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Devy Players of the Week

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Devy Players of the Week: Week 9

College Fantasy, Devy / By /

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. 

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Devy Players of the Week: Week 8

College Fantasy, Devy / By /

Welcome back for another edition of Devy Players of the Week. Week 8 brought a few new breakout performances, including a 40-burger from a true freshman! Let’s take a look at who made the list this time around. 

Quarterback

Darian Mensah (QB – Miami)
31-37, 387 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs
2 attempts, 16 yards

Unsurprisingly, Mensah and the Miami Hurricanes took care of business against Pittsburgh this weekend, racking up 52 total points. Mensah had another near-flawless performance, amassing over 400 yards of offense and four touchdowns. He’s now up to 22 touchdowns and just one interception on the season, as Miami remains undefeated at 7-0. 

Mensah has as good a case as any to be the first quarterback taken in April’s draft. He may not have that elite fantasy ceiling we’re looking for with our early first-round rookie picks in dynasty, but there’s no doubt this kid is playing some excellent football. 

Sam Leavitt (QB – LSU)
32-45, 387 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs
8 attempts, 52 yards, 1 TD

That’s back-to-back appearances on the DPOTW series for Sam Leavitt. This is exactly the player I was hoping for when I traded @Evan_Kerr_ Bryce Young for Leavitt, Naeem Burroughs, and a 2027 2nd in one of my Devy leagues earlier this season. (For what it’s worth, I still hate that trade looking back now.) Leavitt and the Tigers handled Auburn without issue this weekend, winning by a score of 38-17. Leavitt was the star, accounting for four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing). 

If Leavitt can keep this momentum through the final four games of the season, I could see him back in the first-round discussion for the 2027 NFL Draft. His dual-threat ability makes him an enticing fantasy target if he has a real shot at starting under center on Sundays. 

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The Devy Notebook 2026: Volume 7

College Fantasy, Devy / By /

Conference play is in full swing now, and the picture is rapidly becoming clearer about which players we need to watch for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, it is also becoming clear which players we should move on from before it’s too late. Let’s find out who falls on each side of the line in this week’s edition of The Devy Notebook 2026. 

It’s the second week of excuses for Isaac Brown, but that’s also due to the consistency of his poor play to begin the season. Keyjuan Brown was out for Louisville this weekend, and it led to 17 carries for Isaac Brown. The result of his increased share of the carries was 235 yards and 2 touchdowns, which included a 97-yard run where his game-breaking speed was on full display. This was the Isaac Brown we had come to know and love; I can only hope that it continues.
While we are discussing speed, the second fastest player of this week (clocked at 21.7 MPH) was BYU freshman wide receiver Legend Glasker. I will be honest, I’m still questioning how I truly feel about him as a true devy asset, but the speed pops and he is making an immediate impact as a freshman, which is always notable. He also ranks 6th in the FBS in missed tackles forced after the catch (8). He caught 5 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown against Iowa State, and we get a chance to really evaluate him when he takes on Notre Dame this coming weekend.
I spent last week discussing the vacant targets due to the numerous injuries in the Arizona receiving corps, but I was wrong about who would step into one of the most productive roles in college football. Sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Mizell caught 6 balls for 183 yards and 2 touchdowns. The 6’1” receiver has a slender 170 lb. frame but possesses elite speed, acceleration, and burst that make him a unique and dangerous weapon. He doesn’t have the route development and receiving acumen of a player like Xavier Worthy, who has similar athletic testing numbers, but there are some similarities we should be taking note of.
Jamal Roberts has the appropriate size and frame to be a relevant NFL running back. The 2027 class will likely be without Ahmad Hardy, but the 6’0”, 216 lb. backup, Jamal Roberts, is making the case to be a top-5 back in the class. Over his last two games, he has carried the ball 58 times for 433 yards and 5 touchdowns. It is worth noting that he faced Texas A&M and Florida in these matchups and not some FCS cupcakes. The performances do beg the question of how much the system makes a difference. It seems like every back to carry the ball for Missouri puts up gaudy stats, yet none of them tend to pan out at the next level. 
I feel pretty strongly that Cayden Lee is a trap. I just mentioned that Missouri’s system tends to make players shine who might not otherwise, and Lee might be taking full advantage of it. I wanted to buy in during his three seasons at Ole Miss, but he never showed me anything worth truly investing in. I can’t change my tune now. His 100th percentile outcome is Danny Amendola.

