CFB Fantasy -- Waiver Wire Report

It’s easy to hit the panic button after week one. Sure, some of the top players didn’t have a great week and some of the sleepers for the season didn’t pan out. However, there is three months of games to be played. If your roster didn’t get the win in week one, you have time to regroup. In the coming weeks, we will cover players to drop in this report, but with a long ways to go in the season, players to grab off the waiver wire is the order of business for this week.

QB C.J. Bacher, Northwestern
The Wildcat offense took a while to get going against Syracuse, but look Bacher should continue to improve in upcoming weeks. Bacher should shine against Duke, Southern Illinois and Ohio – his next three opponents – and is worth a look as a top 25 quarterback for those match-ups.

QB Daryll Clark, Penn State
Don’t expect huge numbers from Clark, but if you are in need of a spot starter in the next few weeks, he’s not a bad option. Match-ups against Oregon State, Syracuse and Temple are favorable.

QB Omar Clayton, UNLV
We’ve been high on Clayton since he had success in a limited role last year and he posted a solid debut in week one. Against Utah State, Clayton tossed three touchdowns and 192 yards. The Rebels have Utah and Arizona State up next, making Clayton a shaky pick, but he’s worth a look in future weeks.

QB Austin Davis, Southern Mississippi
There’s no question the Golden Eagle offense will continue to get better under new coach Larry Fedora. In the opener against UL Lafayette, Davis passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more. Next week’s match-up against Auburn isn’t favorable, but look for him to put up solid numbers against Conference USA foes.

QB Robert Griffin, Baylor
This true freshman is raw, but isn’t short on talent. With a match-up against Northwestern State up next, Griffin could be a sleeper to put up huge numbers in week two.

QB Dustin Grutza, Cincinnati
The Bearcat offense had no trouble eating up Eastern Kentucky in week one, but things could get a little tougher against Oklahoma. Grutza won’t put up huge numbers against the Sooners, but Akron, Marshall and Miami, Ohio are favorable.

QB Brian Johnson, Utah
This senior quarterback carved the Wolverine defense for 305 passing yards and a touchdown, and showed why he’s among our top 30 fantasy quarterbacks this year. If he stays healthy, Johnson should add another 400 yards and a couple of touchdowns on the ground.

QB Bo Levi Mitchell, SMU
Although Mitchell was likely snagged off the waiver wire in most leagues after he was named the starter, he’s still worth a mention here. Even with a few mistakes made, coach June Jones stuck with Mitchell and he should only get better with more snaps.

QB Kellen Moore, Boise State
This redshirt freshman won the job late in fall camp and hasn’t looked back. Against Idaho State, he threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns. The Broncos have plenty of receivers and Moore should be a solid week-to-week option once WAC play hits.

QB Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech
It’s only one game, but the Yellow Jacket offense looked really sharp against Jacksonville State. Nesbitt likely won’t have tremendous success against Boston College, but if you are in need of a third quarterback, grab him for your roster.

QB Chris Nickson, Vanderbilt
One year after struggling with inconsistency and injuries, Nickson showed why he entered last year with a world of promise. Against Miami, Ohio, he rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns while adding another through the air. Keep an eye on Nickson in spot starts, especially against Rice and Mississippi.

QB Kevin Riley, California
After seeing Nate Longshore throw two interceptions on five pass attempts, I think it’s pretty clear Riley is the starter. Look for this sophomore to show solid improvement throughout the year and should be work a look in spot starts.

QB Riley Skinner, Wake Forest
With Skinner leading the way, the Demon Deacons have a shot to win their second ACC title under coach Jim Grobe. In the season opener against Baylor, Skinner passed for 220 yards and three touchdowns. The Demon Deacon offense isn’t built to be high-powered, but we can expect consistent performances from Skinner and he makes a solid pickup for week two fantasy action against Mississippi.

QB Jevan Snead, Mississippi
Considering Saturday’s game against Memphis was Snead’s first start, his performance was even more impressive. The sophomore threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 37 yards pass from running back Brandon Bolden. Expect Snead to only get better with more snaps.

