Start vs. Sit: Players to Start, Players to Bench for Week 8

Some may knock the Week 8 schedule in college football. No ranked teams are playing each other, after all. And yet, we all know that you can never take a week of college football for granted. In a world where Purdue can beat Iowa on the road and UConn can win a football game, anything is possible. Plus, you don't need big matchups to have a big week in fantasy sports. Here are some recommendations to help try and make that happen.

AAC

START

Reggie Roberson, WR, SMU vs. Tulane

The Mustangs and Green Wave are squaring off on Thursday night, so be forewarned about setting a lineup. Roberson started off a little slow, but he has a touchdown in four straight games and just had his first 100-yard game of the season. SMU should rack up plenty of points in this one, as Tulane ranks 128th in points allowed per game. Roberson should have no trouble extending that touchdown streak.

SIT

Tyler Snead, WR, East Carolina at Houston

Cincinnati has the top defense in the AAC, but you weren't going to go with any Navy players anyway. Houston has been sneakily good defensively, though. The Cougars rank in the top 20 in points and passing yards allowed per game. East Carolina's passing game, including top receiver Snead, is likely to be shut down.

ACC

START

Jashaun Corbin, RB, Florida State vs. UMass

Florida State may have lost to Jacksonville State, but it has started to play better of late. Plus, UMass is probably only a smidge better than an FCS team anyway. The Minutemen have given up 41.5 points and 225.8 rushing yards per game. Corbin has not gotten a ton of carries, but he's rushed for 556 yards and four touchdowns on 75 rushing attempts. He's a big-play back, and UMass is vulnerable to that.

SIT

Charleston Rambo, WR, Miami (FL) vs. NC State

Rambo's transfer from Oklahoma brought excitement to the Hurricanes, and it looked like it would pan out when he had 12 catches for 156 yards and two touchdowns against Michigan State. However, that's his only 100-yard game of the year, and also his only two touchdowns. Now D'Eriq King is out as well. If that wasn't enough, NC State has played defense on the level of Clemson this season. The Wolf Pack have only allowed 15.8 points per contest.

Big 12

START

Caleb Williams, QB, Oklahoma at Kansas

I saw that Oklahoma was facing Kansas and that was all I needed. Williams may be a true freshman with one start to his name, but this is not the matchup likely to pressure him regarding his lack of experience. The thing about Williams is that he's also a dual-threat. In addition to throwing for 608 yards and six touchdowns this season he's rushed 18 times for 215 yards and three scores.

SIT

Tay Martin, WR, Oklahoma State at Iowa State

Martin has had over 100 yards receiving in three of the four full games he's played this year, and in his other game, he still pulled down six receptions for 48 yards on the road against Texas. A road game against Iowa State ratchets up the difficulty, though. Given that the Cyclones saw their playoff hopes disappear out of the gate may have led you to overlook this team. They actually rank first in passing yards allowed per game. Yes, even ahead of Georgia.

Big 10

START

Hassan Haskins, RB, Michigan vs. Northwestern

We have Haskins' backfield mate Blake Corum ranked as our number-one running back this week, but there is room for Haskins as well. For starters, the Wolverines love to run the ball. Haskins has 101 carries for 492 yards and eight touchdowns even sharing the load with Corum. Secondly, the Wildcats have been awful at stopping the run. Northwestern has allowed 243.6 rushing yards per game. Both Corum and Haskins could go over 100 yards in this one.

SIT

Aidan O'Connell, QB, Purdue vs. Wisconsin

I'm not going to recommend sitting David Bell, as at this point I feel like he's reached a matchup-proof status. However, I do want to pump the brakes if anybody is getting excited after O'Connell threw for 375 yards and two touchdowns against Iowa. This is still a quarterback that has thrown six touchdowns against five interceptions on the season. On top of that, the Badgers' defense has decidedly not been the problem this year. They rank sixth in passing yards allowed per game.

Conference USA

START

Jerreth Sterns, WR, WKU at Florida International

Sterns should be the number one receiver in fantasy college football. Not merely this week, but going forward. This is my personal opinion. The Houston Baptist transfer has 69 catches for 962 yards and eight touchdowns through six games. He's reeled in 46 receptions over the last three outings alone! Florida International has allowed 315.2 passing yards per contest. I almost feel like Sterns could put up that much yardage himself at his current rate.

