Week 1 is probably the toughest week to project because there are so many unknowns, so my Top 25 consists of players that I feel project to be the most productive and safest options this opening weekend. Due to the fact there are so many FBS vs. FCS matchups, I only ranked DSTs that have matchups against other FBS programs. To see a list and breakdown of FBS vs. FCS matchups, refer to the DST Streaming section of the Preseason Fantasy Guide.
Also note, there is no correlation between my rankings and the site’s weekly projections. I simply use the projections as one of several factors that determine my rankings.
Finally, theCFFsite Discord server has been humming this week. Become an All-American or Heisman Member and get access to our exclusive members-only content and an invite into theCFFsite Discord.
QUARTERBACKS
- Austin Reed, W. Kentucky v So. Florida
- Caleb Williams, USC v Nevada
- Michael Penix, Washington v Boise St
- Bo Nix, Oregon v Portland St
- John Rhys Plumlee, UCF v Kent St.
- Preston Stone, SMU v La Tech
- Drake Maye, North Carolina v So. Carolina
- Cameron Ward, Washington St @ Colorado St
- Cade Klubnik, Clemson @ Duke
- KJ Jefferson, Arkansas v W. Carolina
- Brennan Armstrong, NC State @ UConn
- Chandler Morris, TCU v Colorado
- Frank Harris, UTSA @ Houston
- Tyler Shough, Texas Tech @ Wyoming
- Jayden de Laura, Arizona v No. Arizona
- Donovan Smith, Houston v UTSA
- Kurtis Rourke, Ohio v LIU
- Joe Milton, Tennessee v Virginia
- Quinn Ewers, Texas v Rice
- Garret Schrader, Syracuse v Colgate
- Michael Pratt, Tulane v So. Alabama
- Davis Brin, Georgia Southern v Citadel
- Mitch Griffis, Wake Forest v Elon
- Darren Grainger, Georgia St v Rhode Island
- Seth Henigan, Memphis v Beth-Cookman
RUNNING BACKS
- Rasheen Ali, Marshall v Albany
- Sieh Bangura, Ohio v LIU
- Blake Corum, Michigan v East Carolina
- Will Shipley, Clemson @ Duke
- Braelon Allen, Wisconsin v Buffalo
- Quinshon Judkins, Ole Miss v Mercer
- Frank Gore, Southern Miss v Alcorn
- LeQuint Allen, Syracuse v Colgate
- TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio St. @ Indiana
- Raheim Sanders, Arkansas v W. Carolina
- Samson Evans, E. Michigan v Howard
- Rodney Hammond, Pitt v Wofford
- Damien Martinez, Oregon St. @ San Jose St.
- Kevorian Barnes, UTSA @ Houston
- Kimani Vidal, Troy v SF Austin
- Ray Davis, Kentucky v Ball St.
- Jaylan Knighton, SMU v LA Tech
- Michael Wiley, Arizona v No. Arizona
- RJ Harvey, UCF v Kent St.
- Nate Noel, Appalachian St. v G-Webb
- La’Damian Webb, South Alabama @ Tulane
- Donovan Edwards, Michigan v E. Carolina
- JaQuinden Jackson, Utah v Florida
- Jonathon Brooks, Texas v Rice
- Roman Hembry, Maryland v Towson
DEFENSE/ST
- Texas A&M v New Mexico
- Michigan v East Carolina
- Alabama v Middle Tennessee
- Iowa v Utah St
- Wisconsin v Buffalo
- Central Florida v Kent State
- Oklahoma v Arkansas St
- Ohio State @ Indiana
- Kentucky v Ball St
- Auburn v UMass
- Texas v Rice
- BYU v Sam Houston St
- Miami v Miami (OH)
- Tennessee v Virginia
- Penn St v West Virginia
- NC State @ UConn
- Michigan St v C. Michigan
- Baylor v Texas St
- Virginia Tech v Old Dominion
- USC v Nevada
- Rutgers v Northwestern
- Minnesota v Nebraska
- Texas Tech @ Wyoming
- Utah v Florida
- Florida @ Utah
RECEIVERS
- Malachi Corley, W. Kentucky v So. Florida
- Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio St. @ Indiana
- Rome Odunze, Washington v Boise St.