QB Juice Williams, Illinois
The Fighting Illini was playing from behind against Missouri, but Williams has shown progress in the passing game. The junior completed 26 of 42 passes for 451 yards and added five touchdowns through the air. Without Rashard Mendenhall leading the way on the ground, Williams should continue to step it up in the passing game.

RB Duane Bennett, Minnesota
We’ve seen what the Gophers are capable of on the ground in previous seasons – Laurence Maroney or Marion Barber just to name a few – and Bennett continues to show signs he is the next back to emerge. Against Northern Illinois, he collected 92 yards and two touchdowns. With match-ups against Bowling Green, Montana State and Florida Atlantic up next, Bennett could have a couple of 100-yard efforts by the time October is here.

RB Donald Brown, Connecticut
After his four touchdown performance against Hofstra, Brown is easily one of the hottest week one pickups. Backfield mate Andre Dixon missed the opener with an ankle injury, and his return could cut into Brown’s workload for upcoming weeks. However, Brown should get the goal-line touches.

RB Zach Brown, Wisconsin
If you have P.J. Hill, make sure you grab his talented backup. On 15 carries against Akron, he racked up 87 yards and a touchdown. He’s not a must start with Hill the starter, but as we saw at the end of last year, he’s only getting better with more touches.

RB Toby Gerhart, Stanford
Gerhart was a highly recruited player and showed flashes of his potential in 2006 and 2007. However, his performance against Oregon State – 140 yards and one touchdown – could be the sign of big things to come.

RB Shonn Greene, Iowa
Greene’s return performance in a Hawkeye lineup was a successful one. After spending 2007 at a junior college getting his grades in order, he rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown against Maine. The Hawkeye offense has struggled with stability at quarterback, so expect to see a lot of Greene this season.

RB Nic Grigsby, Arizona
The Wildcats leaned on the running game a little more in week one, mostly thanks to the rainy weather in Tucson. Grigsby has a chance repeat his 169 yards and two touchdowns from the opener in week two against Toledo, but he’ll likely see a few more catches and receiving yardage this week.

RB Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State
Although Beau Johnson and Keith Toston will see time, it looks like Hunter is the go-to guy in the Cowboy offense.  

RB Mark Ingram, Alabama
Glen Coffee got the start against Clemson, but Ingram showed why he was one of the biggest recruits for the Crimson Tide. On 17 carries, he rushed for 96 yards and was a key cog in the upset win over Clemson. Coffee, Terry Grant and Ingram will likely continue to share carries, but the upside is clearly with this freshman.

RB Alexander Robinson, Iowa State
Robinson was a back we liked a lot in the preseason and Thursday’s performance against South Dakota State showed why. On 15 attempts, he rushed for 74 yards and caught a pass for a yard. With a couple of other backs getting carries, don’t expect Robinson to see 30-plus touches each week, but we like him to steadily increase his role as the season progresses.

RB Charles Scott, LSU
The Tiger offensive line easily overmatched the Appalachian State defensive front and Scott rushed his way for 160 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Considering Keiland Williams had six carries, it’s clear Scott has passed him on the depth chart. Fantasy owners should expect Scott to have plenty of carries in the coming weeks, especially since the Tigers will continue to lean on the run with inexperienced quarterbacks.

RB Da’Rel Scott, Maryland
Rushing for 197 yards will certainly open some eyes and Scott certainly jumped into an immediate acquisition for week two. The Terrapins have a favorable match-up against MTSU and Scott will likely rank among the top 35 in our running back rankings.

RB Derrick Washington, Missouri
We ranked Washington in our top 100 of fantasy running backs and his performance against Illinois showed why. On 19 carries, the sophomore back added 130 yards and two touchdowns. Look for Washington to become more active in the Tiger passing game as the season progresses, and he should threaten the 1,000-yard mark on the ground by the end of the year.

RB Shun White, Navy
It was no surprise White had a huge performance against Towson, but I don’t think anyone expected 348 yards. Entering the 2008 season, White was averaging a school record 9.4 yards per carry. The Midshipmen will likely spread the carries around a little more once quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku Enhada is back on the field, after missing the opener due to a hamstring injury. Don’t expect 348 yards again, but White is a nice option to grab for your bench.

