Fantasy Tutorial: The hunt for October

Plenty of injuries and interesting matchups for Fantasy Week 5. Our Michael Hurcomb runs through the upcoming week for each conference and highlights the latest injury news in his latest Fantasy Tutorial.

(Editor's reminder: There is a 25 percent penalty of earned Fantasy points for FBS teams that play FCS schools.)

ACC
Notes: North Carolina WRs Dwight Jones (knee) and Joshua Adams (shoulder) are both questionable for Week 5 against Virginia ... Two of the ACC's star running backs -- C.J. Spiller (foot) and Jonathan Dwyer (shoulder) -- were questionable for their matchups last week, but both players persevered and actually performed quite well in tough matchups. Spiller totaled 191 yards and one touchdown against TCU, and Dwyer rushed for 158 yards against North Carolina. Keep both players active moving forward ... N.C. State quarterback Russell Wilson totaled 413 yards (322 passing) and four touchdowns on Saturday against Pittsburgh. He now has four touchdown passes in three straight games and has yet to throw an interception this season. Wilson is quickly moving up the Fantasy rankings.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Boston College vs. Florida State. The Seminoles haven't really been impressive on defense in 2009. They are allowing 407.3 yards per game (108th). Boston College knocked off Florida State, 27-17, in 2008, so they know how to move the ball against FSU.
Unfavorable matchup: Miami (Fla.) vs. Oklahoma. The Hurricanes might get the Sooners on their home turf, but that doesn't mean they are going to get a decisive advantage over one of the nation's top defenses. Oklahoma is first in scoring (4.7 ppg) and fifth in total defense (223.3 ypg). Oklahoma has posted two straight shutouts.

Big East
Notes: West Virginia quarterback Jarrett Brown is probable for Thursday's game against Colorado. He sustained a minor shoulder injury two weeks ago against Auburn but used the bye week to rest ... It seems South Florida could be just fine without quarterback Matt Grothe, who is out for the season with a knee injury. His replacement, freshman B.J. Daniels, led USF to an upset win over Florida State in Week 4. In the process, he totaled 341 yards (126 rushing) and two touchdowns. The dual-threat aspect could make Daniels a viable Fantasy option ... Connecticut seems to be getting along just fine without 2,000-yard rusher Donald Brown. Both Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon rank in the top 30 in rushing. Todman is averaging 99 yards per game (22nd) while Dixon is at 92 yards per contest (30th) ... Joe Martinek is starting to emerge as Rutgers' feature running back. He has reeled off two straight 100-yard contents and leads Rutgers with 360 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Byes: Connecticut, Rutgers
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Cincinnati at Miami (Ohio). This matchup seems unfair and we should penalize Fantasy owners 25 percent since the Bearcats will be facing the equivalent of a FCS school. The Redhawks have looked awful under first-year coach Mike Haywood and rank 119th in scoring defense (41.8 ppg). Cincinnati beat Miami (Ohio), 45-20, last season and totaled 393 yards in the process.
Unfavorable matchup: Syracuse vs. South Florida. With a soft schedule to open the season, we thought the Bulls would have been embarrassed last week in Tallahassee. But South Florida held its own and limited the Seminoles to 19 rushing yards. USF is second in scoring (6.8 ppg) and 11th in total defense (242.8 ypg). They can pressure the quarterback and stop the run.

