Colin Kaepernick, University of Nevada, leading a victory over UNLV (courtesy ISM.com)
The WAC is blessed with prolific quarterbacks, mostly because it is not blessed with many prolific defenses. From a Heisman darkhorse (or two!) to a new starter with upside, here are the top five WAC fantasy quarterbacks for 2009.
1. Colin Kaepernick, Nevada
If you have not heard Kaepernick’s name, then you probably live West of the Mississippi and know him only as “that beanpole no one can tackle.” Kaepernick went for 3979 combined yards from scrimmage, 39 total TDs, and a WAC Player of the Year honor as a sophomore last season. He is the best fantasy player the WAC has to offer. He returns for his junior season with more experience, a renewed desire to shore up his only weakness (completing passes), and the near certainty of improving on last year’s numbers. With a non-conference slate that includes UNLV and Colorado State, and a conference slate featuring WAC teams, Kaepernick has the potential to go off in a big way in 2009.
2. Kellen Moore, Boise State
As a freshman starter last year, Moore was brilliant. His 3486 yards and 25 TDs easily earned him WAC Freshman of the Year honors and nearly won him the Player of the Year award, too. This fall things could be even better. A game-film nut, Moore can only get more efficient with an offseason to study up on his opponents. He’ll be leading one of the most prolific offenses in the country and he’ll have Titus Young, a burner at wide receiver, to give the offense a dimension it didn’t have last fall. What’s the only downside to picking him? He could miss out on lots of easy stats in garbage time once games get out of hand.
3. Diondre Borel, Utah State
He’s Kaepernick-Lite and on a worse team. Still, Borel is capable of the spectacular (ask Hawaii, which saw Borel reel off a 62-yard TD pass and a 61-yard run in a 30-14 Aggie win) and coming into the season as the starter should give him a boost. Plus, Utah State will be running the no-huddle, which could be really good if Borel is up to the challenge or really bad if he fails to figure things out. Count on it going well, and you’ll get a steal of a stat machine who is the offense at Utah State.
4. Greg Alexander, Hawaii
The incumbent no one’s talking about, Alexander is no Colt Brennan, but he is serviceable. Though he started only seven games last fall, Alexander still managed nearly 2,000 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Hawaii offense is progressively receding from its 2007 heyday, but there’s still enough left of it that Alexander could be a good fantasy choice.
5. Nathan Enderle, Idaho
You might hesitate to pick a player whom Idaho fans hesitate to publicly support. Maybe this will help: Enderle improved markedly from his freshman season to his sophomore season, doubling his passing TDs in that span. The junior, entering his third year as starter, will face competition he should beat in the fall; then we’ll see. If he overcomes susceptibility for turnovers, if he keeps steadily improving and if the NCAA doesn’t demote the Vandals to the FCS in midseason, Enderle’s worth a look.
Also: Derek Carr, Fresno State-David’s little bro has a solid supporting cast of skill players around him, and he may be worth a waiver wire pick-up in midseason.
Not: Kyle Reed, San Jose State- Unless your league values incompletions and three-and-outs, stay away.
***Kevan Lee writes full-time about Boise State football over at One Bronco Nation Under God. This might explain the overt biases in his fantasy projections.
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