Top breakouts and draft fades in college fantasy football
In the Week 0 edition of 'College Fantasy Football Playbook', Yahoo's Eric Froton offers a breakout candidate at each position and some draft day fades.
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Video Transcript
We're just days away from kicking off Yahoo's college fantasy football season, and there is still plenty to break down before actual points are being scored for your fantasy team.
This is the College Fantasy Football Playbook.
First, let's talk about some breakouts, starting with Alabama quarterback, Jalen Russell.
Now, Russell had been battling Austin Mack throughout the off-season to see who would be Kalen DeBoer's number one signal caller, and that's a very important position for college fantasy purposes, 'cause if you remember, Kalen DeBoer made both Michael Penix and Ty Simpson top 15 NFL draft picks.
While Jalen's value had been suppressed in early college fantasy drafts because of the competition with Austin Mack, I expect him to shoot up draft boards and be a top 10 fantasy quarterback for the 2026 season.
Next up is NC State running back Duke Scott.
Now, Scott backed up Hollywood Smothers last year, but was still very effective on a per carry basis, averaging 6.1 yards per carry with a 94% catch rate out of the backfield.
I expect Duke Scott to inherit that starting role at NC State and to blow away Hollywood Smothers' numbers from last year and be a lockdown RB1 for college fantasy purposes.
And now for one of my favorite breakouts in college fantasy football, let's talk about Indiana wide receiver, Nick Marsh.
Now last year, Marsh played for Michigan State and was plagued by poor QB play as Aidan Chiles had one of the lowest accuracy rates in all of college football last season.
Didn't even matter though with Marsh, 'cause when he had the ball in his hands, he broke tackles at a 48% rate and he was smoking DBs downfield, including Indiana cornerback, D'Angelo Ponce, who locked down everybody last season, but simply could not handle Nick Marsh.
I'm taking Marsh everywhere I can get him and consider him to be a top five college fantasy football wideout.
Lastly, let's talk about Cal tight end, Mason Minnie.
Last year, JKS was all over him as a primary target in that Cal offense.
Received a 19.5% target share and lined up out wide 6% of the time, which is rare for Power Four tight ends.
Entering this season, his value has been a little bit down because of the arrival of New Mexico transfer Dorian Thomas.
However, with the first depth charts being released, Minnie was alone at the top of the tight end room.
I think he becomes a top 10 tight end, and he's being drafted outside the top 20.
He's an incredible value and a breakout for 2026.
And now let's talk some fades, and we're gonna start at the QB position, where it's very important to understand that in Yahoo four-point passing touchdown standard formats, pro-style quarterbacks are at a distinct disadvantage.
Of the 64 Power Four quarterbacks who threw 200 plus passes last year, 33 of them ran for less than 200 yards.
Those statuesque signal callers averaged an uninspiring 15.9 points per game.
Just four of those 33 pro-style signal callers managed to clear the 20 point per game threshold that is the benchmark for QB1s in Yahoo standard scoring formats.
Comparatively, 13 of the 19 quarterbacks who rushed for more than 400 yards cleared 21 fantasy points per game as the group averaged 22 and a half in total.
You need to prioritize dual threat signal callers in your college fantasy drafts.
And with depth charts being released before week zero, let's talk about USC wide receiver Tanuhk Hines.
Now, Hines was the clear number three starter behind Mekhi Lemon and Jacoby Lane last season for the Trojans, and he was expected to be the clear number one coming into this season.
However, with the first depth chart released for their game against San Jose State, he is listed as a co-starter alongside Corey Sims, who nobody saw coming in the off-season.
You have to be concerned with that since we heard about Tanuhk's health and it wasn't so particularly positive in the off-season.
We thought that he'd be ready for week one.
Clearly, he is still compromised and you need to move him down your boards.
There's still time to create or join a Yahoo College Fantasy Football League.
And thank you for playing college fantasy football.
