Hard to believe but we’re approaching the midpoint of the college football season so it’s time to take a close look at some storylines that have emerged in the college fantasy football game. Today, we move to running backs:
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Hubbard not getting enough respect
There is so much discussion about Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor and rightfully so but not much is said on a national level about Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard, who is putting up amazing numbers so far this season.
Hubbard has 1,094 yards and 13 touchdowns, the only Power Five back to rush for more than 1,000 so far and that’s by a long shot. Taylor has 745 yards and 12 scores.
Sure, Hubbard has way more carries (162 to 103) but this is a volume business so fantasy owners of his should be thrilled with how he’s playing and more people nationally should take notice.
Taylor is delivering big again
Jonathan Taylor will go down as one of the best running backs in Wisconsin history and he could be the No. 1 player at that position taken in the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s that good and he’s been that productive.
As a freshman, Taylor rushed for 1,977 yards and 13 touchdowns. As a sophomore, he totaled 2,194 yards and 16 scores. So far this year, he has 745 yards and 12 touchdowns already plus he leads the Badgers with four receiving scores.
Taylor is putting up insane numbers and it’s shocking that some mock drafts have three or four other running backs ahead of him on the NFL board.
Where’s former No. 1?
Najee Harris was the No. 1 overall player in the 2017 class as the 6-foot-2, 222-pounder showed off incredible physical abilities, athleticism, speed and power during his high school days. But Alabama has been splitting carries with him since he got to town and from a fantasy perspective that is not really productive.
So far this season, Harris has 337 rushing yards and one touchdown on 54 carries as Brian Robinson has 46 touches, Keilan Robinson has 16, Jerome Ford has 19 and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has 16 carries as well. From a volume standpoint that just doesn’t help in fantasy leagues.
Harris is currently a disappointing No. 30 in fantasy points at his position but third in fewest carries behind only Washington State’s Max Borghi and Oklahoma’s Trey Sermon among that list.
Kelley comes back down
Like everything around UCLA football these days, Joshua Kelley is not producing at previous levels and has been a disappointment to fantasy owners as he’s been taken in 96 percent of leagues.
Kelley has carried the ball 101 times this season but has only 395 yards and three touchdowns. He’s also added a receiving touchdown but his fantasy points are only good for No. 37 nationally at the position.
UCLA is 1-5. The Bruins just lost by 17 to Oregon State at home. The Chip Kelly experiment has been a complete disaster so far.
Borghi is exciting to watch
Max Borghi is not getting the ball a lot in Washington State’s pass-happy offense but when he does he’s making things happen and he’s a lot of fun to watch.
On only 49 carries, Borghi has 376 rushing yards and four touchdowns and he’s also caught 22 passes for 239 yards and two more scores.
Those stats have propelled him to sixth among all running backs in fantasy points despite being the only one among the top seven at RB to not have at least 100 carries.
