College Football Start vs. Sit: Players to Start, Players to Bench for Week 1

Welcome to another season of college football. Or, at least, another season of Start vs. Sit. We did get some Week 0 action already, but now it is time to dive into the meat of the schedule. You're safe from needing to watch Scott Frost-coached teams now. Here are the players to start, and to avoid, for your fantasy college football lineups in Week 1.

AAC

START

Cameron Carroll, RB, Tulane vs. UMass

Last season, Carroll saw his touchdown total on the ground fall from 12 in 2020 to three. However, he did add three more through the air. Perhaps the regression-toward-the-mean number is somewhere in between. I know UMass has a new head coach, and as always with college football some roster turnover as a result, but they still allowed 44.7 points per game in 2021.

SIT

Brandon Thomas, RB, Memphis at Mississippi State

Some teams schedule soft opening games to ease into the season. Others visit an SEC school. Not only that, but Mississippi State ranked 17th in rushing yards allowed per game in 2021. That is not a good sign for Thomas in his second season as the lead back for the Tigers.

ACC

START

Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Virginia vs. Richmond

Yes, the coaching staff has changed, but the quarterback for the Cavaliers is still Brennan Armstrong, and Wicks is still Wicks. Last season he caught 57 passes for 1,203 yards and nine touchdowns. Maybe at a certain point, the changes will impact things, but that's unlikely to be the case against an FCS school like Richmond.

SIT

Josh Downs, WR, North Carolina at Appalachian State

In this case, the coaching staff remains, but the quarterback has changed. Sam Howell has been replaced by Drake Maye, and that creates questions for me. Plus, Appalachian State is no slouch, especially at home, as it has been at the forefront of the rise of the Sun Belt.

BIG 12

START

Adrian Martinez, QB, Kansas State vs. South Dakota

Martinez has escaped Nebraska, and maybe that will be just what he needs. Sure, he's always had an issue with turnovers, but when a guy can throw 14 touchdowns and run for 13 more in 11 games, you know his upside. Starting for his new team against an FCS team helps as well.

SIT

JT Daniels, QB, West Virginia at Pitt

The Big 12 teams are opening with a collection of cupcakes on the docket. In fact, only West Virginia and TCU are playing Power Five schools, and TCU is taking on Colorado. Daniels, meanwhile, is walking into Pitt and the rekindling of the Backyard Brawl.

Big Ten

START

Colby McDonald, RB, Maryland vs. Buffalo

Last season, as a freshman, McDonald was buried on the depth chart but averaged 5.4 yards per carry when he got to touch the ball. Now? He's near the top of the depth chart and facing a Buffalo team that ranked 116th in runs scored last year. Redshirt freshman Roman Hemby is set to have a role as well, but there should be enough room for both to operate.

SIT

TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Ohio State vs. Notre Dame

Yes, I know the Buckeyes have an elite offense. However, in Week 1 they are facing the fifth-ranked team in the country. It's going to be a lot of fun to watch, but it's not exactly favorable for fantasy. Since Henderson is, in my mind, a half step behind C.J. Stroud and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, he's the one I would consider sitting.

CONFERENCE USA

START

Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky at Hawaii

It's not so much the three touchdowns for Corley in the opener, though that is certainly notable. No, it's more that he was targeted seven times and had five catches. This offense won't break records as it did in 2021, but it should still be pass-happy. Meanwhile, while many of us expected a rebuilding campaign for Hawaii, watching Vanderbilt of all teams hang 63 on them was still an eye-opener.

SIT

Tyrin Smith, WR, UTEP at Oklahoma

This may be a reality check of a game for Smith after he had seven catches for 127 yards and a touchdown against North Texas. Oklahoma is a different level of difficulty, even with a new staff in place. After all, that staff is led by defensive guru Brent Venables now.

MAC

START

Micah Kelly, RB, Toledo vs. Long Island University

After years of being ensconced in the middle of the depth chart, Kelly is the top guy now. Will he be up to the task? This matchup may not be illustrative, but for fantasy players, it's profoundly advantageous. Not only is LIU an FCS team, it was one of the worst FCS teams in 2021. Like, got-beat-handily- by-FIU-in-its-only-win bad!

SIT

Brett Gabbert, QB, Miami (OH) at Kentucky

A lot of MAC teams are the teams being played for a tune-up, as opposed to tuning up themselves. Gabbert's squad is one of those teams, visiting a Kentucky team that is as good as it has ever been. Gabbert threw for 26 touchdowns against six interceptions in 10 games last year and has brighter days ahead. I just don't like his chances in this one.

MOUNTAIN WEST

START

Josh Kelly, WR, Fresno State vs. Cal Poly

In a game like this, you can go down the depth chart a notch or two. Not that Kelly is a slouch. In Fresno's formidable offense he had 52 catches for 778 yards last season. A game like this can go a long way toward replicating, or surpassing, those numbers.

SIT

Logan Bonner, QB, Utah State at Alabama

Hey, it could be C.J. Stroud, Caleb Williams, or in some parallel universe Bryce Young. But if a quarterback is visiting Tuscaloosa, and Nick Saban is on the sideline, my hopes for success are decidedly low. Better luck next time, Bonner. At least he's getting the toughest game of the year out of the way.

PAC-12

START

Mario Williams, WR, USC vs. Rice

I've got a feeling Lincoln Riley and company are going to want to come out and make a statement in Week 1. Also, I have a feeling Rice is going to be, you know, Rice. The Owls were in the bottom 20 in points and passing yards allowed per game in 2021. Williams, an Oklahoma transfer (if you can imagine that), is behind Jordan Addison on the depth chart, but there should be plenty to go around in this one.

SIT

Byron Cardwell, RB, Oregon at Georgia

Last season, Georgia put together one of the top defenses we've seen in college football. Granted, a lot of that talent went to the NFL. Oh, and the guy who was coordinating that defense is now Oregon's head coach. Even so, I don't expect everything to fall apart. Cardwell still has a tough day ahead of him, however.

SEC

START

Spencer Rattler, QB, South Carolina vs. Georgia State

I predict a redemptive year for Rattler. Sure, maybe he isn't as good as Caleb Williams, but in his one full campaign starting for the Sooners he threw for over 3,000 yards with 28 touchdowns against seven interceptions, plus six rushing scores. You don't do that at this level without talent. Georgia State was 105th in passing yards per game allowed in 2021, so this is a nice opportunity for Rattler to regain his footing.

SIT

Montrell Johnson, RB, Florida vs. Utah

Johnson followed Billy Napier from the Bayou to the Swamp, but it'll be hard to rack up 838 yards and 12 touchdowns again with the uptick in competition. The first game of the year is particularly formidable. Last season, Utah was 21st in rushing yards allowed per game.

SUN BELT

START

James Blackman, QB, Arkansas State vs. Grambling

Blackman was good enough to start at Florida State. Even though the Sun Belt plays a better brand of football than it used to, the level of play is certainly not as high as what Blackman faced with the Seminoles. He should be the unquestioned starter in 2022, and with all due respect to Grambling, it doesn't even play at the upper echelon of the FCS.

SIT

Gunnar Watson, QB, Troy at Ole Miss

Watson managed to beat out transfer Jarret Doege, which, you know, tough scene for Doege. However, Watson is not a mobile quarterback, and he's been at Troy for three years without breaking out. I'm not saying Ole Miss is going to play elite defense, but it is an SEC defense at home.