News:Christine Michael ran for nine yards on three carries against Sam Houston State on Saturday.
Analysis: A&M scored too quickly for the running game to get much traction, leaving Sam Houston State (55 rush attempts) to run out the clock. Christine Michael is a decent bet to bounce back for his SEC-only league owners against Missouri.
News:Christine Michael ran for 27 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries against Alabama on Saturday.
Analysis:Christine Michael has carved out a consistent role as A&M's goal-line runner, which makes him a weekly option in SEC-only leagues.
News:Christine Michael ran for 50 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries against Mississippi State on Saturday.
Analysis:Christine Michael is clearly behind Ben Malena at running back, but he's still a justifiable flex start in SEC-only leagues against Alabama.
News:Christine Michael ran for 75 yards and a touchdown on nine carries against Auburn on Saturday.
Analysis:Christine Michael is still only an SEC-only league option, as he lost lots of carries to Trey Williams (19) and Ben Malena (seven).
News:Christine Michael ran for 27 yards and a touchdown on eight carries against LSU on Saturday.
Analysis:Christine Michael is losing lots of carries to Ben Malena, who is running better right now. Michael is only worth owning in SEC-only leagues right now.
News: Michel ran for 65 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries against Louisiana Tech on Saturday.
Analysis: Ben Malena, meanwhile, ran for just 34 yards on 12 carries. It looks like a running back committee may be the case at A&M, so neither player looks especially valuable right now.
News:Christine Michael ran for 21 yards on four carries against Mississippi on Saturday.
Analysis:Christine Michael can be dropped outside of SEC-only leagues. He's behind Ben Malena on the depth chart.
News:Christine Michael ran for 24 yards and a touchdown on five carries against Arkansas on Saturday.
Analysis:Christine Michael must have done something in practice or off the field to get into the doghouse, because Ben Malena played the lead role Saturday despite possessing less talent than Michael. Michael is in any case a player who needs to be benched outside of SEC-only leagues.
News:Christine Michael ran for 26 yards and a touchdown against South Carolina State on Saturday.
Analysis:Christine Michael should be better against Arkansas, but he's still looking like a disappointment this year.
News:Christine Michael (suspension) will return for Saturday's game against South Carolina State after serving a one-game suspension, CBS Sports reports.
Analysis:Christine Michael is expected to start at tailback, and he'll be a strong fantasy play against South Carolina State.
News:Christine Michael (suspension) will not play against SMU on Saturday, USA Today's George Schroeder reports.
Analysis: Ben Malena will start in Christine Michael's place and makes a fine fantasy option against SMU.
News:Christine Michael (undisclosed) has not been spotted at Saturday's game against SMU, TexAgs.com reports.
Analysis: We're looking for more information on this one, but until something comes up Christine Michael's owners may want to put him on the bench, with backup Ben Malena looking like one viable option. Malena was apparently receiving first-team reps prior to the game Saturday.
News:Christine Michael ran for 33 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries against Florida on Saturday while catching three passes for 15 yards.
Analysis:Christine Michael will have better days than this, but it's still a disappointing start to his year. Still, almost all of his owners need him active against SMU next week.
News:Christine Michael (ACL) has not missed any training camp reps and has had no contact limitations, the Austin American-Statesman reports.
Analysis:Christine Michael is less durable than some of the other top-tier runners, but he's potentially a top-three talent at the position nationwide has a very high ceiling. We're removing his injury designation at this point. Those of you who want him might need to take Michael with one of your first two picks.
News: Texas A&M wide receiver Ryan Swope said Tuesday that Christine Michael is "ready to go" after recovering from a torn ACL suffered in November, ESPN's Mark Schlabach reports.
Analysis:Christine Michael is a top athletic talent, so it wouldn't be a huge surprise if his recovery really is nearly complete. We have to assume he still has work to do, though, so we won't consider him fully cleared quite yet. If he does gain full clearance, however, Michael will be worth moving up in the rankings since he's the clear feature back for A&M.
News: Texas A&M running back Cyrus Gray emerged from the locker room after halftime without pads, and is out of the game with an undisclosed injury.