WR Doug Beaumont, Louisville
One of the biggest problems for the Louisville offense in game one was the targets around quarterback Hunter Cantwell. Beaumont ended the day with nine receptions for 76 yards, but keep an eye once Trent Guy and Scott Long are 100 percent. Beaumont’s place in the receiving corps may slip a tad when they return. 

WR L.J. Castile, Houston
We fully expected the Cougars to emerge as one of the top fantasy offenses this year, but the receiving corps was filled with large unknowns. Take a gamble on Castile being Case Keenum’s top target.

WR Mark Dell, Michigan State
Dell was one of our sleepers going into this season and he didn’t disappoint with a nine catch, 202 yard and one touchdown performance against California. Spartans quarterback Brian Hoyer is solid every week and Dell should continue to post good numbers each week.  

WR D’Andre Goodwin, Washington
Goodwin was another one of our sleepers going into this year and posted a solid week one stat line. The sophomore caught eight passes for 67 yards against Oregon and appears to be Jake Locker’s top target. Locker and his young weapons will continue to improve, which makes Goodwin an attractive pickup.  

WR Kyle Halderman, Air Force
With Ty Paffett out indefinitely, Halderman is the new WR-Z for the Falcons. Remember what Chad Hall did last year?

WR Dexter McCluster, Mississippi
The Wild Rebel was in full effect against Memphis and it’s clear McCluster will be a big part of this offense in 2008. He’s a nice option to have for a flex spot, especially since he will get rushing, receiving and possibly passing yards each week.

WR Andrew Means, Indiana
Keep an eye on Ray Fisher and Means. Somebody’s going to catch passes from Kellen Lewis and these two look like the top candidates.

WR Shane Morales, Oregon State
Morales’ 13 receptions in the season opener immediately put him on the radar for a pickup. Will the Beavers continue to throw the ball that much in upcoming games? Probably not.

WR Aldrick Robinson, SMU
It would be surprising if Robinson went undrafted in most leagues, but if he is on the waiver wire, be sure to scoop him up.

WR Jock Sanders, West Virginia
Do not adjust your television, that was Pat White throwing the ball all over the field against Villanova. Look for more passing under new offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen and Sanders looks like one of White’s top targets in 2008.

WR Tommy Saunders, Missouri
While Danario Alexander is out, Saunders looks like he could be the second option for Chase Daniel.

WR Sammie Stroughter, Oregon State
Welcome back Sammie! After missing most of last year, Stroughter pronounced his return with a 12 catch performance against Stanford. We’d rate Stroughter a better pickup over teammate Shane Morales.

WR Brandon Tate, North Carolina
Teammate Hakeem Nicks is the best fantasy receiver prospect on this team, but Tate raised some eyebrows with his opening performance against McNeese State. Tate rolled up 397 total yards and two touchdowns and should continue to see touches on special teams, rushing and through the air.

WR Damian Williams, USC
There are a lot of options in the Trojan receiving corps, but Williams had a huge afternoon against Virginia. Take a gamble on Williams and he could be the top Trojan receiver at the end of the year.

TE Mark Hafner, Houston
A tight end that is essentially a wide receiver. Scoop him up if he’s still available on your waiver wire.

TE Jamar Hunt, UTEP
The Miners desperately need a second target to emerge for quarterback Trevor Vittatoe. After catching six passes for 86 yards against Buffalo, Hunt may be that player.

TE Blaine Irby, Texas
Going into the season opener, Irby had two career catches. However, the sophomore posted seven receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown against Florida Atlantic. Quarterback Colt McCoy doesn’t have a go-to guy, is Irby the one?

TE Kavario Middleton, Washington
Quarterback Jake Locker has a lot of young weapons and Middleton showed promise in game one with a four catch performance. Tight end depth is solid this year, but Middleton is one with a lot of upside.

TE Cameron Morrah, California
With a bevy of players lost in the receiving corps, somebody was going to catch passes from the quarterbacks and Morrah looks like he’ll be one of the top options.

TE Nick Walker, Alabama
Crimson Tide quarterback John Parker Wilson wasn’t great, but steady in his performance against Clemson. Walker was one of his favorite targets, catching seven passes for 67 yards and a touchdown. With match-ups against Tulane and Western Kentucky in the next two weeks, Walker could be a nice sleeper pickup.

