Fantasy Tutorial: Plenty for owners to digest

Just one week into the 2009 College Fantasy Football season and plenty of major injuries to address. Our Michael Hurcomb runs through the list and scouts every conference for Week 2 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: Fantasy owners shouldn't worry about Clemson running back C.J. Spiller's minor foot injury. He suffered the injury in the first half against Middle Tennessee State and was rested in the second half as a precaution for Georgia Tech this week. Spiller will be in the lineup against the Yellow Jackets ... Virginia Tech running back Ryan Williams did an admirable job last week against Alabama in his first start for the injured Darren Evans (knee). He rushed for 71 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries against a stingy Alabama run defense ... North Carolina wide receiver Dwight Jones is still out a few more weeks following knee surgery leading up to Week 1 ... Miami (Fla.) received standout performances against Florida State from quarterback Jacory Harris and wide receiver Travis Benjamin. Harris, who fought off a shoulder injury in the second half, passed for 386 yards and totaled three touchdowns (one rushing) in a 38-34 upset win. Benjamin was his favorite target, hauling in four receptions for 128 yards and one touchdown.
Byes: Miami (Fla.)
Teams playing FCS schools: North Carolina State (vs. Murray State); Florida State (vs. Jacksonville State); Maryland (vs. James Madison)
Favorable matchup: Virginia Tech vs. Marshall. The Hokies are going to be hungry coming off a Week 1 loss to Alabama. The Thundering Herd allowed 28 points and 311 yards of offense to a FCS school (Southern Illinois) last week, so Virginia Tech should have a nice game to help them forget their Week 1 defeat.
Unfavorable matchup: Virginia vs. TCU. The Cavs are going to want to make a statement coming off an embarrassing loss to William & Mary (a FCS school), but they still don't have any rhythm in their new spread offense and face the top ranked defense from 2008 -- TCU, who is well rested coming off a bye.

Big East
Notes: Cincinnati began its conference title defense Monday with a 47-15 drubbing of Rutgers. While all eyes were on the defense, which was returning just one starter, quarterback Tony Pike stole the show passing for 362 yards and three touchdowns. It should be another good year for Pike and the Bearcats offense ... Continue to keep tabs on the Rutgers quarterback situation. Starter Domenic Natale was awful, throwing three picks against Cincinnati before being replaced by standout freshman Tom Savage, who looked calm and composed. Head coach Greg Schiano might be forced to go with the young gunslinger before it's too late ... Greg Paulus can play some football. The former Duke point guard almost led Syracuse to an upset win against Minnesota. He showed plenty of pocket presence and even displayed a great touch on the football. He passed for just 167 yards, but the former High School All-American could surprise some people this season ... Pittsburgh true freshman running back Dion Lewis was outstanding in his college debut. He rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns against Youngstown State, giving Pitt a viable replacement for LeSean McCoy ... Speaking of capable successors, UConn seems to have found its replacement for Donald Brown in sophomore Jordan Todman. He rushed for 157 yards and one touchdown against Ohio. Although, Todman did receive some stiff competition from Andre Dixon, who also broke 100 yards.
Byes: Louisville
Teams playing FCS schools: Rutgers (vs. Howard); Cincinnati (vs. Southeast Missouri State)
Favorable matchup: South Florida at Western Kentucky. The Bulls have to be licking their lips after watching Tennessee destroy Western Kentucky, 63-7. The Vols racked up 657 yards of offense against the Hilltoppers.
Unfavorable matchup: Syracuse at Penn State. Paulus is going to get a tough first road test as he takes the Orange into Happy Valley to face the Nittany Lions. Penn State allowed just 186 yards and seven points to Akron at home. They also destroyed Syracuse at the Carrier Dome in 2008, 55-13. The Orange managed just 159 yards.

