This article is part of our Start vs. Sit series.
We're already here. The end of the regular season for most teams. Bowl season is coming (I'm still a huge fan, even as it seems like many fans and players have less enthusiasm for them) and next week we have the conference championships. Before that, though, we have Week 13. It's a huge week for rivalries, and will hopefully be a big week for you in the world of fantasy. It's time for me to get into who you should be starting, and who should be glued to your bench.
AAC
START
Clayton Tune, QB, Houston at UConn
What a nice gift for the Cougars to end their regular season before a matchup with Cincinnati in the AAC title game. Tune was on a nice run where he had 14 passing touchdowns over five games with zero interceptions. In his last game, he threw two picks against Memphis, but he made up for that by rushing for 59 yards and a score to go with a passing touchdown. As for the Huskies, they've allowed 40.4 points per game. Enough said.
SIT
Holton Ahlers, QB, East Carolina vs. Cincinnati
Ehlers has six rushing touchdowns, although when he doesn't score he doesn't do a ton with his legs, as he's rushed for 234 yards on 108 carries. He was great last week against Navy (405 passing yards and three touchdowns), but this is a major step up in opponent. Cincinnati is not messing around as it tries to overcome the
We're already here. The end of the regular season for most teams. Bowl season is coming (I'm still a huge fan, even as it seems like many fans and players have less enthusiasm for them) and next week we have the conference championships. Before that, though, we have Week 13. It's a huge week for rivalries, and will hopefully be a big week for you in the world of fantasy. It's time for me to get into who you should be starting, and who should be glued to your bench.
AAC
START
Clayton Tune, QB, Houston at UConn
What a nice gift for the Cougars to end their regular season before a matchup with Cincinnati in the AAC title game. Tune was on a nice run where he had 14 passing touchdowns over five games with zero interceptions. In his last game, he threw two picks against Memphis, but he made up for that by rushing for 59 yards and a score to go with a passing touchdown. As for the Huskies, they've allowed 40.4 points per game. Enough said.
SIT
Holton Ahlers, QB, East Carolina vs. Cincinnati
Ehlers has six rushing touchdowns, although when he doesn't score he doesn't do a ton with his legs, as he's rushed for 234 yards on 108 carries. He was great last week against Navy (405 passing yards and three touchdowns), but this is a major step up in opponent. Cincinnati is not messing around as it tries to overcome the playoff committee's bias against Group of Five teams. The Bearcats defense, which is seventh in points allowed per game and second in passing yards allowed per game, should be geared up to stop Ehlers.
ACC
START
Charleston Rambo, WR, Miami at Duke
Rambo is really enjoying having Tyler Van Dyke under center. Over his last five games, he has 36 catches for 649 yards and three touchdowns. Duke just allowed Malik Cunningham to put up over 500 total yards by himself. Now Rambo gets his turn to face a team that ranks 128th in passing yards allowed per game.
SIT
Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Georgia Tech vs. Georgia
Pity the team whose in-state rival happens to be the best team in the country, especially on defense. Gibbs really impressed this season both on the ground and through the air. That just won't matter this week. There is so much I could say about that Dawgs D, but could I just say that somehow they've still only allowed 7.6 points per game? Last week Gibbs was an afterthought in a blowout loss to Notre Dame. This could be a repeat of that.
Big 12
START
Deuce Vaughn, RB, Kansas State at Texas
It feels like the Longhorns have packed it in. Where do you go after you lose to Kansas? Whether or not you believe in my armchair psychology, Texas has also allowed 200.5 rushing yards per game. Vaughn has doubled up on his freshman numbers, as he has 1,103 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns, not to mention three receiving scores as well.
SIT
Kennedy Brooks, RB, Oklahoma at Oklahoma State
Brooks has 10 rushing touchdowns and is a mere 32 yards from a 1,000-yard season. He'll probably get there, but I don't think it will be by much. The Cowboys have a tenacious defense, are hosting a rival with a shot at the Big 12 title game, and have only allowed 80.7 rushing yards per contest.
Big Ten
START
Bo Melton, WR, Rutgers at Maryland
The Terps have been generous to their Big Ten brethren this season. Only Illinois has scored fewer than 31 points against them in conference play. Maryland has also allowed 285.4 passing yards per contest. Melton has 51 catches for 570 yards, but he's been targeted 88 times this season, including double-digit targets against four of his last five opponents. That could pay off more than usual against this defense.
SIT
Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State at Michigan
Living in Michigan and being surrounded by Wolverines fans, I have been effectively conditioned to believe the Wolverines will be trounced by the Buckeyes every year. That being said, Michigan has only given up 16.3 points and 178.4 passing yards per game, both top 10 in the FBS. Wilson is sharing targets with two other big-time receivers. This game is in the Big House. Don't just assume history is going to repeat itself.
