre Dame suffering rough losses in Week 2, and Florida State out of the equation already, I do wonder. We are still in the meat of non-conference scheduling here in Week 3. Some FCS teams are still popping into the mix. With two-ish weeks of information at my disposal (Week 0 gave us one big upset and a needless complication to discussing the season), here are my players to start and to sit for college football's Week 3.

AAC Starts and Sits

START

Chandler Morris, QB, North Texas   at Texas Tech

Eric Morris (no relation to Chandler) played under Mike Leach. He was an offensive coordinator at Texas Tech and Washington State and was the head coach at Incarnate Word when he helped make Cam Ward happen. Basically, he is a true-blue Leach acolyte, and now he is letting TCU transfer Chandler Morris tear it up. Now, Morris did have three picks in Week 2, but he's thrown the ball 85 times already and has racked up 737 yards and seven touchdowns through the air while adding two more scores on the ground. Texas Tech just allowed 37 points to Wazzu, and before that 51 to Abilene Christian. The Red Raiders seem to be lacking a defense in 2024.

SIT

Devin McCuin, WR, UTSA at Texas

McQuin had six catches on nine targets in Week 2 against Texas State…but for only 29 yards. He did have 11 catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns in the opener, though. A trip to Austin against one of the best teams in college football won't help McCuin right the ship. There's a chance he's better than any receiver Michigan has, but the Longhorns shut down Michigan in Ann Arbor and can certainly handle the Roadrunners.

ACC Starts and Sits

START

Jordan Moore, WR, Duke vs. UConn

This would be a great basketball matchup, but on the football field is a bit less remarkable. Moore stands out, though. He's being absolutely fed in the passing game, having tallied 18 catches for 233 yards. Two games, two 100-yard outings, not too shabby. Connecticut did handle Merrimack, but in its opener it gave up 50 points and 629 yards to Maryland.

SIT

Kye Robichaux, RB, Boston College at Missouri

Robichaux didn't play much against Duquesne because his services were not needed, but he ran for 85 yards and a touchdown against Florida State and added a receiving score. He was good last year after transferring from Western Kentucky, but we shall see how new head coach Bill O'Brien feels about him. All that said, Missouri has allowed literally zero points this season. The next touchdown the Tigers allow will be the first. I definitely think Robichaux will be facing a major test, one I don't think he will pass with flying colors.

Big Ten Starts and Sits

START

Zakhari Franklin, WR, Illinois vs. Central Michigan

Franklin was a star at UTSA, having over 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns in 2021 and 2022. Then he transferred to Ole Miss, where he vanished. Now, Franklin is at Illinois. He didn't do much in the opener, but Franklin had nine catches for 99 yards against Kansas in Week 2. Central Michigan is coming off a surprising loss. The Chippewas gave up 52 points to Florida International, which is consistently one of the worst FBS teams.

SIT

Chez Mellusi, RB, Wisconsin vs. Alabama

Not every program can get the Tide to come to play a road game. Way to go, Wisconsin! Of course, that doesn't bode well for Mellusi. While he's had at least 60 yards and a touchdown in both of his games, he's also been plodding, as he has averaged 3.8 yards per carry. Byrum Brown did run for over 100 yards against Alabama, but he's a quarterback, and it took him 23 carries.

Big 12 Starts and Sits

START

Micah Bernard, RB, Utah at Utah State

You're never going to believe this, but Cam Rising is hurt. Fortunately, this is a game where the Utes can just hand the ball off and cruise to a likely victory. Bernard has averaged 6.3 yards per carry, and last time Utah State took the field USC ran for 253 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 7.2 yards per carry.

SIT

Corey Kiner, RB, Cincinnati at Miami (OH)

Kiner has rushed for 200 yards through two games but hasn't found the end zone yet. This may not be a fluke. Last season, he notched over 1,000 yards but only had five touchdowns. Miami may be a MAC team, but under Chuck Martin, it is often stout defensively. Last year, the RedHawks held opponents to 128.8 rushing yards per game, and in their opener, only quarterback Mike Wright did much on the ground for Northwestern.

Conference USA Starts and Sits

START

Treon Sibley, WR, Liberty vs. UTEP

Last season, CJ Daniels was the one receiver to pop for the Flames. Well, now he's at LSU, and it feels like Sibley has basically just stepped into the same role in Jamey Caldwell's offense. He has 10 catches for 264 yards and a touchdown. Southern Utah ran efficiently on UTEP last week, and Liberty likes to run the ball a lot, but Nebraska dropped 40 on UTEP built upon the passing game. Frankly, against the Miners, there should be enough opportunity to go around for both Liberty's run game and pass game.

