By Greg DePalma, OFN Executive Producer

College Football Injury Report: Week 6

To set your lineups in your college football fantasy leagues we provide this weekly report that covers the most important players in the country for their respective teams.

Don’t forget to tune in every Friday for OFNs College Football Preview show for in-depth game coverage including more details on the playing status of key players as well as game analysis, trends, the latest odds and picks.

Key short-term injuries/suspensions…

Alabama…Star DL Da’Shawn Hand injured his hand last week against Ole Miss and is expected to be out until at least a November 4th contest against LSU.

Florida…Leading rusher Jordan Scarlett and leading receiver Antonio Callaway continue to serve suspensions resulting from fraud-related felony complaints. There is a good chance they won’t play this season. With Callaway out of service, sophomore WR Tyrie Cleveland had become the Gators top receiver (15-326-2), but will miss the game against LSU with an ankle injury. Meanwhile, junior QB Luke Del Rio is out for the season after injuring his shoulder last week against Vanderbilt and the Gators passing game should take a hit in production because of it.

Notre Dame…QB Brandon Wimbush is dealing with a foot injury and will be a game-time decision at North Carolina.

Oregon…Starting QB Justin Herbert broke his collarbone last week against California and is out indefinitely. The Ducks will turn to either senior Taylor Alie or true freshman Braxton Burmeister against Washington State. Alie has only attempted 34 career passes while Burmeister was the seventh-rated dual-threat quarterback prospect out of high school last season according to Rivals.com. Unless Burmeister turns into a star before our eyes on Saturday night, the Ducks could be in trouble without the talented Herbert. Look for them to ride senior running back Royce Freeman and take the pressure off the starter.

Additional short-term injuries/suspensions…

Akron…RB Warren Ball will miss the season with a broken leg sustained last week at Bowling Green. Ball was the team’s top rusher with 332 yards and four TDs. Junior RB Van Edwards will assume the top job after leading the team in yards last season with 492. He only has 133 so far this season. The Zips also lost one of their top defenders in a Week 3 game against Iowa State when DB Zach Guiser suffered a concussion and then decided to retire.

Arizona State…DE Koron Crump is out indefinitely with a knee injury. Crump leads the Sun Devils with four sacks.  

Ball State…Starting QB Riley Neal will miss his third consecutive game with a leg injury. Neal has been a three-year starter since early during his freshman season. Senior back-up Jack Milas has not been as productive going just 40 for 76 with three picks in two losing starts since taking over for Neal. RB James Gilbert will likely miss a third consecutive game as well with a hand injury. Gilbert was a 1st-team MAC rusher last season gaining over 1,300 yards on the ground.

Boston College…The offensive line for the Eagles is a mess. Starting guard Elijah Johnson has been out for the season with a knee injury since the spring. Starting center Jon Baker is also out for the season with an ACL injury that occurred Week 1 against Northern Illinois. Center Shane Leonard has been out since the spring with a knee injury and it is unknown when he’ll return. Right now the Eagles are using true freshman Ben Petrula at center even though he never played the position in high school. He is considered one of their top prospects though. Aaron Monteiro is another starter who may not play against Virginia Tech.

Bowling Green…DB Jamari Bozeman has been out all season with a hip injury. He was a 3rd-team All-Mac performer last season.  

Buffalo…Starting QB Tyree Jackson looks like he’ll miss his second straight game following a knee injury he sustained Week 4 against FAU. Junior QB Drew Anderson went 11 of 18 for 142 yards and a TD including pick in his first start last week in a win at Kent State.

Central Michigan…The Chippewas will be without their top-two receivers again this week in WR Corey Willis, a 2nd-team All-MAC last year and TE Tyler Conklin. Willis (1,087, 9 TD) was the team’s only thousand-yard receiver last year and has been out since a big performance (8-140-TD) at Kansas in Week 2. Conklin has missed the season since a foot injury in camp. Conklin is coming off a solid season too (42-560-6). Senior WR Mark Chapman is the only remaining threat in the passing game. For what it’s worth, the Chippewas were 2-0 with Willis and are now 0-3 without him.