Conference USA
START
Ali Jennings, WR, Old Dominion vs. Charlotte
Since Hayden Wolff took over at quarterback the Monarchs have been a different team. Jennings has 31 catches for 529 yards in his last five games. The issue is that he hasn't scored a touchdown in that time. Touchdown production can be haphazard, though, and Charlotte has allowed 34.2 points per game. The 49ers also rank 114th in passing yards allowed per contest as well.
SIT
Ronald Awatt, RB, UTEP at UAB
The Miners have surprisingly won seven games this season, and Awatt was key to that. He rushed for 791 yards and five touchdowns even though he had a couple games where he got banged up and lost out on touches. He's averaged 5.7 yards per carry. On the other hand, the Blazers have allowed only 109.4 rushing yards per game, and that's with the fact they have to visit Georgia early this season.
MAC
START
Hassan Beydoun, WR, Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan
It's always a battle when Directional Michigan schools square off. Beydoun may only have four receiving touchdowns, but he's racked up 78 catches for 860 yards. The bulk of that (73 catches for 795 yards) have come over his last nine games, as he forgivably struggled against Wisconsin. Central Michigan is no Wisconsin, as it has allowed 291.9 passing yards per contest.
SIT
Konata Mumpfield, WR, Akron at Toledo
The Zips are bad, but Mumpfield has been a bright spot as a freshman. He's tallied 61 catches for 723 yards and eight touchdowns. Having said that, he has been held without a score in four of his last five games. This is a bad conference for defenses, but Toledo has the closest to a good defense among these squads. They rank 38th in points allowed per game (best in the MAC) and have allowed 199.8 passing yards per contest.
Mountain West
START
Isaiah Neyor, WR, Wyoming vs. Hawaii
The Mountain West is kind of the opposite of the MAC, as the defenses are largely stout. Then, there's Hawaii. It has allowed 289.1 passing yards per game, and it's always a different situation when the Rainbow Warriors are on the road instead of hosting a team that's traveled across an ocean. Neyor has been on fire, as he has 368 yards and six touchdowns over his last four games.
SIT
Nick Mardner, WR, Hawaii at Wyoming
I'm flipping this matchup around, because the Cowboys rank third in passing yards allowed per game. Mardner has emerged as Hawaii's top receiver with 885 yards, but that's through 12 games. Remember, Hawaii gets to play 13 games a season due to all that travel.
Pac-12
START
Tavion Thomas, RB, Utah vs. Colorado
Utah is red hot and possibly headed to a Pac-12 title. Thomas has been a big part of that. Once an afterthought in Cincinnati, with the Utes he's rushed for a whopping 17 touchdowns. Since Utah decided to make him the lead back he has 122 carries for 702 yards and 15 touchdowns in only six games. If that wasn't enough, the Buffaloes have given up 185.8 rushing yards per contest.
SIT
Jayden de Laura, QB, Washington State at Washington
This is an interesting Apple Cup, even though these teams aren't exactly good and both have lost a head coach this season. Wazzu doesn't throw the ball as much as it used to, but de Laura has 23 touchdowns against nine picks, including four touchdown passes in his last game. However, the Huskies are tops in the FBS in passing yards allowed per contest. Yes, they've allowed a mere 137.0 passing yards on average. That's probably partially because they are easy to run on, but you don't put up numbers like that without talent and ability.
SEC
START
Cedric Tillman, WR, Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt
Luckily for the Volunteers, the closest thing they have to an in-state rival is the Commodores of Vanderbilt. Vandy has allowed 36.2 points and 287.5 passing yards per game. Tillman has a touchdown in his last five games, and in six of his last seven outings. I expect that streak to continue in this one.
SIT
Tank Bigsby, RB, Auburn vs. Alabama
With Bo Nix out, the Crimson Tide can focus on stopping Bigsby and make Auburn's backup T.J. Finley beat them. Granted, Bigsby ran for 164 yards and a touchdown without Nix last week, but that was against South Carolina. The Tide rank fifth in rushing yards allowed per game.
Sun Belt
START
Jahmyl Jeter, RB, Texas State at Arkansas State
It's one last chance to use a running back against the Arkansas State defense. The Red Wolves have allowed a whopping 288.9 rushing yards per contest, last in the FBS by a wide margin. Jeter's touches have been hit-or-miss, but they've picked up the last three weeks, and he has a touchdown in each of his last three games.
SIT
Logan Wright, RB, Georgia Southern at Appalachian State
Wright has 766 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns this season. However, 391 of those yards came against Gardner-Webb and Arkansas State. Appalachian State won't be as easy a matchup. The Mountaineers have only allowed 120.6 passing yards per contest.
