As we close out the first full weekend of college football, it’s time once again to pull together my notes and observations from the slate of games. Whether it was watching as much live action as possible or combing through the box scores, these are the key takeaways, opinions, and notable trends that stood out.
Power Conferences
There doesn’t seem to be much separation in the Rutgers backfield right now with Antwan Raymond (14-88-1) and CJ Campbell (11-70-0), but the three top targets in the passing game seem quite clear: Ian Strong (7-100-0), DT Sheffield (4-85-1), and KJ Duff (5-54-1).
UCF RB Myles Montgomery dominated the touches in the Knights backfield, totaling 21 carries for 79 yards and also catching 3 passes for 71 yards. TE Dylan Wade added 4 receptions for 54 yards and a TD.
NC State WR Noah Rogers left Thursday’s game against ECU with an apparent concussion. Wesley Grimes led the team with 121 receiving yards and a TD. Freshman WR Teddy Hoffmann caught 5 passes for 93 yards, tying for the team-high 6 targets with sophomore Terrell Anderson. Encouragingly, Hollywood Smothers logged 22 rush attempts.
In the absence of RB Rodney Fields, sophomore Kalib Hicks carried the ball 21 times for 56 yards in Thursday’s 27-7 win over UT Martin. The efficiency wasn’t great, but the utilization is worth monitoring until Fields returns.
No hint of a workhorse workload for Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy, but he still registered 100 yards and a TD on only 10 rush attempts, which tied for the team lead with QB Beau Pribula.
Duke WR Cooper Barkate led the Blue Devils in targets (8) and caught 5 passes for 117 yards, while Sahmir Hagans caught 2 TDs. The Duke backfield operated by committee in their 45-17 win over Elon.
It was a big night for Houston TE Tanner Koziol, who caught all 7 targets for 63 yards and a TD in the Cougars’ 27-0 win over SF Austin. He did suffer an apparent knee injury, so we’ll need an update. With projected RB1 Re’Shaun Sanford out for the season, Dean Connors should get a healthy workload and may become a true workhorse back.
Minnesota RB Darius Taylor getting 30 carries in the opener against Buffalo was a strong sign for his fantasy owners.
Nebraska RB Emmett Johnson had 25 of the team’s 27 RB rush attempts in Thursday’s win over Cincinnati, and also led the team with 7 receptions. Both WRs Nyziah Hunter and Dane Key look like fantasy factors for 2025.
Split backfield in Cincinnati to start the year with Tawee Walker and Evan Pryor.
Sophomore Makhi Frazier was the Week 1 standout in the Michigan State backfield, rushing for 103 yards and a TD in the Spartans’ win over Western Michigan. Fellow sophomore Brandon Tullis also impressed with 52 yards and a TD.
Tough Friday night for Wake Forest RB Demond Claiborne owners as he left with a rib injury against Kennesaw State. Reports indicate it’s not serious, but as their narrow 10-9 win showed, the Demon Deacons need him badly.
Kansas QB Jalon Daniels has accounted for 7 TDs through the Jayhawks’ first two games.
The Illinois backfield showed no separation between Aiden Laughery (9-101-2) and Kaden Feagin (13-74-1). At receiver, Hank Beatty (5-108-0) led the Illini with 5 targets.
Baylor spent most of the game chasing Auburn, with WR Kole Wilson (11) and TE Michael Trigg (16) serving as target hogs. No long-term concern for RB Bryson Washington or WR Josh Cameron.
Auburn QB Jackson Arnold only attempted 17 passes but had 52 team rush attempts working in his favor. He led the game with 137 rushing yards and 2 TDs on 16 carries.
Georgia Tech QB Haynes King had a huge night with 156 rushing yards and 3 TDs in Friday’s win at Colorado.
Colorado QB Kaidon Salter had a solid opener, though questions remain at receiver. RB D. Taylor and RB M. Welch each caught 3 passes, but no wideout had more than 2 receptions.
Shared carries in the Kentucky backfield against Toledo. Dante Dowdell (14-129-1) provided the highlight with a 79-yard TD run, while Seth McGowan logged 18 carries for 78 yards and a TD.
