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This week in college football marked the calm before the storm. Week 9 matchups largely left something to be desired, as most teams geared up for what I have pegged as the most exciting weekend in college football next weekend. Though the games were lackluster, a few takeaways still stand out. Let’s jump in.
What we expected to happen to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt is happening. His skill set doesn’t add anything new to the USC offense that wasn’t already there, while Trent Mosley and Mark Bowman fit in seamlessly. This has led to a lack of production in recent weeks, including a zero on the stat sheet this past weekend. I like the player, but the spot is challenging to get behind and could be reminiscent of Perry Thompson’s time at Auburn.
Freshman wide receiver Rasean Jones is real. Very real. He caught 9 balls for 117 yards and 3 touchdowns in a one-point win against Texas State this weekend. He caught a back-shoulder fade early in the game that showed off impressive body control and capped the night with a toe-tapping touchdown in the back of the end zone. His size, speed, and hands make him a massive problem for defenses, and everything we’re seeing puts him quickly on the NFL map.
Damon Ferguson Jr. has taken over the backfield with JaKyrian Turner being sidelined with a hamstring injury. He rushed 31 times for 185 yards and two touchdowns in a blowout win over Georgia Tech. He is a bit small, standing at only 5’11” and 190 lbs., but he is only a freshman, so physical development is still firmly on the table. He has shown some good lateral agility, contact balance, and ability to get the edge this season. I will monitor his development closely.
Every single week, we have seen throws from Drew Mestemaker that will land him as the signal caller for an NFL franchise within the next two years. He ranks in the top 10 nationally in big-time throw rate (7%). I do think that the devy community may be putting the cart before the horse and rushing Mestemaker to the podium in April, however. Between the impressive plays, he is a very raw player, largely due to his short sample size as a quarterback. His pocket management is average, particularly with his underdeveloped footwork, and though he completes tight-window throws frequently, his decision-making can be a bit cavalier, which could lead to multi-interception games at the next level. As much as we would all love for him to headline the 2027 class, I think it makes more sense for him to stay in college for one more season.
LaNorris Sellers was at it again this weekend, flaunting his dual-threat ability for the rest of us to see. He was 19 of 24 passing for 301 yards and 3 touchdowns while also adding 96 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. One of the more impressive plays that I saw was when he diagnosed a blitz through the B-gap, spun out of the pressure to his left, and layered a ball into a downfield receiver between the hash marks and the sideline. We are going to see an unhealthy number of comparisons to Anthony Richardson, and I don’t think it’s warranted. Sellers will enter the NFL with multiple extra years of reps compared to Richardson and is a much more adept passer.
Week 9 is on the horizon. The fantasy football landscape is changing by the hour. Injuries continue to pile up. Bye weeks are in full effect. And we have the trade deadline fast approaching.
In this series, I’ll spotlight the standout performances from the 2026 rookie class and highlight both promising and concerning trends. Let’s dive into how these rookies fared in Week 8.
Quarterback
Stock Up
Fernando Mendoza: Did not play in Week 8. If you need a quarterback and you are rebuilding, I would check with the team that has Fernando. They might be tired of waiting.
Jalon Daniels: Did not play in Week 8. A capable handcuff if Baker sustains another injury that forces him to miss time.
Joe Fagnano: Played for an injured Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley. He completed just ten passes out of his 21 attempts for 91 yards. He also rushed three times for three yards. He is starting Thursday night, and we will see how he does with more practice with the first team.
Stock Down
Athan Kaliakmanis: Did not play in Week 8. Droppable in Dynasty formats.
Jack Strand: No new playing time since Week 1. Likely a hold in Dynasty, but a potential drop, with Penix playing well and Tua as the QB2.
Running Back
A few trends are worth noting regarding running backs after Week 8.
Stock Up (Above 40% of team carries)
Jonah Coleman: In Week 8, he had 11 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown. He also added four catches for 63 yards. He led the team in carries again and is clearly the top RB in that room. I hope the Broncos do not trade for another running back like Jonathan Taylor or Tony Pollard. I would be trying to buy as a rebuilder for Alec Pierce or RJ Harvey, but his buy window will be closing soon.
Kaelon Black: In Week 7, he had 12 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown. Christian McCaffrey left but did return from an injury. Week 8 was his bye week. He is the clear backup and handcuff to CMC, and I would roster him immediately in Redraft leagues. He should already be owned in Dynasty leagues.
Mike Washington: In Week 8, he had 25 carries for 83 yards. He had more rushing yards than Ashton Jeanty last week but is currently the clear backup and handcuff. He dominated the carries in Week 8. Was the coaching staff annoyed at Ashton Jeanty, or will this continue in Week 9?
