ACC fantasy football isn’t really a thing yet, except for a select few rabid followers of the conference who do it old-school style and comb through box scores to manually allocate points.
But ACC fantasy totally should be a thing. It would give us a reason to watch the waning moments of a blowout Thursday night game, and it would give you a reason to check ACCSports.com regularly (last pitch, I promise).
In the event you do have an ACC fantasy league, we’ve got you covered for your draft. We’re ranking the top 12 players at every position, as well as giving you a few names to check out on the waiver wires.
The first position up is quarterback. I used standard fantasy scoring while making these rankings. That is:
- 10 rushing yards=1 point
- 1 rushing touchdown=6 points
- 30 passing yards=1 point
- 1 passing touchdown=4 points
- 1 interception=(-2) points
Alongside each name, you’ll notice the abbreviation FPPG. That stands for Fantasy Points Per Game, and it was calculated using their season stats divided by the number of appearances for each player. Obviously, this isn’t fair to players who were backups last season, but that number is far from the be-all, end-all of this ranking.
The rankings were made considering a) The amount of fantasy points that player scored last season, b) The offense that player is in, c) The room for improvement for that player, and d) My gut.
1. Jameis Winston, Florida State
FPPG: 22.82
Spin: Winston was statistically dominant last season, and nothing suggests he won’t post a similar stat line this year. The only concern here is that he’s off the field for too many second halves.
2. Marquise Williams, North Carolina
FPPG: 16.08
Spin: With 536 rushing yards and 15 passing touchdowns in 2013, Williams is the conference’s premier dual-threat quarterback. Those numbers could’ve been better, too, if he wasn’t splitting snaps with Bryn Renner for so long. Assuming he wins the starting job over Mitch Trubisky, Williams is one of the elite fantasy quarterbacks in the ACC.
3. Anthony Boone, Duke
FPPG: 13.81
Spin: Boone’s interceptions (13) diminished his value some last year, and his stats didn’t necessarily mirror how impressive he was. But with touchdown vulture Brandon Connette (14 rushing in 2013) no longer around, Boone should pick up a few more points within the red zone.
4. Justin Thomas, Georgia Tech
FPPG: 3.9
Spin: Thomas is unproven, but he appears primed to star as the next quarterback of Georgia Tech’s option attack. Vad Lee was underwhelming last season, and he still averaged 13.46 fantasy points per game. The year before, Tevin Washington was posting 19.14 fantasy points per game. We can expect Thomas to fall somewhere between those two, making him a point-grabber extraordinaire.
5. Terrel Hunt, Syracuse
FPPG: 15.83
Spin: Though he won’t post gaudy passing numbers, Hunt is enough of a dual-threat that he can generate a good amount of fantasy points week in, week out. He rushed for 500 yards and seven touchdowns last season, and his passing (1,638 yards, 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions) should improve a little bit this season.
6. Everett Golson, Notre Dame
FPPG: 13.92 (2012)
Spin: Golson returns to his post after missing a season due to an academic suspension. In 2012, Golson was consistent though not statistically outstanding. Still, he averaged almost 14 points a game, which would make him the fourth-best returner by FPPG. Golson is both talented and familiar with the Irish’s offense, making him a safe bet for a good season.
7. Jacoby Brissett, NC State
FPPG: 4.5 (Florida)
Spin: Brissett is probably the biggest boom-or-bust quarterback on this list. If he lives up to the hype, his dual-threat tendencies make him a potentially elite fantasy quarterback. Still, his lack of experience makes him a risky draft choice.
8. Cole Stoudt, Clemson
FPPG: 6.875
Spin: While flying under the radar, Stoudt was surprisingly efficient in 2013. In eight appearances, he threw for 415 yards and five touchdowns against no interceptions. He also tacked on a pair of rushing touchdowns. In Dabo Swinney’s offense, a good quarterback will be a fantasy stud. Tajh Boyd was the conference’s best fantasy quarterback last season, registering 26.3 points per game. Stoudt won’t be Boyd, but he there’s a good bit of potential here.
9. Will Gardner, Louisville
FPPG: 1.57
Spin: There isn’t really a profile on Gardner yet, thanks to Teddy Bridgewater. But Gardner is expected to put up some good numbers this year, and new coach Bobby Petrino’s offense is a high-powered one that could give him a high ceiling. Gardner is athletic enough to pick up some bonus points on the ground, and he has the luxury of chucking balls to DeVante Parker.
10. Chad Voytik, Pittsburgh
FPPG: 2.75
Spin: There’s very little chance Voytik breaks through as a top-tier fantasy quarterback, but he should be a relatively safe choice. Tom Savage wasn’t necessarily a world-beater, and he averaged 12.62 fantasy points per game last season. Voytik has plenty of options, namely Tyler Boyd, and their big-play potential could help him out, too.
11. Tyler Murphy, Boston College
FPPG: 8.66 (Florida)
Spin: Murphy was underwhelming at Florida in 2013, but that whole team was a nightmare. A change of scenery should do him good. He could be valuable as a mobile quarterback, but even his rushing stats (61 yards, three touchdowns) weren’t exceptional last season. He doesn’t have many top targets at receiver, and he’s a bit turnover prone, so he won’t post big numbers by passing the ball, either. The Boston College running back corps is so important in this offense that Murphy is an average fantasy option at best.
12. Ryan Williams, Miami
FPPG: 5.5
Spin: Obviously, the concern here is that Williams won’t be physically ready to play at the beginning of the season. His only value is as a late-round sleeper, after you’ve drafted a true starting quarterback. But if he gets the ball when he returns from injury, he could quickly become one of the better fantasy quarterbacks in the league.
Best Available On The Waiver Wire: Greyson Lambert (Virginia), Michael Brewer (Virginia Tech), Jake Heaps (Miami), Mitch Trubisky (North Carolina), John Wolford (Wake Forest), Darius Wade (Boston College).