We got what we expected from the Ohio State backfield, but it was CJ Donaldson (19-67-1) who outperformed James Peoples (10-20-0). QB Julian Sayin looked more composed than Texas QB Arch Manning.
I wasn’t impressed with Texas QB Arch Manning, who looked shaky against Ohio State’s defense. Some poor throws on easy completions, but let’s see him next week vs San Jose State before overreacting. Expect heavy usage of Wisner and Baxter.
Tennessee’s offense already looked better with QB Joey Aguilar than it did last year under Nico Iamaleava. WR Braylon Staley is a name to add after his 4-95-1 performance vs Syracuse. Early signs point to a backfield committee.
Syracuse WR Darrell Gill drew Discord complaints for lack of production, but he was covered well. Patience is needed — the Orange face UConn and Colgate next.
Maryland QB Malik Washington opened strong with 3 TD passes and 258 yards, spreading the ball to 10 different receivers. The Terrapins’ backfield was RBBC.
It looks like Griffin Wilde will be Northwestern’s top target, though optimism is tempered given the offense’s scoring limitations.
Given Mississippi State’s weak non-conference slate, QB Blake Shapen needs to produce more than 1 TD pass, as the Bulldogs scored 3 rushing TDs (Davon Booth 16-79-1, Fluff Bothwell 10-43-2). WR Brennan Thompson was the top target (7-92).
Boston College QB Dylan Lonergan tossed 4 TDs Saturday, though competition was soft.
Purdue WR Michael Jackson III (6-72-1) looks like WR1 in a pass-heavy offense.
As expected, West Virginia RB Jahiem White (18-93-2) led the ground game. QB Nicco Marchiol was efficient (17/20, 224-1 TD pass; 56-1 TD rush).
Curious to see how Indiana progresses with QB Fernando Mendoza after just two offensive TDs against Old Dominion.
After two games, Iowa State TEs Gabe Burkle and Benjamin Brahmer look heavily involved, combining for 11-132-3 in the 55-7 win over South Dakota.
Georgia QB Gunner Stockton channeled Stetson Bennett, leading the team in rushing (73-2 TD) while also throwing 2 TDs vs Marshall.
Both Penn State RBs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen scored despite pedestrian yardage in a 46-11 rout of Nevada. WRs Kyron Hudson and Trebor Pena combined for 13 receptions.
Alabama WR Germie Bernard was the standout in a 31-17 loss at Florida State, catching 8 passes for 146 yards and seemed to be QB Ty Simpson’s favorite target.
The Florida State backfield was committee-based: Gavin Sawchuk and Caziah Holmes scored, while freshman Ousmane Kromah showed real flashes.
Oregon demolished Montana State 59-13, with 12 players logging carries and 10 different receivers catching passes. The biggest question, and maybe the most important after this weekend: what happened with Makhi Hughes (1 att.-2yards)?
QB Taylen Green torched his opponent for 6 passing TDs. WR O’Mega Blake led all receivers with 7-121-1.
Iowa RB Kamari Moulton left injured vs Albany, paving the way for freshman Xavier Williams (11-122-1) and sophomore Terrell Washington (15-69).
Virginia RB J’Mari Taylor scored 2 rushing TDs in a committee approach vs Coastal Carolina, while WR Cam Ross led with 9 targets (124-1).
Strong opener for Oklahoma QB John Mateer (392 yards-3 TD pass; 24 yards-1 TD rush) and WR Deion Burks (7-88-1) against Illinois State. RB Jaydn Ott saw limited work.
Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed threw 36 times while the team only rushed 23 times. WR Mario Craver led the team with 10 targets, finishing 8-122-2.
Kansas State WR Jayce Brown continued his TD streak with 12-109-1 in a tight 38-35 win over North Dakota.
Odd stat line for Florida WR Eugene Wilson III: 5 receptions, 1 TD… for -4 yards vs Long Island.
Tough to read the Texas Tech backfield after an easy win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Expect a split between J’Koby Williams and Cameron Dickey.
Big day for Michigan RB Justice Haynes (16-159-3) vs New Mexico, easing concerns about Jordan Marshall eating into touches.