SIT

Keyone Jenkins, QB, FIU at FAU After FIU christened Pitbull Stadium with a rout of Central Michigan, you might be intrigued by this offense. Jenkins had two passing touchdowns and a rushing score against the Chippewas. While it seems Jenkins has made strides in his sophomore season, as a true freshman starter, he was a mess. He threw 11 picks against 11 touchdowns and fumbled the ball a whopping nine times. The Owls held Michigan State to 16 points and Army needed some trickeration to get to 24 points. They might have themselves a pretty good defense!

MAC Starts and Sits

START

Anthony Tyus, RB, Ohio vs. Morgan State

Tyus transferred in from Northwestern and made a splash right out of the gate. He ran for 203 yards and two touchdowns against Syracuse. In his follow-up, Tyus ran for 74 yards and scored against South Alabama, but that was sufficient against a Sun Belt squad. As a kid, I would play as Morgan State in EA Sports college football game because it was fun to build up a low-level program and because of the name. However, this is not a particularly imposing FCS opponent, and it just lost to Towson.

SIT

Kadin Semonza, QB, Ball State at Miami (FL)

Ball State's trust in redshirt freshman Semonza paid off in the opener. He completed 71.8 percent of his passes and threw four touchdowns while adding a score on the ground. However, he tossed a pick and fumbled once, though the Cardinals did not lose it. Also, he was playing against Missouri State. Facing the Hurricanes won't be Semonza's biggest challenge. Last season, before redshirting, he played at Georgia. He threw three picks in that game.

Mountain West Starts and Sits

START

Nick Nash, WR, San Jose State vs. Kennesaw State

Nash had 728 yards and eight touchdowns last season with the Spartans. Now, since Ken Niumatalolo is the head coach at San Jose State this year, you might assume this is a run-heavy team befitting the former Navy coach. Ah, but he hired Craig Stutzmann, a June Jones acolyte, as his offensive coordinator. Nash has been targeted 25 times through two games and has 17 catches for 260 yards and three scores. Kennesaw State is new to FBS football and has allowed 31.0 points per game.

SIT

Marquez Cooper, RB, San Diego State at Cal

Cooper is reunited with his former head coach at Kent State, Sean Lewis. He's run for over 1,000 yards each of the last three seasons, but all in the MAC. Cooper has rushed for 276 yards and two touchdowns with the Aztecs. But 223 of those yards and both scores came against Texas A&M-Commerce. Oregon State kept him in check, and Cal just held Auburn to 14 points on the road.

SEC Starts and Sits

START

Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt at Georgia State

So, I guess I'm a Diego Pavia fan? Last year at NMSU under Jerry Kill, he threw for almost 3,000 yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. On top of that, he ran for 925 yards and seven scores. In Vandy's upset of Virginia Tech in his first start as an SEC quarterback, Pavia completed 75 percent of his passes and threw two touchdowns while adding 104 yards and a score on the ground. He took it easy on Alcorn State but completed 76.9 percent of his passes and ran for 51 yards and a touchdown. Pavia's profile is similar to Haynes King's, who threw for 275 yards and totaled three touchdowns against this Georgia State team.

SIT

Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU at South Carolina

When do you recommend sitting a quarterback the week after they throw six touchdowns? When those six touchdowns came against Nicholls. Against USC, Nussmeier did throw for 304 yards, but with two touchdowns and an interception. That was also a neutral-site game, so this is Nussmeier's first road outing. The Gamecocks held Kentucky to 44 yards passing, and while they had some issues against Old Dominion, that was offensive. South Carolina actually forced four turnovers from the Monarch's starting quarterback.

Sun Belt Starts and Sits

START

Braydon Bennett, RB, Coastal Carolina at Temple

Bennett left Coastal Carolina's last game with an injury, but head coach Tim Beck said it was precautionary, what with the opponent being William & Mary. He's tallied three TDs and averaged 6.1 yards per carry in limited action and should be good to go against Temple. It's not a fantasy-related stat, but the Owls rank last in SP+, and you don't get there by being imposing defensively.

SIT

Zak Wallace, RB, Arkansas State at Michigan

I definitely don't think the Wolverines are above taking out their frustrations for the Texas loss against a lesser opponent. That doesn't bode well for Wallace. He's seemingly emerged as the lead back for Arkansas State, but the former Tennessee-Martin standout has averaged 4.4 yards per carry as an FBS back. Michigan's questions are all on offense, and this defense will be ready to stymie a Sun Belt back.