Big 12
Notes: This is the week that Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford could return from a sprained shoulder. Head coach Bob Stoops said he would make the decision by the end of the week and it won't be a game-time call. It will be either Bradford or redshirt freshman Landry Jones under center against Miami (Fla.) ... Baylor suffered a tough blow in Week 4 when they lost star quarterback Robert Griffin to a torn ACL. He is done for the year. His replacement, Blake Szymanski, suffered a bruised shoulder against Northwestern State. Who could have imagined a FCS school causing so much damage? If Szymanski isn't ready for Week 5 against Kent State, then Baylor will either turn to Nick Florence or waste the redshirt season of freshman Brody Trahan ... Colorado running back Darrell Scott (knee) is probable for Week 5 ... Kansas State wide receiver Aubrey Quarles, who has yet to play this season due to a leg injury, is still questionable for Week 5 against Iowa State ... Texas A&M running back Christine Michael (calf) is questionable for Week 5 against Arkansas. He did not play Saturday against UAB ... Aggies quarterback Jerrod Johnson had a heck of a game against UAB. He totaled 351 yards (290 passing) and six touchdowns. He has 13 touchdowns, no interceptions and is averaging 385.7 yards per game (3rd) in 2009 ... Danario Alexander has taken over as Missouri's go-to-receiver with the departure of Jeremy Maclin. He has 29 catches for 404 yards and four touchdowns in four games ... Kansas State running back Daniel Thomas has three 100-yard games and is 12th in the nation in rushing (108.3 ypg) ... Texas Tech running back Baron Batch, who suffered a preseason arm injury, had his best game of the season in Week 4 against Houston. He totaled 153 yards (114 rushing) and two touchdowns.
Byes: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Texas
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Texas A&M vs. Arkansas. We are expecting a lot of offense in this game. Both teams have shown this season they can move the football. The Aggies are surprisingly the nation's top offense (574.3 ypg) and are averaging 45 points per game (4th). That's good news for Fantasy owners since Arkansas is allowing 386.7 yards (91st) and 32.3 points per game (102nd).
Unfavorable matchup: Iowa State vs. Kansas State. Austen Arnaud had one of his finest college games in 2008 against Kansas State. He totaled 493 yards (440 passing) and three touchdowns. Well, he won't find it as easy in 2009. Kansas State has a new identity defensively under coach Bill Snyder. The Wildcats are 10th in total (241.3 ypg) and 26th in scoring defense (16.0 ppg).

Big Ten
Notes: Iowa tight end Tony Moeaki is still questionable for Week 5 with an ankle injury after missing the last two games. If he can't play again vs. Arkansas State, Allen Reisner will get the start ... Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier is expected to play Saturday against Michigan State after hurting his throwing shoulder in Week 4 against Indiana ... Penn State wide receiver Graham Zug did not play Saturday against Iowa because of a head injury and is still questionable for Week 5 ... Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after passing for four touchdowns Saturday against Michigan State. Three of them went to tight end Garrett Graham, who became just the sixth Badger to accomplish that feat ... Minnesota running back Duane Bennett had three touchdowns on Saturday against Northwestern ... Michigan running back Carlos Brown has 331 yards (270 rushing) and four touchdowns in his last two games. He has benefited from Brandon Minor being hobbled by injury.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Northwestern at Purdue. Neither team is particularly good at keeping the opposition out of the end zone. Northwestern is 87th in scoring defense (27.5 ppg) and Purdue is 97th (30.3 ppg). Northwestern won this matchup last season, 48-26, but both teams combined for 907 yards. We expect a lot of the same in 2009.
Unfavorable matchup: Illinois vs. Penn State. The Illini are really missing offensive coordinator Mike Locksley. They have no flow on offense in three games and rank 108th in scoring offense (18.0 ppg). A struggling team like Illinois wants no part of Penn State, especially with the Nittany Lions coming off a devastating loss to Iowa. Penn State is in the top 10 in both scoring (10.3 ppg) and total defense (233.8 ypg).

Conference USA
Notes: Southern Miss' two biggest stars -- running back Damion Fletcher and wide receiver DeAndre Brown -- are both hurting after a Week 4 loss to Kansas. Fletcher suffered an undisclosed injury and Brown banged up his shoulder. Both players are questionable heading into the short week. They play UAB on Thursday ... East Carolina running back Dominique Lindsay, who has missed the last two games with a shoulder injury, is again questionable for Week 5 against Marshall ... Memphis running back Curtis Steele, who has been sidelined with a sprained knee since Week 2, is questionable for Saturday's game against UCF. Fellow running back T.J. Pitts is now battling a thigh injury, so Lance Smith might have to be the feature back in Week 5 ... Rice quarterback Nick Fanuzzi missed Saturday's game against Vanderbilt with a shoulder injury and is questionable for Week 5 against Tulsa. John Thomas Shepherd and Ryan Lewis will probably split time if Fanuzzi can't play ... Tulane running back Andre Anderson and wide receiver Jeremy Williams had ridiculous games in Week 4 against McNeese State. Anderson rushed for 199 yards and four touchdowns, while Williams accounted for all of the team's receptions and receiving yards. He had 10 catches for 222 yards and two scores.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Tulsa at Rice. Tulsa dropped 63 points and totaled 577 yards in a win against Rice last season. Although they have a new quarterback under center, we expect a lot of the same this season. Every opponent has scored more than 30 points against Rice. The Owls are dead last in scoring defense (44.0 ppg). Saturday can't come quick enough for Tulsa.
Unfavorable matchup: SMU at TCU. Call it the Initials Bowl if you like, but we expect this to be a one-sided affair like last season. TCU crushed SMU, 48-7. The Mustangs managed just 218 passing yards and were held to minus-8 on the ground. TCU is still a big bad defense, ranking 12th in total (245.0 ypg) and 21st in scoring defense (15.0 ppg).

