The long wait is over, as we had actual games to enjoy during college football’s opening weekend! Accordingly, we’ve uncovered several CFF-relevant data points that can help any managers who still haven’t drafted, as well as provide valuable waiver wire options for those who have. Here is what we learned in a College Fantasy Football context from this weekend’s games.
Play Yahoo’s new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now!
Micah Ford: Bell Cow on a Bad Team
Stanford RB Micah Ford delivered a promising performance against Timmy Chang’s run n’ shoot Hawaii, converting 25 carries into 99 yards and three touchdowns for a weekend-leading 28.5 half-PPR fantasy points in the Cardinal’s 37-27 victory. The workload was especially encouraging, as Ford accounted for 25 of Stanford’s 37 rushing attempts while punching in all three of the Cardinal’s rushing touchdowns. Most importantly for CFF purposes, Ford repeatedly received the call near the goal line, scoring three times from two yards out, including the go-ahead touchdown with 1:41 remaining.
If Stanford continues to ply Ford with 68% of their rushing attempts while sprinkling three targets per game, he is going to be CFF relevant regardless of what happens to Stanford when they are playing superior P4 programs. However, Hawaii is Stanford’s second-easiest opponent from a CFF perspective, outside of FCS Elon, so Ford just burned what could be his best fantasy performance of the year on Week 0. The Cardinal face ACC juggernaut Miami this week, followed by a bye and also have the unfortunate distinction of facing Notre Dame as their other non-conference opponent. Ford is well worth a waiver pickup in all Yahoo Standard Leagues if available, but be realistic about his overall potential once he hits conference play.
Bonafide CFF QB Beau Pribula
Virginia QB Beau Pribula delivered a solid fantasy performance against NC State, completing a conservative 9-of-11 pass attempts for 155 yards and two touchdowns while adding 110 rushing yards on 15 carries. His 7.3 YPC and team-high rushing volume reinforced the dual-threat ceiling that makes Pribula such an attractive fantasy asset after transferring in from Missouri. Virginia leaned heavily on their uber-veteran offensive line that boasted 165 combined starts heading into 2026, as they unveiled a service academy-esque 57-to-11 run/pass split in the 34-8 domination of NC State’s pathetic defensive front.
Keep in mind Pribula was Penn State’s designated wildcat/short yardage hammer behind the statuesque Drew Allar, ringing up 571 rushing yards with 10 touchdowns in two seasons for the Nittany Lions. He also contributed 297 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns in 10 games against SEC competition last year. If this level of designed-run involvement continues, Pribula has legitimate QB2 upside and should move into the top-30 among P4 signal-callers when playing the soft underbelly of the ACC.
NC State could be a Fantasy Graveyard
NC State’s offense delivered a disastrous opening performance against Virginia, producing just 168 total yards and 10 first downs while failing to score until the third quarter of a 34-8 loss. QB CJ Bailey endured one of the worst outings of his career, completing 12-of-23 passes for a career-low 84 yards with an interception, while adding 33 rushing yards and losing a costly fumble inside Virginia’s 10-yard line.
The CFF outlook was equally bleak for RB Duke Scott, who entered the season positioned for a breakout opportunity but managed only 20 yards on seven carries (2.9 YPC) as NC State abandoned any semblance of an effective rushing attack once it got down two scores. The Wolfpack averaged just 3.3 yards per play, went 4-of-13 on third downs and punted seven times, leaving virtually no usable fantasy production anywhere in the offense.
In fairness, Bailey’s respectable track record and rushing acumen warrants patience after one dreadful game, but his noticeable inaccuracy and the continued use of QB Will Wilson in short-yardage vulture situations are major concerns. Scott’s seven-carry workload is equally alarming for college fantasy managers, as he is being drafted with the intention of shouldering a prominent RB2/3 for fantasy purposes. If NC State doesn’t show some signs of life against quality ACC opponents, then HC Dave Doeren could very well be fired, which would throw the entire offensive depth chart in flux. There is reason for concern here, but NC State still has time to turn it around and have a very favorable schedule.
FSU Clear Two-Back Rotation
Florida State RB Ousmane Kromah flashed his considerable upside against New Mexico State, rushing 14 times for 115 yards and a touchdown while adding a seven-yard reception in the 34-17 victory. Kromah averaged 8.2 YPC, highlighted by a tackle-breaking 52-yard run, and his 115 yards were the most by an FSU running back since the 2023 ACC Championship Game. The sophomore also forced five missed tackles for a strong 36% broken tackle rate while averaging 6.1 yards after contact, reinforcing his explosive profile despite sharing the backfield and logging 38% of the team’s carries. Kromah’s efficiency and big-play ability give him safe RB3/4 upside, though Singleton’s involvement could keep this from becoming a true bell-cow situation.
Not to be outdone, Kromah’s contemporary, Samuel Singleton Jr. made a very strong case for an expanded role, turning nine carries into 42 yards and a touchdown while catching four passes for a team-high 54 yards and another score. Most encouraging for fantasy purposes was his five targets, including a 35-yard reception and four-yard touchdown catch, giving him a receiving dimension that can sustain fantasy production even while splitting carries with Kromah. If that passing-game involvement holds, Singleton could be startable against lower-tiered ACC defenses, as is evidenced by his 19.3% target share and 23.6 fantasy point breakout against New Mexico State. He is worth a pickup in most P4 formats, and would be a must-add if Kromah were to miss time.
USC Freshmen Phenoms
USC’s heralded freshman wide receiver class made an immediate CFF splash against San Jose State, combining for 16 receptions, 207 yards and two touchdowns with veteran WRs Tanook Hines and Terrell Anderson being unavailable. Trent Mosley was the headliner, converting nine targets into seven receptions (25% share) for 118 yards and a touchdown, while also flashing explosiveness with a long punt return. WR Tron Baker caught all four of his targets for 45 yards, while WR Kayden Dixon-Wyatt turned five targets into four receptions for 36 yards and a touchdown, giving QB Jayden Maiava multiple young weapons to utilize against the Spartans. Mosley clearly separated himself from the group with a performance HC Lincoln Riley said resembled what he had consistently shown in practice, as he averaged a sparkling 3.1 fantasy points per touch, which was slightly ahead of Dixon-Wyatt’s 2.0 per-touch average.
From a fantasy standpoint, Mosley looks like the immediate priority and should be added in all formats, while Dixon-Wyatt and Baker warrant monitoring in a talented USC rotation that could become more crowded when Hines and Anderson return.
Jelani Thurman Arrives
UNC TE Jelani Thurman immediately established himself as a potential fantasy difference-maker, catching 4-of-8 targets for a game-high 94 yards in the Tar Heels’ 15-10 win over TCU. The Ohio State transfer was QB Billy Edwards’ favorite weapon, producing explosive receptions of 20 and 35 yards on UNC’s opening possession and later delivered a critical 25-yard catch-and-run that helped seal the victory. What was more encouraging was Thurman played 55 of UNC’s 58 offensive snaps with a sky-high 29% target rate, suggesting he’ll rarely leave the field in Bobby Petrino’s offense. His 94 receiving yards also surpassed the 84 yards he produced during the entire 2025 season at Ohio State, illustrating just how dramatically his opportunity has changed. If the eight-target usage proves sustainable, and the 6-foot-6, 245-pound Thurman becomes more involved in the red zone, then the towering tight end should be a priority waiver add for TE-needy fantasy managers.
Discover more from NAIRAVOICE.COM.NG
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