Connecticut…Top WR Hergy Mayala is out for about another month with an ankle injury. Mayala leads the team with three receiving TDs.

Kentucky…LB Jordan Jones, an SEC 2nd-team player is likely out for his fourth straight game with a shoulder injury. Jones led the team last season with 109 tackles and 15 ½ tackles for loss.

Louisville…WR Jaylen Smith missed his third straight game Thursday night with a wrist injury. Smith was the team’s leading receiver (22-379-2) at the time of his injury, but redshirt freshman Dez Fitzpatrick (26-414-6) has taken over as the team leader while sophomore Seth Dawkins has also contributed (23-371-2).

Maryland…DE Jesse Aniebonam has been out with an ankle injury since Week 1 at Texas. The senior was the team’s sack leader last season with nine.

Michigan…QB Wilton Speight suffered a back injury against Purdue in Week 4 and is expected to miss a few weeks. The new starter is senior John O’Korn, who passed for over 3,000 yards during his freshman season in Houston, but has not seen much action for two years since transferring.

Middle Tennessee…QB Brent Stockstill will miss his fourth-straight game against FIU with a shoulder injury. The junior has amassed over 7,000 yards through the air the past two seasons with a 61/16 ratio. Sophomore back-up John Urzua is not even close to being that accomplished, but he has played well enough at times to give the Raiders a chance against lower competition. Star receiver Richie James will also miss his third straight game after injuring his ankle Week 3 at Minnesota. James came into the season with 2,971 yards and 20 TDs the past two years combined.

Nebraska…After producing 299 yards over his first two starts, leading rusher Tre Bryant is expected to miss his fourth straight game with a knee injury when the Huskers host Wisconsin. Both Mikale Wilbon and Devine Ozigbo have taken turns getting carries in Bryant’s absence, but neither has Bryant’s ability.

Old Dominion…RB Ray Lawry has been out since Week 1 with a hamstring injury. Lawry led the Monarchs with 1,255 yards rushing and 11 TDs last season. No. 2 Jeremy Cox has only gained 177 this season after registering 732 with 13 TDs in 2016.

Oregon State…QB Jake Luton suffered a serious back injury Week 4 at Washington State and it is unknown when he’ll be able to return. New starter Darrell Garretson, a former Utah State transfer will make his second start at USC. Garretson went 11 of 22 for 74 yards in a 42-7 loss against Washington last week. He began last season as the starter until a mid-season knee injury ended it early. The Beavers are also dealing with an ankle injury to their top offensive player, RB Ryan Nall. Nall led the team in rushing with 951 yards last season and has 341 with four scores after Week 5.

Purdue…RB Tario Fuller injured his foot against Missouri in Week 3 and did not play against Michigan the following week. Even after a bye week it appears Fuller will need more time to heal. He leads the team with 261 yards rushing and there is no current quality No. 2 at this time.

Rice…QB Sam Glaesmann is expected to miss his third straight game with a shoulder injury for the Owls. Sophomore Jackson Tyner has not been an effective fill-in.

South Carolina…The Gamecocks are already without a pair of key players for the season (see below) and now have three starters along the offensive line about to miss the Arkansas game. Guard Cory Helms and left tackle Malik Young are definitely out while right tackle Zach Bailey appears doubtful.

Texas…1st-team All-American left-tackle Connor Williams is out with a knee injury with no word on when he’ll return.

Texas Tech…Leading WR Keke Couter (31-499-4) looks like he’ll miss the game at Kansas this week with a knee injury even though he is considered a game-time decision. There is decent depth behind Couter, but the 3rd-team All-Big 12 receiver would be probably be missed if he was held out for more than a week.  

UCLA…The Bruins No. 2 receiver, sophomore TE Caleb Wilson (38-490-TD), injured his foot last week against Colorado and will miss the rest of the season. The Bruins do have WRs Darren Andrews (40-553-7) and Jordan Lasley (26-466-3), but the drop-off occurs at the tight-end position the most.