Independents
Notes: Army running back CeDarius Williams, who has missed two games with an ankle injury, remains questionable for Week 5 against Tulane ... Notre Dame running back Armando Allen was held out of Week 4 against Purdue with an ankle injury. Head coach Charlie Weis said Allen could have played if necessary, but he is expected to be back in the lineup Saturday against Washington ... Army quarterback Chip Bowden came off the bench in Week 4 against Iowa State to replace Trent Steelman. Both quarterbacks could once again see action in Week 5 against Tulane ... Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs totaled 243 yards (143 rushing) and four touchdowns Saturday against Western Kentucky ... Notre Dame tight end Kyle Rudolph has stepped up the last two games in the absence of Michael Floyd (collarbone). He has 10 catches for 147 yards and one touchdown in that span. If you are looking for help at tight end, consider taking a flier on Rudolph.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Army vs. Tulane. If McNeese State can score 32 points against Tulane, Army shouldn't have much trouble moving the ball. The Green Wave rank 114th in total (470.7 ypg) and 117th in scoring defense (41.0 ppg). Army crushed Tulane, 44-13, last season and ran for 291 yards.
Unfavorable matchup: Navy vs. Air Force. The Midshipen defeated the Falcons, 33-27, in 2008. However, Navy managed just 206 yards and one touchdown on the ground. Navy kicked three field goals and blocked two punts for scores. Air Force is once again playing great defense. They rank ninth in scoring (11.8 ppg) and 20th in total defense (272.8 ypg). Don't be fooled by last year's final score.

MAC
Notes: Bowling Green tight end Jimmy Scheidler missed Week 4 against Boise State with an ankle injury. He is questionable for Week 5 against Ohio. If he doesn't play, Bowling Green will just use more three- and four-receiver sets ... With Eastern Michigan quarterback Andy Schmitt out the rest of the season with a knee injury, freshman Alex Gillett will take over under center for the Eagles ... Zac Dysert has replaced Daniel Raudabaugh at quarterback for Miami (Ohio). Dysert made his first start Saturday against Kent State and passed for 337 yards. He also rushed for 107 ... Temple freshman running back Bernard Pierce had a breakout game against Buffalo in Week 4 (116 yards, one TD) and might eventually supplant starter Kee-ayre Griffin ... Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour kicked off his MAC season with 337 yards (197 passing) and six touchdowns in Week 4 against Akron ... Toledo freshman receiver Eric Page continues his impressive run. He posted his first multi-touchdown game and third 100-yard outing on Saturday against FIU. He had five catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns. Pick this kid up in Fantasy. He should have a solid season in Toledo's spread offense.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Toledo at Ball State. Auburn just dropped 54 points and 560 yards of offense on Ball State in Week 4. Toledo has a similar high-octane offense and should be able to move the ball against the Cardinals. Ball State is 97th in scoring (30.3 ppg) and 104th in total defense (414.8 ypg).
Unfavorable matchup: Kent State at Baylor. The Golden Flashes head down to Big 12 country in Week 5 to take on the Bears. Kent State definitely looks a bit lost without star running back Eugene Jarvis, who is out the rest of the season with a kidney injury. Kent State is 112th in scoring (17.0 ppg) and 116th in total offense (268.8 ypg). They face a defense in the top 45 in both total (299.7 ypg) and scoring defense (21.3 ppg).

