It was a wild and eventful Week 1 of the college fantasy football season, with plenty of surprises from a CFF standpoint that we need to account for. For the most part, I’m going to be striving to keep the waiver-wire targets below a 50% roster rate, but I made an exception for two important widely-available players who should be in the 90% range. Let’s dive in on the top players to add for Week 2.
Quarterbacks
QB Mason Heintschel, Pittsburgh – 9% Rostered
My top QB sleeper for 2026, Heintschel delivered Week’s 1 most prolific fantasy quarterback performance of Week 1, shredding Miami (OH) for 453 yards, seven touchdowns and 48.42 fantasy points while completing 31-of-41 passes in Pitt’s 59-14 victory. The sophomore averaged 11.0 YPA, avoided any turnovers and added 23 rushing yards, with his seven touchdown passes tying the Pitt single-game record while establishing a new ACC mark.
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Heintschel’s distribution was particularly encouraging from a fantasy perspective, as seven different Panthers caught touchdown passes, suggesting OC Kade Bell has constructed an offense capable of generating production regardless of which receiver emerges as the alpha. Heintschel also demonstrated this ceiling as a freshman, throwing for 300+ yards four times after taking over the starting job from Eli Holstein.
While we should temper expectations of another seven-touchdown eruption, Pitt threw 41 times despite winning by 45 points. This is an extremely encouraging indicator that Bell intends to keep his foot on the accelerator, while Heintschel’s 23 rushing yards provide a stable floor for CFF purposes. With UCF up next, Heintschel should immediately enter the weekly QB1/2 conversation and possess enough volume-driven upside to become one of 2026 CFF’s biggest quarterback breakouts.
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QB Anthony Colandrea, Nebraska – 6% Rostered
Colandrea wasn’t exactly hiding from the CFF community after earning Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors at UNLV last season, but his Nebraska debut meaningfully increased his value. Colandrea threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns while running for another score in Nebraska’s 49-21 victory over Ohio. He directed an offense that generated 523 total yards and erupted for 35 second-half points after a sluggish opening 30 minutes.
His production could be sustainable at least in the short term, as Colandrea rushed for 621 yards and nine touchdowns at UNLV last season after accumulating more than 500 rushing yards during his two years at Virginia, so his 31.3 Fantasy Points in Week 1 wasn’t an aberration. Nebraska’s dynamic backfield should make defenses respect the run, and Colandrea’s established dual-threat profile gives him enticing upside. He’s already moving from streaming territory toward every-week starter consideration against Nebraska’s CFF-friendly early-season schedule, with the Huskers facing Bowling Green, North Dakota, @ Michigan State and Maryland over the next four weeks.
QB Faizon Brandon, Tennessee – 9% Rostered
Well, that escalated quickly. Brandon made his collegiate debut by completing 13-of-17 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns while adding 68 rushing yards and two more scores on 10 carries in Tennessee’s 56-9 destruction of Furman. The true freshman rolled up a gaudy 39.84 fantasy points despite the Volunteers having little reason to expose him once the game got out of hand.
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The passing efficiency was encouraging, but the 10 rushing attempts are the statistic that should have CFF managers prioritizing him on the waiver wire and their FAB. Brandon wasn’t merely scrambling when protection broke down; Tennessee clearly appears comfortable utilizing his athleticism as a fundamental component of the offense. A quarterback capable of providing 50-plus rushing yards with legitimate goal-line equity in HC Josh Heupel’s potent system has immediate QB1 upside. Brandon’s growing pains will eventually arrive, but his combination of rushing floor, supporting cast and offensive environment makes him a must add against Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State the next two weeks.
Running backs
Jamal Rule, Nebraska – 3% Rostered
We can safely say the Nebraska backfield hierarchy looks considerably different today than it did Saturday morning. True freshman RB Jamal Rule was technically listed as a co-starter alongside Mekhi Nelson and Isaiah Mozee, but was the third Nebraska running back to enter the game. He proceeded to seize control of the position, converting a team-high 15 carries into 122 yards and two rushing touchdowns while catching two passes for another 47 yards and a score. Rule was particularly devastating after halftime, ripping off 106 yards on just eight carries while Nebraska overwhelmed Ohio en route to a 49-21 victory.
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Rule’s 17 touches produced 169 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns, which is the type of performance that can instantly reshuffle a depth chart. The January enrollee became Nebraska’s first freshman running back since 2004 to eclipse 100 rushing yards in a season opener while averaging 8.1 YPC. Most importantly for CFF purposes, this wasn’t garbage-time production from a fourth-stringer — Rule received goal-line work, caught a touchdown and led the Huskers in carries. There’s still competition here, but Rule just transformed himself from a speculative freshman into one of the premier Power Four waiver targets heading into Week 2.
