Miami (OH) at Central Michigan Breakdown: Week 8, Oct. 24, 2026

The story

Miami (OH) arrives in Mount Pleasant at 4-3 and has won two straight, most recently a 34-14 home win over Akron on Oct. 17. Central Michigan is 3-4 and has lost two straight, both in MAC play. This one is expected to be close and lower-scoring, so the fantasy question is which roles carry enough volume to matter when points are scarce.

The angle

Miami (OH) is tougher on the run than the pass. Its pass defense rates in the bottom 30 percent of FBS per attempt and gives up about 70 more passing yards a game than the average FBS defense. Central Michigan has the 23rd-worst run defense in FBS, which favors the RedHawks' ground game. On Miami's passing side, Lynel Billups-Williams (Miami (OH)) took the top target work because Maleek Huggins (Miami (OH)) did not play, but the catches are divided among several receivers, and in a low-scoring game that leaves no one worth trusting.

Start 'em

Miami (OH) running back Rodney Nelson's role has grown into something real. He has averaged 13.3 carries a game over his last three games, up from 7 a game before that, and he holds 38 percent of Miami's carries over that stretch while D'Shawntae Jones (Miami (OH)) has 22 percent. The matchup suits him: Central Michigan is the 24th-worst defense against running backs and gives up 185 rushing yards a game. The Associated Press reported that his 142 yards on 13 carries against Akron set a career high, and that game produced his season high of 26.2 points. He averages 7.3 points a game this season and 13.1 over his last three, so the range is wide. In a game where volume matters, the growing workload against a soft run defense gives him the best upside on the field. He is a ceiling play because his carries are climbing into a matchup that has struggled to stop the run.

Risky plays

Angel Flores is the engine of Central Michigan's offense. He has carried 21.7 times a game over his last three games, 57 percent of the team's carries and up from 15.8 a game before that. He has also averaged 117 passing yards and 99 rushing yards a game over that span. Miami's defense against quarterbacks is below average, in the bottom 25 percent of FBS. That is a favorable spot for a runner with his workload, and he has averaged 18 points over his last three games against a season average of 14.7, with a high of 29.6. The obstacle is his status: he is questionable, and Miami is about average against the run, which trims some of his rushing appeal. He is risky because his availability is uncertain, so confirm he is active before you lock him in.

Injuries and timeshares

For Central Michigan, Angel Flores and Shawn Foster are questionable. If Flores sits, Jadyn Glasser steps in at QB. He has averaged 43 passing yards a game over his last three games in a backup role, which is not enough work to trust.

Miami (OH)'s Brendan Loftus and Devin Hyatt are also questionable. David McComb and Brady Simmons are out for the season, which leaves Caleb Heavner handling the passing.

In the Miami backfield, Nelson has 38 percent of the carries over the last three games and Jones 22 percent.

TL;DR

Use Nelson as the ceiling play against a soft run defense, start Flores only once he is confirmed active, and skip the crowded receiver groups on both sides.