Big 12
Notes: The news heard around the world is that Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford is sidelined by a shoulder injury. The good news is that he won't need season-ending surgery, but the bad news is that he is out an undetermined amount of time. Redshirt freshman Landry Jones will start in his absence ... Sticking with the Sooners, the news was not as good for All-American tight end Jermaine Gresham. He had season-ending surgery Tuesday to repair torn cartilage in his right knee. Fantasy owners just lost one of the best options at a thin position ... Kansas wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe has served his one-game ban for his part in a spring suspension and will be back in the lineup Saturday against UTEP ... Texas wide receiver Brandon Collins remains out indefinitely while the NCAA clears up an eligibility issue ... Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert was a standout performer in his first career start against Illinois Saturday. He threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another score in a 37-9 rout of the Illini. Danario Alexander (10 catches, 132 yards) and Jared Perry (four catches, 93 yards, one TD) also stepped up as go-to-receivers ... Texas A&M quarterback Jerrod Johnson affirmed his coaches' decision to keep him under center by passing for 349 yards and totaling three touchdowns (one rushing) in Week 1 against New Mexico ... Kansas State chose to start Daniel Thomas at tailback in the opener against UMass, and he didn't disappoint with 104 yards on 23 carries ... Running back Roy Helu looked strong as the Nebraska's feature back in Week 1 against FAU. He rushed for 152 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries.
Byes: Baylor, Texas A&M
Teams playing FCS schools: Oklahoma (vs. Idaho State)
Favorable matchup: Texas Tech vs. Rice. UAB ran all over the Owls in Week 1, 44-24. The Blazers racked up 516 yards of offense, including 221 through the air. Quarterback Taylor Potts, who threw for 405 yards in Week 1 against North Dakota, should have no problems spreading the ball around against Rice.
Unfavorable matchup: Missouri vs. Bowling Green. The Tigers are riding high after their Week 1 slaughter of Illinois, but they are running into an equally confident Bowling Green squad that upset a very talented Troy team, 31-14, in Dave Clawson's coaching debut last week.

Big Ten
Notes: Illini running back Mikel LeShoure has been suspended for Saturday's game against Illinois State due to violation of team rules ... Iowa running back Jeff Brinson (ankle) is still questionable for Saturday's game against Iowa State, leaving Adam Robinson atop the depth chart ... Michigan wide receiver Junior Hemingway, who had five catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns in the opener against Western Michigan, says his ankle is fine and will start against Notre Dame in Week 2. Running back Brandon Minor is also probable after missing last week with an ankle issue ... Ankle injuries seem to be contagious in the Big Ten. Illinois star wide receiver Arrelious Benn left Saturday's game with an ankle issue of his own, but is expected to dress in Week 2 ... Ohio State No. 1 receiver DeVier Posey also turned an ankle against Navy and his status for Saturday's showdown with USC is unknown ... Michigan State wide receiver Mark Dell missed the opener against Montana State with a shoulder injury, which meant good news for Blair White, who had nine catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Dell is still questionable for Week 2 ... In case you missed it, the NCAA's leading rusher after Week 1 is Purdue's Ralph Bolden, who rushed for 234 yards in an opening win against Toledo.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: Illinois (vs. Illinois State)
Favorable matchup: Northwestern vs. Eastern Michigan. Although Ron English is trying to overhaul the defense at Eastern Michigan, he had a very rough Week 1 against Army. The Black Knights topped Eastern Michigan, 27-14, while rushing for 300 yards. Northwestern dropped 47 points on Towson, so the offense is already clicking.
Unfavorable matchup: Ohio State vs. Southern California. Although USC took some major losses on defense, they still looked mighty sharp against San Jose State. They held the Spartans to three points and 121 yards. It could definitely be a defensive showdown in The Horseshoe Saturday.