- Emeka Egbuka, Ohio St. @ Indiana
- Jacob Cowing, Arizona v No. Arizona
- Tory Horton, Colorado St. v Washington St.
- Jalen McMillan, Washington v Boise St.
- Xavier Worthy, Texas v Rice
- Will Sheppard, Vanderbilt v Alabama A&M
- Derwin Burgess, Georgia Southern v Citadel
- Jamari Thrash, Louisville @ Georgia Tech
- Matthew Golden, Houston v UTSA
- Jahmal Banks, Wake Forest v Elon
- Squirrel White, Tennessee v Virginia
- Troy Franklin, Oregon v Portland St.
- Joshua Cephus, UTSA @ Houston
- Jerand Bradley, Texas Tech @ Wyoming
- Jordan Kerley, SMU v LA Tech
- Steven McBride, Hawaii v Stanford
- Alex Adams, Akron @ Temple
- Luther Burden, Missouri v So. Dakota
- Sam Wiglusz, Ohio v LIU
- Jalil Farooq, Oklahoma v Arkansas St.
- Tyrin Smith, UTEP v Incarnate Word
- Luke McCaffrey, Rice @ Texas
TIGHT ENDS
- Oronde Gadsden, Syracuse v Colgate
- Brock Bowers, Georgia v UT Martin
- Mark Redman, San Diego St. v Idaho St.
- Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas v Rice
- RJ Maryland, SMU v Louisiana Tech
- Jalin Conyers, Arizona St. v So. Utah
- Benjamin Yurosek, Stanford v Hawaii
- Thomas Yassmin, Utah v Florida
- Mason Taylor, LSU @ Florida St.
- Corey Dyches, Maryland v Towson
- Luke Lachey, Iowa v Utah St.
- Jake Briningstool, Clemson @ Duke
- Caden Prieskorn, Ole Miss v Mercer
- Anthony Landphere, Memphis v Beth-Cookman
- David Martin-Robinson, Temple v Akron
- Mason Fairchild, Kansas v Missouri St.
- Tanner McLachlan, Arizona v No. Arizona
- Colston Loveland, Michigan v East Carolina
- Nate Jones, Louisiana Tech @ SMU
- Ben Sinnott, Kansas St. v SE Missori
- CJ Dippre, Alabama v Middle Tennessee
- Theo Johnson, Penn St. v West Virginia
- Isaac Rex, BYU v Sam Houston St.
- Hudson Hafermehl, UCLA v Coastal Carolina
- Harold Fannin, Bowling Green @ Liberty
KICKERS
- James Turner, Michigan v ECU
- Will Reichard, Alabama v Middle Tenn.
- Charles Campbell, Tennessee v Virginia
- Bert Auburn, Texas v Rice
- Griffin Kell, TCU v Colorado
- Camden Lewis, Oregon v Portland St.
- Harrison Mevis, Missouri v SE Missouri
- Robert Gunn, Clemson @ Duke
- Denis Lynch, USC v Nevada
- Alex Felkins, Penn St. v West Virginia
- Zach Schmit, Oklahoma v Arkansas St.
- Alex Raynor, Kentucky v Ball St.
- Valentino Ambrosio, Tulane v So. Alabama
- Jayden Fielding, Ohio St. @ Indiana
- Alex Hale, Oklahoma St. v C. Arkansas
- Brayden Narveson, Virginia @ UConn
- Jared Zirkel, Georgia v Tenn.-Martin
- Nathaniel Vakos, Wisconsin v Buffalo
- Ben Sauls, Pitt v Wofford
- Kenneth Almendares, Louisiana v Nwestern St.