Luke Basha’s fantasy football column: an All-South Carolina fantasy team would... struggle
If you told me in the preseason that at this point in the season a running back had scored a hat trick in back-to-back games, I would have run through the usual suspects; Peterson, Bell, Hill, Charles, etc.
A Falcons running back, you say? Oh yeah, that Tevin Coleman rookie had some hype.
Devonta Freeman? Get outta here!
It is a strange game we play. This just goes to show you that “experts” clearly have no idea what they’re doing. So as I do my best to impersonate one such expert (15-5 cumulative record thus far), don’t listen to a word I say. Or do. That would be nice too.
Waiver wire targets
Jay Cutler (QB, CHI) - Maybe someone dropped him after he got injured. He should be getting injured star-WR Alshon Jeffrey back this week in a game against the Chiefs who are a shell of their previous defense. According to Yahoo! Sports, QBs facing KC have averaged 311 yards and 2.75 scores. I’ll take that any day.
Ronnie Hillman (RB, DEN) - I don’t mean to toot my own horn when I get something right, but since it benefits you I’ll do it. Hillman outperformed his RB teammates this week and snagged a 72-yard TD run in the process. He’s far from being consistent, but that kind of performance can’t hurt his chances to win the starting job.
Christine Michael (RB, DAL) - I’ll admit, this one is a long shot. But after coming to Dallas from Seattle, those who have been waiting for Michael to get his first big chance are now waiting to see if it happens. With Lance Dunbar out, Dallas will need a speedy RB who can catch passes, especially with backup QB Brandon Weeden still holding the reigns until Thanksgiving or so. He’s still the No. 3 RB behind Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden, but I could certainly see him leapfrogging McFadden as the season goes on.
Duke Johnson (RB, CLE) - I’m buying Johnson not for his current situation, but rather with the hope that he can increase his share of the workload. Cleveland isn’t fooling anyone this year; they’re going to run. Johnson has proved that he’s more than capable, and this week, he added “pass-catching specialist” to his LinkedIn profile. Not literally, but if that was a skill I would endorse him for it.
Owen Daniels/Virgil Green (TE, DEN) - Oakland has been manhandled by every TE they’ve played thus far this season. Up next on the docket is the duo of Daniels and Green. Daniels is entrenched as the starter, but Green is a viable play in deeper leagues.
Maxx Williams (TE, BAL) - I was hoping to see more of Williams after his fellow-Raven TE Crockett Gilmore was forced to the sidelines with an injury. Alas, it seems this may still be the case after a run of injuries to Ravens pass-catchers. Rookie Breshaun Perriman is out indefinitely and ex-Panthers Steve Smith Sr. will have to sit out a few weeks with broken ribs. Look for Joe Flacco to keep it short with dump-offs in two-TE sets. A healthy Gilmore is the better option at this point, but Williams could pay dividends in coming games.
All-South Carolina Fantasy Team
As promised. You may not win many games, but no one will ever question your fanhood.
QB Connor Shaw (CLE) - Currently the third-string QB behind Josh McCown and Johnny Manziel. Personally, I’ve always wondered why he didn’t get much of a chance at the starting gig.
RB Mike Davis (SF) - One of the backups to Carlos Hyde. Fantasy impact is de minimus at best. (Oh no, law school terms are starting to work their way into my everyday writing!)
RB (Empty)
WR Alshon Jeffrey (CHI) - Perhaps the only player on this list that is worth a roster spot at this point in the season. When he and Jay Cutler are healthy, Jeffrey is a legit WR1. Unfortunately, Jeffrey has only been able to play one game thus far this season, but all signs point towards him playing this week against the Chiefs.
WR Bruce Ellington (SF) - Ranked the fourth or fifth WR in San Francisco in 2015 does not bode well for a good fantasy season. He’s reeled in passes only in Week 1, and that was for a measly 5 yards.
TE Jared Cook (STL) - Cook is the definition of a boom-or-bust player, but then again, that’s pretty much the case for any TE not named Rob Gronkowski or Greg Olsen. Depending on the matchups, he can be worth a roll of the dice.
FLEX (Empty)
K Ryan Succop (TEN) - After a respectable career in Kansas City, Succop now finds himself in Nashville. And the top kicker on a all-South Carolina fantasy squad.
Admittedly, South Carolina alumni in the NFL mostly play on defense (Clowney, Gilmore, etc.). There don’t seem to be enough skill-position players on active NFL rosters to make a full fantasy team. Fantasy-wise, that’s a pretty sorry squad. And the Clemson fan in me loved writing ever word of it.
This story was originally published October 7, 2015 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Luke Basha’s fantasy football column: an All-South Carolina fantasy team would... struggle."