Jadarian Price: He played for the first time since Week 3 after recovering from his injury. In Week 8, he had 10 carries for 29 yards and added 2 catches for 8 yards. A good first game back after a month off.
Seth McGowan: In Week 8, he had 5 carries for 29 yards, with 26% of the team’s carries. Should the Colts trade Jonathan Taylor, Seth would be the lead back. I would be stashing him now.
Sione Vaki (RB – DET)
We’re getting to the point in the fantasy season where fantasy managers need to stop worrying about middling depth. Instead, they should be adding high-upside handcuffs to the back end of their rosters whenever they can.
Sione Vaki is one of those handcuffs.
The third-year pro had just 74 career rushing yards entering Week 8. Against a relentless and punishing Minnesota defense, Vaki rushed for a career-high 65 yards on 11 carries. He averaged an impressive 5.9 yards per carry, picked up three first downs, and forced five missed tackles in Detroit’s 19-15 win over the Vikings.
Not a bad day at the office, especially when you consider Jahmyr Gibbs had 153 yards and a score on 23 carries. Gibbs was a beast, but Vaki helped to close out the game, too, racking up 39 total yards in the fourth quarter.
On the afternoon, 44 of Vaki’s 65 rushing yards came after contact. He chewed up yardage and made defenders pay in a noteworthy performance. Perhaps this outing will convince the Lions to give him a few extra touches each week, as he’s shown he can be an impactful change-of-pace option.
More importantly, though, he seems to be the clear backup to Gibbs, who now has 191 touches through seven games. That’s a 17-game pace of 464 touches. Can the 5-foot-9, 202-pound Gibbs handle that much workload? Obviously, we don’t want anything to happen to the fantasy RB1, but if Gibbs misses a game or two, Vaki would be the next man up.
If you have the roster space, I suggest adding the former fourth-round pick. If Vaki ever gets the chance to start in this offense, he’d be an immediate plug-and-play RB2. There aren’t many players — if any — sitting on dynasty waiver wires with that kind of contingent upside.
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2026 Dynasty Vet Values: Volume 3
Welcome back, Dynasty Football managers! Throughout the season, it’s essential to continually evaluate rosters to determine which players to trade for or cut ties with. With that, it’s time for Volume 3 of Dynasty Vet Values for 2026. In this series, I’ll be analyzing veteran players who are excellent targets for your contending teams based on current Dynasty market value. We all know youth and longevity are essential to remain competitive in Dynasty. But the ultimate goal is to win fantasy championships, and sometimes that means acquiring that “win-now” asset.
Devy Players of the Week: Week 9
How are we already nine weeks into the college football season? This is the downside of the college fantasy season: it goes by too quickly. We may have only a few regular-season weeks left, but some names are still surging up my Devy ranks with big-time performances. Let’s take a look at a few of those names now.
Quarterback
Drew Mestemaker (QB – Oklahoma State)
27-42, 323 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT
5 attempts, 14 yards
The Cowboys suffered a heartbreaking 51-49 loss to Iowa State this weekend, but their QB1 did everything he could to give them a shot. The North Texas transfer threw for 323 yards and five touchdowns, marking his seventh straight 300-yard game. He’s now over 2,600 passing yards and 25 passing touchdowns on the season, adding another pair of scores on the ground.
There’s now discussion that Mestemaker could be the first quarterback selected in the 2027 NFL Draft. Considering he didn’t even start at quarterback in high school, the speed at which he’s learned and developed at the position is pretty ridiculous. Could he be the 1.02 in dynasty rookie drafts this spring?
LaNorris Sellers (QB – South Carolina)
19-24, 301 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs
12 attempts, 101 yards, 2 TDs
As soon as I’m ready to throw in the towel on Sellers and move on with my life, he has a performance like this that gives me hope. The Gamecocks took down the Sooners 42-25 thanks to Sellers’ 402 yards of offense and five total touchdowns.
If you exclude sack yardage, Sellers has now posted four games of 100+ rush yards this season. This is exactly what makes him so intriguing for fantasy. If he can piece it all together as a passer, his Konami-Code playstyle could give him Cam Newton-level upside. He has a bazooka for an arm and can make the highlight play at any given time. But I still have questions about accuracy and processing ability.
Running Back
Caleb Hawkins (RB – Oklahoma State)
25 attempts, 194 yards, 2 TDs
9 targets, 6 receptions, 81 yards, 1 TD
Mestemaker wasn’t the only player who showed out for the Cowboys this weekend. Their workhorse running back, Caleb Hawkins, posted 51.5 fantasy points, finishing second among all FBS positions in Week 9. Hawkins had his first multi-touchdown performance on the ground and caught a third touchdown through the air, putting his total up to six for the season.
