Oklahoma at Mississippi State Breakdown: Week 8, Oct. 24, 2026

The story

Mississippi State has dropped two straight, including a 31-0 loss at LSU on Oct. 17, after opening 4-2 overall. Oklahoma sits at 3-3 and has been uneven, beating Texas on Oct. 10 before losing at home to Kentucky a week later. For fantasy, this matchup in Starkville is about two receivers who command a huge share of their offenses, plus a Bulldogs side with real injury questions at QB and running back.

The angle

This sets up as a lower-scoring game, so steady volume should matter more than big plays. Oklahoma's defense is the tougher unit: it is the seventh-best pass defense in FBS and the 10th-best run defense, giving up about 60 fewer passing yards a game than the average FBS defense. Mississippi State is about average against both the pass and the run but is the 28th-worst scoring defense in FBS. Anthony Evans III (Mississippi State) carries the Bulldogs' passing game with 42 percent of the catches over the last three games, while Oklahoma spreads the ball more evenly.

Start 'em

Isaiah Sategna has taken on a bigger role in Oklahoma's passing game, catching 7 passes a game over his last three games, up from 4 a game before that, which works out to 31 percent of the team's catches. He has been a steady producer, averaging 15.3 points a game this season and 14.8 over his last three, with a high of 23.6. Mississippi State is about average against wide receivers, so nothing in the matchup should cap that volume. Manny Choice (Oklahoma) trails him in this offense because Sategna's catch count is climbing while Choice's role is much smaller. Start Sategna, because his share of the catches keeps growing in a neutral matchup.

Anthony Evans III is Mississippi State's passing game, with 9 catches a game over his last three games, up from 6.7 before that. He has averaged 23.1 points a game this season and 23.5 over his last three, peaking at 40.6. Oklahoma is the seventh-best pass defense in FBS and ninth-best against receivers, so this may not be a boom week. Sanfrisco Magee (Mississippi State) has held steady at three catches a game, a much smaller share of the passing game than Evans has. Start Evans, since his volume should survive even a stingy secondary.

Sit 'em

Kamario Taylor (Mississippi State) is listed as Questionable, and even if he plays, the matchup is rough. He has played in five of Mississippi State's six games, averaging 27.2 points a game over those, but Oklahoma is the ninth-best defense against quarterbacks and the seventh-best pass defense in FBS. Fade him, because the uncertain status and a strong secondary combine to cloud his outlook.

Fluff Bothwell has taken over more of the backfield, with 47 percent of his team's carries over his last three games, up from 33 percent before that, and he has played in five of Mississippi State's six games. But he is Questionable, and Oklahoma is the 10th-best run defense in FBS. Fade him, as the status risk is too much against a front this good.

Value

Rocky Beers has become a bigger part of Oklahoma's passing game, catching 5.3 passes a game over his last three games, up from 3.3 before that, and he has averaged 13.9 points over that stretch. Mississippi State is about average against tight ends, so the climbing volume should carry over. At $5.7M, he is projected for about 13, a strong return for his price.

Injuries and timeshares

Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor and Fluff Bothwell are both Questionable. If Taylor sits, Parker Puckett would take over at QB; he has played in three of the team's six games and averaged 70 passing yards a game over his last three. If Bothwell sits, Kolin Wilson gains, with 29 percent of the team's carries over his last three games. The two already split the backfield, with Bothwell at 47 percent of the carries over that span.

Oklahoma's Parker Livingstone, Xavier Robinson and Elijah Thomas are Questionable, and Trell Harris is Out. In the passing game, Rocky Beers has 24 percent of the catches over the last three games and Sategna 31 percent.

TL;DR

Start Evans and Sategna for their volume, grab Beers as the value, and avoid Mississippi State's QB Kamario Taylor and running back Fluff Bothwell, both Questionable.