Week 7 of the college football season is great for both the fan and fantasy football scout inside me. For ordinary people, October means leaves are falling and pumpkin-spiced everything. For me, it means conference college football and a chance to evaluate players against players of equal value.
Week 7 has it all from rivalries (USC/Notre Dame, Georgia/South Carolina, Clemson/Florida State), to Top 25 matchups (Iowa/Penn State, Alabama/Texas A&M), to both (Oklahoma/Texas, Florida/LSU).
With Week 6 of the college football season in the books, it’s time for our weekly stock report and a preview of the best devy fantasy football matchups in Week 7.
Stock Up
Standout players that saw their devy stock increase from the previous week include:
Justin Jefferson – Outside of quarterback Joe Burrow, no one has benefited from LSU’s offensive resurrection more than wide receiver Justin Jefferson. The lanky pass-catcher from nearby St. Rose, Louisiana has over 500 receiving yards and a career-high seven touchdowns after only five games. Against Utah State, the junior wide receiver showed flashes of his ability with 9 receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
Although Jefferson was the beneficiary in LSU’s 42-6 victory over Utah State, the Tigers have a trio of pass-catchers that have a chance to make an impact on Sunday’s. Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall Jr. should also be fantasy football relevant soon.
Jett Duffey – With all eyes on Oklahoma State devy superstars Chuba Hubbard and Tylan Wallace, Texas Tech quarterback Jett Duffey looked like the best player on the field. That statement isn’t meant to slight or disrespect the great duo from Stillwater, Oklahoma. It’s said to emphasize just how good Duffey was on Saturday. The junior quarterback finished with 440 yards of total offense and five total touchdowns in the Red Raiders upset of the previously-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Although Duffey has a long way to go before he’s on the fantasy football radar, you definitely have to pay attention when a dual-threat quarterback does this. As most of you already know, dual-threat quarterbacks are a tremendous fantasy football asset with their floors raised by the rushing yards they accumulate.
Jonathan Taylor – Honestly, I could put Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor on this list every week. He’s that good. With over 200 total yards plus 5 total touchdowns in Wisconsin’s 48-0 victory over Kent State, it felt like the perfect week to include the running back whose stock rises every week.
Facing stacked boxes with all eyes on him, Taylor continues to dominate in Wisconsin’s run-first offense. With 4,916 career rushing yards, Taylor is currently the 31st all-time leading rusher in NCAA history. That number rises every week with Taylor carving up every defense he faces.
I haven’t even mentioned the fact that Taylor has become a legitimate receiving threat out of the backfield. After entering the season with 16 career receptions and zero receiving touchdowns, there were real concerns about Taylor’s three-down ability in the National Football League.
Taylor has shattered expectations and his career output with 12 receptions, 114 yards, and four receiving touchdowns so far this season. With Taylor showing real three-down ability, it’s officially a three-back race for RB1 in the 2020 NFL Draft. Taylor, Travis Etienne, and D’Andre Swift all can be fantasy football workhorses as early as next season.
Stock Down
Disappointing players that saw their devy stock decrease in the previous week:
Bo Nix – After a tremendous start to his true freshman season, Auburn quarterback Bo Nix came back down to reality in Week 6. Nix struggled in Auburn’s 24-13 defeat to Florida with three interceptions and a 41% completion percentage.
Entering Saturday’s contest with 5 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions, the Auburn quarterback was due for a regression. He found his match in the Gators’ swarming defense that picked off 3 passes, including this impressive one-handed catch by Florida’s Shawn Davis.
While one performance certainly won’t define Nix’s fantasy football future, it’s a bump in the road for the Auburn Tigers signal-caller. With upcoming games against current #5 LSU, #3 Georgia, and #1 Alabama, Nix will have plenty of opportunities to showcase his ability on a big stage.
Jordan Love – Alright, this one isn’t really fair to Utah State quarterback Jordan Love. There was an undeniable talent discrepancy in Utah’s State 42-6 loss to LSU, but you’d still like to see a better performance from a potential first-round quarterback.
Love completed 15 of 30 passes for 130 yards and three interceptions in a pretty underwhelming performance against the SEC powerhouse. With a 6/8 touchdown-to-interception ratio so far this season, Love is far removed from his 32/6 ratio from a season ago.
Even with Week 6’s performance in mind, I still consider Jordan Love a premier quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft. Love continually shows the ability to make every throw on the field, and I think he’s firmly in the same range as Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert. Both quarterbacks are probably a notch below Tua Tagovailoa, but they should be on fantasy football radars everywhere.
Nate Stanley – In one of the worst games I’ve ever sat through, Iowa and Michigan scored a combined 13 points. It was the ultimate Big Ten snoozefest with quarterback ineptitude bursting out the seams.
Enter Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley. The senior quarterback completed 23 of 42 passes for 260 yards, but he ended the game with three interceptions and eight sacks taken. Michigan’s defensive pressure bothered Stanley all game, and the Wolverines offense did just enough to secure the victory.
Stanley is a low-ceiling fantasy football prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft, but he gets a chance to change the narrative in Iowa’s home contest against #10 Penn State on Saturday.
Devy Matchups to watch in Week Seven
Oklahoma vs. Texas
Oklahoma: WR CeeDee Lamb (2020), RB Trey Sermon (2020), WR Charleston Rambo (2021), QB Jalen Hurts (2020), TE Grant Calcaterra (2020), RB Kennedy Brooks (2020), WR Jadon Haselwood (2022)
Texas: WR Collin Johnson (2020), RB Keaontay Ingram (2021), WR Brennan Eagles (2021), QB Sam Ehlinger (2020), RB Jordan Whittington (2022)
Alabama @ Texas A&M
Alabama: QB Tua Tagovailoa (2020), RB Najee Harris (2020), WR Jerry Jeudy (2020), WR Henry Ruggs III (2020), WR Jaylen Waddle (2021), WR Devonta Smith (2020)
Texas A&M: WR Jhamon Ausbon (2020), TE Baylor Cupp (2022), QB Kellen Mond (2020), WR Kendrick Rogers (2020)
Florida State @ Clemson
Florida State: RB Cam Akers (2020), WR Tamorrion Terry (2021),
Clemson: RB Travis Etienne (2020), QB Trevor Lawrence (2021), WR Justyn Ross (2021), WR Tee Higgins (2020), WR Joe Ngata (2022), WR Frank Ladson (2022), RB Lyn-J Dixon (2021)
Florida @ LSU
Florida: RB Lamical Perine (2020), RB Dameon Pierce (2021)
LSU: QB Joe Burrow (2020), RB John Emery (2022), WR Justin Jefferson (2020), WR Ja’Marr Chase (2021), WR Terrace Marshall Jr. (2021)
Jordan Woodson is a writer for Pro Football Network covering Fantasy Football. You can follow him @Jordan_Woodson on Twitter.