J’Koby Williams, Texas Tech – 21% Rostered
Williams entered 2026 as one of the most electric complementary backs in the Power Four after producing 868 rushing yards on just 155 carries (5.6 YPC) last season while sharing the Texas Tech backfield with Cameron Dickey last year. He made a compelling case for an immediate CFF waiver claim in Texas Tech’s 33-10 victory over Abilene Christian, leading the Red Raiders with 71 rushing yards and a touchdown on 13 carries while adding a team-high eight receptions for 57 yards.
Williams finished with 128 scrimmage yards on 21 touches, averaging 5.5 YPC and scoring on a five-yard run in the first quarter. Most importantly for fantasy purposes, his eight receptions dwarfed the two catches recorded by fellow RB Dickey and demonstrated that Williams has a clearly defined passing-down role and chemistry with QB Will Hammond. The backfield remains crowded, as Dickey handled 14 carries for 48 yards while Quinten Joyner received 10 attempts for 43 yards and a touchdown, meaning Williams isn’t walking into a traditional bell-cow workload. However, Williams was easily the most productive member of the trio, and 21 touches in a competitive portion of the game is enough volume to command CFF Waiver Wire priority at his meager 21% rostered rate.
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Cam Edwards, Michigan State – 67% Rostered
Perhaps the most actionable RB usage development of Week 1 occurred in East Lansing, where UConn transfer RB Cam Edwards received a whopping 27 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown in Michigan State’s 30-20 victory over Toledo. Edwards also caught two passes for seven yards, giving him 29 total opportunities in his Spartan debut. The 27 rushing attempts established a collegiate career high for Edwards and were especially notable considering no Michigan State running back handled more than 18 carries in a game last season.
The 3.6 YPC isn’t going to generate breathless waiver-wire enthusiasm, but that’s precisely why savvy CFF managers should be paying attention. Efficiency fluctuates, but 27 carries don’t happen by accident. Michigan State handed Edwards the ball eight times on its opening possession alone, with the veteran finishing that drive by punching in a 2-yard touchdown from the Wildcat formation. He entered the season outside the upper echelon of CFF backs, but Week 1 suggests Michigan State intends to deploy him as a genuine workhorse as he received one of the largest workloads of any Power Four back in the country. He is an automatic start against MAC opponent Eastern Michigan in Week 2.
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RB Fame Ijeboi, Purdue – 6% Rostered
Purdue’s season-opening 44-19 victory over Indiana State provided our first look at Minnesota transfer RB Fame Ijeboi in a Boilermakers uniform, and the sophomore made a compelling case for an expanded role. Ijeboi turned 11 carries into 87 yards and a touchdown while catching both of his targets for another 30 yards, producing 117 yards from scrimmage on just 13 touches. His 7.9 YPC rushing average was impressive enough, but Purdue also trusted him with a direct snap near the goal line that Ijeboi converted into a touchdown.
That’s the combination we’re striving to find on the waiver wire: efficiency, receiving involvement and access to high-value touches. Ijeboi entered Week 1 well outside the top 60 in most CFF RB discussions despite earning preseason Doak Walker recognition, but he looked like Purdue’s most dangerous runner when given opportunities. The 11 carries aren’t enough to declare him a bell-cow back, and Purdue is arguably the worst team in the Big Ten who plays one of the top-10 toughest schedules. However, 117 scrimmage yards on 13 touches with receiving and goal-line involvement is enough to make Ijeboi a preferred speculative addition who can start at your flex spot when the matchup is favorable.
Wide receivers
Cataurus “Blue” Hicks, Pittsburgh – 9% Rostered
When a quarterback throws seven touchdown passes to seven different players, figuring out which receiver actually matters becomes a little complicated. Fortunately, Pitt gave us a fairly obvious clue. Hicks led the Panthers with nine targets and 114 receiving yards in their 59-14 rout of Miami (Ohio), while also catching one of Heintschel’s record-tying seven touchdown passes. Pitt generated 453 passing yards and 646 total yards, creating one of Week 1’s most impressive offensive performances.
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The nine targets are far more indicative of his future utility than the touchdown. Heintschel spread his seven scoring passes among Hicks, Malik Knight, Censere Lee, Bryce Yates and several others, so chasing each touchdown recipient would be a classic early-season waiver mistake. Hicks, conversely, led the Panthers in routes (34) targets (9) and receiving yards (114), providing evidence that his production was supported by opportunity rather than touchdown variance. If Heintschel is taking the sophomore leap his opener suggests, Hicks could be one of the more consequential early-season CFF receiver discoveries.
Jeremiah McClellan, Oregon – 4% Rostered
McClellan authored one of Week 1’s biggest CFF breakouts, catching six passes for 150 yards and a touchdown in Oregon’s 34-27 victory over Boise State. The junior averaged a blistering 25.0 yards per reception, highlighted by a 51-yard catch-and-run, while his 8-yard third-quarter touchdown gave Oregon its first lead of the afternoon. It was easily the best performance of McClellan’s career, nearly doubling his previous career high of 83 receiving yards. Most importantly for CFF managers, McClellan produced 24.0 fantasy points, an enormous return for a receiver who was largely an afterthought in drafts, as his 4% roster rate will attest.