TE D.J. Williams, Arkansas
The Razorbacks showed improvement in the passing game against Western Illinois, with Williams grabbing five catches for 45 yards. He’s worth the gamble, but let’s see how the Razorbacks do once they step up in competition.    

TE Ben Wooster, Wake Forest
Wooster was a player we liked a lot in the preseason and his performance against Baylor reaffirmed those thoughts. He grabbed six passes for 90 yards and a touchdown and should continue to be Riley Skinner’s safety valve.

K Donnie Carona, Texas Tech
After a close battle with Cory Fowler, Carona got the start in the opener against Eastern Washington. Although he’s young and made a few mistakes, Carona is worth the gamble as the kicker for one of the highest scoring offenses in the country.

Worth Monitoring

QB Hawaii – Brent Alexander, Greg Rausch and Inoke Funaki all saw playing time against Florida and all could see the field against Weber State.

QB Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois – The Huskies made a brilliant offseason hire in Jerry Kill at head coach and his offense looked sharp against Minnesota. In Harnish’s first start, he threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns and should only get better with more snaps.

QB Jacory Harris, Miami – Harris certainly needs to put on a few pounds, but his dual-threat ability certainly dazzled against Charleston Southern. Keep him in mind for keeper leagues.

QB Ryan Lindley, San Diego State – The good? Lindley’s 352 yards and three touchdowns. The bad? Losing to Cal Poly.

QB Jeremiah Masoli, Oregon – This junior college transfer was impressive in limited action against Washington. If Justin Roper struggles at any point, Masoli deserves an extended look.

QB Lyle Moevao, Oregon State – Will Moevao throw for 404 yards again? Probably not. However, keep him on your radar as he’s progressed well since last season.

QB Kyle Reed, San Jose State – This former California quarterback looked sharp in his debut for the Spartans. Although he came off the bench, Reed rallied his team to victory against UC Davis with two touchdown passes. His dual-threat ability is intriguing, but take a wait and see approach with his fantasy value.

QB Theo Scott, Ohio – Against Wyoming, Scott passed for 224 yards and one touchdown. Although not overwhelming numbers, it was certainly a noteworthy start for the Bobcat offense. See how he progresses in MAC play before considering him for an add.

RB DuJuan Harris, Troy – After rushing for 148 yards against MTSU, Harris definitely deserves a look. However, the Trojans have upcoming match-ups against LSU, Ohio State and Oklahoma State. Not exactly match-ups friendly to fantasy success.

RB Terrell Jackson, UTEP – The Miners had a week one disappointment against Buffalo, but they should rebound once Conference USA play hits. Jackson notched 67 yards and a touchdown in the opener, but has a lot of potential for upcoming contests. 

RB Javarris James, Miami – James clearly had the edge in carries over Graig Cooper in the season opener – 12 to 4 – but will that continue in upcoming contests? If James emerges as the go-to guy, keep him on your radar.

RB MiQuale Lewis, Ball State – Injuries ended Lewis’ 2007 season a little early, but he looked healthy in the opener, rushing for 95 yards and a touchdown. The Cardinals are a pass-first team, but Lewis is worth a look in deep league formats.

RB Ontario Sneed, Central Michigan – A running back is going to emerge for the Chippewas and Sneed took the early lead in game one. Monitor this situation before adding Sneed or Justin Hoskins.

RB Shannon Woods, Texas Tech - Ladies and gentlemen, Woods is out of the doghouse. His numbers in week one weren’t great, but certainly he’s one to watch in the next couple of weeks.

WR Will Judson, Illinois – Arrelious Benn is still the go-to guy for Juice Williams, but Judson caught five passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Keep an eye on him over the next couple of games.

WR Taylor Price, Ohio – Price was the recipient of quarterback Theo Scott’s solid start. The junior caught 14 passes for 139 yards and if the Bobcat offense continues to show progress, this receiver should be worth a look in all league formats.

TE Jamari Grant, Florida Atlantic – With Jason Harmon out for the year at this position, Grant could become the new safety valve for quarterback Rusty Smith.

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