Despite the lack of touchdown luck this year, Hawkins has been tremendous analytically. He’s averaging 5.4 yards per attempt (YPA), 4.10 yards after contact per attempt (YCO/A), and has been efficient as a pass-catcher with 1.76 yards per route run (YPRR). He’s a projected second-round pick on NFL Mock Draft Database, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he waited until 2028 to declare.
Dynasty Buys and Sells: Week 8
It is time for you to be real with your roster. Are you a top-four team with a legit chance to win? Are you a middle-of-the-road team that has been hit with the injury bug? If not, you should be selling. Do not get stuck with aging Dynasty assets if you are not a contender. With that, let’s dive right into my top four “buys” and “sells” from a dynasty.
Buys
Jared Goff, QB, Lions
Very consistent. Always finishes in the top ten.
The Lions have a great offense and a bad defense, so he plays in a lot of high-scoring games.
Undervalued in superflex because of his age (31) and lack of rushing upside.
I’d try to buy him for Derrick Henry, Quinshon Judkins, or Isaiah Likely.
Ollie Gordon, RB, Dolphins
Has been featured back and done well with it.
Favorable schedule for running backs coming up.
Cheap low-end RB1 upside for the rest of the season.
I’d try to buy him for Davante Adams, Kyle Monangai, or Kyler Murray.
Stefon Diggs, WR, Commanders
Elite target share playing without Terry McLaurin now.
Elite quarterback with Jayden Daniels.
Great playoff schedule for wide receivers.
Very efficient and can be had at a discount because he is 32 years old.
I would try to buy him for Juwan Johnson, Jacory Croskey-Merritt.
T.J. Hockenson, TE, Vikings
Very efficient with his targets
Trusted target of Kyler Murray
Discounted upside since he is 29.
I would be trying to buy him for Kirk Cousins, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, or David Montgomery.
The Assembly Line, Vol. 11: Dynasty Football Factory Newsletter
Catch up on all the recent content from our DFF creators in this week’s edition of The Assembly Line, your go-to Dynasty Newsletter.
Last Week In Fantasy: Week 7
Week 7 started with a bang: the Bears and Patriots’ 54-point bonanza, and the Cowboys finished it off with a 38-point get-right game against Philly. In between, Joe Burrow led all scorers with 37 points, thanks to a four-touchdown, 35-point second half against division rival Baltimore. Week 7 was the week of rivals, but with 10 more games to go, who is separating themselves from the pack, and who is on the verge of being left behind?
ARIZONA CARDINALS
In TE-premium leagues, Trey McBride has scored double-digit points in every single game this year, is top 5 in points among all positions, and has outscored TE2 Isaiah Likely by 28 points. Averaging almost 23 PPG, McBride is proving that last year’s TE1 overall season was no fluke.
Takeaway: McBride has outscored EVERY WR not named Jaxon Smith-Njigba, EVERY RB not named Jahmyr Gibbs, and EVERY QB not named Brock Purdy, Josh Allen, or Kirk Cousins.
ATLANTA FALCONS
Among all QBs from Weeks 5-7, Michael Penix is 5th in points (57.9), 12th in yards (678), and 4th in touchdowns (7).
Takeaway: In just five games played, Michael Penix already has as many touchdowns (9) as he did in nine games last year, and he is currently averaging 20 PPG.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
In three games without Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews hasn’t scored a touchdown, scored more than seven fantasy points, or had more than 30 receiving yards in any single game. In the four games with Lamar, Andrews scored 10 or more points in every game but one, scored a touchdown, and had multiple games of 40 or more receiving yards.
Takeaway: I don’t believe Andrews is “cooked,” as the kids say, but Zay Flowers’s ascension has limited Andrews more than it has helped him so far this season.
BUFFALO BILLS
Josh Allen has 8 rushing touchdowns this season, the most of any QB and tied for the NFL lead with Jonathan Taylor, Javonte Williams, and Christian McCaffrey. He’s QB1 at 27.6 PPG.
Takeaway: Allen’s legs give him a weekly floor no other QB has. Even on a quiet passing day, he can save your week at the goal line, and that’s how he sits more than five points per game clear of QB2.
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Bryce Young had his worst game of the year, with more turnovers (3) than touchdowns (1) and a season-low 6.42 fantasy points.
Takeaway: The Panthers had been cruising heading into Week 7. Division games are always weird, and even at home, Carolina ran into a Buccaneers team rejuvenated by Baker Mayfield’s return.
CHICAGO BEARS
D’Andre Swift has three straight games with a touchdown, 17 or more fantasy points, and four receptions, but he’s still waiting for his first receiving touchdown. In three games without Kyle Monangai, Swift is averaging 19.7 points per game.
