Week 10 of the college fantasy season is here, and the playoffs are staring us down like a fourth-and-one on our own goal line! Yahoo analyst Eric Froton just dropped the blueprint we need to prep for our playoff push, laying out the schedule landmines for some key programs. This isn’t just about who’s playing, it’s about who’s *not*, and the Big 12 is about to hit you with a bye-week ambush right when your championship dreams are on the line.
Big 12 Byes Are Coming for Your Playoff Hopes
Seriously, fantasy managers, we’ve got to plan around this Big 12 bye-week madness because it’s going to wreck some lineups. Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, and Kansas are all taking Week 12 off. Think about that: you’re trying to lock down a semi-final spot, and suddenly key players disappear. Then, if you’re lucky enough to make the finals, Texas Tech and West Virginia are both sitting out the final week of the season. This means you’re going to be without Iowa State running back Aiden Flora in Week 12, and you can absolutely forget about West Virginia’s QB1 Michael Hawkins and RB6 Cam Cook for your championship matchup. You’ve been warned: check those schedules now!
SEC Gamesmanship and What It Means for Your Starters
The SEC’s legendary rivalries are playing a little gamesmanship this year, shoehorning in some pre-rivalry FCS games as soft byes. Last year, Mississippi State skipped this, but Ole Miss rolled over The Citadel 49-0 in Week 12. That game was a fantasy goldmine: Trinidad Chambliss went for 333 passing yards and three touchdowns, Kewan Lacy ran 11 times for three scores, and three receivers each snagged at least 50 receiving yards and a touchdown! Ole Miss kept those starters in just long enough to make them absolutely startable for CFF purposes. You need to confidently plug your key Rebels contributors in against Wofford. On the flip side, the Kamario Taylor-less Bulldogs have been struggling, and while I tend to think MSU will keep their starters in for three quarters to try and build some offensive continuity, don’t expect last year’s heroics.
Alabama and Auburn are pulling similar moves. Last season, Alabama sacrificed Eastern Illinois 56-0 in Week 13. We saw a monster 269 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns, with Ty Simpson completing 11-of-16 for 147 yards and two picks. They spread the ball around like crazy, with 12 different receivers getting catches and Jaylen Mbakwe leading with only 39 receiving yards. The Tide divided 29 carries among their top three rushers, all scoring a touchdown, and five different runners scored overall. Kevin Riley led the running backs with 20.3 points, so Trae’shawn Brown and Daniel Hill *could* have some low-end flex utility if they snag 2+ rushing touchdowns, but I’ve got major reservations about using those ‘Bama wideouts. They’re volume restricted and entirely touchdown dependent.
Auburn also dispatched Mercer 62-17 last Week 13, with Deuce Knight exploding for six touchdowns in his coming-out party. Malcolm Simmons went off for 149 receiving yards and a score, and Cam Coleman put up 15 points. New Head Coach Alex Golesh might have a different game plan, but you should expect a heavy running back rotation. Think Jeremiah Cobb scoring a touchdown and then hitting the bench, or Byrum Brown grabbing a few scores before halftime. That means the receiver room could be a total crapshoot!
Alright, it’s Week 10. The fantasy playoffs are almost here, and every single decision matters. Don’t get caught sleeping on these bye weeks or soft-bye strategies. Get your waiver wire claims in, scout those backup running backs, and make sure your lineup is bulletproof for what’s coming next!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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