SIT

DeAndre Torrey, RB, North Texas vs. Liberty

North Texas' passing game has been brutal this year, hopping between Austin Aune and Jace Ruder under center but finding no success either way. Defenses can focus on stopping Torrey. Several of them haven't been successful, but even after losing to ULM, the Liberty defense is a formidable opponent. The Flames rank 16th in points allowed per game and 21st in rushing yards allowed per game. Liberty will likely be looking to bounce back from a major upset loss, and Torrey could be on the wrong side of that.

MAC

START

Dylan McDuffie, RB, Buffalo at Akron

McDuffie was placed on top of the depth chart at running back for the Bulls in time for this matchup. He did just rush for 143 yards and a touchdown against Ohio, and former top back Kevin Marks is banged up and might not play. The Zips have provided no resistance to running backs thus far. Akron ranks 126th in rushing yards allowed per game. Oh, and it is giving up 42.0 points per contest as well.

SIT

Kaleb Eleby, QB, Western Michigan at Toledo

Eleby has been quite impressive this year, though he is completing 62.2 percent of his passes, the lowest of his career. There aren't a lot of tough defenses in the MAC, though, and Toledo is perhaps the closest thing we have to that. The Rockets have only allowed 181.0 passing yards per game, and only 20.2 points per game as well. Eleby did have an off day against Ball State where he threw zero touchdowns and two interceptions. That could happen again.

Mountain West

START

David Bailey, RB, Colorado State at Utah State

Bailey returned from a leg injury last week against New Mexico, and while it wasn't a great day he did pick up 58 yards and two touchdowns. Prior to getting hurt against Iowa, though, he was contributing on the ground and through the air. Mostly I expect Bailey to excel on the ground Friday against Utah State. The Aggies have given up 234.8 rushing yards per game.

SIT

Greg Bell, RB, SDSU at Air Force

Expect a defensive battle here. We have two teams ranked in the top 13 in points allowed per game. The Aztecs are a team that played a 19-13 game that went into double overtime. I could easily see neither team breaking 20 points in this one, but Air Force is not a font of fantasy options. You should steer clear of Bell here, though.

Pac-12

START

Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA vs. Oregon

DTR doesn't rack up a ton of yards through the air, but he does have 13 touchdowns against two interceptions in the passing game. He's also a threat on the ground, having rushed for 329 yards and five scores. It's also been a pretty tough slate of defenses, to be honest. Oregon has some issues defending the pass, having given up 298.4 passing yards per contest. Thompson-Robinson can take advantage of that, plus doing a bit with his legs.

SIT

Travell Harris, WR, Washington State vs. BYU

Harris is the top receiver for Washington State, though the passing game isn't quite as prolific as it has been in the past. He only has one 100-yard game this year. Plus, things are a bit chaotic in Pullman. Head coach Nick Rolovich was just fired because he refused to get vaccinated. BYU's defense has been middling, but the chaos in this situation has me worried about the Wazzu offense.

SEC

START

Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas vs. Arkansas Pine-Bluff

Arkansas has suffered a couple of tough losses against some tricky competition, so this week will be a great respite. The Razorbacks are getting to face off with an FCS team, which is rare this time of the season. Burks doesn't need the easy opponent, though. He's gone over 100 yards in his last four games where the opponent wasn't the Georgia Bulldogs.

SIT

Tiyon Evans, RB, Tennessee at Alabama

Evans was having an excellent season until he banged up his ankle. He missed last week's game against Ole Miss, and he's day-to-day for this week. Granted, it's easy to say "This guy is hurt so don't play him," but even if Evans can suit up this is a tough matchup. The Crimson Tide defense isn't quite as elite as in the past, but they still allow only 97.8 rushing yards per game. If Evans can't go, I would also sit his backup Jabari Small.

Sun Belt

START

Chris Smith, RB, Louisiana-Lafayette at Arkansas State

Smith hasn't gotten a ton of touches, but he's still rushed for 313 yards and five touchdowns in six games. He's also coming off his best game of the season rushing for 82 yards and two touchdowns against Appalachian State. Now, he gets to face Arkansas State, an immensely porous defense. The Red Wolves rank last in both points and rushing yards allowed per game.

SIT

Chandler Rogers, QB, Louisiana-Monroe vs. South Alabama

Rogers was used as a running quarterback early in the season, but he's taken over as the starter the last two weeks. He's still running the ball well, but he's also thrown four touchdowns against one interception. South Alabama might put an end to this, though. They rank fifth in passing yards allowed per game and 17th in points allowed per game.