LSU WR Chris Hilton’s lack of involvement, plus a costly fumble, raises concern he’s in Brian Kelly’s doghouse again. Aaron Anderson remains QB Garrett Nussmeier’s top target, and TE Trey’Dez Green looks like a true red-zone weapon.
Clemson WR Antonio Williams exited early with a hamstring issue vs LSU. If he misses time, expect bigger roles for Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore. The running game was ineffective; QB Cade Klubnik may lead the team in rushing often.
We expected Cayden Lee and De’Zhaun Stribling to be Ole Miss QB Austin Simmons’ top options, but it was Harrison Wallace III (8 targets) and Caleb Odom (6) who led. Kewan Lacy looked like the clear RB1.
Still wait-and-see with SMU WR Romello Brinson, but 9 targets in the opener against East Texas A&M looks promising after QB Kevin Jennings’ spread tendencies last year. WR Jordan Hudson left the game after getting tackled on his first reception.
Great opener for Arizona State QB Sam Leavitt (4 TDs — 2 pass, 2 rush) and WR Jordyn Tyson (12-141-2). RB Kyson Brown appears to be at worst RB1a.
Oregon State WR Trent Walker picked up where he left off with 9-136 vs Cal.
Cal QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele impressed in his debut, throwing for 234-3 and adding 30 rushing yards in the win over Oregon State.
G5 Conferences
What an ugly performance by Boise State at South Florida. The Broncos were picked by many to be the G5 representative in the CFP, but they look far from being that caliber of team. QB Maddux Madden missed a few open receivers and Boise State was plagued by three turnovers, one of those a lost fumble by RB Sire Gaines. While Gaines and Sherrod split carries, Gaines was the back in the game when the Broncos had the ball at the USF 1-yard line. A false start negated what might have been an early Gaines TD. Let’s see how the backfield rotation looks next week against Eastern Washington.
A decent start to the season for USF QB Bryce Brown, who ran for two touchdowns in the Bulls’ win over Boise State. Brown’s 14 rush attempts led the team and were twice as many as Cartevious Norton (7-15-1).
Bowling Green is a hard pass right now with three running backs totaling at least eight rush attempts against Lafayette, and I believe TE Arlis Boardingham was held out due to a minor injury.
I did not have Ohio QB Parker Navarro in my preseason Top 5 because of the Bobcats’ non-conference schedule, but after Thursday’s performance against Rutgers, I would definitely start him next week against West Virginia. Week 3 at Ohio State is still a ‘bench’ for me. WR Chase Hendricks may challenge to be a Top 25–30 receiver this year if he gets consistent targets, as he did Thursday night, catching 9 passes for 115 yards. Add TE Jake Bruno to your TE watchlist after catching 2 TD passes against Rutgers, and I like RB Sieh Bangura’s potential after rushing for 86 yards on 16 attempts.
It seems as if there will be some fantasy value associated with Jacksonville State RB Cam Cook, the TCU transfer, after his performance at UCF in which he ran for 75 yards on 17 attempts and caught 4 passes for 43 yards.
I do not want to get too giddy about Delaware players since their win Thursday night was against Delaware State, but there were a few notable performances. QB Nick Minicucci totaled 4 TDs (1 rush), WR Jake Thaw caught 7 passes for 92 yards and a TD, and WR Kyle Duplessis caught 7 passes for 89 yards and a TD. Thaw was in our preseason rankings, and for me, he would be the one of the three I’d prioritize right now.
UL Monroe backfield is still a mystery. I would give the slight edge to Bryalon McReynolds, but outside of his 74-yard scamper, he totaled 39 yards on his other 10 rush attempts. What is clear is that Zachary Palmer-Smith has not opened as the RB1 or RB2.
Don’t look past the Wyoming–Akron boxscore because of the 10-0 result. Wyoming RB Sam Scott totaled 29 rush attempts for 132 yards and WR Chris Durr caught 8 passes for 190 yards and a TD.