Takeaway: Ben Johnson has the Bears offense rolling, and any piece of it is worth having.
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Tight end Mike Gesicki has scored a touchdown in four straight games, and yet somehow he is the TE20 on the season. In that four-game span, Gesicki has just 11 targets, eight receptions, and less than 90 receiving yards.
Takeaway: Even though he’s touchdown-dependent, Gesicki has the fifth-easiest strength of schedule for tight ends for the rest of the season.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
KC Concepcion had his best game of the year, and would you believe me if I told you he leads the Browns in targets (45) and receptions (30) on the season? Denzel Boston has had a tough stretch, but in his last three games, he has 20 targets compared to Concepcion’s 17.
Takeaway: If this passing game starts clicking, I believe Boston and Concepcion can be trusted in lineups week to week. The Browns have the 12th-easiest strength of schedule.
DALLAS COWBOYS
Prior to Week 7, Javonte Williams had 28 touches in Weeks 5 and 6 combined. In Week 7, he had 25 touches and 155 yards. In seven career games with 20 or more touches, Williams averages 19 PPG.
Takeaway: Last year, Javonte Williams averaged 19 touches per game and was the RB12. This year, he’s averaging 19 touches per game and is the RB7.
DFS Plays of the Week: Week 8
In this FREE article, @jim_DFF dives into his favorite DFS plays on DraftKings for Week 8 and creates his optimal lineup.
The Devy Notebook 2026: Volume 9
We’ve reached the final quarter of the college football regular season. Sustained production for most of the year has cemented many of the top Devy players in their ranking slots. Meanwhile, the clock is running out on the freshmen who haven’t made enough of an impact to make us feel good about their long-term fantasy value. The slate this week had several teams with high-end Devy talent on a bye, which will make this week’s volume a bit short, but there was still plenty to pick through. Let’s get to it.
4 Biggest Dynasty Storylines: Week 8
At this point of the season, you should have a fairly good understanding as to whether your dynasty team is contending or tanking. If you don’t, Week 8 will soon reveal its secrets and provide you with some clarity as to how you should approach the remainder of the season.
Week 8 gets underway with the Green Bay Packers playing host to the Carolina Panthers – and we will start there with this week’s biggest dynasty storylines.
Gonna be, Gonna be Golden
Matthew Golden was drafted as the WR4 in rookie drafts last season. 69 targets, 36 receptions, 540 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Not exactly the type of rookie stat line that inspires confidence heading into Year Two. Golden’s best game of his rookie season came in the playoff defeat to the Bears. He logged four receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. An auspicious end to season fighting for targets with a deep receiver room.
Then the off-season came around. And the Packers unceremoniously sorted through their wide receiver room like I recently sorted through all the nonsense I have accumulated in my garage. 33% of last season’s targets were vacated – that was the third most in the league. A lot of targets were up for grabs – and, boy, has Golden stepped up.
Through seven weeks, Golden ranks:
10th in targets per game
10th in target share
11th in receiving yards per game
12th in TPRR
13th in air yards share
15th in fantasy points per game
In the off-season, Golden’s stock was pretty low. You could have got him for scraps. No wide receiver has seen their value grow year on year more than Golden. The price of the Gold is going up.
Rookie Wide Receiver Boom
Last week, I wrote about how this year’s rookie class has underwhelmed through the first six weeks of the season. Well, this week I will have to eat crow. Week 7 was a huge week for rookie wide receivers.
We had:
KC Concepcion: 10 targets, 8 receptions, and 129 receiving yards.
Omar Cooper Jr.: 5 targets, 5 receptions, 115 receiving yards, and one touchdown.
Caleb Douglas: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 70 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Makai Lemon: 8 targets, 7 receptions, 67 receiving yards and one touchdown.
All four players logged over 20 PPR points. While I certainly don’t expect this sort of production on a weekly basis, these are the green shoots of growth that make us feel warm and fuzzy about our dynasty investments. What’s more, there is a clear path for each of the aforementioned players to solidify consistent roles.
Realistically, Concepcion could lead the Browns in targets for the rest of the season, Cooper could emerge as the WR2 on the Jets, Douglas could continue to have some boom weeks, and Lemon could earn more targets in an offense that could be without Devonta Smith for a period of time.
Dynasty Cut List: Halfway Through the 2026 Fantasy Season
With the 2026 fantasy season now halfway done, I wanted to switch things up this week. I hope you don’t mind that, loyal DFF readers. Instead of listing a few stashes, I’m going to give you a few players you can finally cut the cord on. Either these guys haven’t blossomed and probably aren’t going to, or they’ve aged out at this point. If you need the roster space, especially in shallower leagues, don’t be afraid to move on.