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Devy Players of the Week: Week 6

Devy / By /

Devy Players of the Week is back! Week 6 features a few new names making the list, a couple of prospects salvaging their NFL draft stock, and a tight end stat line so absurd I had to double-check the box score.

Quarterback

LaNorris Sellers (QB – South Carolina) 
23-35, 279 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs
13 attempts, 31 yards, 1 TD

I wrote in the DFF Discord yesterday that this could be Sellers’ last game as a starter if they lost to Florida and dropped to 0-4 in conference. Not only did he save his job with an upset win over the Gators, but he put up one of the better stat lines in the country. 

Sellers threw for four touchdowns and rushed for one more yesterday, making several NFL-caliber throws. He looked as confident as I’ve seen him all year in the pocket, working through progressions and completing passes in some tight windows. This one game isn’t enough for me to move him back up my devy rankings, but I was thrilled to see him possibly turning a corner. 

Bear Bachmeier (QB – BYU)
22-30, 329, 2 TDs, 0 INTs
11 attempts, 107 yards

Bear Bachmeier was due for a big performance after two straight games without a passing touchdown. He dominated in BYU’s win over Iowa State this weekend, totaling 436 yards and throwing two touchdowns. Bachmeier’s dual-threat ability makes him a compelling fantasy asset, though I wouldn’t bet on him becoming an NFL starter quite yet. 

If BYU hopes to keep their undefeated season alive, Bachmeier will need to continue leading the charge with L.J. Martin out for at least another month. 

Running Back

Fame Ijeboi (RB – Purdue)

If you don’t think Fame Ijeboi is a future NFL running back, just flip on a Purdue game once and watch this kid tote the rock. He’s as physical a runner as anyone in the country and displays some impressive short-area burst through the hole. 

Fame’s surface-level stats (like yards per attempt) may not look impressive without context, but when you realize Purdue is ranked 136th out of 138 FBS teams in run block grade, you can see why. Digging a bit deeper, you’ll see Fame leads the FBS in missed tackles forced (48). His 41% juke rate this season is slightly better than Ashton Jeanty’s season average in his final season at Boise State, when he went god-mode all year. NFL workhorse is absolutely within his range of outcomes here. 

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Devy Players of the Week: Week 5

College Fantasy, Devy / By /

Welcome back for another edition of Devy Players of the Week! As we inch closer to the midway point of the regular season, we’re getting a clearer picture of who will hit our dynasty rosters and who lacks the tools to hack it on Sundays. Let’s take a look at which prospects stood out in Week 5. 

Quarterback

Austin Simmons (QB – Missouri)
23-30, 340 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs
3 attempts, 3 yards

Several other quarterbacks had better box scores this weekend, but I’d be remiss to leave out Austin Simmons in this week’s edition after the upset he just pulled off. Despite being 5.5-point dogs to the 8th-ranked Florida Gators, Simmons led his Tigers to a dominant 45-17 win and played some truly polished football. 

Simmons showed off his arm talent in this matchup, zipping tight spirals with pinpoint accuracy all afternoon. He’s playing some of the best football in the country and hasn’t thrown a single interception in five games. Simmons is up to my devy QB22 overall. If he keeps this up, he may just declare in 2027 and go in Round 1 of the NFL Draft. The one downside is that Simmons lacks any rushing upside. 

CJ Carr (QB – Notre Dame)
21-29, 234 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs
5 attempts, 14 yards, 1 TD

CJ Carr continues to silence the doubters (including myself), playing mistake-free football and leading the Irish with confidence every week. I maintain the stance that Carr doesn’t have a very strong arm, but he’s highly accurate and has some of the best touch in the country. His superpower is his processing ability, both pre-snap and post-snap. Being able to diagnose a defense quickly is arguably more important than any physical tools when finding success as an NFL quarterback. 