There is legitimate competition for targets in Eugene, with Evan Stewart and Dakorien Moore also commanding substantial roles, so we shouldn’t automatically project McClellan for WR1 volume every week. However, emerging as Heisman contending QB Dante Moore’s trusted security blanket in a competitive opener carries considerably more weight than torching an overmatched FCS opponent. McClellan showed he can win downfield, create after the catch and secure tough contested throws in third-down situations, giving him multiple avenues to CFF production. In an Oregon offense capable of generating eye-popping passing numbers every week, McClellan is a priority Power Four waiver claim and should be rostered in virtually every CFF format following his 24-point eruption.
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Legend Glasker, BYU – 0% Rostered
There are efficient performances, and then there’s scoring three touchdowns on four offensive touches. Glasker caught three passes for 65 yards and two touchdowns while adding a 16-yard rushing touchdown on a jet sweep in BYU’s 63-7 demolition of Utah Tech. All three scores came in the first half, with Glasker becoming the first BYU player since 2022 to score three touchdowns before halftime.
With the game effectively on ice at halftime, I’m not remotely concerned about Glasker’s limited touches. The jet-sweep carry particularly matters because it demonstrates that the Cougars are actively manufacturing opportunities for the true freshman rather than simply waiting for targets to find him. He’s exactly the type of impactful freshman I’d rather roster a week too early than attempt to acquire after he goes off against Arizona and Colorado State when he will receive a more expansive workload. With BYU’s receiving room in flux heading into the season, Glasker is the clear waiver wire priority and projects as a high-volume WR1 for BYU who should be a weekly WR2/flex option.
Umari Hatcher, Syracuse – 3% Rostered
The return of QB Steve Angeli was one of Syracuse’s biggest offseason storylines, but Hatcher might have provided the most important CFF development from the Orange’s 66-3 demolition of New Hampshire. Hatcher erupted for eight receptions, 147 yards and two touchdowns, accounting for more than half of Syracuse’s 275 passing yards. Angeli looked healthy in his return from last season’s Achilles injury, completing 20-of-29 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns, with Hatcher emerging as his dominant receiving option.
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That’s precisely the type of Week 1 usage we’re looking to attack. Syracuse entered the opener with uncertainty surrounding its receiving corps, with Tyshawn Russell absent and other pieces shuffled around the depth chart. Hatcher didn’t merely capitalize with one long touchdown — eight receptions indicate projectable volume, while 147 yards and two scores demonstrate the ceiling attached to it. The competition obviously gets tougher from here, but a potential WR1 for Syracuse attached to a healthy Angeli warrants heavy waiver consideration.
Tight ends
Mason Mini, California – 57% Rostered
Mini made an immediate case for increased CFF attention in Cal’s opener against UCLA, hauling in four receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound redshirt junior was already a proven contributor after posting 35 receptions for 387 yards and four touchdowns in 2025, but his Week 1 performance showed another step forward as a receiving weapon. Mini found the end zone against the Bruins and generated 17.0 yards per reception, an encouraging development at a position where explosive plays are difficult to find. His production translated to 13.8 fantasy points in Yahoo’s default scoring, easily outperforming preseason expectations.
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The waiver-wire appeal is particularly interesting because Mini entered the season with some uncertainty surrounding his role following the arrival of New Mexico transfer Dorian Thomas. Mini missed spring practice while recovering from an undisclosed injury, but returned for fall camp and clearly remains an important component of the Bears’ passing attack. I had him ranked as my TE10 heading into Week 1, and that ranking has been wholly justified. With an established receiving résumé and a strong opening performance, Mini deserves to be the most aggressively pursued Power Four tight end on this week’s waiver wire.
Rocky Beers, Oklahoma – 7% Rostered
Listed as a co-starter on the initial OU depth chart, Beers made an immediate impression in the Sooners’ 51-0 demolition of UTEP, taking a 15-yard out-breaker from QB John Mateer and hurdling a defender near the goal line before finishing the play for a 40-yard touchdown. For added measure, Beers appeared to score a second touchdown before the play was wiped out because fellow TE Jack VanDorselaer was called for an illegal pick, so his solid 11.3 fantasy points could have approached the 20-point mark with a little luck.
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His nose for the goal line is vital considering TE is the most touchdown-dependent position in CFF. Oklahoma schemed opportunities for Beers, and Mateer threw three touchdowns while the Sooners piled up 51 points despite taking their foot off the gas. One game isn’t enough to declare Beers an every-week TE1, but two would-be touchdown receptions in his first game demands our attention. He’s one of my favorite speculative TE waiver additions because the acquisition cost should remain substantially lower than Mini, who is 57% rostered.