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The SEC has many of the best football players in America.
A select few will be drafted and signed by NFL teams, leading to the opportunity of being taken in fantasy football leagues across the country.
Why wait until then?
Some of CBS Sports’ Fantasy Football Scoring helped calculate the best returning fantasy players from the 2016 season. Unlike some scoring regulations, they credit 6 points to quarterbacks for passing touchdowns, compared to 4 points in many other leagues. Here are some of the scoring methods that were used to rank the players:
- Touchdown (Passing, Rushing or Receiving) = 6 points
- Passing Yards = 1 point for every 25 yards
- Rushing/Receiving Yards = 1 point for every 10 yards
- Interception/Fumble Lost = -2 points
- Field Goal 0-49 yards = 3 points
- Field Goal 50+ yards = 5 points
- Extra Point = 1 point
CBS Sports did not factor in points per reception, or PPR, to its scoring system. This makes the wide receiver a weaker player, in terms of possible fantasy points. As dynamic as some of those players are, most shouldn’t be drafted before a running back or quarterback.
If the scoring was tailored toward a PPR league, Derrius Guice and others would be more valued. Running backs averaged more than wide receivers, but still not as many as the quarterbacks. Typically, running backs are taken first in a non-PPR league because they average the most points.
Because of this, SEC fans should draft a quarterback first because of how many points they are able to accumulate. They were far and away the best stat producers of all the positions below.
Most college kickers don’t have the leg to kick 50+ yard field goals — and coaches would rather punt from than let them try. Of the top 3 kickers, only one made a kick of that distance in 2016.
Turnovers are a crucial factor of fantasy football. Despite Arkansas quarterback Austin Allen throwing for the most passing yards in the SEC and 25 TDs, his 15 interceptions cost him a spot in the top 3.
Other players helped their fantasy stats by taking care of the pigskin. Vanderbilt running back Ralph Webb didn’t lose a fumble all season.
Let’s take a look at the top 3 fantasy difference-makers by position in the SEC:
Quarterbacks (passing & rushing)
1. Nick Fitzgerald — Mississippi State
Games played: 13
Passing: 2,423 yds + 21 TDs – 10 INTs = 202.6 fantasy points
Rushing: 1,375 yds + 16 TDs – 3 fumbles = 227.5 FP
Fantasy points per game: 33.1
Skinny: Ya, and he’s probably going to be better in 2017 with the experience he’s gained.
2. Jalen Hurts — Alabama
Games played: 15
Passing: 2,780 yds + 23 TDs + 9 INTs = 231.2 FP
Rushing: 954 yds + 13 TDs – 5 fumbles = 163.4 FP
FPPG: 26.31
Skinny: Hurts’ FPPG is lower because he faced stiffer competition in December and January when the Crimson Tide were rolling.
3. Drew Lock — Missouri
Games played: 12
Passing: 3,399 yds + 23 TDs – 10 INTs = 254.0 FP
Rushing: 123 yds + 1 TD – 2 fumbles = 14.3 FP
FPPG: 22.4
Skinny: Lock did his damage despite connecting on just 54 percent of his passes. Imagine his numbers if that jumps to 60 percent in Year 2 with Josh Heupel.
Other guy: Austin Allen — Arkansas
Allen threw 25 TDs, more than any returning QB in the SEC.
Running Backs (rushing & receiving)
1. Derrius Guice — LSU
Games played: 13
Rushing: 1,387 yds + 15 TDs – 2 fumbles = 224.7 FP
Receiving: 106 yds + 1 TD = 16.6 FP
FPPG: 18.6
Skinny: Imagine what he can do as the No. 1 running back. In 2017, we won’t have to.
2. Ralph Webb — Vanderbilt
Games played: 13
Rushing: 1,283 yds + 13 TDs = 206.3 FP
Receiving: 166 yds + 0 TD = 16.6 FP
FPPG: 17.1
Skinny: Webb is never given the credit he deserves, even being the second best fantasy running back in the SEC.
3. Benjamin Snell Jr. — Kentucky
Games played: 13
Rushing: 1,091 yds + 13 TDs – 2 fumbles = 183.1 FP
Receiving: 39 yds + 0 TD = 3.9 FP
FPPG: 14.4
Skinny: Snell posted these numbers as a true freshman while sharing carries.
Sleeper: Damarea Crockett — Missouri
Crockett was overshadowed by Lock’s numbers, but over 1,000 yards as a freshman speaks for itself.
Wide Receivers (receiving)
1. J’Mon Moore — Missouri
Games played: 12
Receiving: 1,012 yds + 8 TDs – 3 fumbles = 143.2 FP
FPPG: 12.0
Skinny: Moore and Lock form a deadly fantasy duo.
2. Christian Kirk — Texas A&M
Games played: 13
Receiving: 928 yds + 9 TDs – 2 fumbles = 142.8 FP
FPPG: 11.0
Skinny: Can Kirk maintain this pace despite an unknown quarterback situation?
3. Calvin Ridley — Alabama
Games played: 15
Receiving: 769 yds + 7 TDs = 118.9 FP
FPPG: 7.9
Skinny: Ridley took awhile to develop chemistry with Jalen Hurts, but he’ll be the go-to in 2017.
Other guy: Jauan Jennings — Tennessee
Jennings is more than just a highlight reel against Georgia and proved that last season.
Tight Ends (receiving)
1. Hayden Hurst — South Carolina
Games played: 13
Receiving: 616 yds + 1 TD = 67.6 FP
FPPG: 5.2
Skinny: Hurst is the only returning SEC tight end with more than 400 yards in 2016.
2. Isaac Nauta — Georgia
Games played: 11
Receiving: 361 yds + 3 TDs = 54.1 FP
FPPG: 4.9
Skinny: He and Jacob Eason look to extend on the chemistry they started as early-enrollees last January.
3. DeAndre Goolsby — Florida
Games played: 11
Receiving: 342 yds + 3 TDs = 52.2 FP
FPPG: 4.7
Skinny: The Gators want to throw it more in 2017. Goolsby can go get it.
Other Guy: C.J. Conrad — Kentucky
Conrad was named to John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List for good reason and his stats should reflect that.
Kickers
1. Daniel Carlson — Auburn
Games played: 13
Field goals: 28 = 92 FP
Extra points: 44 = 44 FP
FPPG: 10.5
Skinny: Carlson hit four field goals from 50+ yards last season, worth five points each.
2. Gary Wunderlich — Ole Miss
Games played: 12
FGs: 22 = 66 FP
XPs: 41 = 41 FP
FPPG: 9.4
Stats: That offense is built to score.
3. Daniel LaCamera – Texas A&M
Games played: 13
FGs: 17 = 51 FP
XPs: 54 = 54 FP
FPPG: 8.1
Skinny: LaCamera should be helped by an unknown quarterback situation in College Station, leading to settling for field goals.
Other Guy: Eddy Pineiro
Pineiro made 84 percent of his field goal attempts last season.
Tye is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He works on-air for ESPN Arkansas in Fort Smith. You can follow him on twitter @TyeSportsRadio.
