Bowl Season Is Here: Future Fantasy Football Dynasty Players To Watch
Bowl Season is finally upon us, which means it is the last time seeing your rookie draft prospects in live action this year. Although there are only two bowl games on the first day, and neither seem too enticing to the common fan, there are always unheralded prospects that begin receiving hype after encouraging bowl game performances. I will give you some of the fantasy football dynasty players to watch for in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl and the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl.
Now Available: 2020 Dynasty Rookie Rankings!
Buffalo vs. Charlotte (2 PM ET)
Buffalo
RB Jaret Patterson (#26)
- Height: 5-9
- Weight: 195 pounds
- Year: Sophomore (2021 eligible)
The shifty running back from Laurel, Maryland came on the college football landscape as a relatively unknown prospect with limited offers. After two record-breaking seasons, including breaking the school record for rushing yards and touchdowns by a freshman, Patterson has opened the eyes of rookie draft lovers.
In his last five games, he has recorded 940 yards and 13 touchdowns on 6.3 yards per carry. 55 percent of his carries in 2019 have gone for more than four yards.
Patterson is a big play waiting to happen. He is extremely twitchy when approaching the line of scrimmage, and his ability to read second-level defenders in pursuit is impressive for a younger back. His incredible burst allows him to explode through holes untouched, and his long speed is above average. Patterson’s lateral quickness in tight spaces is eye-opening, and his ability to get skinny through closing holes allows him to squeeze through narrow gaps quicker and harder. He keeps his pad level low and possesses underappreciated lower body strength to absorb contact and fall forward for extra yards.
RB Kevin Marks (#5)
- Height: 6’0
- Weight: 200 pounds
- Year: Sophomore (2021 eligible)
Despite not setting the world on fire like Patterson has, Kevin Marks has put together quite an impressive season as the secondary back for the Bulls. Marks and Patterson’s games complement each other well, as Marks provides the “Thunder” to fit with Patterson’s “Lightning”.
Marks was very efficient with his carries, providing over 1000 yards in 2019 and around 84 rushing yards per game. He has scored a rushing touchdown in eight of his last nine games.
Marks’ powerful running style wears down defenders as the game goes on. While his explosiveness is not on par with Patterson, he does have deceptively good footwork in the open field. Marks loves the stiff arm and frequently uses it to get to the boundary. He takes advantage of lackluster tackle attempts and frequently requires two defenders to bring him to the ground. Marks is a plodder; I am not sure if he possesses enough speed at the second level to be effective. However, he will be someone you want to watch against a Charlotte defense that averages 196 rushing yards against.
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WR Antonio Nunn (#1)
- Height: 5-11
- Weight: 200 pounds
- Year: Junior (2020 eligible)
The Bulls lost the majority of their receiving core from 2018, including Anthony Johnson, who is currently on the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad, and KJ Osborn, who transferred to Miami. After only recording 27 receptions and two touchdowns in limited time through his first two years on campus, Nunn provided some reassurance for Coach Leipold with five receptions for 113 yards in their opener against Penn State.
This performance against a quality defense is encouraging, but the fact that this was his best statistical output provides some questions. Although his 2019 numbers are not spectacular, Nunn’s role was to open up the field and create more opportunities for his teammates.
He is an adequate route runner, and he has shown to be capable to win at all three levels. Nunn’s deep speed forces cornerbacks to sag off their assignments, and he takes advantage of this by cutting the route short and getting easy yards. He does not do any one thing particularly well, so there is a cap on his ceiling. I do not classify Nunn as a “must-see prospect”, but he is the #1 receiving option when quarterback Kyle Vantrease drops back.
Charlotte
RB Benny LeMay (#32)
- Height: 5’9
- Weight: 215 pounds
- Year: Senior (2020)
Benny LeMay has quickly become one of my favorite running back prospects that not many know about. I mean, seriously – how does a guy who averages at least five yards/carry in four straight seasons go unacknowledged? I understand many do not have the opportunity to see him play, but LeMay has been the epitome of consistency throughout his time in Charlotte.
He has recorded over 100 yards rushing in four of his last five games. LeMay showed up against the few quality defenses he played, including a 118-yard and two-touchdown performance against Appalachian State, and a rock-solid 81 yards on 18 attempts against Clemson.
LeMay displays great patience when approaching the line of scrimmage and keeps his eyes up to freeze up defenders in pursuit. He follows his blockers well and constantly gets positive yardage. LeMay has tree trunks for legs, and his excellent contact balance allows him to stay level and fight for extra yards His hip mobility allows him to string a series of lateral movements together in a smooth manner. LeMay is not a speedster, but he has enough to burst to beat defenders to the sideline. Despite having at least two receptions in all but one game through the first eight weeks, LeMay has not recorded a reception in the past two weeks. Regardless, he has shown productivity in the screen game and displayed the confidence to win on vertical routes
WR Victor Tucker (#9)
- Height: 5’11
- Weight: 177 pounds
- Year: Redshirt Sophomore (2021 eligible)
Tucker landed on the C-USA all-Freshman team in 2018, ending the season as the third-leading freshman in receiving yards in the FBS. His number of receptions has decreased in 2019, but Tucker has made far more explosive plays.
Tucker has been playing extremely well as of late. He has recorded back-to-back 100 plus yard games and four in his last six games.
Tucker is a blur. The Miami Gardens native can flat out run past defenders. Tucker moves around a ton in Will Healy’s offense, and he is lethal on jet screens. Tucker is not just a gadget player. He displays crisp route running and subtle footwork to make it easy for quarterback Chris Reynolds. Despite his limited frame, Tucker has made quite a few mind-boggling catches in contested situations.