Conference USA
Notes: Rice head coach David Bailiff has named Nick Fanuzzi the starter for Saturday's game against Texas Tech, but there is a good chance John Thomas Shepherd will also see some snaps ... Southern Miss star receiver DeAndre Brown is still questionable for Week 2 against UCF as he recovers from a broken leg. However, there seems to be no issues with running back Damion Fletcher, who rushed for 126 yards in the opener after battling an ankle injury heading into the game ... Tulsa quarterback G.J. Kinne solidified his role as the starter with 211 passing yards, 77 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the opener against Tulane. Equally impressive was wide receiver Damaris Johnson, who totaled 252 all-purpose yards ... Tulane wide receiver Jeremy Williams looked fully recovered last week from a pair of injuries that ended his 2008 season prematurely. He hauled in five receptions for 139 yards against Tulsa ... UAB quarterback Joe Webb passed for 221 yards, rushed for 189 yards and totaled four touchdowns (two passing) in a 44-24 win over Rice ... It's not like Houston needs another offensive weapon, but they found one in the opener against Northwestern State. Freshman Charles Sims led the receivers with six catches for 128 yards and one touchdown ... Wake Forest transfer Brett Hodges replaced Rob Calabrese during the opener against Samford and led the Knights to a 28-24 comeback win. UCF head coach George O'Leary still says this is Calabrese's team, but it's clear the quarterback situation is far from settled.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Houston at Oklahoma State. The Cougars are going to have a hard time trying to beat the Cowboys, but that doesn't mean they aren't going to post a ton of yards in the process. Houston lost 56-37 last season to Oklahoma State, but managed 483 yards of offense.
Unfavorable matchup: Tulane vs. BYU. Even though Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford missed the second half against BYU last week, the Cougars still did a nice job keeping the Sooners' high-octane offense in check when their general was in the game. They allowed just 13 points and 265 yards to Oklahoma.

Independents
Notes: The Independents gave us one of the top performers in Week 1 in the form of Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd. The sophomore had touchdown catches of 24, 70 and 88 yards while finishing with four catches for 189 yards ... Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs did a very good job keeping Ohio State on their heels. The triple-option quarterback rushed for 83 yards and two touchdowns, while surprisingly passing for 156 yards and two more scores ... Army coach Rich Ellerson is still sorting out his depth chart in his first year, but Week 1 brought a little clarity in the run game. The Black Knights rolled up 308 rushing yards against Eastern Michigan. Patrick Mealy rushed for a team-high 109 yards, while Kingsley Ehie posted 75 yards and two scores. Unfortunately, starting fullback CeDarius Williams had a disappointing 43 yards on 10 carries.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Navy vs. Louisiana Tech. The Bulldogs had a disappointing Week 1 loss to Auburn. They allowed the Tigers to roll up 37 points and 556 yards. Navy is still probably riding on a high from a near upset of Ohio State.
Unfavorable matchup: None. Army is playing a Duke team that lost to Richmond in Week 1 while Notre Dame is expected to be in a shootout with Michigan.

MAC
Notes: Toledo running back Morgan Williams will serve the final game of his two-game suspension in Week 2 against Colorado ... You might have been a little shocked to see Theo Scott start at quarterback for Ohio in Week 1 against Connecticut, but that was because Boo Jackson has a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. Still, Jackson eventually replaced an ineffective Scott and likely has the upper hand in the competition, as long as he is healthy ... New coach, but still same ol' Stephen Williams. The Toledo receiver had 15 catches for 185 yards and two touchdowns in the opener against Purdue in head coach Tim Beckman's debut. It seems Beckman will continue to lean on Williams as the team's star receiver ... Bowling Green was very impressive in a 31-14 victory against Troy in Week 1. Tyler Sheehan completed 32 of 44 passes for 339 yards as Dave Clawson made his Bowling Green coaching debut. The Falcons are definitely a team to watch in Fantasy if they continue to post solid offensive lines.
Byes: Temple
Teams playing FCS schools: Akron (vs. Morgan State); Ball State (vs. New Hampshire); Northern Illinois (vs. Western Illinois)
Favorable matchup: Toledo vs. Colorado. You are probably thinking Toledo doesn't have a shot in this game, but don't forget the Buffaloes allowed 23 points and 376 yards to Colorado State in Week 1. Toledo showed against Purdue they can put up the points and yards, even if they don't win. It also helps Toledo they don't have to travel to the thin air of Colorado.
Unfavorable matchup: Miami (Ohio) at Boise State. The Redhawks didn't record a point in coach Mike Haywood's debut against Kentucky and now travel to Boise to face a team that held Oregon's high-octane offense to one touchdown.

