RADIO
Mike Marteny takes a look at 2024 breakout collegiate stars who will be available in your fantasy football dynasty drafts within the next year or two. Who shined in Week 10 of the 2024 season?
Welcome back to another season of Fantasy Football Dynasty Watch, where I highlight the best and brightest performances from the college football week. It was a lighter week on the college circuit, but it wasn't light on upsets. Some players came up big in those games.
We will introduce you to these college players earlier than many of your fantasy football league mates. We here at RotoBaller are all about giving you an advantage. If you paid attention to this column last year, you would have known about Kimani Vidal and Xavier Worthy long before their performances at the NFL Combine.
I will highlight one quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end every week of the college season who put up some really big numbers. I'll let you know what it means for your dynasty leagues. Do these guys have NFL futures? You'll find out!
Fantasy Football Dynasty Watch: Quarterbacks
Jaxson Dart, Mississippi (25-31, 515 yards, 6 TD; 10 carries, 47 yards) at Arkansas
Jaxson Dart for Ole Miss:
? 24/30 passing
? 507 passing yards
? 41 rushing yards
? 6 passing TDs
? 0 interceptionsSo much for that Halloween hangover… pic.twitter.com/5XK4pZmzZM
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) November 2, 2024
Dart leads college football with 3,210 passing yards this year and is the only player in the top 20 in passing yards with three interceptions or less. There is a lot of deserved hype around Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, but little talk about Dart.
He doesn't have a cannon for a right arm like Ward or Sanders, but he is accurate. Accuracy used to be a problem for Dart, but he has worked on that in his college career. He's a different player than he was as a kid at USC. He has learned a lot under Lane Kiffin.
At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Dart is built like an NFL quarterback. What he lacks in arm strength he makes up for with accurate passes and good decision-making. He's elusive, but won't make a living running in the NFL.
There are a few NFL teams that Dart could start for right now. The best path for him is to get drafted and play in his first season. His four years of college ball make Dart a little more polished than some of his peers.
Honorable mention: Cam Ward, Miami (FL); Seth Henigan, Memphis; Jalen Kitna, UAB
Fantasy Football Dynasty Watch: Running Backs
Tre Stewart, Jacksonville State (27 carries, 2232 yards. 4 TD) at Liberty
I don’t know much about Jacksonville State, but I do know Tre Stewart could play almost anywhere in the country. This guy is legit. pic.twitter.com/3HwtJvCF6k
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) October 31, 2024
The truth is that Stewart has been doing this for much of the season. Stewart had 694 rushing yards in four October games with 11 touchdowns. That's just in one month!
Stewart is hard to bring down at 5-foot-10 and 192 pounds. He's stout but still possesses good breakaway speed. That won't translate as much to the NFL, but he is shifty enough to avoid most big hits.
Stewart's ability to play at the next level will depend mostly on his performance at the combine. This is Stewart's first year of playing big-time minutes. He's not a polished receiver out of the backfield. He's a change-of-pace back at best in the NFL unless he really shines in pre-draft workouts.
Honorable mention: Bryson Washington, Baylor; Omarion Hampton, North Carolina; Jovantae Barnes, Oklahoma
Fantasy Football Dynasty Watch: Wide Receivers
Eric Rivers, Florida International (11 receptions, 295 yards, 3 TD) vs. New Mexico State
FIU wide receiver Eric Rivers WENT CRAZY vs New Mexico State tonight ??
11 RECEPTIONS
295 YARDS
3 TOUCHDOWNSHe set a program record for the most receiving yards in a single game ?@eyb_3
(via @FIUFootball @CBSSports) pic.twitter.com/twKTVehgPn
— LIGHT ON COLLEGE SPORTS (@LightOnSports) October 30, 2024
Rivers showed out on a Tuesday night in one of the only games in town, so there were a lot of eyes on this one. What's not to love about mid-week games? These players at smaller schools get some recognition.
Rivers is small (5-foot-11, 174 pounds), so his only NFL job will be in the slot. He runs good routes and has great hands to go with blazing speed. That kind of combination translates well to the next level. Rivers will never be an every-down receiver, but he can be an asset to many teams as a WR3.
Honorable mention: Jordan Watkins, Mississippi; Xavier Restrepo, Miami (FL); Isiah Page, Old Dominion
Fantasy Football Dynasty Watch: Tight Ends
Joshua Thomas, South Carolina (4 receptions, 132 yards, 2 TD) vs. Texas A&M
The Western Kentucky transfer has shined at South Carolina. He has three touchdowns in the last two weeks with freshman LaNorris Sellers looking to him more and more.
Thomas is in his sixth year of college football and has been a solid player all of those years. He still has a lot of work to do if he wants to be noticed by pro scouts. Nothing jumps off the page, but a good Senior Bowl could get him an invite to the NFL Combine.
Honorable mention: Matthew Hibner, SMU; Miles Kitselman, Tennessee
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