Opta Analyst’s FCS football coverage includes weekly national player and team honors throughout the regular season and will lead toward the annual season-ending Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show on Jan. 3, 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Mercer’s CJ Miller, Fordham’s James Conway, San Diego’s Emiliano Salazar and Eastern Illinois’ Jacarre Fleming were selected on Monday as the Stats Perform FCS National Players of the Week for Week 5 college football games this past weekend.
In addition, the Montana Grizzlies were named the Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week.
The weekly honors lead up to the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show on Jan. 3 in Nashville, Tennessee. The season-ending awards are in their 39th year.
The five honorees plus honorable mention selections for the FCS National Awards:
FCS National Offensive Player of the Week
CJ Miller, Mercer, RB, R-Jr., 5-11, 230
Miller was a workhorse during Mercer’s 38-34 victory at ETSU in the Southern Conference. He established career highs for carries (29), rushing yards (172) and rushing touchdowns (two), while adding three receptions for 41 yards for another career best with 213 scrimmage yards. He plowed into the ETSU from 1 yard out with 5:40 left for the game-winning score.
Honorable Mention: Jaden Craig, QB, Harvard; Taron Dickens, QB, Western Carolina; Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State; Josh Pitsenberger, RB, Yale; Grayson Saunier, QB, Dartmouth; Bryce Schondelmyer, QB, Dayton; Jerrell Wimbley, RB, Stephen F. Austin
FCS National Defensive Player of the Week
James Conway, Fordham, LB, Grad, 6-2, 235
Conway racked up 19 tackles and went over 500 for his career as Fordham beat Holy Cross 26-21 to end an eight-game losing streak in the Ram Crusader Cup series. One of his tackles went for a 6-yard loss to force a Holy Cross punt. In 43 career games, the Patriot League’s all-time tackles leader is up to 511 – one of five FCS players to have that many since the 2000 season.
Honorable Mention: Michael Akins, DE, Texas Southern; Ishmel Atkins, DB, Elon; Kam Baah-Slay, DB, Chattanooga; Brian Dukes, DB, Cal Poly; Vincent Firenze, S, Dayton; Shane Hartzell, LB, Villanova; David Hoage, DE, West Georgia; Keyshawn Johnson, LB, UT Martin; Abu Kamara, DB, Yale; Declan Williams, LB, UIW
FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week
Emiliano Salazar, San Diego, PK/P, So., 6-1, 170
Salazar kicked a pair of field goals in the final two minutes, including a 25-yarder as time expired, to lift San Diego past St. Thomas 30-27 in the Pioneer Football League. His 42-yard field goal in the second quarter was a career long, and he went 3-for-3 on both field-goal and extra-point attempts for 12 points. He also averaged 49.5 yards on two punts and 63.3 yards on six kickoffs.
Honorable Mention: Jacob Baker, P, Eastern Kentucky; Jaden Carter, DB/ST, Morgan State; Ja’briel Mace, KR, Villanova; Elijah Kennedy, RS, North Carolina A&T; Trajan Sinatra, PK, Idaho State; Caden Williams, PK, Towson; Ethan Yuska, P, Marist
FCS National Freshman Player of the Week
Jacarre Fleming, Eastern Illinois, RB, R-Fr., 5-8, 195
Fleming accounted for 177 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns as EIU beat Western Illinois 31-23 for its first win in Macomb since 1990 (a span of five straight road losses). With just 16 touches entering the game, he nearly doubled the total with nine carries for 111 yards, including TDs of 55 and 30 yards that extended leads into double digits, a 5-yard reception, and three kickoff returns for 61 yards.
Honorable Mention: Eric Handley, QB, Alabama A&M; DJ Maultsby, WR, Saint Francis; Caden Pinnick, QB, UC Davis; Noah Piper, PK, Yale
FCS National Team of the Week
Montana Grizzlies (41-30 win over then-No. 8 Idaho)
The Grizzlies (4-0) never trailed Idaho while winning their Big Sky Conference opener and retaining the Little Brown Stein traveling trophy. Eli Gillman (career-high 27 carries, 142 yards, two touchdowns), Keali’I Ah Yat (TD run and pass) and Michael Wortham (164 all-purpose yards, TD) led the offense, while safety Kade Boyd had a team-high six tackles and a fumble recovery.
Honorable Mention: Cal Poly (32-24 win at then-No. 21 Sacramento State); Mercer (38-34 win at ETSU); North Dakota State (51-14 win over then-No. 17 South Dakota); UIW (38-7 win over then-No. 12 Abilene Christian)
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Montana Grizzlies, Four Standout Players Collect FCS Football Awards (Week 5) Opta Analyst.
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