Mountain West
Notes: Wyoming first-year coach Dave Christensen said he will continue to rotate Robert Benjamin and Austyn Carta-Samuels at quarterback ... Colorado State might have found their replacement for the graduated Gartrell Johnson at tailback. Junior college transfer Leonard Mason was the team's leading rusher in Week 1 against Colorado with 23 carries for 107 yards ... UNLV also might have found their answer at tailback for Frank Summers. Channing Trotter rushed 16 times for 102 yards and three touchdowns in the opener against Sacramento State ... Air Force had a field day rushing the ball in Week 1 against Nicholls State. The Falcons racked up 474 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in a 72-0 rout. Fullback Jared Tew led the way with three touchdowns ... Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham chose to keep his starting quarterback quandary under wraps until kickoff against Utah State. He then unveiled it would be junior college transfer Terrance Cain. It seemed to be a good choice as Cain passed for 286 yards and two touchdowns in his FBS debut. Wide receiver David Reed can certainly get behind the decision after posting 10 catches for 172 yards and one touchdown against the Aggies ... San Diego State wide receiver Vincent Brown has remained the Aztecs' top receiver despite the coaching change. He had five catches for 139 yards and one touchdown in the opener against UCLA ... We continue to await the word on BYU running back Harvey Unga, who missed the opener against Oklahoma with a hamstring injury. He is questionable for Week 2, and if he is out again, Bryan Kariya will start against Tulane.
Byes: None
Teams playing FCS schools: Colorado State (vs. Weber State); San Diego State (vs. Southern Utah)
Favorable matchup: Utah at San Jose State. How do you not like the matchup for the Utes? They are playing a team that allowed 56 points and 620 yards of offense to USC in Week 1. Utah might not be as good as USC, but Utah showed last season against Alabama they can be as effective as any BCS school.
Unfavorable matchup: Wyoming vs. Texas. Even though the Cowboys get the Longhorns on their home turf that doesn't mean Texas is going to forget how to play football. Texas should have too much speed for Wyoming.

Pac-10
Notes: The big news of the week is the season-long suspension of Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount for his post-game antics against Boise State. Oregon head coach Chip Kelly said he is going to use LaMichael James, Andre Crenshaw and Kenyon Barner in Week 2 against Purdue, but James probably has the highest Fantasy ceiling the rest of the year ... Arizona tight end Rob Gronkowski missed the opener against Central Michigan with a back injury and it appears unlikely he will play in Week 2 against Northern Arizona as he is already listed as doubtful ... Sticking with Arizona, it seems head coach Mike Stoops is giving quarterback Matt Scott the first chance to replace Willie Tuitama. He beat out Nick Foles in a close competition ... Oregon State freshman Markus Wheaton was cleared to play by the NCAA days before the team's opener against Portland State and will continue to work in the receiver rotation with Darrell Catchings (hand) sidelined ... Arizona State wide receiver Kerry Taylor served a team-imposed one-game suspension in the opener against Idaho State and is expected to return in Week 2 against La.-Monroe ... Oregon State quarterback Lyle Moevao (shoulder) remains questionable for Saturday against UNLV, meaning Sean Canfield is likely to start again ... UCLA running back Christian Ramirez is once again questionable with an ankle injury as the Bruins prep for Tennessee in Week 2 ... Fantasy owners need to keep tabs on Stanford wide receiver Chris Owusu. He scored twice in the opener against Washington State and is turning into a deep threat for the Cardinal ... Washington freshman James Johnson is another receiver to watch. He has been the buzz of Washington camp and debuted with six catches for 63 yards against LSU.
Byes: Arizona State
Teams playing FCS schools: California (vs. Eastern Washington); Arizona (vs. Northern Arizona)
Favorable matchup: Oregon vs. Purdue. Oregon rolled up 503 yards of offense last season against Purdue. They are hungry for a win after losing to Boise State in the opener, and it's not like the Boilermakers were stout defensively in a Week 1 win against Toledo. They allowed 31 points and 493 yards.
Unfavorable matchup: UCLA at Tennessee. The Bruins might have beaten Tennessee, 27-24, last season, but it certainly wasn't a pretty offensive effort. They managed just 29 rushing yards and turned the ball over four times. Now, they have to contend with Monte Kiffin's Cover-2 defense.