Analysis: With Christine Michael out as well, Ben Malena is now the feature back for the Aggies. We'll keep you updated on why exactly Gray had to leave the game and the extent of his injury.
News: With Christine Michael done for the season, running back Cyrus Gray is once again the go-to guy, and he responded on Saturday, rushing the ball 30 times for 218 yards and two touchdowns against Kansas State.
Analysis: Fantasy owners no longer have to worry about Gray splitting carries with Michael and his big day on Saturday allowed fantasy owners to reap the benefits.
News: Texas A&M running back Christine Michael will miss the remainder of the 2011 season with a torn ACL he suffered against Oklahoma on Saturday.
Analysis: This is devastating news for the Aggies and Michael, who has now suffered his second season ending injury in as many years. He was the team's leading rusher and now the focus will be place solely on Cyrus Gray. We wish Michael, who is a great talent, all the best in his recovery.
News: Texas A&M running back Christine Michael left Saturday's loss to Oklahoma in the third quarter with a knee injury and receiver Ryan Swope left in the fourth after getting his "bell rung".
Analysis: Both will be evaluated this week. Swope's injury doesn't appear to be serious. Michael's on the other hand, could be severe.
News: Texas A&M running back Christine Michael was taken to the locker room with an undisclosed injury in the fourth quarter during Saturday's game against Missouri.
Analysis: Michael took a hard hit prior to leaving the game. He had racked up over 100 yards on the day and we'll await further word on the extent of his injury.
News: Texas A&M usually rides the hot back when it comes to Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray, but Saturday they both put up big numbers, with Michael running 19 times for 142 yards and a touchdown while Gray had 21 rushes for 125 yards.
Analysis: Big games for both of these fantasy studs against a struggling Iowa State defense, but hopefully we continue to see these kinds of performances even with these two backs sharing carries.
News: Texas A&M running back Christine Michael ran the ball 21 times for 105 yards and a score while Cyrus Gray only had 12 rushes for 42 yards in the Aggies' win over Baylor.
Analysis: It seems to vary from week to week who head coach Mike Sherman prefers in the running game. This week it just happened to be Michael, but both remain viable fantasy options.
News: Texas A&M saw three different runners find the endzone on Saturday, including Cyrus Gray (21 carries, 116 yards, 1 TD) and Christine Michael (15 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD). Quarterback Ryan Tannehill chipped in two of his own rushing scores and had 55 yards on the ground..
Analysis: Even with Michael getting the start, it was Gray who received the most carries because of his performance. Tannehill was pedestrian through the air, but made up for it with his feet. It's hard to predict just which back will get the most carries on a week-to-week basis.
News: Texas A&M running back Christine Michael had a ridiculous 149 yards after contact last week against Arkansas and is expected to start over Cyrus Gray again this week.
Analysis: The Aggies are trying to figure out a way to stop blowing leads and get back into the win column, and it's hard to ignore Michael's 230 yards from a week ago. So he'll get the nod against Texas Tech.
News: Texas A&M running back Christine Michael made sure everyone knew he has fully recovered from his season-ending injury last season by running the ball 32 times for 230 yards and three touchdowns. Teammate Cyrus Gray added 17 carries for 95 yards and two scores against Arkansas.
Analysis: Normally 325 yards on the ground from your top two tailbacks is enough to earn a victory, but that's for another discussion. What a game for Michael. Nobody could have seen this performance coming and along with Gray, these two should continue to be big time fantasy threats.
News: Tulsa rung up 365 yards on the ground last weekend against Oklahoma State. But Bill Haisten of Tulsa World points out there were mitigating circumstances that led to the gashing. The Pokes were without co-defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer due to the death of his wife. Tulsa hit them with unexpected formations and the game started after midnight due to the weather.
Analysis: Valid points. However, Texas A&M's offensive line is scary good and they better be ready for a steady dose of Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael this weekend.
News: Texas A&M running back Cyrus Gray ran the ball 29 times for 101 yards and two touchdowns and also had 58 receiving yards and a touchdown reception. Meanwhile, Christine Michael only ran the ball five times.
Analysis: It's not like Michael was struggling - he averaged over six yards a carry against Idaho. But Gray had 24 more carries than Michael and had a big fantasy day as a result.