Mountain West
Notes: Air Force running back Asher Clark is dealing with a shoulder injury and his status for Week 5 against Navy is questionable. Quarterback Tim Jefferson, who missed Week 4 with an ankle sprain, is also questionable ... New Mexico running back James Wright strained his hamstring Saturday against New Mexico State. If he can't play in Week 5 against Texas Tech, freshman Demond Dennis will likely see most of the carries ... San Diego State running back Anthony Miller could start a second straight game in Week 5 against New Mexico State, if Brandon Sullivan (knee) is still sidelined ... UNLV wide receiver Rodelin Anthony sat out Week 4 against Wyoming with a concussion and remains questionable for Week 5 at Nevada ... David Leonard is emerging as Idaho's top receiver. He has at least six catches in all four games, while leading the team with 25 receptions for 266 yards and one touchdown ... Fantasy owners probably want to get Harvey Unga back in lineups. After being slowed at the beginning of the season by a hamstring injury, Unga has 210 rushing yards and four touchdowns in his last two games. He is averaging 6.6 yards per carry in that span ... Utah wide receiver Jereme Brooks has a receiving touchdown in three straight games.
Byes: Utah
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Wyoming at Florida Atlantic. The Cowboys might have to make the cross-country trek to South Florida, but they will be happy when they land. The Owls are allowing 38 points (114th) and 456.7 yards per game (111th). Florida Atlantic hasn't stopped many teams defensively in 2009 and that's good news for Wyoming, which is starting to gain confidence in first-year coach Dave Christensen's spread offense.
Unfavorable matchup: New Mexico at Texas Tech. The Lobos have the unfortunate pleasure of heading into Lubbock, Texas, with the Red Raiders steaming after two straight losses. It's not like Texas Tech has been awful on defense in 2009. They are 46th in scoring defense (21.5 ppg) and held a very good Houston offense to 29 points last week.

Pac-10
Notes: Arizona running backs were dropping like flies during a Week 4 win against Oregon State. Nic Grigsby went down early in the game with a right shoulder sprain and backup Keola Antolin then sprained his ankle. Arizona is happy to be coming up on a bye ... After returning from a preseason wrist injury that was expected to keep him out the entire season, Oregon State wide receiver Darrell Catchings is now sidelined 2-3 weeks with an ankle sprain. The Beavers were already down Casey Kjos, who has missed the last two games with a back injury and he remains questionable for Week 5 ... USC running back Stafon Johnson, who leads the team with five rushing touchdowns, sustained a throat injury Monday when he was bench-pressing when the bar slipped from his right hand and fell onto his neck. He had emergency surgery and USC is still trying to figure out the extent of the damage. He is out indefinitely. Joe McKnight, Allen Bradford and Marc Tyler are the likely benefactors on the field from this unfortunate incident. We wish Johnson a speedy recovery ... Washington is hoping to get wide receiver Devin Aguilar back in the lineup Saturday against Notre Dame after he missed Week 4 with a sprained MCL ... Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli needed a big game against Cal in Week 4 to restore his confidence and he came through. Masoli completed 21 of 25 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns ... Arizona quarterback Nick Foles solidified his claim to the starting job during Saturday's win over Oregon State. He passed for 254 yards and three touchdowns without throwing an interception.
Byes: Arizona
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Oregon vs. Washington State. The Oregon offense has definitely been coming around after being held to nine points in the opener against Boise State. They have hit 30 points in three straight games and now face a defense allowing 32.8 points per contest (103rd) and dead last in total defense (503.5 ypg).
Unfavorable matchup: Oregon State at Arizona State. You have to be impressed with the way Arizona State has been playing in 2009. They could easily be 3-0 had kicker Thomas Weber been healthy and able to boot a crucial field goal Saturday against Georgia. But they have gotten off to a fast start thanks to a swarming defense. ASU is third in total (211.0 ypg) and 11th in scoring defense (12.3 ppg).

SEC
Notes: If you haven't turned on a TV in the last few days, then you probably missed the hit heard around the world. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow sustained a concussion in the third quarter of a Week 4 win against Kentucky. UF is off until Week 6 against LSU. The reports out of Florida are positive and head coach Urban Meyer believes Tebow will be ready for the Tigers. If not, John Brantley will get the start ... Tennessee wide receiver Quinton Hancock is expected to miss at least one more game with a broken jaw, which he sustained two weeks ago against Florida ... LSU wide receiver Brandon LaFell has two straight multi-touchdown games ... Mississippi State tight end Marcus Green had a career game in Week 4 against LSU. He had five catches for 100 yards and one touchdown ... Auburn wide receiver Terrell Zachery also had a career game in Week 5 against Ball State. He caught five passes for 122 yards and two scores.
Byes: Florida
Teams playing FCS schools: South Carolina (vs. South Carolina State)
Favorable matchup: Arkansas at Texas A&M. We already previewed this game a bit earlier, but a quick refresher course: Both Arkansas and Texas A&M rank among the top offenses in the country. The Aggies might statistically be a good defense, but Arkansas has the nation's fourth best pass offense (348.7 ypg) and will be looking to come away with a win after losing two straight SEC contests. They have a lot to play for on Saturday.
Unfavorable matchup: Kentucky vs. Alabama. 'Bama has been one of the most impressive teams in the early season. We knew they had the defense, but they now rank among the top 10 in offense as well. Kentucky managed just 14 points and 276 yards against Alabama last season. Alabama is second in total (202.5 ypg) and 13th in scoring defense (13.0 ppg), so it would once again be a tough matchup for the Wildcats.