Carr put together another excellent stat line in Notre Dame’s win over UNC, throwing for four touchdowns and rushing for one. He’s another guy who won’t get you much fantasy production on the ground, so his ceiling is relatively capped. 

Running Back

DeSean Bishop (RB – Tennessee)
34 attempts, 220 yards, 3 TDs

Bishop accounted for all of Tennessee’s touchdowns in their 24-14 win over Auburn this weekend, improving to 4-1 on the season. Bishop’s competence as a rusher has been integral in taking some pressure off the passing game, which has been up and down all year. The Vols benched their true freshman quarterback, Faizon Brandon, midgame, relying solely on the run game to get them the dub. 

Bishop saw 34 attempts this weekend, rushing for 220 yards and three touchdowns. Despite the excellent numbers, I do have some hesitation investing in any Tennessee players from a devy perspective. It tends to be an offensive system that produces plenty of college fantasy points, but doesn’t necessarily develop its players for the next level. 

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Devy Players of the Week – Week 4

College Fantasy, Devy / By /

Week 4 of college football is officially in the books! Hopefully your rostered devy players have been moving up DFF’s consensus Big Boards and not down. There’s a lot of movement in these early weeks of the season, as players firmly establish roles in their offense and begin to stand out among the rest. With that, let’s take a look at this week’s top performances! 

Quarterback

Keelon Russell (QB – Alabama)
21-27, 365 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs
6 attempts, 46 yards, 1 TD

Could Alabama make a run at the National Championship this year? With Keelon Russell under center, I wouldn’t count them out. Russell lands on my DPTOW list for the second consecutive week as the Crimson Tide DISMANTLED this South Carolina Gamecock defense, winning 49-18. 

Russell accounted for over 400 yards of offense and five total touchdowns in this one, once again looking calm and polished in the pocket throughout. Russell has moved up to my devy QB1 overall, but he has some difficult challenges ahead, to say the least. Bama’s next four games: Mississippi State, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and LSU. If he can make it through this stretch unscathed, we may be looking at the 1.01 in 2028 dynasty rookie drafts. 

Julian Sayin (QB – Ohio State)
27-36, 367 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs
9 attempts, 27 yards, 1 TD

Julian Sayin and the Buckeyes took care of business against the Illini this weekend, winning by a score of 42-19. Sayin put up an identical stat line to Russell, posting nearly 400 yards of offense and five touchdowns of his own. Through four games this year, Sayin has racked up over 1,200 yards and 12 total touchdowns with just one interception. 

Resident Buckeye fan and DFF analyst @Evan_Kerr_ has pointed out that Sayin may not have an NFL arm, frequently underthrowing his receivers deep. Luckily, he has arguably the best receiver in college football history on his team, so he gets bailed out frequently. I’m not sold on Sayin as a dynasty asset yet, but as with any quarterback, we’ll have to see what kind of draft capital and landing spot he gets. Even if he gets a starting job, his fantasy ceiling is capped with his lack of rushing upside. 

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Devy Players of the Week – Week 3

College Fantasy, Devy / By /

How is Week 3 of college football already in the books? Time flies when you’re watching the greatest sport on planet Earth. Anyway, you guys know the drill by now. I’m bringing you the top two performances from each fantasy position this week, focusing solely on future NFL prospects. Let’s see who made the cut. 

Quarterback

Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele (QB – Cal)
27-33, 448 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs

The Hawaiian southpaw had his best game of the season yesterday, granted it was against an FCS opponent in Wagner. He threw for 448 yards and three touchdowns in just 2.5 quarters, scoring on seven of eight drives. JKS was nearly perfect under center this weekend, but we expected as much against this level of competition. 

I want to see him take another step forward in P4 play; against Syracuse and UCLA this year, he’s sitting with just a 60% completion rate and 6.0 yards per attempt. He’ll need to be more efficient as a passer to solidify his spot as the devy QB1, given he provides nothing on the ground. Realistically, we’ll need him to become a Joe Burrow-level passer to be a first-round startup pick in dynasty formats (which I believe is in his range of outcomes). 