News: Texas A&M freshman running back Mister Jones has withdrawn from the university and the team for personal reasons.
Analysis: Jones was buried on the Aggies' depth chart behind guys like Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael. He had a superb senior season in high school and chose Texas A&M over Colorado two years ago. Expect to see Jones land somewhere else and hopefully find success.
News: Texas A&M running backs Cyrus Gray and Christine Michael both found the end zone twice with Gray running 21 times for 132 yards and Michael going for 85 yards on 14 carries.
Analysis: Even though Michael only had two-thirds of the amount of carries Gray had, both put up big fantasy numbers. This is promising for owners who drafted Michael hoping that he would regain his pre-2010 injury form and still garner enough carries to be a legitimate fantasy threat.
News: The starter a year ago before suffering a season ending injury, Texas A&M running back Christine Michael has "done a complete 360" according to running backs coach Randy Jordan.
Analysis: Jordan praised Michael's work ethic and his tremendous balance. With expected starter Cyrus Gray continuing to battle a hamstring injury, Michael has gotten reps with the first team in fall workouts and is still poised to get plenty of playing time this season.
News: Texas A&M running back Cyrus Gray, who has been nursing a hamstring injury, is expected to fully participate in drills Wednesday according to head coach Mike Sherman.
Analysis: Gray is probably eager to return to practice with fellow tailback Christine Michael getting all the looks lately. Wide receiver Jeff Fuller also has a minor hamstring injury which he suffered towards the end of Monday's scrimmage, so we'll keep an eye on his health over the next few days.
News: Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman said that Cyrus Gray is back practicing and earned some carries during Saturday drills.
Analysis: It's smart for the Aggies to take it slow with Gray, especially considering how it's a hamstring issue, but the more he's limited, the more chances a now-healthy Christine Michael gets. Michael was doing just fine last season before breaking his leg and having Gray take over his role at tailback.
News: ESPN recently put out a video chronicling the "next big player" for each conference. James White pulled it down for the Big Ten and should be even more of a star as he slices and dices through opposing defenses. For the ACC, it is stud running back David Wilson who should shine as the main man now that Darren Evans and Ryan Williams are gone. It is hard to call Chris Polk the "next" big player as he has rushed for over 1,000 yards the last two years but he represents the PAC-12. Now that he is healthy, the Big 12's next big thing is tailback Christine Michael. Receivers Tavon Austin and Trovon Reed represent the Big East and SEC, respectively.
Analysis: All of these players should be household names by midseason with White teaming with Montee Ball to spearhead the vaunted Badger ground game. Wilson will be the workhorse in Blacksburg and will display his speed, power, and receiving ability. Polk will shoulder even more of the load as the Huskies break in new quarterback. Michael will still split carries with Cyrus Gray but is too good to keep off the field. With Dana Holgorsen around, Austin should explode. Reed was supposed to breakout last year but redshirted and is now ready for the limelight.
News: Michael rushed for 52 yards and two touchdown on just 11 carries Saturday as Texas A&M held its annual spring game, the Associated Press reports.
Analysis: It was a triumphant return for Michael, who broke his right tibia on October 30 of last year during the Aggies' match up with Texas Tech. Said Michael after the game, "I don't have any more limp or any more pain. The only thing I need to do is work on getting it stronger in the offseason. At the beginning of spring practices I kept thinking about the injury and I kept not wanting to get hit on it. [During] that first series I just said, 'What the heck, just go out there and go for it and don't anything back.' On that series I didn't think about it at all."
News: Michael is likely to miss the rest of the season after suffering a fractured tibia in the second half of Saturday's win over Texas Tech, the San Antonio Express-News reports.
Analysis: Michael was Texas A&M's leading rusher with 592 yards before Saturday's injury, but had been recently overshadowed by Cyrus Gray. He had seven carries for 39 yards in the win before the injury. Gray will get the bulk of carries with Michael out.
News: Michael finished with six carries for only 33 yards in Saturday's 45-10 win over Kansas.
Analysis: Cyrus Gray outperformed Michael for the second-straight week. With the possible quarterback "controversy," we don't like either playing unless you need help in Big 12-only leagues.
News: Michael rushed 14 times for 52 yards and caught four passes for 94 yards in Saturday's 30-9 loss to Missouri.
