The college football season kicked off last week for a small slate, but now every team gets in on the action for Week 1. This is a great chance to dive into college football DFS.
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Quarterback
Stud
Katin Houser, Illinois vs. UAB, $8,300
Katin Houser was a good get for Illinois in the transfer portal. Houser started his career in the Big Ten at Michigan State but was unable to win the starting job long-term. He transferred to ECU and had two very good seasons as QB1 there. He is now back in the Big Ten for one more season, as he hopes to prove he can compete at the highest level. Houser starts off with a very comfortable matchup against UAB. Last season, the Blazers had one of the worst defenses in football, ranking 130th in defensive EPA/pass. Houser should start his Illinois career with a stellar performance.
Value
Julian Lewis, Colorado at Georgia Tech, $6,700
Julian Lewis was able to take over as starting quarterback at Colorado by the end of his freshman season. He got some solid game experience under his belt and should be ready to perform as the Week 1 starter this season. Georgia Tech really struggled against the pass last season, ranking 115th in defensive EPA/pass. While this Colorado program might not be where Lewis hoped it would be when he signed with the Buffaloes, he is a very talented player and should have a productive season.
Running Back
Stud
Justice Haynes, Georgia Tech vs. Colorado, $8,100
Justice Haynes had a strong junior season at Michigan, rushing for 857 yards and scoring 10 touchdowns. He is now at Georgia Tech, which has had a great running game under Brent Key. Haynes should be an efficient back who gets plenty of touches this season. Colorado gave up 222.5 rushing yards per game last season, the second-most of any school in the nation. Haynes should run wild in this game and put up big numbers in his first outing as a Yellow Jacket.
Value
Sawyer Seidl, Wake Forest vs. Akron, $5,500
Sawyer Seidl had an excellent 2025 season at North Dakota. He ran for 897 yards and scored 17 total touchdowns with the Fighting Hawks last season. Now, he is moving up to the FBS level to tote the rock for Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons get a comfortable Week 1 matchup against Akron. Seidl won’t have to face a much higher echelon of athletes than he was accustomed to at the top level of the FCS yet. He should run the ball efficiently in this game and is a strong value play in DFS at running back or FLEX.
Wide Receiver
Stud
Danny Scudero, Colorado at Georgia Tech, $6,000
Danny Scudero led the nation in receiving yards in 2025. He caught 88 balls for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns for San Jose State, a remarkable campaign at any level. Now, he joins the Buffaloes to be the primary target for Julian Lewis. Scudero should be ready to step in and perform in the Big 12 right away. Last year against Stanford, he had 11 catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns. That was the last time he faced an ACC opponent. Scudero will be ready for Georgia Tech and should start his Colorado career with a bang.
Value
Marcel Williams, Akron at Wake Forest, $4,200
Marcel Williams had a strong first season with Akron in 2025. He led the team with 45 catches and 641 receiving yards. Williams’ only downfall is that he struggled to find the end zone, only scoring twice last season despite being the team’s top receiver. If he is able to get into the end zone more often, he could become a very productive fantasy player in 2026. Reese Poffenbarger is a talented quarterback who has bounced around as a backup over the past couple of seasons but is ready to step in and be the QB1 for the Zips this season. He should feed Williams early and often in this matchup.