USC…Starting guard Viane Talamaivao will miss the rest of the season after a pectoral injury sustained against Washington State last week. Talamaivao was the team’s top lineman. Freshman RB Stephen Carr might miss the Oregon State game with a foot injury. Carr is the second leading rusher behind Ronald Jones.

Utah…Sophomore QB Tyler Huntley is still nursing a shoulder injury from a Week 4 win at Arizona. Huntley beat out last year’s starter, senior Troy Williams, and was having a productive start to the season with his ability to pass (73% completion percentage) and run (208 yards and 3 TDs). Right now it appears Williams will start against Stanford.

Long-term injuries/suspensions…

Appalachian State…Leading WR Shaedon Meadors will redshirt this season after not being able to return from an early season hamstring issue. Meadors was a 2nd-team All-Sun Belt performer last season with 716 yards on 45 receptions. The top three receivers for the Mountaineers this season are all freshmen.

Auburn…QB Sean White was dismissed from the program after being arrested on 9/17 for public intoxication. White was the starter last season before a shoulder injury in November not only ended his regular season, but the Tigers chances of winning a national championship as well. White came back only to break his arm in the Sugar Bowl and the injuries would eventually impact his ability to compete with JUCO transfer Jarrett Stidham for the starting job this past spring. White led the SEC in completion percentage last season and would have provided the Tigers with a competent backup and potential starter.

Baylor…WR Chris Platt is out for the season with a knee injury sustained Week 4 against Oklahoma. Platt is one of the Bears top-two receivers (16-401-5) and will be missed.

Boston College…Linebacker Connor Strachan, last year’s leading tackler, is out for the season with a knee injury. The senior totaled 155 tackles the past two years. He’s been out since Week 2.

Clemson…Kicker Greg Huegel is out for the season with an ACL injury. Huegel kicked in the National Championship game the past two seasons and was an All ACC 2nd-team kicker.

FAU…WR Kalib Woods was charged with two felony counts of battery over the summer and his status is up in the air for the season. Woods was the Owl’s leading receiver by far (68-934-TD) last season.

Kent State…QB Nick Holley is out for the season with a knee injury sustained at Marshall in a Week 3 contest.  Holley was a difference-maker for a weak offense leading the team in rushing last season with 920 yards and 10 TDs and again this season with 207. Back-up George Bollas is a huge drop-off and is only getting the start because top back-up Mylik Mitchell is also out with a knee injury with no timetable for his return.

Maryland…Week 1 starting QB Tyrrell Pigrome injured his knee against Texas and will miss the season as will his replacement Kasim Hill, who had an ACL injury against Central Florida in a Week 3 contest.

North Carolina…Leading receiver Austin Proehl injured his shoulder Week 4 against Duke and will miss the rest of the season. The Tar Heels are pretty thin at the position after losing three key players from last year’s team including their all-time leader, Ryan Switzer.

South Carolina…Electrifying WR/KR Deebo Samuel is out for the year with a leg injury and it will be a huge blow for the program. Samuel almost single-handedly helped the Gamecocks beat both NC State and Missouri to open the season before injuring himself against Kentucky. He led the team last year with 783 yards on 59 receptions and was off to a tremendous start again this season which included two kick-off return scores. Sophomore WR Bryan Edwards and junior TE Hayden Hurst will need to step up. Edwards has 859 yards and four TDs on 65 receptions since last season while Hurst has added 761 yards and three scores on 59 receptions. LB Bryson Allen-Williams will also miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. Allen-Williams was the team’s No. 2 tackler last season with 75 and added 8 ½ tackles for loss.

Washington…WR Chico McClatcher is out for the year with an ankle injury sustained Week 4 in the Huskies win at Colorado. McClatcher was the team’s third-leading receiver last season (31-574-5) and was the team’s second-leading receiver so far this season (10-128). With no current depth behind star Dante Pettis, this could be an issue for the Huskies moving forward.