College Fantasy Football: Interesting WR storylines
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 wide receiver.
CREATE A COLLEGE FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE - OR JOIN ONE
RELATED: Five interesting QB storylines | RB storylines
CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals100 | Position | Team | State
Hodgins leads the country
Oregon State’s offense is showing real signs of life, and Isaiah Hodgins is by far the top target for Beavers quarterback Jake Luton. Owners of Hodgins in the fantasy game have been paid off handsomely so far this season.
In five games this season, the former four-star receiver has 43 receptions for 632 yards and nine touchdowns. The next-best receiver on the team has 14 catches, so Luton is clearly almost exclusively targeting Hodgins in the passing game. Last week in a blowout over UCLA, Hodgins had 10 catches for 123 yards and three scores - and that pace could keep up for the remainder of the season.
Three Alabama WRs in top 25
An argument could be made for some other schools - possibly Clemson or USC - but Alabama could have the best trio of receivers in the country and the Crimson Tide players are definitely backing it up in the fantasy game with all three among the top 25.
DeVonta Smith is third among receivers in fantasy points with 537 yards and eight touchdowns, followed by Jerry Jeudy at No. 8 with 488 yards and six scores and then Henry Ruggs is No. 25 overall with four TDs and 361 receiving yards. It helps to have arguably the best QB in the game in Tua Tagovailoa, but Alabama’s receivers are definitely producing.
One bright spot for UCLA
Nothing is going right for UCLA this season. The Bruins are 1-5 and just got croaked by Oregon State at home. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson had not been playing all that well before missing the last game. Running back Josh Kelley is posting pedestrian numbers. The only player who seems to be performing well is receiver Demetric Felton.
The UCLA receiver has 31 receptions for 397 yards and three touchdowns and he’s also rushed for 307 yards and a score to help his fantasy position. Felton is ranked fourth overall among receivers, joining the elite status of Alabama’s DeVonta Smith and LSU’s Justin Jefferson.
Michigan State surprise
Michigan State is known as a ground ‘em, pound ‘em kind of offense, but that has not been the case this season as quarterback Brian Lewerke has thrown for 1,543 yards this season (more than Jalen Hurts, Justin Fields and many other high-profile QBs) and it’s paying off huge dividends for receiver Darrell Stewart.
The Spartans receiver has 41 catches for 624 yards and four touchdowns so far this season. He's by far the favorite target of Lewerke, and he’s ranked sixth overall among all receivers in the fantasy game. Only Pitt’s Maurice Ffrench, Texas’ Devin Duvernay and Oregon State’s Isaiah Hodgins have more catches.
Top WRs not delivering
At the end of last season, Purdue’s Rondale Moore and Colorado’s Laviska Shenault were the top fantasy performers at the position. But so far this season, neither is among the top 50 in fantasy points and things aren’t going to get any easier with the conference schedule ahead.
Moore has only played in four games because of injury, but he does have 29 catches for 387 yards and two touchdowns so far this season. Shenault, who’s also played in four games, is even further down the list with 17 receptions for 226 yards and two TDs.