SEC
Notes: Alabama running back Mark Ingram, who bruised his knee in a Week 1 win against Virginia Tech, is not being held out of practice this week and appears probable for Saturday against Florida International ... Georgia running back Caleb King (hamstring) is expected to play Saturday against South Carolina after missing the opener at Oklahoma State. However, he is expected to back up Richard Samuel... The Arkansas receiving corps took a major blow after London Crawford broke his collarbone in the opener against Missouri State. He is sidelined 4-6 weeks ... Mississippi State running back Anthony Dixon is being listed as questionable for Saturday's game against Auburn because of disciplinary actions. He dressed for the opener against Jackson State, but did not play. He is still trying to work his way back into the good graces of coach Dan Mullen after an off-the-field incident ... While Vanderbilt running back Jared Hawkins (foot) was out in Week 1 against Western Carolina, freshmen backs Warren Norman and Zac Stacy stole the show. Norman and Stacy became the first freshmen in Vanderbilt history to run for more than 100 yards in the same game ... Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton solidified his starting role with five touchdown passes in the opener against Western Kentucky ... Florida head coach Urban Meyer praised wide receiver Riley Cooper after posting five catches for 105 yards in the opener against Charleston Southern. Meyer has been harping since the offseason that Florida needed players to step up in the absence of Louis Murphy and Percy Harvin, and Cooper has popped up on Meyer's radar as a potential go-to-receiver.
Byes: Arkansas, Kentucky, Ole Miss
Teams playing FCS schools: None
Favorable matchup: Florida vs. Troy. Bowling Green ran its spread offense with great success in Week 1 against Troy. They racked up 31 points and 389 yards. Can you imagine what Tim Tebow and the boys might do against Troy?.
Unfavorable matchup: South Carolina at Georgia. This game has been a defensive battle the last few seasons and it might live up to the hype again since the two teams combined for just 17 points in Week 1.

Sun Belt
Notes: There weren't many highlights from the Sun Belt in Week 1 as North Texas, La.-Lafayette and Arkansas State were the only victors. And two of those wins were against FCS teams ... Arkansas State running back Reggie Arnold was too much for Mississippi Valley State last week. He rushed for four touchdowns and 126 yards on 12 carries ... Running back Undrea Sails is quickly making La.-Lafayette fans forget about four-time 1,000-yard rusher Tyrell Fenroy. Sails rushed for 114 yards and two touchdowns in the opener against Southern.
Byes: Florida Atlantic
Teams playing FCS schools: La.-Monroe (vs. Texas Southern)
Favorable matchup: North Texas vs. Ohio. The Mean Green might have only had 20 points in Week 1 against Ball State, but they put up 512 yards of offense, including 296 on the ground. Ohio was shredded for 259 rushing yards by Connecticut last week.
Unfavorable matchup: Troy at Florida. If all Troy could muster up was 14 points against Bowling Green in Week 1, what do you think the Trojans' chances are going up against the defending national champs on their home turf?

WAC
Notes: Robert Turbin did a nice job keeping himself atop the Utah State running back depth chart in Week 1 against Utah. He led the Aggies with 148 rushing yards, which included a 96-yard touchdown scamper ... Hawaii wide receiver Greg Salas showed why he is the Warriors' best receiver against Central Arkansas last week. He led the way with seven receptions for 180 yards and one touchdown ... Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews looks back to 100 percent after he was slowed by leg problems in 2008. Mathews rushed for 106 yards in the opener against UC Davis, which included a 60-yard touchdown run. Mathews averaged 9.6 yards per carry.
Byes: Nevada, Utah State
Teams playing FCS schools: New Mexico State (vs. Prairie View A&M)
Favorable matchup: Hawaii at Washington State. We have to keep picking on the Cougars until they prove they can stop the opposition. Washington State allowed 39 points and 481 yards of offense to Stanford in the opener and Hawaii is definitely looking to throw the ball around.
Unfavorable matchup: San Jose State vs. Utah. For the second straight week, the Spartans play a top 25 team after getting bounced, 56-3, in the opener against USC. Utah looked suspect at times against Utah State in Week 1, but got stronger as the game went on and shut out the Aggies in the second half.