It was a good start for fantasy owners of UAB RB Jevon Jackson (17-166-2) and WR Corri Milliner (5-98-1). However, with the Blazers struggling to hold off Alabama State, it could be a long year for HC Trent Dilfer and crew. Four of the next five weeks have potential to be fruitless (at Navy, Akron, at Tennessee, BYE, Army).
It was a great start to the season for San Diego State RB Lucky Sutton, who carried the ball 22 times for 100 yards and 2 TDs in the Aztecs’ 42-0 win over Stony Brook. Projected WR1 Jordan Napier only had 2 catches for 15 yards, but I feel he is still a hold until we see the San Diego State offense in action against Washington State next week.
Don’t abandon Army players following their loss to Tarleton State. The Texans will be a major player in the FCS this year.
Appalachian State RB Rashod Dubinion (22-111-1) and WR Jaden Barnes (6-134-1) will likely be popular waiver claims this week. Barnes should have had two touchdowns but was stripped trying to walk it across the goal line. Dubinion’s stock rose after Kanye Roberts was lost for the year.
UNLV WR Jaden Bradley has now caught at least 6 passes in each of the Rebels’ first two games, totaling 256 yards.
We got our answer at San Jose State IR with Danny Scudero hauling in 9 passes for 189 yards and a TD. This was a topic we covered on the podcast suggesting to handcuff Matthew Coleman with Scudero. As expected, Leland Smith looks like value, too. Perhaps more concerning is the fact that the Spartans lost to Central Michigan and QB Walker Eget was loose with the ball.
Tulane did mix it up in the backfield, but it was Maurice Turner (14-86-0) who seems to have that RB1 job, and WR Omari Hayes (9-74-0) seems like he’ll have solid value in PPR formats.
From all accounts, UConn WR Skyler Bell will be featured in the Huskies’ offense, and he opened the year with a 4-135-2 performance in a 59-13 win over Central Connecticut.
UMass WR Jacquon Gibson caught 12 passes for 132 yards in a 42-10 loss against Temple.
Temple RB Jay Ducker shouldered the Owls’ ground game against UMass, carrying the ball 19 times for 128 yards in Saturday’s 42-10 win.
Not a heavy workload in an easy 49-13 win, but Air Force FB Dylan Carson found the end zone in the Falcons’ opener.
It seems Telly Johnson (21-67-0) and Chavon Wright (11-77-1) will be the Huskies’ 1-2 punch in the backfield.
After a slow start, Liberty QB Ethan Vasko finished with 4 TDs (1 rush) and led the team in rushing with 63 yards.
Too much rotation in an easy win for Memphis to get a lot of clarity around RB utilization. RB Greg Desrosiers left Saturday’s game against Chattanooga in the first quarter with an injury, but by all accounts it does not seem serious.
James Madison played both quarterbacks yesterday, Alonza Barnett and Matthew Sluka. I think we’ll see both play over the next 2–3 weeks, and maybe the rotation will continue throughout the season. It seems to me that Barnett would be the starter and Sluka’s utilization will be as a change of pace and situational.
Things played out as expected in South Alabama’s win over Morgan State. RB Kentrel Bullock carried the ball 23 times for 127 yards and 2 TDs, and WR Devin Voisin was the Jaguars’ top target, finishing with 7 receptions for 69 yards and a TD.
It was no surprise that Maverick McIvor posted another big performance on Saturday, but the biggest takeaway for me is the reminder not to overreact from Week 1 performances, good or bad. Exhibit A is RB Marvis Parrish, who after his Week 0 breakout against Sam Houston was the talk of the CFF community. In Saturday’s win over North Alabama, he only had 5 touches that totaled 33 yards.
Troy RB Tae Meadows will likely be a popular waiver claim this week after his 23-186-1 performance against Nicholls on Saturday, which was soon followed by an announcement from HC Gerad Parker that Trey Cooley suffered a season-ending injury.
Not a good look for Middle Tennessee, who got handled by Austin Peay, but it is notable that WR Nahzae Cox was targeted 9 times and caught 6 passes for 50 yards and 2 TDs.
A really promising start to the season for UTSA RB Robert Henry Jr., who had 16 rush attempts for 177 yards and 2 TDs against Texas A&M Saturday night.
