Ever been staring at your computer screen wondering how in the world your fantasy football team got so bad? I have.
Ever taken it a step further and boasted to yourself that you could do much better with a college team? Recently, I did.
Based on a roster of one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, a tight end, a kicker, a team’s defense and six bench spots, here’s what I came up with:
Quarterback
Colt Brennan, junior, Hawaii
Seven games, 2,601 yards, 28 TDs, 183.1 passer rating
Hawaii’s passing offense tops the Division I-A list nearly every season, and Brennan’s essentially a no-brainer. The guy’s completed nearly 73 percent of his passes and has only thrown five interceptions this season.
Oh yeah, Brennan – who’s thrown for less than 300 yards just once this season – and the Warriors don’t face a team with a decent secondary until the final game of the season against San Jose State (No. 16 in the nation against the pass).
Closest UA player: Willie Tuitama, sophomore
Six games, 818 yards, 3 TDs, 103.3 passer rating
Wide receivers
Jarrett Dillard, sophomore, Rice
Eight games, 60 catches, 769 yards, 12 TDs
Not only has Dillard caught at least four passes in every single game so far this season, he’s also caught at least one touchdown pass in each contest. And he turns it up a notch against the big guns, catching seven passes against UCLA for 102 yards and a score; nine against Texas for 91 yards and a score; and seven against Florida State for 113 yards and, of course, a touchdown.
Chris Williams, sophomore, New Mexico State
Seven games, 52 catches, 851 yards, 7 TDs
Williams is as solid as Dillard, and he’s surrounded by better talent. Besides, this guy’s been on fire recently: In the past three weeks, he has 24 catches for 462 yards and four scores.
Adarius Bowman, junior, Oklahoma State
Seven games, 36 catches, 791 yards, 9 TDs
How do you spell 22 yards per catch? B-O-W-M-A-N. All right, technically he averages 21.97 yards a catch, but regardless, that’s incredible.
Closest UA player: Syndric Steptoe, senior
Eight games, 37 receptions, 406 yards, 1 TD; 435 return yards, one punt return TD
Running backs
James Davis, sophomore, Clemson
Eight games, 961 yards (120/gm), 16 TDs
In a 52-7 win over North Carolina, he had four scores and 95 yards on just 15 carries. But even better, this guy’s been hot of late, gaining 356 yards and scoring five times in wins over Temple – where he exploded for 138 yards and three touchdowns on just nine carries – and Clemson.
Garrett Wolfe, senior, Northern Illinois
Eight games, 1,413 yards (177/gm), 13 TDs
It’s hard to ignore a player that’s averaging more than 170 yards a game, a guy who will probably have over 2,100 yards by the time the season is all said and done. Sure, he doesn’t play for a top D I-A program, but when he’s played tough competition, he’s been there (Sept. 2 at No. 1 Ohio State: 171 yards on 16 carries; five catches for 114 yards and a touchdown).
Closest UA player: Chris Henry, junior
Eight games, 201 yards rushing, 1 TD; 167 yards receiving
Tight End
Darius Hall, junior, Ball State
Eight games, 33 catches, 585 yards, 10 TDs
Hall’s no Jarrett Dillard – catching a score in every game – but when he does score, he does it in pairs. (He’s caught a touchdown pass in six games; four times, he’s caught two.) Talk about production from the fantasy position that’s typically the worst.
Closest UA player: Brandyn McCall
Eight games, 11 catches, 99 yards
Kicker
John Vaughn, senior, Auburn
Eight games, 24-24 PATs, 14-17 FGs (2-2 50+)
Vaughn’s everything you could want in a kicker: consistent and accurate, and he’s got a hell of a leg (with a long of 55 this season against Mississippi State on Sept. 9).
Closest UA player: Nick Folk
Eight games, 10-10 PATs, 9-14 FGs (1-1 50+), long of 52
Defense
Clemson
Forced 20 turnovers; allows 230.4 total yards, 12.5 points a game; 3.25 sacks per game
UA comparison:
Forced 13 turnovers; allows 309.3 total yards, 20 points a game; 1.38 sacks per game
Bench
Ian Johnson, sophomore running back, Boise State
Eight games, 1,181 yards, 18 TDs
Graham Harrell, sophomore quarterback, Texas Tech
Eight games, 2,505 yards, 25 TDs
Chris Hopkins, senior tight end, Toledo
Eight games, 455 yards, 6 TDs
Syvelle Newton, senior wideout/quarterback, South Carolina
Seven games, 230 yards rushing, 2 TDs; 1,010 passing yards, 10 TDs; 11 catches, 92 yards, 1 TD
Arthur Carmody, junior kicker, Louisville
Eight games, 34-34 PATs, 11-12 FGs (1-1 50+)
Texas defense
Forced 22 turnovers; allows 268.3 yards, 14.5 points per game; 3.63 sacks per game
Ryan Casey is a journalism senior. He can be reached at sports@wildcat.arizona.edu.
