The college football season is starting this weekend which means you need to put the finishing touches on your college fantasy football team. Here is a look at five ACC players to fade heading into the season.
CREATE A COLLEGE FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE - OR JOIN ONE
MORE: Big Ten Fantasy fades
1. CAM AKERS
Cam Akers is one of the most-talented running backs in college football, but his stats plummeted in 2018 compared with 2017 and there are still some very key questions to answer before taking Akers high in fantasy drafts.
Last season, Akers had 161 carries for only 706 yards and six touchdowns after rushing it 194 times for 1,025 yards and seven scores in his freshman season. I need to see Florida State’s offensive line dramatically improve before I can get too thrilled about Akers. And the new offense under coordinator Kendal Briles should move the ball down the field but it might be more by passing the ball.
There are too many questions around Akers to take him in the first round but don’t let him plummet, either, because he is that good.
*****
YAHOO FANTASY FOOTBALL: All sports | College fantasy football signup | QB transfers to consider | QB battles to watch | Five tips | Coordinators that could add value | Big Ten sleepers to watch | SEC sleepers | ACC sleepers | Pac-12 sleepers | Big 12 sleepers
*****
2. GEORGIA TECH OFFENSE
This falls into the category of ‘Way Too Hard To Figure Out’ and so I’m recommending a complete pass on any Georgia Tech offensive players. The Yellow Jackets are transitioning from an option offense to a more spread attack, but the problem is they don’t have the personnel yet to make it happen. All the quarterbacks are there because they are comfortable running the ball and not necessarily throwing it downfield. Players are changing positions. And other than The Citadel, the September schedule could be really tough.
We need to see what this Georgia Tech offense looks like before we can recommend drafting any players.
*****
FANTASY FACE-OFF: Trevor Lawrence vs. Tua Tagovailoa | Travis Etienne vs. Jonathan Taylor | Rondale Moore vs. Laviska Shenault | Albert Okwuegbunam vs. Jared Pinkney | Alabama defense vs. Georgia defense
*****
3. LOUISVILLE OFFENSE
It sounds like Jawon Pass has the edge in the quarterback battle as Malik Cunningham is sidelined with a knee injury and that is concern enough since Pass threw eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season. The Cardinals averaged fewer than 20 points per game. New coach Scott Satterfield, if his history is any indication, will want to run the ball more and that’s why running back Hassan Hall should get a look in the later rounds, but the offensive line has a lot of question marks.
I just don’t see this offense doing a whole lot especially with Notre Dame and Florida State on the schedule by the end of September. It could be a rough year for Satterfield as he puts his program in place.
*****
CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2021: New top 10 released
*****
4. BRYCE PERKINS
This is a contrarian pick for sure especially after Bryce Perkins’ performances last season, but Virginia’s offense lost two really important pieces and there are questions on the offensive line. Running back Jordan Ellis, who had 1,026 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns last season, and receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, who had 93 catches for 1,058 yards and nine TDs, are both gone.
There is talent to replace them but defenses will key on stopping Perkins first and force others to make plays. Plus, Perkins ran the ball 212 times last season. Will coach Bronco Mendenhall put that kind of workload on his star QB again? Perkins won’t be a bust, but he might not have the stats he did a year ago.
*****
MORE ACC: Class of 2020 recruiting rankings | Six true freshmen to watch | Sleepers to watch
*****
5. JARREN WILLIAMS
There was big news to follow out of Miami in recent days as Jarren Williams beat out Tate Martell and N’Kosi Perry for the starting quarterback job. There is definitely a lot of talent around Williams at running back and receiver. That’s not the concern. My worry for fantasy owners is if he struggles in the first half against Florida, will Martell or Perry get the nod after halftime? If he’s just OK against the Gators, will there be another quarterback controversy the following week?
It would be surprising if Williams comes out and puts up huge numbers and looks comfortable early on. For that reason, look elsewhere for your fantasy QB.