Utah State vs. Kent State (7:30 ET)
Utah State
QB Jordan Love (#10)
- Height: 6’4
- Weight: 225 pounds
- Year: Junior (2020)
Film guys love him and stats guys hate him. Either way, Jordan Love has become one of the more polarizing quarterbacks in the 2020 class. Love is coming off a season completing just 60 percent of his passes for 3,085 yards. He has a pedestrian 17 passing touchdowns to go along with 16 interceptions.
In his five losses this year, Love produced uninspiring numbers: 256.6 passing yards per game, a 59.4-percent completion percentage, six touchdowns, and ten interceptions. However, people seemingly fall in love with him the more they watch.
Love checks all of the boxes from a physical standpoint, and he has shown the ability to remain poised when extending plays out of the pocket. He throws a pretty ball, and improvements in his passing mechanics are evident from 2018. There are questions about his post-snap recognition and awareness, as Love seems to stare down his primary read far too often. He has also been exposed with misidentifying disguised coverage, and he appears to trust his arm a little too much when freelancing.
RB Gerold Bright (#1)
- Height: 5’10
- Weight: 190 pounds
- Year: Senior (2020)
Bright’s football career screams versatility. He began as a high school quarterback in a triple-option offense. When he arrived at Utah State, he transitioned into a slot receiver for the Aggies. After two years, Bright was moved to running back, where he has remained full-time.
One thing in common – Bright is a very dangerous threat with the ball in his hands.
He possesses great acceleration, and he rarely gets caught from behind. Once he identifies the appropriate hole, he puts his foot in the ground and gets through the gap extremely quick. Bright is not the strongest running back, but he has shown to not shy away from contact. What he lacks in power, he makes up for in fight, and he has displayed the ability to wiggle through contact and gain extra yards on occasion. Bright has shown an advanced route running technique for a running back, and he is comfortable running a vast array of routes. His 38 targets in 2019 certainly show that Love showed a ton of confidence in Bright’s ability.
WR Siaosi Mariner (#80)
- Height: 6’2
- Weight: 195
- Year: Graduate Transfer (2020)
Siaosi Mariner began his career at Utah before heading north to spend his final season of eligibility playing for Gary Anderson. He has provided the Aggies with much-needed experience and maturity in their receiving room.
Mariner is a reliable contributor on the outside, and he has proven to be Love’s primary target in the passing game. He has displayed great concentration when making receptions in contested situations and has proven an uncanny ability to getting his feet down on passes along the boundary. He is long-limbed, and he uses his arm length to his advantage. His repertoire was on full display against Fresno State, where he recorded 11 receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns.
Kent State
QB Dustin Crum (#14)
- Height: 6’3
- Weight: 201 pounds
- Year: Junior (2020 eligible)
Crum provided the Golden Flashes with consistency after lingering injuries kept former starting quarterback Woody Barrett sidelined.
According to @PFF_College, Crum recorded only three turnover-worthy plays in 2019. Kent State’s schedule limits how much national exposure he gets, but he has provided confidence-inspiring numbers in MAC action. He completed 26 of 31 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns against Bowling Green, and a modest 257 yards and three touchdowns in only 14 completions against Toledo.
Crum’s game does not jump off the screen, but there are things to like with Crum. He is never going to be the guy to escape multiple tackles and sling a pass 50 yards down the field on the run. With that being said, Crum plays to his strengths and seems to identify coverage quickly and efficiently. His arm strength is average, but he has shown the ability to put a nice touch on long passes to give receivers a shot. He lacks the mobility to truly threaten defenses, but Crum has shown he is capable of evading a tackle and getting some positive yardage when needed to.
WR Isaiah McKoy (#23)
- Height: 6’3
- Weight: 182 pounds
- Year: Sophomore (2021 eligible)
The Norcross, Georgia native flew under the radar as a high school prospect, but McKoy has put together two impressive seasons for Kent State.
Early in 2019, McKoy had a solid game against Auburn recording 4 receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown. About six weeks later, he put up his best performance in his young career in only seven passes thrown his way, recording six receptions for 159 yards and three touchdowns against Ball State.
McKoy is a target hog in the intermediate range. There is a reason he has recorded at least seven targets in the past five games. he wins on acceleration in and out of breaks, and his ability to maintain a consistent speed throughout his routes allows for clean releases. McKoy has a huge catch radius allowing Crum to throw him the ball in situations where he would not be considered to be open. Despite his huge frame and mismatch traits, he has rarely been used in the red zone recording only three receptions.
WR Mike Carrigan (#11)
- Height: 5’9
- Weight: 168 pounds
- Year: Senior (2020)
Mike Carrigan continued on a strong junior season with very similar numbers from 2018. He missed a few games for undisclosed reasons, but he has become a focal point in Kent State’s passing game. His best game was when caught all eight targets for 178 yards against Ball State.
When Crum sends a pass over 20 yards, chances are the ball is landing in Carrigan’s hands. Due to high end-burst, he frequently gets behind defenses for long chunk plays. He has a smaller frame, but Carrigan does a great job using his speed to leverage his body in front of the defenders. Even if the cornerback is in perfect coverage, Carrigan has displayed the capability to climb the ladder and make contested catches on bigger defenders.
While these bowl games lack the notoriety and excitement of others, there are certainly some players to keep track of for your rookie drafts.