Keelon Russell (QB – Alabama)
23-30, 320 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs
5 attempts, 62 yards, 1 TD

Keelon legacy game! What a performance from the sophomore in a shootout win against Florida State. He accounted for nearly 400 yards of offense and four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing), not even turning the ball over once. 

This was the kind of stat line we were waiting for after two underwhelming box scores to start the season. Russell looked confident as ever in the pocket this weekend, with polished mechanics and a lightning-quick release. He’s a pass-first quarterback with the mobility and burst to tuck it and run at any time. This 2028 quarterback class is shaping up to be incredible, with JKS, Keelon, and Kamario Taylor leading the charge. 

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Devy Players of the Week: Week 2

College Fantasy, Devy / By /

Welcome back to Week 2 of Devy Players of the Week! The headline game was a clash of titans between Ohio State and Texas, with the Longhorns pulling off a stunning comeback. We have plenty of future NFL talent to break down, so let’s get into it.

Quarterbacks

Lincoln Kienholz (QB – Louisville)

16-22, 332 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs
6 attempts, 42 yards, 2 TDs

What a start to the season for Lincoln Kienholz. After racking up nearly 400 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns in Week 1 against Ole Miss, Kienholz posted an even better stat line in Week 2 against Villanova. We got another 374 yards and four total touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) from the Ohio State transfer in this one.

We went from wondering whether Kienholz could secure a starting gig to Kienholz playing some of the best football in the country through two weeks. He’s a guy to watch going forward; if he gains NFL buzz, Kienholz has the rushing upside to be an intriguing fantasy option.  

Kamario Taylor (QB – Mississippi St.) 

16-23, 227 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs
12 attempts, 91 yards, 0 TDs

Perhaps nobody in the country has seen a bigger surge in devy value than Kamario Taylor out of Mississippi State. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound monster has gotten off to a blazing start this year, dominating both as a passer and a rusher. We knew he was a Konami-Code player coming into this season, but what’s impressed me most is his tools as a passer. Taylor has a cannon for an arm, can zip it into tight windows, can throw on the run, and shows poise beyond his years in the pocket. He showed off the full repertoire this weekend, having his way with Minnesota Gophers’ defense from start to finish. 

Speaking of years, did you know this kid is only 19? That’s right. Taylor is a true sophomore and isn’t even eligible to declare until 2028. We could be looking at the next Kyler Murray, only six inches taller and 25 pounds heavier. There’s a case to be made for Taylor as the devy QB1 overall now. 

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Devy Players of the Week: Week 0

Devy / By /

In my books, Christmas morning is a close second to the first slate of college football games each season. The long wait for football is finally over, and with it comes the return of our Devy Players of the Week series! If you remember from prior years, I cover the top two performances (in my opinion) at each fantasy position, every week of the college football regular season. 

Week 0 was an abbreviated slate, so we don’t have a ton to choose from, but we still saw some breakout performances and surprises to kick off the 2026 season. As a reminder, this is a Devy series, so we’re focusing solely on guys with a reasonable path to NFL touches down the road. With that, let’s take a look at the standouts from yesterday’s games!

Quarterbacks

Jayden Maiava (QB – USC)

25-29, 286 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs
2 carries, 4 yards, 1 TD

Sure, it was against San Jose State, but senior QB Jayden Maiava had as close to a perfect game as one could hope for to kick things off. He finished with three total touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing) and threw just four incompletions all game. He got these numbers in just three quarters, too, as USC’s lead was large enough to sit their veteran playcaller in the fourth. 

I’ve generally been in the camp that Maiava’s efficiency is mostly a product of Lincoln Riley’s fast-paced, spread offense, which relies heavily on quick, simple reads and passes. I’m still skeptical of the NFL upside here, and this game doesn’t change a ton for me, but I’m open to being wrong. There’s no denying Maiava’s production profile, leading the B1G in passing yards and scoring in 2025. Once WRs Terrell Anderson and Tanook Hines return, the ceiling will only be that much higher for the Trojans’ offense. 

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