College Fantasy Football 2018: Mock Draft, Cheat Sheet and More Strategy Tips
Winning at fantasy football at the college level isn't quite as easy as it is in the NFL.
While there are some surprises week to week in the pro game, the biggest stars are usually the same year after year. In NCAA football, however, most the top names from 2017 have moved on to the next level, leaving the new generation of players to step up in their places.
If you want to stay on top of your league, you have to keep an eye out for anyone who could come through with a big season.
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Here is a breakdown of the top players to watch for 2018, including only players from the Power Five conference.
1st-Round Mock Draft
1. Khalil Tate, QB, Arizona—A legit Heisman candidate after a breakout 2017 season, Tate gets it done both through the air and on the ground.
2. Bryce Love, RB, Stanford—After totaling 2,118 rushing yards as a junior, there is no reason to think Love will be anything but a star as a senior.
3. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin—He broke out with more than 1,900 yards as a freshman and should only grow from there behind a great rushing attack.
4. Will Grier, QB, West Virginia—Grier has become a serious pro prospect in a system that will allow him to rack up tons of yards through the air.
5. Trace McSorley, QB, Penn State—Although McSorley has done a great job picking up passing and rushing stats the past two years, he needs to prove he can excel as the focal point of an offense.
6. Drew Lock, QB, Missouri—Throwing 44 touchdown passes last year makes Lock one of the top quarterback options going forward.
7. AJ Dillon, RB, Boston College—While he isn't a household name, Dillon earned 300 rushing attempts last season and should get plenty of chances once again in 2018.
8. J.K. Dobbins, RB, Ohio State—If he gets the touches he should next season, Dobbins could be one of the top producers in the country.
9. Myles Gaskin, RB, Washington—Few players have a nose for the end zone quite like Gaskin, who scored 24 touchdowns last season.
10. David Sills, WR, West Virginia—The top red-zone target on a high-powered WVU passing attack makes Sills a first-round fantasy pick.
11. Rodney Anderson, RB, Oklahoma—A huge second half of the season and a change at quarterback could make Anderson a focal point next year.
12. A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss—One of the most consistent returning receivers in the country.
Ranking Cheat Sheet
Quarterbacks
1. Khalil Tate, Arizona
2. Will Grier, West Virginia
3. Trace McSorley, Penn State
4. Drew Lock, Missouri
5. Nick Fitzpatrick, Mississippi State
6. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State
7. Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
8. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
9. Justin Herbert, Oregon
10. Eric Dungey, Syracuse
This list sticks with what we know, so last year's stars—Khalil Tate and Will Grier—are at the top after proving they can put up big numbers over the course of a college football season.
However, there is a lot of upside available if you are willing to take a risk.
Dwayne Haskins and Kyler Murray are both loaded with talent but didn't get much of a chance to show what they can do behind J.T. Barrett and Baker Mayfield, respectively. Now with a starting role, each one has the opportunity to light up the stat sheet.
Tua Tagovailoa is also an interesting option if he can win the job over Jalen Hurts at Alabama.
Running Backs
1. Bryce Love, Stanford
2. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
3. AJ Dillon, Boston College
4. J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State
5. Myles Gaskin, Washington
6. Rodney Anderson, Oklahoma
7. D'Andre Swift, Georgia
8. David Montgomery, Iowa State
9. Justice Hill, Oklahoma State
10. Benny Snell, Kentucky
11. Cam Akers, Florida State
12. Damien Harris, Alabama
13. Stephen Carr, USC
14. Patrick Laird, Cal
15. Zach Moss, Utah
16. Ty Johnson, Maryland
17. Travis Horner, Miami
18. Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M
19. Miles Sanders, Penn State
20. L.J. Scott, Michigan State
Stephen Carr might be one of the more interesting options on this list as he tries to replace Ronald Jones II. USC often has a high-powered offense, and he has the type of skill set to have a breakout season.
Miles Sanders will also try to step into the spotlight at Penn State after earning only limited playing time behind Saquon Barkley earlier in this career.
While Damien Harris did get his touches, he could be the Alabama running back next in line to light up the stat sheet.
On the other side, you can't go wrong with Stanford's Bryce Love or Jonathan Taylor of Wisconsin, two Heisman Trophy candidates from last season who should continue to produce at a high level in 2018.
Wide Receivers
1. David Sills, West Virginia
2. A.J. Brown, Ole Miss
3. Marquise Brown, Oklahoma
4. N'Keal Harry, Arizona State
5. T.J. Vasher, Texas Tech
6. Jaylen Smith, Louisville
7. Gary Jennings Jr., West Virginia
8. Denzel Mims, Baylor
9. Stanley Morgan Jr., Nebraska
10. Kelvin Harmon, North Carolina State
11. Juwan Johnson, Penn State
12. Tee Higgins, Clemson
13. Olamide Zaccheaus, Virginia
14. Emanuel Hall, Missouri
15. Nick Fitzpatrick, Indiana
16. Felton Davis III, Michigan State
17. Terry Godwin, Georgia
18. Devin Butler, Syracuse
19. Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
20. Marcus Simms, West Virginia
Many of the most productive receivers from last season have moved on to the next level, but there will be plenty of others who can step up in their spots.
The most intriguing selection of players are from West Virginia, which features three players in the top 20.
Will Grier leads a spread attack that led to some incredible numbers at the position last year. David Sills was third on the team with 980 receiving yards, but his 18 touchdowns are what make him so valuable in fantasy.
Gary Jennings only had one score last season, but the numbers should even out in 2018. Marcus Simms, meanwhile, should take on some of the lost production from Ka'Raun White.
Tee Higgins, Emanuel Hall and Devin Butler are also among those who can step up with big numbers in high-powered attacks.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