Sun Belt
Notes: Florida Atlantic tight end Jason Harmon, who missed the 2008 season with a torn ACL, finally had his breakout game in Week 4 against La.-Monroe. Harmon had 11 catches for 132 yards. Fantasy owners should also keep tabs on Owls running back Alfred Morris, who is 23rd in the nation in rushing (98.7 ypg) ... With Jerrel Jernigan struggling to get on track for Troy, TeBiarus Gill is stepping up as the team's top receiver. He leads the team with 23 catches for 280 yards and two touchdowns. He had 10 catches for 85 yards and a score in Week 4 against Arkansas State ... Middle Tennessee State quarterback Dwight Dasher seems to have a firm grasp of Tony Franklin's spread offense. He has managed 300 or more total yards in three straight games and is seventh in the nation in total offense (319.8 ypg) ... North Texas freshman wide receiver Jamaal Jackson had a career-high 11 catches in Week 4 against Middle Tennessee State ... FIU wide receiver T.Y. Hilton has 18 catches for 206 yards and three touchdowns in his last two games.
Byes: La.-Lafayette, Middle Tennessee State, North Texas, Troy, Western Kentucky
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Florida International at La-Monroe. These two teams combined for 58 points last season, and we could once again see a lot of offense on Saturday. The Warhawks are allowing 30.5 points per game (99th) and the Panthers are allowing 34.7 points per contest (110th).
Unfavorable matchup: Arkansas State at Iowa. The Red Wolves have to make the trek to Iowa City, Iowa, to face one of the nation's top defenses. Iowa has not allowed an opponent to score more than 17 points in a game and just embarrassed Penn State in Week 4. We don't like Arkansas State's chances.

WAC
Notes: Nevada running back Vai Taua dislocated his elbow early against Missouri in Week 4 and is now out indefinitely. Luke Lippincott, who rushed for 114 yards against the Tigers, will take over the starting running back duties ... Hawaii wide receiver Jovonte Taylor is questionable for Week 5 against Louisiana Tech with a sprained ankle. If he can't play, Royce Pollard will likely start as the 'Z' receiver ... Idaho quarterback Nathan Enderle is starting to look like a college gunslinger. He has passed for 200 yards in three straight games and has three touchdowns to one interception. Turnovers plagued Enderle in his first two years as a starter ... In his first game subbing for the injured D.J. Harper (knee), Boise State running back Doug Martin rushed for a team-high 116 yards against Bowling Green in Week 4 ... San Jose State running back Lamon Muldrow rushed for a career-high 184 yards in Week 4 against Cal Poly. He now has a touchdown in two straight games ... New Mexico State running back Seth Smith is 24th in the nation in rushing (94.8 ypg). Unfortunately, he doesn't have a touchdown in four games.
Byes: Fresno State, San Jose State
Teams playing FCS schools: Boise State (vs. UC Davis)
Favorable matchup: Nevada vs. UNLV. The Wolfpack haven't given Fantasy owners much to cheer about in 2009, but a breakout game could come against UNLV in Week 5. Aside from the Rebels allowing 368 yards per game (75th), Nevada destroyed UNLV last season, 49-27. The Wolfpack racked up 620 yards, including 444 on the ground.
Unfavorable matchup: Boise State vs. UC Davis. Look, we know Boise State is going to stomp their FCS opponent on Saturday. But that's the reason we don't like it for Fantasy purposes. Boise State will probably play their regulars until they get a comfortable lead and then insert the backups. On top of that, Fantasy owners will lose 25 percent of their accrued points. Perhaps consider starting a Fantasy option playing a weak FBS opponent.