Analysis: Michael was virtually a non-factor in the running game Saturday, and so was the Aggies offense, which has struggled in Big 12 play. They still have games against Baylor and Texas Tech coming up, so surely Michael can right the ship then.
News: Michael carried 18 times for 79 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 24-17 loss to Arkansas.
Analysis: Michael averaged 4.4 yards per carry, but his longest run was nine yards. Michael is a five-star talent and needs better blocking, but shows that he can find the end zone and still be effective when the offensive line isn't.
News: Michael ran for 97 yards on 24 carries against Oklahoma State Thursday.
Analysis: Michael seems to have run away with the feature back role for A&M, which gives him considerable value heading forward. You probably should start him against Arkansas.
News: Michael rushed 21 times for 119 yards and a score in Saturday's 27-20 win over FIU.
Analysis: Michael busted a 37-yard run for a touchdown that began A&M's 21-point fourth quarter. Michael is the real deal and could be considered one of the top Big 12 running backs by the end of the season, if he isn't already.
Michael Rushes for 107 Yards in A&M Rout of La Tech
News: Michael rushed 14 times for 107 yards against Louisiana Tech on Saturday.
Analysis: Michael will split carries with Cyrus Gray, but remains the more explosive back for the Aggies.
Michael scores twice in win over Stephen F. Austin
News: Michael rushed 22 times for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns against Stephen F. Austin.
Analysis: His longest run was only 15 yards, and that was a touchdown in the first quarter. He also added a 46-yard reception out of the backfield. Michael, who burst onto the scene as a freshman last year, looks to get more of the work over counterpart Cyrus Gray. Start him if you have him.
News: Michael led the Aggies on the ground with 15 carries going for 77 yards and a touchdown Monday night in a 44-20 loss to UGA in the 2009 Independence Bowl.
Analysis: Michael finishes off a strong freshman season with 166 carries, 844 yards and 10 touchdowns; look for him to continue to develop into a major force in the Big 12 starting in 2010.
News: Michael rushed 19 times for 83 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's 49-39 loss to Texas.
Analysis: Michael received the bulk of the carries on Thursday after splitting carries with sophomore Cyrus Gray for the majority of the season. The timeshare will likely continue in the Aggies' bowl game as well as moving into next season.
TAMU's Michael One of Two to Break 100 Yards Rushing vs. Baylor
News: Michael took 11 carries for 116 yards and two touchdowns Saturday versus the Baylor Bears, finishing the day as one of two Aggies tailbacks to breach the 100-yard mark in the 38-3 win by Texas A&M.
Analysis: The freshman averaged 10.5 yards per carry versus Baylor, but the majority of his production came on a 97 yard scamper for a score early in the second quarter.
News: Michael rushed 16 times for 74 yards and a touchdown on Saturday against Colorado.
Analysis: Michael and fellow backfield mate Cyrus Gray seem to alternate weeks in which they lead the squad in rushing.
News: While starter Cyrus Gray received all the pub for four touchdowns on Saturday, Michael was no slouch himself, rushing 22 times for 121 yards and two scores against Texas Tech.
Analysis: It was the first time that Michael crossed the 100-yard mark in his young career.
News: Michael rushed nine times for 30 yards and a touchdown against Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Analysis: Michael continues to split carries with Cyrus Gray, but should have a bit of an easier time rushing next week against Kansas State.
News: Michael (calf) should be ready to play against Arkansas, the Dallas Morning News reports.
Analysis: He left last week's win over UAB with the injury, but it doesn't look serious.
News: Michael (calf) did not play in Saturday's 56-19 drubbing of UAB.
Analysis: Michael's injury, apparently suffered against Utah State, was supposedly not serious. Perhaps Michael was merely rested as a precautionary measure due to the inferior opponent. Check back later this week for an update on his status.
News: Michael rushed 17 times for 94 yards against Utah State on Saturday. The freshman phenom also caught two passes out of the backfield for 26 yards.
Analysis: Michael received six more carries than fellow backfield mate Cyrus Gray. While Gray still will get some touches in the short term, it appears that Michael is well on his way to becoming the featured back in the A&M offense.
